A startling incident briefly brought the Asia Cup Group A clash between Pakistan and the UAE to a standstill in Dubai on Wednesday. On-field umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge was unfortunately struck on the ear by a fielder’s throw, causing an immediate halt to play.
The unsettling event occurred during the sixth over of the UAE’s chase. A ball thrown back towards the bowler inadvertently caught the Sri Lankan umpire on his left ear. Visibly dazed, Palliyaguruge immediately received attention from concerned Pakistan fielders who rushed to his side. The team physio quickly attended to him, and after a brief delay, a reserve umpire took his place on the field.
Earlier in the match, Pakistan, batting first after losing the toss, posted a total of 146 for 9 in their allotted 20 overs. This respectable score was largely bolstered by Fakhar Zaman’s aggressive half-century, scoring 50 off just 36 balls, and a crucial late cameo from Shaheen Shah Afridi, who smashed an unbeaten 29 runs off only 14 deliveries, including two sixes, to rescue the innings from a potential collapse.
UAE’s bowlers had performed admirably, with Junaid Siddique claiming impressive figures of 4 for 18 and Simranjeet Singh Kang adding 3 for 18. Their efforts kept Pakistan to a total that felt within reach for the UAE. Pakistan’s top order struggled once more, with Saim Ayub recording his third consecutive duck of the tournament, and Abdullah Shafique also departing cheaply.
In pursuit of 147 runs to secure a spot in the Super Four stage, UAE’s innings started precariously against Pakistan’s spinners. Saim Ayub made an impact with the ball, taking a wicket in his very first over, while Abrar Ahmed swiftly dismissed UAE captain Muhammad Waseem in his opening spell, igniting hopes for his side. The unexpected injury to the umpire added yet another layer of drama to an already tense contest, which had faced an hour-long delay and even boycott threats from Pakistan before a ball was bowled.