India cricket legend Gavaskar wants controversy-free IPL 7

Tickets for the eagerly awaited UAE leg of IPL 7 (Indian Premier League) will go on sale online from Thursday April 3, organisers announced on Tuesday.

With two weeks to go for the start of the Pepsi IPL 2014, a lot of excitement is anticipated, with the first leg of the tournament to be played in the United Arab Emirates.

READ HERE: No opening ceremony, but SRK will party

"We are delighted to announced that online tickets will start tomorrow. We have prices kept very affordable for spectators," said David East, Chief Executive of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) at a press conference on Tuesday in Dubai.

The starting price for the Abu Dhabi matches is Dh20 for a single match and Dh30 for double-headers.

In Dubai, a ticket for one match will start at Dh30 and Dh50 for double-headers. 

In Sharjah, tickets will start at Dh30 for a single match and Dh40 for the double-headers.

Tickets could be purchased online on www.iplt20.com and www.ticketmaster.ae. They will also be available at selected Lulu Hypermarkets in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, from Sunday, April 6, whilst stadium box-office sales will start on Thursday, April 10.

UAE will host the first leg consisting of 20 matches from April 16 to April 30 with Mumbai Indians, the reigning champions, taking on Kolkata Knight Riders, the 2012 winners, in the opening match at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi.

“I have spent a lot of time over the years in this wonderful country and it is great to see the excitement and buzz being generated prior to a tournament of this magnitude, here in the UAE,” Sunil Gavaskar, interim president, BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India)-IPL, said.

"We look forward to an exciting leg of Pepsi IPL 2014 in the UAE. I've been a regular visitor to UAE since 1981 when I first came to play in the Sharjah tournament. I know the kind of excitement that cricket, particularly this version of T20 format ... IPL format generates. I'm astonished at the level of interest and knowledge about this tournament," said the Indian cricket legend.

He praised the facilities available in the UAE as one of the best in the world.

"The facilities are on par with most of the interational cricketing venues and we have absolutely no doubt that players will be at home here in the UAE on the field. The BCCI venue inspection team has expressed satisfaction with pitches and ground conditions. I have particularly stressed on the importance of pitches because you get a good pitch to get a good game. When you have good cricket game, the crowd comes to watch at the stadium," said the former Indian opening batsman.

Gavaskar assured that IPL 7 under his stewardship would steer clear of controversies which had afflicted past editions of the event.

"I'm deeply humbled and honoured that the honourable Supreme Court of India thought it fit for me to take over as interim president of the IPL. My first instructions was I wanted to have as controversy free an edition as possible. When it comes to June 2 (final) it is only cricket that will be uppermost in everybody's mind. Pepsi IPL 2014 would be remembered only for cricket," said Gavaskar who took over N Srinivasan on Thursday.

"One of the concerns we have been working as a team is to address the anti-corruption efforts that we are making with ICC and BCCI. It's a concern to everyone. Nobody wants sports, especially cricket to be tainted. All efforts are under way to keep undesirable elements away from the game," assured Omar Al Askari, director of ECB.

“The venues in the UAE have hosted some extraordinary international matches recently, and I am certain that everyone can expect some unforgettable cricket, in the UAE leg of the Pepsi IPL 2014. We want to give spectators a chance to see cricket at its best," he added.

Ranjib Biswal, chairman of the IPL Governing Council, is just as excited to share the event with the cricketing fraternity and people of the UAE.

“I want to thank the UAE government, the Emirates Cricket Board, the administrations of Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, as well as the three sports councils, for their support and commitment to host the IPL. The 20 matches to be played in the UAE will feature top cricketers from all over the world. I am sure that the opportunity to witness their heroes in action will prompt them to flock to the stadiums,” he said.

Biswal feels staging the IPL in the UAE opened new frontiers in terms of attracting fans and expanding the global reach of the event.

"It has given opportunity for cricket fans in this part of the world to witness IPL and the buzz that is going on is great for us. It also bring news fans to the game. Last year there were two million fans most of them newcomers. The television audience of 2.6 billion is on par with major events of the world. It is a great opportunity for UAE and IPL also to expand it base of fans," he added.0

UAE has a proven track record in terms of hosting significant cricket series and tournaments. The World Twenty20 Qualifiers and ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2014, was held recently, in addition to the Pakistan's home series against South Africa and Sri Lanka.

Dubai is a well-known destination for top sporting academies, and the teams will have the privilege of training at the state-of-the-art ICC Cricket Academy.

“We are excited to see the best players in the world play on our shores and in front of the UAE fans. The UAE is home to sports-loving people, it has wonderful cricket facilities, and the sport is run by a body – the Emirates Cricket Board – that loves the game, and will work tirelessly with the BCCI to deliver a memorable experience in the first leg of the Pepsi IPL 2014,” added the ECB Chief Executive.

The other stakeholders in the UAE also expressed their confidence of staging a successful event.

"We are sure that the UAE leg of the Pepsi IPL 2014 will demonstrate the UAE's ability to host major events and welcome visitors to our lands," Dr. Ahmed Al Sharif, Secretary-General, Dubai Sports Council, commented.

"I'm happy that UAE is going to host this great event specially in Dubai with our main partners Dubai Sports City," he added.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.