Requiring six runs off the final over, the Dutch snuck home with a ball to spare in a low-scoring thriller in Geelong
Match Report:
ScorecardNetherlands scrape home after huge scare against UAE
The Netherlands have hung on to beat UAE by three wickets with just one ball remaining in their T20 World Cup opener.
Melbourne-raised captain Scott Edwards struck the winning runs as the Dutch chased down the UAE's 8-111 in a tense final over.
While Edwards scored a crucial 16no from 19 balls to see the Dutch home after their late stumble, his counterpart CP Rizwan was left ruing a costly dropped catch.
Junaid Siddique had taken two wickets in the 14th over to leave the Netherlands reeling at 6-76.
Image Id: 2C330BB58B8D4E06B01C6F4291E706A5 Image Caption: A double-strike from Junaid Siddique in the 14th over swung the game back in the UAE’s favour // GettyTim Pringle was yet to score in the same over when he skied a straightforward chance to Rizwan at mid-off, who grassed the opportunity.
Pringle then made 15 in a crucial seventh-wicket stand of 27 with Edwards.
Zaheer Farid bowled Pringle in the second-last over, but Logan van Beek combined with Edwards to steer the Dutch home.
"It's definitely heartbreaking - we put our heart and soul into it, but we could have grabbed those chances - mine, I must say, I could have grabbed that," Rizwan said post-match.
"It would have made a difference."
The Dutch were cruising at 2-59 in the ninth over, but steadily lost wickets and did not hit a boundary after the eighth over.
The UAE assisted by leaking runs as well making errors in the field, headlined by Rizwan's dropped catch.
"It was always a little bit nervy until the end, but just relief we got over the line," Edwards said.
"I'm still struggling to process it ... getting the tournament underway with a win, which is the most important thing."
Image Id: 39E9A3BFEA904D7F8C9B217D66FABB26 Image Caption: Dutch skipper Scott Edwards was ice-cool in the final overs // GettyThe UAE won the toss and with opener Muhammad Waseem pacing their innings, and reached 2-91 at the end of the 16th over.
But Muhammada holed out to Fred Klaassen as Tim Pringle took a well-judged catch at long on to dismiss him for 41 off 47 balls.
From there the UAE innings fell apart; they lost their last six wickets for just 20 as Player of the Match Bas de Leede took three wickets in the 19th over.
Image Id: 8C853C4EB3F646269FB0D2CD4CF2B9D0 Image Caption: Fred Klaassen finished with the brilliant figures of 2-13 off four overs // GettyWith one ball left, Aayan Khan was dismissed for five and he tripped over the boundary rope on the way back to the dressing room, summing up the UAE's innings.
This is the UAE's second T20 World Cup after they debuted in 2014.
They are winless after four matches over the two tournaments.