UAE overpower Kuwait in T20 World Cup qualifier

The UAE are all but assured of a place in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier after a crushing win over Kuwait in Kathmandu on Tuesday.

The national team restricted their Gulf neighbours to just 88-8 from their 20 overs in their second group match in Mulpani.

They made quick work of the chase as they sealed the win with five wickets and 34 deliveries in hand.

The eight-team competition carries with it two places for next year’s T20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies. As such, the winners of the two semi-finals in Kathmandu will book their tickets to the main event.

Having taken wins from their opening two fixtures against Bahrain and Kuwait, the national team are within touching distance of a place in the last four.

The two sides had been intrigued spectators at the end of the first match of the day in Mulpani, when Bahrain stunned Hong Kong.

Hong Kong had beaten the UAE in a fixture in a tri-series that also included Nepal which preceded this tournament. But they were soundly beaten by 20 runs by Bahrain, a country which has no turf grounds for cricket.

It means Hong Kong and Bahrain have two points in the group, with the UAE on four.

With the national team set to face Hong Kong on Thursday, and Bahrain playing Kuwait, it is possible three teams could end the group on four points. But the UAE’s rapid win over Kuwait means they have a significant run-rate advantage.

They made easy work of beating a side who had taken a shock win against them during Asia Cup qualifying in Malaysia last year.

They had to weather some resistance by their lower-ranked opposition, though, in an extraordinary start to the game.

Junaid Siddique was livid when he had an lbw appeal turned down on the opening delivery