Dubai // Saqib Ali will be rewarded for his courageous return to form and fitness by being handed the UAE captaincy for the opening game of the series against Pakistan A on Wednesday.
The Pakistan-born batsman’s international career for his adopted country has been severely inhibited by chronic back problems in recent years.
The UAE players, who all are amateurs, have to juggle playing commitments with their day jobs. As such, not all of the prospective World Cup squad are available for every one of the five scheduled matches against Pakistan A over the next eight days.
In the absence of Khurram Khan, the regular captain, Saqib has been handed the task of leading the side in the first fixture of five against Pakistan’s second-string team.
He is no stranger to the role. The Multan-born batsman was the UAE’s captain the last time they played a tournament involving Test nations, at the 2008 Asia Cup in his homeland.
He was one of the outstanding batsmen on the side's six-match tour of Australia last year, and Aaqib Javed, the UAE coach, says his return to form is a major boost.
"Saqib has performed really well and was the most-consistent batsman in Australia," Aaqib said of the tour to Australia, when UAE won two and lost four of their matches.
“Coming back from the injury he had and performing straight away, I am really glad Saqib is back. He is in good form.”
Pakistan A are likely to provide a tough examination for the national team. They have retained many of the players who beat Australia by 153 runs in a four-day game in Shajrah last week.
If anything, they will be even stronger for this series of 50-over matches, since they will welcome the likes of regular Pakistan limited-overs players such as Sohaib Maqsood, the captain, and Nasir Jamshed.
“More than 50 per cent of the team have already played for Pakistan,” Aaqib said of the opposition.
“These are the sort of opposition we are looking forward to playing against. Preparing for the World Cup, you need tough opposition.
“This was a good option for us when we realised Pakistan A had good bowlers, and we are playing on fast pitches at the ICC Academy.
“This will be a good test for us, as they will give us a really hard time.”
Given that the sport's officials in the UAE have been unable to arrange fixtures against the first team of any leading Test nation ahead of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, this is the next-best thing.
The UAE’s World Cup opener against Zimbabwe is set for February 19.
“I can foresee it being a very high standard,” said David East, the chief executive of the Emirates Cricket Board.
“We need to ensure the players have that continuity [after last month’s tour of Australia]. They have pretty rigorous training schedules. They are fully committed to their training, their fitness, their dietary and weight management.
“It is all very much part of that overall structure to ensure they are at their absolute best when we go to New Zealand.”
pradley@thenational.ae
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