From backyard cricket to the UAE National Team Star
A young, energetic Ali Naseer is well into his cricketing career. Ali joined the ICC Cricket Academy when he was twelve years old, and today, he is a proud member of the UAE national team. A student at the Wellington School, Ali, from a very early age, started spending long hours at the ICC Cricket Academy. 'At times, it would be challenging for me to balance my studies with my long hours of cricket. As I enjoyed playing cricket, I worked hard to strike a balance between my school life and my hours at the cricket academy,' he recalls. At the age of twelve, when Ali started to play hard-ball cricket, it was an exciting time in his life.
His talent was soon recognised by his coaches, and at fifteen, Ali was selected for the under-16 UAE team. Ali's debut was impressive when he scored an astounding 197 runs in Oman during his first international tournament. 'It was a great experience for me, and I learnt the skills of leadership, teamwork, and taking risks. This was a great tournament for me personally,' he says.
Ali recalled his first international match against the West Indies, where he once again impressed his opponents with two back-to-back half-centuries. Since then, Ali is on a steady incline in his cricketing career. Ali finds the hot summer months the most challenging part of playing in the UAE. A fifty-over game can last for almost seven hours. The scorching temperatures are not easy to play in, but the passion for cricket drives him and his teammates to the field. Ali's first-ever coach was Mudassar Nazar, who was the head coach at the ICC at the time. 'I was fortunate to be coached by the legendary Pakistani player, Mudassar Nazar, who dedicated long hours to us and coached us with so much passion. I felt honoured to be coached by him,' Ali shares. Ali is grateful to Mudassar Nazar for guiding him throughout his cricket journey at the academy and spoke very highly of him. 'Mudassar Nazar is an icon, and yet he is so humble and connects with us effortlessly. A very fine coach, and his guidance is invaluable,' he says.
Ali stressed the importance of staying fit, as cricket, like many other sports, is a physically demanding sport. Regular physical training and a healthy diet are an integral part of a cricketer. 'There is a lot of glamour in cricket, no doubt, but behind the glamour and all the glory, there is relentless hard work. Long practices, lengthy matches, and not knowing the final outcome till the last ball require physical and mental strength,' he explains.
Ali is a proud member of the UAE national cricket team, and he sees a bright future ahead of him. His relentless hard work and passion for cricket have put him on a steady incline in his cricketing career.
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