Batting first, Afghanistan scored 183-5 while the entire Ugandan team got out after scoring 58 runs only.

Uganda were given a brutal introduction to elite tournament cricket as Gurbaz and fellow opener Ibrahim Zadran cut loose at Providence Stadium.

Afghan batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz blasted 76 of 45 balls that included four fours and four sixes. Zadran scored 70 off 46 balls in an innings that included nine fours and one six.

Gurbaz and Zadran’s opening stand of 154 was the second highest in men’s T20 World Cup history, second only to the 170 partnership between England’s Jos Buttler and Alex Hales at the 2022 World Cup.

Uganda staged a minor fightback late in the innings thanks to two wickets apiece from captain Brian Masaba and Cosmas Kyewuta, and one from Alpesh Ramjani.

Masaba claimed a piece of cricket history for the East African nation after taking his country’s first-ever World Cup wicket, bowling Zadran in the 15th over to leave the score at 154-1.

Ramjani then removed Gurbaz, who was caught by Riazat Ali Shah at deep square leg for 76 before Masaba claimed his second wicket, getting rid of Najibullah Zadran, who was caught at deep square leg by Dinesh Nakrani.

Kyewuta claimed the wickets of Gulbadin Naib and Azmatullah Omarzai to stem the flow of Afghanistan scoring late on.