A new captain, an uncharacteristic minefield of a pitch, and an almost entirely different opposition, yet the same old problems persist for the UAE.
The new dawn for the national team in one-day international cricket began in inauspicious fashion as they suffered a six-wicket loss to new-look Oman in Muscat.
It was their seventh defeat in eight games in Cricket World Cup League 2, and the reasons were the same as they have always been. A side who have made 250 just twice in their past 19 ODIs failed to make it as far as 150 this time around.
Muhammad Waseem, playing his first game back among the ranks after ditching the captaincy to try to improve his own batting, top scored with 44.
Rahul Chopra, Waseem’s replacement in charge, was undone by a fine delivery which meant he saw in his first game as UAE captain with a duck.
Chopra's dismissal came in the middle of a collapse which proved terminal to the UAE’s prospects of a win on the opening day of a tri-series which also includes the Netherlands, who they face on Sunday.
If the UAE have been struggling of late in the ODI format, they are not the only ones. Oman were the runners up in the last cycle of this competition, but their start to this one has been alarming.
Their response to a troubled tour of Canada in September, in which poor results on the field were mirrored by internal conflict off it, was dramatic.
All the established stars of their side, including the two former captains Zeeshan Maqsood and Aqib Ilyas, were absent for the first game of the latest tri-series.
It meant they had four players making their ODI debuts, of which two really excelled. Samay Shrivastav made the most of the helpful conditions as he took 4-25 with his leg spin. That hastened the UAE from 98-3 to 128 all out.
The pitch in Al Amerat is known for being a batting paradise. Two batters – Jaskaran Malhotra for the United States and Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee – have hit six sixes in an over in full internationals at this ground.
The UAE themselves have a strong affinity with the place. Five of their six highest totals, albeit in their preferred format of T20, have come at the Oman Cricket Academy venue.
And yet it was the opposite this time around, as the pitch took pronounced turn from the start. The Emerging Team Asia Cup, won by Afghanistan, was played at this ground last month, but it was still surprising how dry and dusty the wicket was.
It meant that the UAE attacked from the off with spin, and had genuine hope of defending their paltry tally when they had Oman 21 for three in the 12th over.
The UAE’s own debutant, Dhruv Parashar, opened both the batting and – with his off-spin – the bowling, too. He struck twice early in the away side’s defence. By the time he had finished his quota, he had figures of two for 16 from his 10 overs.
“I am sad that we lost on my debut, but I am proud of myself that I have got this opportunity,” Parashar said.
“It is thanks to a lot of people’s hard work that I am here. The coaches have seen something in me and I am very grateful for that and I will always be grateful for that.
“At 19, having debuted in both T20 and ODI, it is a great feeling. I am sad I wasn’t able to contribute with the bat having opened the batting.
“I was happy with the way I bowled but at the end of the day that doesn’t really matter if it comes in a losing cause. If we could have won, that would have been the best start I could have hoped for.”
It says much about the situation the UAE’s ODI side find themselves in that their biggest threats with the ball against Oman had started this calendar year as captain and vice-captain of the UAE’s Under-19 side.
Nineteen-year-old Parashar’s new-ball ally was his former age-group skipper, Aayan Khan. Despite still being only 18, Aayan’s status as the leader of the senior team’s spin department has long been established.
He was a constant threat again here, but had to wait until the last ball of his eighth over for some success.
It was then that Aayan had Hammad Mirza caught on the boundary rope by Mohammed Farooq, who juggled the chance four times before getting it under control.
The dismissal was well deserved by Aayan, not just for his customary skill with the ball but for the fact he was playing through pain, having been off the field for treatment on a thumb injury. He finished with 1-23 from his 10 overs.
Despite the efforts of the teen duo, Oman were able to see themselves safely through to the win, with Ashish Odedra, a 33-year-old opener making his debut, making the game’s only half century in the process. He hit the winning single off Junaid Siddique as the home team sealed the win with 38 balls to spare.
