Since taking over the captaincy in March 2023, Waseem achieved mixed results
Rahul Chopra has taken over as the captain of the UAE men's ODI team after Muhammad Waseem stepped down. Waseem led the UAE in ODIs for 26 matches between 2023 and 2024 but announced his decision to step down to focus more on his batting. “I have decided to step down as captain to concentrate on my batting in the ODI format,” said Waseem, who will continue playing as part of the ODI squad. He also expressed his support for Chopra in his new role.
Chopra, a wicketkeeper-batter with seven ODIs and six T20Is under his belt, will lead the UAE team in the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series in Oman in November, where they will face both Oman and the Netherlands.
Since taking over the captaincy in March 2023, Waseem achieved mixed results. Under his leadership, the UAE won seven ODIs but lost 19. Although Waseem's batting shone in the seven victories, where he averaged an impressive 64.28, his form dipped in the losses, averaging only 21.10. His career average sits at 25.44.
Waseem’s last match as captain saw UAE fall to Namibia by eight wickets after being bowled out for 190. The team’s current position at the bottom of the CWC League 2 standings after winning only one of their first seven games likely influenced his decision to step down.
In addition to the ODI format, Waseem remains a key part of UAE’s T20I team. He recently helped UAE secure a tri-series victory in Namibia, where he was the top scorer with 159 runs across four matches.