Dubai: The UAE will soon add another feather to its cricketing cap by hosting the 2017 World Indoor Cricket Federation (WICF) World Cup. The event will be held at the Insportz Club, the Middle East’s first indoor sports facility which was set up in 1997 and had sowed the seeds of indoor cricket in UAE.
The UAE, in partnership with Cricket Australia, has secured the hosting rights for the World Cup which will be held over seven days from September 16-23. Over 400 players and officials will be flying into UAE for the event at Insportz that has fully air-conditioned multipurpose courts.
Speaking to Gulf News, Prameela Nadkarni, Insportz Club Marketing Manager, said: “The concept of indoor cricket in UAE got started from Insportz and hence it is a great honour to stage a World Cup. We feel that our 20 years of regularly staging indoor cricket, since the inception of Insportz in 1997, has been rewarded. It’s a great honour for UAE and a proud moment for all indoor cricketers in the UAE.”
Announcing the result of the Emirates Cricket Board’s (ECB) interaction with the World Indoor Cricket Federation (WICF), the ECB Member and spokesperson, Zayed Abbas, said: “We are thrilled that the UAE had been chosen as the host city for the World Cup. To secure an international event for the very best indoor cricketers is a major coup, and we look forward to welcoming all participants and building a strong and productive partnership with the WICF.”
Abbas, who played a pivotal role in hosting a cricket series for the UAE national team and a tournament for men’s and women’s teams recently, elaborated on the event and said: “The 10th edition of the WICF World Cup will involve players competing in the Open Men’s; Open Women’s; 22 & Under Men’s — and 22 & Under Women’s divisions, with Australia the reigning World Champions in each of the four divisions.”
Talking about the arrangements at Insportz for the global event, Prameela said: “Cricket is getting popular all over the world and hosting the indoor World Cup here will further boost indoor cricket in the UAE.
“We are expecting around 1,000 people to arrive for the event so we will soon revamp the spectator-viewing facilities and even create temporary stands. This event has a sweet and short format and people will surely enjoy it. With close to two decades of experience in indoor cricket, we look forward to putting on a successful World Cup.”
The event will see the finest indoor cricketing talent from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, England, Sri Lanka, India, Singapore, Malaysia and the UAE.
The WICF overlooks and maintains the rules of indoor cricket. It is the international governing body of indoor cricket responsible for the organisation and promotion of various international indoor cricket events (such as the World Cup) as well as the development of the sport itself throughout the world.
