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UAE Grants Citizenship to First Cricketers
21 Apr
Summary
- Five cricketers now hold UAE citizenship via naturalization.
- These players can now represent the UAE internationally.
- This milestone opens new avenues for cricketers in the UAE.
Five cricketers have achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first to gain UAE citizenship through naturalization. Khuzaima Tanveer, Ajay Kumar, Akshdeep Nath, Harpreet Bhatia, and Adeeb Usmani are now UAE citizens, enabling them to represent the country in international cricket competitions.
This development marks a significant shift for cricket in the UAE, a sport largely played by expatriates. While other sports have seen citizens granted citizenship since 2018, this is the first time cricketers have benefited from such a decree. The players expressed immense gratitude for the opportunity to represent their adopted nation.
Ajay Kumar stated his lifelong dream was to play for the UAE, a dream now realized thanks to the country's support and his national and club-level play. Khuzaima Tanveer also shared his overwhelming gratitude, highlighting the unique feeling of representing a country that trusts its athletes.
