Ahmed Raza paid tribute to Kyle Coetzer after the UAE defeated Scotland in his final match as captain.
Coetzer announced before the Cricket World Cup League 2 fixture in Texas that it would be his last game in charge.
The opener led the side to a remarkable run of success during his 110 matches in charge, culminating in 10 wins in 11 completed matches in ODI cricket leading up to the UAE game.
The UAE team, and captain Raza in particular, have great respect for the job Coetzer has done – not just for his team but for the wider game beyond the Test-playing nations.
Raza paid tribute to his “humble nature” and “never say die attitude”, and termed him a “great ambassador for associate cricket and one of the finest leader in world cricket”.
Despite the show of respect, there was no room for sentiment on the field, as UAE rebounded from two chastening losses at the start of their tour with a five-wicket win.
Raza led the way himself, with 1-17 from 10 thrifty overs of left-arm spin.
Basil Hameed was similarly parsimonious, taking 1-20 from his allocation of overs, while Kashif Daud and Karthik Meiyappan took two wickets apiece as Scotland were bowled out for 171.
They hauled the target in with 35 balls left, after a half century by Vriitya Aravind and a quick-fire 32 not out by Zawar Farid.
“It came down to the character of our squad,” Raza said, after a win which consolidated UAE’s position in third in the qualifying league table.
“It never easy to turn up with such performance after two defeats so credit to the squad for that.”
The competition carries with it three direct qualification places for the final global qualifier for the 2023 World Cup.
Oman and Scotland are in the top two positions at present, and Raza says his UAE side have them in their sights.
“We want to finish the league on top of the table, no second guessing with that, so these two points are very important for us,” Raza said.
“To finish the tour with two more [in their final fixture against United States later on Saturday] is even more critical. Hopefully we can achieve that.”
In a statement released before the toss, Coetzer said he was “extremely proud” of what was achieved during his term in charge of Scotland.
"I’m so grateful to have been able to impact this group of players and help Scotland through this phase of cricket that I’ve been involved in,” Coetzer said.
“I’ve certainly given it my all and I hope the players and fans also feel it’s been a positive experience.
“Although part of me is sad to be stepping down, I’m happy with where the team currently sits and I’m full of anticipation about what’s to come next for us all.
“My biggest driving force over years has been to help the team have everything they need and lead them in every way I can.
“Moving forward I have no desire to stop playing and will be giving everything I have to my fellow players and the next captain – going out and scoring as many runs as I possibly can for Scotland remains the focus.”
