Pakistan vs United Arab Emirates 10th T20 Match – Result, Scorecard

We are back for the run chase. Ironically, this could turn out to be more exciting than the eagerly anticipated India-Pakistan clash a few days back. Heads are on the line and also, there is a massive opportunity. After coming close in the tri-series, is tonight the night where UAE get the better of Pakistan? Muhammad Waseem and Alishan Sharafu walk out to open for United Arab Emirates. Shaheen Afridi has the new ball in his hand. Alishan Sharafu to face. Here we go!

… THE RUN CHASE …

Right then, 147 is the magic number for United Arab Emirates to chase. Remember, the winner will qualify for the Super 4s, alongside India and the loser will go back home. Given the struggles the UAE batters have had in chasing targets, the Pakistan bowling unit, restocked with Haris Rauf, will fancy their chances to defend this total. A lot depends on how the in-form batters, Muhammad Waseem and Alishan Sharafu, start off and construct this chase. A very interesting run chase is up on the cards, with everything to play for. Stay tuned.

On the other hand, the UAE bowlers executed their plans with precision for 90 percent of the innings. They used pace variations to great effect, seldom relying on sheer speed and instead taking pace off to disrupt rhythm. But once again, their bigger vulnerability, death bowling, came back to haunt them. They conceded 28 runs in the last 2 overs and lost the momentum toward the end. Simranjeet Singh proved to be a masterstroke change for the UAE as he picked up 3 crucial wickets, whereas Junaid Siddique ended up with brilliant figures, taking a spectacular four-for.

For Pakistan, a recurring concern has been the make up of their batting lineup. Stacked with players chosen for high-intent, power-hitting ability. While this offers explosiveness, it has repeatedly exposed their struggles with the fundamentals of batting, which are rotating strike, finding gaps, and defending under pressure. As a result, when early wickets fall, incoming batters rarely settle, unable to rebuild through singles and doubles and often hesitant to go big straightaway. Partnerships never truly developed, with only two batters from the top 5 in double digits, despite the depth in their batting lineup. Had there been no fireworks from Shaheen Afridi towards the backend, the scoreboard would have read very sorry-looking numbers.

On a grassy surface, the ball was always going to skid and seam, and the UAE pacers made full use. Junaid Siddique struck early with two key wickets, setting the tone as Pakistan’s batters failed to adjust to the pace of the pitch. The top order never found rhythm, and the Powerplay closed with the scoreboard stuck at 39/2, giving UAE the upper hand. The spinners then carried the momentum, keeping things tight through the middle overs. Fakhar Zaman and Salman Agha offered some resistance with a 61-run stand, but runs came slowly and the pressure kept mounting. Salman’s scratchy 20 (27) ended the partnership, leaving Fakhar to shoulder the load. He battled his way to a fifty, much like in the recent Sharjah tri-series, but his dismissal triggered another slide as Pakistan slipped from 70/2 to 93/6 under the stranglehold of spin.

Question. Is it about time for Shaheen Afridi to bat a bit up the order? Because he has displayed some serious hitting skills coming in the backend, which ideally should come from the middle order. Whether he comes up the order or not is the team's lookout, but with a strong finish in the last two overs, Pakistan will feel the momentum is on their side as they head to the sheds. More on Shaheen Afridi, he has been more productive with the bat than with the ball, playing those crucial cameos and helping the team to post at least a defendable total on the board. He did it against India, with a cameo of 33, and tonight, scoring 29 off just 14.

Muhammad Rohid to Shaheen Afridi, OUT! HARIS RAUF IS RUN OUT. Great comeback by Rohid after going for 14 runs in his first 3 balls. Slower ball, on a length, outside off, Afridi backs away and looks to go inside out but ends up carving it over the field. The ball lands safely and the batters just keep on running. There is just the couple of runs available but Rauf is ready to sacrifice his wicket for the team's cause and challenges the throw, as he scampers back for the third. Simranjeet Singh returns a decent throw to the keeper, Rahul Chopra, who collects and hits the ball at the stumps, with Rauf not even in the frame. PAKISTAN FINISH ON 146/9!

Muhammad Rohid to Shaheen Afridi, Very full, on middle, Shaheen Afridi beings out the helicopter again, this time, along the ground, towards long on. Rauf starts to run but then Afridi sends him back. So two consecutive dots.

Muhammad Rohid to Shaheen Afridi, Finally, a dot ball. Wide yorker, outside off, SA reaches out, after backing away way too early and misses to connect.

Muhammad Rohid to Shaheen Afridi, FOUR! 6, 4, 4! This is a dream start to the final over for Pakistan. A slower ball, but short in length, Shaheen pulls it over short fine leg and finds the boundary again!

Muhammad Rohid to Shaheen Afridi, SIX MORE! Jeez – 23 from 10, with 2 fours and 2 sixes! He is really reminding everyone of the way his father-in-law used to play! A full ball again, down the leg side, Afridi brings out the helicopter and this time, it has wings deployed on it. The ball sails over the square leg fence!

Muhammad Rohid to Shaheen Afridi, SIX! CLUBBED! Full, outside off, Shaheen Afridi stays leg side of the ball and swings it cleanly through the line to clear long off!

Who will bowl the final over? How much can Pakistan get? Muhammad Rohid is the answer to the first question. 3-0-18-0 so far. The second question should be answered soon.

Junaid Siddique to Haris Rauf, Another slower ball, outside off, dabbed towards backward point. So Siddique has to adjust with another 4-wicket haul, his 5th in T20Is. 4-0-18-4 for him tonight.

Haris Rauf walks in next, at number 10, replacing Mohammad Haris.

Junaid Siddique to Mohammad Haris, OUT! BOWLED! The slow death! The off cutter, from the back of the hand but Mohammad Haris does not read it at all. He has to wait and wait and wait, but the ball simply does not arrive. Losing his patience, he gets across and attempts a mighty mow via a paddle but is never in sync with the ball. He misses and the ball comes in late and knocks the leg stump out of the ground. 4th wicket for Siddique. Can he get his maiden T20I 5-fer? Haris departs for 18 (14) and from 70/2, Pakistan are now 128/8!

Junaid Siddique to Shaheen Afridi, Change of angle, from over the wicket. The off cutter, on a length, around off, angling away, SA goes for the big hoick but only manages a thick inside edge onto his pads. Takes the single off the deflection. 10 from the over with 2 balls left.

Junaid Siddique to Shaheen Afridi, FOUR! What a shot from a number 9! A grounded helicopter, shall we say? Full, outside off, Shaheen Afridi walks across and whips it through mid-wicket. There are two fielders in the deep, not too far apart at deep mid-wicket and wide long on, but they get bisected perfectly!

Junaid Siddique to Shaheen Afridi, On a length, outside off, coming back in, Shaheen swings hard but misses and is hit on the pads. The skipper and bowler have a chat as the LBW appeal is struck down, but no review is taken. Seemed like an inside edge.

Junaid Siddique to Shaheen Afridi, WIDE. Goes full again, but this is wide outside off, making Afridi reach out for it. But it is well past the tramline and is wided.

Junaid Siddique to Shaheen Afridi, FOUR! That is a good start to the over for Pakistan. Full, outside off, Shaheen Afridi thumps it through mid off. The fielder dives to his left but misses. The ball races away to the fence. That has to be an error in length. Cannot bowl full with mid off up.

2 overs left. Can Pakistan get to 140? Whether that's defendable or not, is another question. But they will certainly gain some momentum.

Haider Ali to Mohammad Haris, FOUR! Landed outside off, pretty wide, Mohammad Haris backs away to the leg side and throws his bat at it. Just about manages to make contact with the ball and it flies off the outside edge, just about over backward point and skims through to the fence. 8 from the over, Haider Ali finishes with bowling figures of 4-0-28-0.

Haider Ali to Shaheen Afridi, Another swing attempted, missed again. The ball hits his pads and deflects towards the off side. Single taken.

Haider Ali to Shaheen Afridi, Wow. That is a fantastic shot for a six. Only, not in reality. A slower ball, from over the wicket, pretty straight, around middle and leg, Afridi gives the kitchen sink, but water does not flow from the tap at all. He swings hard towards the leg side but meets thin air. Luckily for him, the straight ball somehow misses the leg stump!

Haider Ali to Shaheen Afridi, Slower through the air, around leg stump, full in length, Shaheen Afridi works it through mid-wicket and runs hard to come back for the second.

Haider Ali to Mohammad Haris, Full, around off, driven towards long off for a single.

Haider Ali to Mohammad Haris, around off, a touch short, pushed towards cover.

What a 17th over. 4 singles, then a wicket and then a dot. Top class from Junaid Siddique, who now has bowling figures of 3-0-8-3. Haider Ali to bowl out now. 3-0-21-0 so far.

Junaid Siddique to Shaheen Afridi, Full toss, outside off, driven towards cover.

Shaheen Afridi walks in next, at number 9, replacing Mohammad Nawaz. A repeat of his last match's batting heroics could do a world of good for Pakistan.

Junaid Siddique to Mohammad Nawaz, OUT! CAUGHT! That is a sensational catch and it is the skipper, Muhammad Waseem again! Third wicket for Junaid as well. On a length, outside off, pace off again, Mohammad Nawaz tries to go inside out over cover but once again, is through his shot very early. The ball hits the toe end of his bat and lobs up over cover. For a second, it seems like the ball will land in no man's land again but Waseem charges back from cover, running to his right, keeps his eyes on the ball and takes a tremendous catch. Nawaz departs for 4 (5) and from 70/2, Pakistan are now 110/7!

Junaid Siddique to Mohammad Haris, Another slower ball, punched through point for another single.

Junaid Siddique to Mohammad Nawaz, IN THE AIR… SAFE! Pace off, on middle and leg, Mohammad Nawaz swings for the desert but is just not able to get to the pitch of the ball. Swings early, miscues it but luckily for him, it lands well in front of deep mid-wicket, to his left. One run taken.

Junaid Siddique to Mohammad Haris, On a good length, outside off, 130 kph, nipping back in sharply, Mohammad Haris waits for the ball to come and at the last moment, dabs it towards deep third for a run.

Junaid Siddique to Mohammad Nawaz, Outside off, punched through the covers for a single.

Junaid Siddique to Mohammad Nawaz, WIDE. Back of a length, down the leg side, Nawaz cannot get it away with his flick.

Well done, Simranjeet Singh. 4-0-26-3. Sensational spell of bowling. And to cap it off, in that last over, he did not bowl a single ball over 80 kph. Pace returns. Here is Junaid Siddique. 2-0-3-2 so far.

Simranjeet Singh to Mohammad Nawaz, On middle and leg, worked through square leg for another single. 12 runs from the over, but a wicket as well.

Simranjeet Singh to Mohammad Nawaz, WIDE. Down the leg side, left alone.

Simranjeet Singh to Mohammad Haris, Around off, pushed through cover for one.

Simranjeet Singh to Mohammad Haris, FOUR! CLOBBERED! A tad short, outside off, Haris rocks back and pulls this fiercely through mid-wicket, bisecting deep square leg and deep mid-wicket! 100 UP FOR PAKISTAN! 26 balls left. Can they get to 150?

Simranjeet Singh to Mohammad Haris, FOUR! Up and over! Tossed up, outside off, Mohammad Haris leans and lofts it over cover for a boundary.

Simranjeet Singh to Mohammad Nawaz, Down the leg side, worked through square leg for a single.

Mohammad Nawaz walks in next, at number 8, replacing Khushdil Shah.

Simranjeet Singh to Khushdil Shah, OUT! CAUGHT! Another one goes and this is implosion of the highest order now. 70/2 at one stage has become 93/6, in the span of 26 balls. Third wicket for Simranjeet Singh, in the span of 7 legal balls. And the left-arm spinner has got two left-handed batters. Tossed up, around middle and leg, Khushdil Shah comes down the track and goes for the heave ho but he is not quite to the pitch of the ball. Skews his shot through square leg and though the ball has plenty of air time, it does not have the distance. Calm catch taken by Muhammad Waseem, the skipper, at deep square leg. 4 (6) for Khushdil Shah tonight.

Fine bowling by Dhruv Parashar. 4-0-33-1. Did concede 3 sixes to Fakhar, but you would take these figures any day in a T20.

Dhruv Parashar to Mohammad Haris, The arm ball, but down the leg side, Haris works it through square leg for one.

Dhruv Parashar to Khushdil Shah, Short, outside off, Khushdil Shah backs away and slaps it through the covers for a single.

Dhruv Parashar to Mohammad Haris, Full, outside off, very slow through the air, pushed uppishly through the covers for a run.

Dhruv Parashar to Khushdil Shah, Outside off, cut through point for another single.

Dhruv Parashar to Mohammad Haris, Tossed up, hit down to long off for a run.

Dhruv Parashar to Khushdil Shah, Full, on middle, pushed through mid on for a single.

Simranjeet Singh to Mohammad Haris, Around off, pushed towards cover. 2 wickets and just 2 runs from the over, Simranjeet Singh's bowling figures read 3-0-14-2!

Simranjeet Singh to Mohammad Haris, The glove saves Haris. Full and straight, Mohammad Haris got down to paddle but missed and was hit on the pads. The ball rolled down towards short fine leg and while the batters were contemplating about the run, UAE kept on appealing. The umpire did not agree and the bowler convinced the captain to have this checked upstairs. Initially, it seemed as if the impact was outside off, but while the replay seemed to indicate that the impact might have been in line, UltraEdge returned a spike when the ball was near the glove. The decision stays as it is and UAE lose a review. No run taken, by the way.

We have an LBW review straightaway! It seemed like the impact was outside off to the naked eye. Was there bat involved too? UAE have taken the review. Ahh… UltraEdge returns a spike. Review lost.

Mohammad Haris walks in next, at number 7, replacing Hasan Nawaz.

Simranjeet Singh to Hasan Nawaz, OUT! LBW! Flighted delivery, around middle, Hasan Nawaz lunged to defend but missed as the ball straightened a touch. The angle seemed to be taking the ball down the leg side but the umpire raised his finger on the appeal. Now, considering the angle, Hasan consulted with his partner and went for the review. Nothing came on the UltraEdge when ball passed the bat but when Ball Tracking loaded up, it projected the ball to be clipping the outer half of leg stump! Meaning, umpire's call it is, decision will stay but Hasan will have to go! He departs for 3 (4) and from 70/2, Pakistan are now 88/5!

Simranjeet Singh to Khushdil Shah, On middle, punched down to long on for a single.

Simranjeet Singh to Khushdil Shah, WIDE. Down the leg side, left alone.

Simranjeet Singh to Khushdil Shah, Fuller, on middle and leg, very slow in pace, Khushdil Shah looks to work it to the leg side but gets a leading edge which pops up but dies down on the pitch quickly.

Khushdil Shah walks in next, at number 6, replacing Fakhar Zaman. This is his maiden outing in this tournament.

Simranjeet Singh to Fakhar Zaman, OUT! CAUGHT! Left-arm spin gets the big wicket! Oh dear. The replaced bat has lasted for just 4 balls for Fakhar. We mean, the bat is still there, but unfortunately for its wielder, his innings has come to an end. Fractionally short, around middle and leg, Fakhar Zaman backs away and looks to go inside out, but the ball bounces extra and also, cramps him for room. Ends up chipping it towards cover where the fielder runs back to his left and takes a nice catch. Harshit Kaushik is the one who does the job. Zaman departs for 50 (36) and from 70/2, Pakistan are now 86/4!

Simranjeet Singh returns. 2-0-12-0 so far.

Dhruv Parashar to Fakhar Zaman, 50 FOR FAKHAR ZAMAN! His 13th in T20Is and a very crucial one as far as this tournament is concerned. His previous half century was against this same opposition, roughly two weeks ago and that too, was in a precarious position. Gets there with a punch through cover to retain the strike. 11 from the over, Fakhar will be looking to press on now.

Dhruv Parashar to Hasan Nawaz, Flat and short, 91.6 kph, Nawaz stays back and punches it towards wide long on for a run.

Dhruv Parashar to Fakhar Zaman, Around off now, pushed to cover for a quick single to move to 49.

Dhruv Parashar to Fakhar Zaman, SIX! BRUTAL! Well, keep this bat, Fakhar! The new bat yields him six straightaway. Fractionally short, outside off, Fakhar reaches out and clobbers this straight back over the bowler, for a 90-metre monster!

Change of bats for Fakhar Zaman. Faheem Ashraf is the one bringing the replacement for Fakhar. Could this mean a change in luck for the southpaw?

Dhruv Parashar to Hasan Nawaz, Quicker and shorter, 90.5 kph, outside off, Hasan Nawaz stays back and punches it towards long on for a run.

Dhruv Parashar to Fakhar Zaman, Tossed up, outside off, pretty full, Fakhar Zaman winds up for the big slog sweep but ends up dragging it towards long on for a single.

Haider Ali to Fakhar Zaman, On middle and off, worked through mid-wicket for a single.

Haider Ali to Fakhar Zaman, Quicker through the air, short in length, outside off, Fakhar looks to cut but there is extra bounce and he is beaten on the outside edge.

Haider Ali to Fakhar Zaman, Landed on off, worked through mid-wicket for a quick couple.

Haider Ali to Fakhar Zaman, Slower through the air, short in length, outside off, Fakhar Zaman cuts it away but cannot beat cover.

Haider Ali to Hasan Nawaz, Landed outside off, punched through point for a run.

Haider Ali to Fakhar Zaman, Short, outside off, dabbed behind point for a single.

Hasan Nawaz is in at 5.

Dhruv Parashar to Salman Agha, OUT! GONE! CAUGHT! Yet again, a wicket falls right after the hydration break. Dhruv Parashar breaks the 61-run partnership for the third wicket. An arm ball from Dhruv, around the off stump line, on a fullish length. Salman Agha backs away to loft it inside out over cover, but mistimes it off the toe end and the ball sails to the left of the deep point fielder. Haider Ali covers a lot of ground, running to his left and snaffles a fine running catch. Salman Agha departs for a scratchy 20 (27) and Pakistan are 70/3.

The physio rushes out for a mandatory concussion test for Rahul Chopra as he took a blow on the badge of the helmet. Seems alright to continue.

Dhruv Parashar to Salman Agha, Trying to be a bit adventurous! Signs of haste from the skipper! Across the batter, angling on the leg stump line, on a length. Salman Agha switches the stance and goes for the reverse sweep, but gets a bottom edge onto the pads and the ball seems to have hit the helmet of the keeper.

Dhruv Parashar to Fakhar Zaman, Drag-downer, wide outside off. Fakhar Zaman flat bats it to the right of long off for a single.

Dhruv Parashar to Salman Agha, Short around off, Salman Agha stands tall and chips it wide of cover for a single.

Dhruv Parashar to Fakhar Zaman, Outside off, on a length, Fakhar Zaman works that to the mid off region. The man from covers runs to his left, puts in a dive but the ball evades him and runs to the deep. A single taken.

Dhruv Parashar to Fakhar Zaman, Pitched short and outside off, cut away to the point fielder.

DRINKS. A very disciplined bowling display by the United Arab Emirates' bowlers so far. They have not allowed the batters to run away with the score and have bowled on tight lines and lengths. Junaid Siddique and Muhammad Rohid set the tone early with Junaid picking up two big wickets and plugging the scoring. However, Fakhar Zaman and Salman Agha have managed to construct a stable partnership of 58 runs so far. One of these two will have to bat till the end if they are to post a tough total on the board. The average first inning score here in thereabouts of 155, and to reach there, they will have to bat with conviction. As of now, we haven't seen the batters go on the offensive as they have played to prevent a collapse. But Pakistan will look forward to switching the gears after this break. Dhruv Parashar is back into the attack after the hydration break.

Simranjeet Singh to Fakhar Zaman, Just six off the over! Full and pushed around middle and leg, spinning in. Fakhar Zaman clips it to the right of square leg for a single. Halfway through, Pakistan are crawling at 67/2.

Simranjeet Singh to Salman Agha, Gets away with it, does Simranjeet Singh! Floated up full and around off. Salman Agha charges down the track and tries to whack it powerfully over the leg side, but loses his shape completely as he tries to hit it too hard. Inside edges it to square leg for a single.

Simranjeet Singh to Fakhar Zaman, Pitched outside leg at 87.4 kph, following the batter as Fakhar backs away. Zaman manages to punch through the covers for a single. Uh, oh! The siren blows up as Simranjeet Singh has overstepped. No Ball signaled and Free Hit to follow…

Simranjeet Singh to Salman Agha, Pulls the length back, around off, punched off the back foot, through extra cover for one more.

Simranjeet Singh to Salman Agha, Not giving him too much of pace to work with, is Singh! Length ball, outside off, there to be put away, but Agha mistimes the cut shot to the point fielder. Grunts in frustration, does the Pakistan skipper.

Simranjeet Singh to Salman Agha, Outside off, slower through the air, cut away to the point fielder.

Simranjeet Singh to Fakhar Zaman, Length, on the stumps, Fakhar steps down the track and nudges it to the leg side for a single.

Haider Ali to Fakhar Zaman, Full toss, on off, Fakhar Zaman drills it down to long off for an easy single.

Haider Ali to Salman Agha, Fuller in length, around off, Salman chips it to long off for one.

Haider Ali to Salman Agha, Slides in with the arm, on a length, at the leg stump line. Salman Agha misses to flick that away and the ball pops up off the front pad and drops to the leg side.

Haider Ali to Fakhar Zaman, Shortens the length, outside off, Zaman cuts it to deep point for a single. This brings up the 50-run partnership between Fakhar Zaman and Salman Agha!

Haider Ali to Fakhar Zaman, FOUR! SHOT! Outside off, short in length. Fakhar Zaman gets enough width and cuts it behind backward point for a boundary.

Haider Ali to Fakhar Zaman, MISFIELD, FOUR! Pushed through, a full toss, outside off. Fakhar Zaman smashes it to widish long off. Muhammad Waseem runs to his left, even gets to the ball, but while tumbling over after the dive, the ball races off the boot into the boundary.

Good phase for UAE as they have conceded only 11 runs in the last 2 overs. Haider Ali (1-0-5-0) to continue.

Simranjeet Singh to Fakhar Zaman, Spins in from midde, on a fullish length. Fakhar Zaman gets ahead and steers it with soft hands to the backward square leg region for a single. 50 UP FOR PAKISTAN!

Simranjeet Singh to Salman Agha, Shorter in length, at 77.7 kph, spinning away from off. Salman Agha rocks back and cuts it past the diving point fielder, to his left for a single as the man from short third chases it down.

Simranjeet Singh to Fakhar Zaman, Fuller delivery, even more slower at 78.2 kph now, turning in from middle. Fakhar Zaman clips it behind square on the leg side for a single.

Simranjeet Singh to Salman Agha, Keeps it slow through the air, and outside off, at 85.2 kph. Salman Agha tries to cut, but the ball goes off the bottom end to short third for a single.

Simranjeet Singh to Salman Agha, WIDE! Sprays it miles outside off, beyond the tramline. Salman Agha lunges forward but leaves. Wide called.

Simranjeet Singh to Salman Agha, On a length, spinning away, outside off. Salman Agha hangs back and steers it to the point fielder.

Simranjeet Singh to Fakhar Zaman, Pitched slow and outside leg, Fakhar clips this full ball to deep square leg for a single.

Bowler number 5 for United Arab Emirates. Here's Simranjeet Singh into the attack, replacing Muhammad Rohid.

Haider Ali to Salman Agha, Quicker through the air, sliding on the leg stump line. Salman Agha stays on the back foot and punches it to the left of the cover fielder.

Haider Ali to Fakhar Zaman, Low full toss, on off. Fakhar Zaman works it down to long on for one more.

Haider Ali to Salman Agha, Slides into the batter, on a length, around leg. Salman Agha punches it wide of mid off for a single.

Haider Ali to Fakhar Zaman, Slips in a low full toss, around off, drilled down to long on for a single by Zaman.

Haider Ali to Salman Agha, Around the stumps, full and tossed on off, at 88.8 kph. Salman Agha leans forward and drives it along the carpet to long off for a single.

Haider Ali to Fakhar Zaman, Pushed through, outside off, quicker at 101.4 kph, Fakhar Zaman rocks back and cuts it to deep extra cover for a single.

At the end of the Powerplay, Pakistan are 39/2, with 22 runs coming off the last two overs. Another bowling change. Haider Ali is into the attack, replacing Dhruv Parashar.

Muhammad Rohid to Salman Agha, FOUR! A good end for Pakistan in the Powerplay! A loosener from Rohid, down the leg side, on a length. Salman Agha swivels and just uses the pace to help it behind to the deep fine leg fence.

Muhammad Rohid to Salman Agha, Outside off, on a good length, at 133.7 kph. Salman Agha covers the off stump and taps it away to backward point.

Muhammad Rohid to Fakhar Zaman, Back of a length, angling on the leg stump line. Fakhar Zaman skips down the track and heaves it off the inner half of the bat to deep square leg for a single.

Muhammad Rohid to Fakhar Zaman, Shortish in length, around off, Fakhar Zaman hangs back and pulls it between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Muhammad Rohid to Salman Agha, Gets some extra kick off the deck, around off, on a length, at 139.8 kph. Salman Agha rides the bounce and eases it wide of backward point for a single.

Muhammad Rohid to Salman Agha, Sharp bouncer, angling away from middle. Salman Agha moves leg side to cut it over point, but misses.

Change? Nope. Muhammad Rohid to bowl his third over on the trot. 2-0-10-0 so far.

Dhruv Parashar to Fakhar Zaman, Misses on that one! Slower through the air, full and on the stumps, sliding in a bit. Fakhar Zaman tries to sweep it aerially over the leg side, but misses and his rapped on the front pad. An expensive start for Dhruv Parashar. 14 runs off it.

Dhruv Parashar to Fakhar Zaman, Seeing Fakhar charging down the track, Dhruv smartly pulls the length back and cramps the batter for room. Zaman mistimes it off the toe end, to the bowler.

Dhruv Parashar to Fakhar Zaman, SIX! Good batting! Flatter and outside off, a carrom ball, on a fullish length. Fakhar Zaman dances down the track and smacks it over long on for another half a dozen.

Dhruv Parashar to Fakhar Zaman, SIX! That will ease up the nerves a lot! Full in length, in the slot, around off. Fakhar Zaman reads the length early and slogs it powerfully behind deep mid-wicket for a six.

Dhruv Parashar to Salman Agha, Over the stumps, drifting in on middle and leg, on a fuller length. Salman Agha looks to flick, but hits off the inner half to deep square leg for a single.

Dhruv Parashar to Fakhar Zaman, Short and around off, Fakhar Zaman cuts it late to widish short third and calls Agha through for a single. Asif Khan is quick to pick and throw to the keeper and the keeper flicks the ball into stumps at the striker's end, but Agha has made it home by then.

First sight of spin from UAE. Dhruv Parashar is into the attack. He replaces Junaid Siddique.

Muhammad Rohid to Salman Agha, Almost played on! Very lucky there, is Salman Agha! Pitched short and outside leg, Salman Agha is through for the pull shot early, and chops it behind, just past the leg stump.

Muhammad Rohid to Salman Agha, A tempting short ball, just outside off. Salman Agha feels for it at first, but decides to drop down his wrists to leave.

Muhammad Rohid to Salman Agha, Shapes away from the batter, around off, on a length. Agha hops on the back foot and punches it through covers for a couple of runs.

Muhammad Rohid to Salman Agha, EDGED, FOUR! Living very dangerously here, are the Pakistan batters! Back of a length, just outside off, sharply cutting away from the batter. Salman Agha pokes at it off the back foot and gets a thick outside edge. The ball shoots past the vacant first slip region to the fence at deep third. This is the first boundary of the game and for Pakistan!

Muhammad Rohid to Salman Agha, Hits the hard length, does Rohid, on middle and leg. Salman Agha hangs deep in the crease and turns it to the leg side.

Muhammad Rohid to Salman Agha, BEATEN! Full from Rohid, around off and nipping away late. Salman Agha pushes at it with hard hands, and is beaten past the outside edge as the ball nibbles away.

Muhammad Rohid (1-0-4-0) to continue.

Junaid Siddique to Fakhar Zaman, Good length, around off, Fakhar Zaman gets right behind the line and blocks it onto the pitch.

Junaid Siddique to Fakhar Zaman, WIDE! Going down leg, left by Zaman. Wide called.

Junaid Siddique to Salman Agha, Comfortably in! On a good length, around the leg stump line. Salman misses tucking that across and the ball deflects off the thigh pad into the leg side. There is a direct hit from the short fine leg fielder at the striker's end, but the replay shows that Zaman has made his ground. A leg bye taken.

Salman Agha is in at 4.

Junaid Siddique to Sahibzada Farhan, OUT! IN THE AIR AND TAKEN! Junaid Siddique has dismissed both the Pakistan openers in two consecutive overs and the UAE are all over their opponents early doors! Junaid hits the hard length, and gets the ball to nip away off the deck, on middle. Sahibzada Farhan lifts his front leg up in the air and shapes to whip that over deep square leg, but only manages to get a thick top edge and the ball carries straight down the throat of Muhammad Zohaib stationed in the deep. Zohaib crouches a bit low to take the catch, gets in a bit of a juggling act but makes sure he maintains the possession of the ball. Pakistan are 9/2 as Sahibzada Farhan departs for 5 (12).

Junaid Siddique to Sahibzada Farhan, Pace off, full and outside off, Sahibzada Farhan waits for it and carves it away, but straight to cover.

Junaid Siddique to Sahibzada Farhan, Huge swing and a miss! This has been a rocking start from the UAE pacers! Skids through the deck and nibbles away from outside off. Sahibzada Farhan tries to whack this good-length delivery, over covers, with an angled bat, but only meets a handful of air.

Junaid Siddique to Sahibzada Farhan, Nagging length, around off, punched off the back foot to the fielder at cover.

Muhammad Rohid to Fakhar Zaman, Brilliant shape! Seams away from the batter, outside off. Fakhar Zaman is forced to poke at this tempter and hangs his bat away from the body. Gets beaten past the outside edge by a kitten-whisker.

Muhammad Rohid to Sahibzada Farhan, Good save! On a hard length, outside off. Sahibzada Farhan lets the ball come at it and punches it through cover-point. The fielder from the ring chases it all the way through, dives forward and manages to flick the ball inside the playing area, with him going beyond the ropes. Saves one run for his side.

Muhammad Rohid to Sahibzada Farhan, WIDE! But a huge appeal for caught behind, from Rohid and the keeper! There was some sound, maybe off the thigh pad. The timer runs out and UAE do not opt for the review. Angling down leg, on a fuller length, Sahibzada Farhan misses to flick and the keeper dives to collect it to his left. UltraEdge later shows that the ball indeed grazed his front pad on the way to the keeper.

Muhammad Rohid to Sahibzada Farhan, BEATEN! Seam-up delivery, angled across off and nipping away. Farhan casually throws the bat away from his body, without moving his feet much, and is beaten on the outside edge.

Muhammad Rohid to Sahibzada Farhan, On a hard length, outside off, punched solidly to cover.

Muhammad Rohid to Sahibzada Farhan, On a good length, at the pads, Sahibzada Farhan misses to glance off the pads, and the ball deflects from the thigh pad and runs behind to deep fine leg. Two leg byes taken.

Muhammad Rohid to Sahibzada Farhan, Swings away from the batter, on a good length, left alone.

Muhammad Rohid to operate from the far end.

Junaid Siddique to Fakhar Zaman, On a good length, around middle, Fakhar plays from the crease and nudges it with soft hands to square leg. A very successful opening over for United Arab Emirates. Pakistan are 3/1.

Fakhar Zaman is in at 3 for Pakistan!

Junaid Siddique to Saim Ayub, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! CAUGHT! Another duck for Saim Ayub and his lean patch with the bat in this Asia Cup continues. Junaid Siddique slams the deck hard, outside off, and it skids through the surface, hurrying the southpaw on the back foot. Saim Ayub just throws his bat away from his body, and gets a thick outside edge. The ball flies straight towards the fielder at deep third where Muhammad Rohid takes a clean catch. Saim Ayub got out on a ball outside the off stump against India, and this is more or less the same kind of dismissal for him as he is fed in his vulnerable zone. He departs for 0 (2) and Pakistan are 3/1.

Junaid Siddique to Saim Ayub, Around off and full, at 137 kph, Saim Ayub confidently knocks this to mid off.

Junaid Siddique to Sahibzada Farhan, On a good length, around middle and leg. Sahibzada Farhan misses to flick and the ball thuds on the front pad, before rolling into the leg side. They get a leg bye.

Junaid Siddique to Sahibzada Farhan, Excellent review from Sahibzada Farhan! In all fairness, this looked to be missing the stumps in real time as well. This is on a good length, just a bit of tail into the batter, on middle and leg. Sahibzada Farhan is cramped for room and tries to block from the crease, but plays all around it and is rapped on the pad of the back leg. A loud, confident appeal for LBW, and after a thought, the umpire raises up his finger! Sahibzada Farhan walks to Ayub for a chat and sends it upstairs for a review. Nothing on UltraEdge and the Ball Tracking confirms that the ball is projected to miss the stumps. NOT OUT!

Junaid Siddique to Sahibzada Farhan, First runs on the board and Pakistan and Sahibzada Farhan are off the mark! Swinging into the batter, full and on the leg stump line. Sahibzada Farhan flicks it behind square on the leg side for a couple of runs. A good diving stop by the man from deep mid-wicket to his right.

Done and dusted with all the pre-match formalities, and after an hour's delay, it is finally time for action at the Dubai International Stadium. A decent amount of crowd has marked its presence, equal distribution for both sides. The two umpires are out to the middle. Muhammad Waseem is offering some motivating words to his men in the huddle before the players of UAE scatter out to the field. Out walks the opening pair for Pakistan – Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan. And it will be pace to begin with from the UAE side. Junaid Siddique has the new ball and is raring to go. The countdown is doen and dusted, and 'Let's Play' says the umpire. Off we go…

If we closely look at the team selections, plainly focusing on the dew factor, Pakistan have opted for an extra seamer, bringing in Haris Rauf in place of Sufiyan Muqeem. Whereas for the United Arab Emirates, they have opted for a spinner over a pacer as Simranjeet Singh, left-arm orthodox, comes in place of left-arm pacer Muhammad Jawadullah. Plenty of left-armers across both sides, though. Well then, it is now time for the national anthems. Both sides followed by the match officials line up. It will be the national anthem of the United Arab Emirates, followed by that of Pakistan's.

PITCH REPORT – Urooj Mumtaz and Mike Haysman are pitchside with their thoughts. Urooj starts by sharing that this is the pitch that was used in the Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong, China game. Shares that the average score in the first inning is 155. Mike Haysman joins and observes that it has got a good grass coverage all the way through and stresses that if the seamers hit the right areas initially, they can do a lot of damage. Reckons that it might not assist the spinners a lot as there might not be much turn and grip.

United Arab Emirates (Playing XI) – Alishan Sharafu, Muhammad Waseem (C), Asif Khan, Muhammad Zohaib, Harshit Kaushik, Rahul Chopra (WK), Dhruv Parashar, Haider Ali, Simranjeet Singh (In for Muhammad Jawadullah), Junaid Siddique, and Muhammad Rohid.

Pakistan (Playing XI) – Saim Ayub, Sahibzada Farhan, Mohammad Haris (WK), Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (C), Khushdil Shah (In for Faheem Ashraf), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, and Haris Rauf (In for Sufiyan Muqeem).

The captain of Pakistan, SALMAN AGHA, says that they wanted to bat first and put the UAE under scoreboard pressure. Calls the UAE a very good side. Stresses on executing the plans well for longer periods of time. Informs that they have two changes as Sufiyan Muqeem and Faheem Ashraf miss out on this game.

The captain of United Arab Emirates, MUHAMMAD WASEEM, reckons that dew will play a huge role in this game and they will try to restrict Pakistan to a low total. Says it is a do-or-die game for them and highlights that they had a good game in Abu Dhabi against Oman, but says this is a different game against a different opposition and they are ready for it. Informs one change as Muhammad Jawadullah is out and Simranjeet Singh comes in the side.

TOSS UPDATE – The flip of the coin is won by United Arab Emirates and Muhammad Waseem elects to BOWL first.

We are just a few minutes away from the toss. And the live visuals confirm that the Pakistan players have arrived at the stadium and are going through their pre-match drills. Shaheen Afridi is seen marking his run-up, while several others are busy with their warm-ups. Pakistan's head coach Mike Hesson was also seen offering his words of wisdom in the huddle a few minutes back.

On the UAE side, Muhammad Waseem leads the run charts with even more T20I runs than Zaman, and Alishan Sharafu also features in four figures. Pakistan do have a decent track-record at Dubai, but have lost three of their last five games here. If UAE get the pieces of the puzzle correctly, they do have all ingredients to execute a massive upset over Pakistan. But with a 3-0 head-to-head against the UAE, Salman Agha and his men will aim to extend that lead further. The race to Super 4s is heating up. Stay tuned as toss and team updates are up next shortly.

We have some interesting match-ups brewing here, especially up front. Shaheen Afridi is known for his Powerplay dominance, but his economy rate in the early overs has taken a hit this year, which makes his battle against the two in-form UAE openers all the more interesting. With over 1,000 T20I runs, Fakhar Zaman is the only batter in this Pakistan squad to cross that mark, with Saim Ayub the next in line but still far behind. Yet, Fakhar’s bat has been quiet this tournament, making this a perfect chance to find form again. In the recent tri-series, when Pakistan were reeling at 80/5, against UAE, it was Zaman who stood tall with an unbeaten 77 alongside Mohammad Nawaz to post a fighting total.

The United Arab Emirates enter this contest with a few positives to build on. A big confidence boost came from outscoring Pakistan’s total against Oman. Muhammad Waseem remains their talisman at the top, crossing 3000 T20I runs in the last match against Oman, while the promotion of Alishan Sharafu as an opener has brought a much-needed stability. They will also take heart from their tri-series outings against Pakistan, where they managed to challenge them in patches with both bat and ball. The real task now is to move past relying on just a few players and put together a more complete team effort. Their bowling remains inconsistent, particularly at the death where runs have been leaked, and the spinners will need to make better use of the slow, home conditions in Dubai.

With just about an hour left for the first ball, let's shift our focus back in Dubai. The problems just don’t seem to end for Pakistan, especially against stronger opponents. They were completely outplayed by India from the very first ball. Still, they walk into this clash as favorites, having beaten the UAE twice recently in the Sharjah tri-series. On paper, it looks theirs to lose, but there’s plenty to fix. Their opening stand has been a major concern, crossing double digits only twice in the last seven T20Is, including the tri-series. That has consistently heaped pressure on the middle order, which hasn’t always delivered. The bowling hasn’t clicked either, with none of their main bowlers among the top five wicket-takers. Instead, part-timer Saim Ayub has surprisingly shouldered much of the load and he is their leading wicket-taker in this Asia Cup so far.

Meanwhile, over in Dublin, the first T20I in the 3-match series between Ireland and England is well underway. Batting first, the hosts produced an impressive performance, piling up 196 for the loss of just three wickets. Harry Tector starred with an unbeaten 61 off 36 balls, while Lorcan Tucker chipped in with a fine half-century to set up the total. Despite boasting big names in the bowling, the English couldn't put on a lid on the scoring. The second inning has just started with the English chase. You can follow all the action from that match as well. 

Had we been on schedule, the toss would already be done by now. But with the delay, we’re still about an hour away from that. In the meantime, no reason to be bored, as there’s plenty of cricketing action unfolding elsewhere in the world. The 2nd Women's ODI between India and Australia is in progression right now, in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh. India Women posted a big total of 292, graced by Smriti Mandhana's impressive century, and decent contributions from the middle order. Australia Women used as many as eight bowlers but it was Darcie Brown who was the pick of them, snagging 3 wickets, whereas Ashleigh Gardner picked up 2. Currently, Australia's chase is underway and they are more than halfway into the chase, but have lost big names like skipper Healy, Beth Mooney, and Ellyse Perry. Annabel Sutherland and Gardner, both have formed a stable partnership to keep the flame of the chase ignited. Australia Women currently lead this 3 ODI series 1-0. Feel free to switch the tabs and hop into that matchcenter.

UPDATE – Okay, there is a positive news for cricket fans. It is now CONFIRMED that the match will begin at 3.30 pm GMT, and the toss is expected to take place at 3 pm GMT. We are also hearing that the Pakistan team is preparing to leave for the Dubai International Stadium. In case you missed it, the Pakistan Cricket Board had reportedly appealed to the ICC for the removal of Andy Pycroft as the match referee for this clash against the United Arab Emirates. At this stage, however, there is still no clarity on whether Pycroft will be officiating in this game or not.

UPDATE – The start of the match has been DELAYED BY AN HOUR. The first ball, initially scheduled for 2.30 pm GMT, is now expected at 3.30 pm GMT. However, there is no official confirmation yet. Reports circulating on social media suggest that the Pakistan team is still to leave for the stadium, while the UAE players have already arrived on time. FYI, if Pakistan pull out of the tournament, which looks unlikely, it will be India and UAE to make it to the Super 4s. Again, we are yet to receive the official word. Do stay tuned for further updates.

There has been some uncertainty circling around Pakistan’s participation in the remainder of this Asia Cup, and there are a lot of developments coming in regarding the same. Regardless, this match, IF happens, is crucial for both sides. A loss here ends the road for either team. Both teams are level on points, but Pakistan hold a big advantage on net run rate. The United Arab Emirates, on the other hand, are deep in negative territory. Both had dominant wins over Oman but were comprehensively beaten by India. All of that brings us to this classic do-or-die contest where only one team will move forward.

It's crunch time in the Asia Cup 2025 as we close in to the knockout stages, where almost every match from here on out will shape the destiny of the teams in both groups. We're back in Dubai for another must-win showdown in Group A, with Pakistan taking on the United Arab Emirates in Match 10. Compared to the nail-biting race in Group B, Group A has been a bit more straightforward, but there’s still everything to play for as cricket has a funny way to throw surprises. On that note, hello and welcome to our coverage. Glad to have you all with us.

… MATCH DAY …

Within just a month, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates meet again, for the third time, and this time, at the Dubai International Stadium for Match 10 of the Asia Cup 2025. Looking back at their past encounters, it’s hard to label Pakistan as outright favorites, but there’s no denying the depth and international experience in their squad. The UAE, meanwhile, remain very much in the race after their victory over Oman. For Muhammad Waseem and his men, though, this final group game is do-or-die if they are to keep their campaign alive. The United Arab Emirates have shown steady signs of progress as they gain more exposure against higher-ranked opponents, even if there are still gaps to fill. Their batting has largely revolved around skipper and talisman Muhammad Waseem, but valuable support has begun to emerge from Alishan Sharafu and Asif Khan. On the bowling front, Junaid Siddique has been the standout, currently the third-highest wicket-taker of the tournament, though much of the load has fallen on his shoulders. The likes of Muhammad Jawadullah and Haider Ali are still searching for their best rhythm, and this contest presents another chance to step up on the big stage. The UAE showed plenty of grit in the recent tri-series in Sharjah, but the challenge now is about delivering the knockout punch at the right moment. Pakistan find themselves in the same boat – it’s do-or-die for them as well. On paper, the odds lean heavily towards the men in green, yet if the UAE manage to pull off the upset, Pakistan will be knocked out and the UAE will sneak into the Super 4s. Pakistan, though, carry their own baggage. Their top order batting has been patchy, struggling to build partnerships, and key names like the skipper Salman Agha and Fakhar Zaman have been short of runs for a while in the middle order. The bowling hasn’t fired either, with part-timer Saim Ayub surprisingly their leading wicket-taker, while the main bowlers haven’t made the impact as expected. Haris Rauf's return remains a question mark, while Shaheen Afridi has made more noise with his quick cameos down the order than with the ball in hand. For Pakistan to survive, their big names must finally step up together. They do hold a 3-0 head-to-head advantage over the UAE, but numbers matter little when survival is on the line. Both teams are fighting to stay alive in the competition, and that makes this Group A clash in Dubai loaded with intensity. Expect nothing short of a cracker.