India’s bittersweet relation with Sharjah

One of the most exciting neutral venues for cricket has not hosted India in over a decade. Could things change? (File Photo)

Among several transformations that ensued following India’s 1983 World Cup triumph, one of the impacts that came with the territory was the emergence of Sharjah as a venue for international cricket. Although at an outlying distance from the 1.2 billion people country, the popularity of the sport in the desert owes to the large Asian expat population that has been seeking better lifestyles in their dreamland ever since the early 80s.

Multiple eras of entertainment at the oasis in the desert came to an abrupt yet foreseeable end almost exactly 13 years ago when the Indian government intervened as a measure to deal with the constantly disparaging match fixing allegations. Thus, tainting the ground of a stain to be long etched in its contemporary history.

A generation later, with the seventh largest country in the world conducting the most bipolar elections in its political account, the venue for the infantry stages of another beloved spectacle of the nation’s folklore was relocated to the Gulf. This, marking the first occasion for a cohort of Indian cricketers to participate at the setting upon which several of their predecessors left everlasting marks.

India at Sharjah. The Pak rivalry.

Beginning from India’s conquest of the first ever Asia Cup in 1984, the team has witnessed enthralling encounters at Sharjah. The journey over the years can be termed as tumultuous to say the least.

Subcontinent’s most supported outfit locked horns in captivating battles with their arch-rivals Pakistan at Sharjah, though often ending on the losing side (6W, 18L). The last-ball-six by Javed Miandad at this very stadium still remains engraved in the country’s sport as one of those national sporting catastrophes.

However India have enjoyed their share of glory at this venue in the years to follow, most memorably in 1998. Sachin’s empyrean ‘Desert storm’ knock against Australia saw India enter the final of the triseries in what went down as one of the best innings of the decade. The master blaster once again defied the Kangaroos in the final, smashing his second hundred in as many matches.

He won himself a then prestigious Opel Astra as the man-of-the-series, only to be later crushed by his jubilant Indian teammates in ecstatic celebration scenes.

Evolution over the years.

The Indian team’s last outing at the venue prior to its blacklisting witnessed them getting skittled out for 54 by Sri Lanka in the final of the Coca-Cola Champions Trophy, dating back to October 2000. Since then, the men in blue have come a long way as world beaters under two of their undoubtedly best captains.

The Prince of Bengal captained India to various successful overseas tours. The nucleus of Sourav Ganguly’s World Cup 2003 runner-up team finally prevailed in the tournament under Dhoni’s leadership. Meanwhile they also laid their hands on the inaugural World T20 along with the Champions’ Trophy last year. Apart from on field prowess, the cricketing board of the country has also attained positions of monumental authority on the international arena.

Over the years, Sharjah too has evolved into a better facility. Between April 2003 and February 2010, the emirate stadium was not entitled to host any internationals, but that has changed with Associates beginning to play games here. After turbulence at home, Pakistan also needed an off-shore venue and the Sheikh’s land as always, came to their rescue. It is now, with Dubai and Abu Dhabi, one of the UAE’s international venues and has even resumed Test duties.

India in Sharjah again?

Now all the place needs is the return of India. The game’s most popular side last played in this country in 2006 when they met Pakistan in the first two matches ever to be played at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Veterans of the game like Mudassar Nazar have maintained that if India ever toured UAE to play Pakistan, all the matches would be sellouts. Even if there were twice the number of seats in the house, they would also fill in with buzzing crowds.

Pakistan’s conditional support of the latest ICC revamp has also brought good news for the UAE. Pakistan’s vote comes in on the promise of being able to play a certain number of bilateral series with Full Members of the council. As a result of this, Pakistan could feature in as many as six series against India, including a ‘home’ series in the Middle East as part of an upcoming, reworked eight-year FTP cycle from 2015 to 2023. According to reports coming out of the recently concluded two-day ICC board meeting in Dubai, the first of these bilateral series could take place in the UAE in the winter of 2015.

Sharjah’s warm reception of Yuvraj in his franchisee’s opening match of the IPL, after his World T20 debacle, demonstrated the Indian emotion attached with the venue. And if things turn out well with the bilateral agreements between the neighbours, the crowds would more regularly be able to witness the likes of Yuvraj and Kohli smashing bowlers all around the park, like they did recently.