Dubai: The UAE suffered an early exit from the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Twenty20 qualifier in Scotland and Ireland this month.

The UAE team that played in the 2014 ICC World Twenty20 in Bangladesh and 2015 50-over World Cup in Australia and New Zealand put up a pathetic show and returned home with just one victory over Canada.

Batting was the team’s biggest failure and even the fitness of the players was found wanting.

The UAE ensured a place in the previous editions of the two global events thanks in no small part to the stupendous performances of veteran Khurram Khan. He played a pivotal role in the last edition of the ICC qualifiers, scoring heavily with the bat and also picking up crucial wickets with his left-arm spin.

Khurram, as captain of the UAE team, inspired the squad to some stunning victories, but he retired from international cricket 15 days before his 44th birthday despite being one of the fittest players in the team.

Speaking to Gulf News after the UAE failed to qualify for the Twenty20 World Cup, a disappointed Khurram said: “The team failed to grab an important opportunity to play in the World Cup again. It is now time for overhauling the team, though I always believe that coach Aaqib Javed has done a lot for the team. He will have to start the re-building phase now with a younger looking side for a post-World Cup 2015 era.

“The fitness of the team was not at an acceptable level. The way forward for the UAE team should be with youngsters. Initially there will be hard times, but the team will improve over time with these players.”

When asked whether the performances in the qualifiers could have been a reflection of the UAE players not being given sufficient recognition for their past performances, Khan said: “I admit a contract system and honouring them is important, but here I would say the players have presented a very weak case.”

The UAE have fared poorly in the Twenty20 format following Khurram’s retirement. They didn’t aquit themselves well in the longer version of the game either. They lost by an innings and 26 runs against Ireland in an ICC Intercontinental Cup four-day match just before the qualifiers, proving that they have slipped badly in both versions of the game.

Asked whether the UAE performed poorly in the qualifiers because they found themselves in tough, unfamiliar conditions, Khurram said: “Conditions were not hard. Teams need to feel at home after a few games but the UAE failed to do so.

“These are the tough tournaments where your mental strength will be tested. Being a bowler, [skipper] Mohammad Tauqir should have bowled more and at the most important times. He often bowled too late or didn’t even bowl in some instances.

“Not to forget, neither the bowling nor batting was on song at any stage of the tournament.”