Collaboration Over Competition In Asian Cricket: Dubai Sports Council Vice Chairman Khalfan Belhoul To NDTV

The Dubai Sports Council has long been at the forefront of transforming the United Arab Emirates into a global sporting hub. Under the leadership of Vice Chairman H.E. Khalfan Belhoul, the council is now shifting its focus towards deeper community integration and long-term sustainability. By leveraging Dubai's world-class infrastructure and its unique cultural mix, the council aims to move beyond hosting major spectacles to fostering a homegrown sporting culture that resonates locally and internationally. During the World Sports Summit in Dubai, Belhoul spoke to NDTV in an exclusive interview where he outlined how important cricket is to the Dubai Sports Council's ultimate objective.

Central to this strategy is the recognition of cricket's unparalleled popularity among the city's vast South Asian population. Rather than viewing regional competition as a hurdle, Belhoul sees an opportunity to "connect the dots" between passionate fans, aspiring young athletes, and the professional stage, ensuring that Dubai becomes the beating heart of global cricket.

Considering the significant South Asian population residing in Dubai, how vital is cricket to your overall strategic objectives at the Dubai Sports Council?

It is massive. Cricket is absolutely massive here. The fan base is huge, and the athletes residing in Dubai are constantly participating in various events. Our primary objective at the Dubai Sports Council, particularly through the World Sports Summit, is to establish a comprehensive talent development scheme and a robust grassroots system for the sport.

One of the great advantages of cricket is that we don't need to manufacture a connection between the sport and the fans; that bond is already there in abundance. Our current focus is to build the right infrastructure to convert that fan passion into a structured pathway. We want to connect grassroots talent with professional opportunities, developing more athletes while simultaneously ensuring Dubai remains a premier home for major international cricket matches.

With several established cricketing bodies already operating across Asia, do you find it challenging to carve out this niche for Dubai?

No, I don't view it as a challenge at all. We maintain very close dialogue with cricket federations across the globe. As you have seen recently, many top-tier matches have taken place right here in Dubai. I believe the sky is the limit regarding how much we can develop this, simply because the demand for cricket is exceptionally high.

It is really about bridging the gap between the community, the talent pathway, and the professional level, right up to the scale of the events themselves. By connecting these dots, I believe we can push cricket to an entirely new level in this region.