UAE look to spring the ultimate surprise against India as they lock horns against the defending champions tonight.
A month and five days have passed since cricket’s most profitable banner was raised. India rarely takes such an extended vacation from playing cricket internationally. With a competition that, to the cynical view, exists so that other Asian boards can profit from India’s economic might and subsequently back the BCCI in the boardroom, they restart international cricket. The chance it provides for some of the smaller teams to play against major opponents should not be undervalued, either.
Since India last played international cricket, the UAE has been India’s first opponent to play a complete T20I tri-series. Despite not winning a single match throughout the tournament, they had a chance to upset Afghanistan. Before playing the world’s top team in a year when their hopes of winning a bilateral series against Bangladesh were dashed by two losses to Uganda in 10 days in the Pearl of Africa series, they needed this kind of challenging cricket.
Don’t be misled; they are facing the current T20 World Champions, who have improved since that season and are the only team to have won every game in a T20 World Cup. India’s lack of a specialised bowler capable of hitting sixes may be a minor weakness, but their distinctive bowling and powerful batting make them serious contenders to become the greatest T20 empire ever.
The UAE coach Lalchand Rajput, who led India to their first T20 World Cup campaign when the game’s biggest stars weren’t even serious about the format, is the best person to understand the behemoth that India has become. If Rajput and captain Muhammad Waseem can plot a win against India, it will be the upset of the year.