UAE finished their Group B fixtures to remain unbeaten as they thrashed Bahrain by a massive 114 runs in their last league match in the Asian Cricket Council Twenty20 Cup in Nepal on Sunday.

This meant UAE finished on the top of Group B table with four wins and eight points and will now face Nepal in the semi-finals on Tuesday. Afghanistan, who finished below UAE will play Group A table toppers Hong Kong in the other.

Batting by choice, UAE piled on a massive 226 for five in 20 overs with opener Abdul Shakoor top scoring with a brilliant 84 from only 45 deliveries.

UAE finished their Group B fixtures to remain unbeaten after thrashing Bahrain by a massive 114 runs. — KT file

Shakoor had his intentions clear from the very start dealing with only boundaries and sixes early in the innings. While he smashed 11 boundaries, his five sixes also included three successive sixes to Jamal Mohamed.

He shared two good half century partnerships putting UAE in a very strong position. The first one was built with Amjad Javed (22, 15b, 3×4) for the second wicket that added 57 runs and the second with Rohan Mustafa for 53 before Shakoor departed.

Mustafa and Mohammad Azam took it from there to share a fantastic 52-run for the fifth wicket before Mustafa who scored 35 from 20 deliveries including a boundary and three sixes succumbed. Azam then went on a run riot smashing four boundaries and two sixes to remain unbeaten on 47 from 26 deliveries. Though he was unlucky to miss out on his half century, he had ensured UAE were firmly placed crossing the 200-run mark at the end of 20 overs.

In reply, Bahrain opener Arshad Latif (19) made a positive start but with a tall target to chase, the rest of the batsmen fell like a pack of cards to some brilliant UAE bowling attack. Thanks to some small contributions lower the order Bahrain managed to achieve 112 for eight in 20 overs. UAE debutant Adil Reyal made an impressive start to claim two wickets during his three-over spell.