Amid the ongoing tensions between Indian and Pakistani camps at the Asia Cup, following the controversial no-handshake stance from Suryakumar Yadav’s team, players of Indian and Pakistani origin showcased their remarkable cricket talents and camaraderie while representing the UAE at this prestigious event.
The UAE has traditionally relied on expat communities from South Asia for its national cricket team. While a few Emiratis have made it to international cricket over the years, the majority of players have always come from Indian and Pakistani expat communities.
The current squad, which gave Pakistan a tough challenge during their final Group A Asia Cup match on Wednesday, is captained by Muhammad Waseem, from Mian Channu in Pakistan’s Punjab province, also the hometown of the country’s Olympic champion Arshad Nadeem.
Junaid Siddique, UAE’s leading fast bowler, who delivered an exceptional performance against Pakistan (4-0-18-4), was born in Multan, a major city in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
Junaid Siddique celebrates a wicket.
Simranjeet Singh, a left-arm spinner who troubled the Pakistan batting lineup with three wickets, hails from India’s Punjab state.
Pune-born all-rounder Dhruv Parashar scored a determined 20, keeping UAE’s hopes alive with his 48-run fourth-wicket partnership with Rahul Chopra (35), who was born in New Delhi, before Pakistan, having set 146 for nine, fought back to bowl UAE out for 105.
As representatives of an associate team in a major international event, it is unrealistic to expect them to regularly defeat elite cricket teams.
However, these players have demonstrated that in sports, focus on the game surpasses all else.
They maintained their focus during Wednesday’s match, even as Pakistan’s team delayed their appearance in Dubai due to a dispute over a match official.
“We concentrated on our preparation. The coach (Lalchand Rajput, former India player) advised us to stay mentally prepared. So the wait didn’t affect us,” Dhruv Parashar told Khaleej Times, addressing whether the delay impacted their readiness.
We are a family
After Wednesday night’s match, skipper Mohammad Waseem was asked if India-Pakistan tensions at the Asia Cup ever surfaced in discussions among UAE players.
“No, we don’t discuss that (Indo-Pak tensions) as we play a lot of cricket together. We are like a family here,” Waseem said.
“There is no Indian or Pakistani here. We play for UAE as a family.”
The 20-year-old Parashar shared his captain’s views, mentioning he feels comfortable discussing anything with Waseem and Junaid.
“We have a mix of Indians and Pakistanis in our team. The team camaraderie is excellent, and we never think of ourselves as different,” said Parashar, who also gained tips from India’s Varun Chakravarty and Pakistan’s Saim Ayub, Abrar Ahmed, and Fakhar Zaman during the Asia Cup.
“In the UAE team, having Waseem bhai and Junaid bhai, who are very experienced and have played over 100 games, is wonderful. They always support and back you, whether it’s about life or cricket.”
Proud of Junaid
Parashar expressed pride in Junaid’s bowling achievements, highlighting his consecutive four-wicket performances against Oman and Pakistan in the Asia Cup.
UAE’s Junaid Siddique (left) and Dhruv Parashar celebrate a wicket.
“Junaid is a close friend, despite being senior. I’m very happy for him. He works hard on fitness and his game. His four wickets against Pakistan after four against Oman were exceptional,” said Parashar.
“His performance in the last two games shows he’s in great form. He gives us strong starts with the new ball and excels in death overs. I’m delighted for him.”
Lala’s best friend
At 86 for four chasing 147, Rahul Chopra relied on Lahore-born Asif Khan, his best friend in the team, to unleash his power against the Shaheen Shah Afridi-led Pakistan attack.
“Dhruv and I played cautiously, aiming to extend the game for Lala (Asif Khan) to hit big shots. Unfortunately, Lala didn’t succeed yesterday. If he had, we could’ve beaten Pakistan,” Chopra said, discussing his friendship with ‘Lala’.
“We’re close friends; India-Pakistan issues are irrelevant to us. Everyone here helps each other. We share meals and go out as a group on tours, creating a beautiful bond.”
Though they didn’t advance in the Asia Cup, their unity could be UAE’s biggest asset as they aim to qualify for next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
