Tauqir named to lead UAE on tour of Kenya

Mohammed Tauqir has been named to lead the UAE cricket team on its four-match tour of Kenya after regular skipper Khurram Khan made himself unavailable due to work commitments.

The veteran off-spinner has been a long-serving member of the national team and led the side for one and half years.

“I’m happy at being given this opportunity for this important tour of Kenya. I hope to fulfill my responsibilities and will all matches on the tour,” said Tauqir, 39, who is an investment banker at NBAD.

UAE will play four one-day internationals against Kenya during their tour from October 15 to 23. It will serve as a preparation for the Intercontinental Shield final against Namibia to be held in December in Dubai.

Kenya will also be visiting UAE in January to play four or five warm-up one day games against UAE team as part of their preparation for ICC World Cup in February to be held in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. “This being part of a reciprocal understanding between Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) and Kenya Cricket,” said Mazhar Khan, the ECB Administrator.

The ECB in a statement on Tuesday also confirmed that Kabir Khan has been appointed as the coach of the UAE national team. He is expected to arrive here next week to accompany the team to Kenya.

ECB officials stated they were delighted that Kabir has accepted their offer. “He has performed commendably with Afghanistan and his contribution to the country’s meteoric rise has been invaluable. A coach plays a lead role in motivating the squad, strategising tactics, attending to training and fitness drills - and Kabir has all the attributes to lead UAE cricket to greater heights,” the statement added.

This will be the former Afghanistan’s coach second stint with the UAE team. “He will also be responsible for chalking up out programmes to groom talent for future UAE teams. ECB is focused on developing its youth and strengthening its bench strength,” the ECB stated.

Tauqir welcoming the return of Kabir hoped that he would be here for a longer period. “He has been with us for sometime and most of the boys know very well. He is an experienced campaigner and has done very well with Afghanistan. But I hope he can stay here for at least three years,” he said.

The ECB Blues stalwart wished that Kabir is given the opportunity to groom youngsters through to the 2015 World Cup. “There should be continuity and consistency instead of changing coaches constantly,” said Tauqir pointing out that he had worked with seven or eight coaches during the past five years including Colin Wells, Vasbert Drakes, Kabir and Chandika Hathurusinghe.

“We will be reviewing his contract annually,” said Mazhar Khan when asked whether Kabir Khan was here on a three-year contract.