Unveiling of the Asia Cup nostalgic for cricket fans in the UAE

By K.R. Nayar

It has always been special for cricket fans in the UAE whenever the Asia Cup is held here. There is a festival like atmosphere with people anxiously waiting for the event to begin and flocking in large numbers to the ground carrying their team’s flags. This trend had started from the first Asia Cup in 1984 at Sharjah, and it still continues. As always, the unveiling of the Asia Cup 2022 edition to be held from August 27 to September 11 was done with all its splendor in Abu Dhabi on Friday by Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman, Emirates Cricket Board.

The unveiling of the Asia Cup 2022 on Friday 

This unveiling function was attended by Mubashshir Usmani, General Secretary, Emirates Cricket Board, Shammi Silva President of Sri Lanka Cricket, Ashley de Silva, CEO Sri Lanka Cricket, Subhan Ahmed, Advisor, Emirates Cricket Board, Thusith Perera, GM Finance & Operations, Asian Cricket Council, and Prabhakaran Thanraj, Head of Events and Commercial, Asian Cricket Council.

When the Asia Cup was unveiled in 2018 

In 2018 too, Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan had unveiled the Asia Cup, but in the presence of Emirates Cricket Board Vice-Chairman Khalid Al Zarooni, General Secretary Emirates Cricket Board Mubashshir Usmani, Marketing Manager, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Prabhakaran Thanraj, who attended on behalf of both BCCI and the Asian Cricket Council, Abu Dhabi’s Dr B.R. Shetty, Dubai Sports City Chief Financial Officer Vijay Sajjanhar, and Abu Dhabi Cricket CEO Mathew Boucher. There is a lot of importance given to the Asia Cup when it reaches here, apart from the tradition of captains posing with the Asia Cup before the start. 

Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar holds aloft the Rothmans Asia Cup 

The first Asia Cup in 1984 was named after the cigarette company Rothmans, and called the Rothmans Asia Cup.  That was before cigarette manufacturers and other companies producing substances harmful for sportsperson’s health were banned from sponsoring sporting events.  Cricket fans here still remember that moment when India beat Pakistan to win that tournament. India’s Sandeep Patil took the catch of the famous Pakistan pacer Sarfraz Nawaz off Roger Binny for 4. Sunil Gavaskar, sporting a moustache those days, had lifted the trophy from the pavilion of the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in the presence of Abdulrehman Bukhatir, the organiser of the tournament. That was when cricket fans here got to see the Asia Cup for the first time. The player of the tournament was India’s Surinder Khanna, who was in splendid form. 

Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin receives the Pepsi Asia Cup in 1995 from Sheikh Faisal  Al Qasimi. Also seen are Jagmohan Dalmiya extreme left, Abdulrehman Bukhatir and Nasir Akram (extreme right)

Given the popularity of the CBFS tournaments in the UAE where sponsors would queue up to support the event, there was never really been a dearth of sponsors for popular sporting events in the country. So when the Asia Cup was held for the second time here in 1995, it was called the Pepsi Asia Cup. India beat Sri Lanka in the final by 8 wickets through skipper Mohammad Azharuddin’s unbeaten 90. The Asia Cup was received by Azharuddin from Sheikh Faisal Al Qasimi in the presence of India’s cricket chief Jagmohan Dalmiya and Abdulrehman Bukhatir. Nasir Akram who was then the General Secretary of Emirates Cricket Board was also present.

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