Published: Feb 28, 2015, 05:24 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 28, 2015, 05:24 PM (IST)
United Arab Emirates (UAE) may not be the greatest side, but they are no stranger to the sport. Sharjah Cricket Stadium, for example, has hosted the most One-Day Internationals (ODIs) by a considerable margin: while Sharjah has hosted 218 ODIs, Sydney Cricket Ground, next on the list, has hosted a mere 147. They made their first appearance on April 13, 1994 at Sharjah against India in the Pepsi Austral-Asia Cup, but lost by 71 runs.
Sultan Zarawani put India in; Sachin Tendulkar (63 from 77 balls), Mohammad Azharuddin (81 from 99 balls), and Vinod Kambli (82 not out from 66 balls) all scored fifties and India put up 273 for five. In response, Mazhar Hussain and Vijay Mehra took UAE to 120 for two, but Kapil Dev and Bhupinder Singh sr restricted them to 202 for nine.
UAE’s highest point was, of course, the dismissal of Tendulkar. Zarawani (usually remembered for being hit on his head by Allan Donald in World Cup cricket 1996) tossed one up on middle stump. The ball turned at an obnoxious angle; the Little Master, not expecting a turn of that extent, did not reach the pitch of the ball; it zapped off the pitch, took the edge, and landed in the big gloves of Imtiaz Abbasi.
Brief Scores:
India 273 for 5 in 50 overs (Sachin Tendulkar 63, Mohammad Azharuddin 81, Vinod Kambli 82*) beat UAE 202 for 9 in 50 overs (Mazhar Hussain 70, Vijay Mehra 43; Kapil Dev 3 for 49, Bhupinder Singh sr 3 for 34) by 71 runs.
Man of the Match: Vinod Kambli.
