One of the four venues for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021, the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi has played host to all three formats of the game over the years.
Established in 2004, the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium is arguably one of the finest stadiums in the world and one of the three venues for the second half of the 2021 Indian T20 League. The stadium has hosted India’s premier T20 competition on three separate occasions.
Its first taste of the Indian T20 League came back in 2014, four years after it first hosted a Twenty20 international. In 2020 and 2021, the competition returned to the Middle East surrounding Covid-19 concerns in India.
Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium T20I records
Highest total: Ireland’s 225/7 against Afghanistan in November 2013 is the highest team total in a T20I match at this venue. Batting first, the Irish batting unit took the Afghanistan bowlers to the cleaners. None of Afghanistan’s seven bowlers finished with an economy of under nine. Paul Stirling and Trent Johnston scored half-centuries as Ireland won the match by 68 runs.
Lowest total: The lowest team total at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium belongs to Nigeria’s 66/9 against Ireland in a T20 World Cup qualifier match in October 2019. Electing to bat after winning the toss, Nigeria crumbled to the bowling brilliance of Craig Young who picked four wickets on the night. It took Ireland less than seven overs to reach their target as they won the match by eight wickets with 83 balls remaining.
Highest individual score: The second T20I between UAE and Papua New Guinea in 2017 saw Shaiman Anwar scoring the highest individual score at the venue. Leading the team after two early wickets, Anwar scored an unbeaten 68-ball 117 to take his team from 2/9 to 3/180 after 20 overs.
Best bowling figure: On the night when Nigeria succumbed to the lowest team total, Craig Young created a new record of his own. His return of 4/13 in that match is the best bowling figure in a T20I match at the venue.
Highest partnership: Hong Kong’s tour of UAE in 2015 saw the visitors setting the record for the highest partnership in the third T20I. Chasing a target of 150 against Oman, Hong Kong lost two early wickets but Babar Hayat and Mark Chapman combined for an unbeaten 127-run stand to take their team to victory.
Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium Indian T20 League record
Most runs: Team Mumbai batsman Suryakumar Yadav has scored the most runs at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in the Indian T20 League. The 30-year-old has accumulated 500 runs in the league at the venue.
Most wickets: Comes as little to no surprise that Jasprit Bumrah is the highest wicket taker at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in the Indian T20 League with a total of 20 scalps.
Highest total: Mumbai's sensational batting performance against Hyderabad in 2021 is one of the best batting displays in Indian T20 League history. In a must-win situation to qualify by a big margin, Mumbai batters put the foot on the accelerator right from the word go as Hyderabad bowlers struggled to keep the run flow in check. Mumbai scored a mammoth 235/9 in 20 overs on the back of Ishan Kishan 84 (32) and Suryakumar Yadav's 82 (40). Although Mumbai won the match by 42 runs, they failed to progress to the next round on net run-rate.
Lowest total: The lowest team total at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in the Indian T20 League belongs to Team Bangalore. In 2014, Bangalore were bowled out for just 70 by Team Rajasthan, with Pravin Tambe picking four wickets.
Best bowling figure: Team Kolkata’s Varun Chakravarthy was simply unplayable against Delhi in the 42nd match of Indian T20 League 2020. He cut through the entire top order of Team Delhi to finish with figures of 5/20, which is the best bowling performance at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in the Indian T20 League.
Highest individual score: Match 45 of Indian T20 League 2020 saw the best of Ben Stokes, who scored the highest individual score at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in the Indian T20 League. While chasing 196 against Mumbai, the Rajasthan all-rounder led his team from the front by scoring 107 runs in just 60 balls. Rajasthan won the match by eight wickets.
Featured photo: AFP / Asif Hassan
