September 18, 2025

In a vibrant twist, Pakistan shelved their handshake drama with India and exploded onto the Asia Cup stage by thumping the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by 41 runs on Wednesday, clinching a spot in the Super 4 round! The game, which was delayed by an hour, finally went ahead after match referee Andy Pycroft apologized for the earlier 'miscommunication' that led Indian players to refuse handshakes with Pakistan at the toss and after their last game. Setting a solid target of 146-9, Pakistan’s innings had its ups and downs until the firecracker Shaheen Afridi dazzled with an unbeaten 29 runs off just 14 balls. His late blitz helped Pakistan roar to a challenging total. Chasing, the UAE stuttered under pressure from Pakistani spinners Abrar Ahmed, who took 2 wickets for just 13 runs, and Saim Ayub, who picked one, squeezing the UAE batters till they were all out for 105 in 17.4 overs. This loss knocked UAE out of the tournament. What sealed the deal were the spinners’ magic spells! Afridi struck early by bowling Alishan Sharafu with a sharp inside edge. UAE captain Muhammad Waseem was superbly caught by Mohammad Nawaz, and Ayub’s quick wicket made UAE slip to 37-3 within the powerplay. Rahul Chopra and Dhurv Parashar tried to keep their hopes alive with runs of 35 and 20 respectively, but the run rate soared, and the Pakistani bowlers wrapped the game up with style. Earlier, UAE’s Junaid Siddique had impressed with 4 wickets for 18 runs, and Simranjeet Singh grabbed 3 wickets for 26 runs, making Pakistan’s innings tense initially. In Pakistan’s batting, Fakhar Zaman shone with a 50, blasting three sixes, and the captain Salman Ali Agha contributed 20 runs, helping steady the innings after an early wobble. Before the game, there was tension as Pakistan delayed traveling to the stadium. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi consulted former cricket legends before allowing the team to proceed. The PCB had demanded ICC remove Pycroft from the tournament but accepted his apology. Pycroft met with Pakistan officials on Wednesday at Dubai Stadium, apologizing for the earlier incident. The toss went smoothly with both team captains shaking hands, including UAE’s captain Muhammad Waseem, who was born in Pakistan. Next up, Pakistan and India will clash again in a fiery Super 4 matchup on Sunday. Will the handshake spirit last this time? Stay tuned! (AP Cricket)

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Tags: Pakistan cricket, Asia cup, Uae cricket, Handshake dispute, Shaheen afridi, Asia cup super 4,