WCL 2 Final: Ashfaq Ahmed’s hundred, Shaiman Anwar’s late assault propel UAE to 277 for 4 against Nepal
WCL 2 Final: Ashfaq’s hundred, Anwar’s late assault propel UAE to 277 for 4 against Nepal
Ashfaq Ahmed’s maiden List A hundred, skipper Rohan Mustafa’s steady fifty and a late assault from Shaiman Anwar guided UAE to 277 to 4 against league table-toppers Nepal in the final of World Cricket League Division 2 final. Nepal and UAE were both coming off victories against Canada and Namibia respectively. Nepal had marked a miraculous recovery and won a last-ball thriller against Canada to advance to World Cup Qualifiers that will be played in Zimbabwe next month. UAE too will join them after finishing second in the table irrespective of the outcome of the final. The winner of the final will determine their groups in the World Cup Qualifiers.
UAE elected to bat and got off to a steady start. Mustafa showed aggression at the start and Ashfaq was happy to play second fiddle. Later, Ashfaq upped the ante and the openers added 109 before Mustafa fell in the 25th over for 51.
Ashfaq had two partnerships, first a 54-run stand with Ghulam Shabber and then 48 with Rameez Shahzad. Ashfaq got his hundred in the 38th over before falling to Sandeep Lamichhane for 114.
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From thereon, it was an Anwar show. The experienced campaigner belted 24-ball 40 to help UAE post a challenging total. He added a 55-run stand with Shahzad off just 37 balls.
Nepal will have to produce a much better effort with the bat to finish as the WCL Division 2 champions.
Brief scores
UAE 277 for 4 in 50 overs (Rohan Mustafa 51, Ashfaq Ahmed 114, Rameez Shahzad 41, Shaiman Anwar 40; Sandeep Lamichhane 1 for 39) vs Nepal.