Robin Singh's term as UAE coach ends, Mudassar Nazar takes temporary charge

Robin Singh's role as UAE’s director of cricket has come to an end.

Mudassar Nazar will take temporary charge of the national team for their next assignment.

Singh, the former India all-rounder who was appointed in February 2020, has overseen a miserable run of form that has jeopardised the future of the game here.

The national team will depart for the Cricket World Cup Qualifier play-off in Namibia later this week.

Because of their poor recent results, much is riding on the competition. There are two places on offer at the six-team event for the global World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe in June.

Perhaps of greater significance is the need to safeguard one-day international status, which carries with it significant ICC funding as well as the guarantee of high-quality cricket for the next four years.

UAE need to finish in the top two out of a group of four that also includes Papua New Guinea, Canada and Jersey to maintain the right to play ODI cricket.

When the squad to tour Windhoek was announced on Tuesday morning, no quotes were attributed to the coach in the official press release, as is customary.

Singh was also missing from the side’s rain-affected practice match at The Sevens on the same day.

The ECB later said that Singh's stint has ended and Nazar, the former Pakistan all-rounder, will take over the reins for the tournament in Namibia. The board will start the hiring process for a new coach in the coming days.

The reason for Singh’s absence was initially unclear. Since his appointment, he had held an agreement with the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) to maintain his role as part of the Mumbai Indians coaching staff.

The Qualifier play-off is set to clash with the start of the Indian Premier League. However, rather than