UAE's Sohaib Khan credits MS Dhoni's philosophy after playing match-winning knock vs Canada

New Delhi:

Chasing 151 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, the UAE found themselves in deep trouble at 66/4, as the match began to slip away. However, opener Aryansh Sharma and Shoaib Khan turned the tide with a match-winning partnership, sealing victory with two balls to spare.

Aryansh remained unbeaten on 74 off 53 deliveries, while Bihar-born Shoaib counterattacked brilliantly with a 51 off just 29 balls. With the required rate climbing above 12 runs per over during the middle overs, Shoaib’s aggressive stroke play helped ease the mounting pressure.

The pair stitched together a crucial 84-run stand to guide the UAE to a five-wicket win, only their second victory in T20 World Cup history. Speaking after the match, Shoaib revealed that he drew inspiration from MS Dhoni’s philosophy of staying calm under pressure and backing himself to win the game. 

“The strategy was quite simple. We needed 12 runs per over, and as MS Dhoni says, when you’re out there in a pressure game, just back yourself and stay calm. That’s exactly what I was thinking,” Shoaib said at the post-match press conference.

Apart from Shoaib and Aaryanh, veteran pacer Junaid Siddique had a remarkable day, claiming his maiden five-for in international cricket.

Sohaib shares his background story

Born in Gaya, Sohaib moved to UAE in 2021. In India, he studied Sociology in Jamia Millia Islamia and played college cricket for the North Zone. However, for financial opportunities, he moved to UAE, where he used to work for a stock market company during the daytime and play cricket at night. It was only recently that he made his debut for UAE and in his first World Cup itself, Shoaib proved his mettle.

Aaryansh, on the other hand, was born in Ghaziabad and moved to UAE when he was only two years old. 

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