ABU DHABI // Not that it was needed, but the two best teams in the division served an emphatic reminder yesterday of precisely how far ahead of the competition they are.
Afghanistan and Ireland set up a third consecutive final, one that was widely predicted beforehand, with comfortable wins.
Afghanistan were ruthless in snuffing out the fairy-tale challenge of Nepal, while Ireland, the defending champions, put out the UAE in the other World T20 qualifier semi-finals at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Neither of the vanquished will mind too much, given that they had both qualified earlier for an appearance at the World Twenty20 next year in Bangladesh.
But neither will be happy with the manner of defeat, both undistinguished in sloppy performances.
The UAE were particularly poor in their 62-run loss, although captain Khurram Khan felt the margin unfairly amplified the gulf between the two sides.
“It’s not that much of a difference,” he said. “It’s down to what happens on the day. Nepal were superb through the tournament, but looked ordinary today.
“That’s what happened with us and if you don’t perform on the day, it can look like a huge difference.”
As ever, their bowlers had given them a sniff, even as their fielders put in a particularly calamitous shift.
Swapnil Patel dropped a simple chance in the covers in the very first over, a lapse which set the tone.
Despite numerous misfields, Manjula Guruge, Shadeep Silva and Rohan Mustafa reduced Ireland to 44 for four after eight overs.
It was not until the intervention of the wily old Trent Johnston that the game swung.
In one of his final appearances for a country he has served impeccably, Johnston tonked an 18-ball 35 to rescue them one last time.
The key over was the 18th, in which Johnston struck a six off Nasir Aziz, and then three successive boundaries. That took them to a total, which, under the lights, always looked unreachable.
“We didn’t field well at all,” Khan said.
“We didn’t take catches and gave away easy runs, some very easy boundaries. You have to support your main bowlers.
“Shadeep Silva was still Shadeep Silva and he was bowling superbly. But if you don’t stop boundaries or take his catches, obviously, he will go for runs.”
It was when the UAE batted, though, that there looked a real difference. Max Sorensen’s pace and swing especially served to emphasize the gulf between the two sides.
He bowled 20 dot balls in his four overs, including a double-wicket maiden that basically ended the contest.
Shaiman Anwar was bowled and Khan leg-before to one that nipped back in: both were beaten essentially for pace.
Tim Murtagh snuck in with four wickets of his own later on as the UAE slumped to their lowest T20 total, but it was Sorensen who made the difference.
“I was just trying to keep it nice and simple, trying to hit that back of length,” he said.
“We always felt 150 was a good-enough total.”
Earlier in the day, Afghanistan were super-sharp once they decided to field first, never letting go of the hold their bowlers established from the start.
Izatullah Dawlatzai removed both openers in his first two overs, allowing the rest of the attack to reap the benefits.
Foremost among them was Samiullah Shenwari and his quickish leg-breaks.
The first of his victims was Paras Khadka, the Nepal captain and by a distance their best batsman.
Once he had gone, stumped, the innings was up. Sharad Vesawker hung on, but it was to little effect, Nepal ending on a highly inadequate 90.
That was never going to worry Afghanistan, even accounting for their erratic batting.
They wobbled a little early on, but Nawroz Mangal and Shenwari put on a typically blustery 69 to end the match.
One-sided as the game was, it was at least played out in front of a wonderfully enthusiastic and plentiful support for both sides.
osamiuddin@thenational.ae
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