Dubai: Khurram Khan will lead the UAE’s 15-man squad to Australia on September 7 as they prepare for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 to be held in Australia and New Zealand next February and March.
The UAE national team selection committee headed by Mohammad Redha Abbas picked the 15 players and five standby names for the tour, where they will play matches in Perth and Darwin. The tour is part of the International Cricket Council High Performance Programme to provide exposure for teams like the UAE. Afghanistan, Ireland and Scotland, who have also qualified for the World Cup, will compete against state and provincial sides in Australia and New Zealand.
The UAE will play a total of eight one-day matches, including one against Papua New Guinea in Darwin on September 17. ICC Chief Executive David Richardson said: “Helping cricket’s top emerging nations to perform on the global stage is a key part of the ICC’s High Performance Programme and these tours will provide a great opportunity for the four teams to gain valuable knowledge and experience of the conditions they will face during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015.”
The UAE will be making their second appearance at the ICC Cricket World Cup, having previously played in the 1996 edition.
Mohammad Tauqir has been appointed vice-captain for the tour.
