T20 World Cup brings cricket festival to United Arab Emirates

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Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi. South Africa and Australia meet in the opening match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Super 12 on October 23, 2021.
Image Credit: ANI

The 2021 T20 World Cup is indeed very special. The last Cricket World Cup was in 2019, when England won the 50th anniversary tournament. Much has happened since then. Specifically, COVID-19 has arrived. And the competitive cricket ground at a standstill.

When international cricket resumed after an interval of 116 days, the longest gap between games in 37 years, spectators were kept away from the stadiums to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. This too has become a memory; Dubai International Stadium was almost packed for the Indian Premier League final last week.

Irish Eden Belleza / Gulf News

So when the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup arrives in the United Arab Emirates, cricket has come full circle. The COVID threat has diminished and sports activities are in full swing. But security protocols remain in place so the virus does not come back.

The cricket action took place at a breakneck pace in the safe surroundings of the biobubbles. Granted, it costs players dearly, but it helps keep the sport alive. Most of the cricketing nations have played, especially India, which has toured Australia and England. The most successful T20 franchise cricket, IPL, ended in the United Arab Emirates after a COVID-induced hiatus and change of venue.

The T20 Global Centerpiece is a timely reminder that normalcy has returned to our lives. And we started to enjoy the things we love the most. Cricket is a passion that brings together cricketers and supporters. When the Super 12 kicks off on Saturday, the stadiums in the United Arab Emirates will echo with the sound of a white ball hitting the willow tree and cheers from the stands.

The weather in the United Arab Emirates is getting colder. The fields haven’t seen too many run-fests in the IPL, but the gangs would have settled in when the Super 12s kick off. Spinners and slower pacemen deliveries will be purchased. There may not be too many riots, but there will be enough to keep spectators enthralled. Exciting battles await you.

The West Indies, two-time winners, will begin the defense of their title won in 2016. India and Pakistan will be keen to deprive Caribbean cricketers and win another trophy for themselves. England will want to add the T20 crown to the 50th World Cup. New Zealand, having some of their best years in cricket, are already test winners of the World Championship but are hungry for the T20 trophy, especially as England denied them the World Cup. 50 years. Australia and South Africa, two cricket powers, will want to earn the missing silverware; they meet at the opening of Super 12 on Saturday.

Who will win? It does not matter. The T20 World Cup is back after five years of delay. Cricket has already won.

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