Khurram makes UAE proud

Prolific allrounder and former UAE cricket captain, Khurram Khan, was chosen as the International Cricket Council Associate and Affiliate Cricketer of the Year for his leading run-scoring status with 425 runs in nine one-day matches during the season.
This is in recognition by the governing body to reward the efforts in all international matches of the leading cricketers from the teams outside the elite 10-nation cricket Test fraternity. 
A flight purser for Emirates, Khurram who was flying back to the UAE from Switzerland, told the ICC website that he was honoured to be considered as the first UAE cricketer for the ICC Associate and Affiliate Cricketer of the Year award.
"The opportunity to fulfill my childhood dream of playing in an ICC Cricket World Cup (2015) and this award because I was able to play for the Emirates Cricket Board gives me and my well wishers more satisfaction."
Khurram quit first class cricket after guiding the UAE to Twenty20 and 50 overs a side world cup events.
When contacted at his residence on Wednesday afternoon, his younger brother Sohail Khan, who is on a holiday in the UAE said: "All of us at home here and in Pakistan are thrilled, the first UAE-based cricketer to be honoured with such a high award."
Khurram represented the UAE since 2001 when he turned out for the team at the ICC Trophy in Canada, where he played 10 games over the course of the two-week tournament.
In June 2015, following the UAE's defeat to Ireland in the ICC Intercontinental Cup in Ireland, Khurram announced his retirement from international cricket.
Being a central figure for the UAE, Khurram played in 16 ODIs and scored 582 runs at an average of 41.57. In November 2014, aged 43 years and 162 days, Khurram became the oldest player to score an ODI hundred with his 132 not out against Afghanistan.
UAE National coach Aqib Javed, in a tribute told media earlier this year: "I'd personally like to thank Khurram for the enormous contribution he's made to UAE cricket during and before my time with the team.  He's a highly skillful player, who's experienced enormous success with the UAE and been a stand-out player in Associate cricket."
moni@khaleejtimes.com

United Arab Emirates batsman Khurram Khan plays a shot during the ICC T20 World Cup warm up cricket match between Bangladesh and the United Arab Emirates at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium in Fatullah, on the outskirts of Dhaka on March 12, 2014. AFP FILE