▁they ▁brought ▁with ▁them ▁a ▁wish ▁to ▁play ▁cr icket . ▁The ▁local ▁Arab ▁population , ▁educated ▁in ▁India ▁and ▁Pakistan , ▁set ▁up ▁clubs ▁and ▁domestic ▁tournament s ▁began ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s . ▁ ▁M aking ▁of ▁the ▁national ▁side ▁The ▁first ▁match ▁was ▁played ▁by ▁the ▁U AE ▁national ▁side ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁against ▁Pakistan ▁International ▁Airlines ▁in ▁Sh ar j ah . ▁The ▁visitors ▁scored ▁ 3 4 5 / 5 ▁from ▁their ▁ 5 0 ▁o vers ▁and ▁the ▁U AE ▁were ▁on ▁ 8 8 / 4 ▁from ▁ 2 8 ▁o vers ▁when ▁the ▁game ▁was ▁abandoned ▁due ▁to ▁rain . ▁ ▁We alth y ▁loc als ▁began ▁invest ing ▁in ▁the ▁sport ▁and ▁an ▁International ▁standard ▁cr icket ▁ground ▁was ▁constructed ▁in ▁Sh ar j ah . ▁The ▁Sh ar j ah ▁Cr icket ▁Association ▁Stadium ▁hosted ▁its ▁first ▁international ▁event ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁when ▁India , ▁Pakistan ▁and ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁cont ested ▁the ▁Asia ▁Cup . ▁The ▁ven ue ▁has ▁gone ▁on ▁to ▁host ▁almost ▁ 2 0 0 ▁O D Is ▁and ▁four ▁Test ▁matches , ▁the ▁Test ▁matches ▁having ▁been ▁held ▁there ▁due ▁to ▁security ▁concerns ▁in ▁Pakistan . ▁ ▁The ▁Em ir ates ▁Cr icket ▁Board ▁( EC B ) ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁and ▁gained ▁affili ate ▁membership ▁of ▁the ▁I CC ▁the ▁same ▁year . ▁They ▁were ▁quickly ▁promoted ▁to ▁associate ▁member ▁status