Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai: Pitch Report in ODIs

Dubai International Cricket Stadium is another venue established in 2009. One of the most frequently used venues for One Day Internationals (ODIs) in the UAE, it has a seating capacity of 25,000, hosting a number of big matches and ICC tournaments. The batting-friendly pitch in this stadium ensured a batting and bowling match, making this a challenging yet rewarding ground for teams.

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The surface at Dubai International Cricket Stadium has a propensity to help bowlers, mainly the pacers who can look for movement and bounce under floodlights in initial stages of play. But then it tends to settle down further in the course of an innings and makes stroke play easy for batsmen. In the middle overs, the dry surface becomes helpful for the spinners and gives them the much-needed grip and turn.

In the 58 ODIs played at this venue, teams batting first have won 22 matches while teams chasing have won 34. The record suggests that the pitch slightly favors the chasing team as conditions tend to improve for batting under lights. The average first innings score at this ground is 218, and the second innings average drops to 192, indicating that setting a high total is key to defending successfully.

Despite the challenging conditions, teams have posted significant totals at this venue. The highest total recorded in an ODI here is 375/7, while the lowest total stands at 109 all out. The highest successful run chase was 287/8, showcasing that teams batting second have found ways to overcome stiff targets. On the other hand, the lowest total ever defended at this venue was 209/9, proving that disciplined bowling and smart field placements are essential for defending totals.

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Strategic considerations for teams

Given the conditions at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, teams winning the toss often opt to bowl first, taking advantage of early movement and attempting to restrict the opposition to a manageable score. The presence of dew in day-night matches further assists the chasing team, making it crucial for captains to factor in these conditions when making their decisions. Teams will need to focus on building solid partnerships, utilizing spinners effectively, and planning their chase carefully.

 Total ODIs Played at this venue: 58

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Average first innings score: 218

Teams won while batting first: 22

Team won while batting second: 34

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