Lalchand Rajput, the UAE coach, insists the national team’s T20 World Cup bid will benefit from the exposure provided by the DP World International League T20.
The UAE will play against New Zealand, South Africa, Afghanistan and Canada in the pool phase of the global tournament in February.
There is a heavy diet of 20-over cricket in the UAE between now and then, chiefly in the form of the ILT20. However, how much the UAE players are gaining from the competition is open to question.
Of the 15-man UAE squad who played at the qualifying tournament in Muscat in October, only six have ILT20 contracts.
Of those, only Muhammad Waseem, Alishan Sharafu and Junaid Siddique have been given consistent opportunities to excel by their sides so far this season.
Meanwhile, many players from their prospective World Cup opposition are key figures for sides in the ILT20, with an abundance of Afghan players in particular.
Rajput, though, is sure the tournament is still aiding UAE players.
“I think it's a good platform for them,” Rajput said. “It's the best thing to play, because you play with the best players of the world, you rub shoulders with them, then your game improves.
“[You see] how they prepare themselves, you learn the nuances of the game. I think it's very important that they get to play, that is the main concern.
“If they get to play, and they play and perform, I think that's the best thing. And I'm sure ILT20 has helped UAE players.
“It's now the fourth season, and a lot of players are coming from ILT20 as well. A lot of players have been playing in that, like Alishan, Waseem, Junaid, [Mohammed] Rohid, Haider Ali, [Mohammed] Jawadullah, and Aayan Khan.
“A lot of players are there, and I'm sure this confidence will definitely help them in for the World Cup as well.”
Waseem, the captain of the UAE T20 side, said of his own ILT20 experience that “sharing the dressing room with so many big players, we are learning many things”.
Speaking at the announcement of a three-year partnership with Bisleri, an Indian water brand who will become shirt sponsors of all the national representative sides, Waseem said UAE cricket has a bright future.
“We qualified for the World Cup and our Under 19s have qualified for the Asia Cup,” Waseem said.
“Our cricket is growing very fast and we have been working hard for the past couple of years. We are looking forward to a very bright future for the country.”
Waseem is one of a number of key players in the UAE side who are Pakistani nationals. While the Pakistan side themselves will not be travelling to India for any part of the tournament, the UAE will play fixtures in Chennai and Delhi.
The tournament will be the first global cricket event since the ugly handshake row between India and Pakistan which scarred the Asia Cup in the UAE earlier this season.
As is customary for ICC tournaments, those two rivals have been drawn in the same group and will play on neutral territory in Sri Lanka.
Rajput said the controversies that have followed India and Pakistan fixtures have never been discussed within the UAE side, which is made up of players originating from both those countries.
“We've got to have a good environment,” Rajput said. “We are one UAE team and we have to keep the atmosphere healthy as well.
“Nobody talks about whether they are from Pakistan or India; we talk about the fact we are UAE. That's how we play the game, and I think that's the key to have good team bonding, and a very healthy atmosphere.”
Although the UAE have only previously won one game at a T20 World Cup, Rajput is optimistic his side can take some scalps in India. The national team have beaten each of Afghanistan, Canada and New Zealand before.
“That helps as well, since you have already beaten those teams earlier, but World Cup is a big platform,” the coach said.
“But I think every team will be well prepared as well. We’ve got to win two games. I think it will be much better for us that we start off well.
“The first game is again New Zealand in Chennai, and that will be a crucial game for us.”
