The UAE national team took its first step in a new era in Nepal as four cricketers who were recently given citizenship made their T20 debuts on Monday.
Fast bowler Khuzaima Tanveer, Akshdeep Nath, Harpreet Bhatia and Adeeb Usmani were among those who played their first game for the UAE. Ajay Kumar, who is on tour but did not play, is also among the players who have been naturalised.
On Monday at the Tribhuvan University Ground in Nepal, a new-look UAE took the field in the first T20.
Nepal batted first in a rain-affected match and saw their innings restricted to 122-8 before a weather interruption.
Young leg-spinner Zuhaib Zubair was the pick of the bowlers, snaring 3-29 from his four overs, while veteran seamer Junaid Siddique was on top of his game with the new ball, taking 2-18 from three overs.
Nepal captain Dipendra Singh Airee held the innings together with a knock of 32.
Rain then intervened, reducing the number of overs available. Nepal's innings was then deemed to have finished, with the UAE given a revised target of 78 from 10 overs.
UAE captain Muhammad Waseem blasted 20 runs from the first over to set the team on the path towards victory.
Leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane then picked up two wickets in one over, including that of captain Waseem, to raise hopes of a fightback.
But the target was too modest to trouble UAE batters. They reached the target in 8.5 overs with six wickets in hand. New recruit Nath hit an unbeaten 17 from eight balls with two sixes to complete victory.
It was an unforgettable day for the likes of Tanveer, who had earlier said it was a privilege to represent the UAE as a citizen.
“I am feeling grateful,” Khuzaima had said. The bowler was called back from the Karachi Kings squad at the Pakistan Super League to tour Nepal with the UAE instead.
“If you get this opportunity to represent your country, it is a feeling that is out of this world for any player.
“The country is trusting you and giving you this chance, so I think you are the lucky one.
“I have played UAE domestic cricket for the past three years and have played the past two seasons of ILT20 and Abu Dhabi T10.”
