The scoreboard didn't lie. Afghanistan didn't just win the tri-series final in Sharjah; they dismantled Zimbabwe's resistance with a 170-run chase that finished in just 34.3 overs. Seven wickets in hand, the East Asian team sealed the title with a dominance that would send shivers down the spine of any top-five side. It wasn't a close contest by the final over. It was a statement.
Ibrahim Zadran was the engine room, anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 70 off 96 balls. He wasn't alone, though. Rahmat Shah added 43 and Rahmanullah Gurbaz chipped in with 36, but it was the bowling attack that did the heavy lifting in the first innings. They strangled Zimbabwe to 169 in 43.3 overs. Sikandar Raza fought hard with 68 off 83, but Ryan Burl’s 31 was the only other significant contribution. The rest? Silence.
Rashid Khan was the hunter. Three wickets for 41 runs in the final, and 11 across the entire tournament. That consistency earned him the Player of the Series award. Mohammad Nabi, the veteran, picked up two wickets for 25, while Fazalhaq Farooqi and Bilal Sami also claimed two apiece. It was a collective effort, but Rashid’s grip on the ball was the difference-maker that turned a good performance into a dominant one.
Now, look at the rankings. Afghanistan sits at number seven with 94 points. England? They’ve slipped to eighth with 93. Just a single point separates the two, a gap that feels monumental in the current climate but is technically a razor-thin margin. Afghanistan has matched their all-time highest ranking, a feat last achieved in May 2025. They are now breathing down the necks of Sri Lanka, who sit in sixth with just one more point (95).
The top of the table remains a different world. India holds the crown with 115 points, a six-point lead over New Zealand (109). South Africa (104), Pakistan (103), and Australia (102) complete the elite group. But the gap between the top five and the chasing pack is narrowing. Afghanistan’s rise to seventh suggests they are no longer just contenders; they are competitors. With the 2027 World Cup on the horizon, this is the warning shot everyone else needs to hear. Next up: keeping that momentum alive as the points gap to Sri Lanka remains a single, fragile point.