Ahmed Raza named UAE men's cricket head coach
Former UAE captain Ahmed Raza has been appointed head coach of the UAE men's cricket team, replacing Lalchand Rajput.
Ahmed Raza, 38, has been named the new head coach of the UAE men's cricket team, taking over from Lalchand Rajput, who has stepped down from the role. Raza thanked the Emirates Cricket Board for the opportunity and said his priority would be to maintain the progress of recent years while bringing emerging young players into the side.
Raza, born in Sharjah, previously coached the UAE women's team for three years. He also has coaching links with the Dubai Capitals in the ILT20 and the Southern Brave in The Hundred, and guided the Dubai Capitals at the Global Super League in Guyana in 2025. As a player, he appeared in 53 ODIs and 55 T20Is for the UAE, captaining the side in 29 ODIs and 27 T20Is.
Emirates Cricket Board member Zayed Abbas thanked Rajput for his commitment and said Raza had already shown his ability as a head coach, pointing to the rapid progress of the women's team under him. Raza is due to begin his tenure with the national team this week.