16 Years Later, Pakistan Finally Hit T20I Milestone In 'Adopted Home' UAE
Pakistan crossed the 200-run mark in T20Is being played in the UAE for the first time in their history.
- Pakistan crossed 200 runs for the first time in a T20I in the UAE, scoring 207 runs
- Saim Ayub scored 69 off 38 balls and Hasan Nawaz made 56 with six sixes for Pakistan
- Pakistan defeated UAE by 31 runs, restricting them to 176-8 in the tri-series match
Despite playing a huge chunk of their 'home' games in the UAE, the Pakistan cricket team had never managed to go past the 200-run mark in T20Is in the region. On Saturday, Saim Ayub and Hasan Nawaz hit blistering half-centuries to lead the national team to a 31-run victory against a spirited United Arab Emirates side at Sharjah. In the match, Pakistan put 207 runs on the board, crossing the 200-run mark for the first time in their 16-year-long history in the UAE.
Despite the fact that Pakistan have been playing T20I matches in the UAE since May 7, 2009, they had never managed to aggregate 200 runs as a team. It was on August 30, 2025, that the men from across the border crossed the 200-run mark in a T20I match in the region.
As for the match, left-handed batter Ayub made 69 off 38 balls and Nawaz smashed six sixes in his 26-ball 56.
Pakistan scored a total of 207 in 20 overs after captain Salman Ali Agha won his second successive toss and chose to bat.
Middle-order batter Asif Khan celebrated his 50th T20 appearance for the UAE with an aggressive innings of 77 off 35 balls, but Pakistan kept chipping away with wickets to restrict the UAE to 176-8.
Both teams will face off at least once more in the tri-series before competing in the Asia Cup, starting from September 9, where the UAE is placed alongside India, Pakistan, and Hong Kong.
Pakistan didn't tinker with its long batting line-up - with all-rounder Faheem Ashraf slotted at No. 8 - but rested two premier fast bowlers, Haris Rauf, who bagged a four-wicket haul in Pakistan's win against Afghanistan on Friday, and Shaheen Shah Afridi.
Hasan Ali, who replaced Rauf, was expensive at 3-47. Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz (2-21) again bowled economically, with fast bowler Salman Mirza and Ayub sharing one wicket apiece.
UAE captain Muhammad Waseem (33 off 18) provided the team with a strong start before the hosts slipped to 54-3 in the powerplay. Waseem was run out while going for a third run and, on the next ball, Ethan D'Souza gloved a leg-side catch off Ali.
Khan didn't hold back against pacers and left-arm spinner Sufiyan Muqeem (0-44) as he smacked six fours and six sixes before Sahibzada Farhan grabbed a one-handed diving catch at square leg in Ali's final over.
Earlier, Ayub played the UAE spinners cautiously in the powerplay, but was aggressive against the pace of Junaid Siddique, who conceded 22 runs in his second over.
Pakistan lost Farhan (8) in the first over when Siddique clipped the top of his off stump and Fakhar Zaman (6) was deceived by spinner Haider Ali's ball as he was clean bowled while attempting a sweep shot.
But Ayub raised his half-century off 25 balls before fast bowler Saghir Khan (3-44) had him caught down the leg side in the 12th over. Ayub wasn't happy with the umpire's decision, but there was no review available.
Hasan Nawaz and Mohammad Nawaz (25) accelerated with a breezy 57-run partnership off just 25 balls before Hasan, who reached his fifty in 24 deliveries, was caught behind while trying to pull left-arm spinner Ali (2-32).
Siddique grabbed two wickets in Pakistan's final over and No. 11 batter Mirza was run out off the final ball of the innings.
With AP Inputs
Pakistan Cricket Team
United Arab Emirates