AVA- Devdutt Padikkal, who hails from the South Indian state of Kerala, topscored with 121 runs for India to bag the Player of the Match award. He put on a 205-run opening partnership with Anuj Rawat’s 102 runs to help India post 354 for 6 in 50 overs. The UAE could muster only 127 runs with Ali Mirza top-scoring with 41 runs.
Interestingly, UAE’s Alishan Sharafu, who also hails from Kerala, picked India’s two wickets out of the six wickets that fell. Sharafu, who made his debut for UAE in the match against Afghanistan, had removed Afghanistan opener Riaz Hussain for 16 but Afghanistan raced to the target in 27 overs.
UAE could muster only 140 runs with Brandon Adam top-scoring with 25. Ali Mirza made useful contribution in that match too with 24, while Ansh Tandon too chipped in with 20. For Afghanistan, Azmatullah Omarzai cracked an unbeaten 50.
UAE leg-spinner Karthik Meiyappan took two Afghanistan wickets. UAE, who are in Group A along with India, Afghanistan and Nepal, will now meet Nepal on Tuesday. Nepal had already lost to India by 171 runs.