New Delhi | Young Alishan Sharafu led a charmed life with double reprieves but Anrich Nortje, playing his first match of the T20 World Cup, bowled quick and straight to restrict United Arab Emirates to 122 for 6 in an inconsequential final group game here on Wednesday.
With Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen rested before the important Super Eights fixture against India in Ahmedabad on Sunday, Nortje (2/28 in 4 overs) and Corbin Bosch (3/12 in 4 overs) bowled short and quick consistently as the UAE batting unit never really looked like in control of the situation.
While Sharafu managed a 38-ball 45 with five fours and a six, he was lucky due to the 'butter-fingered' Proteas fielders, who dropped two catches.
With conditions overcast and floodlights being put on, Aiden Markram was spot on in opting to bowl and unleash his pace battery on the minnows trying to make use of the underlying moisture.
Although skipper Muhammad Waseem (22 off 12 balls) and Aryansh Sharma moved a bit away from the line of quick deliveries and got a few boundaries in the process using the pace, it was left-arm spinner George Linde, who got the first breakthrough.
Waseem went to sweep a much fuller delivery and was left plumb in-front.
Once the powerplay got over, UAE batters, save Sharafu's attacking strokes, could never come to terms with pace and bounce on offer.
Sohaib Khan, who had back-to-back half-centuries against Canada and Afghanistan, had no clue when Bosch let one fly and all he could do was to nick it to Quinton de Kock behind the stumps.
How UAE wilted could be gauged from the fact that they hit 10 boundaries in all in which Sharafu and Waseem hit nine cumulatively.
Just when the UAE innings ended, steady drizzle forced the ground staff to cover the centre square.
