Cricketer KS Bharat plans to play for the UAE — The National
Former India Test wicketkeeper-batter KS Bharat, who has moved to Dubai, plans to represent the United Arab Emirates national team in the future. He also wants to play in the International League T20 (ILT20) and help the UAE team win tournaments.
As The National reports, Bharat announced his retirement from international cricket in June. He played seven Test matches for India, including the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval.
ILT20 Development Tournament
In September, the 32-year-old Bharat was included in the list of 102 participants in the ILT20 Development Tournament. This tournament serves as a selection event for the main ILT20 season, which is scheduled to begin in November. Participation in the competition means that a player declares an intention to represent the UAE in international cricket.
Bharat confirmed that he aims to play for the UAE and intends not only to compete but also to win trophies. According to him, the move was a difficult decision, but he wants to prove himself in limited-overs cricket, for which he had insufficient opportunities in India.
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Conditions for changing national teams
International Cricket Council rules allow a player to change national teams once in a career if certain criteria are met. Three years must pass between the last match for the previous team and the first match for the new one. Bharat's last match for India, a Test against England, ended on February 5, 2024.
The publication notes that if Bharat follows the path of several other players who obtained UAE citizenship and debuted for the national team, he will be able to represent the Emirates from February 6, 2027. He thanked UAE team coach Lalchand Rajput and Emirates Cricket Board general secretary Mubashshir Usmani for their support.
After moving to the UAE, Bharat can take part in the ILT20 auction as a local player. Each of the league's six franchises must select up to four UAE-based cricketers for its squad.
