UAE Grants Citizenship to 5 Cricketers Including Pakistanis in Historic First The United Arab Emirates has made a groundbreaking move in international cricket by granting full citizenship to five foreign-born players, including two Pakistanis, marking the first time the country has naturalized cricketers for national representation. This decision, announced in the context of UAE’s growing ambitions to establish itself as a premier cricket hub in Asia, removes previous eligibility barriers and signals a strategic shift in how the nation attracts and integrates talent. The five players—Khuzaima Tanveer, Adeeb Usmani, Ajay Kumar, Akshdeep Nath, and Harpreet Singh Bhatia—now hold UAE citizenship, enabling them to compete as official nationals in upcoming matches. The naturalization of these players, particularly the two with strong Pakistani roots, has sparked discussions about the implications for talent flow from South Asia. Khuzaima Tanveer, a right-arm fast bowler born in Faisalabad, Pakistan, and Adeeb Usmani, a wicket-keeper with Pakistani heritage, have both contributed significantly to UAE’s cricket development over recent years. Their inclusion in the UAE squad, which is currently competing in Nepal for T20Is and an ODI tri-series, underscores the country’s commitment to building a competitive team. The move also highlights the UAE’s efforts to create long-term opportunities for players, as the previous three-year residency rule for eligibility has been lifted for these individuals. UAE’s investment in cricket infrastructure has been a key factor in attracting talent.#united_arab_emirates #khuzaima_tanveer #adeeb_usmani #sheikh_zayed_stadium #dubai_international_cricket_stadium
