UAE set to host Australia in one-off T20

DUBAI: The ECB (Emirates Cricket Board) has announced that the UAE national side will play a one-off T20I against Australia, currently playing Pakistan in a bilateral series in the UAE, on October 22.

The fixture will be sandwiched between the ongoing final Test between Pakistan and Australia and the T20I series between the two nations that start on October 24.Waleed Bukhatir, UAE selector, reckoned that the UAE players need to be put under pressure and “focus more intently by being challenged by higher-ranked, leading teams” in international cricket.

UAE last played a T20I in April 2017, crushing Papua New Guinea in three consecutive games. However, they have historically struggled for success in the sport’s shortest format, with 9 wins in 26 games, dating back to 2014.

Furthermore, they have failed to beat any of the Test-playing nations in T20Is, and they would like to change that going into the clash against Australia.The one-off match has been awarded official status by the International Cricket Council, and is scheduled to start at 2.00pm local time at Oval 1, adjoining the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.