DUBAI // A group of Emiratis plus some of the leading UAE-born cricketers will pit their skills against high-class imported talent when the SuperStars T20 starts at The Sevens this weekend.
Umar Akmal, fresh from playing for Pakistan at the World Cup, and the former England batsman Owais Shah are among the overseas international players confirmed for the 20-over tournament.
The 12-team competition, which has a Dh60,000 prize for the winners and Dh40,000 for the runners-up, includes a number of sides who have flown in from the subcontinent.
The home hopes will be carried by a set of Emiratis, playing as the United Real Group Emirati Warriors.
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The side includes Mohammed Tauqir, the national team captain at the World Cup, Salman Farooq and Alawi Shukri, who have each played full one-day international cricket.
Ahmed Jasim, a schoolboy who is the only Emirati registered to play in the ongoing National Under 19 tournament, has also been invited to join the side. Ahmed Raza, the Sharjah-born Pakistani-national who captained the UAE in the last ODI before the World Cup started before missing out on the final squad, is also part of the Warriors side.
“Teams are coming to play with first-class cricketers so it is definitely going to be very strong competition,” said Farooq, the UAE off-spinner who has organised the Emirati side.
“The first thing we had in mind by entering our team was to give exposure to nationals and UAE-born players.
“We are aware it is going to be tough, but we definitely want to give a good show, and we have players who have played at the very highest level.”
Farooq might have been part of the national team at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand had he not been reported for a suspect bowling action during the ODI series against Afghanistan at the end of 2014.
Despite having a UAE passport, Farooq was born in Pakistan and thus had difficulties securing a visa to travel to India to undergo testing at an ICC-accredited biomechanics lab.
Although he was frustrated at missing out, he says he and his compatriots were inspired by the way the UAE performed at their first World Cup in 19 years.
The national team lost all six matches, yet won many new supporters by way of their skilful performances, and Farooq says a new enthusiasm around the domestic game is palpable.
“I was saying to Tauqir that even I was surprised by how well the UAE played,” Farooq said, adding that other than the India game when the national team were soundly beaten by nine wickets, “the side was competitive in all the games and in with a chance of winning the first two”.
“After this World Cup I have been looking to play more and more cricket, I think everybody has.
The World Cup has really helped us to focus.
“People who had lost interest have been turning up for practice again. They want to play and they want to get their chance.”
Fahad Al Hashmi, the second Emirati in the UAE’s World Cup squad along with Tauqir, is unavailable to play for the Warriors.
The Dubai policeman suffered cruciate ligament damage while fielding off his own bowling against South Africa in the pool match in Wellington.
He is expected to be sidelined for up to six months.
Despite his absence, having a side with a sizeable core of Emirati players participating is a notable fillip for the SuperStars tournament, according to the organisers.
“We feel proud that overseas teams are travelling to play in UAE domestic cricket and an all-Emirati team is going to play in SuperStars T20 Season 3,” said a spokesman.
“We have a vision to not only promote cricket in UAE but to take it to other Arab nations. We want to introduce this wonderful game of cricket to them and having an Emirati team is a first step towards the goal.”
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