Emerging Teams’ Asia Cup: BD beat HK; Pakistan beat UAE by 9 wickets

KARACHI: Hussain Talat and Sahibzada Farhan blasted fine centuries to put Pakistan in the semifinals when they demolished United Arab Emirates (UAE) by nine wickets in Group B fixture of the eight-nation Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Emerging Teams Asia Cup 2018 here at the National Stadium on Friday.

Talat blasted 116 not out and Farhan hammered unbeaten 104 to enable Pakistan to achieve the 234-run target in 39 overs for the loss of one wicket. After losing Ali Imran (5) early both Farhan and Talat batted with great perfection, sharing 227 for the second wicket unbroken stand to gift second successive victory to the hosts. The 22-year old Talatstruck 14 fours and two sixes in his 109-ball excellent knock.

Charsadda-born Farhan, who had scored 130 in the opener against Hong Kong the other day, smacked ten fours in his 120-ball solid knock.

Left-arm spinner Ahmed Reza got 1-44 in nine overs.Earlier after being invited to bat first opener Ashfaq Ahmed (69) and Mohammad Usman (51*) blasted fine fifties to enable UAE to post 233-9 in the stipulated 50 overs.

Ashfaq, who provided a 63-run opening stand to his team along with Rohan Mustafa (25), hammered nine fours and one six in his 89-ball effort. He hit four fours in his responsible 61.

Right-arm off-spinner Ashiq Ali was the pick of the bowlers with 3-34 in his quota of ten overs. Left-arm part-time spinner Khushdil Shah captured 2-29 in ten overs.This was the second successive win for the Green-shirts which put them in the semi-finals. Meanwhile in the other outing of the same group here at the Southend Club Ground, Bangladesh defeated Hong Kong by 28 runs, their first win in the four-team group.

Bangladesh rode on the superb 100 from Mosaddek Hossain to pile-up 286-8 in the stipulated 50 overs. Medium pacer Aizaz Khan got 3-62 and Ehsan Nawaz captured 2-48.

In response, Hong Kong were restricted to 258-7 with Nizakat Khan top-scoring 92. Babar Hayat chipped in with 95-ball 91 which carried five fours and three sixes. Khaled Ahmed (2-69) and Mosaddek Hossain (2-23) bowled really well.

Mosaddek was declared man of the match for his excellent all-round performance.In the final round matches on Sunday (tomorrow) Pakistan will lock horns with Bangladesh at the National Stadium while UAE will make their last-ditch effort to qualify for the semifinals when they will face Hong Kong at the Southend Club Ground.

Meanwhile in the Group A first round fixtures at the R.Premadasa Stadium Colombo on Friday holders Sri Lanka whipped Oman by 109 runs while India defeated Afghanistan by 74 runs.The semi-finals will be held in Colombo on December 13, followed by the final in the Sri Lankan capital on December 15.