SHARJAH: Saim Ayub and Hasan Nawaz struck half-centuries as Pakistan thumped the United Arab Emirates by 31 runs in Sharjah on Saturday, making it two wins from two in their T20 tri-series also featuring Afghanistan.
Opener Ayub smashed a 38-ball 69, with four sixes and seven fours, while Nawaz’s 26-ball 56 included six maximums, lifting Pakistan to 207 all out in exactly 20 overs.
Asif Khan threatened to snatch an unlikely win for UAE with a brilliant 35-ball 77 before falling in the last over.
The UAE managed 176-8 from their 20 overs.
Skipper Muhammad Waseem also hit a breezy 18-ball 33 but was run out in the sixth over.
Earlier, Pakistan’s innings was built around the excellence of Ayub and Nawaz after they won the toss and batted first.
Once Pakistan lost Sahibzada Farhan, Fakhar Zaman and skipper Salman Agha cheaply, it was left to Ayub and Hasan to provide the rescue acts.
Ayub’s fourth T20I half-century came off just 25 balls while Nawaz’s fifty was reached in 24 deliveries with a hat-trick of sixes off spinner Haider Ali.
Nawaz added 57 for the fifth wicket off just 25 balls with Mohammad Nawaz, who added a 15-ball 25.
Faheem Ashraf chipped in with 16 as Pakistan clubbed 64 in the last five overs.
Junaid Siddique and Saghir Khan grabbed three wickets apiece, but were both expensive.
Afghanistan, who lost to Pakistan by 39 runs on Friday, face the UAE in the next match on Monday.
