Pakistan emerges victorious over UAE, setting up a re-match against India in the Asia Cup competition.
Pakistan Secures Victory in Tense Match Against UAE
In a thrilling turn of events, Pakistan emerged victorious in a delayed match against the UAE, securing their place in the Super Four from Group A. The match, which was initially scheduled to start at the usual time, was pushed back by an hour due to unspecified reasons.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had considered pulling out of the tournament due to a handshake row with India, but after urgent talks with the International Cricket Council, the match with the hosts went ahead with Andy Pycroft as the match referee.
The Pakistani team was led by Salman Agha in the match, and their bowling charge was spearheaded by Abrar Ahmed who took 2 wickets for 13 runs. Shaheen Shah Afridi also played a crucial role, helping Pakistan score 51 runs in the last 5 overs, and taking 2 wickets in the UAE's innings. Haris Rauf and Junaid Siddique also contributed with 2 wickets each, as the UAE were dismissed for 105 in 17.4 overs.
Fakhar Zaman scored 50 off 36 balls for Pakistan, hitting 3 sixes and 2 fours, before being dismissed by Simranjeet Singh. Salman Agha and Fakhar Zaman added 61 runs for the third wicket for Pakistan. Shaheen Afridi added 29 not out, ensuring a comfortable win for the team.
UAE captain Muhammad Waseem downplayed the distraction of Pakistan's late arrival for the match, stating that they were told about the delay and kept their preparations accordingly. Waseem also mentioned that they were not worried about the off-field matters.
Rahul Chopra top-scored for the UAE with a score of 35 off 36 balls. Saim Ayub fell for a second-ball duck, and Sahibzada Farhan made 5 runs, both falling to pace bowler Junaid Siddique. Simranjeet Singh took 3 wickets for 26 runs in the match. Siddique finished the match with impressive figures of 4 wickets for 18 runs.
The win means Pakistan join India in the Super Four, setting up an exciting rematch between the two rival nations. Rauf expressed optimism about Pakistan's performance in the rematch with India, stating, "Yes, we were not up to the mark in the first game, but we will do our best to be competitive." He also added, "Cricket is a game of expectations, fans have a lot of expectation so we will try to live up to that."
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan are set to play in Abu Dhabi to decide who advances from Group B, and Bangladesh is also in contention with 2 wins in 3 matches. The next round of matches promises to be just as exciting and tense, as teams fight for a spot in the finals.
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