Successful IPL may pave way for India return to UAE

India have rarely played on these shores since international cricket's match-fixing scandal of 2000 in Sharjah.

Sunil Gavaskar, the interim president of the IPL and BCCI, said he has fond memories of playing in Sharjah with India and would be delighted to see the team return to the UAE to play international cricket. AFPShow less

DUBAI // The arrival of the Indian Premier League in the UAE this month could be the start of the process which sees India resume playing international matches here.

That is the view of Sunil Gavaskar, the interim president of the IPL and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), who says he would be "delighted" if the national team returned here.

India have played 74 matches in this country, but only twice – in a bilateral series to inaugurate the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi in 2006 – since international cricket’s match-fixing scandal of 2000.

After the investigation into corruption in the sport, the Indian government ordered the cricket team to stay away from Sharjah, which was then the lone international standard venue here.

However, the Indian board opted to move the opening matches of their flagship Twenty20 tournament to the UAE this season, ahead of South Africa, Sri Lanka or Bangladesh.

Gavaskar believes that is a sign of the changing attitude within Indian cricket’s administration towards playing on these shores again.

“I have just taken over for four days so I don’t know exactly what the thinking is within the BCCI,” Gavaskar said.

“But, surely, when you have a big event like the IPL moving to the UAE, that in itself is a sign the BCCI is considering coming to the UAE.

“How soon in the future? It is not something I’m able to say at this point of time. But I played the game here in Sharjah in the 1980s.

“Having seen the excitement levels and the type of cricket that was played here then, when India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and all the teams played here, it is a great place to play cricket.

“If the BCCI does decide to come back and play in the UAE at some point in the future, I would be most delighted.”

The tournament itself is still trying to rid itself of the stains of corruption from last season.

The organisers say they are confident the IPL will be memorable for the cricket rather than controversy during its 15-day stay in the UAE.

“Nobody wants sport, especially cricket, to be tainted, particularly in the UAE,” said Omar Al Askari, a director of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB).

“The venues in the UAE have hosted some extraordinary international matches recently, and I am certain that everyone can expect some unforgettable cricket in the UAE leg of the Pepsi IPL 2014.”

Gavaskar says everything is being done to ensure a clean event takes place.

“As far as the issue of corrupt practices is concerned, there has been tremendous cooperation between the police authorities, the ICC anti-corruption unit, the BCCI anti-corruption unit,” the former India batsman said.

"I am pretty sure all those issues have been taken care of and we will have a controversy-free leg of the tournament – as well as the rest of the tournament.

“It is very important for any event to be controversy-free. You want it to be memorable for what it is rather than anything surrounding it.

“If ill-luck has it and we do have a controversy, the aim would be to still make sure the events on the field are not overshadowed by what may be happening.”

Online ticket sales begin today on www.iplt20.com and www.ticketmaster.ae.

Tickets also will be available at selected Lulu Hypermarkets in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, from Sunday. Box-office sales at the three UAE stadiums will start on Thursday, April 10.

The lowest-priced tickets for the Abu Dhabi matches is Dh20 for a single match, and Dh30 for double-headers.

In Dubai, tickets for one match start at Dh30, and Dh50 for double-headers.

In Sharjah, they will start at Dh30 and Dh40.

"We are excited to see the best players in the world play on our shores and in front of the UAE fans," said David East, the chief executive of the ECB.

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