IPL in the UAE: A peep into the tasks and preparations ahead of the event

By K.R. Nayar

The tasks ahead of the Emirates Cricket Board are humongous, right from acquiring permission for the IPL teams to land in the UAE, most likely by chartered flights, to ensuring safe stay, and providing appropriate practice facilities for players in sanitised conditions. Additionally, they need to arrange safe travel between the emirates, and permission for spectators to watch the action live, among the many other things, keeping in mind that all of these need to be done before the teams arrive here in August.

Indian Premier League trophy 

With the ICC Twenty20 World Cup being postponed, the path is now clear for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to stage the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year.  Since the UAE is being talked about as the host for this event, extensive work has already commenced because the task ahead of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) in preparing for this event is expected to be enormous.

From getting clearance for teams to land in the country (given that they are expected to arrive by chartered flights), ensuring safe stay and travel for players and officials between emirates, and getting the clearance for spectators to watch the action live from the stadium, a lot of effort will have to go in to host this world’s most popular T20 league.

The ECB has been regularly backing cricket playing nations to host their T20 leagues in the UAE like the Pakistan Super League and Afghanistan Super League, and has also hosted the 2014 IPL edition’s initial 20 matches here, but this time due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the situation will be entirely different and hence the workload will be extensive.

My recent visit to the ICC Academy at Dubai Sports City, where some of the best facilities will be available for the IPL teams to train, revealed that they are keeping the whole venue spic and span. The water sprinklers were running at both the Oval grounds to ensure that the grounds remain lush green for the players to train or play practice matches. Even the intense summer heat that seems to be hovering around 45 degrees C these days has not dulled their efforts. The expected dates for the IPL will be from September 26 to November 8 when the weather is likely to turn more suitable for cricket.

The ICC Academy with top class training facilities awaits the IPL teams 

Salman Hanif, Head of Cricket & Events of Dubai Sports City, who oversees the functioning of the Dubai International Stadium and the ICC Academy, is busy ensuring that all plans are put in the right place. According to information from India, the teams will arrive in the UAE probably in August, one month before the IPL.

Almost all the best cricketers from around the world will assemble here for the IPL, and hence ECB, like in the past, is keen to provide them with all comforts to ensure they are able to give their best on the field. For this, some of the best hotel properties are being blocked in different parts of the UAE. The different types of pitches at the ICC Academy that are made out of soil from Western Australia and Queensland to simulate the Australian wickets, soil from Essex in England to replicate the Lord's ground, and soil from Nandipur in Pakistan to create sub-continent like wickets, are all being watered and kept ready for net practice.

Sharjah Cricket Stadium is ready  as one of the IPL venues 

The Sharjah Cricket Stadium, one of the venues for the IPL matches, has gone through a new phase of restructuring and better facilities are being introduced in a professional manner. On June 11, 2020, the Sharjah stadium announced they are on course with their refurbishments. So is the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, which successfully staged the Abu Dhabi T10 League that had top cricketers from around the world and won laurels for the facilities there. They have two oval grounds of international standard next to the stadium.

Top-class luxury buses are being readied for teams to travel between emirates, just like how it was in the past. As protection and health of the players and officials will be of utmost priority, the organisers will ensure that maximum precautions are taken during travel. Security standards have always been high in the UAE, and will continue to remain on high alert this time too.

Mubahsir Usmani, General Secretary of the ECB, was surrounded by the media last Sunday at the ICC Academy with queries on the IPL  when he arrived to announce the launch of ECB’s Emirates Domestic D10 tournament. This D10 tournament will commence from July 24 and mark the signal of the return of cricket to UAE after the game was stopped due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The ECB will be approaching the UAE government to get clearance for spectators to watch matches from the stadium.  The drop in the number of coronavirus cases in the UAE may help in securing approval for spectators to enjoy the action live from the stadium. However, all government protocols will be followed.

Mumbai Indians celebrate after winning the 2019 IPL  

Last week, Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Sports Council, lauded Dubai's sports sector in bouncing back from the Covid-19 pandemic. Most sports centres, fitness clubs, and academies have been bustling with activity since the reopening, with attendance numbers almost matching pre-Covid figures. Though the Dubai Sports Council follows a safety-first approach in the opening, they have also given permission to the marine sports sector last month to organise competitions. The Beach Sports Week, which includes the Elite Men’s Beach Volleyball Tournament, Esperia Beach Volleyball Tournament for Ladies and Mixed Teams, and the Super Sports Beach Tennis tournament have all been announced.

In short, with a focus on protection from the coronavirus, IPL will be planned in the UAE to entertain the entire cricketing world.