Muhammad Waseem has stepped down as UAE men’s ODI captain after 26 matches in charge between 2023 and 2024. He will, however, continue to play ODI cricket, an Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) statement said.
“I have decided to step down as captain to concentrate on my batting in the ODI format,” Waseem said. “My best wishes are with the new captain, I will be giving him my full support.”
Waseem, the 30-year-old top-order batter, took over the ODI captaincy from CP Rizwan during the 2019-2023 ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 for UAE’s match against Nepal in March 2023. Under him, UAE won just seven ODIs and lost 19, with Waseem the standout performer for the team in the matches they won – he averaged 64.28 in those seven games, hitting his only century in the format (119 vs Papua New Guinea) and three half-centuries in those games.
In the 19 they lost, Waseem’s average was 21.10, closer to his career number of 25.44.
UAE are currently playing the 2024-2027 edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2, where they lost their last game – Waseem’s final game as captain – to Namibia by eight wickets after folding for 190. UAE are bottom of the eight-team table at this stage after playing seven games – of which they have won only one – which might have contributed to Waseem’s decision to step down.
Waseem also remains a regular member of UAE’s T20I team, and played his part in the team winning the tri-series in Namibia earlier this month, where USA were the third team. Waseem top-scored in the tournament with 159 runs in four innings as UAE won three games and lost one to finish on top.
