UAE put party on hold despite nine-wicket win over PNG
abu dhabi — The UAE registered an emphatic nine-wicket win over Papua New Guinea in the ICC Intercontinental Cup first-class match at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium on Monday.
“This is a big win but not a surprising one as we had practiced for close to a year. It’s a result of our toil,” UAE skipper Rohan Mustafa said. “These are good signs for the players and the UAE cricket.”
Mohammad Naveed was the chief architect in destroying PNG with four wickets after Imran Haider removed three top-order wickets on Sunday.
It was only Lega Siaka, with 142 not out, who stood as a wall between the UAE and a long-awaited win, one coming after more than three years.
On the final day, it was a hungry pack of Emirati bowlers against the resilient Siaka. Naveed and skipper Rohan Mustafa started the proceedings eyeing six remaining PNG wickets.
Sese Bau thwarted the attack for nine overs but Naveed got him with a short ball and keeper Saqlain Haider didn’t make any mistake. The 67-run partnership was the best of the day. The wicket
This is a big win but not a surprising one as we had practiced for close to a year Rohan Mustafa
spurred a fightback from Siaka as he took three boundaries of one Naveed over.
With Siaka in good nick, the UAE bowlers focused on his partners. And Ahmed Raza trapped Mahuru Dai with a straight one. Siaka, oblivious to the happenings, kept finding boundaries. It was as if he was playing on a different surface. He got to his century with a boundary off Raza. However, wickets kept tumbling as Imran Haider bowled Jack Vare. At Lunch, PNG reached 250 with close to half being scored by Siaka. After the break, Naveed got Chad Soper with another short ball and soon gobbled the tail – Norman Vanua and Nosaina Pokana.
Siaka, standing tall amid ruins, walked back undefeated with 142 runs against his name.
On the many bowling changes and even swapping of ends yielding wicket, Mustafa just said: “It worked on most times. Luck has a big role to play in such decisions clicking.”
The skipper was very modest for one having a good cricketing brain.
And the UAE were in a hurry to celebrate as Shaiman Anwar blasted seven fours chasing 42 runs in just 5.5 overs.
Mustafa, however, said party is on hold as there was no time to rest on the laurels.
“We want to win T20 internationals and then we will party.”
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com