The UAE is back at the World Cup stage, this time in the T20 format. This edition - staged in India and Sri Lanka - sees a total of 20 teams fighting it out over one month, starting this weekend. And there is healthy participation from Associate nations, which is what makes the tournament truly special.
For the UAE, the task will be challenging, though, as they are not in good form and were recently blanked 2-0 at home by Ireland.
Still, the T20 format offers enough chances for all teams to spring a surprise, just like USA did in 2024. Here we take a look at the UAE team which will compete at the T20 World Cup. UAE are placed in Group D alongside South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan and Canada.
Main batters
Muhammad Waseem
The captain, opening batter and undisputed leader of the UAE team. By many counts, Waseem is waging a lone battle with the bat as the next generation of young batters is not living up to expectations.
Comfortably the highest run getter for the UAE over the last two years – 1,603 runs in 49 T20Is – Waseem also possess the best strike rate in the team - a shade under 150.
The second highest run getter in the recent ILT20, Waseem will be eager to have a go on the batting friendly surfaces of India. And maybe pull off a win or two.
Alishan Sharafu
Along with Waseem, has held UAE’s batting together. Has 13 scores of 50 or more over the last two seasons, even though it has not stopped the slide UAE are experiencing; the national team have lost 14 and won 11 of their matches the previous term.
Played a devastating role at the top of the order with Waseem but has moved down to middle order as the team is very light on experience and can’t afford to lose their most experienced heads early on.
Aryansh Sharma
The new opener of the UAE T20 team. The wicketkeeper batter has played just seven games and averages less than 24, plus a strike rate of just 125. Not great numbers but the UAE will take any sort of consistency from him, with Waseem in red hot form at the other end. Smashed 98 against Nepal opening the innings in an ODI in Dubai late last year, showing he has the right ingredients for white-ball cricket.
Top pacers
Junaid Siddique
The talk of the town in UAE cricket circles. Not only has he raised the bar with the ball, taking 59 scalps in last two seasons, has become a highly sought after pacer in the franchise circuit. He earned a life-altering bid of $170,000 during last year’s ILT20 player auction, but then played only five games.
Still, one of the most incisive seam bowlers in Associate cricket, the 33-year-old seamer will want to give everything he has since this is most likely his last World Cup appearance.
Mohammed Jawadullah
The left-arm seamer has provided commendable support to Siddique over the last two seasons… as well as he could.
His tally of 36 wickets from 23 games is not bad, plus the economy is under eight an over. He too got rewarded for his consistent showing in T20s by gaining a contract with Dubai Capitals. However, this season in ILT20 was a poor one as he bowled less than 10 overs across eight games at an economy of nearly 10 an over. Still, he is the second best bowler in the side.
Mohammed Rohid
The second most expensive UAE player during the last ILT20 auction – snapped by MI Emirates for $140,000 – the left-arm pacer has been in respectable form. Rohid has put in match-winning efforts for the national team, in the Abu Dhabi T10 and the ILT20 since his record deal. The Pakistan-born pacer, 23, will be keen to put his best foot forward since Siddique will likely play his last World Cup and the hugely impressive Khuzaima Tanveer could be fast-tracked into the team the moment he becomes eligible to represent the UAE.
Lead spinners
Haider Ali
The best bowler in the team and one of the ones to watch out for at the T20 World Cup. The left-arm spinner is not only the third highest wicket-taker for the country over the last two seasons, but has also maintained an economy of less than six an over throughout, even in the ILT20. Granted, pitches at the World Cup will be a lot flatter and grounds smaller than what he is used to. But confidence must be flowing through his fingers and his four overs will be the most dependable ones for the national team.
Dhruv Parashar
Technically qualifies as an all-rounder in the team. The off-spinner has an average of a wicket per game in the last 30 games, while his 214 runs make him the fourth highest run getter over the last two seasons since the UAE have not picked Asif Khan or ODI captain Rahul Chopra. Tells you a lot about the state of the batting unit.
Full squad: Muhammad Waseem (captain), Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Dhruv Parashar, Haider Ali, Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Mayank Kumar, Muhammad Arfan, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Zohaib, Rohid Khan, Sohaib Khan and Simranjeet Singh.
