International cricketers inspire two little-known youngsters to hog the limelight in UAE’s D10 tournament

By K.R. Nayar

Opener Mohammad Waseem, who won the Emirates Cricket Board’s Domestic D10 tournament’s 'Player of the Tournament' award and skillful 'death bowler' and left-arm pacer Sheraz Ahmed are knocking at the doors of the UAE national team. Both of them owe their rise to recognition to the tips and encouragement from the greats likes Yuvraj Singh and Lasith Malinga

Mohammad Waseem (right) follows Yuvraj Singh's advice to bag the top prize 

Mohammad Waseem and Sheraz Ahmed have watched cricket’s superstars like Yuvraj Singh, Lasith Malinga, Dwayne Bravo, Chris Lynn, and Andy Flower only on television. They had never imagined they would be even standing next to them, forget playing cricket with them. So it was more like a dream when they got the opportunity to spend hours with these players during the 2019 Abu Dhabi T10 League after getting picked to play for the Maratha Arabians team. They utilised every minute of the opportunity, making sure to travel with them on the team bus, sitting next to any one of them, and asking them questions on how they could improve their game. During practice, they were happy to gather as many tips from them as possible. 

Chris Lynn (left) encourages Sheraz Ahmed from mid on during  a T10 league match

Imagine the left-arm pacer Sheraz's joy when Bravo from mid-off, Lynn at mid-on and Malinga from short cover, guided him during the T10 league matches. He was very excited and produced some great spells under their direction. During the post-match press conference, Bravo had referred to Sheraz as “a brilliant death bowler”. Since only one UAE player could be included in the playing eleven, Waseem, who is a right-handed opening batsman, did not get the opportunity to exhibit his skills in the T10 league, but in the Emirates Domestic D10 tournament, the very first event organised by Emirates Cricket Board after the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, boosted by the tips he'd got from international cricketers, he bagged the 'Player of the tournament' award piling up 453 runs. His highest score was 91 not out (n.o), in addition to the scores of 73 n.o, 56 n.o, and many more.

Their journey to recognition started when Abdul Latif Khan, Chairman of Petromann Events and Executive Director of Petromann, which is UAE’s leading Oil and Gas company, and who successfully stages 10PL, the world’s richest tennis ball cricket tournament in Sharjah, spotted both of them. “Waseem was playing as a freelancer, but watching his skills I picked him to be a part of the Maratha Arabians team. I knew that with exposure, he would be good enough to play for the UAE. I picked Sheraz from tennis ball cricket. I believe that there is no better bowler than him who can bowl the death overs. They both deserve a call into the UAE team," noted Latif.  Another pacer Zahoor Khan, who was also spotted like these two by Latif, has already played for the UAE  and he even came under the IPL hammer during this year’s auction. 

Abdul Latif Khan

Speaking about his 'Player of the Tournament' award performance in the D10 tournament, Waseem, who also took some breathtaking catches, said: “I am so happy to win this award. I used to play alongside Pakistan pacer Mohammad Irfan and Shabbir Ahmed in Multan. I used to come to the UAE on a visit visa to play for different teams. In 2017, when I was playing in a Hamirya tournament, a person named Mohammad Ali was impressed with my fielding and offered me a job. That is how I joined Versatile Deployment Solutions. Mohammad bhai has been very pleased with my cricketing skills and has let me play without really working on my job, and gives me my salary too. Latif bhai then heard about me and gave me the exposure to big cricket by picking me for the Maratha Arabians team. Although I was doing well in domestic matches, that exposure changed my life and I am thankful to Latif bhai.”

Waseem also added: “During the T10 league, Lynn was impressed with my batting and Yuvraj told me that if I can put in more hard work, I will surely be picked to play international cricket. So despite Covid-19 stopping cricket here, I worked hard on my fitness. Since 2017, I haven’t gone back to Pakistan for a holiday, since I did not want to lose out on the number of years I need to stay here to be eligible to play for the UAE.”

Sheraz Ahmed (left) made sure to travel with Lasith Malinga 

Sheraz, like Waseem, has also completed the required three years to be eligible to play for the UAE and is hopeful to represent this country in international matches. “I am so happy that I got to play alongside Malinga, Bravo, Lynn, and coach Flower. They were constantly encouraging me to bowl well, and I'm happy I lived up to their expectations. Now my dream is to play for the UAE,” said Sheraz.

It looks like its just a matter of time before these two will be seen together in action for the UAE.