Pakistan reached the Super Four of the Asia Cup 2025 after winning a 41-run victory over the United Arab Emirates (VAE) in the 10th group match of the regional tournament in the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
By having to chase a 146-run target on a challenging Dubai International Cricket Stadium’s Surface, the Batting unit of the VAE 105 could deliver before it is thrown out in 17.4.
Wicketkeeper Batter Rahul Chopra fought a lonely battle with a Run-A ball 35, while Dhruv Prashar (20), skipper Muhammad Waseem (14) and opener Alishan Sharafu (12) were the other remarkable Runters, while the rest could not collect double figures.
For Pakistan, Shaheen, Haris Rauf and Abrar Ahmed each picked up two wickets, while Saim Ayub and Captain Salman Ali Agha arrived with one scalp each. First enter the bat, Pakistan collected 146/9 in their assigned 20 overs.
The green shirts went off a bleak start of their innings when Junaid Siddique turned both openers – Saim Ayub (Zero) and Sahibzada Farhan (five) – in his first two overs with only nine points on the board.
After the double setback, Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha entered the middle of experienced Fakhar Zaman, and the duo anchored the innings by putting together 61 points for the third wicket until the former victim of Dhruv Prashar was over in the 11th.
Agha remained a remarkable Run-Getter for Pakistan with a cautious 20 out of 27 deliveries using two limits.
Fakhar then brought a one-sided 16-run partnership for the fourth Wicket with Hasan Nawaz (three) until the victim of Simranjeet eventually became in the 14th.
The left -handed batter remained the top scorer for Pakistan with 50 off 36 deliveries, strewn with two four and three sixes.
His dismissal led to a collapse, so Pakistan regularly lost three more wickets and therefore slid to 110/7 in 16.5 overs.
Wicketkeeper Batter Mohammad Haris (18) then made useful contributions before Shaheen Shah Afridi’s last Blitz marked the total of Pakistan in the 140-run.
The number nine batter hit three four and two sixes on the way to an unbeaten 29 of 14 deliveries.
Pacer Junaid Siddique right arm was the choice of the bowlers for the VAE and took four wickets for only 18 points in his four overs, followed by Simranjeet Singh with three, while Dhruv Prashar in one scalp.
