Following their exit from the 2015 Cricket World Cup, UAE captain Mohammad Tauqir was left pondering the possibilities that could have transformed a ‘satisfactory performance’ into an unforgettable campaign for his team.
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The least experienced side in the tournament, UAE failed to win a single match in the group stage, although they did play well in parts of games and there were several good individual performances in the side.
And even in their final defeat to the West Indies, Tauqir’s men did well to fight back from a precarious position of 46-6.
“We know we could have done better than this, especially in our batting department, but overall it was a satisfactory performance. I think it was not as consistent as it should have been,” said Tauqir while reflecting on his team’s World Cup efforts.
“I think even today 250-plus runs would have been a very challenging total for West Indies.
Thats how gloomy and overcast it is in Napier today. @Sport_360 #CWC15 #WIvsUAE pic.twitter.com/WxyuDWwItW
— Joy Chakravarty (@TheJoyOfCricket) March 14, 2015
“Of course there were a few positives. Amjad [Javed] and Shaiman [Anwar] did very well consistently throughout the tournament. [Mohammad] Naveed was good and Swapnil [Patil] played a very good knock against South Africa.
“Overall, our bowling department was pretty consistent in every game. I think we need to make a little bit of improvement in our fielding and batting departments but we take a lot of positives from the whole event, and it was overall a good learning experience for us.”
When quizzed about his favourite moment in the six pool stage matches, and the most challenging one, Tauqir said: “I think overall the whole tournament has been very, very special for the whole team. But the one moment that would have changed the game was I think Kevin O’Brien’s catch that got dropped. If that catch would have been taken, we would have definitely won that game.
“As for challenging, facing up to Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel bowling short-pitched stuff into our body was the toughest.
We’re charged & we’re proud to represent #UAE @#CWC15. We’re ready to take it to @westindies @osn @ICCAcademy #didntqualifyfornothing!
— UAE Cricket Official (@EmiratesCricket) March 14, 2015
“At the same time, I’m also very thankful to them for bowling the way they bowled to us. By facing them it gave us a lot of confidence. I think that innings was a highlight for us, and we almost played 48 overs in that match [against] the most hostile bowling that we have faced in this tournament.”
And Tauqir, the oldest player in the tournament alongside teammate Khurram Khan at 43, said he has had not thought of quitting cricket.
“I don’t know about Khurram, but I think we have done a lot of hard work during the last eight to 10 months in preparation of this tournament, and I feel pretty fit,” said the off-spinner.
“I would definitely like to continue playing as long as I’m enjoying the game, and I think so would Khurram.”
The UAE team have a day-long stopover in Melbourne tomorrow and are expected to land in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday morning.
