Junaid Siddique heroics in vain as UAE freeze on T20 World Cup opening night

They had waited forever for this. It had been 2,772 days since the UAE had last played in a World Cup.

Not one of the 15 players who have made the trip to Australia for this T20 World Cup were involved back then.

It is their dream, their well-earned shot at the big time. Then, when the curtain came up on their first opportunity to play on cricket’s biggest stage, half of the side froze.

Not just physically, either. By the time the second innings started against Netherlands in Geelong, a port city which is Victoria’s second largest after Melbourne, the temperature was eight degrees.

In the game that had gone before, 16,407 of seats had been filled, mainly by partying Sri Lankans – until their spirit was punctured by a shock loss to Namibia.

After that, almost everyone – bar a large group of the friends and family of Scott Edwards, the Melbourne-raised captain of the Netherlands - traipsed home dejected.

Those hardy souls who did stay on scarcely had much to warm the cockles, after UAE won the toss and elected to bat.

As early as the fourth over, they made their feelings known. With UAE on seven for no loss at that point in time, someone from the stands bellowed: “Get on with it.”

At least Muhammad Waseem responded. He hit the next two balls over the boundary rope for six. Then immediately, he was becalmed again.

So was everyone else, as UAE toiled to 111 for nine, thanks to canny bowling by Bas de Leede, Fred Klaasen and Tim Pringle.

Of the batters, only one – Kashif Daud – scored in excess of a run a ball. UAE might be wearing a vivid kit for this competition, but they had the colour totally sapped from their batting.

If the UAE want excuses, there are plenty to cling to. First-night nerves. The fact they are playing on