CP Rizwan moved to the UAE in 2014 after not getting a Ranji Trophy game; Will be special if we get to play against India, he says’
CP Rizwan’s cricket career never took off, and the electrical engineer from Kerala, like many others from his state, moved to the Gulf after landing a job in Sharjah. Eight years later, the 34-year-old has achieved success – on the field. The Emirates Cricket Board named Rizwan as the captain for the Asia Cup qualifiers on Friday. If Rizwan’s UAE wins the qualifiers, they will join heavyweights India and Pakistan in the same group.
““It will definitely be special if we qualify and get to play against India. But we just want to focus on one step at a time,” Rizwan said. The United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Hong Kong and Singapore will be fighting for the one spot available in the group stage.
From not being able to get a game for his state in the Ranji Trophy to leading a national team, Rizwan’s cricketing fortunes have changed for the better.
Rizwan, leg-spinner turned batsman, hails from Thalassery, a cricket hub with a history that dates back to the British raj.
Rizwan made a name for himself in age-group cricket and represented Kerala in the Under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy and was a part of the Under-23 team. Rizwan also toured South Africa with the Kerala team, a squad that included Sanju Samson. But he couldn’t progress further because he took a break from the sport to complete his engineering degree. He tried to make a comeback after completing his studies but could not replicate his age-group success at the senior level. He was named in the Ranji Trophy squad but was on the bench.