Sohaib Khan, a Jamia Millia Islamia alumnus who completed his schooling and graduation, both from Jamia, and represented the university in the Inter-University Cricket Championship, has been selected for the UAE Cricket Team to participate in the upcoming ICC CWC League.
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“Immensely grateful for the opportunity to represent UAE. This was a profound learning experience, absorbing knowledge from the legends of UAE cricket, our dedicated coach, and the entire support staff. The journey has just begun, and the focus is now on continuous improvement. Onwards and upwards!,” said Sohaib.
He comes from Kothi village of Imamganj, a Naxal-affected area of Bihar. In his village, even basic facilities of education and sports were nearly missing, and, therefore, this is a dream come true for him.
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He started his serious cricketing career during his 10+2 schooling at Jamia Millia Islamia in 2014. Later on in 2016, Sohaib Khan was promoted to the university team, where he represented Jamia in the north zone inter-university tournament under the coach Sanjay Gill and the mentorship of the then cricket president, Prof Nafis Ahmad.
In 2016, he registered himself with the Gaya District Cricket Association under the Bihar Cricket Association since it got affiliation from BCCI for the national tournaments.
He has played three consecutive seasons of Inter-University cricket tournaments organised by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), namely, two seasons of North-Zone Inter-University Cricket for Jamia (2017 and 2018) and one season of East-Zone Inter-University Cricket (2019) for Magadh University, Bodh Gaya.
Sohaib has scored centuries at various levels, which make him the corporate team’s favourite in Delhi-NCR. Collage, Uflex, and FCI are some of the big corporate houses that hire him to play for them.
In 2021, Sohaib decided to move to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to continue his professional cricket journey. Based in Sharjah, he began participating in Emirates Cricket Board (ECB)–affiliated tournaments, including the Emirates D50, D20, and D10 tournaments, where he represented Ajman Cricket Council, one of the seven Emirates of the UAE. Sohaib’s consistent performances over consecutive seasons made him a recognised name in the UAE domestic circuit.
Throughout his four-year stay (2021–2025), Sohaib played and won several high-profile tournaments at major venues such as the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, and ICC Academy, Dubai.
In September 2025, Sohaib was selected by Dubai Capitals (the UAE franchise of Delhi Capitals, IPL) for their Development Tournament, a recognition of his rising stature. Although he went unsold in the ILT20 auction held on 1st October 2025, destiny had bigger plans for him – just a few weeks later, on 24th October 2025, he received his first-ever national call-up for the UAE team to play in the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 (2024–2026) Tri-Series featuring Nepal, USA, and UAE, scheduled in Dubai from 26 October to 5 November, 2025.
UAE has also qualified for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, to be held in India, where Sohaib may once again have the opportunity to represent the nation on one of cricket’s greatest stages.
More recently, Sohaib Khan has also been selected for the Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament to be held in Doha, Qatar in November 2025.
Sohaib credits his grounding at Jamia, which built the foundation of his technical and mental discipline. His journey from the cricket grounds of Jamia to the international arena reflects determination, humility, and the belief that hard work, when guided by the right mentors, can make dreams come true.
Jamia Vice Chancellor Professor Mazhar Asif has sent heartfelt congratulations to Sohaib Khan on his selection to the UAE national cricket team. He said: “Sohaib’s hard work, dedication, and passion for cricket have truly paid off. Sohaib’s selection is a testament to his exceptional skills and perseverance, and his success story will give a big boost to the confidence of the young talent in his alma mater, Jamia Millia Islamia. May this be the beginning of a brilliant journey filled with success and glory.”
Prof. Md. Mahtab Alam Rizvi, Registrar, Jamia, praised Sohaib Khan for his selection to the UAE national team. He said: “Discipline, focus, and teamwork have earned Sohaib this incredible opportunity.” Congratulating him on his tremendous success, Prof Rizvi added: “This selection reflects the unwavering commitment and talent that our sportsmen possess. I wish him the very best for his upcoming matches and future career. May he continue to make Jamia proud and win more accolades.”
Prof. Nafis Ahmad, Honorary Director of Games and Sports at Jamia, praised Sohaib Khan for his dedication and diligence in achieving these laurels for the university. Significantly, Prof. Nafis was one of Sohaib’s mentors during his cricketing journey at Jamia. Prof Nafis encouraged him over the phone to build on his achievements and make everyone at Jamia proud by continuing to display outstanding determination and earnest efforts.
