England cricket star James Vince has candidly shared his reasons for relocating to Dubai with his family, revealing that they no longer “feel comfortable” in the UK following two distressing attacks on their home. Vince, a hero of England’s 2019 Cricket World Cup triumph, recently relinquished his role as Hampshire captain to embark on this new chapter abroad.
The 33-year-old will be stepping back from County Championship play but will maintain his captaincy in the T20 Blast. His move to Dubai means he is no longer a UK resident, which restricts the number of days he can work in England.
Yet, the decision was driven by a desire for a fresh start after their residence was targeted twice last year.
“The first port of call was deciding as a family what the future looked like [after the attacks],” Vince confided to the Telegraph. “We wanted to get back to living in a home, and some normality having been in hotels since May.
“We got through the summer, and were in the process of selling the house, which has now completed. We decided we would spend the winter on the road as a family, starting with a good stint in Dubai. We liked the country, the safety aspect was a big draw.
“I knew a few people who had moved over so we had a good look at their life, some schools, what there was community-wise. We liked what we saw in terms of opportunities for the kids, education, the warm weather. We thought why not?
“Initially, as a family, we weren’t entirely at ease with staying in the UK for a while, so we thought we’d give Dubai a try.”
Recalling the attacks, Vince mentioned that they still don’t know the reason behind them, stating: “We still don’t know what it was about.
“We probably never will. We are fairly comfortable that it wasn’t intended for us, which helps. We’ve been reassured that nothing has happened since. Travelling the world, living in hotels has helped the kids forget about it to a certain degree, but it’s hard work getting them to sleep in their own beds sometimes.
“Hopefully we can get this place sorted in Dubai, get them back to living in a home, and some normality. It’s a decision we’ve made as a family and I am fitting the cricket in around that.”
