The UAE completed their tune up for next week’s Cricket World Cup League Two tri-series in Scotland with a second win against Jersey.
The national team have toured the Channel Island for the first time, playing two 50-over matches to prepare for their return to one-day international cricket.
They achieved victory in each with the sort of ease which will boost confidence ahead of their matches against Scotland and Canada in Dundee.
Aryansh Sharma was the standout performer again, just as he had been in the seven-wicket win on Monday.
The 21-year-old opener missed out on a second century in the space of three days when he was dismissed on 86.
It was the top score of the UAE’s total of 276 for seven from their 50 overs, having exceeded 300 in their run chase two days earlier.
Harpreet Bhatia, the former IPL player who was named UAE captain for the tour of the UK, was not required to bat in either game.
In his absence, Rahul Chopra captained the side. He made 47 and shared in a century partnership with Aryansh.
Sohaib Khan – who was one of the great finds from the UAE’s appearance at the T20 World Cup in India earlier this year – was in sparkling touch, finishing 69 not out in 51 balls at the end of the innings.
With fine weather, scoring has been high across the series in Jersey, but the target proved beyond the home team.
Jersey were bowled out for 179 with 11 overs of their quota left unused. On the same day that his sister, Afsha, helped the UAE qualify for the Women’s Under 19 T20 World Cup, Aayan Khan played a neat cameo with the ball for the national team.
The young left-arm spinner has been oddly overlooked for national team duty for some while now.
An injury to Haider Ali has opened the door for a return for this series in the UK. In the win in the second game against Jersey, he took two for three from two overs.
The national team will begin their CWCL2 tri-series when they face Scotland in Dundee on Monday, as they look to climb away from the bottom of the table.
