Sharjah, September 4, 2025 – Pakistan secured a convincing 31-run victory over United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Match 5 of the ongoing T20I tri-series at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
The result not only confirmed Pakistan’s place in the final alongside Afghanistan but also eliminated UAE from the tournament with one match still remaining.
This victory continued the unusual pattern of the series, with the team batting first claiming all five wins so far. Interestingly, Sharjah’s recent history shows the opposite trend — since 2023, only two out of twelve night T20Is had been won by sides batting first. The shift underlines the critical role of the toss at this venue.
Pakistan’s innings could have been derailed midway when they stood at 108/5 after 16 overs. However, two crucial dropped catches — Mohammad Nawaz at 15.5 and Fakhar Zaman at 15.6 — proved costly for UAE. Pakistan capitalized, smashing 63 runs in the final four overs to reach a competitive total. That late flourish underlined the difference between seasoned international sides and developing teams.
UAE’s bowlers showed immense discipline for much of the game, especially spinner Haider Ali, who delivered excellent figures of 2/17 and kept Pakistan under pressure. Yet their inability to execute in the death overs turned the contest.
In the end, Pakistan’s experience and composure carried them over the line, reinforcing their status as favorites heading into the final, while UAE were left to rue missed opportunities.