UAE Cricket stadiums - Arabian delights - Part 2 - Opinion
Continued from Part 1...
The facilities at the DSC stadium however, are in stark contrast to the array of cricket grounds that Pakistan has to offer. The pitches also vary in terms of diversity, unlike Pakistan, where grounds in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Multan-c819, Karachi and Lahore are bone dry, placid and
offer plenty of turn. The same can not be said about the grounds in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with only Sharjah being more 'Pakistan-Like' in nature.
Due to security reasons, cricket has not taken place in Pakistan for nearly six years. Regardless of this, not many grounds in Pakistan, barring the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, can even match the stature of the offerings from the Emirates. The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Imtiaz-Sheikh-c64290 Zayed
Stadium in Abu Dhabi for example, may not have the ‘ring of fire’ as Dubai does, but its status as one of the finest venues in world cricket is not disputed due to a wealth of reasons.
The North End of the ground is marked by air conditioned rooms which nestle beneath a space ship like stand, and gives it a distinct look. The grass embankments on either side of the venue, do little to prevent the scorching heat from hitting the adventurous
spectators, like a ruthless sand storm, yet they offer comfortable viewing in the evening, when the desert heat mitigates significantly.
The aspect that distinguishes the Sheikh Zayed Stadium from other venues is the lush green grass covering on the ground, and the supportive pitch, which are the highlights of this magnificent stadium. It is also one of the few grounds in the Emirates which
gives both batsmen and bowlers plenty to look forward to. Some memorable spin and fast bowling spells have taken place at this venue, where bowlers such as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 had managed to wreak havoc on their respective oppositions
in both formats of the game. At the same time, batsmen such as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/CH-Gayle-c1221 have also feasted on a wicket which tends to lose its tinge of green as the afternoon sunshine embraces it.
For the romantic however, the Sharjah Cricket Stadium would always stand out in terms of combining charm with essence. Sharjah is considered to be a spectacle in its own right. The reasons are manifold and quite obvious, as this was the venue where cricket
in the UAE had started. The famous Sharjah Cup had also become a reality. The stadium has retained its element of moving the soul even today, despite losing its status as a premier cricket venue since 2003 onwards. In those days, Emiratis and expatriates used
to flood into the ground, to watch any farfetched encounter, sponsored by a soft drinks giant in a part of the world, which in truth, had little cricketing heritage. Pakistan’s pilgrimages to the venue lead to some memorable moments, where players such as
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Javed-Miandad-c66580 and Inzamam ul Haq, performed outstandingly well. The ground might have secondary facilities as compared to Abu Dhabi or Dubai, but is unrivalled in terms of its history, the contests that
it has provided and a Pakistan legacy that not many would forget.
The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/United-Arab-Emirates-c3033 is thus a complete package, and its many venues can be compared to the other Arabian delights that the country has to offer. For cricket fans, the venues at Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah are analogous to Turkish delights, shawarmas
and Arabic Coffee. It is all about diving in.
Disclaimer: Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely of the author and do not represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy
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