Sent into bat first, Pakistan lost Nasir Jamshed in the fourth over. This was on the third occasion out of four this World Cup that Nasir disappointed. He went for a huge pull over midwicket off a short delivery from Manjula Guruge and ended up holing out to Khurran Khan. Afterwards however, Pakistan settled into a rhythm with the second wicket stand between Ahmed Shehzad and Haris Sohail adding 160 in good time. Shehzad made 93 off 105 balls while Sohail scored 70 off 83. Though these two fell in quick succession, Misbah-Ul-Haq and Sohaib Maqsood picked up the baton from there. Playing typically aggressive cricket, Misbah and Maqsood scored better than run-a-ball. Misbah’s 65 off 49 balls had 4 fours and 2 sixes, which was the same for Maqsood in his 31-ball 45. Though Maqsood got out in the 43rd over, Misbah found support from Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi. The skipper was the last wicket to fall in the Pakistan innings that finally reached 339/6. Afridi made 21 off 7 and even last man Wahab Riaz clobbered a six off the only ball he faced. Of the six wickets that fell in Pakistan’s innings, 4 were taken by Manjule Guruge while there was one run-out.
The chase of 340 for UAE was slow as Pakistan bowlers kept the batsmen on a tight leash. They could only make 19 in the 7th over, when Amjad Ali was bowled by Rahat Ali. Then in the next over, Andri Berenger also fell at the same score, which soon became 25/3. but here onwards, Shaimam Anwar and Khurram Khan took charge and carried the score to 108/4 by the 30th over, when Khurram Khan lost his wicket. Shaimam Anwar also departed in the 39th over after putting on 62 off 88 balls. Khurram Khan had made 43 in 54 balls earlier, but the departure of these pillars of UAE batting, hastened the end. Although Swapnil Patil and Amzad Javed made useful contributions UAE ended up at 210/8 after 50 overs. The inexperience of UAE was in full display and despite their heroics in some earlier matches of the CWC 2015; the desert nation couldn’t match the might of Pakistan and yielded a 129 run victory.