UAE T20I Tri-Series 2025 - 2nd T20I, Review: Saim Ayub, Hasan Nawaz fifties help Pakistan make it two in two

Pakistan defeated UAE by 31 runs in the second T20I at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday, August 30, in the tri-series. The Men in Green consolidated their position at the top of the table after winning their first two matches.

Salman Ali Agha won the toss and opted to bat first. Opener Saim Ayub played a blinder of an innings, even as the other batters in the top four were dismissed for single-digit scores. The southpaw's brilliance helped Pakistan amass 100 runs inside 11 overs despite the loss of three wickets.

After Ayub was dismissed for a 38-ball 69, Hasan Nawaz took the UAE bowlers to the cleaners with his destructive batting. He smashed 56 off just 26 before being dismissed in the 16th over. Mohammad Nawaz and Faheem Ashraf played important cameos to take Pakistan beyond the 200-run mark. They were eventually bowled out for 207 in 20 overs. Junaid Siddique and Saghir Khan bagged three wickets each, but conceded runs at economy rates of 12.2 and 11, respectively.

In reply, the UAE got off to a fine start, as captain Muhammad Waseem took advantage of the field restrictions and added 39 runs in four overs with Muhammad Zohaib. However, they lost three wickets in the next two overs, with Waseem and Ethan D'Souza being dismissed off the last two balls of the powerplay.

Wickets kept falling through the middle overs as Pakistan applied the brakes. The hosts lost half their side for 76 runs inside 11 overs. However, Dhruv Parashar and Asif Khan stitched a 54-run partnership off 36 balls to show signs of a comeback. Asif was the wrecker-in-chief, as he smashed 77 off just 35 balls. Despite his exhilarating batting display, Pakistan restricted the UAE to 176/8 in 20 overs.

Pakistan will now get a couple of days of rest, as Afghanistan lock horns with the UAE in the third T20I on Monday, September 1.