‘They have given us love back’ - Afghanistan, Sharjah and cricket’s special relationship

The anti-social start times of some of the matches at the T20 World Cup are likely to test even the most diehard supporters in the UAE.

The influx of talented young Afghan players to UAE cricket could have a big impact on the fortunes of both countries. Here are three Emirates-based players to watch out for.

Hassan Khan Eisakhil
Mohammed Nabi is still proving his worth at the top level but there is another reason he is raging against the idea of retirement. If the allrounder hangs on a little bit longer, he might be able to play in the same team as his son, Hassan Khan. The family live in Ajman and train in Sharjah.

Masood Gurbaz
The opening batter, who trains at Sharjah Cricket Academy, is another player who is a part of a famous family. His brother, Rahmanullah, was an IPL winner with Kolkata Knight Riders, and opens the batting with distinction for Afghanistan.

Omid Rahman
The fast bowler became a pioneer earlier this year when he became the first Afghan to represent the UAE. He showed great promise in doing so, too, playing a key role in the senior team’s qualification for the Asia Cup in Muscat recently.

Whether or not he makes the 4.30am beginning for their opener against Uganda on Monday morning, an 83-year-old Emirati in Sharjah will be following Afghanistan’s fortunes keenly. After all, Abdulrahman Bukhatir has played a central role in their extraordinary rise.

The landscape of much of Asian cricket would look very different today were it not for the vision of the businessman who is regarded as the father of cricket here.

As a schoolboy abroad in Karachi – “the only Arab in class,” as he described it – Bukhatir became transfixed by BBC radio transmissions of Test cricket.

Safe to assume he probably has an