Aryansh Sharma thrilled his “home” crowd as much as the country he represents as he guided the UAE to a second ever T20 World Cup win.
The Dubai-raised batter played the defining innings in the national team’s five-wicket win over Canada in Delhi, which is not much more than a six-hit away from where he was born.
Aryansh hit 74 not out and shared a brilliant 84-run stand for the fifth wicket with Sohaib Khan, who also made a fine half century, to give the UAE just their third win ever at a major ICC event.
Four years ago, they beat Namibia at the T20 World Cup in Geelong. Back in 1996, when the UAE first played on the global stage, they beat the Netherlands in the 50-over World Cup.
The fact they managed it here was unexpected, given their form, as well as the fact the toss went against them at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
There were 14 hours between the close of play between India and Namibia the previous night and the start of this one. As such, it made sense when Canada opted to bat first on a pitch that should wear.
That said, there was no scarring at all from the run-fest the night before. There were probably more dents in the stands from all the sixes Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya and Co had sent into them than there were on the wicket.
The ground staff had prepared an immaculate pitch. As such, it felt as though Canada’s total of 150-7 from their 20 overs should be chaseable.
That effort said much about the fact neither side is in sync. Canada failed to profit from another indifferent display from a UAE side whose form has been woeful of late.
Junaid Siddique was able to celebrate a five-wicket haul, doing so in fine style, as he knelt to pray after taking his fifth with the penultimate ball of the innings.
The fast bowler has happy memories of T20 World Cups – although not so much just recently.
Four years ago in Australia, when the UAE last played at the tournament, he became a cult hero after hitting the biggest six of the competition.
Home-based supporters in Geelong created an unlikely fan club for the UAE tailender, even printing T-shirts with his face on.
After a four-year gap between World Cups, his start at this one was less happy. Siddique went for 47 as the UAE bowlers were savaged by New Zealand’s openers in the 10-wicket loss on the opening day.
He had plenty more joy this time round, without being at his fluent best all the way through. As well as his five wickets, he sent down six wides, and was hit for six off the final delivery of the innings by Dilon Heyliger.
That felt like a potentially key moment: a few extras runs to chase for a side lacking confidence, and a boost for Canada before they started their stint with the ball.
It showed, too, as they got the perfect start.
The UAE batting line up is propped up by two pillars – Muhammad Waseem and Alishan Sharafu. Both had made half-centuries in a losing cause in the previous match against New Zealand. So when Canada removed both cheaply, it felt as though they were halfway to victory.
Instead, it was Aryansh who carried the fight for the national team. The 21-year-old wicketkeeper has grown in stature in this side in recent weeks, and he had extra incentive to perform here.
This was his first game at what he regards as “basically my home town”. He was born in nearby Noida – a 20-minute metro ride away, or hours by car through the Delhi traffic – although moved to the UAE with his family when he was a toddler.
He predicted he would have plenty of family in the crowd, and it sounded as though he picked up plenty of residual supporters, too. Every time he breached the boundary, it was met with huge roars.
He anchored the innings, make a smart half-century, but the UAE would not have come close to the target if it was not for the impetus provided by Sohaib late in the innings.
The 27-year-old batter is new to the side – he debuted in November – and has only had meagre pickings in his handful of matches to date.
He has, though, shown signs of being a player of substance. And, on his biggest stage yet, he proved just that, with a sparkling display of late overs hitting. He fell when the scores were level, having made 51 in just 29 balls.
Although the job was not exactly finished, it was as good as done. Mohammed Arfan came to the wicket, and smacked his first ball to the boundary to seal the win.
