Batting is an area of concern for UAE ahead of Afghanistan ODIs

DUBAI // The UAE will play in their first official one-day international on home soil in 20 years when they host Afghanistan at the ICC Academy this afternoon.

The fixture, which is the first in a four-match series, will be the 15th full ODI the national team have played.

In qualifying for next year’s World Cup through a tournament in New Zealand this year, the national team earned full international recognition.

The last time they played in fixtures with that status on these shores, was against Asian cricket giants India and Pakistan in Sharjah in preparation for their 1996 World Cup debut.

Cricket’s landscape has changed much since. The UAE now are honing their game in a series against a nation who did not have a cricket team, or an official governing structure, back then.

Each has much to gain from the matches. The national team will return to the World Cup for the first time since 1996 next year, while the Afghans will be debuting on that stage. Both sides are coming off comprehensive defeats against a strong New Zealand A side, but Aaqib Javed, the UAE coach, reckons his side have prepared well.

“We were going good [against New Zealand A], even in the 50th over we were fit enough and aggressive enough,” Aaqib said.

“If we can consistently score 225-plus then we have a good chance. Against us, the average score is still 230.

“The fielding has improved, as a bowling unit I am quite satisfied, we just need 20 to 25 more runs on average as a batting side. Nobody backs off against pace bowling and that is the attitude we want.”

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