Kathmandu, September 18 – Dubai, Pakistan sealed their place in the Super Four stage of the ACC T20 Asia Cup with a commanding 41-run victory over hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Chasing a target of 147 set by Pakistan, the UAE batting line-up faltered under pressure and was bundled out for 105 runs in 17.4 overs. Despite a few resilient contributions, the home side struggled against Pakistan’s disciplined bowling attack.
For UAE, Rahul Chopra was the top scorer with 35 runs, while Dhruv Parashar made 20. Mohammad Wasim chipped in with 14, and Alishan Sharafu added 12 runs. However, the lack of partnerships proved costly for the Emirati side.
Pakistan’s bowlers dominated the proceedings, with Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf claiming two wickets apiece. Skipper Salman Agha and all-rounder Saim Ayub also chipped in with one wicket each, ensuring Pakistan’s strong grip on the game.
Earlier, after losing the toss and being invited to bat first, Pakistan posted 146 runs for the loss of nine wickets in their allotted 20 overs. Fakhar Zaman anchored the innings with a steady half-century, scoring 50 runs off 36 balls, laced with three sixes and two boundaries. Shaheen Shah Afridi contributed a valuable unbeaten 29 runs down the order, while Salman Agha made 20 and Mohammad Haris scored 18.
For UAE, Junaid Siddique was the standout bowler, picking up four wickets. Samarjeet Singh supported well with three scalps, while Dhruv Parashar claimed one wicket.
With this victory, Pakistan climbed to second place in Group ‘A’ with four points from three matches, joining India, who had already secured their place in the Super Four earlier. UAE, on the other hand, bowed out of the tournament with two points from their three outings.
The result means cricket fans can now look forward to high-voltage encounters in the Super Four, where Pakistan will battle alongside Asia’s heavyweights in the next stage of the tournament.
