SHARJAH CRICKET TOURNAMENT

The Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium is in the emirate of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. It was originally constructed in the early 1980s and has been much improved over the years.Sharjah Cricket Council, one of the constituents of its parent body Emirates Cricket Board is engaged in various activities related to the conduct and promotion of the game of Cricket in the Emirate of Sharjah .

LOCATION

The Council operates from its offices based at the famous Sharjah Cricket Stadium that is also the main hub of the international cricket activities.

HISTORY

The Sharjah Cricket Council was formerly known as the Sharjah Cricket Association and came into the existence after the organisational changes resulted in the creation of the Emirates Cricket Board in the year 1989.

The induction of the game of Cricket in UAE can trace its origin to the mid-sixties when the Royal British Armed Forces stationed in Sharjah were actively involved with the game.

Cricket patrons of the likes of Abdulrahman Bukhatir, Galadari Brothers, Abdul Rahman Falaknaz, Mohammad Redha Abbas and others, who picked up their game in the sub-continent during their stay for studies, promoted and developed the game here.

Match fixing

Sharjah was at the centre of Sir Paul Condon’s investigations into corruption in cricket. Although the report did not conclusively single out the venue much controversy raged. BBC Cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew said in 2001 : “Sharjah has been pinpointed as being the centre of this activity [match fixing] and, again, this is entirely plausible. I would swear under oath that two of the dozen or so matches I have witnessed on that desert ground over the years were fixed”. On the other hand Sharjah tournament organiser, and former Pakistan cricketer, Asif Iqbal:”To my mind, all the matches in Sharjah were fair and honest cricketing encounters”.

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