Exclusive: We will try to be in the World Cup, says UAE's Basil

UAE will aim for their third straight win over Oman in the final game on Tuesday

A thumping series win over Oman has kept UAE’s hopes of reaching the final qualifying round of the 2023 World Cup alive.

The UAE’s dominance over hosts Oman in the three-match series — part of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 — has helped the team jump to the fourth position in the standings with 11 points from nine matches.

With only the top three teams earning slots in the final qualifying round from the seven-team ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2, the UAE will aim for their third straight win over Oman in the final game on Tuesday.

And Basil Hameed, the 29-year-old all-rounder, has played a key role in the team’s two wins — first with a 33-ball 61 in the opener when UAE chased down 308 and then with a five-wicket haul (5/17) to restrict Oman to 196 in the second game.

“In the first match, it feels very good that I was able to finish the match. The platform was set by the top-order batsman (Chirag Suri 115, Vriitya Aravind 89),” Basil told Khaleej Times on Monday.

“The mood was always positive in the dressing room. We always believed that we would be able to chase down the target. So I feel really happy about. I hope I can contribute more to the team in terms of bowling, batting and fielding.”

Despite his five-wicket haul, Basil credited UAE pace bowlers Zahoor Khan (10-1-25-1) and Kashif Daud (8-1-30-0) for the team’s four-wicket win in the second game.

“Our bowling attack was solid in the second game. The fast bowlers did a really good job, especially the likes of Zahoor Khan, Kashif Daud, they bowled amazingly on the flat track. My job was to just bowl on one area. I feel really happy about the five wickets at the same time,” he said.

But the team, according to Basil, will not get carried away after two back-to-back wins in Oman.

“We are very happy about the two impressive victories. The roles are clear for everyone. The coaching staff has made us believe that these things are possible for us. So the idea is always about carrying a positive mindset,” he said.

“And of course, we have prepared well, even during the tough times. In fact, everybody was putting the hard yards, including the support staff. Hats off to them as well. It’s a huge achievement for UAE cricket, especially beating a team like Oman which have played in the recent T20 World Cup.

“But at the same time, we realise that so much of cricket is still ahead of us, and we can’t relax after two wins. We need to stay focused, we can’t get carried away by these two matches. We will work hard and we will try to be in the World Cup.”