Undefeated UAE enter ACC Premier Cup 2026 semifinals

Dubai: The United Arab Emirates is making strides in cricket, as both the women’s and men’s teams approach the semifinals of the 2026 Women’s Asia Cup. Currently, UAE has won all four matches in the tournament, which is being held in Malaysia. Their latest victory came against Oman, a re-match of the 2024 final. In their most recent game, Tanish Suri and Adeeb Usmani put together 88 combined runs, enabling UAE to set a target of 192 runs.

However, Oman struggled to replicate their performance, with openers Jatinder Singh and Karan Sonavale contributing only four runs each.

Despite both Oman’s openers falling for ducks, Mujibur Ali and Jay Odedra managed to continue the trend of scoring ducks themselves. UAE’s Hammad Mirza and Jiten Ramanandi, however, demonstrated resilience with a solid partnership, amassing a combined total of 68 runs. The key contributor for UAE’s bowling was Khuzaima Tanveer, who took three crucial early wickets. Additionally, 20-year-old Aayan Afzal Khan made a significant impact with five wickets.

Oman eventually succumbed to UAE’s bowling, losing all their wickets after scoring 143 runs. Although they came close to the target, their wickets falling short ensured a fourth consecutive win for UAE. The victorious team will now join the knockout rounds as unbeaten contenders. Their next opponents are yet to be determined, as they await the outcome of the Hong Kong, China vs Nepal match. A win for Hong Kong, China would secure their spot in the semifinals, setting up a potential clash against UAE.

This victory would also mean the host nation, Malaysia, would be eliminated from the tournament. Hong Kong, China’s upcoming match against Nepal could prove to be challenging, as both teams remain undefeated in the competition. Nonetheless, no team should be considered too formidable for the defending champions.