A vibrant celebration of cricket took over the Sheikh Zayed Stadium on Wednesday night as the Indian Premier League superstars made their UAE debut.
Screaming fans, dancing cheerleaders and searing fireworks greeted the players as a new worldclass sporting attraction was added to the prestigious list that the Emirates has already hosted.
Anticipation had been building since the announcement last month that the world’s most glamorous Twenty20 competition would be spending a memorable fortnight touring the Emirates.
The tournament seemed a natural fit for the region because of the huge expatriate population from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Not all sporting events have instantly clicked with the fans in the Gulf region. With the first six games sold out before a ball had been bowled, there was no need for such fear this time.
On the night, 12,500 people – a figure below capacity – passed through the gates to watch holders Mumbai Indians and the Kolkata Knight Riders.
That amount shows there is still work to be done, as there was scant Western influence in the stands. It will be interesting to see if a heavy marketing campaign has passed IPL fever to that section of UAE society when the games begin in Dubai on Saturday.
More than an hour before the first ball was bowled, noise filled the air around a ground gripped with excitement. The thumping music, twirling flags and Mexican waves built up the atmosphere, while smoke pumped out from various points to help the fans reach fever pitch.
This did not come at the cost of traditional Middle-Eastern values. Just as the Formula One drivers toast their success with rose water, the cheerleaders running around the boundary were respectfully clothed.
When the teams finally entered the field, there were few spare seats or spots of grass on the embankments. Behind the stands, groups of latecomers could be seen rushing inside before the action began.
Abu Dhabi is used to seeing the biggest names – from the adrenaline- pumping F1 Grand Prix at Yas Marina, to Novak Djokovic and the rest of the globe’s finest players competing at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship.
Last night’s line-up certainly did not fall below the required standard. Both sides containing a glut of the finest cricketers in the world.
It was exuberant Sri Lanka fast bowler Lasith Malinga who first got the lively crowd to their feet as a trademark missile clean-bowled Gautam Gambhir in the second over.
“Malinga, Malinga” chants could be heard throughout the ground, as a crowd favourite got the reception his figures of 4-23 merited.
Unsurprisingly, shirts representing the sprawling metropolis of Mumbai heavily outnumbered their Kolkata rivals in the crowd. There was even space for the franchise’s most famous ‘fan’ of all, as icon Sachin Tendulkar began post-retirment life with a reported mentoring role from the dugout.
Each six, four and wicket was greeted by fanfare.
The IPL show is here, successfully transported from the subcontinent.
The only glaring negative from a standout night was the low scores from the two star-studded sides. Early season rust, and World Twenty20 fatigue, certainly played their part as, in particular, Mumbai Indians dangermen Rohit Sharma and Kieron Pollard failed to fire.
But the most pressing issue for the organisers is a pitch so covered with grass that it would not look out of place in temperate Auckland.
The green favoured the bowlers, who were able to put a vice grip on both top orders.
Some hard work from the Abu Dhabi ground staff should see the IPL’s trademark explosive batting add another thrilling element to the UAE’s latest attraction.
