Twelve matches into a home tournament in which UAE players have had precious few chances to shine, two young bowlers stole the limelight at Dubai International Stadium.
Aayan Khan might only have turned 19 in November, but his talent has long been known about. The left-arm spinner has been playing senior international cricket for the best part of three years, and been an integral part of Gulf Giants’ side for the first three seasons of the DP World International League T20.
The fact he took four wickets for 16 runs against Abu Dhabi Knight Riders could have been a surprise, were it not for the fact he is one of the most precocious teen talents in the game.
What was less expected, though, was the player who played a vital role in winning the game for the Knight Riders.
Ibrar Ahmed is just 20. He has never played for the UAE and was playing his first T20 match of any note. He had caused something of a stir at the Abu Dhabi T10 earlier this winter. But, still, his return on his Knight Riders debut was a bolt from the blue.
The fast bowler, who originates from Waziristan in Pakistan, dismissed England batters James Vince and Jordan Cox cheaply. It contributed to Gulf Giants falling well short in their pursuit of the Knight Riders’ total of 176 for nine.
“I actually couldn’t sleep the whole night in excitement after I got to know from the team management that I would be playing my first game,” Ibrar said.
“I was hopeful of doing well. I am grateful to God to have got such an opportunity to perform at such a huge stage and get such big players out. It’s a happy moment for me and one that will always remain memorable.”
Ibrar has Pakistan fast bowlers like Waqar Younis and Naseem Shah among his heroes, but he says his own ability with the ball is uncoached.
“Much of it is natural,” Ibrar said. “I haven’t been playing professional cricket for long. I came here to work as a wage labourer. Even back home in Pakistan, I hadn’t played much cricket. So it’s all natural.
“[What you see] is the raw power we Pashtuns are generally known for. But I’m sure with more exposure to professional cricket, I will only get better from here.
“This is just the start [for me]. I’m not sure what’s written for me but I will keep my hard work going and do my best wherever I go from here.
“When I first came to the UAE, I never imagined I would play in such a big league like DP World ILT20 but I kept playing for my passion alongside my day job and here I am today because of my passion.”
While Aayan finished on the losing side, he again proved his worth in celebrated company. The left-arm spinner’s haul of Knight Riders wickets included some of the biggest scalps in T20 cricket.
It included, Sunil Narine, the long-serving IPL star for the Kolkata franchise of the same name, his UAE teammate Alishan Sharafu, and Joe Clarke.
His fourth victim, the great Andre Russell, owed much to an extraordinary piece of fielding. Russell launched a delivery towards the long on boundary, where Gerhard Erasmus relayed the ball one-handed while falling over the rope, into the waiting hands of Ibrahim Zadran.
“It was great to get wickets but unfortunately we lost the game today,” Aayan said. “It will be good to win going forward but today we were not good enough.
“Of course, it feels amazing to get players like Andre Russell out at a tournament like the DP World ILT20 and it is particularly great for UAE players who, I hope, will continue to perform well.
“I did well last season and I want to continue doing better this time around too because it will expose me to more top-tier cricket like this.”
