The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has gained a foothold in cricket over the past few years, leveraging its location, state-of-the-art infrastructure and new cultural approaches to grow its influence.
The Emirates will host matches during the 2025 ICC Champion Trophy due to the geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan, further cementing itself in discussions around the game.
However, the Middle Eastern nation still faces significant challenges which could have massive implications for the sport in the region.
A Neutral Bridge for India-Pakistan Matches
The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy has hoisted the UAE into the spotlight.
India refused to play in Pakistan, citing security concerns and sparking a bitter back and forth between the two cricket powerhouses.
The only way it could be resolved was by staging the game at a neutral venue, and the UAE has stepped up to the plate to host their latest showdown.
The Gulf nation boasts jaw-dropping venues including the Dubai International Stadium and Sheikh Zayed Stadium, which are perfect for staging international tournaments.
The UAE is not new to putting on a show for cricket spectators, having hosted parts of the Indian Premier League during the COVID-19 pandemic and T20 World Cup in 2021.
Their infrastructure, location and consistency have made them the perfect hosts amid geopolitical uncertainty in Asia and other regions worldwide.
Critics Rally Against the UAE’s Increasing Influence
A new cricket franchise in the UAE, the DP World International League T20 (ILT20), drew ire for their approach to developing young players.
The Commissioner of South Africa’s SA20 League, Graeme Smith, did not mince his words regarding his thoughts on the tournament.
He argued that the ILT20 was not good for the sport and pointed out that the UAE had not invested sufficiently in grassroots cricket.
Smith’s comments are rooted in concerns surrounding the UAE’s overarching aim to diversify its economy using sport and entertainment as the primary vehicle.
The UAE is at the forefront of the push to release traditional religious shackles in the Middle East – a point evidenced by their creation of a gambling regulatory authority last year.
The General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) has been tasked with overseeing land-based gaming and creating a formal framework for UAE online casinos to operate.
The ILT20 will also benefit from the shifting landscape, as gaming operators will be able to legally offer odds on matches via regulated sportsbooks.
Despite this, Smith and other critics remain wary about the UAE’s motives for jumping on the cricket bandwagon despite the country’s efforts to grow the sport at grassroots level.
The UAE is Working Hard to Engage with Local Communities
Besides international tournaments and franchise leagues, the UAE has launched several grassroots initiatives including the 2024 Odisha Cup.
The tournament had 18 teams from all seven Emirates and attracted hundreds of spectators. The tournament brought local communities together.
This is important for the large expatriate population in the country. The competition is a celebration of culture and identity and is aimed at bolstering cricket at the grassroots level.
There are also more programmes in the pipeline targeting youth and amateur players to build a steady-flowing pipeline of talent to compete with the best in the world.
Events such as the Odisha Cup give upcoming players the platform to show what they are made of while encouraging others towards the sport.
Despite all it has achieved in such a short frame of time, the UAE must be willing to understand why the global cricketing community is wary.
The ongoing spat between India and Pakistan demonstrates the delicate role the UAE plays as a neutral mediator. While its hosting capabilities are widely praised, the lack of long-term resolutions to geopolitical tensions risks perpetuating a cycle of temporary fixes.
The criticism of the ILT20 is also worth noting if the UAE wants to promote quality. They must develop a more cohesive strategy that aligns franchise cricket with grassroots development.
The ECB has invested in community programmes and youth development. Their efforts deserve praise, but they must sustain this momentum to build a competitive domestic structure.