Colourful Capping Ceremony for the Over 50s UAE Cricket team taking part in Masters Over50’s Cricket World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa

By K.R. Nayar

Cricket never stops for a few Over-50s cricketers in the UAE. A team of Over-50 cricketers from the UAE have flown to South Africa for the Masters Over 50s Cricket World Cup being held in Cape Town. They will be playing with 14 top cricket playing nations and a few Associate Cricket members. The team is being sponsored by Chandan Ahuja and Mili Ahuja of Falcon Eye Cyber Security, based in Dubai.  A colourful capping ceremony in the presence a large turn-out from the UAE’s cricket fraternity was held at the Taj Dubai, Downtown on March 2, 2023.

The Over 50's UAE team with Brigadier Makki Salman Ahmed Salman of Dubai Police who was Guest of Honour along with Khalid Al Haj Nasir and sponsors Mili and Chandan Ahuja 

At the Capping Ceremony, Mili Ahuja, Founder and Director of Falcon Eye Cyber Security, welcomed the huge gathering, and the eighteen-member team embarking on their maiden journey for the IMCC Masters Over 50 Men’s World Cup in South Africa, and said:  “It is our humble privilege to support the team from the UAE in their attempt to bring the Masters World Cup home. We are a startup company offering Consulting, Governance, Risk and Compliance, and Implementation support in end-to-end Cyber Security management. One of our flagship programs that our customers have loved and that which is gaining momentum in the UAE is our Implementation Program for the Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL).”

The Over-50's team with sponsors Mili Ahuja and  Chandan Ahuja

“I choose not to steal the thunder away from this fabulous group of people who are doing all that is necessary, bringing together folks from different countries and cultures in the true UAE spirit and exhibiting the same in Cape Town. Kudos to the team of over 50s who have largely self-funded this maiden World Cup participation. This, I hear, is the third and the Biggest Masters World Cup so far, with a total of 14 teams in 2 pools of 7 each. Wishing this team the absolute best of luck from me and everyone at Falcon Eye Cyber Security.”

Chandan Ahuja further added:  “I have been a banker by profession and a cricketer by passion. I am sure everyone here has played some form of cricket in the past, some more competitive than others. A cricketer, in fact, a sportsman, never lives alone. He or she has their mates and friends that they play with; and compete against.”

“As an investment banker, I understand the flow of money and the growth of economy. As a startup ourselves now, at Falcon Eye Cyber Security, we understand and empathize with the problems and struggles faced by startups everywhere. Although we are too small to project ourselves, our dreams and our abilities are top notch. And as a gesture from one budding startup to another, we extended our guidance and support to this brilliant Masters Over 50s cricket team.”

Rafiullah Syed, Ali Akbar Rana, Mohammad Lokhandwala and Vijay Mehra 

“The sovereign of the UAE is working towards creating a fitter population and reducing the dependence on medicine, hospitals, and rehabilitation. Injury and illness are best prevented through health and fitness. If you observe around you, people above the age of 40 are more vulnerable to illness. And this team is the flag bearer to all those who wish to get fit, stay fit and remain healthy even as they turn towards their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, or even their 90s.

Wishing this team the very best of luck, health and oodles of wins under their belts as they return triumphant, not out at 50’s.”

General Brigadier Makki Salman Ahmed Salman of Dubai Police, who was the Guest of Honour along with Khalid Al Haj Nasir said, “I congratulate the team members and wish them all success in this tough competition. I ask them to play hard but play fair and maintain the traditions of the UAE and keep the flag flying high for the UAE in South Africa”.

Mazhar Khan, General Manager Sharjah Cricket and  a senior cricketer in the UAE who has never stopped playing, and is an agile wicketkeeper and top ranked official in the UAE cricket scene since five decades, wished the team all the success and urged everyone to give all their best in this tournament. 

Mazhar Khan, Khalid Al Haj Nasir, Chandan Ahuja,  Brigadier Makki Salman Ahmed Salman, Mohammad Lokhandwala  and Vijay Mehra

CTK Nasir, a cricketer who has played for over four decades in the UAE as an allrounder and is the owner of Nucaf Tellicherry Cargo and Freight Forwarding Company, and who had also lit up the path for many expatriates and many generations of youngsters to continue playing the game, lent his support by sponsoring the UAE team with his company logo on their playing and practice kits, also wished them well.

Mohamed Lokhandwala, a former cricketer who served the game for decades in various roles in the UAE, was  rightly chosen as the MC for the function. Elaborating on the tournament, he said: “Former international and first-class cricketers from India, Pakistan, West Indies, Sri Lanka, South Africa, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Namibia, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Canada and Wales are all geared up and most have already reached the coastal city of Cape Town. This beautiful city, ringed by the scenic Table Top Mountain shrouded in white clouds,  and at the southern-most tip of the world at Cape Point, will be hosting the Seniors World Cup with each team playing 6 games in the 45 overs format designed especially for the Masters tournament. Top four teams will qualify for the knock out semi-finals stage while the Losers will participate in a Plate Event.”

Syed Rafiullah, who captained the Pakistan University team and who has participated in two of the previous Masters World Cup for Canada in 2018 and 2020, will be leading the Masters cricket UAE. Supporting him will be some very famous names in UAE cricket and those who have created many great moments in the game like Ali Akbar Rana and Vijay Mehra. Mehra has also represented the UAE in the ICC World Cup tournament in 1994, while Khurram Khan was the skipper of the UAE side in the 2015 edition. 

The other well-known members of this team who also have many first class cricket representations between them are Ambey Parwatkar, Biju Nair, Mohammad Shafique, Shahzad Ahmad, Tanvir Ghani, Narayanan Krishnan, Abhilash Devarajan, John Flory, Faisal Maqsood, Rehan Khan, Naveed Sehrai, Imran Qazmi, Asif Butt and Asad Rizvi.

Amidst huge applause, General Brigadier Makki Salman Ahmed Salman, Khalid Al Haj Nasir, Chandan Ahuja, Mili Ahuja, Mazhar Khan and CTK Nasir presented the players with their IMCC Masters World Cup caps and wished each one of them all the best. These cricketers are out to prove that old is gold and that one turns old only if one stops playing.