The next Ben Stokes? Ajman hosts 800 budding stars in Ramada Gulf Cup - in pictures

800 young players take part in the same competition in which the England all-rounder impressed in 2005

Golty's Ashwin Kumar celebrates the run out of Aces Sai Sudharsan in the game between Ace Little Master v YTCA Golty in the Ramada Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Aces Sai Sudharsan bats in the game between Ace Little Master v YTCA Golty in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Metro's Gaurang Jindal bats in the game between Metro v Desert Cubs Lions in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Legend's Khurram bats in the game between Legend v Simply Warriors in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Metro's Adhiraj Bhandari bats in the game between Metro v Desert Cubs Lions in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Warriors' Manav Shah bowls in the game between Legend v Simply Warriors in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Metro's Adhiraj Bhandari bats in the game between Metro v Desert Cubs Lions in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Legend's Syed Musaib Ahmed bats in the game between Legend v Simply Warriors in the Ramada Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Warriors' Vian Pais catches Legend's Abdul Rashid in the game between Legend v Simply Warriors in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Lions' keeper Parth Sarathy in the game between Metro v Desert Cubs Lions in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Metro's Adhiraj Bhandari is bowled in the game between Metro v Desert Cubs Lions in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Legend's Ahsan Parvez bats in the game between Legend v Simply Warriors in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Legend's Khurram bats in the game between Legend v Simply Warriors in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

YTCA's Tanish bats in the game between Golty YTCA v COE in the Ramada Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

YTCA's Rudrahdev Vijayan bats in the game between YTCA v Madina in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

YTCA's Tanish bats in the game between Golty YTCA v COE in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

YTCA's Reza Abbas bats in the game between YTCA v Madina in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

YTCA's Rudrahdev Vijayan has his wicket taken by Madina's Awais Khan in the game between YTCA v Madina in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Legend's Khurram bats in the game between Legend v Simply Warriors in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Warriors' Manav Shah bowls in the game between Legend v Simply Warriors in the Ramada Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Madina's Awais Khan bowls in the game between YTCA v Madina in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Warriors' Rishabh Rajagopalan bowls in the game between Legend v Simply Warriors in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

YTCA's Shreyas bats in the game between Golty YTCA v COE in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

YTCA's Saleh Amin bats in the game between YTCA v Madina in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Legend's Rizwan bats in the game between Legend v Simply Warriors in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Legend's Rizwan bats in the game between Legend v Simply Warriors in the Gulf Cup. Sunday, December 13, 2020 in Ajman. Chris Whiteoak / The National

It is unclear as yet whether the next Ben Stokes is in action in the Ramada Gulf Cup, but there are plenty of willing candidates after one of the country’s largest youth cricket competition’s got under way this week.

The tournament started on Sunday morning in Ajman. More than 800 players across 66 teams are involved in the 15-day event.

This year the involvement is limited to the UAE’s leading academies and junior teams because of travel limitations brought about by Covid, but in the past there has been some notable talent from overseas.

In 2005, an unknown 14-year-old called Ben Stokes was voted the tournament’s second best player, as he toured with Durham. Fellow England star Mark Wood was also a past tourist with the county from England’s northeast.

The competition has also seen a variety of players pass through it on their way to international honours with the UAE, such as Rameez Shahzad, Ahmed Raza, and Chirag Suri.