Chirag Suri excited by UAE's chance to enter cricket's 'big time'

Chirag Suri says the UAE’s players want to make the country proud when they enter into cricket’s “big time” over the coming months.

The national team are set for arguably the most exciting season in the country’s cricket history.

First they are in Muscat for a four-team qualifying tournament, where they will play Kuwait, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

The leading team in that T20 series will then face matches against the giants of India, in Dubai, and Pakistan, in Sharjah, at the Asia Cup.

The Asia Cup itself is a precursor to the T20 World Cup. The national team will head to Geelong for opening round matches at that event, where they will play Sri Lanka, Netherlands and Namibia.

And, for the first time, the country’s leading players will get to play in a home T20 league alongside the gilded stars of the world game, when the International League T20 launches in January.

“For UAE cricket, this is a big time,” said Suri, the national team opener.

“Without doubt, everybody knows this is what we have been waiting for, for the past five or six years.

“There are opportunities for all the guys and it is about peaking at the right time. That is what the guys want to do.

“We want to put up some performances we can be proud of.”

Suri was the leading run-scorer when the UAE won their place at the Asia Cup qualifier, at a regional tournament in Muscat way back in 2020.

UAE players celebrate their win over Nepal in the T20 World Cup Qualifier at the Oman Cricket Academy in Muscat. All images Subas Humagain for The National

That was the last tournament they played before Covid caused widespread disruption to the sport, including the postponement of the Asia Cup.

Muscat has provided happy memories for the national team since the sport