Dubai Cricket Council proposes to host India-Pakistan matches in future

UAE has been a host for quite a few high-profile tournaments lately. It has hosted the second halves of PSL 2021, IPL 2021, and also the entire ICC World T20 2021 recently. However now, Dubai Cricket Council has expressed their eagerness on hosting the bilateral series between India and Pakistan.

The two nations lock horns with each other only for the ICC events. They do not face other in any bilateral series owing to the political tensions between the countries. However after the talks on the nations playing more cricket against each other started making rounds, the Chairman of the Dubai Cricket Council Abdul Rahman Falaknaz has opened up on it. He is confident that UAE is the perfect neutral venue for India and Pakistan games.

“The best thing would be to get India-Pakistan matches here. When Sharjah used to host India and Pakistan all those years ago, it was like a war. But it was a good war, it was a sporting war and it was fantastic.

I remember [Bollywood actor] Raj Kapoor came once with his family. During the awards night, he took the mic and said, ‘How wonderful it is to have these India-Pakistan battles in Sharjah. Cricket brings people together, cricket has brought us together, and let us remain this way. So this is what we would like to do. If we can convince India to come and play here against Pakistan once a year or twice a year, it would be fantastic,” said Falaknaz, as quoted in Khaleej Times.

I would say we are lucky to be an alternative to India: The Chairman of the Dubai Cricket Council

The IPL and T20 World Cup 2021 were initially staged to be played in India. But owing to the uncertainties of the pandemic, it was shifted to the UAE.  Falaknaz thus further pointed that they were lucky to be an alternative to India.

“I am very proud because the UAE as a whole and especially Dubai in particular hosts anything to the best. And of course, T20 World Cup is also a sign of good organization. I would say we are lucky to be an alternative to India. I am looking forward to hosting more India-Pakistan matches in Dubai. I will try and convince my friends in the BCCI for the same. If they are ready to play Pakistan, we will be more than happy to offer our venue,” Falaknaz added.