ABU DHABI // Afghanistan improved on their chances to make the cut from the group stage after knocking Scotland out with a 14-run win.
Ireland also stayed on course to join them with a crushing 98-run victory over the USA in the second day's Group B matches of the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier at the Zayed Stadium yesterday.
If Afghanistan beats the USA and Scotland defeats Ireland, then the USA, Scotland and Ireland will be locked on two points each with net run-rate deciding which team joins Afghanistan in the Super Four stage from Group A.
However, if the USA beats Afghanistan by a big margin and Ireland defeats Scotland, then the net run-rate will again come into play as Afghanistan, the USA and Ireland will be tied with two wins each.
Afghanistan defended a modest 131 for seven on a good batting strip to beat Scotland. The bowlers led by the medium pacer Shapoor Zadran, who returned with figures of one for eight off a four-over spell, helped limit Scotland to 117 for nine.
Zadran's new-ball partner Mirwais Ashraf provided the break-through when he dismissed the opener Navdeep Poonia without a run on the scoreboard. He bowled a tidy three-over spell to return with one for 13.
Karim Sadiq, the off-spinner, also bowled a tidy spell for his one for 19 from four overs. Mohammed Nabi, the other off-spinner, and Hamid Hassan, the medium pacer, were among the wickets, claiming two for 27 and three for 32 respectively.
Gavin Hamilton (32) and Neil McCallum (42) kept Scotland's hopes alive after they lost two wickets for eight runs, but with the 66-run partnership broken by Sadiq, Scotland lost their way with more than nine runs per over required from the last six overs.
Earlier in the day, Scotland elected to field and began well with the medium pacer Gordon Drummond delivering a double blow by removing Karim Sadiq (three) and Shafiqullah (nought) to have the Afghans in a spot at eight for two.
Opener Noor Ali (42) and Mohammed Shahzad (30) rebuilt their inning with a run-a-ball 71-run stand for the third wicket.
In the day's other game here, the Irishmen bounced back from their defeat to Afghanistan to have the best chance of becoming the second team to qualify from the group. After setting up a stiff 203-run target, thanks to Niall O'Brien's 84, they restricted the USA to just 124 for six.
Veteran all-rounder Trent Johnston, 35 - who took two for 17 from his four overs to have the USA reeling at 25 for six - was confident ahead of their final group match, saying: "We had to come back hard and we did that after a disappointing result.
"Now we need to go on and win the rest of the games and try to win this competition. The openers batted superbly. They played some fantastic cricket strokes rather than the slog shots we see in this format of the game."
The USA's score could have been a lot less if not for a 99-run unbroken seventh-wicket partnership between Aditya Thyagarajan (72) and Orlando Baker (28).
Peter Connell, Johnston's new-ball partner, took four for 14 from his four overs.
But the tone of the game was set by O'Brien's entertaining 50-ball knock. The opener smashed 10 fours and two sixes, and took part in two superb partnerships: he put on 83 with William Porterfield, who hit five fours and a six in a 28-ball 45, and 89 for the second wicket with Alex Cusack (46).
@Email:apassela@thenational.ae
Empty Words
By Mario Levrero
(Coffee House Press)
FIXTURES
Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place playoff
Day 1 results:
Open Men (bonus points in brackets)
New Zealand 125 (1) beat UAE 111 (3)
India 111 (4) beat Singapore 75 (0)
South Africa 66 (2) beat Sri Lanka 57 (2)
Australia 126 (4) beat Malaysia -16 (0)
Open Women
New Zealand 64 (2) beat South Africa 57 (2)
England 69 (3) beat UAE 63 (1)
Australia 124 (4) beat UAE 23 (0)
New Zealand 74 (2) beat England 55 (2)
Schedule:
Sept 15: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka (Dubai)
Sept 16: Pakistan v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 17: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 18: India v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 19: India v Pakistan (Dubai)
Sept 20: Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi) Super Four
Sept 21: Group A Winner v Group B Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 21: Group B Winner v Group A Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 23: Group A Winner v Group A Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 23: Group B Winner v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 25: Group A Winner v Group B Winner (Dubai)
Sept 26: Group A Runner-up v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 28: Final (Dubai)
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
The specs: 2018 Maserati Levante S
Price, base / as tested: Dh409,000 / Dh467,000
Engine: 3.0-litre V6
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 430hp @ 5,750rpm
Torque: 580Nm @ 4,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.9L / 100km
HIV on the rise in the region
A 2019 United Nations special analysis on Aids reveals 37 per cent of new HIV infections in the Mena region are from people injecting drugs.
New HIV infections have also risen by 29 per cent in western Europe and Asia, and by 7 per cent in Latin America, but declined elsewhere.
Egypt has shown the highest increase in recorded cases of HIV since 2010, up by 196 per cent.
Access to HIV testing, treatment and care in the region is well below the global average.
Few statistics have been published on the number of cases in the UAE, although a UNAIDS report said 1.5 per cent of the prison population has the virus.
The biog
Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Emirates exiles
Will Wilson is not the first player to have attained high-class representative honours after first learning to play rugby on the playing fields of UAE.
Jonny Macdonald
Abu Dhabi-born and raised, the current Jebel Ali Dragons assistant coach was selected to play for Scotland at the Hong Kong Sevens in 2011.
Jordan Onojaife
Having started rugby by chance when the Jumeirah College team were short of players, he later won the World Under 20 Championship with England.
Devante Onojaife
Followed older brother Jordan into England age-group rugby, as well as the pro game at Northampton Saints, but recently switched allegiance to Scotland.
LIVING IN...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Australia squads
ODI: Tim Paine (capt), Aaron Finch (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye.
T20: Aaron Finch (capt), Alex Carey (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Disability on screen
Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)
Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
Company%20profile
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Fixtures:
Thursday:
Hatta v Al Jazira, 4.55pm
Al Wasl v Dibba, 7.45pm
Friday:
Al Dhafra v Al Nasr, 5.05pm
Shabab Al Ahli Dubai v Al Wahda, 7.45pm
Saturday:
Ajman v Emirates, 4.55pm
Al Ain v Sharjah, 7.45pm
UAE Rugby finals day
Games being played at The Sevens, Dubai
2pm, UAE Conference final
Dubai Tigers v Al Ain Amblers
4pm, UAE Premiership final
Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons
BIO
Favourite holiday destination: Turkey - because the government look after animals so well there.
Favourite film: I love scary movies. I have so many favourites but The Ring stands out.
Favourite book: The Lord of the Rings. I didn’t like the movies but I loved the books.
Favourite colour: Black.
Favourite music: Hard rock. I actually also perform as a rock DJ in Dubai.
SPECS
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Match info
Uefa Champions League Group B
Barcelona v Tottenham Hotspur, midnight
