The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced a 15-player squad for the upcoming T20I tri-series. The tournament will be held in Sharjah from August 29 to September 7. UAE will face strong opponents Pakistan and Afghanistan during this series.
Muhammad Waseem will captain the UAE team. The tri-series serves as an important preparation for the men’s T20 Asia Cup 2024. The UAE squad has been expanded from 14 to 15 players since their last event, the Pearl of Africa Cup in Uganda.
Four new players have joined the UAE team: Harshit Kaushik, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, and Muhammad Jawadullah. Kaushik is a left-handed batter and part-time spinner who has yet to make his international debut. Siddique brings valuable experience with 59 ODIs and 71 T20Is played. Jawadullah has taken 54 wickets in 33 T20Is. Farooq is a leg-spinning all-rounder with eight T20I appearances.
Despite these additions, UAE has retained its core group of experienced players. Captain Waseem, Alishan Sharafu, Aryansh Sharma, and Rahul Chopra are expected to lead the side. New talents such as Muhammad Zohaib and all-rounder Saghir Khan are also included.
The team will be coached by former India opener Lalchand Rajput. He has emphasized the need to balance experience with fresh talent in the squad.
UAE will begin the tri-series by playing Pakistan on August 30. They will then face Afghanistan on September 1. The tournament continues with more matches against Pakistan and Afghanistan. The final is scheduled for September 7.
Following the tri-series, UAE selectors will finalize the squad for the T20 Asia Cup based on player performances during these matches. This series is a key opportunity for UAE players to prove their skills ahead of the Asia Cup.
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