Situated in Abu Dhabi, this Sheikh Zayed Stadium has a seating capacity of 20,000, which is also expandable to nearly 22,000 seats. It regularly hosts international cricket matches of all three formats along with ILT20 and neutral-venue series.
It is also known for having staged IPL matches and the T20 World Cup. Sheikh Zayed Stadium offers a balanced pitch that rewards stroke play and spin under lights, making it one of the UAE’s marquee cricket venues.
Overview
| Nickname | Zayed Cricket Stadium |
| Name | Sheikh Zayed Stadium |
| Named after | Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan (UAE’s founding father) |
| Location | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates |
| Opened | 2004 |
| Capacity | 20,000 expandable up to 22,000 |
| Ends | North End, Pavilion End |
| Time zone | UTC +04:00 |
| Home/tenants | UAE national team; ILT20 franchises Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and MI Emirates. |
| Floodlights | Yes |
Records & Stats — Sheikh Zayed Stadium
T20I (International)
- Highest team total 225/7 — Ireland vs Afghanistan (30 Nov 2013)
- Average 1st-innings score ~142 (recent venue average)
- Quick read Balanced conditions; chasing can improve under lights with dew.
ODI
- Highest team total 343/4 — South Africa vs Ireland (4 Oct 2024)
- Average 1st-innings score ~252 (venue average)
- Quick read ODIs trend mid-250s first-innings; totals above 300 are competitive.
Test
- Highest team total 598/9d — England vs Pakistan (Oct 2015)
- Average 1st-innings score ~360 (venue average)
- Quick read Often slow-burn; batting friendly early, spinners come in later.
| Time (GMT) | Time (IST) | Match | Stage / Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14:30 | 20:00 | AFG vs HK | 1st Match, Group B |
| 14:30 | 20:00 | BAN vs HK | 3rd Match, Group B |
| 14:30 | 20:00 | BAN vs SL | 5th Match, Group B |
| 12:00 | 17:30 | UAE vs OMAN | 7th Match, Group A |
| 14:30 | 20:00 | BAN vs AFG | 9th Match, Group B |
| 14:30 | 20:00 | SL vs AFG | 11th Match, Group B |
| 14:30 | 20:00 | IND vs OMAN | 12th Match, Group A |
| 14:30 | 20:00 | TBC vs TBC | Super Four, Match 3 (A2 vs B1) |
