DUBAI // Ghulam Shabbir, the new wicketkeeper, says he will prove his worth to UAE cricket after his surprise elevation, when he debuts against Scotland next month.
Shabbir was handed the gloves for the tour to the UK, as well as a professional contract, at the expense of Swapnil Patil, one of the mainstays of the national team.
Despite playing for the UAE in the Asia Cup earlier this year, Swapnil had spent much of the time since then back in his native India. As such, he was overlooked for selection.
Swapnil has been a stalwart of the side since the turn of the decade, and had been earmarked for one of the UAE’s new central contracts by Aaqib Javed, the former coach.
Shabbir’s inclusion, ahead of both Swapnil and Saqlain Haider, the other player vying to wear the gloves, was unexpected.
He moved to the UAE four and a half years ago to work for Alubond, an aluminium manufacturer who have one of the leading corporate cricket teams in the country, after feeling his career had stalled in his native Pakistan.
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He will have plenty to prove when he makes his bow in the two 50-over World Cricket League matches, and the four-day Intercontinental Cup tie in Aberdeen, but he is sure he can excel.
“I’m feeling excited about the chance to represent the UAE and I’m confident I can do well,” Shabbir, 30, said.
“I was playing for Faisalabad Wolves but was not really getting a chance, so I thought why not try the UAE, having seen there were a lot of Ramadan tournaments and things like that.
“I took a chance, landed here, and now I’ve got the chance to play for UAE. It was my aim to play international cricket, from the day I arrived.”
Shabbir played alongside Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammed Hafeez and Saeed Ajmal in Faisalabad, and says he aspires to play like them.
“They were my role models,” he said. “Because of them, I had the urge to improve myself.
“Now this is a big moment for me. I am confident I can do well. Whatever the conditions, I want to show my talent.”
Paul Franks, the interim UAE coach, said he had been impressed by Shabbir’s work ethic in the pre-series training camp.
“He obviously wants to be here,” Franks said. “He is a batter first, and his keeping is workmanlike at the moment.
“He has some work to do in terms of spending a day in the field, because he is used to a diet of 20- and 50-over cricket, which is an hour and a half and three hours in the field.
“Having a day in the field in Aberdeen might be daunting, but the quality of the work he has been putting in should stand him in good stead.”
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Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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