Dubai: The UAE opened their campaign for a spot in the 2019 World Cup though an emphatic five-wicket win over Kenya in the first match of the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cricket League at the Rose Bowl in Southampton.
The eight associate members of International Cricket Council (ICC): UAE, Scotland, Canada, Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, Nepal, Namibia and Kenya are taking part in the World Cricket League Championships. The top four teams from the end of the season in 2017 will join the last four sides competing in the ICC one day international (ODI) championship to win a place in the 2019 World Cup to be held in England.
The UAE’s medium pacer Mohammad Naveed, with a haul of four for 36 and Manjula Guruge (three for 29) bowled out the experienced Kenyan team for 171 in 40.5 overs. Chasing the tricky target, UAE won in 41.4 overs through their opener Amjad Ali’s elegant 49 runs and middle order batsman Swapnil Patil’s 38 runs.
Speaking to Gulf News from Southampton, Ali said: “I feel nice to have contributed for my team’s victory. It was a tricky total to chase as it was a small total. We lost three wickets for 42 runs in the first 10 overs and someone had to take the responsibility to stay on. I am happy I could stay and place my team in a winning position.”
Ali and Patil put on an invaluable 66-run partnership for the fourth wicket. The three wickets UAE lost early included those of opener Qais Farooq (4) and senior batsmen Saqib Ali (16) and Shaimon Anwar (2). Ali’s 49 came off 88 balls with nine fours while Patil’s 36 came off 67 balls with five boundaries.
The UAE, who put Kenya into bat, reduced them to 31 for three in nine overs. Collins Obuya, a veteran of over 100 o-dayers, hit a 47-ball 36 runs with seven fours before being dismissed by Amjad Javed. A strong 65-run stand between between Nelson Odhiambo (24) and Nehemiah Odhiambo (62) for the sixth wicket placed Kenya in a good position but they lost their last four wickets for 24 runs.
The UAE play their second match against Kenya on Saturday at the same venue.
