South Asian Cricket Academy & MCC Young Cricketers XI captain Shaariq Sheikh believes the three-day fixture against Pakistan Shaheens is a chance to bring new names into professional cricket.
While leg-spinner Sheikh will lead the team at The Spitfire Ground in Canterbury, which starts on Sunday, he says any member of the SACA squad is capable of stepping into the sport’s top tier.
“It’s a great platform for us,” says Sheikh.
“We’re all trying to earn professional contracts. It’s a high-calibre game, and there’ll be people watching from the ECB and elsewhere. So if someone scores big, or takes a blinder of a catch, it might just be the moment they get noticed.
“People will be asking: ‘Who’s that guy?’”
Sheikh, 22, is now in his third year with SACA, having been released by Middlesex aged 16 and also played National Counties cricket. He hopes to follow in the footsteps of the 18 SACA graduates who have already earned professional contracts.
“There’s some serious talent here,” he said. “There are probably players who don’t even make the playing XI for SACA who are still more than good enough to have county contracts. That shows how much depth there is.”
He added: “The fact there’s a clear pathway is definitely a motivator for all of us. We’re all in the same boat at the moment, working towards the dream of being professional cricketers.
“Things can change so quickly. It only takes one day in front of the right person. That’s what those guys who’ve gone pro have shown: it just takes one good day, and the right eyes on you.”
Sheikh says the work of SACA – a non-profit organisation designed to tackle the inequalities highlighted by research regarding the lack of British South Asian representation in professional cricket – is invaluable.
By combining expert coaching with strength and conditioning, nutrition, physio, and psychological support, SACA has built an incredible environment to help players prepare for the demands of professional sport.
“I’ve been part of both SACA and the MCC YCs (Young Cricketers) programme this year,” says Sheikh.
“They’re similar kinds of schemes. They exist to give players like us, who might have slipped through the cracks of the county system, a second chance to get noticed.
“We get to play against county second XI sides, and that gives us exposure to the right coaches and selectors. I’ve been lucky enough to get trials at Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire through the YC programme. It’s all about knocking on as many doors as possible and being seen.”
He added: “I was actually put forward to the YCs through SACA. Tom Brown submitted a few names, and out of the 15 who made the final YC squad, seven of us were from SACA. So there’s good crossover.”
Several SACA players are in outstanding form ahead of Sunday’s fixture.
Hishaam Khan’s 173 against Sussex 2nd XI last week set a new all-time record for SACA’s highest individual score. Waqas Khan, says Sheikh, bowls “thunderbolts” for fun.
And Sheikh himself is in good form, having particularly excelled with MCC YCs.
“I had a good run - 12 wickets at an average of 5.4, I think. So yes, it went quite nicely. It was great to play high-quality cricket and to do well in front of people who really know their stuff. It gave me a bit of confidence, too.
“Since then, things have gone well. I took a five-for against Surrey on Monday, and then on Tuesday I got a 50 with the bat against Northamptonshire. So it’s been a decent run.”
South Asian Cricket Academy & MCC Young Cricketers XI face Pakistan Shaheens in a three-day match at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, Canterbury, on Sunday 3 August 2025. Play starts at 11am.