UAE beat Afghanistan to clinch first home one-day international

Emirates clinch match by five wickets in Dubai, writes Paul Radley.

Toss Afghanistan, chose to bat

Afghanistan (248-6) Zazai 60, Mangal 52; Karate 2-37

UAE (249-5) Amjad 67, Khurram 53, Berenger 52; Nabi 2-41

DUBAI // The UAE secured a first victory in a home one-day international, 20 years after they last hosted matches against India and Pakistan at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

This time their opponents were Afghanistan, who they beat by five wickets at a buzzing ICC Academy.

Although neither side contains players that could be considered household names, this was a top-ranked ODI – and it felt like it.

Too often, the national team play matches with their coaching staff as the only spectators.

Not this time. This game, which started after Friday prayers and finished under floodlights, had a proper big match feel.

That was mostly because Afghanistan are a well-supported side and their fans came in their hundreds, many carrying tricolours.

Some played drums and everyone knew the tune.

The ground staff even had to extend the public viewing area early in the afternoon and had to hastily ferry bollards to various outposts of the oval on the back of buggies.

But it was the UAE players who thrived most in the atmosphere.

Coming off some tough assignments against strong sides from Pakistan and New Zealand, the UAE were keen to benchmark their progress against familiar rivals.

Once they had kept the Afghans to 248 for six from their 50 overs, they fairly breezed to their victory target.

The top three of Amjad Ali, Andri Berenger and Khurram Khan all made half-centuries in a resounding chase against arguably the best bowling attack beyond the Test sphere. The confidence of the batting display was in marked contrast to their most recent outing, against New Zealand A last week, when the top order crumbled to 21 for five.

Mudassar Nazar, the former Pakistan all-rounder who is serving as the UAE’s batting consultant, was impressed by what he saw.

“Our guys got away to a brilliant start, attacked them from the very first ball and we cashed in against Afghanistan’s new ball bowling,” Nazar said.

“Credit should be given to the batsmen how they kept multiplying those runs, then we kept building partnerships, which is the name of the game when you are chasing a big total like that.”

The win was the UAE’s third in their 15th official ODI, a status granted to them by way of qualifying for next year’s World Cup.

This was another marker of the side’s progress this year, although they have always had an outstanding record against Afghanistan in 50 over matches.

“There is an inner belief there, especially when they play against Associate-level members,” Nazar said.

“Afghanistan’s bowling attack is as good as any of the counties or the state sides they have played against. It is just that they haven’t got the name. These boys have given a good account of themselves.”

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