The UAE are on the brink of qualifying for the next phase of the World Cup Qualifier after Chirag Suri hit a superb 78 not out to secure a comfortable six-wicket win over the Netherlands in Harare.
Dougie Brown’s men needed to muster a response after Chris Gayle smashed his way to 123 runs from 91 balls – and dragged West Indies to victory – two days prior.
Now they have a win to pair with their opening success over Papua New Guinea as Rohan Mustafa and Suri starred.
Mustafa’s off-spin produced a five-wicket haul for the expense of just 26 runs, but two head-scratching run outs involving Wesley Barresi and Ben Cooper also led to the Netherlands’ downfall.
They could only manage 176 all out – Barresi top-scoring with 37 – but the chase would not have been so straightforward were it not for Suri.
The 23-year-old opener was a calming influence at the crease, with the UAE being reduced to 84-4 at one point.
Indeed there proved nothing to worry about in the end as Suri caressed 78 runs from 126 balls and saw out the chase alongside middle-order batsman Muhammad Usman (36 not out).
The UAE next take on an unbeaten Ireland on Monday though Brown can now afford to look ahead to the Super Sixes phase – which sees the top two teams qualify for next year’s World Cup.
