UAE skipper says he gained a lot by training with RCB in IPL

During Dream11 IPL 2020, Royal Challengers had some local support during training in the UAE. UAE skipper Ahmed Raza and leg spinner Karthik Meiyappan trained with the challengers helping them prepare for the conditions on offer.

Raza, who will lead UAE against Ireland in the ODI series, termed it a rich experience.

“The IPL was massive. The experience you get over there training with the likes of Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and bowling to them is great. We felt like we’d gained a lot when we left the IPL,” Raza told reporters during a virtual press conference ahead of series beginning on January 8.

“It’s hard to put into words, but you start feeling different, and you’re different in your approach as well. I hope that whatever we learned in that period, we can showcase in our performances in this series,” added Raza who provided his services as a left-arm orthodox bowler to the RCB.

Ireland skipper Andrew Balbirnie, on the other hand, hoped to see his countrymen bag IPL contract. However, he added that for that to happen players will have to perform consistently at the highest level.

“IPL is the best T20 league in the world with the best players in the world. In IPL, you get to talk to the best players, best coaches in the world. And the exposure a player gets is massive,” he said.

UAE take on Ireland in the four-match ODI series starting 8th January.