Ali Naseer focused on UAE cricket career despite Pakistan prospects

One of the young prospects with whom UAE cricket hope to build a bright future says he is committed to the national team, despite being touted as a potential Pakistan star.

Ali Naseer was born in Karachi but has lived in Dubai since he was four. He learnt to play cricket in the UAE and represented the country at two Under-19 World Cups.

Since graduating to the senior team this month, he has been outstanding. He averages 31 from No 7 in the batting order, with a strike rate of 106.

It is a small sample size, having played just six games so far – but three of those were against the West Indies and one other was against Sri Lanka.

He has also taken six wickets in that space of time, and his start to international cricket has led to Muhammad Waseem, the captain, suggesting he is “the future for UAE”.

Mudassar Nazar, the interim coach of the side, reckons Naseer “could be carrying this team on his own” in the near future.

Nazar is himself on secondment to the team from his role overseeing age-group cricket in the UAE. He first saw Naseer as a young recruit at the ICC Academy, before taking up a role heading up Pakistan’s National Academy.

After returning to UAE, he says Naseer had developed into a player of rich promise.

Ali Naseer bats for the Desert Vipers against Gulf Giants at the International League T20 in Dubai. Chris Whiteoak / The National

“He was part of the ICC Academy when I was a coach, but was very, very young at that point,” said Nazar, who oversaw the emergence of the likes of Nasim Shah and Shaheen Afridi while at Pakistan’s Academy.

“Then I had five years back in Pakistan. When I came back, just the first look convinced me this guy has talent.

“If he was part of the Pakistan Academy, he would have played