Despite an early debacle Pakistan pulled a seven-wicket win with eight balls remaining over minnow Unites Arab Emirates in the sixth game of the Asia Cup Twenty20 2016 at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium yesterday. A record unbeaten fourth-wicket partnership between Shoaib Malik and Umar Akmal ensured Pakistan’s first win in the tournament in two matches.
Chasing 130 runs, Pakistan had a horrific start losing top three wickets with just 17 runs on the board. UAE skipper Ahmed Javed took three wickets to rattle the Pakistan top order. Javed came into attack in the second over and dismissed opener Sharjeel Khan on 4 in the third ball. Two balls later Javed struck again and this time it was Khurram Manzoor. In his next over, Javed removed the experienced Mohammad Hafeez. Hafeez was caught at the covers on 11 runs.
After that Umar Akmal and veteran Shoaib Malik cooled down the situation and with an unbeaten 114 runs stand for the fourth wicket, the duo took their side to the victory. The partnership was recorded as the a highest for the fourth-wicket in T20Is.
For the first six overs of the partnership, Umar and Shoaib went for only singles and never made effort to take the run rate over five. They took real charge of the chase from the fourteenth over when Pakistan required 66 runs from 42 balls. In that over the duo picked 11 runs. The 18th over was the major blow for UAE as it conceded 23 runs.
Malik got the winning runs with a boundary and remained unbeaten on 63 off 49 balls. The right-handed batsman hammered seven boundaries and three sixes. Umar on the other end remained not out with 50 off 46.
Earlier, Shaiman Anwar and some late power hitting saw UAE side post a challenging 129 runs in 20 overs for six wickets.
UAE won the toss and opted to bat first on a wicket which looked moderate to bat on. But the UAE expectation was ruined as the top three batsmen were sent back to the dressing room with only 12 runs on the board.
Mohammad Sami removed opener Rohan Mustafa in the last ball of the second over to start the small debacle. In the next over Mohammad Amir removed the other UAE opener, Muhammad Kaleem and eight balls later Mohammad Irfan struck to dismiss in-form Mohammad Shahzad on five.
Later, Shaiman’s 42-ball 46 with five boundaries and two sixes and a 46 runs partnership for the sixth wicket by Muhammad Usman and skipper Amjad Javed saw UAE post a modest total.
From over 11 to 20 UAE batters scored 89 runs and had lost only three wickets. UAE picked 17 runs fromt the 13th over, bowled by Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi. Shaiman who batted sensibly on the day hammered three consecutive boundaries. Shoaib Malik bowled a single over in the innings to concede 14 runs and see Usman fire for a six and a boundary.
In-form Amir bowled brilliantly to take two wickets and gave only six runs in his stipulated four overs with one maiden.
