Vriitya Aravind's scintillating unbeaten hundred and an inspiring 4-fer from fast bowler Zawar Farid floored USA by 8 wickets. Aravind and opener Chirag Suri (64 off 73) made light work of USA's meek total of 198 on a batting conducive wicket that the pair took full toll off.
Put into bat by UAE, USA found themselves in dire straits with openers Steven Taylor and the in-form Sushant Modani heading back to the pavilion without a score on the board. The rub of the green went to the UAE as both the openers would consider themselves a touch unlucky with their mode of dismissals. Taylor chipped a full toss straight to mid wicket while Modani seemingly feathered one on the legside to the keeper, a contentious decision Modani wasn't too happy about.
Captain Monank Patel and vice captain Aaron Jones assumed responsibility to lift USA from the precipice. Both the batsmen responded with counter offense. Jones got away with a stylish one legged pull to the midwicket fence followed by a deft touch that beat third man on the ropes off Akifullah. Monank followed suit with lofting a couple of boundaries over midwicket and cover. USA found themselves breathing again with 45 for 2 at the end of 10 overs.
Just when USA seemed to be having their nose in the front, USA lost Monank against the run of play. Farid struck in his first over as Monank paid the ultimate price to walk across his stumps and got pinned on his legs. Gajanand Singh perished with a single digit score off Basil Hameed, trapped on the pads in pursuit of a wild sweep. However, a defiant Jones brought up his half century off 77 balls as teenaged debutant Rahul Jariwala joined him in the middle.
Jariwala showed no signs of nerves; fiercely pulling Hameed to the square leg boundary and swatted one off Ahmed Raza that comfortably sailed over the mid wicket rope. Jones upped the ante as well with a couple of boundaries off Farid. At 136 for 4, the partnership threatened to take the game away from UAE, Farid had Jariwala miss a straight ball to strike him in front. Nisarg Patel holed out at long off for 7 but Jones kept battling hard, clobbering sixes off Farid and leg spinner Meiyappan. Jones was finally dismissed for a resilient 87 off a miscue to deep cover. Jones' dismissal at 169 for 7, fueled an unimpeded batting slide for the hosts as they got bundled out for 198 in the 47th over.
UAE were jolted early in their pursuit of 199 after Ali Khan induced a leading edge off Muhammad Waseem that dollied to cover. Aravind and Suri never looked back after the setback. Aravind opened his account caressing a drive past mid-off to exhibit the silken touch he has carried throughout the series. Suri took a liking for Netravalkar's over-the-wicket angle and pummeled him for his third boundary past mid wicket. Aravind and Suri unleashed themselves on the USA bowlers, hammering 9 more boundaries in the space of 23 balls.
The pair further plundered 15 runs off Nisarg in the 13th over, cruising at over 6 rpo. Suri was especially severe on the ungainly short lengths dished out by USA spinners, bringing up his 50 off as many deliveries. Aravind who had by now steadied himself after an initial burst of boundaries brought up his half century off 53 deliveries. Suri charged off spinner Taylor and deposited him one bounce over the long off boundary, visibly incensed Taylor had Suri sky an ugly hoic over midwicket. CP Rizwan and Aravind cruised through the remaining target of 59 runs with further jitters. Aravind brought up his 3 digit landmark and also fittingly notching the winning runs by creaming a backfoot cover drive off Nosthush Kenjige.
Brief Scores: USA 198 in 46.3 overs (Aaron Jones 87, Monank Patel 43; Zawar Farid 4-30) lose to UAE 200/2 in 40.1 overs (Vriitya Aravind 102*, Chirag Suri 64; Ali Khan 1-24)