How One Emirati Businessman Turned the UAE Into the Region’s Cricket Capital

Before Sharjah became a global cricket destination, Abdulrahman Bukhatir was growing up in an emirate finding its identity. Born into a traditional Sharjah family, he witnessed the UAE’s early years up close as the country moved from trade to transformation. Those formative years shaped his belief in building things that last.

That outlook deepened when Bukhatir moved to Karachi for school. It was there, at BVS Parsi High School, that he discovered cricket through his neighbours. The game quickly revealed itself as more than a sport. Cricket was community, culture, and connection, all rolled into one.

After returning to the UAE, Bukhatir began his career at the British Bank before moving into trading cement and steel. Working in industries that helped build the country gave him both business discipline and a wider view of the UAE’s rapid growth. That experience later led to the founding of the Bukhatir Group, now active across construction, real estate, education, IT, and sports.

Cricket, however, remained personal. Bukhatir saw the sport as a natural fit for the UAE’s role as a meeting point between East and West. His vision was simple but bold: create a neutral space where international cricket could thrive.

That vision took shape in the late 1970s with the development of Sharjah Cricket Stadium, which hosted its first major matches in 1981. Over the years, it became one of the world’s busiest cricket venues, staging more than 200 One Day Internationals and earning recognition from Guinness World Records.

Beyond the matches, Sharjah became a place where sport crossed into diplomacy and culture. Fans from across the subcontinent filled the stands, while officials, business leaders, and public figures connected around the game. Cricket helped position the UAE as a reliable global host at a time when other venues could not.

Today, as the Emirates continue to play a central role in international cricket, Abdulrahman Bukhatir’s impact remains clear. What began as a teenage fascination in Pakistan grew into a legacy that helped shape the region’s sporting identity and placed the UAE firmly on the global cricket stage.