Scotland secured their second consecutive victory at the World Cup qualifier by defeating the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with a commanding 111-run margin.
Captain Richie Berrington played a pivotal role for Scotland, scoring an impressive 127 runs, guiding his team to a total of 282/8.
While UAE maintained a competitive run rate, they struggled to build pressure due to consistent wicket losses throughout the match.
Sayfaan Sharif was the star bowler for Scotland, taking 4-20, while Chris Sole also contributed with figures of 3-37, providing a rare success for the team batting first in Zimbabwe.
Despite Scotland’s dramatic last-ball win over Ireland on Wednesday, they faced early trouble at 25/3 in the ninth over, with Junaid Siddique dismissing openers Chris McBride and Matthew Cross.
However, Berrington’s remarkable innings rescued the team. He settled in and then accelerated, smashing nine fours and three sixes before being run out on the final ball.
In addition to Berrington’s performance, Michael Leask contributed 41 runs, and Chris Greaves added 22. Mark Watt played a crucial role with a rapid 44 off 31 balls, partnering with Berrington to establish a respectable total.
UAE struggled in their run chase, losing three wickets within the powerplay. When captain Muhammad Waseem was dismissed for 36, they found themselves at 82/5.
Although UAE attempted partnerships, they failed to sustain them, while Scotland remained composed. Sayfaan Sharif returned to the attack and swiftly took three wickets in succession, ending the match with a fiery yorker.
Scotland now looks ahead to Group B matches against Oman and Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, the third defeat for UAE extinguished their hopes of advancing to the Super Six stage.
Brief Score: Scotland 282 for 8 (Berrington 127, Watt 44*, Leask 41, Siddique 3-49) beat United Arab Emirates 171 (Waseem 36, Sharif 4-20, Sole 3-37) by 111 runs.
Man of the Match: Richie Berrington
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