Home Advantage Pakistan
It may be a low profile series but with a team that has hardly played any international cricket this year, coupled with fans who have not watched their team play, combined with a region that has hardly hosted any international cricket, you can be sure of witnessing a highly charged up contest.
The 3 match ODI series between Pakistan and the West Indies kicks off today at the Sheikh Zayed International Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
The ground has hosted 5 international one-day games in the past - even I have played more cricket than that in the ground.
Needless to say that the cricket watching public in this part of the world is starving for some action to begin.
Since Sharjah was dumped from the cricket calendar, this region has hardly hosted any international cricket.
The first international tournament in years was the 2 match ODI series between India in Pakistan in April-May 2006.
That ended 1-1.
The next series here was held in May 2007 after the dismal World Cup as a new look Pakistan played a 2nd string Sri Lanka team in 3 ODIs.
Pakistan won that 2-1.
Having featured in all the 5 ODIs that have been played at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Pakistan would certainly be feeling at home.
More than the West Indies anyway.
Morever, with the 25,000 capacity of the stadium expected to be filled up by Pakistanis, it certainly is some kind of home advantage for Pakistan.
In my 26 years in this part of the world, I have never come across a West Indian - not in Sharjah, not in Dubai, not in Abu Dhabi.
Unless some fanatics have flown in from neighboring countries for this series, apart from the 20 members of the West Indies touring party, I highly doubt there would be any others at the ground.
Friday's match is a sell out and a capacity crowd of 25,000 will light up the stadium, while on last reports tickets for today and Sunday were fast running out.
Pakistan can definitely expect to have some crazy cricket starved fans supporting them in full force.
Action begins at 11:00am GMT today.
The 3 match ODI series between Pakistan and the West Indies kicks off today at the Sheikh Zayed International Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.The ground has hosted 5 international one-day games in the past - even I have played more cricket than that in the ground.
Needless to say that the cricket watching public in this part of the world is starving for some action to begin.
Since Sharjah was dumped from the cricket calendar, this region has hardly hosted any international cricket.
The first international tournament in years was the 2 match ODI series between India in Pakistan in April-May 2006.
That ended 1-1.
The next series here was held in May 2007 after the dismal World Cup as a new look Pakistan played a 2nd string Sri Lanka team in 3 ODIs.
Pakistan won that 2-1.
Having featured in all the 5 ODIs that have been played at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Pakistan would certainly be feeling at home.
More than the West Indies anyway.
Morever, with the 25,000 capacity of the stadium expected to be filled up by Pakistanis, it certainly is some kind of home advantage for Pakistan.
In my 26 years in this part of the world, I have never come across a West Indian - not in Sharjah, not in Dubai, not in Abu Dhabi.
Unless some fanatics have flown in from neighboring countries for this series, apart from the 20 members of the West Indies touring party, I highly doubt there would be any others at the ground.
Friday's match is a sell out and a capacity crowd of 25,000 will light up the stadium, while on last reports tickets for today and Sunday were fast running out.
Pakistan can definitely expect to have some crazy cricket starved fans supporting them in full force.
Action begins at 11:00am GMT today.
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gayle and co can play on the moon and negate any home advantage. one of those 7 wonderless ODI series in India, he packed off those packed houses without a word. but then it has been said, his bat does da talking
NC, if Gayle is in full flow, u can be sure that the 20,000 pathans at the AD stadium would be going crazy!
Q,
contrary to our belief i see a good number of west-indian shirts in the south stand....am pleasantly surprised too!
which stand will you be in on friday?? the party one or the boring south?
turning into a pretty good game now.
paks look set but running between the wickets look dodgy.
good to see a game like this i hope it ends up close.
g, mind updating the link to
http://www.theflyslip.net/
cheers mate.
Damith! G again?
I'll update the link soon :-)
Life in Binary, I was surprised to see those maroon shirts too.. reckon they're tourists.
I'll be in the upper tier of the South Stand - thats where the party will be buddy!
Q, i was in the upper tier too ..the green seats....it was ok ..though the party was at the lower level ..the blue seats next to where the pakistani team was sitting!
and about those maroon shirts...i met a few after the match and specifically asked them if they were residents and the answer was in affirmative!:)
Q, i was in the upper tier too ..the green seats....it was ok ..though the party was at the lower level ..the blue seats next to where the pakistani team was sitting!
and about those maroon shirts...i met a few after the match and specifically asked them if they were residents and the answer was in affirmative!:)
Life in binary, do I know u?
Q, no you dont know me personally but we have a few common acquaintances i believe! it was one of them who had introduced me to this blog and i have been an avid follower of it since then! excellent work ure doing!
it would be nice to put a face to this blog..prolly we can meet at the upper south tier and party it well-pitched style on friday! ;)
sorry for posting all over the place..i guess im still in my excited state! ;)