UAE's bowling was failing to make an impression on the Netherlands batsmen, so it was important for the fielders to hold on to whatever came their way. They did have a defendable total. After breaking the threatening opening stand in his first over, Kamran Shazad beat Stephen Myburgh with pace in his second, but the fielder at mid-on didn't back-pedal enough to get under the skier and spilled an easy chance. In the next over - the tenth - it was Khurram Khan's turn. He stretched out his left hand at cover, but the ball didn't stick. A few overs later, the easiest of chances was missed at long on. But the worst of all was probably the wicketkeeper's: he had enough time to get under a top-edge but when the ball hit the ground, he was at least a metre away from it.

Broadcasters often make highlight reels of the best catches in long-winded tournaments like these. However, if someone ever thought of choosing the easiest of catches, Ahsan Malik's effort in the 20th over of the UAE innings would surely have made it to the top. Malik had beaten the batsman with two scrupulously masked slower deliveries, so when Vikrant Shetty was getting ready for the third one, he should have known what to expect. Instead, he was foxed by it again but managed to get a top edge that neither travelled high nor far. It lobbed gently a couple of meters and dropped softly like a fresh new chick out of the egg. The bowler, unlike the order of the day, thankfully saved it from crashing on to the pitch.

Netherlands were solid in the field. The only chance - if one is pedantic - they can be blamed for not taking came in the 15th over when Shaiman Anwar bludgeoned a full delivery back at Pieter Seelar, the bowler. Seelar had only enough time to get his right hand out, but the ball burst through his hands and struck him flush on his knee, ricocheting all the way to midwicket. The bowler didn't show any anguish.

Khurram and Swapnil Patil had revived the UAE innings with a 67-run stand for the third wicket but both were dismissed in a matter of four deliveries, to the same bowler playing the same shot. Patil was the first to go, attempting a cheeky cut off a Tom Cooper delivery, that had no room, only to chop it on. Khurram, who had been judicious with his shot selection, was bitten by the late-cut bug, too. Two deliveries later, he made the same mistake - playing a late cut to one which was neither short not wide - and lost his middle stump.