The UAE will be conspicuous in their absence when they host the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier in March next year.
Instead, Nepal, Hong Kong and Oman join Afghanistan in the 16-team ICC event after they qualifying through the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) T20 Cup concluded earlier this month in Nepal.
The UAE were one of the fancied teams but lost out by an inferior run rate behind Nepal and Hong Kong, after losing just once.
The UAE may have been under-prepared. Complacency may also have been a problem. Either way, Kabir Khan's men paid a heavy price.
They also missed the services of Saqib Ali, one player who may have turned around their fortunes, but the Pakistan-born all-rounder had to be left out as he had not fully recovered from a knee injury.
The UAE team's problems are many. As amateurs, the players have to cope with their day jobs and find time for training, as well.
The administration also has to deal with the eligibility of players, which states that only two are eligible under the four-year resident rule to be in the playing 11. The rest have to be born in the UAE or residents for more than seven years.
Unfortunately, the boys who were born and raised in the country become ineligible to stay once they turn 18 years old. It has left the Emirates Cricket Board with an ageing squad.
They can't change the resident rules but they can nurture a few promising youngsters with employment options close to cricket. That is, if they have the ambitions to build a solid team for the future.
apassela@thenational.ae
Follow The National Sport on @SprtNationalUAE & Amith Pasella on @AmithPassela
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
THE TWIN BIO
Their favourite city: Dubai
Their favourite food: Khaleeji
Their favourite past-time : walking on the beach
Their favorite quote: ‘we rise by lifting others’ by Robert Ingersoll
Gulf Under 19s
Pools
A – Dubai College, Deira International School, Al Ain Amblers, Warriors
B – Dubai English Speaking College, Repton Royals, Jumeirah College, Gems World Academy
C – British School Al Khubairat, Abu Dhabi Harlequins, Dubai Hurricanes, Al Yasmina Academy
D – Dubai Exiles, Jumeirah English Speaking School, English College, Bahrain Colts
Recent winners
2018 – Dubai College
2017 – British School Al Khubairat
2016 – Dubai English Speaking School
2015 – Al Ain Amblers
2014 – Dubai College
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
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