Danube Ramadan T20 Cup to start season

The Danube Ramadan T20 Cup cricket tournament will kick-start a busy season of domestic and international cricket from next month in the ‘ring of fire’ at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Following the success of the last year’s Ramadan Cup organised by the Dubai Sports City (DSC) under the auspices of the Dubai Cricket Council (DCC), Danube have come forward to sponsor this year’s Ramadan tournament.

“It is an immense pleasure for us to commence the cricket season with such a tournament in the best venue in the world,” said Abdul Rehman Falaknaz, Partner, DSC and Chairman of DCC at the launch of the tournament on Saturday.

The 14-day competition featuring 12 top local teams carries total prize money of Dh30,000 and will begin on August 5. There will be two matches each day commencing at 8pm and 11pm.

The tournament will be conducted on a league cum knockout basis with the top two in each group entering the quarter-finals. The semifinals will be played on August 19 and the final is scheduled to take place on August 21.

The champion team will get Dh15,000 and the runners-up Dh10,000. Other individual cash awards will also be up for grabs.

“This tournament will give an opportunity to show off the cricketing skills available locally,” added Falaknaz.

“Our outstanding cricketing facilities at the stadium provides a great location for the best teams to be able to play throughout the summer months,” said Falaknaz who expressed his earnest desire to see an India versus Pakistan international in Dubai. “This would be the icing on the cake.”

Manager Director of Danube Anis Sajan concurred by saying: “I sincerely hope in the near future we’ll find India coming here and we all Asians can see an India-Pakistan event. If it does happen, I assure you Danube will be one of the key sponsors.”

He described the venue as the best in the world. “Danube is always associated with cricket but this is the first time we are associated with an outdoor cricket event which makes me very happy. I’ve been following cricket for 30 years and I believe the view in the Dubai Cricket Stadium is the best,” he said.

Adel Sajan, also a director of Danube, said: “We want this to be a fun event. We want everyone who is participating to collaborate and make it a successful event.”

One of the unique prizes at this tournament will be an exquisite ‘Coffee Table Book’ compiled by Danube Group containing statistics of the World Cup from 1975 to 2007 which will be present to the man of the match of each game.

“This is something every cricketer will cherish,” said Anis Sajan.

Mazhar Khan, a veteran cricket administrator, said fans could look forward to a lot of cricket this season including a series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in October-November followed by England touring in January-February to play Pakistan in the UAE.

“Many teams will be having first class cricketers from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka,” said Mazhar giving the Danube Ramadan T20 Cup an international flavour.

“What we look for is this event to become a permanent fixture in the Dubai cricket scene and it goes from strength to strength. Tournament of this kind is very unique and fits ideally with Dubai Sports City’s vision of being the hub of sporting activity in the Emirates,” said DSC’s General Manager of Sports Business Maqbool Dhudhia.

“It’s fantastic that Dubai is going to see so much of cricket,” he said referring to the busy international schedule. “It’s going to be busy year and cricket fans are going to love it.”

Ten Cricket will be promoting the Danube T20 Ramadan Cup throughout the Gulf, the first time that a domestic tournament will get such exposure.

“Most boys bring their families to come along and support. I think everyone in the UAE knows Dubai Sports City. I as a fan would love to come here to watch a match under the ‘ring of fire. I’m sure public will come and watch right through Ramadan,” said Mazhar when asked about crowd expectations.

Vice-Chairman of the DCC Mohammed Redha Abbas said they hope to unearth young talent from this tournament as UAE prepare to host to World Twenty20 Cup qualifiers in March next year.

“We are looking for young talent. Our captain (Khurram Khan) is 38 but still plays like a 25-year-old. It depends on how fit and good you are,” said the chief selector the Emirates Cricket Board.

Participating teams

Group A
ECB Blues
New Medical Centre
Eurocon Alubond CC
Interface Transworld CC

Group B
Phoenix Medicines
Yogi Group
Ibson CC
Farooq CC

Group C
William Hare Abu Dhabi Gymkhana CC
Fly Emirates
Sevens Seas Strikers
Danube Lions
 

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.