Pakistan Shaheens completed a dominant group stage campaign in the Rising Stars Asia Cup with a comprehensive nine-wicket victory over the United Arab Emirates in their final Group ‘B’ fixture at West End Park International Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday.
Chasing a modest 60, the Shaheens romped home in just 5.2 overs, with 88 balls to spare, courtesy of Maaz Sadaqat’s blistering unbeaten 37 off 15 balls — an innings laced with four fours and three sixes.
Earlier, Mohammad Irfan Khan’s side won the toss and invited UAE to bat, a decision that paid rich dividends as the Emirati lineup crumbled to 59 all out in 16.1 overs.
The innings never recovered after a torrid start, with UAE slumping to 15-3 inside the first four overs. Sohaib Khan’s painstaking two off 14 balls ended with a spectacular catch by skipper Irfan off Ahmed Daniyal.
Syed Haider offered the only semblance of resistance with 20 from 19 deliveries, but once Maaz removed him in the 10th over, the lower order collapsed spectacularly, losing their last six wickets for just 17 runs.
Left-arm spinner Sufiyan Muqeem was the pick of the bowlers with excellent figures of 3-12 in four overs, while Maaz and Ahmed Daniyal claimed two wickets apiece.
The victory — Pakistan Shaheens’ third consecutive win — propelled them to the top of Group ‘B’ and secured a semi-final spot. The semi-finals are scheduled for Friday, 21 November.
Maaz, who has now collected three Player-of-the-Match awards in as many games, has amassed 212 runs in the tournament and continues to be the standout performer for the second-string side.
In the chase, Maaz and Mohammad Ghazi Ghori (unbeaten 16) added an unbroken 54 for the second wicket to seal the contest in emphatic fashion.
