ABU DHABI // England flexed their muscles ahead of for their three-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan with a comprehensive 79-run victory over the UAE at the Zayed Cricket stadium on Monday.
England, sent in to bat first, got off to a great start thanks to openers Jason Roy and Alex Hale, who shared a 92-run stand off 41 balls.
Roy smashed nine fours and two sixes in a 29-ball 59 but was the first to depart when the left-arm spinner Ahmed Raza got one through his defence in the fifth delivery of his first over.
Hale stroked 40 off 30 balls, highlighted by five hits to the boundary, and was third out. The UAE bowlers did well to restrict England for 174 for six after the initial onslaught.
The UAE were never in the hunt after they were reduced to 61 for six half way through their innings, and eventually ended on 95 for nine.
Moeen Ali was the pick of the England bowling. The off-spinner returned with four for 11 from three overs, while medium pacer Chris Jordan took two for 14 from four.
England play Pakistan on Thursday and Friday at the Dubai Sports City Stadium and move to Sharjah Cricket Stadium for the final game on November 30.
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Meanwhile, Pakistan proved too good for Hong Kong in Dubai on Monday, winning by 64 runs in a Twenty20 warm-up for the three-match series against England.
Pakistan rode to victory on a brilliant 38-ball 55 from wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan, who smashed two sixes and five boundaries in the match played at the International Cricket Council Academy.
All-rounder Amir Yamin struck three sixes in his 13-ball 27 while Sohaib Maqsood and opener Rafatullah Mohmand chipped in with 25 each.
For Hong Kong, paceman Haseeb Amhad was the pick of the bowlers with figures of three for 38.
Hong Kong, who have qualified for the World Twenty20 to be held in India in March and April, could not cope with the spin of Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi (2-21) and Bilal Asif (2-13) and were bowled out for 103 in 17.1 overs.
Mark Chapman fought the lone battle for Hong Kong with a 39-ball 50 studded with two sixes and five boundaries.
* With agency
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