RAJPUT TO TAKE OVER AS UAE COACH
62-year-old former Indian opener’s first test during his 3-year tenure is World Cup League 2 from February 28
Former Indian opener Lalchand Rajput will be taking over as the UAE coach, according to confirmed sources. The 62-year-old with an impressive track record as an international coach is set to be appointed on a three-year term and is to take charge later this week.
Rajput was the manager of the Indian team that won the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup. His first assignment as UAE coach will be in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2, the qualification series for the 50-over 2027 World Cup to be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.
The UAE will face Canada and Scotland in the two-leg Cricket World Cup League 2 matches in Dubai, which begins on February 28.
The eight-team League 2 also consists of Nepal, Namibia, the Netherlands, Oman and USA. The UAE, who ended a long drought in the World Cup when they defeated Namibia in the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia, narrowly missed qualification for the next edition after losing to Nepal in the penultimate round. A win would have taken them into the final and given them a place in the Twenty20 World Cup to be held in the West Indies and USA in June this year.
Nepal, Namibia and the Netherlands have already begun their League 2 campaign and all three teams are with two points each with one win and one loss.
The League 2 will comprise 144 matches in the lead up to the World Cup Qualifier. The top four teams from League 2 will make it to the World Cup Qualifier. They will be joined in the Qualifier by four teams coming through the Qualifier Play-Offs as well as teams that don’t qualify automatically based on ICC ODI Rankings.
Highly competitive
Teams were placed in the World Cup League 2 and the Qualifier Play-Offs, based on the previous World Cup Qualification cycle.
The top four teams in the Qualifier, a highly competitive event that saw two-time world champions West Indies knocked out last time, will join 10 direct qualifiers in the World Cup.
Co-hosts South Africa and Zimbabwe and the other top eight ranked teams will complete the 14-team World Cup line-up.
Rajput, who was considered one of the best Test openers in India after the legendary Sunil Gavaskar, was also the coach of Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League 2008, apart from being the head coach of Afghanistan and Zimbabwe national teams.
The UAE team has been making rapid progress in both seniors and at under-19 level. While the senior squad has defeated Test nations West Indies, New Zealand and Afghanistan while unearthing some individual talents during the bilateral series in both Twenty20 and One-Day Internationals. The UAE Under-19 team defeated some illustrious rivals like Sri Lanka and Pakistan to make their maiden entry in the final of the Asia Cup Under-19 at home in December last year.
Rajput was also the coach of Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League 2008, apart from being the head coach of Afghanistan and Zimbabwe national teams.
Mix of youth and experience
The UAE players, a mix of youth and experience, were able to handle the pressure in the league games, but in highstakes contests they have succumbed to their nerves like in the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup Asian Qualifier Final in Kathmandu and in the Under-19 Asia Cup final against Bangladesh. The UAE players will enrich their game with a three-match Twenty20 international series against Scotland at the Dubai International Stadium on March 11, 13 and 14. The two teams have so far competed in three Twenty20 series with Scotland winning two and UAE one.
UAE will host Scotland for a three-match T20I series at the Dubai International Stadium next month.
The three night matches will be played on March 11, 13 and 14. The two teams will compete in the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 matches in Dubai before the T20I series. The two teams have so far competed in three T20Is with Scotland winning two and UAE winning one.