The first UAE Friendship Cup takes off with Bollywood stars and cricket legends amid fanfare at Sharjah Cricket Stadium

The star-studded cricket tournament featuring the cricketing legends takes place from March 5-7, 2022, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium showcasing Bollywood hotshots – that will be broadcast LIVE on Sony Six and Sony Six HD channels.

Dubai, UAE and Mumbai, India, March 5, 2022

World XI thrashed India Legends by 73 runs in the inaugural match of the UAE Friendship Cup that took place at 5:00 pm at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday. In the following match Pakistan Legends beat Bollywood Kings by 43 runs.

The three-day star-studded UAE Friendship Cup 2022, that features cricket legends including former Indian Cricket Captain Mohammad Azharuddin, Bollywood star Suniel Shetty, former Pakistani cricket sensation Imran Nazir and Sri Lankan star cricketer Ajantha Mendis kicked off at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Saturday, March 5, 2022, amid massive fanfare.

They are leading four star-studded teams that are fighting for the first UAE Friendship Cup that brings the cricket lovers from all over the world at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, the home of cricket in the Middle East.

Mohammad Azharuddin-led India Legends were no match to the far less superior team, World XI, as the underdogs scored 139 for 3 wickets that included a fine knock of 48 by Asghar Afghan in their stipulated 10 overs.

In reply, India Legends struggled from the start and could only muster 66 for 4 in ten overs.

Pakistan Legends showed their class in the second match by scoring 128 for 3 wickets, powered by a fine knock of 57 of 23 balls by skipper Imran Nazir, before retiring. This is the first half-century in this tournament. In response, Bollywood Kings could score 85 for 4 wickets. Mudasir Bhat played a fine knock of 50 off 22 balls.

Cricket lovers can now watch the cricketing legends – who created world records and historic milestones in cricket – are playing in seven matches from March 5-7, 2022.

“This is a brilliant start of a new chapter in the cricketing world where we have managed to bring the cricketing legends to play professional cricket long after their retirement. The UAE Friendship Cup has ushered a new era in the global cricket world where cricketing legends and retired professional cricketers come back to entertain cricket lovers,” Amin Pathan, Chairman of Arba Sports Services, organizer of the UAE Friendship Cup, said.

“Watching Mohammad Azharuddin, Imran Nazir along with Bollywood star Sohail Khan was a treat that took us back to yesteryears when the legends rocked the cricketing world. We are now recreating history in the sports world.

“The UAE Friendship Cup is born in Sharjah Cricket Ground, the home of cricket in the Middle East. The UAE is a country of innovation where sports tourism is also thriving. We are happy to bring a new innovation in cricket – the UAE Friendship Cup – that is going to boost sports tourism in this country.”

The UAE Friendship Cup takes place a day after the sad demise of two great cricketing legends – Rodney Marsh and Shane Warne – the same day on Friday. Tournament organisers expressed their condolences paid their deep respect to these two legends at the start of the tournament. A one-minute silence was observed for each of the two cricketing legends before the start of the tournament.

The tournament that comprises seven ten-over format matches, brings both cricket and Bollywood fans together as top Bollywood stars go head-to-head with cricket legends at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. All the matches are broadcast LIVE on SONY SIX & SONY SIX HD channels

The UAE Friendship Cup places cricket legends and Bollywood celebrities into four teams – India Legends, Bollywood Kings, Pakistan Legends, and World Legends 11. This unique integration of cricket and Bollywood in the shortest format of cricket will engage viewers as they look forward to watching their favourite stars on the pitch once again.

India Legends, led by Mohammad Azharuddin took on World Legends XI in the inaugural match followed by an exciting match between Suniel Shetty-led Bollywood Kings and Imran Nazir-led Pakistan Legends.

Usman bin Ahmed, Managing Director of Moaza Al Maktoum Investments LLC, said, “On behalf of Her Highness Sheikha Moaza Obaid Suhail Maktoum, we are very pleased to announce her sponsorship of 5,000 tickets for the cricket lovers of the UAE so that they can see their cricketing legends play live from the gallery.

“It is a personal gesture of Her Highness Sheikha Moaza Obaid Suhail Maktoum and reflects her support to the UAE Friendship Cup.”

Among the four teams, Bollywood Kings will be led by actor Suniel Shetty and will feature Sohail Khan, Aftab Shivdasani, Saqib Saleem, Shabbir Ahluwalia, Jay Bhanushali and Salil Ankola.

India Legends will be led by Mohammad Azharuddin which will feature Ajay Jadeja, Irfan Pathan, Mohammad Kaif and Venkatesh Prasad among others.

While India Legends will see participation from the likes of Mohammad Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja, Mohammad Kaif, and Munaf Patel among others; Suniel Shetty, Sohail Khan, and Aftab Shivdasani will be amongst the prominent names playing for Bollywood Kings.

Pakistan Legends will have Imran Nazir, Salman Butt, Mohammad Yousuf, and Yasir Hameed among others and World Legends will have cricket greats like Ajantha Mendis, Brendan Taylor, Abdul Razzak, and more.

Aslam Gurukkal, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Arba Sports Services, organiser of the UAE Friendship Cup, said, “The popularity of the UAE Friendship Cup has created so much sensation that members of the UAE Royal Family has come forward to support the tournament. This gesture by Her Highness Sheikha Moaza Obaid Suhail Al Maktoum will go a long way in contributing to the UAE Friendship Cup and help us organize more such events in the UAE that will boost sports tourism in the UAE.

“The UAE Friendship Cup brings Bollywood charm and the cricketing legends of yesteryears today to popularize the game of cricket in the UAE. We have plans to make this an annual event that will bring the legends to the UAE every year to enthrall the crowd.”

Organised by Arba Sports Services, the UAE Friendship Cup is supported by Dubai Police. The tournament is telecast live on Sony6 Television channel.

Sanctioned by Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), the three-day tournament will be a fun-filled affair where businesses, cricket and Bollywood glamour mix to create a region-wide excitement among the cricket lovers and Bollywood movie lovers through a competitive tournament where four teams will play to win the UAE Friendship Cup.

The cricket tournament offers a golden opportunity to some talented and terrific cricket players to expose their abilities to the world. UAE Friendship Cup is intended to conduct with an aim to enrich many young cricket players, support cricket players, and provide seamless entertainment to cricket fans. The four teams playing in this tournament are former Test cricketers from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

UAE Friendship Cup Schedule

Watch the LIVE coverage of the UAE Friendship Cup 2022 on SONY SIX & SONY SIX HD (English) channels starting from March 5, 2022.

Date	Time (IST)	LIVE Telecast on SONY SIX & SONY SIX HD
06/03/2022	5:00 PM	India Legends vs Bollywood Kings
06/03/2022	6:45 PM	World Legends 11 vs Pakistan Legends
06/03/2022	8:40 PM	Bollywood Kings vs World Legends 11
07/03/2022	5:00 PM	India Legends vs Pakistan Legends
07/03/2022	6:45 PM	Final