How Did Siddique’s 4/23 and Waseem’s Record Knock Lead UAE to Their First Win?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Junaid Siddique shines with 4 wickets.
- Muhammad Waseem scores 69 runs and crosses 3000 T20I runs.
- UAE sets a target of 173 runs.
- Oman collapses to 130 all out.
- This win revitalizes UAE's campaign in Asia Cup 2025.
Abu Dhabi, Sep 15 (NationPress) In a thrilling matchup, Junaid Siddique achieved an outstanding bowling performance, claiming 4 wickets for 23 runs to guide the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to their first victory in the Asia Cup 2025 with an impressive 42-run win against Oman at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
The foundation of this victory was laid by captain Muhammad Waseem, who scored a composed 69 runs off 54 balls, while Siddique's bowling dismantled Oman's batting lineup.
After setting a target of 173, Siddique struck early, removing both openers Aamir Kaleem (2) and captain Jatinder Singh (20) during the powerplay. His strategic variations in pace and length derailed Oman's innings, culminating in remarkable figures of 4/23. He received valuable support from Haider Ali (2/22) and Muhammad Jawadullah (2/18), leading to Oman being bowled out for 130 in just 18.4 overs.
Chasing a challenging target, Oman faltered early, sinking to 41/4 in the powerplay and later to 50/5 after losing Faisal Shah (9). Although debutant Aryan Bisht (24) and Vinayak Shukla (20) provided momentary resistance, the wickets continued to fall, marking their second consecutive defeat of the tournament and leaving them on the brink of elimination.
Earlier, after opting to bat, UAE's innings was anchored by a solid 88-run opening partnership between Waseem and Alishan Sharafu. Sharafu was the aggressor, scoring 51 runs off 38 balls before being dismissed by Jiten Ramanandi. Waseem's innings of 69 runs off 54 balls, which included six fours and three sixes, was historic as he became the first UAE batter to surpass 3000 T20I runs and the fourth fastest to reach this milestone.
Mohammad Zuhaib Khan contributed a quick 21 runs off 13 balls, while Harshit Kaushik's unbeaten 19 runs off 8 balls, featuring 2 sixes, propelled UAE to a total of 172/5. For Oman, only Ramanandi (2/24) and Shakeel Ahmed (0/16 in 3) managed to contain the scoring, as the others conceded over nine runs per over.
With this victory, UAE not only rebounded from their opening defeat against India but also kept their hopes alive in Group A, while Oman now faces a critical juncture following consecutive losses.
Brief score: United Arab Emirates 172/5 in 20 overs (Muhammad Waseem 69, Alishan Sharafu 51; Jiten Ramanandi 2/24, Hassnain Ali Shah 1/34) beat Oman 130 all out in 18.4 overs (Aryan Bish 24, Jatinder Singh 20; Junai Siddique 4/23, Haider Ali 2/22) by 42 runs