SHARJAH // The UAE’s cricketers will fly to Bangladesh on Sunday evening a little wiser about their form ahead of their debut at the World Twenty20. But not a lot.
The national team were soundly beaten by 31 runs by Nepal at Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Friday night's warm-up match, the third such fixture in the past week.
But it was a side shorn of five of the players who might be expected to lead the challenge in Sylhet later this month, as the realities of the UAE’s amateur status were laid bare.
Neither Khurram Khan, the captain of the national team, nor Vikrant Shetty were in the country because of work commitments, while Swapnil Patil was also absent.
Ahmed Raza, Khurram's regular understudy, and Amjad Ali were playing in Abu Dhabi on Friday in a domestic club final for their staff team, United Bank Limited.
It was left to Rohan Mustafa to captain a side against Nepal that included two players who are not even on the reserve list for the trip to Bangladesh.
To compound the sense of futility, the UAE’s leading player was Fayyaz Ahmed, the all-rounder who is only a backup for the tournament.
The stocky left-hander made a mockery of his non-selection by top-scoring with 52 as the home team struggled to 118 all out in response to Nepal’s 149 for eight.
On Thursday night, Faizan Asif and Amjad had served notice of their destructive capabilities as an opening partnership in the five-wicket win over Hong Kong. The pair of left-handers put on 92 for the first wicket, as the side set off rapidly in pursuit of the 179-run victory target.
Amjad maintained his promising form from the 50-over World Cup qualifier in New Zealand this year with a half-century, while Faizan, the T20 specialist, struck a solid 48.
Raza captained the side against Hong Kong in the absence of Khurram and Mustafa, before skipping the game against Nepal.
The left-arm spinner said the manner of the UAE’s victory against Hong Kong was a morale boost, given the makeshift nature of the line up.
“We were chasing down 180 without experienced players like Khurram and Rohan, and we had just four batsmen before we were into the all-rounders,” Raza said.
“So to win like that was a pretty good effort. Our bowling was under massive pressure at one stage because Hong Kong’s batsmen played really well. Chasing down that total with just four recognised batsmen was very good.”
The squad fly to Dhaka on Sunday ahead of their debut at a World Twenty20 tournament, which is the UAE’s second appearance at a global event after the 1996 World Cup.
They have warm-up fixtures against Bangladesh on Wednesday and Nepal on Friday in Fatullah before they head to Sylhet to open their campaign against the Netherlands on March 17.
pradley@thenational.ae
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