UAE's spin riches bolstered by emergence of Jash Giyanani

Any young bowler who finishes as their country’s leading wicket-taker during a successful campaign at an Under 19 World Cup might feel as though they are due a crack at senior team selection.

Given the unprecedented wealth of left-arm spinners in UAE cricket, though, Jash Giyanani probably feels more like he is joining a queue, rather than skipping it.

The 17-year-old Jumeirah College schoolboy took 10 wickets at an average of 14.3 and an economy rate of 3.76 to help UAE to the plate at the World Cup in the Caribbean.

His finest display came in adversity, too. With a number of senior players down – including his spin-bowling partners – with Covid, he thrived, taking three top-order wickets to derail West Indies’ semi-final run chase. It set up a famous win.

And yet his discipline remains the most competitive of any within UAE cricket. Robin Singh, the national team coach, must feel like he is shopping in Ned Flanders’ Leftorium whenever it comes to selecting teams.

Ahmed Raza is the national team captain, and the first name on the teamsheet. Sultan Ahmed has one of the most miserly economy rates in T20 international history, and has been contracted to Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League.

Aryan Lakra and Rahul Bhatia are a year or two senior. And Nilansh Keswani and Aayan Afzal Khan – Giyanani’s U19 colleagues - both have good credentials with the bat to go with their obvious merits with the ball.

Giyanani is sanguine about his prospects, though, pointing out that everyone among the battery of left-arm spinners has their own identity.

“It is in the blood of UAE cricket – every team has two left-arm spinners who are playing, and one more sitting out waiting for his chance who is probably good enough to make it as