SHARJAH, United Arab Emirates: Fakhar Zaman’s unbeaten 77 off 44 balls powered Pakistan to 171 for 5 in their 20 overs against the UAE in the T20I tri-series on Thursday, with Mohammad Nawaz adding late impetus to the innings.
After being put in to bat, Pakistan got off to a quick start but lost Sahibzada Farhan (16 off 11) early, caught off the bowling of Dhruv Parashar.
Fellow opener Saim Ayub (11) fell soon after, caught behind off Junaid Siddique, leaving Pakistan at 35/2 in the fourth over.
Captain Salman Agha (7) could not make a major impact, falling to Muhammad Rohid, and by the end of the sixth over, Pakistan were under some pressure at 50/3.
However, it was Fakhar Zaman who steadied the innings, combining aggression with composure. His 77-run knock, studded with 10 boundaries and 2 sixes, anchored the innings and kept the scoreboard ticking.
Mohammad Haris (14) and Hasan Nawaz (4) offered brief support before falling to Haider Ali, but Mohammad Nawaz provided the finishing flourish with a brisk 37 not out off 27 balls, including 3 fours and 2 sixes.
Pakistan’s innings saw a run rate of 8.55, with a total of 171/5, setting a competitive target for the UAE side.
The match now hinges on how Pakistan’s bowling unit performs on a spin-friendly Sharjah surface, as they aim to bounce back from their previous defeat and secure a spot in the tri-series final.
Pakistan Playing XI
Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Salman Agha (c), Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Haris (wk), Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Salman Mirza, Sufiyan Muqeem
UAE Playing XI
Muhammad Zohaib, Muhammad Waseem (c), Asif Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Rahul Chopra (wk), Ethan D’Souza, Dhruv Parashar, Saghir Khan, Haider Ali, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Jawadullah
