Ahmed Raza insists the UAE cannot afford to play any other way but their ‘A game’ if they want to beat hosts Namibia and reach next month’s World Cup Qualifier.
The national team enter their final group game knowing victory against the hosts on Wednesday will secure a top-two finish in the tournament and most importantly a place in the final 2019 World Cup qualifying competition in Zimbabwe.
Even if they win, they could be denied if the clash between Canada and Nepal, the top two sides with six points each in the competition, is abandoned or tied.
But Raza says the UAE must concentrate on themselves and focus on achieving their objective of progressing to the qualifying round next month.
“We know the consequences and know the pressure and it’s a game that is big for us,” said Raza, who took 2-16 in the 46-run victory against Oman on Monday.
“We just have to go out there and play our A game. It’s a big game that we have to win and we just have to go out there are do our job.”
There's just one round of group matches left at #WCL2 tomorrow, with Canada, Namibia and Nepal all on 6 points!
Tomorrow will see #CANvNEP, #NAMvUAE and #KENvOMA – which two will reach the @cricketworldcup qualifier? pic.twitter.com/35k4zjFxTk
— ICC (@ICC) February 13, 2018
Wednesday’s clash will be the fifth time the UAE and Namibia have met in the last 13 months. The UAE triumphed in last January’s Desert T20 before coming out on top in the four-day ICC Intercontinental Cup in September. They then followed it up with a loss and win in the 50-over game.
The match for Namibia will be even more significant after their eight-wicket triumph on Tuesday – a result that put them second in the standings.
“We have got a decent record against Namibia and it’s about applying the pressure to them – just like how we did against Oman,” he said. “It’s all about working in pairs and in working in partnerships. We know the job we need to do and will do everything we can to win the game.”
