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Asia Cup - 2004
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Asia Cup - 2004
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News
Bounty on Tendulkar's wicket
downplayed by UAE captain
DAMBULLA: A $1,000 reward for any bowler who dismisses Indian star
batsman Sachin Tendulkar was played down by the United Arab Emirates
captain ahead of Friday's Asia Cup encounter between the two sides.
Preparing for the team's first limited-over international since
featuring in the 1996 World Cup, United Arab Emirates bowlers have
been discussing Indian batsmen for several days, captain Khurram
Khan said.
"The bowlers are excited about bowling to all the top Indian
batsmen, not just Tendulkar," Khan told The Associated Press on
Thursday. "I've heard of the $1,000 award for the bowler who
dismisses Tendulkar, but it will be a privilege to get him out...
that's an incentive in itself."
An Emirates Cricket Board official put up the $1,000 bounty on
Tendulkar's wicket.
"Of course, we'd like to dismiss Tendulkar early, but it's not his
wicket alone that's on our mind," said Khan, who moved from his
hometown of Multan, Pakistan, to the United Arab Emirates in 1996.
That was the year when the United Arab Emirates team, comprised
mostly of expatriates from India and Pakistan, made its first and
only appearance in the World Cup.
The International Cricket Council followed by introducing stringent
residency laws for expatriates who represent any nation in
international matches.
There's just one United Arab Emirates national on the current team —
off-break bowler Mohammad Taquir — but the ICC's current rules
permit players with seven-year residential status to play.
"We're back in the One-Day International arena after eight years,
but our sights are fixed on making the 2007 World Cup," said Khan,
whose team won an Asian Cricket Council tournament in Kuala Lumpur
two weeks ago.
The Malaysia victory secured United Arab Emirates a spot in the 2007
World Cup's qualifying tournament for second-rung nations — those
without the One-Day International grade.
"Our pace bowlers — Arshad Ali, Asim Saeed and Syed Maqsood Ahmed —
are eager to claim some early wickets, including that of Tendulkar,"
Khan said.
"Being a spinner, I personally don't expect to dismiss Tendulkar,
I'm hoping the seamers would have done it before I get to bowl," he
said.
Khan was a former teammate of Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq. They
played together for Multan between 1994-96 before Khan moved to the
United Arab Emirates.
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