UAE to play in World Cup qualifiers

The UAE cricket team will compete in the International Cricket Council's (ICC) World Cup Qualifying Series, to be held in Kenya in August next year.

Till last year, the ICC Trophy, which is held every four years, was the only event for the associate members to prove their strength and qualify for the World Cup. The introduction of a qualifying series for all the associate members will now bring a regular programme of international cricket.

Andrew Eade, the ICC's Global Cricket Development Manager, revealed that this new programme should give increased exposure for all the developing nations.

The UAE's participation in the new format was confirmed by the Emirates Cricket Board. This new format splits all the developing cricket nations into small groups based on their merit. The UAE is in Division One with Kenya, Holland, Namibia, Canada and Scotland.

Division two, comprising Ireland, Denmark, U.S., Bermuda, Uganda and Nepal, will play in Los Angeles, while Division three with Malaysia, Hong Kong, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Singapore and Argentina is to play in Kuala Lumpur.

Division four, to be held in Rome, will comprise Italy, Germany, Nigeria, Tanzania, Gibraltar, Israel, France, East and Central Africa and Cayman Islands.

According to Eade, "There will be promotion and relegation between the first and last teams of each division. For the first year there are to be nine teams in division four and the six teams that finish last in that group would be relegated to regional tournaments to be held in 2004. These six teams will then have to qualify again for the 2005 World Group by winning against the affiliate nations in their region."

The UAE coach Abid Ali said that, "The Pakistan A team's tour of the UAE next month will be a good exposure for our team to prepare for the World Cup Qualifying series." The UAE team selectors are in the process of selecting players for a training camp under Abid Ali before the Pakistan A team's tour of the UAE.

The UAE had narrowly missed qualifying for the 2003 World Cup after an impressive show in the super league of the ICC Trophy held in July 2001 at Toronto. Denial of visas by the Canadian embassy to some of its top players prevented the UAE from fielding a full-strength team in Toronto.