Shaheen Afridi Stars as Pakistan Beat UAE by 41 Runs to Enter Super Four in Asia Cup 2025

The Dubai International Stadium was electric on September 17, 2025, as Pakistan locked horns with the United Arab Emirates in a pulsating Asia Cup T20 Group A clash. UAE, winning the toss, chose to field, putting Pakistan’s batsmen under immediate pressure. What followed was a rollercoaster of a match, with Pakistan scraping to 146 for 9 in their 20 overs, thanks to a late surge that defied early chaos. UAE, chasing 147, crumbled under Pakistan’s fiery bowling, managing only 105 in 17.4 overs, handing Pakistan a commanding 41-run victory.

Pakistan’s Innings

As Pakistan’s openers, Sahibzada Farhan and Saim Ayub, walked out to bat, the Dubai crowd leaned forward, expecting fireworks. But UAE’s pace spearhead, Junaid Siddique, had other plans. In the fifth ball of the first over, he delivered a peach, an outswinger that caught Saim Ayub off guard. Ayub, facing just two balls, nicked it to Muhammad Rohid at short cover, departing for a duck. Pakistan were 3 for 1 after 0.5 overs, and the UAE players erupted, sensing blood. The early wicket sent a jolt through the Pakistani dugout, and the crowd’s roar echoed the drama unfolding on the field.

Waseem has chosen to bowl first on a surface that should offer some early movement for the seamers 🫡

Can Saim Ayub rediscover his touch tonight, or will Siddique spearhead UAE’s charge with the ball? 💥#PAKvUAE #DPWorldAsiaCup2025 #ACC pic.twitter.com/QmWnRCwNlG

— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) September 17, 2025

Sahibzada Farhan, tasked with anchoring the innings, tried to dig in. But the UAE bowlers, led by Siddique’s relentless accuracy, kept him on a leash. Farhan scratched around for 5 runs off 12 balls, his strike rate a measly 41.66, before Siddique struck again in the 2.4th over. A well-directed delivery saw Farhan edge to Muhammad Zohaib at point, and Pakistan slumped to 9 for 2. The UAE fielders were electric, their energy infectious, and Pakistan’s top order was in tatters on a pitch that offered just enough swing to keep the bowlers dreaming.

Enter Fakhar Zaman, Pakistan’s swashbuckling left-hander, who strode to the crease with a fire in his eyes. Alongside captain Salman Agha, he set about rebuilding, blending caution with flashes of aggression. Salman played the steady hand, scoring 20 off 27 balls with two boundaries. Fakhar, meanwhile, took the fight to the bowlers, finding gaps and launching balls into the stands. Their 61-run stand for the third wicket was a lifeline, taking Pakistan to 70 for 3 by the 10.6th over. The crowd, sensing a recovery, cheered every run, but UAE weren’t done. Dhruv Parashar, the spinner, lured Salman into a false shot, and Haider Ali pouched the catch, breaking the partnership and reigniting UAE’s hopes.

Fakhar pressed on, his bat swinging like a warrior’s sword. He reached a brilliant half-century, scoring 50 off 36 balls with two fours and three sixes, his strike rate of 138.88 a beacon of hope for Pakistan. But just as he looked set to take the game away, Simranjeet Singh struck in the 13.1st over. Fakhar’s lofted drive was caught by Harshit Kaushik, and at 86 for 4, Pakistan were wobbling again. The crowd fell silent, sensing the fragility of the innings.

Hasan Nawaz walked in, but his stay was brief. He managed 3 off 4 balls before Simranjeet Singh trapped him lbw in the 13.4th over, leaving Pakistan at 88 for 5. Khushdil Shah followed, but the pressure was palpable. He scratched out 4 off 6 balls before falling to Singh in the 15.1st over, caught by Muhammad Waseem. At 93 for 6, Pakistan’s innings was on the brink, and the UAE bowlers were circling like sharks.

Mohammad Haris, the wicketkeeper-batsman, brought a spark of defiance, smashing 18 off 14 balls with three boundaries at a strike rate of 128.57. His quickfire knock kept the scoreboard ticking, but Siddique returned to haunt Pakistan, bowling Haris in the 18.5th over. Pakistan were 128 for 8, and earlier, Mohammad Nawaz had fallen for 4 off 5 balls, caught by Waseem off Siddique in the 16.5th over at 110 for 7. The innings was in tatters, and Pakistan needed a hero.

That hero was Shaheen Shah Afridi. The towering pacer, known for his bowling exploits, turned batsman with a breathtaking display. Unbeaten on 29 off just 14 balls, Shaheen smashed three fours and two sixes, his strike rate of 207.14 igniting the crowd. His fearless hitting in the death overs, especially against UAE’s less experienced bowlers, lifted Pakistan to 146 for 9. The final over saw Haris Rauf run out for a duck off one ball, but Shaheen’s cameo was the difference between a modest total and a defendable one. Extras chipped in with 13 runs, adding crucial runs to the cause.

Turned the game on its head! 🤯 😵‍💫#PAKvUAE #DPWorldAsiaCup2025 #ACC pic.twitter.com/SaonKaK8X5

— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) September 17, 2025

UAE’s bowling was led by Junaid Siddique, who was nothing short of sensational. His 4 for 18 in 4 overs, at an economy of 4.50, ripped through Pakistan’s top order and set the tone. Simranjeet Singh backed him up with 3 for 26 in 4 overs, his economy of 6.50 reflecting his control. Dhruv Parashar took 1 for 33, while Muhammad Rohid and Haider Ali went wicketless, conceding 36 and 28 runs respectively in their 4 overs. Pakistan’s powerplay yielded 38 for 3, a shaky start, but Fakhar’s fight and Shaheen’s fireworks ensured a total that gave their bowlers something to defend. UAE’s fielders, with catches by Waseem, Zohaib, and others, were sharp, but Pakistan’s lower-order grit kept them in the game.

UAE’s Innings

Chasing 147, UAE’s openers, Alishan Sharafu and Muhammad Waseem, walked out with determination. Sharafu was aggressive from the start, smashing 12 off 8 balls with a four and a six, his strike rate of 150 setting pulses racing. But Shaheen Shah Afridi, Pakistan’s talisman, struck in the 2.3rd over, bowling Sharafu with a vicious yorker. UAE were 21 for 1, and the early wicket set the tone. Waseem, the captain, tried to anchor, scoring 14 off 15 balls with two boundaries at 93.33, but fell in the 4.3rd over, caught by Mohammad Nawaz off Abrar Ahmed’s crafty spin. At 35 for 2, UAE were wobbling.

🌟 Man of the Match 📷 Shaheen Shah Afridi for his quickfire 29 (14) and brilliant 2/16 📷 👏#BackTheBoysInGreen | #PAKvUAE | #AsiaCup2025 pic.twitter.com/I7vuxAUKhb

— Muhammad Touseef (@touseef_m1994) September 18, 2025

Muhammad Zohaib couldn’t steady the ship, managing 4 off 9 balls before Saim Ayub bowled him in the 5.3rd over, leaving UAE at 37 for 3. The crowd sensed Pakistan’s dominance, and UAE needed a miracle. Rahul Chopra, the wicketkeeper, provided some resistance, grafting 35 off 35 balls with a four and a six at a strike rate of 100. He partnered with Dhruv Parashar, who scored 20 off 23 balls with one four, for a 48-run stand that kept UAE’s hopes alive. At 85 for 3 in the 13.6th over, the game was still alive, but Haris Rauf’s pace dismissed Parashar, caught by Khushdil Shah, breaking the partnership.

Asif Khan followed but fell for a duck off 4 balls, bowled by Abrar Ahmed in the 14.6th over, leaving UAE at 88 for 5. Chopra’s gritty knock ended in the 15.4th over, caught by Hasan Nawaz off Salman Agha, with the score at 96 for 6. Harshit Kaushik lasted one ball, caught by Mohammad Haris off Shaheen in the 16.2nd over, making it 98 for 7. Haider Ali fought briefly, scoring 6 off 6 balls with one four, but was caught by Sahibzada Farhan off Rauf in the 17.3rd over at 103 for 9. Simranjeet Singh managed 1 off 4 balls before being run out by Farhan, and Muhammad Rohid’s 2 off 1 ball ended with a run-out by Rauf and Haris in the 17.4th over. UAE were all out for 105, with 11 extras (3 leg byes, 8 wides) offering little consolation.

Pakistan pick up a tremendous win and make it to the next stage! ✌️

The 🇵🇰 bowlers put up a terrific fight to hold back the opposition & power through to victory!#PAKvUAE #DPWorldAsiaCup2025 #ACC pic.twitter.com/KZHBRrxIgH

— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) September 17, 2025

Pakistan’s bowlers were relentless. Shaheen led with 2 for 16 in 3 overs, his economy of 5.33 suffocating UAE. Abrar Ahmed was the star, taking 2 for 13 in 4 overs at 3.25, his spin bamboozling the batsmen. Haris Rauf claimed 2 for 19 in 2.4 overs, Saim Ayub took 1 for 18 in 4 overs, and Salman Agha grabbed 1 for 9 in 1 over. Mohammad Nawaz went wicketless, conceding 27 in 3 overs. UAE’s powerplay yielded 38 for 3, but they couldn’t recover. They hit 50 in 8.3 overs and 100 in 16.6 overs, but Pakistan’s tight bowling and sharp fielding, with two successful run-outs, kept UAE’s run rate at 5.94, well short of the target.

TCNI’s Magic Moment of the Game

The match’s defining moment came early, when Junaid Siddique set the Dubai night alight with a fiery opening spell. In the fifth ball of the first over, he dismissed Saim Ayub for a duck, caught by Muhammad Rohid, leaving Pakistan at 3 for 1.

𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 🥵#PAKvUAE #DPWorldAsiaCup2025 #ACC pic.twitter.com/LgqxiAuSF7

— AsianCricketCouncil (@ACCMedia1) September 17, 2025

The crowd roared as Siddique charged in again, and in the 2.4th over, he sent Sahibzada Farhan packing for 5, caught by Muhammad Zohaib. Pakistan were 9 for 2, and Siddique’s swing and accuracy had turned the game on its head. His 4 for 18 in 4 overs was a masterclass, and those twin strikes, which left Pakistan reeling, earned him the TCNI Magic Moment of the Game.

TCNI’s Hero of the Day

Shaheen Shah Afridi was the soul of Pakistan’s victory, earning the TCNI Hero of the Day for his all-round heroics. With the bat, his unbeaten 29 off 14 balls, with three fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 207.14, turned a shaky 128 for 8 into a defendable 146 for 9.

Dubai’s showstopper: Shaheen Shah Afridi! pic.twitter.com/Bl0L5rkFvN

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) September 17, 2025

With the ball, he was electric, taking 2 for 16 in 3 overs at 5.33, dismissing Sharafu and Kaushik with searing pace. His 10 dot balls and relentless energy, backed by Abrar and Rauf, sealed UAE’s fate, making Shaheen the undisputed star of Pakistan’s 41-run triumph.