UAE’s Asif Khan Blames Inexperience for Defeat Against Pakistan

Sharjah:UAE’s hard-hitting middle-order batsman **Asif Khan** has attributed his team’s defeat against Pakistan to a **lack of experience**, despite his own brilliant performance with the bat.

Speaking at a post-match press conference after UAE’s loss in Sharjah, Asif Khan said:
“Our inexperience cost us the game, otherwise the result could have been different. Still, we’ve given big teams a wake-up call and are confident ahead of the Asia Cup.”

The Lahore-born batter smashed a blazing **77 runs off 35 balls**, keeping UAE’s hopes alive in the chase. However, he admitted that Pakistan’s strong bowling attack derailed their late-overs power-hitting plan.

He also praised UAE captain **Muhammad Waseem** for his innings but called his run-out a “major setback” for the team.

“Sharjah is our home ground, and the crowd supported us. We’ve trained hard in recent weeks, and I believe the results will come,” he added.

Highlighting UAE’s strength in the shorter format, Asif said:
“Our real power is in T20 cricket. If we can restrict opponents to 170–180 through bowling, we stand a good chance of winning.”

Born in **Lahore in 1990**, Asif Khan played **32 first-class matches between 2007 and 2014** before joining UAE cricket.

In the **Tri-Nation T20 series**, Pakistan defeated UAE by **31 runs** in the second match. Pakistan set a target of **208 runs**, while UAE finished at **176 for 8 wickets** in their 20 overs.