Fakhar and Afridi Carry Pakistan, Saim’s Ducks Raise Alarm

On a night of confusion and relief in Dubai, Pakistan booked their Super Four spot at the Asia Cup 2025 with a nervy 41-run win over UAE. The victory was sweet, but the concerns were real.

Few saw this coming. In fact, the first half of the match felt like a slow-burn crisis. Pakistan’s top order stumbled badly again. Fakhar Zaman’s gritty fifty was the lone anchor, while Shaheen Shah Afridi played the unlikely finisher with 29 off just 14 balls. That one moment flipped everything. His late burst lifted Pakistan to 146, a total that looked shaky yet just enough.

The chase had its own drama. UAE threatened early through Chopra’s 35, and at 84 for 3, the upset alarm was ringing. But the pressure told. Wickets tumbled in a heap, the innings folding for 105. Suddenly, the points table looks very different.

Yet one name echoed for the wrong reasons. Saim Ayub. He has six wickets in the tournament, proving his spin can squeeze oppositions. But with the bat, he’s vanished. Three successive ducks, each one more painful than the last, have left the dugout shaking their heads. No runs at all. Not even a single.

It’s become a talking point among fans and pundits. Can Pakistan afford a player who dazzles with the ball but disappears with the bat? That balance is tricky. The Super Four will demand more.

For now, Pakistan marched on, helped by Fakhar’s calm and Afridi’s power hitting. But Saim’s form, or lack of it, could decide how far this campaign goes.