Sohaib Khan points to brighter future even as UAE head for T20 World Cup exit

It showed how cruel sport can be that it was Sohaib Khan who erred. Just one step too far inside the extra cover boundary, and that was the game.

The lofted drive from Azmatullah Omarzai just evaded his fingertips, the ball went for six, and the pressure on Afghanistan dissipated.

A few overs later, Omarzai had set the seal on a five-wicket win, and the UAE’s T20 World Cup was all but mathematically over.

Technically, there is still a chance. But it would require Canada to beat New Zealand and Afghanistan, and the UAE to win by a landslide against South Africa for them to make the Super Eight. It is more likely to snow in Sharjah tomorrow than that happen.

Whatever happens against South Africa in the final group match on Wednesday – and, let’s be honest, with the Proteas’ firepower, it could be a bloodbath – this World Cup might be considered a net positive for the UAE.

And all because of Sohaib.

For too long, the national team has been propped up by two batters: Muhammad Waseem and Alishan Sharafu.

Waseem, the captain, is one of the best batters ever at Associate level. And yet he has been wearied by the burden of carrying this team for so long.

Coming into this World Cup, it showed. What should have been excitement about the opportunity to show their talent on the game’s biggest stadium just felt like trepidation instead.

The UAE have been dire for ages in both formats, and it has been no fun for anyone. They lost both matches in a preparatory series to Ireland in Dubai, and comfortably, too.

They were thrashed by Nepal in their first official warm-up game in India. Then, shockingly, they lost by more than 100 against big-stage newbies Italy, who are nine places below them in the ICC’s T20 rankings.

It was doom and gloom, and it got worse before it showed any hint of getting better. A lot worse. Mohammed Zohaib was thrown out of the squad for disciplinary reasons.

When the UAE then managed to get a replacement player on the grounds of “player mental wellbeing and team welfare”, it did not chime with Zohaib’s claim that he was, in fact, absolutely fine.

While that issue hung over them like a bad mood, they kicked off their tournament against New Zealand. Yes, there were some morsels of cheer despite the 10-wicket thrashing by the Kiwis. But, again, they came from the bats of Waseem and Sharafu, who each made half-centuries.

Amid the despondency, they needed to find a spark. As they moved on from Chennai to Delhi, it was not clear where that would possibly come from. But then, cue Sohaib.

In a city whose air-quality index scores are routinely on a par with the UAE’s form – meaning horrible – he has been like a breath of fresh air.

Against Canada, in concert with Aryansh Sharma, he provided the exact impetus the UAE required to close out just their third win ever at World Cups.

Suddenly everyone’s eyes were opened to his talent. Against Afghanistan next time out, he was elevated to the key role of No 4 in the batting order, and he looked like he was born to it.

His dapper innings of 64 was all the more impressive that it was scored against an attack including Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad and Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

OK, so it all ended in defeat. But it was clear from Waseem’s demeanour in the post-match debrief that a weight was being lightened. It is not just him and Alishan doing the heavy lifting now. There is Sohaib. Aryansh, too, who batted through the innings against Canada.

Maybe that murky future could yet be bright? “Me and Alishan [have been] the key players for the team, but I am very happy the way two guys have stepped up, Aryansh and Sohaib,” Waseem said.

“The way they are batting, I am very happy for them. And for the upcoming game also one or two more guys will raise their hands.”

Sohaib has thrived in a city he once called home. He studied sociology at a university 12kms from the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, and Waseem suggested his thirst for knowledge has continued beyond his graduation from academia.

“He's a very calm guy,” the captain said of Sohaib. “He doesn’t talk much, but is always asking questions and always learning from the seniors, and from the coach. He's a very good guy, and a guy who can gel with the team.”

Aside from Sohaib’s excellence, the performance against Afghanistan spoke of something else for the UAE side. They appeared as though they felt like they belonged.

Maybe that showed, after three matches, they have grown into the World Cup. But it also showed the benefit of having played full internationals against Afghanistan in the recent past.

“The more we play cricket with the Test nations, you have seen that the Associate countries are performing,” Waseem said.

“When we have good matches, the boys learn a lot from them. They are confident to perform well. Our team has played series against Pakistan, New Zealand, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, and the boys have gained a lot of confidence from those series.

“So, I think the ICC should have a few series with the Associate countries play the Test nations, which gives the boys confidence and allows them to learn how to play good cricket.”

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