Pride of UAE Cricket: Aslam’s Unforgettable Asia Cup Battle With Sehwag
Cricket legend Virender Sehwag made a bold claim that he would score 200 runs against the UAE in the 2004 Asia Cup. His dream shattered quickly when UAE’s Naeem Aslam ran him out for a duck after just three balls.
The UAE team pulled off one of cricket’s greatest David versus Goliath moments that day. They had never won against India’s senior men’s team in their previous four matches. India’s squad was riding high after their Pakistan series, and Sehwag stood at his career’s peak as India’s first Test triple centurion.
That run-out became legendary in cricket’s history books. A witness recalls the dramatic moment: “He catches an inside edge, it trickles down to a few yards to my right, then short and diminutive Naeem Aslam grabs the ball and throws the stumps down. The rest is history”. Sehwag’s prediction might have failed that day, but his dream came true seven years later. He smashed 219 runs with 25 fours and seven sixes in 2011, finally achieving his double-century milestone.
The Road to Asia Cup 2004
The United Arab Emirates secured their place in the prestigious 2004 Asia Cup after winning the ACC Trophy. This achievement marked their second straight appearance in the tournament and showed how far UAE cricket had come.
UAE’s qualification and preparation
UAE cricket saw plenty of action before the Asia Cup. The team won the ACC Trophy by beating Oman in the final and hosted the 2004 ICC Six Nations Challenge where they finished fifth. Their squad selection showed a focus on youth development, as three talented teenagers made the cut for the 14-member Asia Cup team—seventeen-year-old Syed Fawad Mohammed, Ramveer Rai, and Abdul Rehman.
“We decided to pick these youngsters to build for the future. It is a bold step by us,” UAE chief selector Abdul Razzaq Kazim explained. Khuram Khan, who had led UAE to back-to-back ACC Trophy victories, captained the team with Mohammed Tauqir as his deputy.
Aslam’s personal journey to the national team
Naeem Aslam’s cricket story stands out. Born and raised in Dubai with Indian roots, Aslam was still studying at university during the 2004 Asia Cup. Unlike other expatriate players in the team, he had never played cricket in India—UAE cricket was all he knew.
“India may be my homeland but I was born and brought up here,” Aslam said with pride. “I may not hold a UAE passport but this feels like home. The UAE has given me a chance to be an international cricketer”.
Facing cricketing giants with day jobs
The UAE team’s story became more impressive because every player balanced cricket with a full-time job. Their commitment showed in their grueling schedule—after working 8-10 hours, players would drive from Dubai to Sharjah through heavy traffic that could last an hour and a half.
“We would reach there at 7pm, train for four hours, drive back home and start the daily grind again next morning,” Aslam remembered. This demanding routine became their normal life, driven by pure love for cricket. Many players even competed in multiple club matches on the same day to support themselves.
Their next challenge against India would test their limits—amateur cricketers with day jobs taking on professional superstars at their best.
The Sehwag Statement That Sparked It All
Image Source: Cricket Country
The Sehwag Statement That Sparked It All
Sehwag’s bold double-century claim
Virender Sehwag made a statement that would change cricket history forever. Just days before the Asia Cup tournament kicked off in Dambulla, he told reporters: “If I stay at the crease for 50 overs, I can score a double-century. In fact, a lot of batsmen can do it provided they bat the full 50 overs”. This claim turned heads because Pakistan’s Saeed Anwar held the highest ODI score of 194 at that time.
“It’s definitely not easy to score a double-century in one-dayers, but it’s also not impossible,” Sehwag added, setting his sights high. His confidence stemmed from his recent Test triple century against Pakistan, which made him the first Indian to reach that milestone.
Media buzz and psychological effect on UAE players
The UAE squad felt the weight of Sehwag’s words. “A couple of days before the game, we just happened to turn on the telly, a bunch of us, and we caught Sehwag’s interview on an Indian TV channel,” Aslam remembered.
“The reporter is asking him, ‘Now that you’ve got 300 and you’re the first Indian to get there, what is your next challenge?’. The guy very casually says that he’d like to get a double hundred in an ODI. We’re all looking at that interview knowing that, two days later, he’s going to come face to face with us. Is that what he means? So, needless to say, we’re even more nervous”.
Coach and team reactions before the match
John Wright, India’s head coach, worried about his team’s overconfidence. His book ‘Indian Summers’ later revealed: “When we regrouped in 2004 it was like the post-World Cup hangover, only worse. After winning in Pakistan, it was being said this was the best Indian team ever”.
Wright pointed out “there was a bit of swaggering in the media” and mentioned Sehwag’s double-century claim specifically. He drew parallels to his old Derbyshire captain’s advice: “If you take the piss out of cricket, cricket will take the piss out of you”. These words would soon prove prophetic.
The Match That Made History
Image Source: MSN
The Match That Made History
The surreal moment of facing India’s legends
UAE cricket experienced a defining moment on July 16, 2004. Aslam stepped onto the field and saw his childhood heroes. “That moment where Sachin and Sehwag were walking onto the field was absolutely surreal,” Aslam recalled. “We watched these guys growing up. We idolized them. And, on that day, we’re level, we’re equal”.
Sehwag’s run-out: Aslam’s moment of glory
Sehwag played Ali Asad’s third delivery behind square leg. Tendulkar called him back when he attempted a run. “He catches an inside edge, it trickles down a few yards to my right,” Aslam remembered. “Then short and diminutive Naeem Aslam grabs the ball and throws the stumps down”. The batsman who predicted scoring a double-century left without scoring.
India’s innings and Dravid’s century
In spite of that, India’s batting strength prevailed. Rahul Dravid crafted a brilliant 104 from 93 balls and led India to 260/6. “I thought 260 was a good score on this wicket,” Dravid noted afterward.
UAE’s chase and Aslam’s golden duck
UAE found it hard to cope with India’s bowling attack during their chase of 261. Irfan Pathan, “the coming man of Indian swing bowling,” removed Aslam with a “trademark booming inswinger”. “Billy Doctrove raised the dreaded finger,” Aslam admitted. “It couldn’t have been more out”. UAE scored 144 before being dismissed, falling short by 116 runs.
Aftermath and Reflections
Image Source: The National
Aftermath and Reflections
Aslam’s emotional call with his father
Right after the match, Aslam felt crushed by his golden duck, despite his brilliant moment against Sehwag. “After the game, I had a call back home and I was saying, ‘Sorry, Dad, I let you all down,'” he recalled. His father’s response came with unexpected wisdom: “You know, you’re not the first person to get out for a first ball duck”. His father comforted him by mentioning Gary Sobers, Aslam’s hero: “Sobers has done it many times, and the ball that you got out literally was unplayable”.
Returning to a day job after international cricket
Reality hit hard when the tournament ended. “After that tour, it was back to real life,” Aslam explained. UAE cricketers waited four years to play another official ODI because they lacked ODI status and T20 internationals didn’t exist yet. So Aslam went back to his office job and looked forward to weekend matches.
The passion that kept UAE cricket alive
“We all played for the passion,” Aslam reflected. “None of us had the chance to make it big”. The players showed incredible dedication. They worked 8-to-10 hour days and made long commutes. “We would reach there at 7pm, have four hours of training, drive back home and then go back to the daily grind all over again next morning”. These sacrifices kept UAE cricket’s heartbeat strong.
Aslam’s dismissal of Sehwag stands as evidence of cricket’s unpredictability. UAE players showed that passion can sometimes level the playing field against professionals, even if briefly. Coach Wright had predicted it perfectly – Sehwag’s confident talk of a double century turned into a duck, proving how humbling cricket can be.
This David versus Goliath moment meant much more than just statistics for UAE cricket. A team of regular office workers, students, and professionals competed against cricket royalty and created memories that exceeded their eventual 116-run defeat.
UAE cricket has changed substantially over the last several years. Players no longer need to rush to practice after tiring workdays. The sport now has better structure, recognition, and facilities across the country. Aslam’s story perfectly captures what associate cricket represents – regular people achieving incredible feats through pure determination.
Sehwag finally achieved his double-century dream in 2011 with 219 runs against West Indies. Yet that brief moment in 2004, when an amateur cricketer dismissed one of cricket’s most explosive batsmen, lives on in cricketing history. Aslam’s achievement becomes even more special considering he was back at his desk job the next Monday.
Cricket runs on stories where predictions fail and underdogs shine briefly. UAE might have lost the match, but they earned something just as valuable. Their performance brought respect and recognition internationally, helping future UAE cricketers dream bigger without limits.
