From the ICC T20 - Day 4





	7.02 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland Shadeep Silva holes out to long on and UAE have lost by 22 runs. Disappointment for the home fans and the Super 4s are now wide open with any two of the four teams in it, still with a chance. Tomorrow's matches UAE v Afghanistan and Ireland v Netherlands are both virtual semi-finals. A day which had held out the prospect of so much for the Asian teams ends with the knowledge that one of them will be knocked out of the World T20 tomorrow after they meet. One of the teams will be there for sure though, which is good news.

	7.01 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland UAE need 23 off the last over. "Try, try" says Khurram Khan.

	6.56 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland Irish eyes are smiling and Spanish is being sung, 'Ole, Ole, Ole' by their fans. The ninth UAE wicket falls in the 18th over.

	6.52 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland Qadar Nawaz falls, Alex Cusack's third wicket. And the climb gets steeper. Pretty quiet around the ground now. UAE 118 for 8 after 17, needing 2 runs a ball from now on in.

	6.49 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland HUGE BLOW. Saqib falls for 63 at the start of the 17th, looked like he wasn't quite ready but he played on and now Ireland have the whip hand. It's going to take something extraordinary fort UAE's remaining batsmen to get 36 off the last 23 balls.

	6.47 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland Abdul Rehman is lbw to George Dockrell for 19 off 17 and UAE need 37 off the last 4 overs. Wise lag Shadeep Silva walks in, not the biggest hitter but he knows what to do.

	6.44 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland UAE are 108 for 5 after 15, and require 45 off the last 30 balls at 9 an over. Doable, defendable, excitement make-able. 45 runs between the UAE and the West Indies ICC World T20... ... potentially!

	6.41 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland UAE pass 100 at the start of the 15th over, thanks to an Abdul Rehman cover drive which gets to the boundary. UAE seem to be managing a fine run-chase. The team are animated in the dressing-room and Ireland for all their fielding excellence just can't stop the runs coming.

	6.33 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland Saqib gets to 50 (38 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) with a push for 2 and his team-mates stand to applaud. UAE 89 for 5 after 12. They need 64 off 48 at exactly 8 an over.

	6.27 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland Naeem falls to a well-disguised O'Brien slower ball, to be caught close in. And the game's getting very tense, very tight. Ireland have plenty of hustle and bustle about them in the field, moving briskly to their fielding positions. The boundary boards are being well-patrolled. UAE 78 for 5 after 11. Need 75 off the next nine overs. Plenty of encouragement for the UAE from the dressing-room. "We need one partnership," Khurram Khan be heard saying.



	6.24 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland Saqib's not found the boundary for a while but there's plenty of zip and zap from Naeem Aslam as UAE reach 69 for 4 at the half-way stage. They need another 84.

	6.10 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland Khurram falls to a blinder of a return catch by Alex Cusack, and UAE are 54 for 4 halfway through the seventh over. They need 99 off 81 balls to win now. Bit of a hush and a chill in the stadium, Khurram was one whom many hopes rested.

	6.03 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland If Saqib and Khurram keep going the game will be finished in 10 overs. A sublime straight drive by Khurram to end the over and UAE are 46 for 3 after 5, needing 107 off the next 15 overs at just over 7.

	5.53 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland Khurram's not the only one who can bat in this UAE team. Saqib Ali drives an awesome 6, on the up, over long off. Phenomenal and has his team-mates on their feet in admiration. UAE 26 for 3 after 3 overs.

	5.50 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland Ireland strike again! Fayyaz Ahmed falls to a great catch at third man off an uppercut. The great Khurram Khan, UAE's captain and titan, walks in. UAE 17 for 3 at the start of the third over. The only consolation for UAE losing so many wickets so early is that Khurram has plenty of time to play himself in.

	5.43 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland All happening in the first over. A Muhammad Iqbal 6, a run-out from some great Irish fielding and an Iqbal dismissal to a catch on the boundary. UAE 9 for 2 after 1 over.

	5.25 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland Ireland come good in the last 3 overs and finish on 152 for 7. Good effort by them and sets up the possibility of a good chase by UAE, who have some dynamic batsmen.

	5.10 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland The wheels are falling off the Irish accelerator as they look to post 140. Two quick wickets and they're 117 for 6 after 17.

	5.00 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland Ireland 99 for 3 after 15, on course for 133 at this rate. One boundary off the last Qasim Zubair over but UAE fielding and bowling well.

	4.51 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland Ireland just starting to put up a total here, 84 for 3 after 13 overs but UAE are not letting them get away. There have been no boundaries since the seventh over.

	4.37 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland The lights around the inner rim of the stadium's canopy come on, and to greet the 'Ring of Fire', Khurram Khan takes a wicket with his second balll, Cusack caught well by Muhammad Iqbal at deep mid-wicket. Ireland 61 for 3 after 10 overs. Game in the balance.

	4.20 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland Saqib does it again, this time with the first ball of his second over, bowling Andre Botha off his pads. Iralnd now 35 for 2 after 5.1 overs. UAE looking good and Ireland's weakness against spinners, as shown against Afghanistan, again in evidence.

	4.14 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland Saqib Ali comes on with his leg-breaks, a clever move, to cut off the pace on which Porterfield's been thriving and gets a result with his first ball, catching the strong Irish left-hander off his own bowling. Ireland now 29 for 1 in the 6th over.

	4.13 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland Porterfield's bat make whipcrack booms as he hits strongly off the back foot. Ireland 27 for 0 off 3, Porterfield 21 off 10 balls. Two-thirds of this beautiful ground now covered in shadow. The 'Ring of Fire' will be on soon.

	4.07 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland Ireland make a good start 15 for 0 after 2 overs. UAE's bowlers probing well, but finding that anything dropped short or full to William Porterfield is being hit away powerfully. Ireland finding plenty of singles too.

	3.58 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland Super 4s The players take the field in the late afternoon sun, the ground a lot quieter now though about a 100 Afghan fans have stayed on and there are a quote a few Irish supporters. Should be a very good match this.

	3.47 PM Dubai, UAE v Ireland Super 4s Ireland won the toss and chose to bat

From the ICC T20 - Day 4 - UAE v Ireland