Riaz Afridi, from Pakistan Test teen dismissing Sangakkara to UAE recruit

DUBAI // Eleven years after dismissing Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara in his lone Test match, Riaz Afridi will make a belated second start in international cricket when he plays against his native Pakistan on Friday. The burly seam-bowler played a single game for his homeland against Sri Lanka in Karachi in 2004. Having never been called on thereafter, he drifted away, settled in the UAE three years ago, and has impressed while playing A division cricket here. He has yet to become officially eligible to represent the UAE national team in ICC competitions, via the four-year residency qualification rule. However, Aaqib Javed, the national coach, believes he could prove a useful seam bowling option in the future for a side in transition. As such, he has called Afridi into a UAE select XI to face Pakistan in a two-day practice game in Abu Dhabi, starting tomorrow. There is a spirit on reunion surrounding Pakistan cricket at present. Fawad Alam is in the running for a recall to the side for the first Test against England on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, five years after he last wore white for Pakistan. Watch: Riaz Afridi takes a wicket in the UAE's Bukhatir League (From :15) Whether he makes it, though has been confused by the late selection of Shoaib Malik (who is one of two players still around from Afridi’s lone appearance in 2004, with Younis Khan being the other) who last played a Test in 2010. None, though, has had to wait as long as Afridi for a return to the spotlight. “It is very exciting, it has been such a long time and I am making my comeback in international cricket,” Afridi, 30, said. “It is a good opportunity for me now. Pakistan were a strong team back then, with good bowlers, and even though I gave good performances, I wasn’t selected again. “This chance is very exciting for me. Aaqib was my coach in Under 19 cricket in Pakistan a long time back, and I am pleased to be playing for him in UAE now - especially in a match against Pakistan.” Afridi, who has a first-class century to his name, as well as 328 wickets accrued over a 76 match career, is employed by one the UAE’s leading corporate sides, Danube. “He has been with the team since Day 1, three years ago,” said Anis Sajan, the owner of Danube. “As long as Danube is alive and kicking, he will be central to it. He is a good team man. He is a consistent line and length bowler, and is a very powerful hitter when he bats.” While this weekend’s fixture has been arranged to give Pakistan some middle practice ahead of the Test series against England, it will also give Aaqib the chance to run the rule over prospective new recruits. With Khurram Khan and Saqib Ali, two of the greats of UAE cricket, having retired in recent months, the national team is in the throes of an overhaul. The imminent changes are set to be some of the most significant in the game here, as the Emirates Cricket Board seeks to professionalise its elite side. Mainstays of the team, like Shaiman Anwar and Rohan Mustafa, are likely to be among the UAE’s first centrally contracted cricketers. The first batch of contracts will also include talented prospects who are on the brink of becoming eligible for selection, with Zahoor Farooqi, a young fast-bowler, and Imran Haider, a leg-spinner, likely to feature. “I think this will be a good experiment for the future,” Aaqib said of the Pakistan game. “It is about trying out new players. There are so many new options who are popping up, newly qualified and nearly qualified. It will be really interesting. “We have room to experiment. For the next year there is nothing big, so we have one year to work out who will make a difference as we aim to have 13 to 15 full time players.” pradley@thenational.ae Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE