Sharjah defeat leaves UAE winless, Pakistan to face Afghanistan in final
Hosts miss out on final spot after third consecutive defeat
SHARJAH – The United Arab Emirates fell to a 31-run defeat against Pakistan in the fifth T20I of the UAE Tri-Nation Series at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Thursday night.
The result confirmed Pakistan’s qualification for the tournament final, where they will face Afghanistan on 7 September. UAE, meanwhile, remain winless after three matches.
Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha elected to bat first after winning the toss. The innings wobbled early as Sahibzada Farhan (16), Saim Ayub (11), Salman Ali Agha (7), Mohammad Haris (14) and Hasan Nawaz (4) all fell cheaply.
The recovery came through a decisive partnership between Fakhar Zaman and Mohammad Nawaz, who lifted Pakistan’s total to 171 for 5. Fakhar Zaman finished unbeaten on 77, while Mohammad Nawaz supported with 37 not out, ensuring Pakistan reached a defendable score.
For UAE, Haider Ali picked up two wickets, while Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Rohid and Dhruv Parashar claimed one each.
UAE fall short
Chasing 172 under the lights in Sharjah, UAE struggled to keep up with the required run-rate. Captain Muhammad Waseem looked to anchor the innings but found little sustained support from the rest of the batting line-up. Asif Khan and Rahul Chopra contributed briefly, yet wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals.
Pakistan’s bowling attack, featuring Shaheen Shah Afridi, Salman Mirza and Abrar Ahmed, maintained tight control. With Faheem Ashraf providing key breakthroughs, UAE’s chase fell away, leaving them 31 runs adrift of the target.
Final confirmed
The victory lifted Pakistan to six points from four matches, placing them level with Afghanistan but ahead on net run-rate. Both sides are now confirmed finalists, with Afghanistan’s earlier win over Pakistan proving decisive in shaping the standings.
UAE, having suffered defeats against both Afghanistan and Pakistan, remain at the foot of the table without a win. Their focus will now shift to regrouping ahead of the Asia Cup later this month.
Asia Cup 2025
The Asia Cup 2025 begins in the UAE on 9 September and runs until 28 September. The tournament will feature eight teams: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and qualifiers UAE, Oman and Hong Kong. All matches will be played in the T20 format across stadiums in the Emirates, with the India-Pakistan clash in Dubai on 14 September already a highlight.
Tickets for the competition went on sale on 29 August via Platinumlist.net. Prices for group stage matches start from Dh50, while premium seats for marquee fixtures rise to Dh350. Packages for Super-4 games and the final range from Dh475 to Dh525.
For UAE, the Asia Cup presents another opportunity to test themselves against higher-ranked opponents and showcase their progress on home soil.