Inspiration For Perspiration

Cricket has found another home in the Gulf, and what a home. A cricket academy backed by the ICC is to be part of a US$2,000,000,000 ($2 billion) development called Dubai Sports City. To be completed in 2007, the developers’ long-term objective is to host international sporting events like the Asian Games and The Olympics, perhaps even as early as 2016.

Athletics, football, rugby, equestrian and aquatic sports will have deluxe, state-of-the–art facilities. Basketball, volleyball, netball and other hard-court indoor sports have stadia being designed specially for them too.

Cricket is to be an integral part of the development. A 30,000 seat stadium is being constructed for showcase international events and is to be the centerpiece of the ICC’s Global Cricket Academy.

Artist’s impression of Dubai Sports City.

The futuristic Academy will be a place for international and professional cricketers and coaches to train along with all aspiring junior cricketers “Having these state of the art facilities here in Dubai will offer us a very exciting opportunity to harness this popularity and focus on nurturing and developing junior cricketers of the UAE, the Gulf, Africa and Asia countries.”

The ICC President, Ehsan Mani, has said that the Dubai Sports City project offers cricket a unique opportunity to establish a world-class development centre which will be a key element in the ICC’s push to develop the game. Along with the stadium, the Academy will have use of three purpose built cricket grounds, indoor and outdoor training facilities, a gym, pool, lecture theatres and classrooms, sports science and sports medicine facilities.

As Mr. Mani confirms, “With the facilities that are being put in place, the ICC Global Cricket Academy will be an outstanding resource for the ICC and our 92 members to use to continue the growth of the game.”

Two of the three local businessmen backing this venture just happen to be Abdul Rahman Bukhatir, of Sharjah Stadium fame, currently President of the Emirates Cricket Board, and Abdul Rehman Falaknaz, the Vice President.

Cricket carried forward by them for so long, is set to make yet another leap forward. Performances of any who train, at whatever level, at the ICC Global Cricket Academy can only get better.

Just a few years from now, you may even be one of them.

Filed September 22nd 2004