Abu Dhabi matches a regressive move for cricket

By John Cheeran
Staging international cricket matches in Abu Dhabi is a step, which I oppose vehemently.
For that matter, anywhere the game has no chance to spread its roots.
The UAE has no serious domestic cricket and there is no clime for the game to take roots.
It is one thing to build impressive stadiums. But where are the youngsters playing the game in the UAE?
It is quite another matter that the UAE is home to millions of Indians and Pakistanis, fanatic followers of the game. They watch the game, read about the game but cannot afford to play it.
Unless Emaratis, the local people, take up the game there is no point in playing cricket only to help a minority who are interested in staging the matches.
Mercifully, and quite wisely, locals prefer to play and enjoy football in the UAE.
The UAE has great ambitions to be a sporting hub; Abu Dhabi recently hosted a friendly between football world champions Brazil and the UAE national team. The UAE itself played in the World Cup final round in the 90s. Two years ago, Dubai and Abu Dhabi hosted Fifa’s World Youth Championship successfully.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi now host European Tour golf events; and more and more international sporting events shall take place there.
The phenomenon of Sharjah happened much before the cricket playing nations woke up to the marketing potentials of the game. And what a farce it turned out to be in the end.
Once the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided not to play in Sharjah, the Cricketers Benefit Fund Series, which used to organize the matches, vanished into the desert.
It is true that a portion of the profit was earmarked for earthquake relief when India and Pakistan clashed in Abu Dhabi. But if you want to raise money for charity, by way of cricket, why play outside of India and Pakistan?
Why not Lahore, Mumbai, New Delhi or Karachi for a venue?
At a time when India is considering full convertibility for rupee, the argument that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was keen on the foreign exchange from the proceedings does not hold much water. It is again a case of cricket administrators, this time a responsible political animal such as Sharad Pawar, making a colossal mistake.
But, then, the original sin was committed by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
ICC had no qualms in shifting its base to Dubai, where there are more bricks than bats.
India should have opposed that move and made either Mumbai or New Delhi as the center stage of cricket. Money talks? Isn’t it?
Read also http://johncheeran.blogspot.com/2006/03/nyt-on-plight-of-asians-in-dubai.html