USA lose maiden T20I series to UAE in Dubai
United States of America lost a closely-fought T20I series 1-0 to the United Arab Emirates after losing the second and final match by 24 runs at the ICC Academy in Dubai on Saturday.
In Short
- USA failed to chase 183 runs in the second and final T20I of the two-match series
- Shaiman Anwar took the USA bowlers to the cleaners on Saturday, smashing a 30-ball 62
- The first T20I in Dubai was washed out on Friday after a strong batting performance from the USA
United States of America lost their first-ever Twenty20 International series on Saturday after a 24-run defeat to United Arab Emirates in the second and final match at the ICC Academy in Dubai.
UAE put an above-par total of 182 on the board in their quota of 20 overs after winning the toss on Saturday.
Despite losing Ashfaq Ahmed as early as the second over, UAE were off to a flying start with Rohan Mustafa and Shaiman Anwar taking the USA bowlers to the cleaners.
Mustafa and Anwar added 81 runs for the second wicket with the former scoring 45 from 38 balls. Anwar was the star of the day for UAE with the bat as he smashed 62, including six sixes and three boundaries, from just 30 balls.
USA struck at regular intervals after breaking the stand between Mustafa and Anwar but handy contributions from the likes of Muhammad Boota (17 from 8 balls) and Ahmed Raza (13 from 7 balls) helped UAE finish strong.
Delight for the home side and our congratulations to @EmiratesCricket who have won the 2nd T20I by 24 runs to take a closely fought series 1-0 after yesterday's washout!
SCORECARD: https://t.co/PMQm0FCKa1#UAEvUSA pic.twitter.com/VZrYkapYWl USA Cricket (@usacricket) March 16, 2019
In reply, USA lost openers Jaskaran Malhotra and Monak Patel early but Steven Taylor and former West Indies cricketer Xavier Marshall gave the team hopes with a 72-run stand.
Taylor had top scored for the USA in the first T20I with a 39-ball 72 but his efforts went in vain as the match was washed out due to rain on Friday. USA had posted 152 in just 15 overs in their rain-reduced match and had UAE reeling at 29 for 2 before rain played spoilsport.
Taylor was at it again on Saturday as he smashed 49 off just 40 balls but it wasn't enough to take USA past the finish line. The visitors collapsed after the Taylor-Marshall stand was broken.
Despite Elmore Hutchinson making a quickfire 16 towards the end, USA fell short of the target by 24 runs. Pace bowlers Sultan Ahmed and Zahoor Khan shone with the ball for the UAE, picking up five wickets between them.
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