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Pakistan knock UAE out of tri-series final with 31-run win

Pak vs uae

SHARJAH: Pakistan clinched a 31-run win over the United Arab Emirates in the tri-nation T20 series on Thursday, with Fakhar Zaman’s explosive knock and Abrar Ahmed’s four-wicket spell proving decisive.

Interestingly, Pakistan had sealed a win by the same margin of 31 runs in their earlier clash against the UAE in the tournament.

The match was a decider, determining which team would advance to the final, scheduled for September 7.

Batting first after winning the toss, Pakistan posted 171 for five in their 20 overs.

Fakhar Zaman starred with a blistering 77 off 44 balls, striking 10 fours and two sixes, while Mohammad Nawaz added a steady 37 not out.

Early contributions from Sahibzada Farhan (16) and captain Salman Agha (7) gave Pakistan a quick start, but it was Fakhar’s innings that anchored the total.

UAE’s Haider Ali was the most effective bowler, finishing with two for 17 in four overs, while Muhammad Rohid and Dhruv Parashar chipped in with one wicket each.

Sharafu fought valiantly

Chasing 172, UAE relied heavily on opener Alishan Sharafu, who fought valiantly with a 68-run knock from 51 deliveries.

Captain Muhammad Waseem added 19, but after his dismissal, the hosts struggled to keep pace with the asking rate.

Abrar Ahmed ran through the middle order, picking up four wickets for just nine runs in his four overs — a spell that turned the contest firmly in Pakistan’s favour.

Despite some resistance from Dhruv Parashar (18 not out) and Haider Ali (12), UAE managed only 140 for seven in their 20 overs.

Shaheen Shah Afridi provided early breakthroughs, finishing with one for 23, while Nawaz also picked up a wicket.

The win consolidates Pakistan’s position in the series and extends their momentum ahead of the Asia Cup. UAE, meanwhile, remain without a victory but showed glimpses of promise, particularly through Sharafu’s innings.

In their earlier meeting in the tournament, Pakistan’s openers Saim Ayub and Hasan Nawaz had powered the innings with brisk half-centuries, laying the foundation for a total of 207.

Their aggressive start allowed the lower middle order to accelerate, leaving UAE under pressure from the outset.

Asia Cup 2025: Muhammad Waseem to lead UAE squad

In response, the hosts leaned heavily on captain Muhammad Waseem, who played a lively knock of 33.

However, a run-out derailed the chase, and Pakistan’s spinners took full advantage, tightening their grip during the middle overs.

UAE eventually fell short despite showing flashes of resistance.

In the 5th match of the series, the home side was eager to break their winless streak. However, they ended up losing their place in the series final, leaving Pakistan and Afghanistan to compete for the title.

UAE Squad

Muhammad Waseem (c), Asif Khan, Rahul Chopra, Ethan D’Souza, Haider Ali, Junaid Siddique, Harshit Kaushik, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Rohid, Muhammad Zohaib, Dhruv Parashar, Saghir Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma

Pakistan Squad

Salman Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Sufiyan Muqeem

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