Abu Dhabi Cricket have increased security ahead of the crucial T20 World Cup fixture between India and Afghanistan on Wednesday.
A significant number of security personnel will be added to the policing operation at Zayed Cricket Stadium for the remaining matches in the competition.
There will be over 110 additional members of Abu Dhabi police on site, as well as 100 extra marshals, 50 more security staff, and twice the number of ticket staff that have been present for games in the capital till this point.
The move comes in the wake of the crowd unrest when Pakistan played Afghanistan at Dubai International Stadium last week.
The ICC have ordered the Emirates Cricket Board to investigate the disturbances which occurred at that game.
Thousands of ticketless supporters charged on the stadium, breaching the outer perimeter of the ground.
It led to the gates being closed halfway through the first innings of the match, and many fans holding valid tickets were turned away.
Some supporters even took to scaling the fences in an attempt to gain access.
The authorities in Abu Dhabi, though, say they have “stepped up their security infrastructure” in order to ensure “the venue can safely accommodate each and every fan.”
“We’ve seen tremendous support at Zayed Cricket Stadium so far and we hope that even more supporters turn out in great numbers for what are crucial Super 12 games and a semi-final still to be played here,” said Matt Boucher, CEO of Abu Dhabi Cricket.
“We want to ensure the well-being of fans coming to the upcoming matches and make gamedays in Abu Dhabi as safe and enjoyable as possible.
“That is why we’ve provided more security and built an already rigorous infrastructure that makes Abu Dhabi Cricket the safest, most family-friendly venue in the UAE.”
Under current Covid rules which limit the World Cup venues to 70 per cent of their usual capacity, Zayed Cricket Stadium can accommodate around 10,000 fans.
There are five matches remaining in the capital. India meet Afghanistan on Wednesday, while Sri Lanka face West Indies on Thursday.
West Indies return to face Australia on Saturday, while Afghanistan and New Zealand conclude Abu Dhabi’s group stage involvement a day later.
The first semi-final will be played at the ground on November 10.
