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29 March 2024

Asia Cup T20: Malik, Akmal steer Pakistan against plucky UAE

Published
By Cricket Correspondent & Agencies

Shoaib Malik and Umar Akmal each scored a half-century as Pakistan survived an early innings jitters to beat the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by seven wickets in the Asia Cup in Dhaka on Monday.

Set a modest target after their bowlers had restricted the UAE to 129-6, Pakistan lost three wickets in 17 runs before Malik and Akmal saw them home with solid batting.

Malik made 63 off 49 balls while Akmal added 50 off 46 balls as the pair added 114 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket partnership to steer Pakistan to 131-3 with eight balls to spare.

UAE captain Amjad Javed took all three Pakistan wickets as he trapped Sharjeel Khan leg-before for four before inducing an edge from Khurram Manzoor's bat for a duck in his first over.

Pakistan were in danger when Mohammad Hafeez gave a catch to Fahad Tariq at cover for 11 in Javed's next over.

But Malik and Akmal staved off a further collapse with some cautious batting mixed with calculated aggression.

"We all know the first six overs have been crucial. If you survive, then you can play shots and that is what we did," said man of the match Malik, who hit seven fours and three sixes.

"We lost early wickets but then we decided to forget about the run rate and focus on playing out the first six overs.

"We bowled well in the first six overs but then we were a bit all over the place, hopefully we will talk about it."

Shaiman Anwar made 46 off 42 balls for the UAE after the minnows suffered a similar collapse at the start of their innings.

Pakistan's pace bowling trio of Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Sami and Mohammad Irfan each claimed a wicket apiece in their respective first spell to leave the UAE struggling with 12-3.

Anwar and Usman Mushtaq offered some resistance before Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi removed Mushtaq for nine.

Anwar then launched a counter attack, first hitting debutant Mohammad Nawaz for a six and a four and then dispatching three successive deliveries of Afridi for fours.

Irfan dismissed Anwar to finish with 2-30. Amir finished with 2-6 after he bowled Mohammad Usman out for 21.

Skipper Javed remained unbeaten on 27 to give the UAE a fighting chance against the former World Twenty20 champions.

But Javed rued a lost opportunity.

"We wanted about 120 but we got 10 runs extra," he said.

"We knew it would be difficult to chase, we got some early wickets, but we could not capitalise on that."

India will face Sri Lanka on Tuesday.

Scoreboard:

UAE

Rohan Mustafa c Afridi b Sami 1
Muhammad Kaleem b Amir 1
Mohammad Shahzad c Sarfraz b Irfan 5
Shaiman Anwar c Sarfraz b Irfan 46
Usman Mushtaq c Nawaz b Afridi 9
Mohammad Usman b Amir 21
Amjad Javed not out 27
Mohammad Naveed not out 10
Extras (lb 2 w7) 9
Total (six wickets; 20 overs ) 129
Fall of wickets:
1-5 (Rohan) 2-5 (Kaleem), 3-12 (Shahzad), 4-41 (Mushtaq), 5-72 (Shaiman), 6-118 (Usman)
Did not bat: Swapnil Patil, Fahad Tariq, Ahmed Raza
Bowling: Amir 4-1-6-2, Sami 4-0-28-1 (w2), Irfan 4-0-30-2 (w1), Afridi 4-0-24-1 (w3), Nawaz 3-0-26-0 (w1), Malik 1-0-13-0

Pakistan

Mohammad Hafeez c Fahad b Amjad 11
Sharjeel Khan lbw b Amjad 4
Khurram Manzoor c Patil b Amjad 0
Umar Akmal not out 50
Shoaib Malik not out 63
Extras (w3) 3
Total ( three wickets; 18.4 overs) 131
Fall of wickets
: 1-11 (Sharjeel) 2-11 (Khurram), 3-17 (Hafeez)
Did not bat: Sarfraz Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Sami, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Irfan
Bowling: Naveed 3.4-0-28-0 (w1), Amjad 4-0-36-3(w2) Shahzad 4-0-19-0, Raza 3-0-20-0, Rohan 3-0-20-0, Fahad 1-0-8-0
Result: Pakistan won by seven wickets
Toss: UAE
Umpires: Enamul Haque (BAN) and Ruchira Palliyaguruge (SRI)
TV umpire: Anil Chaudhary (IND)
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZ)

Half centuries from Shoaib Malik and Umar Akmal saved Pakistan the blushes in their 100th T20 international match after they beat UAE by seven wickets in the Asia Cup.

Chasing 130 to win after UAE captain Amjad Javed won the toss and struck three telling blows, Malik and Akmal joined hands to raise 114 runs to give Pakistan a crucial win after their defeat to arch-rivals India on Saturday.

Earlier, Shaiman Anwar played a superb 46 and Javed (27 not out), Usman Mushtaq (21) and Mohammad Naveed 10 off 4 balls gave UAE a fighting 129 especially after they were reduced to 12 for 3.

It's raining runs as Malik too joins the bandwagon.

Umar Akmal is going hammer and tongs here slamming Amjad Javed for fours and sixes.

The dropped catch by Usman Mushtaq proves costly as Malik comes back with a bang with two sixes of Rohan Mustafa to get to his 50.

Malik gets a reprieve, is dropped on the boundary line. Pak 91-3, 16 overs.

Malik steps out, lofts Raza for a six. Pak 83-3, 15 overs.

Malik and Akmal bring up the 50 partnership with Akmal hitting Naveed for a big six. Pak 75-3, 14 overs. 

Malik and Umar Akmal seem settled now and look to take Pakistan home. Pak 59-3, 12 overs.

Shoaib Malik cuts loose to release some pressure off Pakistan who are 41-3 in 9 overs.

The UAE skipper is on a roll here, forcing Hafeez to find Fahad in the covers. UAE 17-3, 4 overs. 

Mohammad Hafeez c Fahad Tariq b Amjad Javed 11 (12b 2x4 0x6)

Javed strikes again and Pakistan are in trouble. Pak 11-2, 2 overs.

Khurram Manzoor c Patil b Amjad Javed 0 (2b 0x4 0x6)

Sharjeel thinks he is unlucky as Javed's ball hits him high on the pads.

Sharjeel Khan lbw b Amjad Javed 4 (3b 1x4 0x6)

Mohammad Hafeez punches Mohammad Naveed through the ground past the bowler. Pak 7-0, 1 over.

UAE Innings

UAE gave themselves an outside chance of beating Pakistan after they posted 129 for 6 in the Asia Cup.

The team that was reeling at 12 for 3 owe their score to Shaiman Anwar who blasted 46 from 42 balls, clobbering two sixes and five fours.

Later captain Amjad Javed with an unbeaten 27 from 18 balls (3x4, 2x6), Muhammad Usman's 21 (17 balls, 2x4, 1x6) and Mohammad Naveed 10 from 5 balls (1x6, 1x4) gave their bowlers something to defend.

We will be back in a short while.

Mohammad Naveed takes Sami to the cleaners with a six and a four.

Amir gets the wicket of Usman after the UAE batsman did well for his 21 from 17 balls. UAE 118-6, 19 overs.

Muhammad Usman b Mohammad Amir 21 (17b 2x4 1x6)

Irfan comes in for harsh treatment from Javed. The UAE skipper smacking the giant bowler for two towering sixes.UAE 114-5, 18 overs. 

Usman and captain Amjad Javed have been flashing their bats around and runs are coming in a hurry. UAE 10-5, 16 overs

Muhammad Usman goes after Shoaib Malik, pulling him down leg side for a six and next ball gliding him through point for four. UAE 90-5, 15 overs. 

Shaiman's gone trying to hit Irfan out of the park but edges it to Sarfraz. He however has given the UAE bowlers something to defend. UAE 72-5.

Shaiman Anwar c Sarfraz Ahmed b Mohammad Irfan 46 (42b 5x4 2x6)

Shaiman's on fire here hitting Afridi for three boundaries.That was a good over for UAE geting 17 runs. UAE 70-4, 13 overs.

Shaiman brings up UAE's 50 clobbering Nawaz for a six and a four. UAE 53-4, 12 overs.

Usman Mushtaq survives a close LBW but next ball top edges to Nawaz. UAE 41-4, 11 overs.  

Usman Mushtaq c Mohammad Nawaz b Shahid Afridi 9 (19b 1x4 0x6)

UAE 40-3, 10 overs.

Debutant Mohammad Nawaz gets a taste of international cricket after Shaiman Anwar pulls him over mid-off for six. UAE 33-2, 8 overs.

Lucky for Usman as he tries to fend an Irfan bouncer and gloves it over slip for four. UAE 20-3, 6 overs.

Irfan gets his revenge after finding the edge of Shahzad's bat for Safraz to take the catch. UAE 12-3, 4 overs.

Mohammad Shahzad c Sarfraz Ahmed b Mohammad Irfan 5 (3b 1x4 0x6)

Mohammad Shahzad goes down on one knee and clips Irfan through covers,

Amir comes round the wicket and Kaleem has no clue as his timber is disturbed by one that comes in. UAE 5-2, 3 overs.

Muhammad Kaleem b Mohammad Amir 1 (11b 0x4 0x6)

Mustafa gives Sami the charge and fails to get hold of the rising ball and doles out an easy catch to Afridi at mid-off. UAE 5-1,2 overs.

Rohan Mustafa c Shahid Afridi b Mohammad Sami 1 (5b 0x4 0x6)

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi makes one change, Wahaz Riaz is rested and Mohammad Nawaz makes his debut. UAE too make one change giving Usman Mushtaq his debut.  

TEAMS

UAE: Rohan Mustafa, Muhammad Kaleem, Mohammad Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Muhammad Usman, Swapnil Patil, Amjad Javed, Fahad Tariq, Ahmed Raza, Usman Mushtaq, Mohammad Naveed.

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Sharjeel Khan, Khurram Manzoor, Shoaib Malik, Umar Akmal, Sarfraz Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Sami, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Irfan.

Preview

Pakistan miscalculated the pitch in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka and will learn from their mistakes after a crushing five-wicket loss to bitter rivals India, batsman Shoaib Malik said Sunday.

Pakistan were bundled out for a paltry 83 in Saturday's crucial T20 tie against M.S. Dhoni's side.

They must win against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday to keep their Asia Cup hope alive.

The game has an added significance as it will make Pakistan the first team to play 100 Twenty20 internationals.

"Playing against India, it's a pressure game for both the teams," Malik said after a training session in Dhaka.

"We made some mistakes, we didn't know what the conditions here would be. It was tough to bat yesterday. But we miscalculated somewhat, because we had no idea about the conditions," he said.

"Now we have played. Now we know how to deal with it. It's going to be a great game against UAE. Obviously, you learn from your mistakes, and that's why we are here doing practice," Malik added.

When Pakistan defended their meagre total, Mohammad Amir generated pace and swing with pinpoint accuracy on a helpful track to leave India rattled at 8-3 inside three overs.

But Virat Kohli coolly negotiated Amir's fiery spell to strike 49 off 51 balls and steer India home with 27 balls to spare.

Malik expressed full confidence in his bowlers and urged the batsmen to back them up.

"We know we have the best attack among all the teams. Batsmen have to take responsibility," he said.

"Whoever gets in has to score 60-70, so your team ends up scoring 140-150, which the bowlers can defend."