The UAE cricketers received a boost ahead of their World Twenty20 qualifying campaign opener against Scotland with a resounding win over Nepal in a rain-effected warm-up match in Ireland.
After a total washout in their opening warm-up against Ireland on Monday, the UAE bowlers took the chance to show their potency as they rattled through the Nepal line-up.
Seamers Manjula Guruge and Mohammed Shahzad did the damage, taking five wickets between them, as they restricted Nepal to 84 for seven in 18 overs before the heavens opened. The UAE were 82 for two in 14 overs in reply before the rains returned. Aaqib Javed’s men were declared winners by 20 runs in the Duckworth/Lewis method.
Mohammad Tauqir, the UAE captain, said he was pleased with the day’s work and urged his teammates to carry the momentum into the World Twenty20 qualifiers.
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“We were a bit disappointed when the first game was washed off without a ball being bowled, and this win was a real motivator for the team,” he said in a telephone interview.
“The seamers bowled extremely well and the fielding was well up to the mark. The batting, too, clicked well. This was our plan and this is how we want to go about in the qualifiers.
“This result was a big confidence boost for all of us ahead of the Scotland game.
“They are a strong team on their own backyard, but if we can play as good as we did today, we’ve got a great chance.”
Guruge, the left-arm medium pacer, was the pick of the bowling with three for 12 from four overs. Shahzad took two for 12 from three overs while Mohammed Naveed (one for 10) and Amjad Javed (one for 27) accounted for the other wickets.
“It wasn’t a seaming wicket, but bowling in the right areas was the key thing in this game,” Guruge said.
Naveed provided the breakthrough in his first over, and then Guruge struck twice to have Nepal reeling at 13 for three in the second over after they won the toss and elected to bat first.
The UAE batsmen did not have many problems in negotiating the Nepal attack.
Faizan Asif hit five fours before departing on 28, while his opening partner Amjad Ali played the anchor role to finish on 23 not out from 30 balls.
[ apasella@thenational.ae ]
