The UAE beat Afghanistan 2-1 in their November-December series and Khan played a record-breaking role, sealing the contest before the final dead rubber. On November 30, he supplanted Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya as the oldest player to score an ODI century, making 132 not out aged 43 years and 162 days.
"At my age, you have to lead from the front by scoring runs or getting wickets to take the team with you.
"I've played games after landing from American flights where you might get a couple of hours' sleep then play a match. Sometimes you think, 'after the game, I'll sleep properly'."
Bizarrely, Khan's leadership saw him dropped from the captaincy last month because officials wanted to appoint Mohammed Tauqir, one of the two Emirati nationals in the squad.
That's despite Khan, an expatriate from Multan in Pakistan, being the outstanding player for much of the previous decade and who had helped seal their World Cup place.
The theory behind the decision was that it will generate more interest among the indigenous population if a citizen, rather than resident on a work permit, has the reins.
"It hurts when you've captained for so long and you've finally made the World Cup," Khan says. "But the Ministry of Sport said if an Emirati is part of the team they have to lead it."
Other frustrations permeate cricket in the Arab enclave. Paradoxically, there's a restrictive-development policy despite some of the world's best training facilities residing at the International Cricket Council academy. The academy borders the world governing body's head offices in Dubai.
"The laws don't allow youngsters to play for us that easily," Khan explains. "If you're an 18-year-old [non-national] studying [in the UAE], and your parents cannot support you, you either complete your studies overseas or obtain a working visa.
"However, once you leave the UAE [on a resident permit] you can't play for the UAE. Many of the 18 to early 20s bracket go abroad to finish their studies and, upon return, have to stay another four years to be eligible again."
Khan's catch-22 principle bears out through the squad ages. Only 23-year-old opening batsman Andri Berenger is under 26. Nine of the 15-man squad are over 30.
"A lot of the guys were born and brought up there but the law doesn't allow us to get a passport like other countries.
"The hard thing is everyone calls us 'expatriates', even though I've lived there 18 years and my kids are getting educated there. I find it a little unfair."
Beyond the machinations of residency qualifications, Khan has important work-day responsibilities, especially in a catastrophic 12 months for the airline industry. For instance, what happens when someone looks groggy and you're halfway across the Pacific Ocean?
"You tend to have a few dramatic moments, especially after the captain says you've reached a point in the journey where you have to deal with any problem on board.
"We get training and quite often contact doctors [via satellite phone] to assess a situation for fever, chest pains or blood pressure.
"The only other downside is the timing. It's glamorous when you're flying with some of the most beautiful girls in the world but you tend to leave home before 4am and don't sleep well because there's pressure to get to the airport on time to prepare for a 17-hour journey."
Fortunately, there's also a glamour side. Khan loves ringing mates overseas and telling them he's "popping by for lunch tomorrow".
If he continues his batting form, he'll be having a few late lunches, or perhaps suppers, at the World Cup.
