It’s not often that one hears of youngsters rising from the lap of a legendary cricketer. Ayaan Misbah, the prolific run-scorer and captain of the UAE Under-16 team, literally rose from the lap of India’s legendary batter Virender Sehwag, and is being talked about as UAE’s sensational star. The tale behind how this boy earned this rare honour, and then constantly tries to live up to the glory set by Sehwag, is interesting.
Ayaan was born in Delhi. Years back, Sehwag had visited the cricket ground of Jamia Millia Islamia University College in Delhi. Misbah’s mother, Romana Suhaib, who was the warden of the college, approached Sehwag for a photo with her then two-year-old son, Ayaan, sitting on his lap. Sehwag agreed and also posed with Misbah’s father, Faisal Misbah, who is a keen cricket and sports enthusiast.
Unfortunately, that picture of Ayaan on Sehwag’s lap got misplaced, but the one with his father holding him that day and posing with Sehwag is still among his treasured possessions.
Ayaan grew up falling deeply in love with the game, and ten years later, at the age of 12, he personally met Sehwag and had a photo taken with him. As a batter, he scores as prolifically as Sehwag used to.
As the captain of the UAE Under-16 team in the Asian Cricket Council Under-16 West Zone Cup 2025 tournament held in Qatar, he hit 110 against Kuwait, 115 against Bahrain, and then a stupendous 143 off 131 balls in the final against Kuwait, to ensure that UAE emerged as the champion. He scored over 70 against a few other teams and piled up 545 runs in that tournament.
Incidentally, Ayaan was considered worthy of being the captain of the UAE Under-16 team following his consistency in the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) Under-19 inter-academy tournament. He played a knock of 200 in this tournament and piled up 650 runs in ECB events.
“I got selected for the UAE Under-19 before being in the UAE Under-16 squad. It felt surreal when I was appointed the captain of the UAE Under-16. Following the responsibility and trust shown towards me, I wanted to give my best in every match,” says a modestly proud Ayaan, who became the talk of the Asian Cricket Council Under-16 West Zone Cup 2025 tournament.
Ayaan has just turned 17 and hence can represent the UAE Under-19 team for a few more years. He has been living in the UAE since the age of eight. “My aim is to stay as an important player in the UAE Under-19 team and then have a crack at the UAE men’s national team,” remarked the youngster confidently.
Ayaan does not remember when he fell in love with the game. “As a small kid, I always used to be at the Jamia Millia Islamia University College ground since my mother worked there. My father got me to try out different sports since he plays many of them. I had a natural ability to hit the ball with the cricket bat, and there was a coach there, who, when I was four years old, taught me to play the forward and backward defence—and that’s how it all began.”
After moving to Dubai, his parents were on the lookout for a school that gave importance to cricket. “I joined Delhi Private School (DPS) in Dubai Gardens. They have all facilities for cricket. The school coach Prosanta (Chanda) sir has also guided me with my game. We have training sessions before school every day, and all that helped a lot,” said Ayaan.
So when did he realise that he could become a good cricketer? “In an Under-11 inter-academy tournament final, I hit 89 runs. I was then 10 years old, and I received the Player of the Final award although my team lost the final,” he revealed.
Ayaan has met Sehwag often, and also met Delhi and India’s opener Shikhar Dhawan; but he admires Australia’s Steve Smith. “Smith has an unorthodox style of batting. I learned a lot from watching cricketers play. I make sure to watch highlights of all matches and the performances of top batters.”
Coach Gopal Jasapara, who recently interviewed him for Cricketlovers.com, and has watched him improve his game from a very young age, said: “I have seen him improve during every season. Earlier he used to bat at No. 3 and now opens the innings and scores tons of runs. Though only 16, he now looks like a very mature player,” remarked Jasapara.
Ayaan also had the opportunity to sharpen his skills with UAE coaches. “The Emirates Cricket Board is helping me a lot and pushing me forward. Coaches Naveen sir and Zahoor Khan sir are giving me the confidence and guiding me well. I train at least four days a week though I have to juggle with my studies and exams. In fact, I wanted to score big in the recent Bukhatir League but I was coming from a break after the exams. I opened the innings for the UAE Development XI and it was a great experience.”
Young Ayaan is on a mission: “For now I want to be an important member of the UAE Under-19 team, and then hopefully try to go up into the men’s national team.”
