Highlights: UAE delivered a sensational shock, beating Pakistan by 11 runs in a low-scoring thriller to qualify for the U19 Asia Cup final.
The youth Associate side had already overachieved by making the last four, upsetting Sri Lanka and beating Japan in the group stages. However, Pakistan promised to be a different challenge, having topped their group with victories over India, Afghanistan and Nepal.
A Pakistan victory only looked more likely at the halfway stage, with UAE kept to 193. Pakistan had scored 303 against Afghanistan and gunned down 260 v India and 153 v Nepal by eight and seven wickets respectively.
Ubaid Shah, the 17-year-old brother of Naseem, had been the star for the favourites, bowling opener Akshat Rai with a perfect yorker on his way to figures of 4-44. UAE never put together a substantial partnership, with 54 for the sixth wicket between Ethan D’Souza (37) and captain Aayan Afzal Khan (55) the biggest of the innings. But they also managed to avoid losing wickets in clusters.
Still, despite an early wobble to 22-2, Pakistan looked on course to chase down the runs as captain Saad Baig (50) and Azan Awais (41) put on 83 for the third wicket. What followed was dramatic, as Pakistan lost 5-16 to hand UAE the ascendancy. Three run outs in the collapse were evidence of the panic that had set in.
From there, Pakistan scrambled to get back into the game, but found balancing wicket preservation and run-scoring a challenge. From the start of the 30th to the start of the 50th over, they lost just one wicket but managed only 61 runs, and needed 12 runs to win. Ayman Ahamed held his nerve, bowling Mohammad Zeeshan and Shah to seal a stunning victory.
UAE will face Bangladesh in the U19 Asia Cup final on Sunday, December 17.
