The UAE completed a perfect two weeks as they beat Kuwait to win the ACC Under 19 Western Region title at Dubai International Stadium.
The 90-run win over their Gulf neighbours completed an ideal fortnight, after the national age-group team had also earlier qualified for the 2020 World Cup in South Africa.
It meant the UAE had won 10 matches out of 10 in the space of a little over two weeks, and now have two major competitions to look forward to in the coming year.
It was confirmed after the match that both the finalists, in fact, had qualified for the Asia Cup.
That had initially been scheduled to be the prize for the tournament winners, solely.
However, the UAE were given a special exemption on account of their qualification for the World Cup. As such, Kuwait also go through to the Asia Cup, despite finishing as runners up.
That tournament will be played in Sri Lanka in September, while the World Cup is scheduled to start on January 17, 2020 in South Africa.
Karthik Meiyappan was named man of the match against Kuwait for taking four wickets for 24 with his leg-spin, as UAE bowled Kuwait out for 141.
Aryan Lakra, the UAE captain, added the player of the tournament award to that which he won in the World Cup qualifying tournament in Malaysia.
Although the winning margin in the final – 90 runs – suggested the UAE were clear winners, it was actually the closest fixture the home team have had in a tournament they overwhelmingly dominated.
They even found scoring tough at times against probing Kuwait bowlers. Syed Haider top scored with 57, Vriitya Aravind, made 53, and the national team were indebted to a useful cameo worth 36 not out off 21 balls at the end of the innings by Mohammed Faraazuddin as they reached 231 for seven from 50 overs.
Akasha Tahir took two wickets with the new ball, but UAE relied on spin entirely otherwise, with Meiyappan the pick of the bunch.
There was a sense that they were in a rush to get the celebrations started when, it the 36th over of Kuwait’s reply, Faraazuddin suffered cramp in both legs.
Rather than await physio treatment on the field, Aaron Benjamin, the 12th man ran onto the field and carried him his teammate off the field in his arms.
Fittingly, given his excellence over the past two weeks, it was Lakra who took the winning catch, in the final over, to set the seal on the UAE’s triumph.
“It feels great to have won these two tournaments in a month, it is a really great feeling,” Haider said.
“We are gelling as a team. All the boys are really working hard for it. UAE cricket is really getting somewhere now, and we are really happy for it.
“It is not just about the trophies. It is about us playing in big tournaments as well.”
