Pakistan Secures Super Four Spot with 41-Run Victory Over UAE in Asia Cup 2025

Pakistan secured a decisive 41-run victory over the United Arab Emirates in Match 10 of the Asia Cup 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, a crucial win that allowed them to advance to the Super Four from Group A alongside India. The match was a high-stakes encounter, and Pakistan’s performance highlighted their resilience and ability to recover from difficult situations, demonstrating why they are one of the stronger teams in the tournament.

The match began on a shaky note for Pakistan as UAE’s Junaid Siddique struck early, dismissing openers Saim Ayub (0 off 2) and Sahibzada Farhan (5 off 12) in the first two overs. This early setback placed Pakistan under immediate pressure, but the experienced Fakhar Zaman steadied the innings with a composed half-century. Zaman scored 50 runs off 36 balls, showcasing calm and calculated shot selection to keep Pakistan afloat. Unfortunately, he was dismissed immediately after reaching his milestone, and the middle-order faltered, temporarily giving UAE an upper hand. Despite the mid-innings wobble, Pakistan managed to post a competitive total, largely thanks to the finishing touches from Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Afridi played another crucial cameo, scoring an unbeaten 29 from just 14 balls, similar to his impactful performance against India. His quickfire runs in the final overs helped Pakistan reach a respectable total in their allotted 20 overs. On the bowling front, Junaid Siddique emerged as the standout performer, taking four wickets for just 18 runs in his four overs, while Simranjeet Singh contributed significantly with three wickets for 26 runs. Their combined efforts ensured Pakistan maintained control over the match and limited UAE to a chaseable total.

The UAE started their innings positively, showing intent to chase down Pakistan’s score. They lost three wickets by the end of the powerplay, but Rahul Chopra and Dhruv Parashar stabilized the innings, ensuring the team didn’t collapse immediately. However, Pakistan’s spin attack, led by Abrar Ahmed (2/13) and Saim Ayub (1/18), applied immense pressure on the UAE batsmen. Both batsmen struggled to score quickly, unable to maintain the required run rate, which ultimately contributed to a dramatic collapse. The UAE team crumbled under pressure and were bowled out for just 105 runs in 17.4 overs, losing wickets in rapid succession as Pakistan’s bowlers dominated throughout the innings.

After the match, players shared their perspectives. Shaheen Shah Afridi, named Player of the Match, emphasized the importance of preparation and practice. He highlighted his role in providing momentum for the team and expressed excitement for upcoming games, noting that Pakistan’s batting faced challenges in the early and middle overs but his contribution helped stabilize the innings.

UAE captain Muhammad Waseem praised his bowlers for restricting Pakistan to a manageable total but acknowledged that the team’s batting let them down. Despite a promising start, UAE’s middle-order failed to capitalize, leading to their eventual defeat. He noted the experience gained from playing against strong teams like Pakistan and India would be valuable for future tournaments.

Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha reflected on the team’s performance, praising the bowlers for their excellent execution and acknowledging that the batting, particularly in the middle overs, could have been stronger. He mentioned that with improved batting, Pakistan could have scored between 170-180 runs. Agha also highlighted Shaheen Shah Afridi and Abrar Ahmed as match-winners whose contributions helped maintain Pakistan’s edge. He concluded by asserting the team’s readiness for any challenge, emphasizing that consistent performance would allow them to compete strongly against any opponent in the Super Four stage.

Overall, Pakistan’s 41-run victory showcased a combination of strategic batting, disciplined bowling, and the ability to recover from early setbacks, securing their position in the Super Four and keeping their Asia Cup 2025 campaign alive.