In the United Arab Emirates, cricket had a very limited presence in the 19th and most of the 20th century. In less than a decade after independence, the massive influx of South Asians increased crickets popularity. After the establishment of the Emirates Cricket Board in 1989, the United Arab Emirates officially became an affiliate member of the ICC. In the following year, the UAE became an associate member, with the likes of Kenya. In 1996, the UAE competed in the Cricket World Cup, with their debut along with Kenya and The Netherlands making them the 14th team to compete at the World Cup. They did not qualify for the World Cup until 2015, where they are currently playing in Pool B.