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The United Arab Emirates were knocked out of the Asia Cup after a 41-run defeat against a strong Group A opponent on Wednesday.

The match began an hour late, but once play got underway, UAE looked to be in control early on. After winning the toss and choosing to field, their bowlers quickly put pressure on the opposition. Fast bowler Junaid Siddique delivered a superb spell of 4-18, while left-arm spinner Simranjeet Singh added 3-26. At one stage, UAE looked poised for an upset as their rivals slumped to 9-2 inside the first three overs.

Despite the early breakthroughs, a middle-order partnership steadied the opponent’s innings, and a late cameo of 29 not out off 14 balls lifted their score to 146-9. UAE’s bowlers, however, could take pride in the way they kept the game alive, consistently striking at key moments and never letting the opposition settle completely.

When it was UAE’s turn to bat, the chase proved challenging. Alishan Sharafu (12) was bowled by a sharp delivery, captain Muhammad Waseem was dismissed early after a spectacular catch in the field, and Muhammad Zohaib was clean bowled soon after. UAE slipped to 37-3 inside the powerplay and struggled to build momentum against disciplined spin bowling.

Rahul Chopra (35 off 35 balls) and Dhurv Parashar (20 off 23) tried to rebuild the innings, but with the required run rate climbing above ten runs an over, the pressure mounted. Power-hitter Asif Khan was dismissed for a duck, and the rest of the lineup could not keep pace. UAE were eventually bowled out for 105 in 17.4 overs.

Despite the defeat, UAE showed flashes of quality, especially through Siddique’s four wickets and Simranjeet’s clever spell that rattled the opposition’s middle order. Their bowling effort earned praise for keeping the game competitive against one of the group’s favorites.

The result ended UAE’s campaign in the group stage, but the spirited display against a top side highlighted the team’s growing depth and potential on the international stage.