New Delhi, Feb 13 (UNI) Aryansh Sharma’s unbeaten 74 and Junaid Siddique’s five-wicket haul scripted a thrilling five-wicket victory for United Arab Emirates over Canada in a Group D fixture of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the Arun Jaitley Stadium here on Friday.
In a contest that swung both ways, Siddique’s incisive spell of 5 for 35 restricted Canada to 150 for seven, before Aryansh anchored a composed chase to see UAE home with two balls to spare at 151 for five in 19.4 overs.
Canada, after winning the toss and electing to bat, endured an early jolt when Yuvraj Samra fell for 5. Captain Dilpreet Bajwa (11) followed soon after, both wickets claimed by Siddique inside the Powerplay as Canada slipped to 19 for two. Navneet Dhaliwal attempted to stabilise the innings with a brisk 34 off 28 balls, stitching useful stands in the middle overs.
However, wickets at regular intervals stalled the momentum. Nicholas Kirton managed just 4, and although Harsh Thaker compiled a fighting 50 off 41 deliveries, he lacked sustained support at the other end.
Shreyas Movva contributed 21, but Siddique returned to break the backbone of the middle order, removing Thaker and Movva before striking again at the death to complete his five-for.
Muhammad Jawadullah provided excellent support, conceding just 16 runs in his four overs, as Canada finished on 150 for seven — a competitive but slightly underwhelming total on a good batting surface.
In reply, UAE’s chase began cautiously. Captain Muhammad Waseem fell for 4, and Alishan Sharafu (5) and Mayank Kumar (4) were unable to convert starts. Canada spinner Saad Bin Zafar bowled a superb spell of 3 for 14, reducing UAE to 66 for four in the 13th over and bringing Canada firmly back into the contest.
Amid the mounting pressure, Aryansh held firm. The wicketkeeper-batsman blended caution with calculated aggression, finding the boundary at regular intervals while rotating strike smartly. His knock of 74 not out off 53 balls included six fours and three sixes, and it proved the bedrock of the chase.
The turning point came through his 84-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Sohaib Khan. Sohaib launched a counter-attack, smashing 51 off just 29 balls, laced with four fours and four sixes, shifting the momentum decisively. The duo neutralised the rising required rate and kept the Canadian bowlers at bay in the death overs.
Though Sohaib fell in the penultimate over with just one run needed, Aryansh remained composed to guide UAE across the line at 151 for five in 19.4 overs.
For Canada, Saad Bin Zafar’s disciplined spell stood out, while Kaleem Sana and Jaskarandeep Singh claimed a wicket each but proved expensive at crucial stages.
The victory strengthened UAE’s standing in Group D, while Canada were left to reflect on missed opportunities, particularly their inability to contain the decisive Aryansh-Sohaib partnership after having the opposition under pressure.
