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Fatullah: Mohammad Naveed’s three-wicket haul and Mohammad Shahzad’s 52 helped United Arab Emirates down Hong Kong by six wickets in the Asia Cup qualifying competition at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah on Sunday.
With two wins in as many games, UAE has now put itself in a strong position to make it to the main round of the Asia Cup.
Having chosen to bat first in search of its first win, Hong Kong managed 146 for 7 in 20 overs on the back of Babar Hayat’s 54.
UAE then rode on a third-wicket partnership of 79 between Shahzad and Muhammad Usman to set the base for the target of 147 to be achieved with nine ball to spare.
Naveed made the first impact in the game when he bowled Kinchit Shah with the fourth ball of the innings. Not long after that, Amjad Javed trapped Anshuman Rath in front wicket for 10 as Hong Kong was reduced to 26 for 2.
Mark Chapman joined Hayat, and the duo resurrected the innings through a third-wicket partnership of 62. Ahmed Raza had Chapman caught at deep extra cover in the 12th over for 29, but Hayat continued the good work through another stand of 34 with Nizakat Khan.
Hayat, however, was caught at deep square-leg off Farhan Ahmed off the first ball of the 16th over, and that broke Hong Kong’s momentum. Naveed returned to pick up two more wickets and finish with figures of 3-14, and Javed bowled Nizakat for 28 as Hong Kong mustered only 24 runs in the last five overs.
UAE lost Rohan Mustafa, the hero of its win against Afghanistan, in the second over, and Muhammad Kaleem fell in the next, but it had already started scoring briskly by then.
Shahzad and Usman built on that platform to amass 79 runs at a rate of 7.64. Chapman dismissed Usman for 41 in the 14th over, but the breakthrough came a little late in the day for Hong Kong. Shahzad then joined hands with Shaiman Anwar (25 not out) to add 40 runs in 5.1 overs and take UAE closer to victory.
Aizaz Khan bowled Shahzad soon after he reached his maiden T20I fifty in the 19th over, but Javed hit the winning six off the very next delivery to wrap up the game with nine balls to spare.
Brief scores
Hong Kong - 146 for 7 (Hayat 54, Naveed 3-14)
UAE - 147 for 4 (Shahzad 52, Usman 41)
Result - UAE won by six wickets
Points - UAE 2, Hong Kong 0
