Last Man Stands show reaches the UAE shores

Dubai - All games take just over two hours to complete (one hour for each innings), which allows multiple games during evenings and weekends.

With cricket being the flavour of the year in the UAE so far, with the country hosting the Pakistan Super League and the Masters Champions League, the UAE domestic cricket scene has seen its own burst of cricketing news with the launch of the fastest-growing T20 amateur cricket format in the world - Last Man Stands.
The Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) and Dubai Cricket Council have supported the initiative to encourage the growth of amateur cricket in the UAE.
The Last Man Stands is the fastest growing Twenty 20 format in the world.
All games take just over two hours to complete (one hour for each innings), which allows multiple games during evenings and weekends.
It is an 8-a-side cricket tournament which allows most, if not all, players to be involved in the game
They have 5-ball overs instead of 6-ball overs and each innings is bowled from one side to save time.
Last Man Stands (LMS) is played according to the standard ICC T20 cricket regulations, but with some twists to some rules
Last Man Stands is played in over 10 countries including UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Canada, USA and Sri Lanka with over 2500 registered teams and a total of 50,000 cricketers playing in these teams.
Last Man Stands has been brought to the UAE by young UAE national Abdullah Yussuf who heard about this unique cricketing T20 format from his family friend Aneel Sabir, president of the HSBC UAE Cricket Club, Old Wellingtonian and ex-Berkshire County cricketer (UK).
Having played the format in the UK previously, Aneel told Abdullah of the format and how huge the following of Last Man Stands was in the UK and the pace at which it was growing worldwide.
Abdullah wasted no time and began talks with LMS HQ, ECB and DCC to run the UAE part of this global 'cricketing movement' for the world of amateur cricketers.
Abdullah's first milestone will be to help assemble an all-Emirati LMS team, which he is confident of achieving soon.
"I am sure this is achievable. Emiratis have grown up with the game of cricket as much as football. It's just that we have probably not tried to play cricket in our youth! I will try to challenge this and if it means I will play, then so be it! There is nothing better than leading by example," he said.
Last Man Stands leagues are predominantly made up of club, corporate, social, indoor, community cricket teams, retired players and new people looking to get into cricket.
Last Man Stands allows cricketers who have time constraints or enjoy a fast paced game to compete in a league that is run in a very professional manner by people who have a passion for cricket.