Asia Cup: Pakistan beat UAE to enter Super Fours; face India on Sunday

Pakistan defeated the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by 41 runs to advance to the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup cricket tournament in Dubai despite a brief field collapse and a turbulent transition.

Pakistan won 146-9 on Wednesday in their 20 overs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in a match that was initially uncertain before being delayed by an hour.

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The UAE was then defeated by the two-time Asian champions for 105 in 17.4 overs to secure their place in the regional T20 tournament’s final round.

The UAE formed a 48-run partnership with Rahul Chopra 35 (35) and Dhruv Parashar 20 (23) in the wake of their three early wicket losses, giving them a chance to shock defeat.

The UAE’s wickets fell in a heap over the next 22 deliveries, but when fast bowler Haris Rauf dismissed Parashar in the 14th over.

Two wickets were taken by Shaheen Shah Afridi, Abrar Ahmed, and Rauf.

After both of Pakistan’s openers were dismissed in the third over, veteran top-order batsman Fakhar Zaman top-scored with a 50-run top-scoring fifty off 36 balls.

Salman Agha and Zaman briefly collaborated, and Salman Agha scored 20 runs off 27 balls, but Afridi’s 14-ball-29 looked like a tricky target for Pakistan.

With the victory, Pakistan will advance to the Super Fours on Sunday, joining India as the second-best team in Group A.

Bangladesh and Afghanistan will battle for second place in Group B, making Sri Lanka the only team to have qualified.