Afghanistan National Cricket Team Vs Scotland National Cricket Team Match Scorecard – Dominant 61-Run Win for Afghanistan

The Afghanistan National Cricket Team Vs Scotland National Cricket Team Match Scorecard from February 2, 2026, tells the story of a one-sided but electrifying T20 World Cup warm-up clash at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. Afghanistan announced their tournament readiness in emphatic fashion, crushing Scotland by 61 runs to kick off the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up schedule.

The turning point came in the middle overs when Darwish Rasooli and Ibrahim Zadran forged a commanding 82-run partnership to rescue Afghanistan from an early wobble. Rasooli eventually retired out for a stunning 84 off 46 balls, while Azmatullah Omarzai’s miserly 3 for 14 dismantled Scotland’s chase before it could even find its feet. The Afghanistan National Cricket Team Vs Scotland National Cricket Team Match Scorecard stands as a comprehensive statement of intent from Rashid Khan’s side heading into the tournament.

Match Summary

Venue: BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground 1, Bengaluru
Date: February 2, 2026
Format: T20 (ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Warm-up)
Toss: Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bat first
Player of the Match: Darwish Rasooli (84 off 46 balls)

Afghanistan posted a formidable 184/6 despite losing two early wickets inside the powerplay. The Rasooli-Zadran rescue act steadied the ship before Mohammad Nabi’s explosive late cameo pushed the total beyond Scotland’s reach. Defending 185, Afghanistan’s bowlers led by Omarzai were relentless. Scotland crumbled under pressure, losing their last five wickets for just 21 runs in 28 balls to be dismissed for 123 in 19.3 overs. The Afghanistan Vs Scotland warm-up result sent a clear message to the rest of the T20 World Cup field.

Afghanistan Batting Highlights

Fall of Wickets: 1-3 (Naib, 1.2), 2-20 (Atal, 3.3), 3-102 (Zadran, 12.3), 4-129 (Omarzai, 15.3), 5-161 (Rasooli, 17.6), 6-183 (Nabi, 19.5)

The early loss of Naib and Atal left Afghanistan at 20/2 inside four overs, but Rasooli walked in at No. 4 and took full control. His 82-run stand with Zadran was the backbone of the innings patient accumulation giving way to powerful strokeplay. Once both fell in the 13th–16th over window, veteran Mohammad Nabi arrived to smash 34 off just 16 balls at the death, with two sixes in the final over helping Afghanistan finish strongly at 184/6. Rasooli’s innings, laced with seven fours and five sixes, was the centrepiece of this dominant Afghanistan Vs Scotland batting performance.

Scotland Bowling Figures (Afghanistan Innings)

Scotland’s best performers were Brad Currie (2/26) and Mark Watt (2/32), who struck early and kept things reasonably tidy. Jack Jarvis, however, was punished heavily during the death overs, going for 57 runs in his four overs as Rasooli and Nabi capitalised. Scotland had their moments in the powerplay but lacked the firepower to contain Afghanistan through the middle and slog overs.

Scotland Batting Highlights

Scotland’s chase never truly threatened the target. Munsey fell in the sixth over to Omarzai, triggering a collapse that saw Scotland go from 41/0 to 67/5. Cross and Watt offered brief resistance with a 23-run seventh-wicket stand, but once Watt was cleaned up by Mujeeb in the 17th over, the lower order folded in just 28 balls. The Scots were dismissed for 123 61 runs short of the target.

Afghanistan Bowling Figures (Scotland Innings)

Azmatullah Omarzai was the standout performer with the ball, returning figures of 3/14 in three overs at a miserly economy rate of 4.66 exceptional for a T20 game. Mohammad Nabi chipped in with 2/9 in just two overs, proving that Afghanistan’s spin attack is tournament-ready. Ziaur Rahman finished the innings with 2 wickets in his final over, while Mujeeb kept pressure consistent throughout his spell. The entire bowling attack was disciplined, ensuring Scotland never had a platform to build from.

Key Moments & Tactical Analysis

Toss Impact: Afghanistan’s decision to bat first proved crucial. On a flat Bengaluru surface with clear skies, setting a big target was always the preferred approach, and a score of 184 proved comfortably beyond Scotland’s reach.

Powerplay Momentum: Scotland’s bowlers struck twice in the first four overs to reduce Afghanistan to 20/2, which was a promising start. However, the surface was too good for bowling, and the Rasooli-Zadran partnership from overs 4 to 12 quickly made those early breakthroughs irrelevant.

Turning Point: The Rasooli-Zadran stand of 82 runs for the third wicket was the game-defining passage of play. It shifted the balance completely and gave Afghanistan the platform for a big finish. When Nabi arrived in the final three overs, the total was pushed beyond 180 a target too stiff for Scotland’s batting order.

Captaincy Decisions: Rashid Khan rotated his bowlers smartly in the defence. Using Omarzai in the powerplay and early middle overs was a bold call that paid dividends immediately. Deploying Nabi for just two overs at the right moment when Scotland needed big hits showed excellent tactical awareness.

Pitch & Conditions: The BCCI Centre of Excellence surface was true and even-paced, offering little assistance to seamers or spinners. Dew was not a significant factor as the match progressed under lights, but Afghanistan’s spin attack was disciplined enough to ensure Scotland could never free their arms.

Key Stats Comparison

The numbers highlight the gulf in class between the two sides on the day. Afghanistan hit nine sixes to Scotland’s one, underlining the power in their batting order. Scotland’s bowling was competitive early but was unable to stop Afghanistan’s momentum once Rasooli got going. In the defence, Afghanistan were ruthless Scotland’s run rate of 6.31 was never close to what was required.

Head-to-Head Analysis & Historical Rivalry

Afghanistan vs Scotland — Head-to-Head Record (T20Is)

Historical Rivalry

Afghanistan and Scotland have met multiple times across ICC events and warm-up fixtures, and the record tells a stark story: Afghanistan have never lost a T20 match against Scotland. The rivalry, while not the most storied in cricket, has consistently demonstrated the significant class gap between the two sides in the shortest format.

The standout moment in this fixture’s history came at the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 in Sharjah, where Afghanistan demolished Scotland by 130 runs one of the most comprehensive victories in T20 World Cup history. Mujeeb Ur Rahman took 5/20 as Scotland were shot out for just 60. Najibullah Zadran contributed a fierce 59 off 34 balls as Afghanistan posted 190/4.

In the 2024 T20 World Cup warm-up in Trinidad, the story was similar. Afghanistan won by 55 runs, with Gulbadin Naib blasting 69 off 30 balls. Scotland reached 123/9 in reply but fell well short.

Now, in the 2026 T20 World Cup warm-up in Bengaluru, Afghanistan have continued that dominance this time through Darwish Rasooli’s 84 and Omarzai’s clinical 3/14, winning by 61 runs.

Scotland have shown fight in individual spells and partnerships across these matches, but Afghanistan’s combination of world-class spinners, explosive batting, and seasoned experience at ICC events has always proven too much. Until Scotland find a way to handle Afghanistan’s spin attack led by Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, and Mohammad Nabi this rivalry is likely to remain one-sided in the shortest format.

Read Also: United Arab Emirates National Cricket Team Vs Afghanistan National Cricket Team Match Scorecard

Conclusion

The Afghanistan National Cricket Team Vs Scotland National Cricket Team Match Scorecard from the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up paints a clear picture: Afghanistan are a formidable, balanced side heading into the tournament. Their batting depth from Rasooli’s brilliance to Nabi’s late cameos combined with a multi-pronged bowling attack gives them every reason to be confident.

Scotland, meanwhile, have areas to address before facing West Indies in their tournament opener. Their batting lacked firepower and collapsed once early wickets fell. The Scots will need to find a way to absorb pressure and build partnerships if they are to compete at the top level.

What’s Next: Afghanistan face West Indies in their next warm-up on February 4, while Scotland take on Namibia on the same date. Both sides will be looking to finalise their playing combinations before the tournament officially begins on February 7, 2026.

? FAQs

What was the final score?

Afghanistan 184/6 (20 overs) beat Scotland 123 all out (19.3 overs) by 61 runs.

Who was the Player of the Match?

Darwish Rasooli (Afghanistan) 84 off 46 balls with 7 fours and 5 sixes.

Who scored the most runs?

Darwish Rasooli scored the most runs 84 (retired out) for Afghanistan. Matthew Cross top-scored for Scotland with 21.

Who took the most wickets?

Azmatullah Omarzai was the leading wicket-taker with 3/14 in 3 overs for Afghanistan. Brad Currie, Mark Watt, and Jack Jarvis each claimed 2 wickets for Scotland.

What was the turning point?

The 82-run third-wicket partnership between Darwish Rasooli and Ibrahim Zadran after Afghanistan were reduced to 20/2 in the fourth over. It stabilised the innings and set the platform for a 180+ total that Scotland could never seriously challenge.