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An all-round bowling dominance by Pakistan seals their spot in the ongoing T20 Asia Cup Super 4s and sets up a clash again with India after they posted a commanding win by 41 runs, beating the UAE by runs in Dubai on Wednesday.
Chasing 147, Alishan Sharafu was the first batter to fall, after Afridi cleaned him up for 12. Skipper Muhammad Waseem followed Sharafu as he was removed by Abrar Ahmed for 14. UAE lost wickets at regular intervals as Saim Ayub Muhammad Zohaib in the last over of the power-play. Rahul Chopra and Dhruv Parashar added 48 runs for the fifth wicket before Parashar was removed for 20 by Haris Rauf. Wicket-keeper/batter Chopra was the only UAE player to get some runs under his belt as he slammed 35 runs before Pakistan skipper Salman Agha removed him. After Chopra's wicket, the UAE tail was bowled out for just nine runs, while chasing 147, the UAE were all out for 105. Earlier in the match, UAE fast bowler Junaid Siddique picked up 4 for 18 while left-arm spinner Simranjeet Singh took three wickets to restrict Pakistan to 146 for 9 in a must-win game for both teams in the Asia Cup. Pakistan reached 146 for 9, down to Shaheen Afridi's late burst: he thrashed an unbeaten 29 off 14 balls, including two fours and six in the last over. Saim Ayub was dismissed for his third consecutive duck as Pakistan stumbled to 9/2 in three overs, with Sahibzada Farhan also falling soon after escaping an lbw call via DRS. Fakhar Zaman and Salman Agha steadied Pakistan's innings with a 61-run partnership off 50 balls, with Zaman taking the lead, hitting two sixes off Dhruv Parashar and reaching his half-century in 35 balls. Pakistan's wickets continued to fall regularly, with Salman Agha slicing a shot to deep cover and Simranjeet claiming two wickets in an over. Zaman was caught at short extra cover soon after his fifty, and Hasan Nawaz was given out lbw. Junaid Siddique completed his three-wicket haul by dismissing Mohammad Nawaz and Haris Rauf with a well-crafted leg-cutter. Brief score: Pakistan 146-9 (Fakhar Zaman 50, Shaheen Afridi 29*; Junaid Siddique 4/18). Vs UAE 105 ( Rahul Chopra 35, Dhruv Parashar 20; Abrar Ahmed 2/13). (ANI)
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