Since qualifying for this level in 2014, UAE has played three Twenty20 Internationals against Test-playing nations, two of them in this tournament and one against Zimbabwe earlier.

To its credit, UAE have gone about it manfully, bowling well and showing good spirit on the field. Sri Lanka was restricted to 129 for 8 and Bangladesh for a similar 133 for 8.

On the other hand, the loss against India in its opening game has clearly hurt Pakistan, and it wants to get up and get cracking at the earliest, starting with UAE.

For its part, Pakistan was taken by surprise at the way the pitch played on Saturday. It’s the batting that Pakistan has to address. And fast. Both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have already beaten UAE and India could too, going by form.

So, winning today is non-negotiable for Pakistan. But the idea must be put up a big performance – with the ball, of course; even more so with the bat.