Karthik Meiyappan, Vritya Aravind and Jonathan Figy have been included in the UAE squad for their ICC World Cup League Two against the USA and Scotland starting on Sunday.
Meiyappan was a member of the UAE team that qualified for January’s U19 World Cup in South Africa. He then led the team at the U19 Asia Cup in Sri Lanka in September.
The leg spinner, along with wicketkeeper batsman Aravind and left-handed opener Figy, have all represented the UAE age group teams and now have the opportunity to make their debuts for the senior team in the 50-over format.
The homegrown trio get their break after five senior players, including captain Mohammed Naveed, were suspended on corruption charges.
Meiyappan, 19, enrolled at Manipal University in Dubai in September, has been regarded as one of the finest young leg spinners to emerge from the National Academies League.
Aravind, 17, was called up during the World T20 Qualifier after wicketkeeper Ghulam Shabber went absent during the competition.
He didn’t get to play any matches as the UAE persisted with the occasional wicketkeeper Mohammed Boota behind the stumps.
Figy, 18, is playing his cricket in England having joined Winchester College on a cricket scholarship and is now continuing his cricket and studies at the Leeds University.
Dr Tayeb Al Kamali, Emirates Cricket selection committee chairman and board member, said each player selected for the senior team to compete in the series has undergone a thorough and stringent assessment of both their skills and attitude.
“We are confident that each player selected will embrace this opportunity with integrity and passion, and we look forward to watching their progress and team-cohesiveness during this series,” he said.
The matches will be played in Dubai and Sharjah.
UAE squad: Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Jonathan Figy, CP Rizwan, Junaid Siddique, Mohammad Usman, Basil Hameed, Zawar Farid, Vriitya Aravind (wk), Waheed Ahmed, Karthik Meiyappan, Zahoor Khan, Darius D'Silva, Chirag Suri
