UAE and Oman make winning start

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Apr. 20: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) recorded a comprehensive 143-run victory over Kuwait while Oman defeated Qatar by 40 runs on Wednesday to start ACC Men’s Premier Cup with a win. 

Wicket Keeper Vriitya Aravind and Rohan Mustafa shone with their bats to help the UAE post a mammoth 371 runs losing six wickets in 50 overs at TU Cricket Ground. Kuwait, in reply, was all out in 36.3 overs with 228 runs on the scoreboard. Junaid Siddique and Karthik Meiyappan were the picks of the bowler with each dismissing three opponent batters. 

Two half centuries from Parvindar Kumar and Sayed Monib could not get Kuwait closer to the target. One-man down Kumar clubbed seven sixes and one boundary in his quick-fire of 26-ball 53. Monib contributed from the bottom with his cameo of 36-ball 68. He also slammed six maximums and five boundaries before falling as the ninth wicket of Kuwait. 

Captain Mohammed Aslam chipped in with 36-ball 33 while Usmangani Ibrahim (16), Shiraz Khan (14) and Yasin Patel (14) were other double-digit scorers for Kuwait.  Earlier, the UAE rode on the centuries of Aravind and Mustafa to hammer a big total. 

Aravind bludgeoned with nine maximums and 17 boundaries to score 185 runs off 147 balls. Mustafa hammered ten fences and four sixes in his century knock of 125-ball 118. 

Aravind and Mustafa stole the show putting on the 275-run partnership after the UAE lost three quick wickets in the fifth over. Mustafa returned to the pavilion when the score was 299. Aravind then leads the UAE to 366 before being out in 49.2 overs. 

Asif Khan hit three sixes and two fours in his blitz of 9-ball 30. Shahrukh Quddus and Pravindar Kumar took two wickets each for Kuwait. At Mulpani Cricket Ground, Oman posted 249 runs losing eight wickets in 50 overs after being invited to bat first. Qatar, in the chase, was dismissed in 47.2 overs with 209 runs on the board. 

Captain Mohammed Rizlan top scored with 43 runs off 69 balls for Kuwait. Khurram Shahzad (33-ball 30), Ikramullah Khan (53-ball 26) and Imal Liyanage (39-ball 27) were other major run scorers for Qatar. Oman’s Bilal Khan scalped four wickets while Jay Odedra and Aquib Ilyas each dismissed two Kuwaiti batters. 

Earlier, Aayan Khan smashed a half-century knock of 59-ball 64 to contribute the highest for Oman. He hit five fences and one six to remain not out on the crease. Captain Zeeshan Maqsood (71-ball 41), Sandeep Goud (37-ball 34), Kashyap Prajapati (18) and Mohammad Nadeem (18) chipped in for Oman.  Muhammad Murad and Amir Farooq claimed three wickets each for Qatar. 

Oman trailed behind Nepal in Group A being inferior in run ret. Nepal and Oman have two points each. In Group B, the UAE and Hong Kong occupy first and second place in pecking order with one victory each. Bahrain and Singapore will play at TU Ground while Malaysia and Saudi Arabia will battle at Mulpani Ground on Thursday.