UAE’s 360-degree batsman Waseem Muhammad piles up Player of the Tournament awards through hurricane knocks

By K.R. Nayar 

Fujairah’s Waseem Muhammad emerged as the highest run-getter and also earned the honour of hitting the maximum sixes in the recently concluded Emirates D10 tournament. His whirlwind knocks blew away opponents as he went on to clinch his fourth consecutive Player of the Tournament award. Waseem is all set to make a huge impact in international cricket

Waseem Muhammad receives the 'Most Sixes Award' from Parvez Khan, Fujairah team owner and chairman of Pacific Group 

Waseem Muhammad was unstoppable in the just concluded Fancode Emirates D10 2021 powered by SKY 247 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. So aggressive was his batting that he could dispatch almost all deliveries bowled to him to the boundary for a four or a six. His batting style resembled that of AB De Villiers, who is popularly called Mr 360 degrees.  Like Chris Gayle, Waseem gave whirlwind starts for Fujariah, dispatching even the first ball of an innings to the boundary. 


The organisers had a tough time retrieving the balls bowled to him as most of his sixes sailed out of the ground. He piled up 430 runs from 12 matches at a strike rate of 241.6 to emerge as the highest run getter and also as the batsman who hit the maximum number of sixes (35). Waseem was rightly adjudged the Player of the Tournament. It was a hat-trick of Player of the Tournament awards for him. Ever since the Emirates Cricket Board started staging their tournaments, starting with the D10 in 2020 and followed by the D20, Waseem has bagged the Player of the Tournament in all these events. He was also the UAE Player of the Tournament in the Alubond Abu Dhabi T10 tournament. 

Speaking to krbuzz.blogspot.com after bagging the second Emirates D10 tournament Player of the Tournament award, he said: “I am very happy with the form I am in and want to continue this form. My confidence level is very high after winning four consecutive Player of the Tournament awards.”

Waseem Muhammad with one of the many Man of the Match awards he has won 

 When asked about his ability to hit sixes with such ease and emerge as the hitter of the highest number of sixes, he said: “I do nothing special... I just try and play my natural game.”

Waseem’s natural stroke play had even stunned renowned international bowlers who played in the recent Alubond Abu Dhabi T10 tournament. Through his aggressive hard hitting, he even got some of the aggressive West Indies batsmen play second fiddle to him. One of Waseem’s spectacular knock in this tournament was his 76 runs against Team Abu Dhabi off just 34 balls with six sixes and seven boundaries. He had also equaled the T10 record for the fastest half century during his unbeaten 56 off 13 balls to push Pune Devils to an eight-wicket defeat. 

Waseem Muhammad with Yuvraj Singh when he was part of the Maratha Arabians team in Abu Dhabi D10 third edition  

For Waseem, to perform in front of a legend like Chris Gayle, and hard hitters like Lendl Simmons and Nicholas Pooran, and emerge as a match winner was an inspiring moment. His path to fame has been a steep rise given that he came to the UAE in 2017 and started playing domestic cricket through tournaments held in Hamriya. Before coming to the UAE, twenty-seven-year-old Waseem used to play in Multan with some of the top Pakistan cricketers.

Waseem has also proved that one can rise from playing local tournaments and win applause from the legends of the game through a strong sense of self-belief and hard work. Commenting on his fourth Player of the Tournament, Waseem who has made all his friends and family in Pakistan proud, said: “I thank my family and friends and all those who praying for me and keep supporting me.”

Waseem Muhammad emerged UAE Player of the tournament in the fourth Abu Dhabi T10 representing Northern Warriors 

Waseem then went on to thank Parvez Khan, the Fujairah team owner and chairman of  Pacific Group. “I am thankful to Parvez Khan as team owner who has provided all support and encouraged me a lot.”

To a query on his goal in life, Waseem said: “I am looking forward to represent the UAE,  which is my second home, and create a huge impact in international cricket and exhibit my skills as a cricketer in different parts of the world.”

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