UAE talent Ethan D'Souza scores high in both cricket and academics

Fresh off his board exams, the young national squad star looks to further his career on and off the field

Ethan D’Souza, the UAE U19 and senior national team player. Ruel Pableo for The National

Ethan D’Souza has become an expert at juggling his passion for cricket and burgeoning national team career with his academic pursuits.

So far, his hard work at maintaining this balancing act has paid off handsomely, having achieved 80 per cent in the CBSE (Indian curriculum) exams.

D’Souza was a member of the UAE team that reached the U19 Asia Cup final last December following stunning victories over Asian giants Pakistan and Sri Lanka. He also played for Team Abu Dhabi in the Abu Dhabi T10.

That done, D’Souza, 18, is now ready to continue his cricketing journey while also studying for a degree in business and finance.

“I actually exceeded my expectations. I’m very satisfied with the (exam) results given the time spent on cricket. I missed about four months of school last year,” D’Souza, who has already played three senior ODIs, told The National.

“My parents and teachers [at Abu Dhabi Indian School-Al Wathba] have been very supportive. They have helped me to balance my studies and cricket for which I’m really thankful.

“The season has been long and I've missed quite a lot of cricket due to my exams. Now I’m looking for a university, probably in Dubai, and then finalise it in the next month or two.

“From a cricket point of view, it hasn't been my best season, but I've learnt a lot from it. With the exams behind me, the plan is to work over the summer and be ready for the 2024/2025 season.”

A left-handed top order batter and a useful right arm off-spin bowler, he has played key roles in the UAE age group team successes, and emerged as one of the best fielders in the country at any position.

“Obviously those were two very good tournaments for me as an individual last November and December. To reach the Asia Cup final after wins over Pakistan and Sri Lanka was a massive achievement for the team and me,” he said.

“I'm excited to go off-season and work on my cricket skills again. The season in the UAE never ends but the academy which I play for will be closed for two months over the summer.

“My training doesn’t stop, though. I will be looking to work on my skills and on my fitness and all the other sides of the game, including the mental side. Then coming back in September and work towards the U19 Asia Cup in December.

“I want to be prepared for any tournament that may come on the way. The ILT20 Development and the ILT20 are obvious objectives because your career can change from that one tournament.”

D’Souza will have another year to represent the Zayed Cricket Academy in the Emirates Cricket Board’s U19 National Academy League.

He is one of the longest serving pupils of the academy, having joined when aged seven in September 2013. He led the academy to the U19 National Academy title and Team Abu Dhabi to success in the Inter-Emirate competition in the previous season.

“It’s my last season in the U19s. I'll just try to enjoy it as much as I can and pass all my experience that I gained from my seniors to the younger players in the academy,” he added.

A self-confessed introvert, D'Souza never wanted to take the mantle of leadership. However, considering he is the most senior player in the squad, he was asked to lead the team in the 2022/2023 season.

He did an exceptional job as captain of Team Abu Dhabi and led them to the U19 Inter-Emirate title.

“I was a very shy person and didn’t want to be in the spotlight. I was asked if I would like to captain the team and I agreed,” D’Souza, who was then retained as captain for a second term, said.

“We ended up winning the Inter-Emirate and the National Academy League titles in the two years of my captaincy. It really helped me get out of my comfort zone and I feel like I've evolved as a leader now.”