The UAE will clinch their place at the T20 World Cup on Thursday if they beat Japan in Muscat.
Back-to-back defeats against Nepal and Oman had left the national team with no margin for error at the qualifying tournament.
It meant they had to win each of their remaining games, against Samoa on Wednesday then Japan a day later, to be assured of qualifying.
The tournament at the Oman Cricket Academy carries with it three places for the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next February.
The national team’s hefty 77-run win over Samoa means they are now well placed to take one of those spots.
It also served to confirm the first two qualifiers. The UAE’s victory meant Nepal and Oman can now no longer be denied a top three place, and so have punched their ticket to the main event.
While those two are going back for a second successive appearance at the T20 World Cup, having played in the United States and Caribbean last time out, the UAE missed the previous edition. They were beaten to it by Nepal, having played in the 2022 event in Australia.
They rejigged their side again after the losses to Nepal and Oman. Alishan Sharafu was restored to the top of the batting order, and he showed his class with 86 off 51 balls.
Rahul Chopra also celebrated a milestone as he made 62 in 34 balls, while Harshit Kaushik blazed 44 not out in just 12 balls to lift UAE to 225 for four in their 20 overs.
All of which meant the UAE for once coped with a rare off day for Muhammad Waseem, their captain, who was caught by Ross Taylor – Samoa's former New Zealand captain – for a second-ball duck.
“We are in this situation just because of our mistakes,” Waseem said of the do or die predicament the UAE find themselves in.
“I’m pretty sure we have the ability to come out of this situation, and we saw that [with the convincing win against Samoa].”
Despite the fireworks of those three batters, the player of the match award went to a bowler.
Mohammed Farooq made his debut for the UAE at this same venue 18 months ago as part of the campaign which saw the national team qualify for the Asia Cup.
His recall against Samoa was just his 10th T20I appearance in the time since, though. He was part of the squad for the tri-series against Pakistan and Afghanistan in August, as well as the Asia Cup which followed. And yet he did not make the starting XI once.
He had good news at the DP World International League T20 auction earlier this month, as he was recruited by Dubai Capitals for $10,000.
Despite being in the minority of players in the UAE squad who are actually drafted by ILT20 teams, he still did not make the line up for the national team at the start of the Qualifier.
The game against Samoa was his first, and he did all he could to shine. The leg-spinner’s haul of four for 35 included a hat trick, as the Pacific Islanders were restricted to 148 for eight.
“It was the right time to perform as the victory was needed for the team,” Farooq said.
“I was playing for the first time after a long time so this was a confidence booster for me as well.
“After my first over my captain [Waseem] said, ‘You have to do it, and I have full confidence in you,’ and during the water break my coach [Lalchand Rajput] also gave me confidence. That was good for me.”
