The growth of cricket in the United Arab Emirates

A general view of Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

The United Arab Emirates has been under the spotlight for quite a long time where hosting major cricket tournaments is concerned. After successfully hosting Pakistan's home matches for such a long time, UAE got the golden opportunity to host the Indian Premier League this year.

The tournament turned out to be a great success as majority of the matches were sold out and we saw great support for all teams which really impressed the cricket fraternity and put a positive stamp on UAE's capabilities to host such tournaments. UAE was also supposed to host the 2014 Champions League T20, but luck did not favour them this time and India hosted it in the end.

Top facilities

The UAE have spent a lot of money to develop their cricketing facilities. With the opening of the ICC head office and the ICC Global Cricket Academy in the UAE, cricket has gained a lot of popularity in the country. Sharjah has always been a historic cricket venue which has seen some historic moments that include the ‘Desert Storm’ of Sachin Tendulkar against Australia in 1998. But with the controversies that were associated with the stadium and its organizers, cricket slowly faded away from the region.

With the opening of the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, which can seat almost 20,000 people, cricket seemed to be back as a priority. Then, came the historic series between India and Pakistan in 2005 which really brought the region into the spotlight again. The Dubai International Stadium came up in 2009 and includes some stylish details, especially the lighting system which is also called the ‘Ring of Fire'.

The UAE are still in the process of building a strong team of their own. The biggest problem remains that the team includes a lot of expatriates and hardly any locals, a problem which teams like Canada and Hong Kong have also faced. In the IPL, really high interest and passion for cricket came into the forefront and this has instigated the chances of UAE hosting an even bigger event like the ICC World T20.

But there are various reasons that make UAE such a promising cricketing venue:

Great Infrastructure

UAE is one of the best places in the world where infrastructure is given importance and it is evident in the cricketing sector as well. The stadiums are innovative, world-class and have the capacity to hold big tournaments which require ultra-modern facilities.

After UAE won the rights to host Expo 2020, the world started recognizing UAE as a great venue to host some mega events. Dubai is one of the biggest tourist destinations in the world and a boost in the cricketing sector will do wonders for Dubai as well as cricket.

The ICC Global Cricket Academy has also proven to be a great success. It hosts one of the finest cricketing facilities in the world. Two outdoor grounds along with indoor and outdoor training facilities, the academy has become a training camp for many international teams around the world.

Diversity In Population

Various international cricket tournaments – involving Pakistan as the hosts – and the IPL have proven one thing for sure. The strength of UAE lies in its diverse population. People from almost 85 countries make up the population of UAE, which shows the cultural diversity in the country.

This has resulted in most of the limited-overs matches being jam-packed. Whether it be Australia, England or South Africa, people have come out in great numbers. Even in the case of the IPL, we saw almost every team get a lot of support, which resulted in 19 out of the 20 matches being sold out.

Investment Opportunities

Cricket has attracted a lot of investment lately, with a whole lot of academics coming up in the country. There have been various tournaments hosted which include the Bukhatair League, which completed its 40th edition this year, and the Kerela Premier League. Many school tournaments have also been organized which have seen people from different backgrounds come out and play.

It was also very encouraging to see HH Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahayan, who heads the UAE Ministry of Culture, Youth and Social Development, attend most of the matches of the IPL. HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and the Ruler of Dubai, attended the Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians match, which also served a great purpose in taking the game to the local population.

We saw big companies pay up for the tournament to be a big success. We also see many tourists from other Arab countries come to the UAE to watch the matches, which is great for the game.

Cricket has seen a lot of development in the region lately, but the question still remains – whether this growth will continue to make UAE a major player in the game of cricket or will the country have to be satisfied with where it has reached?