ABU DHABI // Rohan Mustafa believes the UAE are starting to see the benefits of the time invested in the first crop of centrally contracted professional players.
The national team face Papua New Guinea in the four-day Intercontinental Cup, starting Friday in Abu Dhabi.
Optimism is high, given they beat a PNG side ranked second in the World Cricket League, 2-1 in a one-day international series this week.
Before that series started, the UAE were bottom in the WCL, and hold a similar position in the Intercontinental Cup, while their visitors sit in fourth.
Following a poor 2016, Mustafa points to a recent upswing in performances as a reason to feel positive about their chances of climbing the table.
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“If you give time to anything, you will see an improvement,” Mustafa said. “Cricket is not a game where you will improve in one or two days.
“When we first got central contracts [in July 2016] we were not performing in the first four or five months, and people were asking why we had been given contracts.
“I swear we can improve. We have very good cricketers, they just needed time. Players like Rameez Shahzad and Mohammed Usman are performing, and Imran Haidar is bowling well.
“There is a lot of talent, and they will develop in upcoming years and improve even more.”
Tuesday’s culmination to the one-day series was a personal triumph for Mustafa in particular. He scored 109 and then took five for 25, and so became only the third player in one-day internationals to score a ton and take five wickets in the same game, after Viv Richards and Paul Collingwood.
It was just the third century, and second five-wicket haul achieved by a UAE player in the format.
“It was the perfect day,” Mustafa said. “One of my friends called me that day and said it was Sir Viv Richards, Paul Collingwood and then me.
“I have had so many messages on my Facebook and WhatsApp about it, so it feels like a big achievement. I’m proud of it.”
Dougie Brown, the interim coach, also believes the side are showing signs of progress.
“I’m delighted with the journey we have been on,” said the former England international, who is serving a three-month spell in charge.
“We have got some guys who hadn’t scored hundreds, hadn’t taken five-fors, and over the course of the last four or five games, we have seen hundreds and five-fors. The team is moving on, and I’m delighted they are.”
Dipak Patel, the former New Zealand player who is coach of PNG, said his side are happy to be getting some rare match action.
“There is an abundance of talent in PNG,” Patel said. “I have stressed it so many times to the press, I have stressed it to our government, that until we need extra funding to get these guys more competitive games.
“The harder the teams they play, the better cricket they play.”
pradley@thenational.ae
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