Sixes, wickets and top-class cricket in the capital.
It is 18 October 2021 and that means one thing; the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup comes to Abu Dhabi.
The world’s best exponents of putting bat on ball and sending stumps flying everywhere are in the UAE and Oman to delight cricket fans with a deluge of sixes and wickets over the next four weeks.
Not too sure what’s really going on?
Don’t worry, as Team Yalla has pulled padded up and put on our helmets to bring to you a quick guide to the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup so when the first ball is bowled in the capital today, you won’t be stumped.
What is happening in Abu Dhabi?
The Men’s ICC T20 Cricket World Cup begins today in the capital at Zayed Cricket Stadium with a double header. Ireland versus The Netherlands begins at 2pm followed by Sri Lanka and Namibia with a start time of 6pm. The tournament kicked off yesterday in Oman as Scotland upset Bangladesh and co-hosts Oman defeated Papua New Guinea.
What form of cricket is this?
The Cricket World Cup is in the shortest international format of T20. Both sides have 20 overs (120 balls) to accumulate as many runs as possible. Bowlers are restricted to four overs each and the side with the most runs at end of play is declared the winner.
How many teams are playing in the T20 Cricket World Cup?
In total there will are 16 teams participating at the tournament. The preliminary first round sees two groups consisting of Ireland, Namibia, Netherlands and Sri Lanka in Group A and Oman, Scotland, Bangladesh and Papua New Guinea. Each side will play each other once before the top two in each group will advance to the Super 12 stage where the major test nations will make their bow.
Where are the T20 Cricket World Cup games being played in Abu Dhabi?
The games will be held at the 22,000-seater Zayed Cricket Stadium in Khalifa City A as well as the specially built Tolerance Oval beside the major ground.
How many T20 Cricket World Cup games will be held in Abu Dhabi?
There will be 15 matches staged in Abu Dhabi. Major games to pencil into the schedule include the Super 12 clash between big guns Australia and South Africa on 23 October, India and Afghanistan on 3 November, Australia versus defending champions, West Indies, on 6 November and the T20 Cricket World Cup semi-final on 10 November. In total there will be 45 matches held across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah and Oman with the final taking place on 14 November at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Why is the T20 Cricket World Cup being in held in Abu Dhabi?
The tournament was due to be originally held in India, however, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it was decided in late June to move the competition to the UAE where it will be held for the first time.
Is it the first cricket competition to be held in Abu Dhabi?
Abu Dhabi has a tradition of hosting big cricket competitions. Since the onset of the pandemic, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has hosted more ICC accredited matches than any other stadium in world cricket. This year alone, the stadium has been the scene of the Pakistani Super League, a bilateral series involving Afghanistan, Ireland and UAE and the Indian Premier League. The ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup will be the biggest tournament to date and in November, the Abu Dhabi T10 series will explode into life.
How many fans can attend the T20 Cricket World Cup games in Abu Dhabi?
It is expected that the Zayed Cricket Stadium will operate at 70 per cent capacity throughout the tournament. Those wishing to attend on the grass verges will be placed into pods of four.
How can we buy T20 Cricket World Cup tickets?
You can purchase tickets for the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup online at T20 World Cup. Tickets can only be purchased in packs of one, two or four for social distancing requirements.
Do we need an Al Hosn pass to attend?
Anyone over the age of 16 looking to attend a T20 Cricket World Cup match in Abu Dhabi must show a green pass on their Al Hosn app and be fully vaccinated. Those in the 12 to 15 age group need a green pass but do not need to be vaccinated. Those under 11 do not need to be vaccinated or show any testing information. Face masks are mandatory for everyone over the age of three.
For all your sports news in Abu Dhabi, visit Yalla – Abu Dhabi Life
