A spirited UAE performance couldn’t mask an outclassing from Pakistan A at ICC Academy today as the tourists sealed the unofficial ODI series with a 139-run victory.
Having won the first match of the series, the UAE have now lost the last three and head into the final match on Thursday with the series already beyond their reach.
Batting first, Pakistan posted an imposing 319-4 from their 50 overs thanks largely to a brutal 134 from Nasir Jamshed.
Jamshed, who has played 2 Tests, 43 ODIs and 18 T20Is, scored his hundred at more than a run a ball and his presence and knock highlighted the gulf between the two sides.
Sami Aslam’s 61 and unbeaten knocks from captain Adil Anwi (51) and Adil Amin (45) pressed home Pakistan’s superiority. Anwi was particularly destructive, scoring his runs from just 24 balls and hitting 4 fours and 4 maximums in the process.
The task proved too much for the UAE’s batsmen.
Andri Berenger’s bright 21 at the top of the order was encouraging but the UAE failed to build any partnerships until the game was beyond them.
The hosts finished on 180-9 from their 50 overs.
The UAE’s ever reliable captain, Khurram Khan (68), and Saqib Ali (52) halted Pakistan’s progress and their 102-run partnership will have encouraged coach Aaqib Javed.
Khan hopes his side can address their current inability to build partnerships in the coming months as they take on an array of international opposition designed to test them to their fullest ahead of next year’s World Cup.
“In the end 319 was a bit too much for us, we dropped a few catches and that cost us dear,” said Khan.
“We are not getting partnerships going and are losing three or four wickets at the top in tandem and losing wickets in a group is not good.
“We have to start taking responsibility and not relying on other people to come in and score runs.”
