Dubai: The UAE are set to use the expertise of two of their former captains and finest cricketers for moulding a strong national team.
Khurram Khan and Mohammad Tauqir will soon be inducted into the UAE national selection committee, according to Mohammad Redha Abbas, former chief selector of the UAE and vice-chairman of Dubai Cricket Council.
The Dubai Cricket Council on Monday honoured three former UAE captains — Khurram, Tauqir and Saqib Ali through a colourful function held at Redha Abbas’s residence. Khurram, who was named as the International Cricket Council (ICC) Affiliate and Associate Cricketer of the Year, was felicitated during the function with a cake cutting ceremony attended by Dubai Cricket Council chairman Abdul Rehman Falaknaz, Emirates Cricket Council chief executive officer David East, Sharjah Cricket Council’s Waleed Bukhatir and Mansoor Pasha and Abu Dhabi Council’s Inam-Ul-Haq.
Speaking to Gulf News, Falaknaz lauded Khurram: “It’s a fantastic achievement by Khurram. He gave a lot of time for cricket and achieved the honour. He is our only players to have played in two (50 over) World Cups in 1996 and 2015 cricket. We hope that we can get people like Khurram, Tauqir and Saqib to play for us.”
Asked what it feels to be honoured by DCC, Khurram said: “Receiving this award from the ICC and to be recognised by my own cricket board is a great feeling. I remember the early days when I came to Dubai. I was one among the many who wanted to prove my talent and the domestic cricket here quickly accepted me. I remember those days of struggle and everyone from Hayat Yar Khan, who was then with the Dubai Cricket Council, to (present secretary) Amin Farooq. Farooq Siddiqui and Falaknaz, who has been long associated with Dubai and UAE cricket, have supported me. I am proud today because I feel I have achieved whatever I was striving for in the last 15 years and am very happy that my international career ended on a high.”
Saqib Ali could not be present to receive DCC’s token of appreciation but Tauqir expressed his joy. “It is an honour to be appreciated and honoured here today. I value the support of Falaknaz, Redha Abbas, Shiva Pagarani, Amin Farooq and all DCC members. It’s a privilege to have represented UAE for such a long time and it will be great to be associated with UAE team and ECB and to extent all my support to them in any capacity.”
Redha Abbas summed up DCC’s decision in honouring the former captains, especially, Khurram saying: “If it was not for Khurram’s performance we would not have qualified for the World Cup. He is one player who does not need a coach because I feel he himself is a coach. He bats so well and is a great fielder and bowler and so we felt we should honour him. We need players like the former captains Tauqir, Saqib and Khurram for the future of UAE cricket.”
