There has been a lot of relief for sports buffs in terms of cricket since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Ever since the deadly coronavirus first spread around the world in March 2020, sports activities, including cricket, were completely suspended. From August to September, England and Australia were the first two nations to resume cricket. Ever since October, IPL has also begun, while India will be touring Australia in December. Even matches without stadium audiences are enjoyable for the fans.
Cricket scores
Keeping track of cricket scores is very important for those who cannot spend time in front of the TV or the mobile phone. Some of these people may even be watching a channel other than the one on which cricket is being shown, but wish to keep track of the score. All such people can know Indian cricket news live score with the help of useful websites and apps.
IPL 2020 has been held in UAE
Ever since the start of the IPL (Indian Premier League), it has been hosted in India almost every year. There have been only two exceptions whereby the tournament has been organized in the UAE. The first time this happened was in 2014 when the general elections were being held in the country. In 2020, this exception has occurred for the second time, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2014, only the first 20 matches were held in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Dubai.
Three stadiums are being used this year for IPL 2020, namely:
- Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
- Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
- Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
UAE as a sports hub
Abu Dhabi has already been declared as a leading sports tourism destination of the world. Even though the country has expertise in hosting different sports events, an Emirati at the highest level of sport is rare here. One of the major reasons for this is a massive expatriate population.
Factors that made UAE into the sports hub it is today are as follows:
State-of-the-art infrastructure, which motivates developed countries to look at them. The training facilities and equipment available here are clearly at par with the best in the world.
- UAE’s willingness to open its doors to international sporting events
- Cooperation from the Government
- During the international ban on Pakistan from hosting matches on its own soil, UAE provide the grounds
- The headquarters of the ICC (International Cricket Council), which is the premier cricket governing body of the world, is located in Dubai
Other sports events held in Dubai
- Tennis– The WTA Premier event in 2020 and the ATP 500, which are among the world’s richrst tennis tournaments, were held in Dubai. Several top players have been here in 2001 (WTA) and in 1993 (ATP), including Venus Williams, Martina Hingis, Petra Kvitova, Andy Roddick, and even the popular Roger Federer, as well as Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Also, due to its facilities and benefits, the UAE has become an attractive residence for players such as Lucas Pouille, Borna Coric, and Karen Khachanov.
- Table Tennis– Dubai officially sponsored the strong Chinese national table tennis team from 2013-17. It also hosted the World Team Cup in the years 2010 and 2015.
- Formula One– Ever since the first inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2009, Formula One has accepted Abu Dhabi as a permanent fixture in its calendar
- Football- This is easily the most popular sport in the country. Its national team is ranked 8th in Asia and 71 in the world. UAE has hosted the FIFA World Cup for 4 years, from 2009-10 and from 2017-18. Interestingly, popular English football team Manchester United is owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who belongs to the Abu Dhabi Royal Family.
Cricket is religion in the Indian sub continent
Cricket has always been followed more like religion and less like a game in Asian countries. There have been several Sharjah Cups in the past where the emotions during either India Pakistan or India Sri-Lanka matches have been clearly visible on the fans. Here the sport has been popularized to such an extent that every individual, irrespective of upbringing, social standing, and other factors, loves the game. Compared to India and other Asian countries, football seems more like a religion for European nations.
Here is how cricket shows its magic:
- Forging relationships– One can become friends with another person or gel with a group through cricket. It is easy to participate in a game among young kids and become part of the enthusiasm.
- Making money– IPL is the prime example of how one game with different teams with worldwide players has managed to make money. There is hardly a seat empty during a cricket match in India, with the current Covid-19 scenario being an exception. It has also led to the development of several fantasy leagues online.