Mohammed Rohid showed why MI Emirates felt compelled to spend $140,000 on him as he helped the UAE get their T20 World Cup qualification campaign off to a winning start.
The young left-arm seamer hit the jackpot at the first ILT20 auction last week. After a bidding war, the franchise where he first rose to prominence in the UAE’s 20-over league matched the substantial price tag to secure his services for the new season.
The auction happened just as the UAE players were waiting for their flights to be confirmed to Muscat for the Asia and East-Asia Pacific T20 World Cup Qualifier.
The nine-team event carries with it three places for the main event in India and Sri Lanka in February 2026.
The UAE endured a wake-up call in their opening match. Thanks to the excellence of Rohid and Junaid Siddique with the ball, the national team were only required to chase 119 to beat their Gulf neighbours.
They made heavy weather of it, especially with struggles at the top of their batting order, before eventually sealing a seven-wicket win with nine balls to spare.
Rohid was named player of the match for his return of 2-13 from his four overs, which included a maiden. He also picked up a run out off his own bowling as the UAE reduced Qatar to 5-3 in the first nine balls of the match.
The Pakistan-born pacer said he wants to give back to the UAE now after the good news that came his way in the ILT20.
“The UAE has given us so much, so it is our turn to give them a good win in the qualifiers and we hope to pick up the trophy,” Rohid said.
“I am also very happy with my selection for the ILT20. Junaid is our senior bowler and I always enjoy bowling with him. I am learning so many things from him.”
Siddique, the pace spearhead of the national team, actually trumped Rohid’s bumper pay day at the auction. He was also retained by his franchise, Sharjah Warriorz, after a bidding war that reached $170,000.
The duo appeared emboldened by it. Siddique took 1-19 against Qatar, including a wicket off the third ball of the match.
It meant that, despite bowling in the powerplay and the death overs, the $310,000 pair returned combined figures of eight overs, 3-32.
After a sluggish start to the chase, Alishan Sharafu – who top scored with 51 not out – and Harshit Kaushik guided UAE to the win with an unbroken stand of 76 for the fourth wicket.
The UAE will confirm their place in the Super Six stage of the tournament if they win their second match, against Malaysia on Friday.
Muhammad Waseem, the UAE captain, said the format of the competition leaves little room for mistakes.
“We were expecting a good wicket but the ball was keeping low and it was going to do something because it was fresh,” Waseem said.
“They hadn’t used it for the past few months. I am giving the credit to my bowlers. [Siddique and Rohid] have all the experience of franchise cricket. They have enough experience to bowl well at the death and they did that.
“It was a good innings from Alishan and Harshit, also. The good thing is we didn’t panic at any stage of the game. It is tough because, with two games [in the group], you don’t have any margin for error.”
