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Dhaka: Sri Lanka fast-bwoler Lasith Malinga bowled a captain’s spell, as he claimed four crucial wickets for 26 and allowed Sri Lanka to register a fine 14-run win over United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the Asia Cup T20 2016 at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Thrusday.
Swapnil Patil was the top scorer for UAE with 37 runs.
Earlier, UAE skipper Javed won the toss and elected to field first on a slow Mirpur track, and also keeping in mind the dew factor, as Sri Lanka managed to score a below par total of 129 for the loss of eight wickets, courtesy of a half-century from Dinesh Chandimal, while Amjad Javed claimed three wickets for 25.
In modest chase, UAE were off to a shaky start indeed, as they lost their opening wicket in the form of Rohan Mustafa off the very forst ball of their innings from Malinga, and was followed by Mohammad Shahzad for a mere single in the ver same over, as the score read seven for the loss of two wickets.
With just seven more added to the total, it was Muhammad Kaleem, who fell for mere seven to Nuwan Kulasekara in the fourth over, followed by Muhammad Usman in the very next over off Kulasekara for just six, as the score read 16 for the loss of four.
Just when it seemd as if they could reach the 50-run mark, the pair of Shaiman Anwar and Swapnil Patil added 22 runs, before Anwar fell in the eighth over to Rangana Herath, who made him caught beihind for just 13, and just nine runs later, it was Saqlain Haider, who fell for mere single in the 10th over, as the score read 47 for the loss of six wickets.
In the 17th over, it was Malinga, who broke a crucial and good going partnership of 38 runs between Patil and Amjad Javed, as he dismissed Patil for a healthy 37
With just eight runs added to the total, Kulasekara got rid of the skipper, as Amjad fell for just 13, while the score read 93 for the loss of eight in the 18th over, and it was followed by Mohammad Naveed, who fell in the very next over to Malinga for just 10.
The final over saw a little drama, as Dushmantha Chameera bowled twin above waist height no ball only to be taken off from bowling, allowing Mathews to complete the over, Sri Lanka comfortably win the game by 14 runs. Malinga was also adjudged the Man of the Match for his match-winning bowling spell.
Brief scores
Sri Lanka - 129 for 8 (Chandimal 50, Amjad Javed 3-25)
UAE - 115 for 9 (Patil 37, Malinga 4-26, Kulasekara 3-10)
Result - Sri Lanka won by 14 runs
Points - Sri Lanka 2, United Arab Emirates 0
MOM - Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka)
