Learning curve for UAE, says Manpreet Sidhu

JAIPUR: United Arab Emirates arrived at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup as the final qualifier and left with a reputation for fearless cricket, according to team performance analyst Manpreet Sidhu. The Muhammad Waseem-led side, returning to the tournament after missing the 2024 edition, signed off with a five-wicket win over Canada and pushed higher-ranked Afghanistan to the brink in the group stage.

“Overall, it was a fruitful campaign for us,” Sidhu told TOI on Tuesday. “We did well but could have done better with a bit of luck. It was a learning curve for all the players. Competing against three Test-playing nations in the group stage was the most challenging experience for the team.”

Sidhu, a former Madhya Pradesh junior cricketer who joined the Emirates set-up in 2024, pointed to the squad’s inexperience on the global stage. “Except for captain Muhammad Waseem, Alishan Sharafu and Junaid Siddiqui, all the other 12 members were playing their maiden T20 World Cup. Most of them never played on such a big stage before. But the youngsters gave their hundred per cent. Beating Canada was the magic moment.”

The 42-year-old from Indore, who doubles as a fielding coach when required, believes the exposure will accelerate development. “My job is to provide the best inputs, including video footage of our players and the opposition teams. Coordinating well with Lalchand Rajput, the head coach, is the key. As an ICC Associate team, cricket is limited in the UAE. We only get white-ball tournaments. Most of our players play in leagues across the globe and gain exposure.”

With the tournament behind them, Sidhu is confident the lessons absorbed in high-pressure contests against Full-Member nations will serve the Emirates well in future white-ball campaigns.