Pakistan cricket team have sealed their spot in the Super 4 as their bowling unit came good to help them defend 147 against UAE fairly comfortably in the Asia Cup 2025 match at the Dubai International Stadium. However, the Men in Green will still be concerned about their batting struggles heading into the business end of the tournament.

Pakistan cricket team have sealed their spot in the Super 4 as their bowling unit came good to help them defend 147 against UAE fairly comfortably in the Asia Cup 2025 match at the Dubai International Stadium. However, the Men in Green will still be concerned about their batting struggles heading into the business end of the tournament.

High drama encircled before the match as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had been left fuming over Team India not shaking hands with them following the latter's commanding seven-wicket victory. The match had started one hour after the scheduled time as PCB and Asian Cricket Council (ACC) chairman Mohsin Naqvi seemingly had a meeting with the government as rumours of boycott ruled the roost. The Men in Green were eventually cleared to compete in the game.

The toss fell in UAE's favour as Muhammad Waseem won the toss and opted to field first. Pakistan endured another horrid start, headlined by Saim Ayub's third consecutive duck, while Sahibzada Farhan perished for 5. Fakhar Zaman's 36-ball 50 held Pakistan's innings for quite some time until the southpaw's departure in the 14th over. They once again needed a cameo from Shaheen Shah Afridi, who clubbed two sixes and three fours in his 14-ball 29 to take their side to 146/9 in 20 overs.

Only 4 UAE batters make it to double figures as lack of experience exposed

Pakistan openers Muhammad Waseem and Alishan Sharafu made a promising start to the run-chase, scoring 19 runs off the first two overs. After Afridi dismissed Sharafu for 12, spinners kept making things difficult for UAE to break the shackles, reducing the opposition to 37/3 in the sixth over. Rahul Chopra and Dhruv Parashar threaded a promising partnership of 48 until Haris Rauf got the better of the latter for 20.

UAE collapsed from 85/3 to 105 all out, including two run-outs in the end, gifting the match to Pakistan. Afridi, Rauf and Abrar Ahmed picked up two scalps each. The Men in Green will once again face arch-rivals Team India in the Super 4 contest on September 21 in Dubai.