Shetty's valiant knock helps UAE beat Saudi Arabia

Dubai: The UAE beat Saudi Arabia by 53 runs but failed to qualify for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Twenty20 World Cup qualifiers on run-rate.

It was a disappointing end for the UAE, who had started the tournament with two consecutive victories, but they lost to Hong Kong in a crucial match. Despite losing only one out their four games, they had to bow out of the tournament.

Hong Kong, Nepal, Afghanistan and Oman will now play in the Twenty20 World Cup qualifiers being held in the UAE in March.

The UAE failed to clinch a place in the semi-final despite beating Nepal in the league round. By scoring an emphatic 95-run victory over Saudi Arabia, Nepal boosted their run-rate to clinch the fourth slot.

Batting first, the UAE scored 168 for eight and bowled out Saudi Arabia for 115. If the UAE could have restricted Saudi Arabia to 97 or less, then they could have clinched the semi-final place. For the UAE, their in-form middle order batsman Vikrant Shetty hit an unbeaten 63. He lifted the UAE from 79 for five at one stage to a respectable total. His knock off just 35 balls contained four sixes and three boundaries.

Saudi Arabia would have been restricted to a smaller total but for opener Hammad Saeed's knock of 63 off just 38 balls, with four boundaries and six sixes. Khurram Khan and Rohan Mustafa took three wickets each, backed up by Shadeep Silva and Ahmad Raza with two wickets each.

Scores

UAE 168 for 8 in 20 overs (Faizan Asif 37, Vikrant Shetty 63 n.o., Rizwan Qayyum 4 for 28) Saudi Arabia 115 in 19.2 overs (Hammad Saeed 63, Shadeep Silva 2 for 25, Ahmad Raza 2 for 18, Khurram Khan 3 for 12, Rohan Mustafa 3 for 25) Man of the match: Vikrant Shetty.