Mumbai, Aug 28 (PTI): UAE cricketer Alishan Sharafu, who draws inspiration from the talents of Sachin Tendulkar and the resilience of Hardik Pandya, is eagerly anticipating the upcoming Asia Cup where he'll face formidable opponents like India.
Placed in Group A alongside cricket giants India and Pakistan, with Oman also in the mix, Sharafu sees this as a valuable opportunity for growth. The UAE will play against India on September 10. "Instead of feeling pressured, we view this as a chance to excel against such prominent teams. India is currently among the top teams in the world, and performing well against them is the goal," Sharafu shared during an interaction organized by Sony Sports, the tournament's official broadcaster.
Sharafu emphasized the importance of focusing on their game rather than solely on the opponents. "We aim to concentrate on playing good cricket and if we back ourselves, anything is possible. Similarly, despite Pakistan missing key players like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan, they are still a formidable team. We'll approach it game by game," he added.
The young 22-year-old cricketer expressed admiration for icons like Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and AB de Villiers, while drawing motivation from Hardik Pandya and Ben Stokes for their fighting spirit. "Hardik Pandya is a player I deeply admire for his composure and fighting nature. His journey of overcoming challenges is something I look up to," Sharafu stated.
After securing a T20I series win over Bangladesh in May, the UAE team is confident, although Sharafu acknowledged the challenges posed by the hot and humid conditions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi—venues for the tournament. His impactful performance, including an unbeaten 68 against Bangladesh, has been a boost for the team's morale.
"Winning that series has elevated our confidence, proving that we can compete with top Test-playing nations. We were close to a clean sweep against Bangladesh," Sharafu noted. Highlighting the difficulties for spinners due to the humidity, Sharafu reflected on recent practice games where moisture has affected ball grip.
With an average over 30 and a strike rate near 134 in 50 T20Is, Sharafu finished as the fourth-highest T20I run-scorer in 2024. He is keen to transfer this success to one-day cricket as well. "Though I've seen more success in T20s, I look forward to improving my one-day stats, having started my international career quite young and in various batting positions," he concluded.
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