So the UAE must beat the Asia Cup champions, and then hope it doesn’t rain on Thursday - as they will have to beat Namibia that day too - if they are to remain in the T20 World Cup.
A tall order, for sure. But they have not come this far to give it all up without a fight, ahead of their second preliminary-round match, against Sri Lanka on Tuesday.
That much was obvious by the way Junaid Siddique raged against the inevitable when all seemed lost in their opening game against the Netherlands.
After posting a paltry 111-8 from their 20 overs, UAE were out of it. The bowlers did not get the memo, though. Sixteen-year-old spinner Aayan Khan took 1-15 from his three overs. Zahoor Ahmed went for just 11 from four.
And Junaid took two in one over which might easily have been three, which he believes would have won the game for the UAE. One chance went begging, though, and the game escaped.
“We knew that teams can collapse at any time,” Junaid said.
“It is a funny game. T20 is always a funny game. If we took that catch we were in the game. Definitely, we were in the game.
“The whole world is seeing you play, so there are different vibes that are happening. I had more energy to win for my team.”
Robin Singh, the UAE coach, said the testing batting conditions in Geelong mean everyone has the belief they can beat anyone.
On drop-in pitches in the centre of a field which was hosting Australia Rules football until recently, most batters struggled on the opening day.
Sri Lanka, fresh from winning the Asia Cup in Dubai, were shot out for 108 as they lost by 55 runs to Namibia in the first game of the tournament.
“Sri Lanka are a top side,” Singh said. “They play a brand of cricket that is suited to this format. We've seen that in the Asia Cup. If you look at the last World Cup, they were a team that was growing in stature, and they proved that in the Asia Cup as well.
“These are conditions that sort of give everyone a chance in my opinion, and anyone can do well.
"You can have an exceptional day as a bowler or batsman on these tracks. I think you have an equal chance to beat them.
“We have to go into the game thinking we can win the game. There's no point in giving it to a Sri Lankan team that's a Test-playing nation. They are also in the same boat.”
It is unlikely Sri Lanka will have imagined themselves requiring a win to maintain their place in the competition, going into their second game against the UAE.
Chamika Karunaratne, their middle-order batter, said they need to do so by any means possible.
“We lost the match [against Namibia], and so right now, somehow we have to win,” Karunaratne said.
“No matter what, we have to win the next two matches. I think the boys all know that. We are definitely going to put more than 100 per cent in the next two matches.
“We are looking at the players that we have right now. Still all four teams are playing good cricket.
“Even the last match yesterday, UAE versus the Netherlands finished in the [second] last ball.
“We don't know what can happen, and because this game is always exciting and funny things [can happen].”
The UAE-Sri Lanka match is the late game on another double header in Geelong on Tuesday. Given the hefty winning margin in their opening game, Namibia could as good as seal progress to the next phase if they beat the Netherlands in the opening match of the day.
AUSTRALIA SQUADS
ODI squad: Aaron Finch (captain), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa
Twenty20 squad: Aaron Finch (captain), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa
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Dominic Rubin, Oxford
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
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Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Al Jazira's foreign quartet for 2017/18
Romarinho, Brazil
Lassana Diarra, France
Sardor Rashidov, Uzbekistan
Mbark Boussoufa, Morocco
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
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The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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