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ScorecardIslamabad batted out for a draw on the final day against Peshawar to secure a draw. Chasing 364 to win and all day to get the remaining 312 runs, they were always scoring too slowly to threaten the target and contributions from all top seven batsman denied Peshawar.Imad Wasim was the only one to go on to a half-century, finished unbeaten on 52. He shared a partnership of 64 that ended Peshawar’s hopes. Zohaib Ahmed proved his stickability, facing 99 balls for just 15 runs.Peshawar took a while to break through as Raheel Majeed made 36 in 56 balls – by far the liveliest innings on the card – and Shan Masood scored more conservatively for 37 but had hope when they removed two wickets for the addition of only one run to leave Islamabad 106 for 3. Fahad Iqbal then dug in and Imad’s knock secured the draw.

Match facts

April 6, 2013
Start time 2000 local (1430 GMT)Mumbai fell short by two runs in their opening game•BCCI

Big Picture

Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings flagged off IPL 2012 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Two strong sides played out a tepid match, with Mumbai trouncing the hosts. Mumbai’s opening game of this edition didn’t quite go to plan, losing narrowly to Royal Challengers Bangalore in a game that see-sawed in the final stages. With the asking rate climbing during Mumbai’s chase, Royal Challengers appeared to have the match in control, but Dinesh Karthik’s three consecutive sixes eased the equation considerably. Though Karthik failed to see the side through, Mumbai would have been better served if Karthik had more support.Not for the first time, Kieron Pollard walked in later than he should have (he got to face only two deliveries). For the past few seasons, fans have pushed for a promotion in the batting order and never understood Mumbai’s conservative approach to Pollard. Perhaps there is a good reason for that strategy, but it is hard to fathom. Had he been set, the result could have been different. Despite the defeat, Mumbai needn’t tinker with their line-up. Lasith Malinga missed the game due to injury, but he will be forced to sit out the second match, fit or not, since the game’s in Chennai.Super Kings haven’t always been the strongest starters. Given the form of their protagonists from the Australia Tests – MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin and M Vijay – it’s hard to imagine the side stuttering. The ban on Sri Lanka players affects them the least, given they have only two such players in their line-up, who aren’t automatic picks. Chennai are without Faf du Plessis for at least the first month due to injury, while two other South Africans, Albie Morkel and Chris Morris join the team after the South African domestic T20 competition ends on April 7..

Players to watch

After being smacked for three fours off his first four balls, Jasprit Bumrah‘s selection was starting to look farcical for Mumbai Indians. Bumrah scripted a remarkable turnaround, picking up three wickets on IPL debut. His unusual high-arm action makes him worth watching, and his performance should guarantee at least another game. He bowls from wide of the crease and generates a sharp angle into the right-handers, which fetched him two of his three wickets.Ravindra Jadeja has in recent times been the butt of jokes on social media networks for failing to justify his two-million-dollar price tag. While Jadeja may have underachieved as a batsman for India, respect for him should have grown following the Australia Tests in which he picked up 24 wickets, second behind Ashwin (29).

2012 head-to-head

Mumbai won the opening game by eight wickets, chasing down a paltry 113. The second match, at Wankhede Stadium, was a nailbiter, with Dwayne Smith playing a blinder for Mumbai with 16 needed off the final over. Smith smashed three boundaries off the last three balls to steal a two-wicket win for Mumbai. Super Kings hit back in the Elimination final, winning by 38 runs in Bangalore.

Stats and trivia

• Mumbai lead the head-to-head with seven wins against Super Kings, out of 13 games.
• Suresh Raina was the leading run-scorer for Super Kings last season with 441 runs in 19 games.
• Sachin Tendulkar is the top-scorer in matches between the two sides, with 353 runs at an average of 44.12 from 10 innings.

Quotes

“The focus is on a few star players, both Indian and foreign, but there are others too who have contributed immensely. Take Badrinath for instance. He might not be a big hitter but has come up with several important performances for the team.”

“It was the first time that I played in front of such huge crowd but I wasn’t paying any attention to the crowd. The more you focus on the inside, the better it is.”

The 2014 Asia Cup will be held in Bangladesh after India, who had originally agreed to play hosts, cited a packed international schedule as the main reason for being unable to organise the tournament. The likely dates for the tournament will be February 24 to March 8. The decision was taken at the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) board meeting on April 8 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where India informed the other ACC members that they were focused instead on finalising the itinerary for the New Zealand tour, scheduled to be held in February-March next year.It is understood that Bangladesh volunteered to host the Asia Cup and even decided to postpone the scheduled tri-series involving Sri Lanka and Pakistan, which was to be held around the same period. According to an official privy to the minutes of the meeting, the dates could be changed again considering India have been facing “hiccups” in negotiating dates with Cricket New Zealand.The BCCI has been trying to convince New Zealand Cricket to trim their schedule of the New Zealand tour to two Tests, two ODIs and two T20Is to enable India to participate in the Asia Cup. The ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) has India scheduled to play three Tests, five ODIs and a single Twenty20 international.Hosting the Asia Cup does throw Bangladesh’s FTP schedules into disarray. According to the FTP, Bangladesh are set to host Sri Lanka for two Tests and three ODIs from the second week of February. A tri-nation series is also scheduled involving Sri Lanka and Pakistan immediately after, and just before the World Twenty20s begin on March 16.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has strongly criticised the Bangladesh team for the 355-run loss to Zimbabwe in the first Test in Harare. The board also asked injured players to return home, the first public airing of frustration regarding fitness issues that have dogged the players since this season’s Bangladesh Premier League.”The batting performance in Harare had no similarity with that in Sri Lanka,” said Jalal Yunus, the BCB’s media committee chairman. “We are disappointed with this poor showing by the batsmen. The senior players haven’t showed enough responsibility.””I would urge the players who are not fully fit to return to Dhaka and get themselves into 100% fitness.”Bangladesh were bowled out for less than 150 in both innings, and while some viewed the first innings as a one-off, their second-innings score of 147 confirmed their struggle against the Zimbabwe seamers. “It takes time for performance to come down to such levels,” Yunus said. “They had a bad start, which can happen sometimes but there is no excuse to how they have batted in the second innings.”The BCB was also “concerned” about the umpiring during the first Test, but said it couldn’t bring back the concept of universal DRS on its own. “We were alarmed by a few decisions in this Test match, and we have been concerned by the umpiring since the tour of Sri Lanka,” Yunus said. “It has happened a few times that whenever our bowlers have taken a wicket, the umpire has checked for a no-ball. But it didn’t happen when our batsmen got out.”He also said the timing of the Zimbabwe tour, the venue for the Tests, as well as the make-up of the tour could have been modified, but the decisions ultimately lay with the home board.Zimbabwe were supposed to host Bangladesh last year but had postponed the tour until April this year due to ground maintenance issues in Bulawayo. They also announced the Test series would be held after the limited-overs matches, but later changed the schedule.”We have tried to negotiate with them but ultimately the home board decides these facilities,” Yunus said. “But these cannot be excuses. The team has been doing quite well before this Test match so it is hard to understand how they have suddenly played so poorly.”

The Champions Trophy has been good for New Zealand. In 2000, when it was still the ICC Knockout, with a view to the funds helping the developing cricket nations, Chris Cairns hit an unbeaten century in Nairobi to lead them to their only piece of global silverware.They have come close many times since – quarter and semi-finals are a regular place to find New Zealand in global events – and their surge of form ahead of the tournament has belied their No. 8 ranking. All of a sudden the problems in red-ball cricket have been shed. In a competition as short and sharp as the Champions Trophy, hitting form at the right time is key. New Zealand will just hope they haven’t peaked early.Their recent performances against England have reinforced the feeling that New Zealand’s slump in one-day cricket before this year had been more surprising than their struggles in Tests. For a format that has often been the lifeblood of New Zealand there have been precious few successes.Before the impressive 2-1 series win in South Africa earlier this year it had been a barren run in ODIs. Since losing the World Cup quarter-final against Sri Lanka in March 2011 they have won just four matches (until the tour of England) against sides excluding Bangladesh and Zimbabwe and even before that their form was far from flash with a run of 11 defeats in a row including a series loss to Bangladesh.There are signs that under Brendon McCullum and Mike Hesson, New Zealand have gone back a few generations with the structure of their one-day team. Experienced players, whose careers may have been finished, notably Grant Elliott and James Franklin, have been given another chance while they are trying to nurse Daniel Vettori back although that is proving problematic.With a strong seam attack and a middle-order featuring McCullum, Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson, plus the career-high form of Martin Guptill, they have the basis for a competitive team. And, really, it would not be a global event without New Zealand in the semi-finals.

Key player

There were signs during the Test series against England that Ross Taylor was regaining somewhere near his best form with an aggressive half-century at Lord’s and a rearguard effort at Headingley and he grew increasingly fluent in the ODIs which followed. Despite an improvement in the weather, and some flatter pitches, the Champions Trophy is unlikely to be a walk in the park for top-orders so Taylor’s role will be two-fold: lay a base for the likes of McCullum below him but also be there himself to take advantage of the last 10 overs.

Surprise package

New Zealand are not short of left-arm pace bowlers. Mitchell McClenaghan has so far been used exclusively in the one-day formats – and with some success. He impressed in South Africa and it was a significant blow when he was injured during England’s visit in March. On his return he has been used in a very attacking manner by Brendon McCullum, recalled to target key players in the opposition middle order. He doesn’t take a backward step and doesn’t mind a few words, either.

Weakness

New Zealand will cross their fingers that the Champions Trophy marks the arrival of the British summer. When the ball doesn’t move their top order is far more comfortable. Swinging conditions could still be their undoing. Although batsmen can get away with a few more edges in one-day cricket and bowlers’ spells are rationed, losing early wickets on a regular basis would leave the middle-order a lot of rebuilding to do.

Champions Trophy history

Winners in 2000, New Zealand reached the final last time this tournament was staged during 2009 in South Africa where they lost by six wickets to Australia. Six of the team from that match are in this year’s squad. In 2006-07 they also came unstuck against their neighbours, this time in the semi-final, but the last time the competition was in England in 2004 they didn’t make the last four – again due to defeat against Australia.

Recent form

Signs of improvement. The series win in South Africa was an outstanding effort, especially after the humbling in the Tests, but conceding the series against England at home, despite having won the opening game, was a missed opportunity for them. Their response in the recent NatWest Series, though, was emphatic and bodes well for the weeks ahead.

Match facts

Wednesday, July 10, Trent Bridge
Start time 1100 (1000 GMT)Big player, big occasion: Kevin Pietersen will return to England’s Test side after injury•Getty Images

Big Picture

The length of the build-up to an Ashes series is unparalleled in cricket. It begins the day after the last Ashes series is completed and it grows into an obsession for several months before the off, a period in which former England or Australia cricketers are invited to offer up a prediction on a daily basis and past series are lovingly dwelt upon for the umpteenth time.This time, it is different; this time England and Australia have not five, but ten Tests to contest as they are faced by back-to-back Ashes series which will end in Sydney in early January. By the time it is all over, heroes will have emerged, careers been forever tarnished and the pantomime baiting between England and Australia fans – not forgetting the media – will have been exhausted.For the most casual cricket followers in England and Australia, the Ashes remains their only connection with the sport. Cricket becomes a topic of conversation in the unlikeliest of places. But by the eve of the first Test, real cricket lovers are beside themselves with impatience for the talking to stop and the series to get underway.Finally, in the bright-white gentility of Trent Bridge, it will, amid confident forecasts of hot, sunny days. It is true that England and Australia are only ranked three and four in the world, but it will be captivating nonetheless. Are England now so well analysed and programmed that it could affect their ability to think on their feet if things go wrong? Can Darren Lehmann’s arrival as Australia coach be anything more than a temporary uplift that will dissipate once the quality of the sides is tested? We are about to discover the answer.

Form guide

England: WWDDD
Australia: LLLLW

Players to watch

Graeme Swann is an ebullient sort of fellow and he could be forgiven ahead of the Trent Bridge Test if he burst into song, one of his favourites perhaps when he fronts the Nottingham-based band Dr Comfort and the Lurid Revelations. Swann, fully recovered from a second elbow operation, has never had more favourable conditions on his home ground. The forecast is for sunshine galore, Australia are packed with left-handers – and have a left-armer to create footmarks – so he will never have a better chance of attending to a paltry return at Trent Bridge of three wickets at 65 runs apiece.For Australia, James Pattinson is a source of considerable excitement. He is a combative, talented quick bowler, eager to avenge England’s treatment of his older brother, Darren, a Nottinghamshire stalwart whose sole England Test cap against South Africa in 2008 was widely condemned in the media. Trent Bridge is the perfect ground on which to uphold the family honour.

Team news

After the cut-throat decision to drop Nick Compton, the one space still to be decided is that of the third quick behind James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Steven Finn is the man in possession, but with reverse swing likely to be a key weapon Tim Bresnan, who has 15 wickets in two Tests on the ground, is firmly in the picture. Graham Onions is the outsider but bowls very well to left handers.England (probable) 1 Alastair Cook (capt), 2 Joe Root, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Kevin Pietersen, 5 Ian Bell, 6 Jonny Bairstow, 7 Matt Prior (wk), 8 Tim Bresnan, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 Graeme Swann, 11 James Anderson.Michael Clarke was coy about his final XI, but continued to suggest that Australia would be comfortable selecting David Warner despite his lack of recent cricket. His place will have to come in the middle order with Shane Watson and Chris Rogers, whose previous Test came in 2008, confirmed as the opening pair. The fast-bowling attack could comprise various trios, but Ryan Harris and Jackson Bird appear likely to miss out.Australia (probable) 1 Shane Watson, 2 Chris Rogers, 3 Ed Cowan, 4 Michael Clarke (capt), 5 Phillip Hughes, 6 David Warner, 7 Brad Haddin (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Peter Siddle, 10 James Pattinson, 11 Nathan Lyon

Pitch and conditions

Both attacks are bracing themselves for a demanding bowling experience on a benign surface in what for England are comparatively warm conditions. Chris Read, the Nottinghamshire captain and former England keeper, has warned that traditional swing and seam has been less prominent this summer. Expect big first-innings scores, bags of reverse swing and spin and Broad turning red in the heat faster than most.

Stats and trivia

• Tim Bresnan has taken four or more wickets in a Test on five occasions – and three of them have been at Trent Bridge, scene of the first Test
• Billy Cooper, the Barmy Army trumpeter, who will not be allowed to play at Trent Bridge, was thrown out of The Gabba in 2006/7 for playing the theme tune from Neighbours. Four years later Brisbane changed its tune and he was made part of the official entertainment package on the first day.
• England have not won the opening Test of an Ashes series since 1997 at Edgbaston. That series ended 3-2 in Australia’s favour

Quotes

“I think psychologically we’re in a much better place, the only danger is that we’ll be too laid-back. The Aussies will fight, there’s no doubt about that…but if we score the runs we’re capable of then we’ll win comfortably.”
“I’ve read it will make or break my reputation as a captain. Personally, I don’t feel like that. “

ScorecardLeicestershire closed their Friends Life t20 campaign in style, racing to a 10-wicket win over Yorkshire with 7.5 overs to spare in a one-sided game at Grace Road. The Foxes bowled out Yorkshire for 105 in 17.2 overs and then Josh Cobb and Greg Smith knocked off the runs in 12.1 overs.Foxes captain Cobb, who claimed remarkable figures of 3 for 9 off his four overs, followed that up by hitting an unbeaten 52 off 44 balls, clinching victory with a straight six off Will Rhodes. Smith made 39 off 30, hitting seven fours.The massive defeat sentenced the Vikings, last year’s beaten finalists, to bottom spot in the North Group with five points from 10 matches. It was Leicestershire’s fourth win but, like Yorkshire, they failed to make it through to the quarter-final stages.The Yorkshire innings was a feeble affair after they had won the toss. Only opener Alex Lees showed any real resistance, top-scoring with 32, but it summed up his side’s day when he was run out in an almighty mix-up with Jack Leaning as they tried to take a quick single off a ball that had been signalled a wide. Lees hit five boundaries in his run-a-ball innings.The next highest scorers were Adam Lyth and Azeem Rafiq, who both made 12, but there were no partnerships of note as wickets fell in rapid succession.Cobb, who opened the batting and bowling, did the main damage as his occasional spin picked up the wickets of Gary Ballance, Leaning and Rhodes. Shakib Al Hasan took 2 for 26 and Rob Taylor 2 for 24 while 20-year-old Tom Wells held on to three catches.In contrast, Yorkshire dropped two vital catches, with Cobb put down by Lyth at cover when he was on 13 and Smith let off by Iain Wardlaw at third man on 7. They proved costly misses as the Foxes capitalised by taking 34 runs off the eighth and ninth overs, bowled by Moin Ashraf and Rafiq, and strolled to victory.

Pakistan have left out Nasir Jamshed and Mohammad Irfan from the 15-member Test squad for the tour of Zimbabwe. The other players to miss out from the squad that played in South Africa in February are batsman Haris Sohail, wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed, batsman Taufeeq Umar and fast bowler Umar Gul, who is out due to injury. They have been replaced by fast bowlers Wahab Riaz and Rahat Ali, along with batsman Imran Farhat (who was not part of the original Test squad in South Africa), batsman Khurram Manzoor and wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal.Pakistan announced their ODI and T20 squads too, selected by a three-man selection committee contracted to the PCB, but without a chief selector. The announcement was made via a press release without any explanations on the reasons for the changes in the squads, though ESPNcricinfo understands that Irfan has been temporarily relieved from the longer-format, while Jamshed has been restricted to the limited-overs squad to allow 27-year-old Manzoor to assume the opening slot. Manzoor last played for Pakistan during their 2010 tour of Australia.

Schedule

• Aug 23 – first T20, Harare

• Aug 24 – second T20, Harare

• Aug 27 – first ODI, Harare

• Aug 29 – second ODI, Harare

• Aug 31 – third ODI, Harare

• Sep 3-7 – first Test, Harare

• Sep 10-14 – second Test, Bulawayo

Irfan’s fitness has been a crucial factor in his cricketing life thus far, with concerns over his ability to bowl long spells. He is the tallest cricketer ever to play Test cricket at 7’1″, and has played for Pakistan since their December 2012 tour of India. He was retained for both limited-overs squads, besides the three fast bowlers – Junaid Khan, Asad Ali and Anwar Ali. Sarfraz Ahmed, who was part of Pakistan’s previous Test squad, lost his spot to Adnan Akmal. Sarfraz was decent behind the stumps, but averaged 13.83 with the bat in three Test matches against South Africa.Wahab Riaz, who played four ODIs during the recent tour of West Indies, managed to take only two wickets and was subsequently dropped from the one-day and T20 squads, with Anwar Ali replacing him in both formats. Peshawar batsman Mohammad Rizwan, who was also part of the squad in the West Indies, has been left out because of his inclusion in the Pakistan Under-23 squad.The selectors also recruited a new batsman, Multan-born Sohaib Maqsood, for the Twenty20 squad. Maqsood finished as one of the leading runs scorers in the President’s One-day Cup, where he scored 427 runs at 71.60. He also scored 402 runs at 50.25 in the Quaid-e-Azam trophy, and was the top-scorer for WAPDA in the President’s Trophy, finishing with 618 runs at 41.20. Anwar Ali, who first gained recognition with his swing bowling during the 2006 Under-19 World Cup, has only played one T20 International against Zimbabwe in 2008.Moin Khan, whose appointment as chief selector was ruled out by the Islamabad High Court two weeks ago, has been named team manager for the tour. Fast bowling coach Mohammad Akram has also been asked to continue despite his contract running out in the middle of August.Test squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Farhat, Asad Shafiq, Khurram Manzoor, Adnan Akmal (wk), Faisal Iqbal, Younis Khan, Azhar Ali, Junaid Khan, Wahab Riaz, Saeed Ajmal, Abdul Rehman, Rahat Ali, Ehsan AdilODI squad: Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Nasir Jamshed, Ahmed Shahzad, Asad Shafiq, Umar Amin, Umar Akmal (wk), Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan, Junaid Khan, Abdul Rehman, Asad Ali, Anwar Ali, Haris SohailT20 squad: Mohammad Hafeez (capt), Nasir Jamshed, Ahmed Shahzad, Umar Amin, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Irfan, Junaid Khan, Zulfiqar Babar, Asad Ali, Anwar Ali, Haris Sohail

Simon Kerrigan, the Lancashire left-arm spinner, and Warwickshire allrounder Chris Woakes have been named in England’s squad for the final Investec Ashes Test at The Oval. There is also a recall for Steven Finn as part of a 14-man party, while James Anderson is included with no indication that a rest is on the cards for him.With Tim Bresnan ruled out due to a stress fracture of his back and Graham Onions not available due to a broken finger, this squad was always likely to require the selectors to look at a new name or two. Kerrigan is uncapped at all full international levels while Woakes has previously played ODIs and T20s.Geoff Miller, the national selector, said: “The inclusion of five pace bowlers as well as an additional spinner in Simon Kerrigan who has impressed with Lancashire and England Lions in recent years gives Andy Flower and Alastair Cook plenty of options once they have assessed the conditions at the Oval.”Tim Bresnan has made valuable contributions with both bat and ball during the series and I would like to wish him all the very best in his recovery from his back injury. The focus for Bresnan now will be the tour of Australia later this year while this Test will provide an opportunity for another member of this squad to make equally vital contributions.”Kerrigan, 24, is now in pole position to become Graeme Swann’s No. 2 following the recent problems for Monty Panesar which have left his international future in doubt. Although it remains unlikely that England will play two spinners at The Oval, Kerrigan now looks set to tour Australia later this year for the return Ashes series.Kerrigan, a regular England Lions representative, has taken 47 wickets at 20.23 in the Championship this season (albeit Division Two) which makes him the leading spinner in the country. He played against the Australians at Wantage Road in the two-day fixture and took 1 for 66 in 17 overs, although he did receive some punishment from Shane Watson.Woakes, meanwhile, provides a Bresnan-like all-round option in the squad. He has been on the fringes of the Test side in recent times – he toured New Zealand and was one injury away from a debut – and has had another solid season for Warwickshire in the Championship, taking 26 wickets at 21.50 and scoring 385 runs at 42.77. He has been a frequent part of the England one-day set-up although has not secured a regular starting place in the XI.Given England’s desire for continuity, Bresnan’s replacement is strongly tipped to be Chris Tremlett who has been part of the squad for the previous two matches. If Tremlett did return, on his homeground, it would be his first Test appearance since January 2012, against Pakistan, in the UAE, although questions remain about his long-term durability following a run of serious injuries over the last 18 months.Finn, who was dropped after the Trent Bridge Test and removed from the squad after Lord’s, is back in the mix. He has taken nine wickets in two Championship matches since being omitted.No extra batting cover has been included in the squad which indicates that Kevin Pietersen’s knee, which was scanned last week following the Durham Test, is not a significant concern although he, plus James Anderson and Stuart Broad, can expect to be rested during the one-day matches next month.Jonny Bairstow, who has not convinced during the series with 203 runs at 29, will complete the series at No. 6 but will soon face pressure for his spot from James Taylor and Gary Ballance.Squad Alastair Cook (capt), Joe Root, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Jonny Bairstow, Matt Prior (wk), Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Chris Tremlett, Simon Kerrigan, Steven Finn, Chris Woakes

ScorecardAhmed Raza finished with 3 for 13•ICC/Saleem Sanghati

The UAE spinners delivered an extraordinary thumping to Namibia in their penultimate ICC World Cricket League Championship match in Sharjah and kept their chances alive for the qualification for the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Namibia were bowled out for just 39 – a new record for the lowest total in the tournament – handing UAE a big boost to their net run-rate and with one more match remaining between the teams, UAE have a chance to overtake Netherlands in the table and rise to No. 2. Afghanistan, however, have two matches remaining and they are just a point behind UAE.Namibia’s rout was triggered by the Shadeep Silva, the left-arm spinner, who opened the bowling and picked up the wicket of opener Michau du Preez in his first over before adding another wicket in his second over. Namibia were left in misery at 20 for 4 by the time Silva struck for the third time, in the 11th over. The UAE captain, Khurram Khan, realising Namibia’s problems against left-arm spin, introduced Ahmed Raza and himself soon after and the Namibia batting succumbed to the trio and were bowled out in 24.4 overs. Khurram, who cleaned up the tail, had figures of 4.4-2-2-3.”We really wanted to win this match as it was so important for us as we try to qualify for the World Cup,” Silva said. “Now [Sunday’s] game against Namibia is just the same and we need to do well.”UAE, after being put into bat, were themselves in early trouble, losing their first three wickets with only 39 runs on the board, but Shaiman Anwar held one end and constructed useful partnerships to pull UAE out of trouble, but his dismissal just before UAE had reached the 100-mark put Namibia in control. A strong stand of 79 between Mohammad Shafiq and Rohan Mustafa lifted UAE out of the trouble and helped them towards 200, which in the end, turned out to be more than enough.”It was a wonderful partnership (the sixth-wicket stand) and it set up the match for us,” Khurram said. “I was thinking anything above 170 was going to be a good total and at one point it looked like it was going to be around 120, but they batted so well. In the end it was enough.”