Dubai, Nov 6 (IANS) Former UAE captain Ahmed Raza has been appointed head coach of the country’s men’s team. Raza comes into the top role as Lalchand Rajput stepped down after almost three years in charge.
In his playing days, Raza captained the UAE in 29 of his 53 ODIs, and in 27 of his 55 T20Is. He previously coached the UAE women’s team for three years and has also worked with Dubai Capitals in the ILT20 and Southern Brave in The Hundred. Raza also served as head coach of Dubai Capitals in the Global Super League in Guyana in 2025.
“I am honoured to have been chosen for this exciting role and look forward to beginning my new innings. I want to thank the ECB for granting me this opportunity. As a former national captain, I fully understand what it means to represent the UAE at the highest level.
“The current team is full of highly skilled and experienced players as well as some exciting youngsters who will take the team forward. My aim will be to solidify some of the good work done in recent years and build further from there,” said Raza in a statement on Friday.
Raza’s first assignment will be the eight-team World Cup Qualifier Play-off in Kathmandu next month, where the UAE’s ODI status will be on the line. The tournament clashes with the ILT20, so several players in the touring squad stand to miss out on lucrative contracts offered by the competition.
Under Rajput’s tenure, the UAE finished at the bottom of the Cricket World Cup League Two table, although they ended the campaign with three straight wins. The side also qualified for this year’s Men’s T20 World Cup in India and last year’s Asia Cup held in their backyard, apart from a bilateral T20I series win over Bangladesh.
“My stint as UAE Men’s Head Coach was very rewarding and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the team. I sincerely thank the Emirates Cricket Board, the management, players and support staff for their cooperation, trust and support throughout my tenure.
“It has been a rewarding experience, and I will always cherish the relationships and memories built during this journey. During my tenure, I am proud that we achieved some important milestones, including qualifying for the Asia Cup, the ICC T20 World Cup and securing a series win against Bangladesh.
“These achievements were the result of the collective efforts, commitment and hard work of the players, support staff and management. I firmly believe that UAE cricket has great potential, and I wish the team every success in its future endeavours. I hope the progress we have made will provide a strong foundation for continued success,” said Rajput.
Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) member Zayed Abbas thanked the outgoing coach and backed his successor to come good in future. “The Emirates Cricket Board thanks Lalchand Rajput for his commitment, dedication and hard work with the UAE Men’s National Team. We wish Lalchand the very best for his future endeavours.
“Ahmed Raza has already proven his worth as a capable head coach and under him the UAE Women made rapid progress. We are confident that he will be able to make a big impact and take the men’s team forward. We wish him the very best in his new role,” he added.
--IANS
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