Ninety-90 Bash to be held May-June 2022, matches to be played in Sharjah

The dates for the highly anticipated Ninety-90 Bash have been set. The exciting 90-ball-an-innings annual cricket league, sanctioned by Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), will be held at the iconic Sharjah cricket stadium in May-June 2022.

The event will be organized in partnership by the Sharjah Cricket Council and Century Events and Sports.

The Ninety-90 Bash is the collective brainchild of three leading regional entrepreneurs – the father of UAE cricket Abdul Rahman Bukhatir, Salman Iqbal, CEO of the ARY Group, and Imran Chaudhry, managing director of the Cinergie Group of companies.

Preparations for the Ninety-90 Bash are in full swing. Several renowned global business houses and cricketing icons and players are all set to sign on, bringing together a heady mix of iconic cricketing stars and emerging players to be a part of this 90-ball an innings tournament.

The Ninety-90 Bash offers local cricket fans in the Emirates a timely, fantastic, and undoubtedly thrilling tournament.

“Having recently hosted some of the most exciting games in the IPL and T20 World Cup, we have witnessed the growing interest in the shorter format. With the Ninety-90 bash, we are looking forward to sustaining the momentum and giving cricket fans in the UAE what they want—sharp, edgy and action-packed cricketing action from some of the biggest names who thrive in these shorter formats of the game,” said Khalaf Bukhatir, CEO of Sharjah Stadium.

“I have been a part of cricket’s journey here in the United Arab Emirates from the very beginning, and it is my endeavor to continue to give cricket a home here in the Emirates, while finding ways in which to grow the game and keep it healthy,” Bukhatir had previously said.

“This new exciting format could be instrumental in creating a brand-new fan base for the sport, not just in the UAE, but across the globe.”

Salman Iqbal, the owner of the Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), feels Ninety-90 cricket is the need of the game. “The sport has evolved over the years and the time has come for cricket to take another leap of faith. We believe we have something brand new to offer and the entire team expects the tournament to be a grand success,” Iqbal said.

“The proposed Ninety-90 format will be shorter than Twenty20 cricket, with the aim of making every contest sharp, edgy and action-packed, while retaining the importance of cricket skills at the core of its success.” Imran Chaudhry said.

“We are very proud to sign this deal. And look forward to an annual tournament that is entertaining,” Khalid Al Zarooni, the vice-chairman of the ECB, said.