Former UAE captain Sultan Zarawani had an unremarkable ODI career with batting and bowling averages of 4.33 and 51.40, respectively. As British sports journalist Lawrence Booth mused: “Swap the figures round, as they say, and you’d have one hell of an allrounder.”
During the 1996 World Cup, he made quite a mark by facing a rampant Allan Donald donning a sunhat. Probably offended, the South African pacer sent in a fierce bouncer that hit him on the head. Donald later said that he feared that he had killed him. But, the Emirati—the only native in the squad—continued without a helmet. He was soon dismissed and taken straight to hospital.
The West sometimes cites Zarawani’s story as if it is a joke—evident from Booth’s comment. Apart from the head injury, his wealth is often mentioned—“only player in the tournament to own more than a dozen expensive cars”. But, something that is not often discussed—understandably as it sets an unsafe precedent—is that Zarawani also showed grit, even if his approach was ill-advised.
Thirty years on, as the UAE prepares for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, a new narrative may have overtaken the Zarawani story. The journey of the UAE from cricket’s neutral ground to an ever-growing regional cricket hub with infrastructure to rival Test-playing nations. Though there is the occasional Emirati face in the national team, the country’s cricket scene is largely driven by the South Asian diaspora.
The UAE squad for the T20 World Cup, announced on January 30, is a reflection of this reality. The entire 15-man squad is made up of players with South Asian heritage.
The team is led by Pakistan-born Muhammad Waseem, but the captain himself has an India connection—a Hyderabad-based entrepreneur helped him land a job and helped facilitate his cricketing journey when he arrived in Dubai more than a decade ago. Six players in the team have roots in India, ranging from those who moved as toddlers to those who found a second home in the Emirates as adults. The head coach, Lalchand Rajput, is also Indian and the very same man who coached India to victory in the first T20 World Cup in 2007.
Meet the UAE Indian-origin players
Alishan Sharafu: Born in Kerala’s Kanhagad, he has lived most of his life in the UAE. At 23, he has become key to the team’s top order and is one of three survivors from the 2022 World Cup squad, with Waseem and Pakistani-born fast bowler Junaid Siddique. He says his first memory of cricket is India’s 2011 ODI World Cup win.
Aryansh Sharma: Born in Ghaziabad, the 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batter moved to the UAE with his family when he was two. After starring for the UAE youth team, he has seamlessly transitioned into the senior side, and is poised to take over as the first-choice keeper and a key middle-order batter.
Dhruv Parashar: Born in Pune, the 21-year-old all-rounder has become a tactical X-factor for the UAE since his T20I debut in 2023. Known for his ability to handle high-pressure situations—most notably a gritty innings against Pakistan in the 2025 Asia Cup—his recall to the squad reinforces his reputation as a big-match player.
Simranjeet Singh: Hailing from Ludhiana, Punjab, Simranjeet’s was a former net bowler for Shubman Gill. He got stranded in Dubai during Covid. Choosing to stay and coach, the 36-year-old slow left arm orthodox bowler eventually qualified for the national team, becoming the first-ever Amritdhari Sikh to play international cricket.
Mayank Kumar: Born in Rohtak, Haryana, he is an opener whose technical prowess was honed in Indian age-group cricket before he relocated. The soon-to-be 29-year-old Kumar’s inclusion is a strategic move to provide a steady opener who should be able to navigate the new-ball in conditions that he grew up playing in.
Harshit Kaushik: The all-rounder’s roots are evident—his Instagram handle features a trishul, an India flag and a UAE flag, in that order, alongwith ‘Om Namah Shivay’ and ‘Jai Shri Ram’. He is UAE-born and has kept personal details private. His slow left arm orthodox bowling could be useful in Indian conditions.