Dubai’s cricket stadium: Ready to roll
Located in the middle of (what will be) the Dubai Sports City, the stadium that will hold two one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match is quite impressive to say the least. The Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium may only have a capacity of over 25,000, but it is built much like the world’s best football stadiums. On my first visit here, one of the officials at the Sports City told me, ‘the Australian security team loved it and said that they haven’t seen a stadium like this anywhere in the world.’
The renowned Australian curator Tony Hemming has transformed the stadium, creating a lush outfield in the middle of the desert. The innovative style of installing floodlights – which stand at the edges of the roof that goes around the ground – and the high, straight stands are also features that stand out. A sneak peek at the hospitality area reveals a corridor adorned with photographs of current cricket superstars. Best of all, the media box offers a great view of the ground.
The security arrangements for the Pakistan and Australia teams are so tight that it is nearly impossible to interact with the players during their practice sessions. Various levels of local security clearances are required for all media persons, which explains why I have yet to see my media pass. From foreign security guards to Dubai police, the organisers have insured there are no lapses at any level.
The arena is set for a tantalising encounter between a Pakistani team that is still recovering from the hurt of Lahore and the recent ICC decision to leave Pakistan out of hosting the World Cup, and an Australian side that is full of young players looking to make an impression. The organisers are hopeful for a grand showdown, but chats with local Pakistanis indicate flagging interest. One rather pessimistic cab driver grumbled that all 25,400 of the seats may not be occupied and it will take some time for Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium to assume the place of the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
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May 4th, 2009 at 8:17
With the IPL just around the corner the Castrol Index looks at a batsman or bowler
April 24th, 2009 at 4:16
Pakistan is disintegrating, concentrate on that. lets talk about cricket later
April 23rd, 2009 at 22:09
What was the match between Pakistan & Australia… waoooo … I cannot beleive that Pakistan beat Australia (The World Champions) … But you know what I love Pakistan… and this really matters to me that Pakistanhave WON the First Match in Dubai cricket stadium sports city….
April 23rd, 2009 at 11:38
The good news is Pakistan has it’s name written as the first ever winner in Dubai international stadium by defeating to current world champion Australia in first ever International one day played between the two countries on this ground.
Shahid Khan Afridi -the man behind this marvelous victory- through his magic bowling shaterred Australian batting order and battered its bowling order through his frenzy batting, helped Pakistan claim this win.
The victory has come at a right time as Pakistan cricket team has been in shambles. For many years it’s been struggling and had desperately been in need of having such a win.
Individually every guy in Pakistani team is well groomed in international cricket has tremendous record. But somehow collectively they have not been able to put up a winning show for last couple of years.
With this win, however, this drought has come to an end. One can hope in future too the team with its joint efforts will continue to provide such wins.
Victory in any match is always joyed but win against Australia matters more than that. Australia is world champion. It’s the number one cricket team in the world and has been ruling cricketing world now for decades.
A win against it, besides a moral boosting to the team, rightly stirs celebration widely amongst the winning team’s countrymen like seen last night in Pakistan and Pakistani people all across the world.
The celebration had been on much wider scale if the match been played in any of Pakistan’s stadium, where Pakistani spectators had the chance to watch this event live in large number.
Lets just hope next time, whenever a series takes place between these two countries, all the matches played in Pakistan.
April 22nd, 2009 at 20:38
I know where Lahore and Dubai are, Tod, thank you (I’ve been to both places). Sorry, though, if my comment seemed obscure. The point is that Pakistan has more than enough on its crumbling plate without obsessing with cricket in Dubai, or anywhere else. Presenting cricket news on an equal journalistic footing with, say, occupied Swat, is deplorable, in my view.
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:01
Cricketers weer targeted by fanatics but that does not mean Pakistanis should stop playing the game. Fanaticism cant go longer but the game will.
Those critics of U.S should also highlight the US policies of promoting the dictators and extremism in Pakistan (and everywhere else ) for there own benefits. Pakistan is paying for their and its own mistakes.Time will come when the country will be a peaceful place.
April 22nd, 2009 at 10:05
Pakistan cricket now not realistic and must be relocated to UAE. Cricket life will never be the same ever again. i guess the cricket tradegy which led to annexation of pak backfired and the unknown have hijacked cricket for unknown intention/reasons?? good luck to icl/ipl and pakistan cricket
April 22nd, 2009 at 7:20
IPL is Fazooooooooooool thing Mr. Vimal. I hope peeople still love international cricket instead of domestic.
April 22nd, 2009 at 7:17
This match is the kinda straw for the drowning Pakistani Cricket. Something is better than Nothing.
April 22nd, 2009 at 2:36
Larry stout, I did not get your point. I guess you’re referring to the attack on cricket team in Lahore? That’s not even close to Dubai let alone Lahore is in Pakistan not in UAE as Dubai is.
April 21st, 2009 at 22:04
VERY GOOD TO HAVE A CRICKET STADUIM IN DUABI, PEOPLE OF DUBAI ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT PAK AUS SERIRES. WISH BOTH TEAMS GOOD LUCK ……
April 21st, 2009 at 18:15
Since IPL-2 is going ON I don’t think people from out side PAK and austrelia going to take interest in this match.
I wish Pakistan Team Wins and come-out as stronger Team and do better in ICC ranking too.
April 21st, 2009 at 18:07
A critic of U.S. news media once rightly observed that juxtaposition of manifestly weighty news with announcements of trivial matters (routine in our news here)trivializes the real news by association. I believe that applies here. In a country where cricketers are targets of fanatics’ bullets, the building of a cricket stadium in Dubai is of no importance whatsoever, I should think. After all, heads now buried in the sand might soon enough be chopped off!