Kuwait cricket team ready for ICC World Cricket League Division
KUWAIT: Kuwait Cricket is the official governing body for the game of cricket in Kuwait and is an associate member of the International Cricket Council and a full member of the Asian Cricket Council.
Kuwait National cricket team under the incisive captaincy of Mohammad Khan left for Chiang Mai, Thailand yesterday to participate in the all important ICC World Cricket League Division 1 - Asia which is being organized by the Cricket Association of Thailand under the International Cricket Council.
The tournament will commence on April 22, when Kuwait will take on Qatar at the Royal Chiang Mai Golf Club. The tournament is of great significance to Kuwait Cricket as they have to win the seven-nation event in order to qualify for the Global World Cricket League - Division 5 scheduled to take place in South Africa in September 2017.
The 14 members squad consists of some of the most experienced players who have represented Kuwait at International level in many tournaments organized by ICC and ACC. The squad has been selected by the Kuwait Cricket Board based on fitness, domestic performances and ability to perform on the International platform based on valuable feedbacks from the local coaches.
Apart from Kuwait, the teams vying for the top honors will be host Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Bhutan, Qatar & China. The grueling event has 50 overs back-to-back matches played at Prem Tinsulanonda International School Ground, Chiangmai Gymkhana and Royal Chiangmai Golf Club. The formidable Kuwait squad is beaming with confidence after an intense three months camp at Doha Cricket Ground and Sulaibiya Cricket Ground respectively.
With its increasingly adept aggression in batting, fast bowlers that are the finest in the region along with proven spinners and tremendous fighting spirit, Kuwait Cricket Board led by the President, Haider Farman is confident of an exciting result. “Winning or losing is part of the game, but when you lose, you have to gather yourself, support each other and make sure you comeback in the next match and win it, this is how champions are made and this is what we expect the Kuwait National team to do, keep up the fighting spirit and play bravely and my best wishes are with all of them”.
Vice President, Faisal Al Marzouk, who is the former captain of Kuwait with excellent results under his belt during his tenure has briefed the squad that “discipline and commitment is going to be the key to success, it doesn’t matter what the end result is, all that matters is that you are able to tell yourself at the end of the day that I gave my 100%”.
Chairman of the Council, Mahmood Bastaki, also a former captain of the Kuwait Nationals in the Asian Games where the Kuwaitis performed exceptionally well is going to head the delegation and has been an integral part of the ongoing three months camp where he has been actively turning up to each and every single session along with all the practice matches, “We have selected the best 14 based on health, fitness and performance and I am confident that the boys will go out there and play like tigers that they are and they have proved it in their domestic and international performances in the past and as the head of the delegation I will make sure discipline and commitment is at its best in ChiangMai”. Director Domestic & Marketing, Sajid Ashraf, a former cricketer for Kuwait at U-17, U-19 and the national team at International level on numerous occasions is going to be managing the team in Thailand. “I would like to thank the Kuwait Cricket board led by the president for all the support to the boys over the past few months and with the kind of facilities, training and motivation we have provided to the entire squad, I believe it’s time for the players to shine and give something back to Kuwait as a nation to celebrate inshallah”.
Kuwait National Cricket team is sponsored by Reliance Worldwide Catering Co who are the official catering partners for Kuwait Cricket. MGA, the prime sponsor of Kuwait’s Domestic Cricket has come forward and announced a cash prize of $6,500 to be distributed amongst players if the Kuwait team goes on to win the tournament. Al Hafiz is the official print solutions and refreshments partner. Sports Equipment partners include Maahas Sports, Pro Sports, AHS and SAS apparel. Q7 Mobile company and Schneider have also shown their generous support as silver sponsors of the team.
The team has been undergoing vigorous training under the watchful eyes of head coach Ghayour Ahmed & senior coach Tahir Khan and the young outfit has game sense, flair and undoubted skill as a team to get to the top of the points table by the end of the tournament. “The spirit and commitment has been excellent from the boys over the past three months, and the board along with the management has been supportive as always and we are now just focused on our mission to compete well and to play each and every match to the best of our ability and take each game at a time as we move on in the tournament”, said the Head Coach, Ghayour Ahmed.
Muhammad Khan, the captain of defending champions Future Stars of KC Domestic 50 overs league is an extremely intelligent cricketer who bats middle order with responsibility and keeps behind the wickets ever since his representation in the first ACC trophy in 2000. “This is a very big opportunity for me as a captain to lead our beloved country Kuwait and in all honesty, we really have to prove ourselves in Thailand and all the boys strongly feel that we are more than capable of doing it”.
Imran Ali who is born in Kuwait has an incredible stats of as many as 113 first class matches under his belt with a proven track record and is going to be the vice captain of the team. Imran will lead the pace bowling attack of Kuwait and his international experience will be of utmost significance to Kuwait’s success and progress in the tournament along with all the other members of the squad.
Apart from the 14 members squad, three extremely talented Kuwaiti nationals will also be accompanying the squad for more international experience and exposure and they are Fahad Bastaki, Abdul Rahman Kandari and Abdullah Bastaki. Kuwait’s Top Order: Aamir Javed, Usman Waheed and Muhammad Irfan Mughal Kuwait’s Middle Order: Muhammad Amin, Ali Zaheer, Kashif Shareef and Mohammad Khan. Kuwait’s All Rounders: Adnan Idrees, Muhammad Asghar and Sajid Kalam Fast Bowlers and Spinners: Imran Ali, Fiaz Ahmad, Abdullah Khan & Haroon Shahid. Head of Delegation: Mahmoud Bastaki Team Manager: Sajid Ashraf Head Coach: Ghayoor Ahmed Senior Coach: Tahir Khan Tournament Schedule: 22nd April: Kuwait VS Qatar at Royal ChiangMai Golf Club 23rd April: Kuwait VS China at ChiangMai Gymkhana 26th April: Kuwait VS Saudi Arabia at Prem Tinsulanonda International School 28th April: Kuwait VS Bahrain at Royal Chiangmai Golf Club 29th April: Kuwait VS Bhutan at ChiangMai Gymkhana 1st May: Kuwait VS Thailand at ChiangMai Gymkhana Kuwait Cricket wishes the squad all the very best and all the fans and followers can catch the action live on www.kuwait-cricket.com and or @kuwaitcricketofficial.