Siddique's 5-35 restricts Canada to 150 despite Thaker's fighting fifty

Opting to bat first on a used pitch, Canada lost both openers inside the first four overs and slipped to 39-3 at the end of the powerplay. Thaker hit two fours and three sixes in a 41-ball fifty, while combining with Navneet Dhaliwal in a 58-run stand for the fourth wicket.

But Dhaliwal's run out for 34 in the 13th over proved to be a turning point, and despite Thaker getting his fifty, Canada struggled to find boundaries as UAE's bowlers tightened their lines, as 23 runs came off the last three overs.

Siddique was the standout bowler for UAE, claiming his five-wicket haul with disciplined pace variations and have the best bowling figures for an Associate bowler in this edition of the tournament. Muhammad Jawadullah provided him excellent support with an economical spell of 1-16. Canada's running between the wickets was also sluggish, as they missed out on several twos that could have lifted their par-total.

Siddique struck in his very first over by having Canada captain Dilpreet Bajwa mistime a drive to mid-off. In his next over, Siddique had Yuvraj Samra lofting tamely to mid-on. Nicholas Kirton joined Dhaliwal, and though the latter unfurled a stylish drive and punch, Canada slipped further when Kirton edged behind off Jawadullah, leaving the side at 39/3 in the power-play.

The middle overs saw a revival, as Dhaliwal and Thaker mixed caution with aggression. Thaker broke free with a towering six over long-on and a cut through point off Haider Ali, before taking a boundary each off Muhammad Farooq and Muhammad Arfan respectively. Dhaliwal showcased his timing with straight drives and inside-out strokes over cover off Farooq, as the pair shared a 58-run stand off 47 balls.

Just as Dhaliwal looked set, disaster struck when attempting a quick single in the 13th over; he was run out by a direct hit from short fine leg. Replays showed Dhaliwal's bat was stuck on the line, and his desperate lunge with the foot falling short, leaving him dejected.

With Dhaliwal gone, Thaker marched forward to complete his half-century off 40 balls. But he fell on the next ball he faced - trying to loft off a slower ball from Siddique, but holed out to cover. In the final over, Siddique had Shreyas Movva miscuing to mid-off, while forcing Saad Bin Zafar to pull a short ball straight to deep mid-wicket, giving the pacer his fifth wicket of the match, and he bowed down in sajda as the celebration.

Though Dilon Heyliger hit a six on the last ball over deep midwicket to take Canada to 150, something the UAE will fancy chasing down, though it may not be easy due to the two-paced nature of the pitch.

Brief Scores: Canada 150/7 in 20 overs (Harsh Thaker 50, Navneet Dhaliwal 34; Junaid Siddique 5-35, Muhammad Jawadullah 1-16) against UAE

- IANS