Captain Waseem Eyes Breakthrough as UAE Steps onto Asia’s Big Stage

Muhammad Waseem’s walkout to open for the UAE in Dubai on September 10 won’t be just another match – it will be a statement. The journey stretches from Dubai to international heights, with the UAE banking on their skipper, Waseem, the heartbeat of their batting. The combination of experience and local upstarts makes them quietly interesting. Viewers shouldn’t tune in just to see the results, but rather what might come from the stories that could arise. 

Waseem: more than an opener

Waseem is not just an aggressive top-order batter; he is the emotional heart of UAE cricket. As captain, he is tasked with making tactical decisions and confronting the pressure of facing teams like India and Pakistan, but his experience in ACC tournaments and region qualifying events provides him with the skills needed to lead a small nation’s charge. Look for him to anchor, while letting some of his younger hitters naturally stroke and express these charges – a straightforward game plan but effective against overwhelming bowling attacks. Any game is subject to sparks from players of the ilk of young charging players like Alihsan Sharafu or Aryansh Sharma, to established performers like Haider Ali and Rohid Khan, having an impact to transform short games quickly.

Balance: seam depth and a left-arm twist

The team selection is significant: Matiullah Khan and left-arm spinner Simranjeet Singh now deliver real variation in an already varied bowling unit that has swing, plus capable all-rounders. With left-arm variation and pace at the top of the innings, they have plans for both the powerplay and middle overs; they also have local regulars and keeper Rahul Chopra to add depth. Matiullah’s raw pace might be able to exploit early movement, while Simranjeet’s angle can add another layer of tactical threat — indicating the UAE chose players for roles and not just names. The fact that they had that thoughtfulness suggests management didn’t just roll the dice based on hype, but is creating flexible combinations that could cause problems for complacent opposition on any given day.

Group A is brutal — but valuable

With India’s, Pakistan’s, and Oman’s inclusion, the UAE will have a competitive group that presents interest as much as opportunity. Most games in these tournaments are about experience and exposure rather than the end-of-year tables: in playing against the best bowlers and a big crowd, you obtain information that sharpens practice with bowlers and with a given level of fielding ability. If the UAE can make teams fight for the win or pull off an upset, the confidence, self-belief, and career pathways that will open up will far outweigh the points they are awarded. More often than not, for an associate nation, the individual performances and growth aspect means much more for them and their players than the headlines from the publications twenty-four hours beforehand. The last time they participated in the Asia Cup was back in 2016, so there is past value, but mostly present value from this effort.

The UAE’s chosen 17-man squad is rational, pragmatic, and slightly bold – it will have a captain who leads from the front, a variety of types of bowling attack, and youthful players who are hungry to make reputations. Will Waseem go from focusing on a balance to getting on centre stage?