MELBOURNE, Australia, (CMC) – West Indies brushed aside the United Arab Emirates by 17 runs in their first official warm-up match, but concerns remained ahead of the Caribbean side’s Twenty20 World Cup campaign.

Coming off two successive defeats to reigning world champions Australia, West Indies found themselves wobbling early when openers Evin Lewis (2) and Johnson Charles (1) fell in consecutive overs and late call-up Shamarh Brooks followed in the fifth over for four.

The Windies recovered from a difficult position of 22 for three in the fifth over to reach 117 without further loss before 29-year-old seamer, Junaid Siddique, snatched five for 13 from his four-over spell to get through the middle and lower order.

But it was Brandon King’s 64 off 45 balls that allowed the West Indies to post 152 for nine from their 20 overs after they were sent in. In addition, captain, Nicholas Pooran lashed 46 off 31 deliveries in support.

King, arriving at number three, counted seven fours and two sixes while the left-handed Pooran struck five sixes, the pair rallying the innings in a 95-run, fourth-wicket stand.

Once Pooran was bowled by pacer Zahoor Khan (2-24) in the 15th over, West Indies lost six wickets for 28 runs in quick time.

In reply, UAE were reduced to 82 for six in the 16th over before Muhammad Waseem stroked an unbeaten 69 off 52 deliveries and Zawar Farid produced a 14-ball unbeaten to provide a scare for the former World champions.

UAE lost an early wicket in their run chase, but Waseem helped them recover by anchoring a second wicket stand of 31 with Vriitya Aravind (9).

Left-arm seamer, Reifer intervened, struck twice in the ninth over to trigger a slide that saw five wickets tumble for 32 runs before Waseem, who lashed four fours and three sixes, partnered with Zawar in a 53-run unbroken seventh-wicket partnership to provide UAE with a strong finish.

But Reifer picked up three for 17 from his four overs to shine for the West Indies.