Dubai, Sep 17 (IANS) On a day overshadowed by off-field drama, Fakhar Zaman and Shaheen Shah Afridi produced the only bright spots for Pakistan, who stumbled to 146/9 in their 20 overs against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after the start of Match 10 of Group A was delayed by an hour in the Men’s T20 Asia Cup 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium here on Wednesday.
The game, already marked by controversy following Pakistan’s row with match referee Andy Pycroft, saw the Men in Green once again struggle with the bat. Asked to bat first, they lost both openers inside the first three overs, with Junaid Siddique breathing fire with the new ball. Saim Ayub, desperate to avoid a hat-trick of golden ducks, lasted just two deliveries before falling for a silver duck. Abdullah Shafique fared little better as Pakistan slumped early.
It was Fakhar Zaman who steadied the innings with an aggressive counterattack. Walking in at number three, the left-hander played with intent, mixing calculated risks with clean hitting. He brought up a much-needed half-century, reaching 50 off 36 balls with two boundaries and three sixes. Alongside skipper Salman Ali Agha, who ground out 20 off 27, Zaman added 61 runs for the third wicket to briefly lift Pakistan from the ruins.
But once the partnership was broken, Pakistan’s innings lost all momentum. Salman perished while trying to break free, and the middle-order caved under pressure. Simranjeet Singh Kang and Siddique ran through the heart of the batting lineup, with wickets tumbling like a pack of cards.
Mohammad Haris, curiously pushed down to number seven despite his match-winning half-century in the opener, struck 18 off 14 but failed to push on. Just when Pakistan looked set to fold well short of a competitive score, Shaheen Shah Afridi injected late energy. The left-arm quick, once again proving his worth with the bat, hammered an unbeaten 29 off just 14 balls, laced with two sixes and a boundary in the final over to push the total closer to respectability.
From 146/9, Pakistan will now hope their bowlers can cover for yet another inconsistent batting display. For the UAE, with momentum from the new-ball burst and the fielding intensity, the chase at Dubai International Stadium has been set up enticingly.
Brief scores:
Pakistan 146/9 in 20 overs (Fakhar Zaman 50, Shaheen Shah Afridi 29 not out; Junaid Siddique 4/18, Simranjeet Singh 3/18) against UAE
–IANS
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