Time slips away like grains of sand, and the Champions Trophy now looms on the horizon. This edition of the marquee ICC tournament will unfold across two nations—Pakistan will host the grand spectacle, while India’s battles will be fought under the gleaming lights of Dubai.
The recently concluded tri-series in Pakistan, featuring the hosts, New Zealand, and South Africa, provided valuable insight into the pitch conditions there. But what about Dubai? Unlike Pakistan’s venues, the Dubai International Cricket Stadium recently hosted the ILT20, a T20 tournament. The last ODI at the venue was played between Canada and Scotland back in March last year, leaving uncertainty about the conditions teams might face.
India will set foot in Dubai for their Champions Trophy campaign, where all three of their group-stage matches, and potentially the semifinal and final, will be played. With the squad packed with five spin-bowling options, including two wrist-spinners, and just three frontline pacers (excluding the injured Jasprit Bumrah), India’s selection hints at an expectation of spin-friendly conditions.
However, history tells a different story. Dubai’s ODI track record leans slightly in favour of fast bowlers. In the 58 ODIs played at the venue, pacers have taken 463 wickets at an average of 28.62 and an economy of 4.78, compared to spinners’ 320 wickets at an average of 30.17 and a slightly lower economy of 4.25. Even in the ILT20 2025, the top five wicket-takers were all pacers, though it was a T20 tournament played under lights.
Dubai’s unique conditions make it an intriguing battleground. Unlike Abu Dhabi, with its open fields, or Sharjah, where shorter boundaries impact play, Dubai’s enclosed stadium limits cross-ventilation. This means seamers struggle to extract prolonged movement, especially during day time. Under lights, pacers find more assistance, while in the afternoon, spinners thrive, capitalising on dry pitches and the scorching sun. The large boundary dimensions further favour slow bowlers early on, but as the game progresses, conditions shift.
With dew creeping in during the second innings, batting becomes easier, allowing the ball to skid on. This was evident in ILT20, where teams successfully chased totals, and out of the last five ODIs played in Dubai, four were won by the side batting second. While scores of 300 plus have been rare, achieved only four times, the key to success lies in adaptability. Batters who adjust can go big, especially under the lights, when the pitch quickens up.
India’s spin-heavy squad might face a challenge if history repeats itself. But if conditions play to their expectations, the slow bowlers could turn the tide in their favour.
With matches set to begin at 2:30 PM local time, the dry conditions often make it an ideal period for bowling, provided teams can endure the challenge of fielding under the scorching afternoon Dubai sun.