Zia-ul-Haq, right, took three wickets as Pakistan defeated England in an Under 19 tri-series match in Abu Dhabi on Monday. Pawan Singh / The National
Zia-ul-Haq, right, took three wickets as Pakistan defeated England in an Under 19 tri-series match in Abu Dhabi on Monday. Pawan Singh / The National
Zia-ul-Haq, right, took three wickets as Pakistan defeated England in an Under 19 tri-series match in Abu Dhabi on Monday. Pawan Singh / The National
Zia-ul-Haq, right, took three wickets as Pakistan defeated England in an Under 19 tri-series match in Abu Dhabi on Monday. Pawan Singh / The National

Pakistan unfazed by spots of bother in tri-series triumph


Amith Passela
  • English
  • Arabic

ABU DHABI // Pakistan prevailed over England in a game in which fortunes swung like a pendulum.

Inam-ul-Haq, the opener, and Saud Shakeel, the No 6, held the Pakistan inning together to guide them to a three-wicket win, taking the lead in the Under 19 tri-series that also includes the UAE.

Electing to field first, the Pakistani bowlers did well to dismiss England for 168, but they were left in a spot at 39 for four and then 113 for six before easing to victory at the Zayed Cricket Stadium on Monday.

“They are still learning,” said Azam Khan, the Pakistan coach. “These youngsters need to learn to be patient. What they tried to do today was to finish the game quickly when chasing a low total.

“But some of them, particularly Saud and Inam, kept their cool and played composed knocks to ensure the victory. This is how we would’ve wanted some of the top-order batsmen to have played.”

Ryan Higgins, the England opener, scored a breezy 80 despite the fall of wickets at regular intervals at the other end.

His 84-ball knock was highlighted by nine fours and a six. He was sixth out when the score was 122 in the 30th over.

“We lacked runs, basically, but I thought there was some encouraging signs,” said Tim Boon, the England coach.

“I thought our bowlers showed some great spirit to have Pakistan in a bit of a spot twice. There was some good fight when Pakistan were 113 for six, and at that point the game could have gone either way.

“Saud played a very good knock. He was high class and took the game away from us.”

Josh Shaw grabbed three wickets and Will Rhodes took the other as Pakistan were left reeling at 39 for four before Inam and Saud rebuilt the inning with a 71-run stand for the fifth wicket.

Pakistan stumbled again as two wickets fell in two overs, but Saud, joined by Zafar Gohar (32 not out), took them close to victory with a 53-run stand seventh wicket.

“We need to take one level up, particularly in our batting,” said Ali Zia, the Pakistan manager. “There were a lot of unwanted shots. There was more of a half measure in their shot selection.

“When you try to turn your wrist, you use only half of the bat and that gives the bowlers a bit of a chance. You don’t have to give that kind of chance when chasing a low score. However, all is well that ends well.”

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THE BIO

Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren

Favourite travel destination: Switzerland

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Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

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7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was born and raised in Tehran and studied English literature before working as a translator in the relief effort for the Japanese International Co-operation Agency in 2003.

She moved to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies before moving to the World Health Organisation as a communications officer.

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She was held in her native country a year later.

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