Final over heroics with the bat from Yasin Patel and Mohammad Shafeeq helped the 27th ranked Kuwait edge out the United Arab Emirates by 1 wicket (and one ball to spare) in a high-scoring nerve-jangler at the Asia Cup 2022 qualifiers on Sunday.
Needing 9 runs to win off the last six deliveries, Patel hammered Kashif Daud for a six over backward square-leg to change the game dramatically.
However, in the pursuit of knocking off the winning run, his partner Sayed Monib got run out on the 4th delivery. But Shafeeq ensured he sealed the deal on the next ball, with a drive towards long-off.
Chasing 174, Kuwait got off to a decent start with openers Ravija Sandaruwan (34 off 25) & Meet Bhavsar (27 off 21) adding 53 runs in just 6.2 overs.
However, the dismissal of Bhavsar triggered a collapse- thanks largely to Basil Hameed (3/22 in 4)- that saw Kuwait go from 0-53 in 6.1 overs to 6-110 at the end of the 14th.
But, thanks to Mohammed Aslam (19 off 11) and Edson Silva (25 off 14), the game changed dramatically as the duo peeled off 34 runs in the next 2.5 overs.
Both were eventually dismissed but the lower-order ensured that they took their side home in the last over.
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 "Yash Mittal")
