Nikita Miller fifer saves West Indies the blushes against UAE in World Cup qualifier

Photo: Reuters

Harare Province: Left-arm spinner Nikita Miller took five wickets to rescue the West Indies in a 32-run win over the United Arab Emirates in a World Cup qualifying warm-up game on Thursday. The two-time World Cup winners were skittled out for just 115 batting first in Harare, but Miller`s haul, and three wickets for fast bowler Kemar Roach, bowled the UAE out for a paltry 83.

Big-hitting openers Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis had taken the Windies to 31-0, but Imran Haider took 4-16 to leave Jason Holder`s side staring down the barrel of a second straight warm-up defeat after their loss to Afghanistan on Tuesday. But Miller claimed 5-20 from his 10 overs as the UAE lost regular wickets, with Adnan Mufti top scoring on just 14 not out.

Holder will be worried about his side`s batting form ahead of their opening qualifying game against the UAE next Tuesday, though, after they had also been dismissed for just 110 by Afghanistan. Ireland edged out Scotland by two wickets as tailender George Dockrell hit the final ball for four in a close chase of 240 in Bulawayo, while hosts Zimbabwe cruised to a five-wicket victory over Papua New Guinea.

Stand-in captain Rashid Khan struck a blistering 63 as Afghanistan made 216 against the Netherlands, before rain ended any chance of a result with the Dutch 86-1.

Brief scores: West Indies 115 in 33.4 overs (Imran Haider 4-16) v United Arab Emirates 83 in 29 overs (Nikita Miller 5-20, Kemar Roach 3-15) West Indies win by 32 runs