The UAE continued to show promise in the 50-over format as the national team registered a 54-run win over Oman in the Cricket World Cup League 2 in Nepal on Sunday.
Fast bowler Junaid Siddique picked up a career best six-wicket haul to hand UAE a second win over Oman in the competition.
One day after their heart-breaking six-run loss to Nepal in a rain interrupted match in Kiritpur, Muhammad Waseem's team turned up the heat with a commendable effort with bat and ball.
Batting first, UAE saw their first four batters score fifties to take the total to 308-8. Openers Aryansh Sharma (50) and Adeeb Usmani (72), along with Harpreet Singh (77) and Mohammed Shahdad (74), laid the foundation for an imposing score, taking the team to 267-2 in the 44th over.
But from that point, the UAE kept losing wickets to be restricted to 308-8 in 47 overs.
When it was their turn to bowl, veteran fast bowler Siddique was at his best as he blew away the top order in an inspired spell with the new ball.
However, Oman did not give up easily despite being reduced to 26-3 and then 88-4.
Hammad Mirza (83) and Jiten Ramanandi (91 not out) went about reviving the innings. But an ill-timed run out of Mirza brought the UAE back into the contest.
Siddique returned to wrap up the tail and finished with career-best ODI figures of 6-49.
First innings half centurion Shahdad made the most of a productive day by picking up two wickets with his leg spin bowling. Oman were bowled out for 254 with more than seven overs to spare.
Victory gave the UAE confidence that they are on the right path in the 50-over format, having already proven their abilities in T20s.
Qualification for the 50-over World Cup would be a huge achievement for the UAE who have routinely fallen well short in the CWCL2.
