Dubai: UAE cricket team skipper Mohammad Tauqir wants the top cricketing nations to play at least one match against his country, whenever possible, to gain exposure. “UAE has now One Day International (ODI) status and I would like top nations like India, Pakistan and those countries touring UAE to play at least one match against us. If we can get one game or an ODI against these nations, it will boost our confidence. The more we get to play cricket the better we will become,” he said.
Speaking to Gulf News before flying out to UK to play a three-day match against Scotland in Southampton and a four-day International Cricket Council (ICC) Intercontinental Cup against Ireland in Ireland, Tauqir said the need of the hour for the team is to gain valuable exposure.
Looking back at his team’s outing in the ICC World Cup in February-March, Tauqir said: “Overall, it was a very good performance by our team in the World Cup and I am very happy that we fought hard in every match. Former greats like Sunil Gavaskar, Wasim Akram, Shaun Pollock and many others whom we met in Australia and New Zealand during the World Cup had high praise for the team and our coach Aaqib Javed’s efforts. Our immediate challenge is to do well in the ICC Twenty20 World Cup qualifiers and play in the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in India next year.”
Tauqir wants cricketers in the UAE to play longer version matches too as his next target is play Test cricket. “To play in a Test match is our next dream. For this to happen, we have to do well in the Intercontinental Cup four-day matches as the winner can get to play a Test match. This tournament is a long one — spread over a period of two years — and what we need to do is to equip ourselves to play well in longer version of the game too.
“Unfortunately in our domestic tournaments, we play mostly shorter version matches and majority being Twenty20 tournaments. I would love to see three-day and two-day matches for youngsters as being staged by all Test playing nations.”
Tauqir is aware that with a majority of the cricketers here are employed and hence playing two and three-day matches will be possible only with the help of top companies that employ cricketers. “Of late I have seen lot of professionalism coming into the game here. Teams like Grand Midwest, Danube, and UBL are hiring lot of good cricketers based on their talent and most them are being allowed to be full-time cricketers. If these employers can continue to support these boys, anything is possible,” he said.
A UAE national himself, Tauqir wants more Emiratis to take up the sport and hopes his role inspires many Emiratis take an interest in the sport. “Mohammad Redha Abbas, chairman of the UAE team selection committee and other members of the selection committee like Ameen Farooq are keen supporters of UAE nationals taking up the game. After I returned from the World Cup, I have met many young UAE nationals who are keen to take up the game. They have been inspired by our participation in the World Cup. The large number of Facebook messages I got from Emirati boys is proof of their keenness to follow the game. I would love to see a full-fledged team of 11 Emirati boys playing for UAE one day,” said Tauqir.
“Shaikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, who is also the Head of the Emirates Cricket Board is keen on cricket developing as a sport. We need to do well in all international matches we participate. We now have some new faces in the team. Many youngsters are also getting opportunities to play international cricket now.
“I appeal to all youngsters here to consistently perform in domestic cricket. Do well for your club and the doors of the UAE national team may open up for you,” he added.
