Given the long gap between international assignments – and with no confirmed end in sight – domestic cricketers might be forgiven for giving up on the aspiration of representing the UAE.
The national team last played a competitive fixture in mid-January. They have seen two Cricket World Cup League series postponed in the meantime, and, seven months later, there is still no official confirmation as to when they will play next.
Then bear in mind the fact the UAE will be ghosts at their own party when the biggest global tournament yet to be staged in this country comes to town in the coming months.
The T20 World Cup will be played in UAE and Oman in October and November. Oman qualified to play in it. UAE did not, making the competition a rare case of a major global sporting event taking place without one of its host nations participating.
And yet a place in the national team remains something to covet, according to Asif Khan.
The 31-year-old batsman has established himself as one of the leading batsmen in the country over the space of the best part of four years he has been resident here.
He is counting down the days – he has two months left, he reckons – until he is eligible for selection for the national team on residency grounds.
Given that he has already trained with the UAE team, it is fair to assume he is on the selectors’ radar.
He could not fail to be, given his success in domestic cricket. Most recently, he has made back-to-back half-centuries in the new Emirates D50 competition.
Asif, who is originally from Pakistan and has a decade’s worth of experience of English league cricket, too, passed up a chance to move to Canada in favour of staying on to try an represent UAE.
And he wants to play with them in the biggest competitions, too. “Every player’s dream is to play in a World Cup,” Asif said.
As a former first-class cricketer in Pakistan, he is no stranger to longer format matches, but tournaments like the D50 are few and far between in the UAE.
He believes the new 50-over competition will benefit aspiring players.
“Until now we have only really played T10 and T20 cricket, and this is a bit different,” he said, after helping Ajman to a seven-wicket win over Abu Dhabi on Monday.
“Playing 50-over cricket is tough in these conditions. It is so hot.
“You have young guys, it is good for them to learn what it is like to play 50-over cricket.”
In addition to a national team call up, Asif is hoping to feature in the Abu Dhabi T10 again in November, having played alongside some of his heroes when he featured for Pune Devils and Deccan Gladiators in the past.
“It is very good experience,” he said.
“My favourite player is Shane Watson, and to share the dressing room with him was a good experience for me.
“He would come to practice, hit two or three balls, and if he had a good feeling about his batting even after such a short time he would finish practice.
“He said there was no point hitting 70, 80, 90 balls. So I have taken that from him.”
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Tina Fey
Directed by: Pete Doctor
Rating: 4 stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Top 10 most polluted cities
- Bhiwadi, India
- Ghaziabad, India
- Hotan, China
- Delhi, India
- Jaunpur, India
- Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Noida, India
- Bahawalpur, Pakistan
- Peshawar, Pakistan
- Bagpat, India
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Six tips to secure your smart home
Most smart home devices are controlled via the owner's smartphone. Therefore, if you are using public wi-fi on your phone, always use a VPN (virtual private network) that offers strong security features and anonymises your internet connection.
Keep your smart home devices’ software up-to-date. Device makers often send regular updates - follow them without fail as they could provide protection from a new security risk.
Use two-factor authentication so that in addition to a password, your identity is authenticated by a second sign-in step like a code sent to your mobile number.
Set up a separate guest network for acquaintances and visitors to ensure the privacy of your IoT devices’ network.
Change the default privacy and security settings of your IoT devices to take extra steps to secure yourself and your home.
Always give your router a unique name, replacing the one generated by the manufacturer, to ensure a hacker cannot ascertain its make or model number.
Newcastle United 0 Tottenham Hotspur 2
Tottenham (Alli 61'), Davies (70')
Red card Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle)
EXPATS
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match info
Chelsea 2
Willian (13'), Ross Barkley (64')
Liverpool 0
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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