Dubai: Rameez Shahzad cracked an unbeaten 121 to steer UAE to an exciting four-wicket win over Scotland in the last match of the Tri-series on Tuesday. Chasing Scotland’s challenging score of 299 for nine, the UAE reached the target with five balls to spare and record their first win in the tri-series.
Shahzad’s 121 came off 115 balls with 10 boundaries and two sixes. Opener Ashfaq Ahmad set the tempo through a knock of 92 off 87 balls with eight boundaries and two sixes.
Though UAE lost Ghulam Shabber for 17 runs and Shaiman Anwar for only five runs, Adnan Mufti scored a timely 38. Though Mufti got out in the 47th over, Shahzad kept his cool and with Mohammad Naveed pulled the UAE closer to the target and hit the winning run.
Scotland won the toss and elected to bat first. UAE pacer Mohammad Naveed removed opener Michael Leask early for just 15 runs. Matthew Cross, who had hit 107 in the first match of this series against UAE, lasted only 14 balls to score 12 runs before he was caught and bowled by UAE captain Rohan Mustafa.
Scotland opener and captain Kyle Coetzer and Richard Berrington put on 84 runs for the third wicket. Coetzer hit 75 runs off 79 runs with 13 boundaries while Berrington cracked 90 runs off 95 balls with nine boundaries and two sixes. Mustafa had Coetzer caught by Imran Haider while Naveed clean bowled Berrington.
George Munsey chipped in with 47 runs off 29 balls with five boundaries and two sixes. Zahoor Khan struck repeatedly to take three wickets. Naveed too took three wickets for 47 runs.
UAE had lost the first match of this series to Scotland by 31 runs due to Cross’s ton. Though UAE fought hard through their wicketkeeper Ghulam Shabber’s 90, the team could not reach the target.
Ireland emerged as the champions of this tri-series with four straight wins — two against hosts UAE and two against Scotland.
