Football, padel tennis, rugby, cricket and more.
Welcome to the June edition of the Sideline.
As the sporting scene slows for summer, it’s a chance for the facilities to review, reflect and regroup for what will surely be a bumper post-COVID (as things stand) season of sport for the 2022-2023 season.
One of these facilities is Abu Dhabi Cricket. For the uninitiated, this facility situated on the Sas al Nakhl side of Khalifa City has grown exponentially from the one cricket oval in 2017 to a behemoth of a facility that houses almost every sport you could think of.
This month, we sat down in The Boundary with Tara Grewal, head of marketing and communications at Abu Dhabi Cricket to hear more.
Hi Tara, could you give us an overview of Abu Dhabi Cricket as a facility?
Abu Dhabi Cricket is the home of the iconic Zayed Cricket Stadium – one of the most recognisable cricket stadiums in the world that, over the past year alone, has hosted the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, Indian Premier League, Pakistan Super League and Abu Dhabi T10, as well as a plethora of international and domestic cricket.
The community is our heartbeat and that’s why the facility has transformed into a thriving multi-sport platform for Abu Dhabi’s community over the last few years – where you can play 31 different sports, socialise with friends and family, and watch the biggest sporting events on the planet all in one venue – it is now in use for over 300 days a year, becoming a new sporting centre for Abu Dhabi. Some of our facilities include:
Abu Dhabi Cricket’s world-class facilities which span across 750,000 square metres in area contains:
• 51 Grass wickets and four community ovals;
• Six full size FIFA Accredited floodlit grass football and multi-sport pitches and four FIFA and AFC-approved AstroTurf football and multi-sport pitches;
• Four Outdoor Netball/Basketball Courts;
• Five Natural Grass and five multipurpose floodlit hard tennis courts;
• Six Padel Courts;
• Strength and conditioning gym for international team usage;
• Two squash courts;
• Archery range;
• Two Beach Volleyball Courts;
• One AstroTurf hockey pitch;
• One Gymnastics Indoor Studio;
• Two Gym/Fitness Studios;
• Full Outdoor Cross Country Facility
- One 50 m Olympic sized Pool – currently under construction;
• One International IAAF Approved- Athletic Track – currently under construction;
• One Indoor Racquets Club – currently under construction
The facility has come a long way in such a short space of time. Can you explain the strategy behind the growth?
Zayed Cricket Stadium was built in 2005. It was run as a stand-alone Government facility until March 2017, when it was brought under the patronage of Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC). Since then, an intense regeneration programme of Abu Dhabi Cricket’s (ADC) peripheral space has been undertaken, adding 175,000m2 of world-class facilities to its multi-discipline community sports provision. This has resulted in an incredible leap from 800 cricket academy students hosted a week in 2017 to today’s weekly footfall of 14,000 children and adults making use of its competition and training facilities, food and beverage outlet and multipurpose gym.
Whether hosting New Zealand’s national football team training camp, community football competitions or being home to various sports clubs, Abu Dhabi Cricket has become synonymous with sport in Abu Dhabi; a true community centre that, in tune with ADSC’s community mandate, builds on the emirate’s reputation as a sporting destination, while nurturing tomorrow’s superstars.
Abu Dhabi Cricket stands out as a community-first sports hub, where we have been able to foster a family-friendly environment that allows us to have elite athletes, beginners and hobbyists all comfortably share the same site.
What sports do you currently provide for?
In total, Abu Dhabi Cricket offers 31 different sports: Cricket, Football, Rugby, Touch, Gaelic Football, Aussie Rules, American Football, Kickball, Bando (martial arts), Archery, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, Athletics, Squash, Fitness Training/Gym, Volleyball, Basketball, Tennis, Hurling, Softball, Badminton, Hockey, Cross Country, Golf, Netball, Padel Tennis, Beach Volleyball, Irish Dancing, Roller Derby, and Gymnastics.
There are also 40 long-term operators and sports clubs that use ADC as their home, all of which serve the local community at every level – from the professional and semi-professional game all the way down to grass roots level, as well as a variety of youth and junior clubs and sports organisations dedicated to people of determination.
What’s next for Abu Dhabi Cricket?
At ADC, we say that Every Day is Game Day because we believe that a thriving sports community needs a facility that operates, and caters to their needs, 24 hours a day and seven days-a-week. And we have responded to the community’s needs by growing alongside them. This has allowed us to proactively shape ADC in the design of the community by delivering services and sport that they tell us they need – such as introducing a fully licensed cafe, restaurant and bar in The Boundary or expanding our facilities to incorporate a premier padel facility or to encompass a top of the range gym facility at the Bodyline Gym.
We’re also dedicated to ensuring increased opportunities for women and girls, people of determination and all minority groups in the community to play sport at ADC, while our work as the hosts of the Abu Dhabi Police GHQ’s new physical education fitness qualifications has resulted in a stronger, healthier police force.
How do we contact you to find out more or to book sessions?
- Phone: 800 AD CRICKET
- Email: info@abudhabicricket.ae
- You can book our facilities and connect with the various clubs/sports we offer here via our website https://www.abudhabicricket.ae/
- Social Media Channels @abudhabicricket:
For bookings and content visit Abu Dhabi Cricket.
That’s the round up this week folks. Until next time, stay active and play on.
