MUSCAT: A brilliant captain's knock by Mohammad Haris and a devastating five-wicket haul by Shahnawaz Dahani powered defending champions Pakistan A to a commanding 114-run victory over the UAE, securing their spot in the semi-finals of the ACC Men's T20 Emerging Teams Asia Cup at the Oman Cricket Academy ground on Wednesday.
After failing to make an impact in the previous two games, Haris made a timely return to form, smashing an unbeaten 71 off just 49 balls. His innings was laced with six boundaries and three sixes, guiding Pakistan A to a formidable 179/4. Haris, alongside Qasim Akram, stitched a crucial 62-run partnership that laid the foundation for Pakistan's imposing total. The late fireworks came from Haider Ali, who blasted 32 off just 17 balls, including three massive sixes.
Pakistan A's bowling unit then completely dismantled the UAE batting line-up. Dahani led the charge with a dream spell of 5/12, including two maidens, while Sufyan Muqeem added pressure with 2/17. The UAE struggled to find any momentum as they crumbled for just 65 in 16.3 overs. UAE captain Rahul Chopra was the top scorer with 20 runs, while Tanish Suri (15) and Syed Haider (12) were the only other batters to reach double figures.
The UAE’s batting collapse was swift, with the team reduced to 24/3 inside the powerplay. The wickets fell in rapid succession, as Dahani and the rest of the Pakistan attack tore through the lineup. Ahmed Daniyal, Abbas Afridi, and Arafat Minhas chipped in with a wicket apiece, leaving the UAE reeling.
Earlier, Pakistan A elected to bat first, and despite losing opener Omair Yousuf early—run out for a quickfire 21 off 11 balls—the team managed a strong start. Yousuf’s knock, which included two fours and two sixes, combined with Yasir Khan's breezy 25 off 13 balls (3x4, 2x6), helped Pakistan reach 49/2 at the end of the powerplay. Haris and Akram’s solid partnership further consolidated the innings, before Haider Ali's late blitz powered Pakistan to a competitive total of 179/4.
For the UAE, Muhammad Farooq was the lone bright spot with the ball, picking up 3/27, but it wasn’t enough to stem the flow of runs from Pakistan’s batsmen.
Brief scores: Pakistan A: 179/4 (Mohammad Haris 71*, Haider Ali 32*, Yasir Khan 25, Qasim Akram 23; Muhammad Farooq 3/27) beat UAE: 65 in 16.3 overs (Rahul Chopra 20; Shahnawaz Dahani 5/12, Sufyan Muqeem 2/17).
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