Pakistan qualify for Super 4s, set up blockbuster clash against India after Asia Cup boycott drama
Pakistan defeated UAE by 41 runs in their Asia Cup 2025 clash, securing a spot in the Super 4s. However, the build-up to the match was anything but straightforward. Uncertainty loomed earlier in the day over whether Pakistan would even take the field at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
The tension stemmed from the aftermath of their previous encounter with India, where the Suryakumar Yadav-led side refused to shake hands with Pakistan, which left the Salman Agha-led side rattled. In response, the team management threatened to boycott the remainder of the tournament, casting doubt over their fixture against the UAE.
The drama continued till the eve of the match, when Pakistan team didn’t travel to the stadium for the clash. Reports broke over their boycott, but they eventually reached an hour late to participate. The team called ICC twice for the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft from the match, but they were turned down.
Despite all their requests being rejected by the ICC, Pakistan showed up for the match.
Pakistan took full advantage of an inexperienced UAE side in their last group match. Pak won by 41 runs on Wednesday, and the victory has now set up a high-profile Super 4 clash against India in the Asia Cup 2025. The game began an hour late after Pakistan threatened to pull out due to tensions following the previous handshake issue against India, but the team eventually agreed to play.
Shaheen Shah Afridi shines
Shaheen Shah Afridi played a key role for Pakistan, scoring an unbeaten 29 off just 14 balls to push the team total to a defendable 146 for 9. For an Associate nation like UAE, chasing anything above 130 against a Test-playing country is a tough task, and they managed only 105 in 17.4 overs.
Turning points in the match
Afridi was too strong for UAE’s Alishan Sharafu, who scored 12 before being bowled. UAE skipper Muhammad Waseem, trying to hit a leg-break from Abrar Ahmed, was caught brilliantly by Mohammed Nawaz. Saim Ayub then bowled Muhammad Zohaib with a straight delivery that stayed low. Rahul Chopra scored 35 off 35 balls but struggled to hit big shots as the required run rate climbed.
Despite UAE’s strong bowling effort, they were never really in contention. Pakistan’s bowlers, Junaid Siddique and Ludhiana-born spinner Simranjeet Singh, had bowled brilliantly, taking most of the wickets. Simranjeet claimed 3 for 26 and Junaid 4 for 18, marking one of UAE’s best bowling performances against a Test nation.
Pakistan’s top order largely failed again, except for Fakhar Zaman, who scored 50 off 36 balls. Lower-order contributions from Mohammed Haris (18) and Afridi helped push the score to a competitive level. Early on, Junaid dismissed Saim Ayub for a second consecutive duck, and Sahibzada Farhan scored only 5 before failing with a risky shot.
In the middle overs, the ball gripped and bounced, troubling the batters. Fakhar was dismissed trying to adjust his drive, while Mohammed Nawaz fell to an arm ball from Simranjeet, who celebrated energetically. Towards the end, Afridi’s hitting lifted the total close to 150, a score UAE could not chase.
