Asif Khan, the hard-hitting middle-order batter for the UAE who once represented Lahore in Pakistan’s domestic cricket, reflected on his team’s passionate performance against Pakistan in Sharjah.
“As a relatively inexperienced side, we lost due to small mistakes; otherwise, we could have pulled it off,” he said after his blistering 77 off just 35 balls kept the UAE in the contest. Khan, a former Lahore first-class cricketer born in Pakistan in 1990, praised the early fireworks from captain Muhammad Waseem and acknowledged that his run-out was a major setback.
Pakistan secured their second win in the T20I tri-series in the UAE by defeating the hosts by 31 runs at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday. Chasing a challenging total of 208, the UAE managed to score 176 for eight wickets despite a solid start.
“Our plan was to save wickets and go for power-hitting in the last overs. It worked, but Pakistan’s bowling held us back,” Khan said in the post-match press conference. Calling Sharjah the UAE’s “home ground advantage,” Khan stressed that recent training has boosted the team’s confidence ahead of the Asia Cup.
“We gave the big teams a wake-up call. This tournament is preparation for the Asia Cup, and the performance against Pakistan gave us belief.” Khan also highlighted the role of dew in Sharjah conditions, which makes batting in the second innings easier. He stated that the UAE’s strength in T20 cricket lies in disciplined bowling. “If we can restrict opponents to 170-180, we have a real chance.”
