Can UAE produce a Sooryavanshi? ECB launches landmark cricket initiative

Far from the cauldron of the Indian Premier League (IPL), where teen sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is breaking records for fun, hordes of aspiring UAE cricketers took part in a new under-12 tournament, each hoping to chart their own path to the big league.

In an attempt to strengthen the junior set-up, the Emirates Cricket Board recently organised the ECB U12 National Academy League 2026, which was played in 75 venues across the UAE.

SPSA Avengers took the top honours in Division A, Freedom Cricket Academy triumphed in Division B, and Victoria Cricket Warriors won the Division C title.

The ECB is under no illusion that it can unearth a once-in-a-generation talent like Sooryavanshi. Picked at the age of 13 by Rajasthan Royals in 2024, the boy from Bihar is now producing knocks of astonishing brilliance in the IPL.

But the UAE cricket board is hoping to identity some promising talent early through their new Under-12 development tournament.

“We have organised this Under-12 tournament so that by the time these young boys get into the Under-15 Academy, they've a bit more experience. This event was only the start, we plan to have the national academy tournament in September,” said Andrew Russell, National Development Manager at Emirates Cricket Board.

Played in the 25-over format on weekends in March and April, the overwhelming response from parents and the quality of cricket displayed by the youngsters surprised the organisers.

“We were very surprised at the level a lot of these academies are playing already, the ability to play matches, the understanding of positions and game awareness. And it was also very good to see the enthusiasm of these youngsters,” the South African cricket official said.

While the UAE is not a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the sport in the country has made significant progress in recent years.

The Under-19 men’s team won the Plate Division title at the 2022 ICC U19 World Cup, beating Test-playing teams West Indies in the semifinals and Ireland in the final.

Then in 2023, the Under-19 team reached the Asia Cup final, with stunning wins over Sri Lanka and Pakistan, two of the Asian giants.

With the presence of a strong South Asian expatriate community in the UAE, Russell expects cricket to thrive with the right initiatives from the board.  

“We have had a lot of success at the junior level, the crowning achievement was reaching the final of the Under-19 Asia Cup, when we beat both Sri Lanka and Pakistan,” he said.

It may not be realistic yet to expect the UAE to emulate world-class talent-producing factories like India, but many UAE youngsters have impressed in the ILT20, the country’s IPL-style T20 league that attracts some of the best international players.   

“There is no doubt that we have a lot of talented youngsters here, and a lot of players for us to have in this tournament,” Russell said.

“So at the junior level, it’s very important for us to identify the best players from the age of 10 or 11. So this Under-12 event (ECB U12 National Academy League 2026) is the right step to take for us.”

Alyan Tariq,12, was among the brightest players to have emerged from the new Under-12 tournament.

The Dubai-based Pakistani youngster scored two hundreds to lead Victoria Cricket Warriors to victory in Division C.

Tariq also set a big record in the tournament, becoming the only player to have scored more than 150 runs in an innings — a magnificent 151 off 77 balls (19 fours and eight sixes) against Desert Cubs Northern Ninjas.

A big fan of Indian icon Virat Kohli’s ability to conjure match-winning epics, Tariq has a special talent for the cover drive.

“I liked the way Babar Azam plays that shot. I also played that shot in this tournament. I hit a six over the cover boundary. Our coaches were surprised and very proud that I could play that shot confidently,” he said.

Tariq is now also drawing inspiration from India’s Boy Wonder, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has smashed the world’s best bowlers in the ongoing IPL.

“He is so good, it’s amazing what he is doing. He is breaking so many records. But I want to break his record,” he smiled.  

Tariq then thanked the ECB for providing youngsters like him with a wonderful platform through the new Under-12 academy tournament.

“This is the first such tournament at the Under-12 level. It was a great opportunity for us to play in the 25-over format,” he said.  

Apart from the talent on display, Russell said the other highlight of the tournament was that it was successfully organised amid the Middle East war.

“When we started the tournament, the conflict was still going on; there was no ceasefire,” he said.

“So this just shows the resilience of the people here and also the ability of the government to keep everyone safe. The great thing was that the children were playing, and the parents were there on the ground to support them. It was a truly wonderful atmosphere.”