Arshad Ali and Raza star in UAE victory

Arshad Ali and Ahmed Raza played starring roles in UAE's emphatic 167-run victory against Bermuda in a one-day international at Hamilton on Sunday.

Left arm spinner Raza wreaked havoc to claim five for 29 to dismiss Bermuda for 91 in 27 overs after the UAE had set them a stiff target of 259 after being put into bat.

Bermuda's attack struck regular blows after winning the toss to restrict the visitors to 258 for nine, with Justin Pitcher picking up three early wicket to reduce the UAE to 65 for 3 in the 14th over.

Saqib Ali and Arshad Ali initiated the recovery adding 71 in 15.3 overs. Saqib struck two fours and a six in his 52-ball 40 before he became the first of Joshua Gilbert's four victims.

Swapnil Patel kept the strike rotating as Arshad pushed the UAE towards a competitive total with 66 off 83 balls, before Gilbert struck him in front of the stumps.

Bermuda rallied in the next few overs picking four wickets for 22 as the visitors struggled for the final thrust. The hosts could, however, not sustain the intensity, as No10 batsman Raza scored an unbeaten run-a-ball 21 to lead his side to 258.

Bermuda's bowlers let themselves down by conceding 40 extras, 25 of them wides. Bermuda's hopes of chasing the target faded early as UAE's new-ball pair, Amjad Javed and Moiz Shahid, reduced them to 20 for 4.

Raza then took centre-stage, running through the middle and lower order to finish with his first five-wicket haul in List A games.

The UAE will next play two back to back Twenty20 matches on Monday.

Brief scores

UAE 258 for 9 (Arshad 66, Saqib 40, Gilbert 4-47, Pitcher 3-51) beat Bermuda 91 (Fray 34 not out, Raza 5-29) by 167 runs

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