Sharjah, 30 August 2025:
Half-centuries from Saim Ayub and Hasan Nawaz set up Pakistan’s 31-run win over the United Arab Emirates in the second match of the Twenty20 International tri-series at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday.
Batting first after winning the toss, Pakistan posted 207-7. Saim struck a blistering 69 off 38 balls with seven fours and four sixes, while the 20-year-old Hasan Nawaz smashed 56 from just 26 deliveries at a strike rate of 215. Captain Salman Ali Agha (5) and Mohammad Haris (1) fell cheaply, but Mohammad Nawaz (25 off 15), Faheem Ashraf (16 off 10) and Hasan Ali (9 off 6) added late runs to push Pakistan past the 200 mark. Junaid Siddique and Muhammad Saghir Khan took three wickets apiece for the UAE.
In reply, UAE reached 176-8 in 20 overs. Captain Muhammad Waseem made 33 off 18 before being run out, while Asif Khan played a remarkable counter-attacking knock of 77 off 35 balls, hitting six fours and six sixes to keep the hosts in the chase. Hasan Ali dismissed him in the penultimate over to seal the contest and finished with 3-47, while Mohammad Nawaz was economical with 2-21.
“It was a perfect batting effort, but we need to improve in the last five overs with the ball,” Pakistan captain Salman said. “Hasan Nawaz is a generational talent and one for the future. He just needs to keep working hard. I want my team to play an aggressive brand of cricket.”
UAE skipper Waseem admitted his team had fallen short. “It was a good game but we gave 15-20 runs extra,” he said. “Asif has the caliber and we were confident he would play like this. We needed someone else to get 30 or 40 runs in the middle overs.”
Player of the Match Saim Ayub downplayed his individual award. “Different players are performing in different games, which is good for the team,” he said. “I don’t like individual awards — it’s a team game. It’s all about execution. I’m also working on my bowling with the coach, trying to get better.”
The result gave Pakistan their second successive victory in the tri-series after defeating Afghanistan by 39 runs in Friday’s opener. Pakistan will next face Afghanistan on Tuesday, September 2, also in Sharjah.
Scores in brief:
Pakistan beat UAE by 31 runs
Pakistan 207 all out, 20 overs (Saim Ayub 69, Hasan Nawaz 56, Mohammad Nawaz 25; Saghir Khan 3-44, Junaid Siddique 3-49, Haider Ali 2-32)
UAE 176-8, 20 overs (Asif Khan 77, Muhammad Waseem 33; Hasan Ali 3-47, Mohammad Nawaz 2-21)
Player of the match – Saim Ayub (Pakistan)
