Published: Feb 27, 2015, 05:52 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 27, 2015, 06:05 PM (IST)
India and UAE will play against each other at Perth on February 28 in ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. Bharath Seervi presents a preview of the match with statistics and numbers.
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The defending champions India and UAE will face each other in the group stage of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 at WACA, Perth on the last day of February 2015. Both teams have played two matches in World Cup 2015; this will be their third game. India won both the matches comfortably whereas UAE have lost both the matches very closely. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: POINTS TABLE
UAE scored 285 for seven in their first match against Zimbabwe. They took regular wickets, but in the end they finished losing by four wickets with two overs remaining. In the next match against Ireland, they once again posted a competitive total batting first — 278 for nine in fifty overs. It looked like they would seal a victory, but quick hitting from Gary Wilson and Kevin O’Brien took the game away from them. They lost by two wickets with just four balls remaining. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: Complete Coverage
UAE’s first two matches in this World Cup
| Date | Scores | Venue | Result |
| February 19, 2015 | UAE 285/7 (50), Zimbabwe 286/6 (48) | Nelson | Lost by 4 wickets |
| February 25, 2015 | UAE 278/9 (50), Ireland 279/8 (49.2) | The Gabba | Lost by 2 wickets |
The Indian team has had a more than expected good started at this World Cup. They beat Pakistan and South Africa quite easily by 76 runs and 130 runs at Adelaide Oval and Melbourne Cricket Ground respectively. They put totals of over 300 in both matches and their bowlers performed well to win the matches. Top 10 bowlers in ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
India’s first two matches in this World Cup
| Date | Scores | Venue | Result |
| February 19, 2015 | India 300/7 (50), Pakistan 224/10 (47) | Adelaide Oval | Won by 76 runs |
| February 22, 2015 | India 307/7 (50), South Africa 177/10 (40.2) | MCG | Won by 130 runs |
India vs UAE in ODIs
India and UAE have played two matches against each other in One-Day Internationals — in the Austral-Asia Cup of 1994 and in the Asia Cup of 2004. India has won both matches, by 71 runs in 1994 and by 116 runs in 2004. Top 10 batsmen in ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
| Date | Scores | Venue | Winner | Captains | Man of the Match |
| April 13, 1994 | India 273/5 (50), UAE 202/9 (50) | Sharjah | India won by 71 runs | Mohammad Azharuddin, Sultan Zarawani | Vinod Kambli |
| July 16, 2004 | India 260/6 (50), UAE 144/10 (35) | Dambulla | India won by 116 runs | Sourav Ganguly, Khurram Khan | Rahul Dravid |
India and UAE have never faced each other in World Cups. In fact, UAE qualified for the World Cups only for the second time. They first qualified in 1996.
Among the players who played against UAE in 2004, no Indian player is in the squad of this World Cup. However, there are two players from UAE in their squad — Mohammad Tauqir, the current skipper, and Khurram Khan. They are the two oldest players playing in this World Cup, ageing more than 43. ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: SCHEDULE & MATCH DETAILS
UAE’s ODI record
| Format | Played | Won | Lost |
| ODIs | 20 | 5 | 15 |
| World Cups | 7 | 1 | 6 |
| Against Test playing teams | 11 | 0 | 11 |
The only match UAE have won in the World Cups was against Netherlands in their last match of World Cup 1996.
India’s record against Associate teams
| Played | Won | Lost |
| 25 | 23 | 2 |
– Both defeats for India against associate teams came against Kenya.
India have a good record against Associate teams, and seeing their performance in the first two games of World Cup 2015, they should put a good performance against UAE. On the other hand, UAE have lost both matches closely and should have learnt from their defeats — which may come in effect if the match goes the way it went in their first two games.
Let us wait and watch the clash of these two Asian countries at the WACA.
(Bharath Seervi is a cricket statistician who is obsessed with digging numbers, facts and records related to the game. An active member of Society of Cricket Statisticians of India, he blogs at www.cricketseervistats.blogspot.com. He can be followed on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SeerviBharath and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SeerviCricket)
