#360view: Unlucky UAE can hold heads high after thrilling Ireland battle

Joy Chakravarty 11:27 26/02/2015
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  • If only: Had captain Mohammad Tauqir been on the pitch to take Nasir Aziz' dropped catch, it may have been a different result.

    The UAE turned what looked like being an embarrassing defeat into a heart-breaking loss as they valiantly fought back against Ireland in the World Cup’s most thrilling match to date. Mohammad Tauqir and his men can now proceed to Perth with their heads held high.

    – VIDEO: Highlights from Ireland's Cricket World Cup victory over UAE
    – #CWC15: Target was never out of reach, insists Ireland's Porterfield

    Their performance in the first two matches have ensured that teams like India and South Africa will not take them lightly. It’s just a shame that, so far, it has been a case of so near and yet so far for the team.

    And against Ireland yesterday, it was a stirring fightback by Shaiman Anwar and Amjad Javed as they recovered from 131 for six to post 278-9.

    They then bowled out half the team for 171, but Gary Wilson and Kevin O’Brien wrested the initiative with a stunning onslaught. 

    Even though the dropped catch of Kevin O’Brien by substitute Nasir Aziz will be mentioned as the most significant factor, the truth is that Aziz came on to the field only because skipper Tauqir needed to go to the dressing room for no more than five minutes.

    If Tauqir hadn’t gone at that moment, there probably would have been a different fielder standing at that position, and the catch would have been grabbed.

    At this level, teams need to create their own luck, and that will be the next stage of the UAE’s development. They are still gifting wickets to the opposition, which can be prevented with a bit of clever cricket and experience. Yesterday, opener Amjad Ali was a classic example. 

    He was on top of the bowling when he started trying pretentious shots in his 40s. He departed soon after, holing out to the fielder in the deep.

    The ease with which Ali was batting, he could have easily converted it into a 75 or even a century.

    What was good about the match against Ireland is that the UAE managed to play out the whole 50 overs. Among the many things coach Aaqib Javed wanted to impress on the team was the necessity to make sure they were not bowled out before the 50 overs were up.

    Anwar’s batting has been a revelation so far. He is a free-wheeling batsman, rarely restrained by the opposition. But he also comes in at No6, and it is unfair to expect him to not just score runs at a quick pace, but also provide solidity to the innings.

    The top five batsmen will have to come to the party if the UAE want to seriously test their next four rivals, all of whom are now Test-playing nations. While the UAE’s fielding, and their overall fitness level, has improved, they need to start hitting the stumps with their throws.

    Effecting run outs is an art and fielders like AB de Villiers and Suresh Raina have shown time and again that the stumps can be hit regularly even from the most precarious body positions.

    The UAE’s grit and gumption has won over many fans so far. Now it’s time for them to take it one notch higher and start winning matches.

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