"I have decided to step down as captain to concentrate on my batting in the ODI format," Waseem, who remains part of the ODI squad, said. "My best wishes are with the new captain, I will be giving him my full support." Chopra, the new captain, has played just seven ODIs (and six T20Is).

Waseem, the 30-year-old top-order batter, took over the ODI captaincy from CP Rizwan during the 2019-2023 CWC League 2 for UAE's match against Nepal in March 2023. Under him, UAE won just seven ODIs and lost 19, with Waseem the standout performer for the team in the matches they won - he averaged 64.28 in those seven games, hitting his only century in the format (119 vs Papua New Guinea) and three half-centuries in those games.

In the 19 they lost, Waseem's average was 21.10, closer to his career number of 25.44.