UAE vs Scotland, 2nd T20I Tips & Preview – UAE Looking To Bounce Back

By Nikhil Kalro

12 Mar 2024

Nikhil Kalro 12 Mar 2024

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UAE's emerging cricket talent is set to take on Scotland in the second T20I match.
A win against Scotland, despite not qualifying for the T20 World Cup, will be a big boost for the UAE team.
Young talents such as Junaid and Waseem are expected to showcase their skills.

UAE's Muhammad Waseem plays a shot during a T20 match. (Getty Images)

UAE could regain momentum and stun the T20 World Cup-bound Scotland in the second T20I match if they can utilise their burgeoning cricket talent to exploit Scotland's batting challenges.

UAE cricket has blossomed recently. Largely driven by expats from the subcontinent, the region is now trying to unearth local talent through robust investment in the grassroots. Some of those investments—like Ayaan Afzal Khan and Karthik Meiyappan—are now paying off, and young players coming through the ranks are slowly beginning to emerge on the international scene.

And the Associate world is like a breeding ground for emerging talent. The ongoing T20I series against Scotland is one such set of games that will give them an opportunity to try out these players and form a core group under new coach Lalchand Rajput as they gear up for the journey ahead. Not qualifying for the T20 World Cup later this year in the Caribbean and USA is a blow, but beating Scotland, a side that will be playing in the tournament, will be a massive high.

Munsey Covers Up For Patchy Scotland Batting

Scotland’s batting has looked shaky in recent times. In the first T20I, they’d slipped to 49 for 3 in the seventh over. Luckily they found a savior in George Munsey, who nearly batted through to top score with 75. While there were some pugnacious contributions from Michael Leask and Jack Jarvis, the 149 they posted was strictly just par, maybe a tad below par.

Junaid Fires UAE With The Ball

Junaid Siddique’s recent form has a lot to do with the work he’s put in with coaches during his time with the Sharjah Warriors at the ILT20. He only played three games in that tournament but came out of it a better bowler. His pace has improved, as has his ability to swing the ball. In the series opener, these attributes proved too hot to handle for Scotland, as he picked up a four-for that smoothened their passage to victory.

UAE vs Scotland, 2nd T20I – Tips and Predictions

Scotland have found it harder to adapt from the 50-over format to T20 within a short span, and on slow surfaces in Dubai, they’re likely to struggle unless their top order fires. UAE in current form, are your best bet. Pick Muhammad Waseem, who opened the series with a 43-ball 68 at the top of the order. Jarvis could be a value all-round pick, even though he’ll be playing in only his second T20I. Aayan Afzal Khan is another all-rounder who could offer wholesome value with both bat and ball.