When it comes to Cricket in the United Arab Emirates the name of Sharjah clicks to mind. One stadium that has a unique relation with 'thrillers' and 'nail-biting finishes', is the Sharjah Cricket stadium.
It was as in early 80's when Abdul Rahman Bukhatir, the father of cricket in the UAE, envisioned the idea of the stadium.
The Stadium which initially started with only 8,000 - 10,000 people sitting on the temporary scaffolding with very modest facilities, to the first dedicated cricket stadium in the country with 17,000 spectators capacity. Eventually, the stadium sowed cricket seeds in the country. And it is known as The home of Cricket in the UAE.
Friendly match
The first friendly match was played here by Miandad IV X Gavaskar IV in 1981. The success of that hastily-organised exhibition match inspired Bukhatir to dream big. No one could have imagined that it was the start of cricket’s glorious dance in the sandy desert.
The tournaments were organised by "The Cricketers Benefit Fund Series (CBFS)" which was established in 1981, aiming to honour cricketers of the past and present generations from India and Pakistan, with benefit purses in recognition of their services to the game of Cricket.
During the past four decades Sharjah Cricket Stadium has hosted some of the most iconic matches. The Stadium had provided insight into the greatest Cricket moments that hundreds of thousands have witnessed in the stadium, and millions via satellite channels around the world.
Sharjah Cricket Stadium’s history can never be complete without the mention of countless unforgettable moments of cricketing history. Such as, Sunil Gavaskar's 4 catches in a match in 1985, followed by Javed Miandead's last sixer in 1986 and Sachin Tendulkar's twin centuries against Australia. Those knocks were truly like a 'Desert Storm' that Cricket fans can never forget.
It's this very stadium that has experienced agony, ecstasy, happiness, sadness, guts, glory and every possible emotion, but at the end, Cricket has always emerged victorious.
Recently, Sharjah Cricket Stadium entitled the world record, of the highest number "282" International matches. The Stadium that witnessed cricketing classics featuring the world’s best teams.
