UAE coach Aaqib Javed said his players can’t wait to lock horns with Pakistan and India at the 2015 World Cup after they were placed in Pool B at the 2015 World Cup.
Their 41-run loss to Scotland on Saturday meant that the UAE found themselves in a group containing some of the true powers of the game. As well as the two Asian heavyweights, Javed's side will play South Africa, West Indies, Zimbabwe and Ireland.
Despite losing to Scotland in the qualifier final, the Gulf Nation had already secured their place in the World Cup and it was simply another chance for the players to show what they can do.
Swapnil Patil was the pick of the batsman as he narrowly missed out on scoring a century when he scored a single off the last delivery of the match that left him stranded on 99.
Javed will be looking to Patil and captain Khurram Khan to score heavily at next year's World Cup, and the former Pakistan bowler revealed how excited the team were to be heading to Australia and New Zealand.
“We are really excited that we’ll be playing India and Pakistan in the World Cup,” Javed said from New Zealand. “Mainly our players are from Pakistan and are highly excited to play against some of the big boys."
"It’s going to be a really interesting journey and they promised that they will put 100 per cent effort to develop and improve their game to a required level,” Javed told Sport360°.
With the World Cup one year away, the 41-year-old is eager to begin preparations immediately, beginning with all players turning professional. “’I’m going to suggest to the cricket board (Emirates Cricket Board – ECB) to release these players from their work. They should be coming to the ICC Academy at 09:00 and working five or six hours,” he said.
With ODI status confirmed for the next four years, Javed is keen for his players to play ODIs against sides who visit the UAE.
“I will be having discussions with Mazhar Khan (ECB administrator) and David East (ECB CEO), on when sides are coming to the country and I will request them to play one ODI against us. I think it has to be done and am hopeful of playing two international games in the coming three months,” said Javed.
“We want to prove a point that a team can come to this level and that we can do this. I want to make sure that we are a permanent ODI team in the future."
UAE skipper Khan also stressed the importance of training for his side as they begin preparations for the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2015.
“We are going to go back and start working hard, it is not going to be easy from here on.”
Speaking about their overall performance through the qualifiers Khan added: “I am very happy, to be honest. I would like to thank my team, I think they performed very well.
“When we left the UAE, everyone said the conditions are not going to suit you, but I think they did a wonderful job coming here and qualifying. It was an amazing experience.”
2015 World Cup pools
Pool A: Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Sri Lanka.
Pool B: India, Ireland, Pakistan, South Africa, UAE, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
