Islamabad, Nov 21: Saudi Arabia suffered their second defeat as the UAE secured a 17-run victory in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier B in Doha, Qatar.
The UAE, who batted first, posted a total of 162-5 in 20 overs, while Saudi Arabia managed 145-6 in their reply at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium.
The UAE’s innings began cautiously, with Ishtiaq Ahmad delivering a maiden over against Alishan Sharafu. Usman Najeeb continued to restrict runs in the next over.
Sharafu fell for 19 in the fifth over, followed by skipper Muhammad Waseem in the next, leaving the UAE at 38-2.
A key partnership between Rahul Chopra and Asif Khan shifted the momentum in the UAE’s favor.
Asif smashed 45 runs from 37 balls, including three fours and three sixes, before Usman Khalid bowled him in the 16th over.
Chopra, earning the player of the match title, scored 58 runs off 36 balls, hitting six fours and two sixes. Usman Khalid claimed two wickets, while Ishtiaq Ahmad and Shahzaib picked up one each.
In response, Faisal Khan started strong for Saudi Arabia, scoring 27 runs off 17 balls, but debutant Simranjeet Kang dismissed him on his second T20I delivery.
Abdul Waheed, the star of the previous match, struggled to score, and the eighth over saw Saudi Arabia slump to 43-4.
Skipper Waji Ul Hasan focused on preserving his wicket, allowing Manan Ali to attack. However, the mounting run rate proved too much.
Waji was run out for 17 runs from 27 balls, while Manan scored 33 runs off 28 balls with one four and three sixes. Kang took another crucial wicket to seal the UAE’s dominance.
Saudi Arabia
In the final overs, Saudi Arabia’s lower-order batsmen tried to bridge the gap.
Abdul Wahid contributed 15 runs off 10 balls, Zain Ul Abidin remained unbeaten with 19 runs off nine balls, and Usman Najeeb added 18 off 11.
Each hit a four and a six. Dhruv Parashar and Simranjeet Kang took two wickets each for the UAE, with Mohammad Jawadullah claiming one.
This victory moved the UAE to the top of the table, surpassing Qatar on net run rate, with both teams holding four points from two matches.
Qatar had earlier defeated Bhutan by six wickets, while Thailand registered their first win by overcoming Cambodia by 16 runs.
Saudi Arabia, Bhutan, and Cambodia are yet to secure a win, with Saudi Arabia set to face Bhutan on Friday. Bahrain, which defeated Saudi Arabia on the first day, currently has two points.
The seven-team tournament features hosts Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Bhutan, Cambodia, Thailand, and the UAE.
The top two teams will advance to the regional final, which serves as a qualifier for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
However, Malaysia and Kuwait have already progressed from Asia Group A. Samoa and Japan represent the East Asia-Pacific region, joining Nepal, Oman, and Papua New Guinea in the regional final.
