Aayan hero as UAE reach Asia Cup qualifier semis
Aayan Khan returned remarkable figures of 4-6 in 10 overs as the UAE sealed progress to the ACC Premier Cup semi-finals with a comprehensive win over Bahrain. The national team became the first side to advance to the last four of the competition following an eight-wicket win against their Gulf rivals in Kathmandu.
The winners of the 10-team tournament will qualify for the Asia Cup, where they will be placed in a group with India and Pakistan.
The UAE kept their hopes alive with a demolition of Bahrain, which was brought about by Aayan’s latest virtuoso display with the ball. His haul against Bahrain, which included 55 dot balls from the 60 deliveries he bowled, followed the five-wicket haul he had taken against Hong Kong at the same ground earlier in the competition.
“On this wicket we knew the ball would spin a lot, and even with the new ball it was spinning,” Aayan said.“That meant we had to bowl at the stumps, and this is what happened.”
Bahrain claimed a shock win over the UAE the last time the sides had met, at the T20 World Cup Qualifier in Muscat last year.
The national team exacted revenge. As well as Aayan’s wonder show, fellow spinners Rohan Mustafa and Karthik Meiyappan took two wickets apiece as Bahrain were bowled out for 116.
Mustafa then continued his fine form with the bat as he reached a half century when he hit the winning boundary, sealing the win with 134 balls remaining.
The all-rounder shared another fine stand with Vriitya Aravind (62). The duo had a huge partnership of 275 earlier in the competition. This time, their unbroken alliance of 99 took the UAE to victory.