Shaiman helps UAE enter WC qualifiers
Anerve-wracking finish in the ICC World Cricket League Division qualifying matches saw the UAE sneak through to the second round of World Cup qualifying tournament after Nepal knocked out Canada in a nerve-wracking finish on Wednesday in Namibia.
Four teams were battling out for two places with the UAE’s back against the wall. However, the Rohan Mustafa-led team defended their total of 247 for a 19-run win against the home team to take their point tally to six from five games. All eyes, however, were at the other ground where the last pair added 34 runs to clinch victory for Nepal from the jaws of defeat against Canada.
A belligerent Karan KC (42, 31 balls, three 4s, four 6s) and Nepal’s new IPL star Sandeep Lamichhane (5, 18 balls) kept calm amidst the death over tension to take them past the victory target of 195. In the last over Nepal needed 8 runs and Cecil Pervez bowled four dot balls but Karan hoisted him for a six in the fifth ball. Rattled by that shot, Pervez bowled a wide that tied the scores. Nepal were assured of a place in top two but they got a single in the sixth ball to top the group.
The defeat for Canada was heartbreaking as they slipped to third place behind UAE on a poor net run rate. A tie would have finished both Canada and Nepal on seven points. But, that was not to be and the UAE joined Nepal for the next round.
For the UAE, Rohan Mustafa (3-31) played a key role with his off-breaks and the last Namibian wicket in the 50th over by Rohan helped UAE keep a healthier net run rate to nose ahead of Canada after both three teams finished with six points.
Put into bat, UAE was in trouble at 97 for 4 but their World Cup hero Shaiman Anwar (77, 59 balls, five 4s, and three 6s) and Rameez Shahzad (33, 88 balls, one 4, one 6) played contrasting knocks to add 120 runs for the fifth wicket before Rameez fell. Muhammad Usman (59, 57 balls, three 4s, two 6s) also played aggressively that gave them a somewhat respectable total of 247 for 6 in 50 overs.
The Namibians were also in a similar situation when they lost four wickets for 98 but they failed to stitch a big partnership like Shaiman and Rameez had done for the UAE. The hosts were shot out for 228, giving the UAE a place in the World Cup qualifying tournament to be held in Zimbabwe from March 4-25.
Nepal and Namibia will join four Test sides West Indies, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland - and four other associate-level teams - Scotland, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong. The qualification for the 2019 World Cup would be tough for the associate members as only two teams will join the eight others in a new ten team World Cup.