Dubai: The UAE lost to Canada by 23 runs in their second match of the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cricket League (Division two) at Windhoek.
Though UAE skipper Rohan Mustafa produced a deadly spell of five wickets for 34 runs to bowl out Canada for 209 runs in 49.2 overs and hit an unbeaten 37 runs, his effort went in vain. The UAE were bowled out for 186 runs in 45 overs despite Ashfaq Ahmad’s knock of 42 and Ghulam Shabeer’s 55 runs.
UAE won the toss and elected to field first. Canada’s opener Ruvindu Gunasekara gave a quick start hitting 21 runs in the opening stand of 23 runs with Bhavindu Adhihetty. Mustafa took the first wicket by clean bowling Gunasekara. Ahmad Raza ended Adhihetty’s knock of 17 runs by clean bowling him.
Captain Nitish Kumar went on to play a fine knock of 62 runs and put on 64 runs for the third wicket with Dhanuka Pathirana. Mustafa ended the partnership by having Pathirana caught by Rameez Shahzad for 36. UAE pacer went on to end Kumar’s knock too.
Mustafa and Ahmad Raza struck repeatedly to destroy Canada’s run flow and bowled them out in 49.2 overs for 209 runs.
Chasing the score, Mustafa began well but had to retire hurt for 5. Opener Ashfaq Ahmad followed his knock of 73 runs against Kenya with another fine knock of 42. One-drop batsman Ghulam Shabeer too scored 55 runs.
At the score on 88, Ashfaq well and Gunasekara struck twice to dismiss inform Rameez Shahzad and Mohammad Usman for a duck. UAE’s hard hitter Shaiman Anwar too fell for five. Mustafa returned to the crease and along with Adnan Mufti prevented further collapse.
From 130 for 5, they took the UAE score to 159 runs when Adnan Mufti got caught behind for 29.
