SYLHET, BANGLADESH // Khurram Khan has pleaded for patience from the world cricket community after the UAE’s inauspicious return to the top stage this week.
Playing at a first global tournament since the 1996 World Cup, the national team were comfortably beaten in all three of their preliminary round matches at the World Twenty20.
They put up an improved display in the five-wicket loss to Zimbabwe on Friday in their final pool match at the Sylhet International Stadium, but Khurram said much must be done to persuade people the UAE belong at this level of the game.
“I think the cricket world will have to be a little patient with us, to be honest,” the long-serving captain said. “We have only really been playing at this level for a few months.
“We had probably 15 days preparation for the World Cup. We started the day we arrived back from New Zealand [the qualifying competition for next year’s 50-over version] and it came too fast for us.
“To play at this level, you have to put in a lot more. Practice now will start for us the day we reach Dubai. We will go back, definitely work hard and, in a few months, we will be a better side.”
Having had a break of 18 years from this platform, the UAE are guaranteed more exposure at this level of the game in the immediate future. The national team have full one-day international status assured for the next four years, as well as a 50-over World Cup to look forward to in less than a year.
Khurram said the lessons from Bangladesh will stand the players in good stead for the road ahead.
“There were lots of positives,” he said. “We batted well in phases, but one thing we learnt was we need to stop losing wickets in clusters, three and four at a time.
“We have to learn to overcome those situations and I think if we can bowl as we did today, restrict runs and take a few wickets, obviously you have a better chance.
“In terms of the weaknesses we have shown, throughout the tournament we have not put on enough runs to put pressure on the opponents. Fitness is another issue, and I think fielding comes with that. Working hard on our fitness is the way to go.”
The national team will head home from Bangladesh with nothing tangible to show for their first World T20 campaign.
Zimbabwe claimed a speedy five-wicket win against the UAE on Friday, with Elton Chigumbura blazing an unbeaten 53 in 21 balls.
The comprehensive margin of defeat belied an improved display by the UAE. They even harboured brief hopes of a shock victory when Manjula Guruge sparked a collapse at the top of Zimbabwe’s order.
The Sri Lankan left-armer took two wickets and his compatriot Shadeep Silva managed one, while Ahmed Raza had Zimbabwe’s quick-scoring captain, Brendan Taylor, caught by Shaiman Anwar.
The African side were 34 for four, then 63 for five in the chase for the UAE's 116 for nine, but Chigumbura rode his luck with a brutal half-century.
Taylor later insisted there was a reason for the chaotic start to their reply.
Assuming that the Netherlands could do them a favour in the later game, the African side needed to win well to have a chance of leapfrogging Ireland to the top of the group.
At that point, Zimbabwe needed to beat the UAE in 15.4 overs to better Ireland’s net run rate. However, some faulty information meant they set off in their run chase faster than they needed to.
“There was a misunderstanding over when we needed to get the runs by. We thought it was 12 overs,” Taylor said.
“So guys probably went a little too hard and didn’t allow themselves enough time. Then we later found out we needed the runs in 15.4 overs. Fortunately, Elton Chigumbura was phenomenal.”
pradley@thenational.ae
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