SHARJAH: Pakistan has won the toss and elected to bat first against the UAE in the fifth match of the T20I tri-series on Thursday at Sharjah Cricket Ground.
The Men in Green are looking to bounce back after suffering their first defeat of the tournament – an 18-run loss to Afghanistan – and aim to solidify their place in the final with a win over the UAE.
Pakistan look to reclaim momentum
Sitting at the top of the points table with four points from three matches, Pakistan enter the contest as strong favourites.
A win today would all but seal their spot in the final of the tri-series, which also features Afghanistan and the UAE.
Openers Saim Ayub (83 runs) and captain Salman Agha (78 runs) have been the key contributors with the bat, while Hasan Nawaz has added crucial runs in the middle order with 74 runs in three games.
The presence of aggressive players like Mohammad Haris and Mohammad Nawaz gives the team extra firepower in the middle overs.
In the bowling department, Haris Rauf has been sharp with 4 wickets in 2 games, while all-rounders Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Nawaz have exploited the Sharjah pitch expertly, taking a combined 8 wickets.
However, pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi has yet to deliver a standout performance and will be hungry for impact in upcoming fixtures.
UAE face must-win situation
The UAE, winless in their first two matches, are in a do-or-die situation. A heavy win today is crucial to keep their mathematical chances alive in the race to the final.
Captain Muhammad Waseem has led from the front with the bat, scoring 100 runs in two innings, while Asif Khan and Rahul Chopra have also shown flashes of brilliance. However, the UAE’s biggest challenge has been consistency, especially with the ball.
Spinner Saghir Khan, with five wickets so far, will be vital on a pitch expected to assist spinners. The UAE will hope to exploit this and restrict Pakistan’s strong batting lineup.
Pitch and conditions
The Sharjah surface has been on the slower side throughout the tournament, favouring spin. Both teams are likely to rely on their spinners to do the damage, making match-ups in the middle overs especially crucial.
Head-to-head record
Pakistan vs UAE T20Is: 2 Matches
Pakistan Wins: 2
UAE Wins: 0
Pakistan has won both previous T20I encounters between the two sides and will look to maintain that perfect record today.
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
