UAE shock star-studded Kenya in World T20 Cup qualifier

Dubai : UAE recorded a spectacular 15-run victory over the star-studded and experienced Kenya in the opening match of the ICC World Twenty20 qualifier at the Abu Dhabi Shaikh Zayed Cricket stadium yesterday.

Kenya, who had secured a place in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, failed to chase UAE's total of 165 for 5.

In another match at the Dubai Sports City, Netherlands beat Canada by six wickets with five balls to spare.

UAE's opening batsman Arfan Haider was the star performer cracking a quick 59 off 44 balls with five boundaries and two sixes.

Left-arm spinners Ahmad Raza and Shadeep Shilva then restricted Kenya to 150 for 5 taking two wickets each.

UAE won the toss and elected to bat. Opener Mohammad Iqbal went for his shots to hit a quick 20 and put on 35 runs in 3.5 overs.

Lameck Onyango provided the breakthrough for Kenya by taking the wicket of Iqbal while Nelson Odhiambo dismissed Abdul Rahman for 4.

Early wicket

Saqib Ali joined Haider and took the score past the 100-run mark by the 13th over. Odhiambo returned to end Haider's innings but Ali and skipper Khurram Khan took the score to 143 before Khan too became an Onyango victim for 28. Two runs later, Ali fell for 32 runs and Naeemuddin Aslam, through a quick unbeaten 11 runs, ensured a challenging total.

Kenya lost an early wicket when Qadar Nawaz picked up the wicket of David Obuya, a veteran of 62 One-day matches, for two runs.

Their star batsmen Steve Tikolo and Alex Obanda took the score to 42 when Silva picked his first wicket. He trapped Tikolo leg before for 25 and also Obanda for 13.

Skipper Maurice Ouma and Collins Obuya tried their best to keep the run rate going against the tight UAE bowling. At the score on 118, Raza provided the breakthrough by having Ouma caught by Khurram Khan for 39.

Raza also went on to clean bowl next man Rakep Patel for a duck.

Obuya remained unbeaten on 42 as UAE bowlers tied the batsmen down.

An unbeaten 22 by Jimmy Kamande too failed to help Kenya reach the target.

Scores

UAE bt Kenya by 15 runs. UAE 165 for 5 in 20 overs (Arfan Haider 59, Saqib Ali 31, Khurram Khan 28, Mohammad Iqbal 20, Lameck Onyango 2 for 32, Nelson Odhiambo 2 for 33) Kenya 150 for 5 in 20 overs (Steve Tikolo 25, Maurice Ouma 39, Collins Obuya 42n.o, Shadeep Silva 2 for 25, Ahmed Raza 2 for 17) Man of the match: Arfan Haider.

Netherlands bt Canada by 6 wkts. Canada 142 for 7 in 20 overs (Geoff Barnet 36, Sunil Dhaniram 37, Pieter Seelar 2 for 18) Netherlands 146 for 4 in 19.1 overs (Alexei Kervezee 39, Bas Zuiderent 43n.o) Man of the match: Bas Zuiderent.