Dubai over the course of the next two months is set to host the finals for the Indian Premier League and the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup.
The final for the IPL will be held on 15 October, after 13 of the matches are played in Dubai.
The Indian Premier League is one of the most-watched sporting events in the world with the 2020 tournament receiving a total viewership of 836 million with 405 million people watching from India.
The decision to host the tournament’s 14th season in the UAE was made by The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in India.
The BCCI has announced that UAE and Oman will host the ICC Twenty20 World Cup.
12 matches out of 45 matches will be played in Dubai with the grand final hosted on 14 November in Dubai.
His Excellency Saeed Hareb, Secretary General of Dubai Sports Council said, "We are proud to welcome the Indian Premier League back. They were here last year and their return reinforces Dubai and UAE’s reputation as the world’s leading host of top international sports tournaments, especially in this challenging COVID-19 era. Thanks to our wise leadership, Dubai and UAE have emerged as one of the safest destinations in the world for top sports stars and tournaments."
His Excellency Saeed further added, "Last year, the IPL family was here for more than two months and the logistics was mindboggling. Eight teams play in the IPL, so you had hundreds of players as well as support and administrative staff here, along with their families living in bio-secure bubbles. In addition, there was an over 700-strong TV production crew and more than 90 commentators. It was a daunting endeavour, but together as one team, we pulled it off and we are now looking forward to another great season of IPL ahead – this time with fans in the stadium.”