The glimmering candle of Canadian hope that if the UAE beat Italy today (November 23) then a Canadian win against Italy on Sunday might see Canada reach the playoff phase of the ICC World Twenty20 qualifier has been extinguished. Italy, invited to bat first by the UAE, scored 158 for five then bowled out the UAE for 91 runs. Italy won by 67 runs.

So Italy now has five points, have a positive net run rate and sit in fifth place in the Group A standings. Ireland (11 points), Hong Kong (10 points), UAE (8 points) and Namibia (6 points) occupy the top four places. Canada, even with a win over Italy on Sunday, could only muster a maximum of four points; half of which would have to come from a win against Italy.
Italian stands of 47 for the third wicket between Peter Petricola (38) and captain Damian Crowley (59), and 50 for the fourth wicket between Crowley and Carl Sandri (30) carried Italy to 158 for five wickets. Opener Gareth Berg hit 19 of 22 runs within the first three overs, before becoming the second Italian to be dismissed.
Gayashan Munasinghe removed the first three UAE batsmen by the middle of the third over with just six runs on the board. UAE skipper Khurram Khan was then caught and bowled by Crowley for 16 (14 for 4). Swapnil Patil (13), Rohan Mustafa (17) and Mohammad Shafiq (25) improved the UAE scoring, but the innings ended when Shafiq was caught by Sandri off Crowley’s bowling. UAE 91 all out from 16.2 overs. Crowley took two for ten, Berg two for 21 and Munasinghe was left for 3 for 19 from his opening spell.
UAE slow-left arm bowler Nasir Aziz had his bowling action cleared from home country analysis after being reported for a possible suspect action earlier in this tournament. He was one of three bowlers reported, to date. Nasir Aziz had one of his least successful days of the tournament against Italy. He conceded 35 runs and did not take a wicket from three overs.
Sunday’s closing round of Group A matches comprises: Canada (2 pts) v Italy (5 pts) [1am EST]; Namibia (6 pts) v Uganda (3 pts) [1 am EST], Hong Kong (10 pts) v Ireland (11 pts) [5am EST]; and UAE (8 pts) v USA (3 pts) [5am EST].
Group B has a range of possibilities over which five teams will qualify for the playoff phase. The Netherlands (10 points) and Nepal (8 pts) have completed seven games. Sunday’s closing games in this group involve; Denmark (1 pt) v Scotland (6 pts); Afghanistan (10 pts) v Kenya (6 pts); and Bermuda (4 pts) v Papua New Guinea (5 pts).
There is little value in pointing out that if the UAE had beaten Italy, then Italy would only have three points going into Sunday’s game with Canada. Reality left that candle smouldering until it went out in the last hour or so.
　
Eddie Norfolk