After Thursday's rather abject batting display by hosts Namibia, they would certainly have been hoping for a big improvement today, especially heading into their Africa T20 Cup semi-final yesterday.

It didn't initially look like it was going to go their way though as, after winning the toss and choosing to bat first, UAE captain Rohan Mustafa put on 88 for the first wicket in 19 overs with Chirag Suri before the latter was out for 27.

The runs kept coming with 72 for the second wicket with Ghulam Shabber before Mustafa fell just short of his century on 96. Shabber went on to score 71 before he was bowled by Craig Williams, putting on 94 with Shaiman Anwar, who also chipped in with 50.

The final total for the visitors was 272-7 from their 50 overs, with Jan Frylinck the pick of the Namibian bowlers, taking 3-37.

Namibia started their run chase quickly with Stephan Baard and Louis van der Westhuizen putting on 42 before the latter was caught by Rohan Mustafa from his own bowling for 24 from the last ball of the sixth over. Louwrens then came in at number three, scoring 48 from 54 balls before he was run out.

With the score on 130-5 after the wicket of Louwrens, the game was balanced more in the direction of the UAE. But a 94 run partnership for the sixth wicket between Gerhard Erasmus and Sarel Burger swung it back towards the home side.

That partnership ended when Erasmus was run out for 77, and there wasn't another wicket as Burger scored an unbeaten 57 to take his team to a four wicket win with seven balls to spare.

In the final round of the tournament, the dates of which are yet to be announced, the UAE are set to take on Nepal, whilst Namibia will play the Netherlands. For Namibia though there is the more pressing engagement of the Africa T20 Cup semi-final against Free State in Kimberley tomorrow. Should they win, the final will be on Monday.