ICC T20 WORLD CUP 2022

October 20, 2022

Basil Hameed

CP Rizwan

Kardinia Park

UAE

Post Match Media Conference

UAE 148/3, Namibia 141/8

Q. Can you put into words how you are feeling at the moment?

CP RIZWAN: I'm feeling really happy. First win for UAE in a World Cup. Indeed it's a proud moment. Really we can now fly better back home (laughing).

Q. It's 26 years the time the UAE have ever won a World Cup match before. The core of your squad weren't even born back then. What do you need to do now to make sure that wins in World Cups are a more regular thing for UAE?

CP RIZWAN: As you said, it's a massive moment. Yeah, we have a young side. Definitely we want to build on this. We want to build on this momentum. We want to build a lot of great things for UAE moving forward.

We have a 16-year-old kid who has done a really great job in that. We have Karthik, who had already created history, first UAE cricketer to take a World Cup hat trick.

So a lot of good memories, moments definitely for UAE cricket in this tournament, and we definitely look forward to build on this.

Q. (Off microphone). These guys that are so young and so new to international cricket on a huge stage like this, they look like they belong already. Is that how it feels for you guys?

CP RIZWAN: Yes, I would like to definitely give credit to our Coach Robin Singh and our management to instill belief in the youngsters, give them confidence that they are here to achieve and perform and not worry about the stage and give them freedom to express themselves.

So definitely that's a huge bonus for UAE cricket moving forward because these other guys who are taking cricket forward, so definitely happy moments. I'm sure there's a lot of good things to come for UAE cricket.

Q. You had been light on runs for today, and you had a very important -- well, two important parts: One with Waseem and then with Basil. What did those runs mean to you personally, and why are you and Basil always so good together?

CP RIZWAN: Yeah, I mean, we have a vibe together. We've been always playing together. Not only in UAE back in India, so we have played cricket always together. That bond is always there. Good to have a good partnership with Basil.

With Waseem we saw a champion player. Then we see Basil it was really nice to see.

As you said, I always believed that after every struggle, there is ease. I was not backing out my opportunity. I really wanted, but I can't complain.

Yeah, I'm very happy to contribute to the team, and it was really needed.

Q. You mentioned about Waseem's, obviously, batting was great. At which point did you realize you were going to need him with the ball? Can you say something about how good his bowling was there at the end?

CP RIZWAN: Yeah. I mean, we have always believed in his ability in that bowling because we played cricket together and against in domestic cricket in UAE. I've seen him nailing yorkers like anything, so I have had that trust always in him.

What better moment you can have, no, to nail yorkers and get the big wicket. David Wiese was batting like anything. I mean, really happy for him and for the team.

Q. Basil, obviously, you play a vital role coming here at the bat at the end there. How did that feel? Did you feel sort of like a momentum from your innings with the bat that you took? Obviously, you made a great start with the ball at first personally.

BASIL HAMEED: Obviously, when you have that kind of inning, you have the momentum forward in the field and in the bowling as well.

I think more than anything I personally wanted some runs for myself. Everybody has been working hard. Everybody wanted to win the game, and everybody wanted to give something for the nation back home guys.

I personally enjoyed it, and I had good positive vibes in feeling and bowling as well.

Q. What was happening in that conversation for the last over because it didn't look like it was a done deal that Waseem even was going to bowl. There was some debate going on?

CP RIZWAN: No, not really. I was just telling him to believe in himself. He has done it in UAE domestic. It was just matter of translating that ability to the bigger level. I'm really happy that he really did that today.

Q. Basil, you didn't fancy the over yourself at all? Short boundary?

BASIL HAMEED: I'm sure with Wiese batting like that, no spinner would have fancied bowling in those kind of circumstances. Maybe after that match I'll try.

Q. What is the kind of overall emotion for the competition? It was an achievement to get here. It was an achievement to get this win. Of course, you said your goal was to get to the Super 12. How does that balance? When you look back on this competition a year, how do you think you'll feel about it?

CP RIZWAN: It has been really good journey, I would say. A lot of good moments. A lot of lessons to be learned.

I'm sure with the win, first win, we'll take this forward, and we'll work on the things which we need to work and start to try to make an impact --

Q. Did you also have in mind that two of three wickets earlier had come against Namibia before?

CP RIZWAN: Yeah, we had that in plan, but he had got that I think in the middle of us. This was a slightly different condition. That over when he was batting, almost 50-plus, that was a real plus. He did really well. He accepted the challenge with both hands, and here we are with the first win.

Q. Just last thing, in the lead-up to this you had two games against Bangladesh. You had a game against the West Indies as well. You played Sri Lanka here. Is that something that would help UAE cricket if you could get more of those matches?

CP RIZWAN: Definitely that experience helped us a lot. We were in the game during the match just that crossing the line. I mean, we had our moments in all the matches. We just needed that, you know, just to cross the line.

I'm happy that we did today, and hopefully if we get more matches like this, more exposure, it will help UAE cricket for sure.

Q. I'm just wondering, what did you think when you saw the catch go down and you saw how well David Wiese was batting and then he was dropped? Was your heart in your throat there? What were the emotions in the camp?

CP RIZWAN: Yeah, emotions were really high. We just hope that he makes a mistake again and we seal up the match. It went to the last over (laughing). He played really well. He kept us under pressure. Having said that, we're really happy that we pulled off the win.

Q. Was there any stage where you thought that he might actually take the game away from you?

CP RIZWAN: Yeah, definitely. Last Namibia from the 16th over or 15th over, I thought that they had the momentum shifting towards them.

Yeah, I will want to give credit to the Zahoor Khan. He bowled the 19th over. That was really amazing. He brought the game back for us.

To take the game -- I mean, to make the 14 in the last over, I would say great job done by Zahoor to bring back the game against the second batsman, and he pulled off some amazing yorkers. He showed us experience and class, I would say. Credit to him also. If I didn't mention him, it is not the right thing.

And the bowlers really did a great job. Basil bowled really well with the new ball. He kept the batsmen under pressure, gave us new break through with the new ball.

Overall, the total team effort I would say. Everyone contributed in one way or the other. Specifically youngsters. The 16-year-old kid, Aayan Khan, he wasn't afraid of the big stage. He showed a big heart.

A lot of positive things for UAE cricket, and I'm really happy for this.