Pakistan won the match by 41 runs.
The recent clash between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a glimpse of everything. Pre-match drama, runs being scored at a slow rate and wickets early on. However, there was an instance in the game, which was far from the regular ones on the cricket field. Umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge was hit on his head by a throw from a Pakistan player.
The incident occurred in the sixth over of the second innings when Saim Ayub was bowling. The ball was pitched short, and the batter just hit it towards the mid-wicket fielder, who threw it back to the wicket-keeper.
While wicketkeeper Mohammad Haris attempted to throw the ball back to the bowler, it hit the back of the head of the umpire. He was stunned for a moment before the Pakistani physio came to his aid. As a result, Palliyaguruge went off the field as a precaution. He walked out in a normal way, and the injury looks minor.
ALSO READ:
There are absolutely no doubts that the Men in Green need to step up with respect to their batting efforts. Their top order in the recent games has been underperforming and it is clearly visible that they are struggling. To add to that, opener Saim Ayub has registered ducks in all the three games he has played in the Asia Cup till now. But his bowling is reaping rich dividends.
Moreover, skipper Salman Agha is in a dismal run of form as well. In the three matches played in the tournament, he has notched up just 23 runs with a highest score of 20. His innings against the UAE was highly criticised for his strike-rate, which was around 74.
Pakistan seems to be lagging behind in the batting department. They do have the firepower to go big from the start, and have done so on a few occasions. But once their top-order falters, they have not shown the resilience to bounce back from tough situations. And this might come to bite them in the upcoming months.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
