Since it started in the 1970s the ICC Cricket World Cup has become increasingly popular. The UAE itself is in a good position to host cricket matches and tournaments, which it has done since the 1980s.
It is particularly close for cricket fans from India and Pakistan to travel to watch matches, many of whom are prepared to spend a great deal of money to follow their teams.
Bidding to Host the Cricket World Cup
The inspiration to bid for the 2027 Cricket World Cup was provided by Qatar winning the bid to host the soccer world cup in 2022. The UAE Cricket Board has formed links with Qatar to make use of its experience in successfully bidding to host global sporting tournaments. Besides if they succeed it will cause no controversial debate as Qatar’s winning bid has.
Hosting World Cup Games
Qatar did not have a suitable ground for cricket matches, so its cricket board had one built at Doha. It recently hosted a ladies tournament featuring Pakistan, South Africa, and Ireland.
The facility was well-received by the competing teams. Between Doha, Dubai, and Sharjah there are now three grounds already worthy of hosting world cup games.
There is a great deal of prestige attached to holding the event, and it is really easy to market in the Indian subcontinent. Supporters from the subcontinent will gladly travel to the UAE, it is much closer to home for them then Australia, England, New Zealand, and South Africa happen to be.
The major cricket playing countries have all frequently played in the UAE and so have the minor ones so there would be no reason for any of them to oppose playing in a world cup there.
The main ground at Sharjah is well-known by all nations that play international cricket. It also has the distinction of having being the venue for more one day internationals than any other ground across the globe.
The amount of cricket matches already played in the UAE provides ample evidence that hosting the world cup could be easily achieved. They have already hosted test matches for Pakistan, and received praise from the home and the away teams for doing so. The next series between Pakistan and Australia is the next one to be played there.
UAE Cricket Board
The UAE Cricket Board has pulled off the considerable coup of hosting games in the IPL, currently the most lucrative and popular club cricket competition in the world. The decision was made due to concerns about the safety of playing games in India itself in the midst of a general election campaign.
The decision of the Indians to play the IPL there could provide the future venue for test matches between India and Pakistan, and allay security fears that make games between these most bitter of rivals a rarity. They usually only meet each other on neutral soil, in tournaments. When they play against each other in India security has to be tight.
Now the UAE has already started to increase it’s suitability for hosting the 2027 tournament by building a new stadium already, as mentioned above. It could also build more of them if it had to do so. Any new grounds would be of the highest standards.