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28 March 2024

Misbah urges Pakistan fans to take advantage of free entry for second Test in Dubai

Fans relishing the atmosphere of Pakistan's cricket team in action at the Dubai International Stadium. (SUPPLIED)

Published
By Staff

Misbah-ul-Haq has urged fans to take advantage of free entry for the second Test that starts on Wednesday at Dubai Sports City by turning up in significant numbers to cheer on Pakistan to a series win against South Africa.

Misbah said he and his players had been given a huge boost by the support they received in Abu Dhabi where they won the opening match of the NIB Bank presents Cool & Cool Cup series by seven wickets, and it would be ideal for a repeat performance at the Dubai International Stadium.

“I hope in the next game people will come and really support the Pakistan team,” he said.

“(The support in Abu Dhabi) was wonderful, especially in a Test match – so many people really cheering for the team and backing the players.

“You normally only get this sort of support in one-dayers but in a Test match it really was something special and I think it really helped the team to fight and do well in difficult situations.

“(The fans) keep the players motivated and they did a wonderful job.”

The Test match at the Dubai International Stadium is the start of a massive season of cricket for Dubai Sports City.

The venue famous for its 'Ring of Fire' floodlights will host eight days of action between Pakistan and South Africa – the Test match plus the second One-Day International (ODI) of a five-match series on November 1 and both Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) on November 13 and 15.

Four of those match-days fall on weekends with three of them – the third day of the Test match as well as the ODI and the second of the T20Is – on Fridays.

On top of entry for the Test match at Dubai Sports City being free of charge, tickets for the limited-overs matches at the venue start from just Dh30.

Tickets are available on line at Box Office ME and Time Out Tickets, as well as Dubai Sports City head office. They are also available at a host of outlets around Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.

Individual corporate hospitality is also available for those wishing to watch the action in grand style, as are corporate and VIP suites for 12 and 24 people respectively.

And it is the start of a total of 16 days of Pakistan action at the venue this season as there are another eight match days to come at the Dubai International Stadium against Sri Lanka in December and January, with further weekend and Friday action included.

And for those interested in hospitality, further details can be obtained by calling +971 4 425 1111 or +971 56 1361 059.

For Pakistan, the Dubai International Stadium is very much a happy hunting ground.

Misbah’s side has not lost any of the four Tests it has played there, drawing against South Africa in 2010 before beating Sri Lanka in 2011 and then beating England twice in early 2012.

Those two wins against England came when it was the number one ranked side in Test cricket so the fact the Proteas now occupy that position is a positive omen for Pakistan.

For Misbah it is certainly a case of Dubai being very much a home from home for his side as it is full of positive, winning memories.

“Whenever you come to grounds where you have done well (in the past), you believe that you can do better,” he said.

“That belief has been there even before the start of the series that we can do well.”

The Pakistan and South Africa squads are preparing for the second Test by training at the ICC Academy at Dubai Sports City, taking advantage of its world-class, state-of-the-art facilities.

The Test match is part of Dubai Sports City’s biggest season yet for cricket.

In addition to the Pakistan series against South Africa and Sri Lanka, in November Dubai Sports City will play host to matches in the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier, with the world’s top Associate and Affiliate sides battling to be among the six sides that will go forward to the main event next year in Bangladesh.

And in February it will stage matches in the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup.

The Dubai International Stadium, which opened in 2009, has staged more Twenty20 Internationals than any other venue in the world.