UAE urge fans to come and back them as they bid to make history in U19 Asia Cup final

UAE players and officials want cricket fans to come en masse to the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday to support them in the Under 19 Asia Cup final.

The national age-group side will face Bangladesh in the showpiece game of the competition. It starts at 9:30am and admission is free.

They booked their first appearance in the final of an Asia Cup after an extraordinary shock win over Pakistan in the semi-final at the ICC Academy on Friday.

They beat a Pakistan side who had trounced India, Afghanistan and Nepal in the group phase, by 11 runs, with two wickets in three balls in the final over of the match.

Captain Aayan Khan, who was player of the match for the third game in a row after making 55 in 57 balls then provided a tactical masterclass in the field, termed it the “best day of my life”.

Now he hopes the final can match up to it. The UAE lost out to Bangladesh in the group phase, but felt it was an opportunity missed after performing well in the field.

“A [UAE] U19 team had never been in the semi-final before, and now we are in the grand final as well,” Aayan said.

“It is such a big thing for me and my team. I am lucky enough to have been with the UAE [senior] team and play leagues as well, but these guys have been working so hard for this.

“We couldn’t chase in the group game against Bangladesh and lost by 50 runs, but we won the next three games, and now our morale is high.

“We don’t get many chances to make history, and we will try to make it.”

1ST SEMI FINAL - PAKISTAN VD UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - ACC MEN'S U19 ASIA CUP 2023

The home team were cheered on to victory by a sizeable crowd at the ICC Academy. Many were waving flags. Two were playing drums. The senior men’s team also roared their support over the