UAE in decisive win over Uganda in T20 match

Dubai: Skipper Khurram Khan and Saqib Ali steered UAE to an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Uganda in the first Twenty20 match at the Dubai Sports City cricket stadium on Tuesday.

Khan won the toss and elected to field. For Uganda players it was their first experience playing in Twenty20 as all their players made their debut in this form of the game through this match.

Uganda lost an early wicket when their skipper Akbar Baig got clean bowled by Qasim Zubair for 3.

Opener Roger Mukasa and Arthur Koybe put on 42 runs for the second wicket before Fayyaz Ahmad clean bowled Mukasa for 29.

Next man Frank Nsubuga lasted only nine balls before becoming another Ahmad victim for 12. Ahmad also went on to get Kyobe stumped by wicketkeeper Abdul Rahman for 31 and Uganda slipped to 88 for 4 in 15 overs.

Benjamin Musoke kept the score board moving with a fighting 22 but medium pacer Qader Nawaz, who had destroyed Uganda with a four wicket spell in the One-day match at Sharjah, took two quick wickets and restricted Uganda to 119 for 7 in 20 overs.

Ahmad returned with figures of 3 for 18 while Nawaz picked 2 for 29.

UAE began their chase on a confident note putting on 24 runs in just three overs.

Brief scores

UAE bt Uganda by eight wickets. UAE 119 for 7 in 20 overs (Rogers Mukasa 29, Arthur Koybe 31, Benjamin Musoke 22. Fayyaz Ahmad 3 for 18. Qadar Nawaz 2 for 29) UAE 120 for 2 in 15.5 overs (Saqib Ali 44n.o, Khurram Khan 46n.o, Dennis Tabby 2 for 10