Dubai: The UAE got off to a winning start in the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cricket League (Division 2) at Windhoek on Thursday by trouncing Kenya by 218 runs.
The UAE, who were put into bat, got off to a great start with captain Rohan Mustafa and opener Ashfaq Ahmad scoring 73 runs each. They put on a 133 runs partnership in 17.3 overs. Mustafa’s knock came off 94 balls and contained 10 boundaries but Ahmad was even more aggressive hitting four sixes and seven boundaries during this 57-ball knock.
Rameez Shahzad, who had played some brilliant knocks in the recent series against Scotland and Ireland in Dubai recently, carried his form into this match too and scored 63 runs off 85 balls. Though he hit only boundary, he whacked two sixes. Mohammad Usman too chipped in with an unbeaten 46 off 38 balls with four boundaries and two sixes to help UAE post an impressive 309 for eight in the 50 overs.
Chasing the total, Kenya got off to a bad start. UAE pacer Mohammad Naveed struck early to remove opener D Gondaria for four and one-down NN Odhiambo for a duck.
Mustafa sparkled with the ball to and removed wicketkeeper Irfan Karim for 11. Left-arm spinner Ahmad Raza struck twice to push Kenya into trouble and they never recovered from the collapse. Zahoor Khan too chipped in with two wickets and Kenya were bowled out for 91 in 32.4 overs.
