Sharjah: Saim Ayub and Hasan Nawaz hit the half centuries when Pakistan hit the Arab Emirates united by 31 races in Sharjah on Saturday, which made him two victories of two in his T20 Tri-series also with Afghanistan.
The Saim opener broke a 69 of 38 balls, with four six and seven four four, while the 56 of 26 Hasan balls included six maximums, raising Pakistan at 207 all in exactly 20 overs.
Asif Khan threatened to snatch an unlikely victory for the EAU with a brilliant 77 of 35 balls before falling into the last one.
The EAU achieved 176-8 of their 20 overs.
Captain Muhammad Waseem also hit a wind of 18 balls 33, but was exhausted in the sixth.
Previously, Pakistan’s tickets were built around Saim and Hasan’s excellence after they won the raffle and hit first.
Once Pakistan lost Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman and Captain Salman Agha at a low price, stayed to Saim and Hasan to provide rescue acts.
The fourth half century T20i of Saim came out of only 25 balls, while the fifty of Hasan were reached in 24 deliveries with a Sixes Off Spinner Haider Ali Hat-trick.
Hasan added 57 for the fifth Wickt of only 25 balls with Mohammad Nawaz, who added a 15 25 balls.
Faheem Ashraf filed with 16 when Pakistan Club 64 in the last five overs.
Junaid Siddique and Saghir Khan grabbed three Wickts each, but both were expensive.
Pakistan’s captain, Salman, said he wanted death bowling to improve.
“It was a perfect batting game. First 15 overs with the bowling that we were good, but the last five overs in which we must work. It is something we have been working on, but we do have to improve,” he said.
“I think our death bowling alley is something we are working on and it is worrying. We need to be better in the next game, but in general we have been playing very well and that is how we want to continue playing.”
Afghanistan, who lost to Pakistan for 39 races on Friday, faces the EAU in the next game on Monday.
MARKER
PAKISTAN:
Sahibzada Farhan B Junaid8
SAIM AYUB C CHOPRA B SAGHIR69
Fakhar Zaman B Haider6
Salman Ali Agha C Chopra B Saghir5
Hasan Nawaz C Chopra B Haider56
M. Nawaz C d’A souza b saghir25
M. Haris C Jawadullah B Junaid1
Faheem Ashraf is exhausted16
Hasan Ali C Zohaib B Junaid9
Salman Mirza is exhausted3
Sufiyan Muqeem no out0
Extras (LB-4, W-5) 9
Total (all outside, 20 overs) 207
Fall of Wickts: 1-9 (sahibzada), 2-38 (Fakhar), 3-74 (Salman), 4-104 (SAIM), 5-161 (Hasan Nawaz), 6-169 (Haris), 7-177 (Nawaz), 8-203 (Hasan Ali), 9-205 (Faheem), 10-207 (Salman Mirza).
Bowling: Junaid 4-0-49-3 (2W), Parashar 4-0-34-0, Haider 4-0-32-2, Jawadullah 4-0-44-0, Saghir 4-0-44-3 (3W).
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES:
M. Zohaib C Hasan Nawaz B Nawaz13
Mohammad Waseem is run33
E. D’OUZA C HARIS B HASAN ALI3
A. Sharafu C Sahibzada B SAIM3
R. Chopra C Sufiyan B nawaz11
Asif Khan C Sahibzada B Hasan Ali77
D. Parashar C Haris B Salman Mirza15
Saghir Khan C Nawaz B Hasan Ali11
Haider Ali Not outside1
Junaid Siddique did not go
Extras (W-9) 9
Total (for eight wickts, 20 overs) 176
Fall of Wickts: 1-39 (Zohaib), 2-54 (Waseem), 3-54 (d’O-souza), 4-68 (Sharafu), 5-76 (Chopra), 6-130 (Parashar), 7-175 (Asif), 8-176 (Saghir)
Bowling: Salman Mirza 4-0-43-1 (3W), Hasan Ali 4-0-47-3, Nawaz 4-0-21-2, SAIM 2-0-6-1, Faheem 2-0-15-0 (1W), Sufiyan 4-0-44-0 (1W)
Result: Pakistan won by 31 races.
Posted in Dawn, August 31, 2025
