Buoyant UAE hope to pull off a surprise

Joy Chakravarty 04:27 14/03/2015
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  • Mohammad Tauqir hopes to end CWC15 with victory over West Indies.

    The United Arab Emirates are hoping to end their dream journey in the 2015 World Cup on a high by registering a shock win over the West Indies.

    The two teams play their last Pool B match in Napier tomorrow, and while the UAE have nothing to lose and everything to gain, West Indies find themselves in a must-win position if they want to keep alive their chances of making it to the quarter-finals. 

    As things stand, West Indies have two wins in five matches, while both Pakistan and Ireland have three wins each and are playing the last Pool B match against each other.

    The Caribbeans’ can qualify if they win by a big margin to ensure their net run rate is better than the other two contenders Pakistan and Ireland, who play the last Pool B match tomorrow.

    West Indies’ current NRR (-0.511) is better than Ireland (-1.014) and lower than Pakistan (-0.194). UAE lost to South Africa in Wellington on Thursday, but the fight shown by them in keeping the Proteas batsmen in check, and then facing up to some hostile bowling, has lifted their spirits.

    Looking ahead to the Napier match, where UAE are playing for the second time in two weeks having taken on Pakistan earlier in the tournament, captain Mohammad Tauqir said: “I don’t see West Indies as strong as India or South Africa and we would like to put up a better show against them.

    “Of course, we know the ground but it’s a day game unlike the day-nighter against Pakistan. So, I don’t know what is the weather condition or how the pitch will play during the day. But yes, we have a little bit of knowledge of the ground and the conditions, so that’s going to be good for us.”

    Team coach Aaqib Javed added: “I think we have done better and better as we have progressed in the tournament. It’s just that we are meeting some of the strongest teams now.

    “But I said this before the tournament, and I still stand by it – I don’t want any of my batsmen to be afraid of the bowling, whether they are facing Mitchell Johnson or Dale Steyn.

    “I am very proud of the way our boys faced up to the South African bowling yesterday. They were aiming short-pitched deliveries at the body, and yet, nine of our players faced them bravely and kept fighting until the 48th over.

    “This match, really, was their biggest test, and I think they have come out of it with flying colours.”

    The bad news for UAE during the game was the injury to medium-pacer Fahad Al Hashmi. The Emirati policeman fell down heavily and twisted his knee while trying to stop a shot of his own bowling.

    An MRI scan has revealed a full tear in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the right knee, and he has been sent back to the UAE yesterday for recuperation.

    As for the West Indies, coach Stuart Williams was hoping for a consistent performance in their crucial encounter. The Caribbeans have been extremely error-prone and have mixed some good performances with some hopeless ones.

    Williams said: “For us, it is about consistency. It is just for us to get it right. Once they get it right, we are quite comfortable.”

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