Sharafu, Haider star as UAE clinch maiden series win vs Bangladesh

Alishan Sharafu produced a scintillating batting performance after Haider Ali took 7-3 to steer UAE to the first series win against Bangladesh with a seven-wicket victory in the third and final T20 match at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Chasing 163, UAE reached the target for the loss of three wickets with five balls to spare. Sharafu and Asif Khan shared an unbeaten 87-run stand for the fourth wicket to take UAE over the line for their first series win against any Test playing nation.

Sharafu and Asif both remained unbeaten, scoring 65 and 41 respectively. Sharafu’s 46-ball 65 was studded with five fours and three sixes while Asif belted five sixes in his 41 off 26 deliveries.

UAE got off to a faltering start as they lost the wicket of their most reliable batsman and captain Muhammad Waseem early on in the innings.

Waseem, who smashed a fifty each in the previous two matches, failed to carry the momentum when it was needed the most. He holed out to Tanzid off Islam. The dismissal of Waseem was a big blow for the UAE.

Most of the UAE batting revolves around Waseem, Asif Khan and now Haider too. Mohammad Zohaib and Alishan Saharfau were left with the task of stitching the innings and maintaining the run rate as well to set the tone for a series win.

Both the batsmen played diligently as they kept the scoreboard moving with singles and doubles, hitting occasional boundaries to keep the asking run rate under control.

They added 44 runs for the second wicket to bring the innings back on track before Rishad scattered the stumps of Zohaib to give UAE a second jolt.

Sharafu was holding the fort from one end. He shared a couple of partnerships to keep the chase alive. He brought up his fifty with a six off Rishad in 38 deliveries.

Sharafu was lucky as he got a reprieve when on 48. Tanzid not only dropped him but also parried away the ball for a six as Sharafu reached his eighth fifty.

Asking rate had reached almost 12 an over, Sharafu knew it was the right time to cut loose. He hit two more sixes off Rishad and collected 19 runs off the 16th over to bring the equation down to 31 needed off 24.

Both Sharafu and Asif were aware of the fact that there is not much depth in the batting and they needed to take the match as deep as possible.

Prashar triggered the collapse as he got Parvez Hossain Emon, the centurion of the first match, caught by Sharafu off the very first delivery of his spell.

Emon failed to open his account as he was dismissed for golden duck. The dismissal of Emon opened the floodgates for the UAE bowlers. The hero of the last match, Haider Ali, who steered the UAE to a thrilling last-ball victory with a gritty batting performance, ripped through the Bangladesh top order.

He bowled a superb over, picking up wickets without conceding any run to put the UAE on the top. Ali trapped captain Litton Das in front of the wickets. He flighted a delivery, coming from around the wicket as Das failed to read the line of the ball and was caught plumb in front while trying to play premeditated sweep. He gave the UAE the second breakthrough after the Bangladesh captain had added 21 runs with Tanzid.

Bangladesh had lost two wickets with just 31 runs on the board. To rub salt to the injury, Ali struck again to trap Towhid Hridoy within a space of three deliveries as Bangladesh lost another wicket without adding any run to their total.

He bowled a quicker one which skidded off the pitch and took a sharp turn to hit Hridoy on the front pad and the umpire did not hesitate to raise his finger.

Two wickets in quick succession pushed Bangladesh on the back foot completely. But Tanzid plundered 16 runs off the fifth over, bowled by Prashar, to ease the pressure. He hit two sixes and a boundary.

Ali bowled a tight over as he conceded only two runs off the five deliveries to frustrate Mahedi Hasan. He bowled a quicker one, angling into the middle and leg. Mahedi made room in an attempt to play square off the wickets but failed to connect as the ball dismantled the bails, Bangladesh lost fourth wicket for just 47 runs.

Bangladesh batsmen knew they needed to spend time on the wicket but they failed to convert their start into big scores. So fierce were the UAE bowlers, that the six Bangladeshi batsmen even could not reach double-figure mark.

Mohamamd Abdullah