New Delhi, Feb 18 (IANS) UAE off-spinner Dhruv Parashar said his side will find ways to fare better against elite pace bowling after they were undone by a relentless South African fast attack, leading to their six-wicket defeat in the final Group D clash of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday.

On a tricky pitch caused by dampness from overnight rains, and floodlights turned on, Corbin Bosch used the damp conditions well to pick 3-12, while Anrich Nortje took 2-28. Left-arm spinner George Linde kept things tight with 1-17 as the UAE’s innings lost momentum after a brisk start.

Though Alishan Sharafu top-scored with 45, he lacked support from the other end as South Africa’s bowling attack maintained a good grip on the match. Despite dropping four catches, the Proteas ensured the UAE never recovered from early setbacks and kept them to 122/6.

"That is definitely one thing. We have played in the Asia Cup and tri-series a couple of months ago. I would say personally, the whole team played against Haris Rauf, Shaheen Afridi, and other Afghan pacers. But I think in his team, not a single bowler is below 140-145. In New Zealand, there is a medium pacer named Jimmy Neesham.

“You can target anyone who is not comfortable with the pace. But in his team, all 4 fast bowlers were around 145. So it was new for us. We have played South Africa for the first time in a long time. So I think it was new and we are not used to it. But now we know that this is going to happen. So we need to find a way to prepare for this," he said to reporters in the mixed zone at the conclusion of the game.

Parashar also pointed to the pitch behaving unexpectedly under overcast skies. "I think today was a fresh wicket, and the conditions were overcast. There was little moisture and dampness as the sun didn't come out before and during the match. Normally, it would dry out and flatten during the second innings, but it didn't happen. That's why it was a little two-paced," he said.

Parashar, a predominant Power-play bowler, said handing him the new ball, where he conceded only one run in the opening over, was a decision driven purely by matchups. "I have been bowling in this phase for the past 1-2 years. I am accustomed to that role. Here, they had 2 lefties.

“The opener (Quinton de Kock) was a lefty, then (Aiden) Markram was a righty, and the number three (Ryan Rickelton) was also a lefty. So I started because of the matchup. Otherwise, I bowled a lot in the Power-play. But because the lefty was opening, I opened the bowling," he said.

Despite the defeat, Parashar was keen to see the broader arc of the UAE's tournament, pointing to a marked improvement in the side's batting across their World Cup campaign as evidence that the group is heading in the right direction.

"After playing against such big teams, we will go to play against the associate nations (for the 2027 ODI World Cup qualification). We have an ODI tournament in two weeks. After that, there is another T20 tournament. So obviously, there will be a lot of confidence in facing the associate nations because we have played the best of the best - spinners, pacers, and our bowlers have also put in efforts against the best batters.

"So everyone will have a lot of confidence. Personally, I was very happy that our batting was collapsing before the preparation. But in this tournament, except for today, we had three matches with good teams and showed good fight with batting. We were getting a good total of 170-180, and the chase was also good (against Canada). So there has been growth, and hopefully, this is the start, as there will be more growth in the future," he said.

For Parashar personally, playing in the T20 World Cup carried significance beyond the results. Playing a World Cup on Indian soil, especially after being included for the mega event despite being left out for the preceding series against Ireland, fulfilled a dream that took root for him as a young boy watching India lift the ODI World Cup trophy in 2011.

"Definitely, it is a dream. I started playing cricket after watching the 2011 World Cup, when India defeated Sri Lanka in the final. That was the first moment. After that, my interest in cricket increased.

“Now to play the World Cup in India at my age, first of all, I am very grateful to UAE cricket and the management for backing me. I would like to thank everyone who has been a part of my journey. Hopefully, this is the start, and I will be able to play in many more World Cups," he said.

His father's relatives, based nearby in India, made the trip to see him in action on the ground, with Parashar admitting he only spotted his parents unexpectedly during the matches. "All my family members came. My cousins in India from my dad's side, who is a Punjabi and lives nearby. My mom and dad also came to see. I didn't know before, as I just happened to see them.”

Asked about his personal takeaways from the tournament, Parashar explained, “Learning-wise, I think definitely, I had learning in every match, and I try to see it. In this tournament, for sure and skill-wise, there is a difference in skill. But I think more is on tactics and how to play against every team and every batter. Everyone's strength is different, and how to focus more on that based on it - like how to plan - I learnt that more."

Parashar also stressed that every member of the UAE side plays the game full-time. "No, everyone in our team plays full-time cricket unless I'm missing someone. But everyone is a full-time player, and we play domestic cricket as well. We play full-time cricket in the UAE."

Off the field, a strong team culture has been a hallmark of the UAE's World Cup camp, with Parashar describing it as a relaxed and close-knit dressing room environment built around football, foot volleyball, and card games.

"In our practice session, we play football and foot volley. So, I personally look forward to it, and I think everyone does, as it's a lot of fun. We were in Chennai before the first match, so we used to play games, and dumb charades happened. Sometimes we play cards as a team. I mean, there is a good atmosphere in the team, and everyone is close to each other. So, it's good," he said.

--IANS

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