Alishan Sharafu repaying Abu Dhabi Knight Riders' faith in breakout season

Alishan Sharafu has played an integral part in guiding the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders to the knockout stages of the ILT20 Season 2. Photo: ILT20

Being compared to Sachin Tendulkar online. Punching gloves with a World Cup-winning batter in recognition of a half-century stand. Savaging a bowling attack including Shaheen Afridi and a load of other gilded names besides.

And now, an eliminator play-off final to look forward to after playing a key role in his side finishing in the top two in the table.

Like pretty much everyone else in a triumphant second season of the DP World International League T20, it is fair to say Alishan Sharafu is enjoying himself more than first time round.

The UAE batter played a bit part for Sharjah Warriors in the tepid opening edition of the country’s franchise T20 event a year ago.

This time around he has been one of the central figures in the revival of one of franchise cricket world’s most omnipresent multinationals.

Abu Dhabi Knight Riders were woeful last year, as they flounced to the bottom of the ILT20 table. They have been much improved this time around, and are now two wins away from the final.

If they are to add a UAE title to those the Knight Riders have racked up from India to the Caribbean, then Sharafu’s contribution will have been vital.

It has been a breakout tournament for a batter who has been waiting to happen at the top level for the best part of four years now. Which feels remarkable to say, given he only turned 21 last month.

Sharafu was the third youngest player to debut for the UAE men’s side when he made his international bow in 2020 just a month after his 17th birthday.

He has been in and out of the national team in the time since, without nailing down a role fully befitting his talent.

In this ILT20 he has excelled at the top of the Knight Riders batting order. He is grateful the side have backed him in a way that is not typical of all franchises when it comes to UAE players in this event.

“Credit to the management, they gave me a role and trusted me,” Sharafu said.

“That’s been amazing from them, and just being around all the players in our team, the support has been great.

“Leading up to this tournament we had the ILT20 Development [event] and I got some runs batting at No 3.

“I had a chat to the coach prior to the tournament starting. He had a word with me and said, ‘You might be batting at No 3,’ but a couple of days into the camp he said I might be opening, so be mentally prepared for that.

“I opened the first couple of games and didn’t get many runs, then when [Joe Clarke] came in I started batting at No 3. Gladly I got some runs that game, and it has been great so far.”

Sharafu’s rich talent was at its most vivid when he razed a Desert Vipers line up including Shaheen, Tymal Mills, Mohammed Amir, Wanindu Hasaranga and Shadab Khan.

He hit four sixes at Zayed Cricket Stadium in an innings of 82 from 47 balls to anchor a successful run chase.

“Every time you go out is an opportunity,” Sharafu said. “They probably had the best bowling line up in the tournament. It was a difficult situation and the wicket wasn’t really supporting the batters too much.

“Once I got a couple of boundaries away I forgot about the scoreboard and just started playing to the merit of the ball. Then, it just happened!

“It is Shaheen, and you can’t ignore that fact. But once I got the first few runs, I started seeing the ball a little better, boundaries started coming often, and Imad Wasim was batting with me.

“Obviously, he is from Pakistan. He gave me some insight on what they might do, and everything worked out that we tried.”

While he was at the wicket in that game, he had no awareness of the fact he was simultaneously being likened to Tendulkar on social media, after executing a perfect upper cut for six off Mills.

“Leading up to that, [Mills] had bowled quite a few slower balls, so I knew they could try me with a short one,” Sharafu said.

“I was ready for it, and third man was up. It was instinctive. I went with it and it went for six, so I was happy.”

That innings went a long way to making Sharafu feel like he belonged on this stage. While his scores since have been less spectacular, they have been consistent.

And he showed now signs of being star-struck while sharing a 51-run alliance with Jason Roy in their final league match on Saturday.

In fact, he even felt confident enough to offer some tips of his own to the former England opener when it came to facing Gulf Giants’ spinners Aayan Khan and Zuhaib Zubair.

“When the UAE guys came on to bowl, he was saying that he didn’t know these guys, so there was a little bit of chat happening there,” he said.

“Likewise, when the English bowlers came on, he was saying they might try to do this, this or this. Once we started batting we got into a nice flow. He was supportive and it was great batting with him.”