Pakistan won with ease by 41 runs after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) won the toss and elected to bowl first in their much-delayed men’s Asia Cup encounter.
The Pakistan-UAE clash was set to go through on Wednesday after Zimbabwean referee Andy Pycroft apologised to the manager and captain of the Green Shirts after much uncertainty surrounding the fixture in the fallout of the Pakistan-India match last Sunday.
Pakistan skipper Salman Ali Agha at the post-match ceremony said his team hasn’t batted at their best yet.
“We need to bat better in the middle overs… we’re till finding our way to 150+ scores,” Salman said.
Salman called player of the match, Shaheen Afridi a match-winner. The left-arm pacer was adjudicated POTM for his heroics with the bat and his contribution with the ball in what became a comprehensive victory for the Green Shirts.
Shaheen reminded us of his father-in-law yet again with another terrific Afridi cameo that helped salvage the dithering Pakistani batting innings to reach 146-8 — and that was too much for the UAE batters from the get-go.
After all the drama in the lead-up to the match, Pakistan ended with a comprehensive victory in a match they were expected to win with ease and will now face India again with a chance at redemption in the aftermath of the controversy over the Men in Blue’s “disappointing” conduct in last Sunday’s encounter.
Fakhar Zaman reached his 50 off just 35 deliveries and got out trying to up the rate. The Mardan-born player was the Green Shirts’ sole batter who was dominating the UAE bowlers till Shaheen showed up.
The Pakistani batters made for another sorry showing as the home bowlers kept them in check throughout — barring Fakhar and Shaheen.
Left-arm spinner Simranjeet Singh was the pick of the bowlers for the UAE as he ended with figures of 3-26 and kept the home team in the match going into the second innings.
And that’s all for today, folks — after all the drama in the lead-up to the match, Pakistan ended with a comprehensive victory in a match they were expected to win with ease.
The Green Shirts made short work of the UAE lower order after controlling the the last 6 overs of the match with ease.
Overs 10-15 — UAE 88-5
Dawn’s Umaid Wasim says Pakistan are now in a strong position to win, and the newsroom agrees completely with him.
Abrar and Salman struck consecutively to completely take the wind out of the home team’s sails.
UAE have stretched this match into the very final quarter of the match, and kudos to them for pushing Pakistan this far.
Overs 5-10 — UAE 61-3
UAE rebuild after Pakistan pegged them back at the end of the powerplay, the Green Shirts need to make a breakthrough soon to keep the home batters from getting into a strong position to win!
Overs 1-5 — UAE 37-3
Pakistan have struck after the UAE got a decent start in the first two overs!
2.3: Off stump goes for a walk! Shaheen made a mockery of Alishan Sharafu’s stumps with a jaffa to send the UAE batter packing.
Pakistan are in a dominant position now after getting the home side three down in the powerplay.
Shaheen Afridi reminds us of his father-in-law again! Another terrific Afridi cameo to end the innings as he helped salvage the dithering innings to reach 146-8 at the end of 20 overs thanks to his big hitting towards the end.
Fakhar Zaman reached his 50 off just 35 deliveries and got out trying to up the rate. The man was the Green Shirts’ sole batter who was dominating the UAE bowlers till Shaheen showed up.
The Pakistani batters made for another sorry showing as the home bowlers kept them in check throughout — barring Fakhar and Shaheen.
Simranjeet Singh was the pick of the bowlers for the UAE as he ended with figures of 3-26 and kept the home team in the match going into the second innings.
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