Reda Abbas recalls the arrival of international cricket with nostalgia

Sharjah: It was a nostalgic moment for Mohammad Reda Abbas, executive member of the Emirates Cricket Board and chairman of the UAE national team selection committee, during the 201st one-day match at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Abbas was part of the first match which featured international cricketers in the emirate.

"In April 1976 the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) team made up of top international cricketers came to play a match against UAE XI," he said.

‘Special moment'

"The match was held at the Al Khan ground in Sharjah which has now disappeared due to construction of roads. It was a special moment for all cricketers and cricket fans in the region." Abbas was the manager of the UAE XI for the match. They faced some big names.

"The PIA team was led by Wasim Bari, and was made up of Imran Khan, Zaheer Abbas, Majid Khan, Mudassar Nazar, Salim Al Taf, Gulam Abbas and a fine pacer in Asif Masoud," Abbas said.

"The UAE team was led by UAE national Abbas Kazim, who was a fine batsman who had played alongside Sunil Gavaskar while he was a student in Mumbai.

"I had to manage the UAE which was a mixture of India, Pakistan and Sri Lankan expatriates.

Too many fans

"The match was inaugurated by His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi [Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah] and a lot of fans turned up for the match.

"The small pavilion could not accommodate all the fans and people sat around the boundary and watched the match. Mudassar Nazar and Majid Khan hit centuries for PIA and UAE lost the first match.

"The second match could not be completed due to rain. UAE was batting second and could not complete the innings."