With inputs from Partha Pratim Roy from Dubai
At just 17, Ayaan Misbah is emerging as one of the most promising young batting talents in UAE cricket. The right-handed top-order batter has progressed rapidly through the country’s age-group system and has now earned his maiden call-up to the senior UAE side for the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 series in Dallas against the USA and Namibia.
Misbah’s cricketing journey began in New Delhi when he was five, before he moved to Dubai with his family at the age of seven. His rise through UAE’s junior cricket pathway has been marked by a succession of impressive performances.
His family background also connects him to India. His forefathers hail from Samastipur in Bihar, while his family has also been based in Kolkata, with relatives residing in the Park Circus area. That Indian connection adds another interesting dimension to the story of a youngster now making his mark in UAE cricket.
Misbah announced himself on the international age-group stage at the 2025 ACC Men’s Under-16 West Zone Cup in Qatar. As UAE captain, he finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer with 545 runs, including three centuries. His 143 in the final against Kuwait played a key role in UAE retaining the title.
He continued his progress at Under-19 level, producing another eye-catching performance at the 2025 U19 Asia Cup. Misbah smashed 163 against Malaysia and also scored 77 against Pakistan, underlining his ability to build substantial innings against quality opposition.
His mentor Rajarshi Chaudhuri has closely followed his development and believes the youngster possesses the qualities required to succeed at the highest level.
“Ayaan is a promising and wonderful player with every capability to make it big on the grandest stage. I have known him for a very long time and have seen how well he understands his strengths and weaknesses on the field. He knows what he needs to do to step up when faced with adversity and does not allow difficult situations to affect his game.”
“Ayaan has a fantastic method of scoring runs and, with continued hard work and dedication, I believe he can go a long way. I hope he keeps working hard and continues to improve with every opportunity he gets,” Rajarshi Chaudhuri said.
Misbah’s performances have also brought him into the Desert Vipers’ talent pathway. He was selected by the franchise for the 2026 ILT20 Development Tournament and is part of its long-term plans.
Arun Vaiku, his coach, said, “Ayaan is one of the most talented boys I have come across in the UAE in his age group. He has been particularly outstanding at the Under-16 level over the last two years, and the talent I have seen in him is extremely high. More than just his natural ability, what has impressed me is his mental strength and maturity for his age. His awareness of the game, his ability to adapt to different types of bowlers and his overall understanding of cricket are all well ahead of what you would normally expect from a player of his age. I believe these qualities are what make him stand out and give him the potential to progress to the next level.”
Now, with his first senior UAE call-up secured, Misbah has an opportunity to take another significant step forward. For a teenager carrying UAE cricketing ambitions and Indian family roots, the coming years could prove to be an important chapter in his development.
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