Is it a home? Or is it a stadium? That’s the question you would be asking yourself the moment you enter the massive villa of Danube’s Vice Chairman Anis Sajan in Dubai’s posh Emirates Hills community. The man who also goes by the moniker Mr. Cricket UAE has been a self-confessed cricket fanatic for years and his passion for the game is legendary. Every time there’s a big face-off on the stadium, anywhere in the world, the Sajan home transforms into a buzzing playground of screaming cricket fans, thumping music and beats of a LIVE dhol – an event that is attended by friends, fans and family with a generous dose of media and social media influencers milling around with their selfie sticks, phones and cameras – capturing the euphoria that needs to be seen to be believed.
For Anis Sajan, cricket always comes first
“I don’t know for how long I have been hosting these watch parties,” says Anis Sajan sporting an RCB jersey to support his favorite player, Virat Kohli, who was hitting a battery of fours and sixes even as we spoke. Ultimately, this powerhouse performance ended up in making his team Royal Challengers Bangalore the undisputed champions of Tata IPL twice in a row. But for Sajan, he may be supporting RCB, his patent line remains, “cricket always wins” – and this is evident from the sheer childlike energy that is brimming on his face when the match is on – no matter who’s winning. However, he is honest to confess that having RCB in the finals was one of the biggest reasons for him to once again open his home and heart for the city to enjoy the match.
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A complete fan-zone experience for guests
But there’s work to be done. While the screening is open to the fans of cricket, Sajan’s elaborate marketing team prepares the guestlist, sends out invites and ensures that when guests arrive they feel like entering a dedicated fan zone with free T-shirts of the teams they are supporting, a LIVE DJ, Dhol, a massive screen, chat counter, and a generous buffet spread at the end of the match by the pool side. There are also games and lucky draws with giveaways of goodies from the Danube group. The Sajan family including Anis’ wife Ruby and their two sons Azhar and Sahil are in attendance celebrating with the guests, making them feel at home.
“I love watching the game here, it’s got the warmth of a home and the buzz of the stadium with all the convenience,” says Ali Azghar, one of the guests, who came here with his wife and daughter. Although, he was rooting for Gujarat Titans, he found solace in the fact that his team made it all the way to the finals.
When cricket brings everyone together in Dubai
The euphoria of the game reaches a fever pitch during the bigger games on the international arena like the Champions Trophy and the Sajan home transforms into a lively stadium when it’s India versus Pakistan. These games see fans from India and Pakistan both sitting together, cheering for their respective teams, laughing, crying and celebrating together – mirroring the spirit of a country that both call home – the UAE.
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