Cricket had its beginning in the late sixties and early seventies with the presence of cricket
enthusiasts such as Abdul Rahman Bukhatir, Galadari Brothers, Abdul Rahman Falaknaz, Mohammed
Redha Abbas, Abdul Razzak Kazim and others who proved to be the pioneers in the development of
the game in the area. These gentlemen, being citizens of the Emirates, had learned and played
the game in the sub-continent and were instrumental in bringing the game to greater heights
in the Gulf States.
With the formation of the Federation, which resulted in the creation of independent United
Arab Emirates in 1971, the game got the boost as business organizations started to sponsor
the players and teams in right earnest, taking into account the growing popularity of the
game. The oil boom of the late seventies was the tonic the game needed as it brought many
expatriates mainly from the cricket-crazy Indian subcontinent. Cricket in those days was
still played on rolled dirt tracks and the facilities were rudimentary, so to speak. The
frenzied economic activity resulted in getting the support of banks, corporate houses and
business organizations.
The advent of the now well-established Cricketers Benefit Fund Series in Sharjah has worked
wonders as it proved to be a shot in the arm as the game got international exposure.
The first international match between an Indian and Pakistan representative team was held in
1981 and today Sharjah Cricket Stadium holds the unique record of staging the maximum number of
ODIs at one center in the world.
Another important milestone was reached when the UAE team won the ICC trophy in 1994 under
the leadership of Sultan Zarawani and thus played the 1996 World Cup, a crowning glory indeed.
In view of the new qualification rules, an all out effort is being made to attract the locals
to the game and so far the signs are very encouraging. A total of 15 citizens are playing
cricket regularly in the domestic season. One of the prominent amongst such locals is the
skipper of ECB team. Saeed Al Saffar, who holds the unique distinction of scoring an unbeaten
double hundred (209 n.o.) against Thailand in the ACC Trophy in Nepal in 1998, which is a
record. Under the ICC Development Programme, the game is being taken to the grass root level
and efforts are also on to popularize the game by inviting teams from neighboring Gulf States.
Coaching Academies and Clinics have been set up in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah where former
first-class cricketers teach the youngsters the basics of the game. Coaches of international
repute have lent their experience in the past and presently Mushtaq Mohammad, former
Pakistan Captain, is at the helm of affairs. Reputed names like Madan Lal, Champaka
Ramanayake and Sadiq Mohammad have all ventured in developing the overall quality and
capabilities of local talent. Seminars on umpiring are conducted regularly to improve the
all-round standard of the game. Mr. Brain Bason from South Africa and Mr. Mehboob Shah from
Pakistan have been instrumental in training of more than 50 umpires in theoretical and
practical applications. Today, the game is fully entrenched with the number of teams and
players increasing all the time.The facilities have also improved consequently. There are
three turf wickets with grassy outfield including the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The other two
wickets are in Dubai under the Dubai Cricket Council.
The rest of the grounds are with cement pitches though plans are afoot to build full-fledged
Stadiums in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The day is not far off when the dream of having these
facilities will become a reality. There are also two indoor Stadiums, which provides indoor
practice facilities.
Presently ten to twelve teams compete in the regular 50 overs tournaments for A' Division
teams. The premier tournament of these is the Bukhatir League that has been held without
any interruption for the past 26 years. It is now a day-night affair at the Sharjah Cricket
Stadium. The Goodyear and New Medical Center sponsored "A" division tournaments at Dubai
and Abu Dhabi, events which are highly popular and fiercely contested.
There are numerous "B" Division tournaments that are conducted by the different councils
almost round the year. Apart from that, a night tournament in the holy month of Ramadan at
the Sharjah Cricket Stadium is also an important and hugely popular event of the year. Foreign
clubs from the sub-continent and as far as England have participated in the event.
