SHARJAH: Fakhar Zaman cracked a robust 77 and spinner Abrar Ahmed registered career-best figures as Pakistan reached the T20I tri-series final with a 31-run win over United Arab Emirates on Thursday.
Fakhar hit an aggressive 44-ball 77 not out for his 12th T20I half century while Mohammad Nawaz smashed an undefeated 27-ball 37 to revive Pakistan from 80-5 Pakistan to 171-5 in their 20 overs.
Abrar then grabbed 4-9 in four economical overs to restrict UAE to 140-7 with opener Alishan Sharafu fighting a lone hand, scoring a steady 51-ball 68. Sharafu hit four sixes and as many fours.
“Fakhar and Nawaz played outstandingly well,” Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha said after the match.
“Fakhar is a match-winner — he doesn’t always get the respect he deserves but he showed his (class) today.”
The win, Pakistan’s third in four games, not only took Pakistan to Sunday’s final but also ensured Afghanistan who face the hosts in the last group on Friday, would advance.
UAE’s power-hitters Mohammad Waseem fell for 19 and Asif Khan for seven as UAE suffered their third defeat in as many games.
Abrar’s previous best of 3-19 came against Bangladesh in Lahore earlier this year.
“I was watching the earlier matches and looking at the pitch conditions so I bowled accordingly,” said the bespectacled spinner. “Yes, there is a bit of extra pressure but the captain told me to be ready at any stage.”
Earlier, Pakistan lost five wickets for just 80 runs in 11.3 overs after they won the toss and batted.
Openers Saim Ayub scored 11 and Sahibzada Farhan made 16. Skipper Salman Agha hit seven, Mohammad Haris 14 and Hasan Nawaz four.
Fakhar and Nawaz added 91 off 51 balls for the sixth wicket to put the innings back on track.
It was Fakhar’s first half century in 14 innings since a match against Ireland at Dublin in May last year.
Fakhar’s knock contained two sixes and ten fours. Nawaz hit two sixes and three fours.
The pair launched vicious late attack, with 74 coming off the last five overs and 42 off the last two.
Nawaz smashed three fours and a six in Junaid Siddique’s penultimate over while Fakhar cracked five consecutive boundaries off Mohammad Jawadullah’s last over.
“Credit goes to Fakhar and Nawaz; they gave us those extra 20 runs,” said Salman. “We knew if we got to 170, we could defend it.”
Spinner Haider Ali was the most successful home bowler with 2-17.
SCOREBOARD
PAKISTAN:
Sahibzada Farhan c D’Souza b Parashar16
Saim Ayub c Chopra b Junaid11
Fakhar Zaman not out77
Salman Ali Agha c Chopra b Rohid7
Mohammad Haris lbw b Haider14
Hasan Nawaz c Chopra b Haider4
Mohammad Nawaz not out37
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-2, W-2)5
TOTAL (for five wickets, 20 overs)171
DID NOT BAT: Faheem Ashraf, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Salman Mirza, Abrar Ahmed
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-28 (Sahibzada), 2-35 (Saim), 3-50 (Salman), 4-74 (Haris), 5-80 (Hasan)
BOWLING: Junaid 4-0-52-1 (2w), Rohid 4-0-21-1, Parashar 4-0-35-1, Jawadullah 3-0-38-0, Haider 4-0-17-2, D’Souza 1-0-5-0
UAE:
Alishan Sharafu c Salman b Shaheen 68
Mohammad Waseem c Faheem b Abrar19
E. D’Souza c Saim b Nawaz9
Asif Khan c Shaheen b Abrar7
R. Chopra lbw b Abrar0
H. Kaushik c Faheem b Abrar3
D. Parashar not out18
Haider Ali run out12
Mohammad Jawadullah not out0
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-2)4
TOTAL (for seven wickets, 20 overs)140
DID NOT BAT: Mohammad Rohid, Junaid Siddique
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-41 (Waseemv), 2-72 (D’Souza), 3-84 (Asif), 4-84 (Chopra), 5-102 (Kaushik), 6-113 (Alishan), 7-132 (Haider)
BOWLING: Shaheen 4-0-23-1 (1w), Mirza 4-0-31-0, Abrar 4-0-9-4, Nawaz 3-0-30-1 (1w), Salman 1-0-5-0, Saim 3-0-29-0, Faheem 1-0-11-0
RESULT: Pakistan won by 31 runs.
Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2025
