Who Is Haider Ali? UAE's Lahore-Born Left-Arm Spinner Stuns Bangladesh In Series Decider

News18

22-05-2025

Last Updated:
UAE's Haider Ali bowled a stunning spell of 4-1-7-3 to lead his team to a seven-wicket win against Bangladesh in the T20I series decider in Sharjah.
UAE's rookie left-arm spinner Haider Ali on Wednesday bowled a brilliant spell to catch the Bangladesh team off-guard, as the visitors slumped to an unprecedented seven-wicket defeat in Sharjah, losing a three-match T20I series 1-2, as their stakes in the shortest format touched a new low.
A late bloomer, the 30-year-old Haider made his international debut in the first game of the series against Bangladesh. He went for 30 runs in his four overs in that match and returned wicketless.
After returning 0/31 in the second T20I, Haider spun a web in the third, picking three wickets while conceding only seven runs from his four overs.
One MAGICAL bowling spell!! 🔥🔥🔥Haider Ali produced a stunning spell of 4-1-7-3 which broke the back of Bangladesh's batting line-up in the T20I series decider at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium pic.twitter.com/byVHgQ0adx — UAE Cricket Official (@EmiratesCricket) May 21, 2025
Having been put in to bat first, Bangladesh found themselves at 84/8 in the 14th over, before wicketkeeper Jaker Ali and Hasan Mahmud added 44 runs for the ninth wicket.
After Jaker was dismissed by Saghir Khan, Hasan and Shoriful Islam built a 34-run partnership for the 10th wicket to take Bangladesh to a respectable score of 162.
Haider dismissed captain Litton Das for 14, Towhid Hridoy for a two-ball duck, and Mahedi Hasan for 2, to finish with figures of 4-1-7-3.
Dhruv Parashar dismissed Bangladesh opener Parvez Hossain Emon with his first ball in the second over of the innings.
Haider, introduced in the attack in the fourth over, struck gold as well, trapping Litton LBW with his first delivery.
Two deliveries later, Haider had Towhid Hridoy LBW as well, this time with a quicker ball. He returned for his second over inside the powerplay and finished things off with another wicket off the last delivery, cleaning up Mahedi Hasan's stumps to leave Bangladesh reeling at 49/4.
In the chase, UAE lost Muhammad Waseem in the second over, before Muhammad Zohaib and Alishan Sharafu added 44 runs for the second wicket. After getting reduced to 79/3 in the 11th over, Sharafu and Asif Khan added 87 runs for the fourth wicket to take UAE over the line.
Haider's spell of 4-1-7-3 is now the joint second-most economical four-over spell by an UAE bowler in men's T20Is, equalling Aayan Afzal Khan's 4-1-7-3 against Cambodia last year.
This is the most economical four-over spell by an UAE bowler against a full-member team in men's T20Is, going past Mohammad Naveed's previous record of 4-1-12-2, set nine years back, against Bangladesh as well.
Who Is Haider Ali?
Born in July 1994 in Lahore, Haider made his List A debut for Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited in September 2018 against the Karachi Whites and bowled an economical spell of 10-0-33-0.
Haider made his first-class debut three days later and bowled a spell of 35-1-113-3, dismissing two set opposition batters in the first innings.
Although it isn't clear as to when Haider moved to UAE, it looks like a very recent move, given that his debut has come only this month.