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Cricket fans throng Dubai Sports City

It was a welcome sign for the game in the country because despite all the difficulties nearly 24,000 spectators reached the ground to witness a thrilling encounter between Pakistan and South Africa. It was worth a journey as Pakistan clinched a one-wicket victory on second last ball to keep the five-match series alive. The decider will be played today and despite a working day, organisers are expecting a crowd of more than 15,000 today.

Dubai Sports City, a landmark for sports activities in UAE, has a lot to offer to sports enthusiats in the country and Friday’s crowd bodes well for the future of the premier venue.

Macky Dhudia, General Manager Sports Business at DSC, while talking to Khaleej times said: “It was a magnificent crowd which shows that cricket is still one of the most popular sports in this part of the world.

“The match was equally interesting which kept the spectators on the edges of their seats until the second last ball.

“It was a good beginning and we are expecting more and more crowds during the future contests.”

Mazhar Khan, Manager Dubai International Cricket Stadium, said: “It is wonderful to see crowds like this and it reminds me of the days of Sharjah.

“People have thronged the stadium to back Pakistan and it is good for the game. It is a good sign for UAE and I hope it is just a beginning and we will see more and more events here and people will come to enjoy the game.

“The stadium is wonderful and facilities are second to none. It is a big day for the management here.”

Dubai Spors City is not easily accessible and since there is no public transport, it is quite difficult for a common man to hire a taxi to reach the venue.

Cricket has many followers but people with less resources form the bulk of the enthusiasts. The organisers of the DSC should arrange transport on match occasions which will be a great help to sports lovers in Dubai.

Ali Anwar Jafri, owner of AJ Sports and ticket sale manager at DSC, said: “It was unbelievable and we were really bowled over by the response from the people. The stadium was almost full and it was a sold-out.

“Some people might not have come to the stadium after obtaining the tickets or complimentary passes but as a ticket sales manager I can confirm that it was a sold-out event.”

Ali, a mild mannered man, added: “The credit also goes to Pakistan team’s performance. Two matches prior to this fourth one-dayer were a treat to watch.

“Abdul Razzaq’s brilliance guided Pakistan to a narrow victory in Abu Dhabi and South Africa kept their cool to win third match after Fawad Alam took Pakistan on the brink of win.

“The two close finishes played a big role in bringing the people to the ground and we also cannot dismiss the factor of Friday. Pakistan always play well on Fridays in the UAE.”

Ali added: “There are complaints that some of the spectators were unable to get the tickets. The people took it lightly and did not anticipate that tickets will sell like hot cakes. It was a bit surprising for us as well.

“We kept the prices very low keeping in mind the recession time. It was a good move and we hope more and more crowds in future here because people need a healthy activity ad they want to see their heroes performing in front of them.”

Tariq Butt, a senior umpire in UAE, said: “Pakistanis are devoid of cricket at home for many reasons and they follow the game religiously.

“Whenever they get the chance they go to see their stars performing. It was a good sign for the game in the region and we hope the final will be as entertaining as the last three one-day matches of the series.”

liaqat@khaleejtimes.com