Sport | Cricket

Al Dhaid to host some Asain T20 matches

The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Twenty20 tournament for non-Test playing countries to be held in UAE during November will stage some of their matches at the Al Dhaid Cricket Village.

  • By K.R. Nayar, Senior Reporter
  • Published: 22:51 May 7, 2009
  • Gulf News

Dubai: The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Twenty20 tournament for non-Test playing countries to be held in UAE during November will stage some of their matches at the Al Dhaid Cricket Village.

Ashraf-Ul-Haq, the chief executive officer of the ACC, visited the cricket village and has given the go ahead to stage the matches there. This picturesque venue which was created two years back amidst palm trees will thus become an international venue.

"We created this cricket village to ensure that people enjoy the game with their families in lush green surroundings. It has now become a popular domestic cricket venue and we are proud that it will now become an international match venue too," remarked Waleed Bukhatir, the chairman of the Al Dhaid Cricket Village Development Committee.

Mazhar Khan, the Administrator of the Emirates Cricket Board said: "We have built an excellent turf ground and it will be a great experience for the visiting teams to play in colourful surroundings."

Ten nations will be playing in the ACC Twenty20 tournament. "The matches will be held in different venues of UAE starting from November 1," said Khan.

"Though it will be a Twenty20 tournament, the matches won't be held at night. All the matches will be day matches and we have scheduled two matches every day. The first match will be held from 9 to 12 and the second match from 1.30pm to 4.30pm," said Khan who held talks with Haq to finalise the staging of the event.

"This cricket village was created after many grounds were hit by the construction boom virtually putting an end to domestic cricket in many emirates," said Waleed Bukhatir.

Gulf News
The UAE’s Hamdan Al Kamali and India’s Je Je fight for the ball during the first-leg of the Asian qualifier for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, at the Al Ain
Club’s Khalifa Bin Zayed Stadium on Saturday. Al Kamali opened the account for the hosts with a penalty in the 21st minute, followed by another spot kick converted by Mohammad Al Shhehi in the 29th minute. Ismail Al Hammadi then completed the tally in the 80th minute of the match.

Football

Feature of Kamali breakthrough

Martin Kaymer of Germany lines up a putt on the 18th green on the second day of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic golf
championship at Emirates Golf Club on Friday.

Golf

Long wait over

Winning Desert Classic as close to McIlroy's heart as Wozniacki

Cricket

On the backfoot

Sport Editor's choice