Dubai: UAE skipper Rohan Mustafa led from the front to defeat The Netherlands by three wickets in the first match of the three-match series at VRA ground in Amstelveen, Netherlands.
Mustafa bagged three wickets for 41 runs along with Amjad Javed, who also picked three wickets for 33 runs to restrict Netherlands to 182 for eight in 50 overs.
The UAE overhauled the target in 49 overs, thanks to Mustafa’s 34 and Mohammad Usman, who remained unbeaten on 57 off 80 balls with four boundaries.
Netherlands won the toss but lost an early wicket in opener Wesley Barresi, who was bowled by Qadeer Ahmad for one.
Stephan Myburgh and Asad Zulfiqar took the score to 46 when Javed struck to remove both Myburgh (27) and Zulfiqar (15).
Javed also dismissed Ben Cooper for four, pushing The Netherlands to trouble.
Though Mustafa scalped next man Saqib Zulfiqar for 11, skipper Peter Borren went on to crack 56 runs.
Sikander Zulfiqar too chipped in with an unbeaten 41 and this helped Netherlands recover from 87 for six.
Chasing the target, UAE lost opener Mohammad Qasim cheaply but the other opener Mustafa and wicketkeeper Ghulam Shabber (23) took the score to 58 in 12.2 overs.
After Mustafa fell, UAE’s hard hitter Shaiman Anwar followed leg before to Paul van Meekeren for 11.
Rameez Shahzad then hit 29 runs and provided good support to Usman.
When Shahzad fell, UAE reached 150 with nine overs still remaining.
Adnan Mufti hit a valuable 12 runs while Usman steered the UAE to the target.
