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On Valentine's Day, UAE celebrates an Emirati man's romance with cricket
Legendary cricketers from India and Pakistan congratulated visionary Emirati cricket promoter Abdul Rahman Bukhatir on the launch of his book, Winning Run
- PUBLISHED: Sun 15 Feb 2026, 4:58 PM UPDATED: Mon 16 Feb 2026, 1:02 AM
Winning Run, the autobiography of legendary Emirati cricket promoter and businessman Abdul Rahman Bukhatir, was launched during a gala event at his farmhouse in Al Aweer, Dubai, on Saturday.
Fittingly, it was Valentine’s Day, February 14, which saw Bukhatir’s cricket love story being presented in the form of a book.
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The book, co-authored by his daughter Dr Safa Bukhatir, also celebrates his journey as one of the leading Emirati businessmen who established the Bukhatir Group of companies.
But what truly sets Bukhatir apart is his visionary role in bringing the game of cricket to a football-obsessed region.
Bukhatir's romance with cricket began during his time at BVS Parsi High School in Karachi.
Upon his return, Bukhatir triggered a cricket revolution in the desert, playing a leading role in establishing a culture of club cricket before he built the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
The Sharjah stadium went on to host annual international tournaments that saw many epic matches, especially between arch-rivals India and Pakistan.
“There are people who build stadiums, there are people who organise tournaments. And then there is Mr Abdul Rahman Bukhatir, who built history,” former Pakistani spinner Tauseef Ahmed said in a video message.
“The Sharjah Stadium has hosted the highest number of one-day international matches. It’s a record. And the whole credit goes to Mr Bukhatir.”
Ahmed also hailed Bukhatir as the messiah of cricket for launching the Cricketers Benefit Fund Series (CBFS) to help raise funds for retired international cricketers.
The stadium was packed to the rafters during the annual tournaments in the 1980s and 1990s, creating a carnival-like atmosphere. And the icing on the cake was the presence of famous Bollywood stars who witnessed some of the most unforgettable matches of all time from the VIP stands.
A host of cricket legends, including Sunil Gavaskar, Javed Miandad, Kapil Dev, Wasim Akram and Sachin Tendulkar, also congratulated the visionary Emirati cricket administrator on his book and paid glowing tributes to his invaluable contributions to the game.
Kapil, the iconic all-rounder who famously led India to the 1983 World Cup triumph, compared Bukhatir to Kerry Packer, the late Australian media tycoon who revolutionsed cricket by bringing coloured clothing and white ball to the game.
“First, there was Kerry Packer and then Abdul Rahman Bukhatir, who made it possible for us to play cricket in the Gulf region. We enjoyed his hospitality so much,” Kapil said.
A big admirer of legendary Pakistani cricketer Hanif Mohammad, Bukhatir also served as the chairman of the Emirates Cricket Board.
Rituraj Borkakoty is Sports Editor and has spent more than two decades writing on his sporting heroes. He also loves an underdog story, so if you have one, share it with him. He would love to bring it to life.