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ICC Cricket World Cup 2015: India take on UAE on Union Budget Day 2014-15

India and UAE face off in the 21st match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015

When will the rest of the world get paid enough to focus only on cricket? © Getty Images
When will the rest of the world get paid enough to focus only on cricket? © Getty Images

It is somewhat coincidental that India would take on United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the day when Union Budget — the day the average middle-class Indian looks forward to — will be announced for fiscal year 2014-15 by Indian Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.  It does not get bigger than this for the average Indian: Union Budget 2014-15 and India in ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 encounter on a weekend.

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In terms of per capita income, UAE is among the richest — if not the richest — of all countries participating in ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. India, on the other hand, has the richest cricketers, what with huge endorsements and Indian Premier League (IPL) contracts. Sachin Tendulkar, for example, is estimated at approximately $115 million by itimes.com.

The scenario was different in the past, when cricketers had to depend on alternate sources of income for their livelihood. They had patrons (Tata, Sun-Grace Mafatlal, Nirlon, Elf Lubricants, and State Bank of India) that participated in the Times Shield. Some joined armed forces (and played for Services); some were employed by Railways; and then there were some others.

Subhash Gupte moved to West Indies to work in a sugar factory; KC Ibrahim was an income tax officer; Ghulam Guard was a Superintendent of Police; and Chandu Sarwate, a fingerprint expert. The big industrialists — Vijay Merchant and the Apte brothers, Madhav and Arvind — were there. And of course, there were the royalty, from Vizzy to the Yuvraj of Patiala to the Pataudis, and more.

While IPL and the Indian Cricket Board come with their evils, it has eradicated the problem of poverty away from cricketers. Not only do the current cricketers get paid hefty sums, former cricketers are paid handsome pensions.

UAE cricketers are passing through a similar stage. Krishna Chandran Karate and Khurram Khan work in the airline industry; Swapnil Patil and Shaiman Anwar are corporate executives; Fahad Alhasmi is a police officer; Andri Raffaelo is a sales executive; Amjad Ali is a banker; and so on. When compared to the Indians, it is almost similar to the amateur-professional era in Indian cricket, the only difference being that UAE cricketers are not entitled to privileges amateur cricketers of the yesteryears used to enjoy.

Maybe, just maybe a win at WACA may turn things around for UAE cricketers. Remember, a UAE official had announced prize money of $1,000 to any bowler who would dismiss Tendulkar. The great man became Asim Saeed’s only international victim, but made his purse thicker. Who knows, what a win may mean to the men from UAE?

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