(Shoaib Malik 63 not out, Umar Akmal 50 not out; Amjad Javed 3/36). Umar has made just nine of the 19 deliveries he has faced.
Advertisement
Good over from Mohammad Shahzad.
Going by the way UAE struggled early on, it looked as though it was going to be another cheap collapse, with the visiting team knocking off the runs quickly. Pakistan win the match with 7 wickets remaining and wrap up the match in 18 over.
Chasing 130 to win, Pakistan lost their top three to Amjad Javed who also scored a crucial 27-run knock to take United Arab Emirates to a fighting total in Dhaka.
But skipper Javed and Mohammed Naveed hit some lusty blows to take the minnows to a near par-score on this track.
Akmal and under-fire veteran Malik then took charge but they never dominated the bowling despite the final few overs during which they hit a flurry of fours and sixes. Khurram Mansoor dismissed for a duck.
OUT! Sharjeel Khan falls to Amjad Javed for 4. Pakistan were 26 for 3 after 6 overs.
Six and a four by Naveed off Mohammad Sami. Little did one expect the Associate Nation to come up with a plan to defy, frustrate and even attack the Pakistan bowlers. UAE 90-5, 15 overs. They are making a comeback here.
Mustafa gives Sami the charge and fails to get hold of the rising ball and doles out an easy catch to Afridi at mid-off. Four more. This time to backward point. Pak 75-3, 14 overs.
Shaiman Anwar hits three consecutive fours off Shahid Afridi to enter the 40s. That was a good over for UAE geting 17 runs. UAE 70/4 in 13 overs. The Tigers had actually chose to see him off. He has played five games in the competition so far and has operated at an average of 8.72 and an economy rate of just 4.80. The batsmen didn’t get an inch and left-armer finished with excellent figures yet again.
The UAE skipper is on a roll here, forcing Hafeez to find Fahad in the covers.
Mohammad Irfan picked up Shaiman Anwar, his second wicket of the match, right when he was looking unsafe and was trying to build up a partnership to fix the UAE innings. UAE 33-2, 8 overs.
Another tight over from Mohammad Irfan.
United Arab Emirates: 129 for 6 in 20 overs.
Mohammad Irfan starts his first over.
This is the first time Pakistan and the UAE lock horns in a T20I encounter.
Shaiman’s gone trying to hit Irfan out of the park but edges it to Sarfraz. He wasn’t able to handle the bounce from the pacer. UAE 41-4, 11 overs.
Mohammad Amir carried his previous match form into this game too as he began proceedings for Pakistan.
OUT! Here goes another one.
Mohammad Hafeez punches Mohammad Naveed through the ground past the bowler. In response to that Amir came in with a wicket maiden in his next.
Rohan Mustafa and Muhammad Kaleem opened the innings.
Advertisement
Pakistan’s left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz gets a T20I debut, replacing paceman Wahab Riaz. UAE will be hoping to repeat their bowling performance and jolt Pakistan while they are still a bit unsettled.
