Muhammad Waseem steps down as UAE ODI captain, hands reins to Rahul Chopra

New Delhi: Muhammad Waseem has stepped down as captain of the UAE men’s ODI cricket team, aiming to focus solely on his batting. After leading UAE for 26 matches from 2023 to 2024. Wicketkeeper-batter Rahul Chopra to shoulder the captain’s responsibility of the team. Chopra, with just seven ODIs under his belt, will debut as captain in the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup (CWC) League 2 games in Oman, where UAE will face off against the hosts and the Netherlands in early November. “I have decided to step down as captain to concentrate on my batting in the ODI format. My best wishes are with the new captain, I will be giving him my full support,” UAE Cricket posted on ‘X’. Waseem, a key figure in UAE cricket, took over the captaincy from CP Rizwan in March 2023 during the 2019-23 CWC League 2. His captaincy tenure saw the team go through challenging times, winning only seven of 26 ODIs. However, in those victories, Waseem shone brightly, averaging an impressive 64.28, including a century (119) against Papua New Guinea and three half-centuries. Unfortunately, his batting average dropped to 21.10 in the 19 losses, closer to his overall ODI career average of 25.44. Waseem’s decision comes as UAE struggles to find their footing in the ongoing 2024-27 edition of the CWC League 2. They’re currently positioned at the bottom of the table, having won only one of their seven matches, with a recent eight-wicket loss to Namibia marking Waseem’s final game as captain. While Waseem steps back from the ODI captaincy, he remains a crucial player for UAE’s T20I team. His form was evident in the recent tri-series in Namibia, where he topped the tournament’s scoring charts with 159 runs across four innings. His contributions helped UAE clinch the series, securing three wins out of four matches to finish ahead of Namibia and the USA. –IANS