Shoaib Malik and Umar Akmal each scored a half-century as Pakistan survived an early innings jitters to beat the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by seven wickets in the Asia Cup in Dhaka yesterday.   
Set a modest target after their  bowlers had restricted the UAE to 129-6, Pakistan lost three wickets in 17 runs before Malik and Akmal saw them home with solid batting.   
Malik made 63 off 49 balls while Akmal added 50 off 46 balls as the pair added 114 runs for the unbroken fourth wicket partnership to steer Pakistan to 131-3 with eight balls to spare.  
UAE captain Amjad Javed took all three Pakistan wickets as he trapped Sharjeel Khan leg-before for four before inducing an edge from Khurram Manzoor’s bat for a duck in his first over.   
Pakistan were in danger when Mohammad Hafeez gave a catch to Fahad Tariq at cover for 11 in Javed’s next over.   
But Malik and Akmal staved off a further collapse with some cautious batting mixed with calculated aggression.
“We all know the first six overs have been crucial. If you survive, then you can play shots and that is what we did,” said man of the match Malik, who hit seven fours and three sixes.    
“We lost early wickets but then we decided to forget about the run rate and focus on playing out the first six overs.   
“We bowled well in the first six overs but then we were a bit all over the place, hopefully we will talk about it.”  
Shaiman Anwar made 46 off 42 balls for the UAE after the minnows suffered a similar collapse at the start of their innings.   
Pakistan’s pace bowling trio of Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Sami and Mohammad Irfan each claimed a wicket apiece in their respective first spell to leave the UAE struggling with 12-3.  
Anwar and Usman Mushtaq offered some resistance before Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi removed Mushtaq for nine.  
Anwar then launched a counter attack, first hitting debutant Mohammad Nawaz for a six and a four and then dispatching three successive deliveries of Afridi for fours.   
Irfan dismissed Anwar to finish with 2-30. Amir finished with 2-6 after he bowled Mohammad Usman out for 21.   
Skipper Javed remained unbeaten on 27 to give the UAE a fighting chance against the former World Twenty20 champions.   
But Javed rued a lost opportunity.  
“We wanted about 120 but we got 10 runs extra,” he said.    
“We knew it would be difficult to chase, we got some early wickets, but we could not capitalise on that.”  
India will face Sri Lanka today.
SCOREBOARD
UAE
Rohan Mustafa c Afridi b Sami 1  
Muhammad Kaleem b Amir 1  
Mohammad Shahzad c Sarfraz b Irfan 5  
Shaiman Anwar c Sarfraz b Irfan 46  
Usman Mushtaq c Nawaz b Afridi 9  
Mohammad Usman b Amir 21  
Amjad Javed  not out 27  
Mohammad Naveed not out 10  
Extras (lb 2 w7) 9
Total (six wickets; 20 overs ) 129
Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Rohan) 2-5 (Kaleem), 3-12 (Shahzad), 4-41 (Mushtaq), 5-72 (Shaiman), 6-118 (Usman)
Bowling: Amir 4-1-6-2, Sami 4-0-28-1 (w2), Irfan 4-0-30-2 (w1), Afridi 4-0-24-1 (w3), Nawaz 3-0-26-0 (w1), Malik 1-0-13-0  
PAKISTAN  
Mohamed Hafeez c Fahad b Amjad 11  
Sharjeel Khan lbw b Amjad 4  
Khurram Manzoor c Patil b Amjad 0  
Umar Akmal not out 50  
Shoaib Malik not out 63   
Extras (w3) 3  
Total ( three wickets; 18.4 overs) 131  
Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Sharjeel) 2-11 (Khurram), 3-17 (Hafeez)
Bowling: Naveed 3.4-0-28-0 (w1), Amjad 4-0-36-3(w2) Shahzad 4-0-19-0, Raza 3-0-20-0, Rohan 3-0-20-0, Fahad 1-0-8-0.
Result: Pakistan won by 7 wickets.

Bangladesh call up Tamim for injured Mustafizur
Bangladesh yesterday called up opening batsman Tamim Iqbal for the remaining part of the Asia Cup as a replacement for pacer Mustafizur Rahman, who was ruled out with injury.   
Team physio Bayjedul Islam said Mustafizur complained of discomfort after Sunday’s match against Sri Lanka and an MRI scan and a report from the radiologist confirmed a strain on a right rib.   
“He is under conservative treatment and rest for next 48 hours. Following that the rehab will begin,” Islam said in statement.
“We are expecting that he will make a quick recovery and resume bowling soon.”  
Mustafizur played a key role in Bangladesh’s 23-run win over Sri Lanka with four tight overs for  just 19 runs. He also took the vital wicket of all-rounder Thisara Perera.
Tamim, who is a regular member of the side, was allowed to skip the Asia Cup to be with his wife, who gave birth to a baby boy in Bangkok on Sunday.
 Tamim returned home yesterday and joined the training camp.
“Our little bundle of joy has arrived! By the Grace of Almighty, we’ve been blessed with a baby boy early today,” Tamim Iqbal wrote on his Facebook page, reports bdnews24.com.
Bangladesh will face Pakistan in their last league match of the tournament tomorrow.
The hosts, who have four points from three matches, will qualify for the March 6 final if they can beat Pakistan in the last match.