Why Abu Dhabi means goodbye to cricket in Sharjah

So what’s it with this UAE venue, which has already pocketed $ 12 million from this two-match India-Pakistan series? The answer probably is a mix of Cricket politics, the match-fixing cloud over Sharjah and some hard work by organisers here.

Officials of the Abu Dhabi Cricket Council (ADCC) point to the hard work of five years that went into the 20,000-capacity Sheikh Zayed Stadium and are quick to dismiss any suggestion of politics. But sources say the DLF Cup tournament is the result of an elaborately planned effort by the BCCI to make the desert stadium the hottest venue for off-shore cricket. From finding a sponsor to designing the trophy, everything has been minutely supervised by the Indian board with the ACC remaining a grateful partner.

For Sharjah then, the sources say, it is definitely curtains—at least as long as the present BCCI regime is at the helm. The board, they say, has its reasons for promoting Abu Dhabi, especially with off-shore venues figuring prominently on their commercial blueprint:

• The match-fixing scandal that left India red-faced in world cricket, many feel, had strong links to Sharjah. Apparently, the Indian Government wasn’t quite keen on Indian cricketers playing there again

• Also, sources say, the previous board chief Jagmohan Dalmiya is perceived to be close to Abdul Rehman Bukhatir, whose CBFS made Sharjah a cricket centre.

‘‘This (Abu Dhabi) project is controlled by the state government and not by any private institute like CBFS, the accountability factor is more,’’ says an ADCC official.

For the ADCC then, the shift has meant success after five years. The Sheikh Zayed stadium, amidst of a huge expanse of white sand, is an assembled piece of carefully mowed lush green grass, two giant electronic screens, and two hills for spectators.

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