UAE vs PAK: Pakistan extend winning streak ahead of Asia Cup; beat UAE by 31 runs

Pakistan continued their impressive run of form ahead of the Asia Cup, registering their second consecutive victory in the ongoing T20 tri-series with a 31-run win over the United Arab Emirates in Sharjah on Saturday.Opener Saim Ayub and youngster Hasan Nawaz were the architects of Pakistan’s commanding total of 207, both striking blistering half-centuries. Ayub top-scored with a 38-ball 69 laced with seven fours and four sixes, while Nawaz stole the show with a 26-ball 56, hammering six maximums including a hat-trick of sixes off spinner Haider Ali. Their counter-attacking knocks rescued Pakistan from an early wobble at 74 for three and gave the innings its momentum.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Ayub, named Player of the Match, downplayed personal recognition in favour of the team’s collective success. “Different players are performing in different games. Good for the team. I don’t like individual awards, feel it is over-rated. It is a team game. It is all about execution,” he said, adding that he has been working on his bowling as well. “It is challenging in T20s. You need to believe in your thought process.”Hasan Nawaz, touted as a rising star, shared a 57-run stand with Mohammad Nawaz (25 off 15) to power Pakistan past 200. Faheem Ashraf chipped in with a useful 16 as Pakistan plundered 64 in the final five overs.Despite Junaid Siddique and Saghir Khan’s three-wicket hauls, UAE were left chasing a steep target. Their innings revolved around Asif Khan’s breathtaking 77 off 35 balls, which briefly threatened to turn the game on its head, but he fell in the last over. Skipper Muhammad Waseem also contributed a brisk 33 but admitted afterwards: “We gave 15-20 runs extra. Asif has calibre… we needed someone to score 30-40 runs in the middle overs. We will try our best in the next game.”Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha praised his side’s intent while acknowledging room for improvement. “Perfect batting effort. Last five overs in the bowling we need to work. Hasan Nawaz is a generational talent, one for the future. I want my team to play an aggressive brand of cricket,” he said.With back-to-back wins, including a 39-run victory over Afghanistan on Friday, Pakistan look primed and confident as they build momentum heading into the Asia Cup showdown.