Cricketing royalty join site workers for Expo cricket tournament final

It’s not easy to surprise people who know what it takes to deliver something on the scale of a World Expo, but the celebrity guests who flew in for the Expo 2020 Dubai Cricket Tournament Final 2018/19 knocked our site workers for six.

Global cricket stars Misbah-ul-Haq and Virender Sehwag joined finalists from Al-Futtaim Construction and Laing O’Rourke for an exciting showdown in front of a 10,000-strong crowd of their colleagues at Dubai International Stadium.

For the past three months, 32 teams of Expo site workers have been competing in cricket matches for the chance to take home the winners trophy. Al-Futtaim Carillion defeated Laing O’Rourke by five wickets, off the last ball of the game, in the nail-biting finale.

In addition to presenting the tournament’s Best Bowler and Best Batsman awards, Expo’s special guests mentored the finalists ahead of the big match.

During the course of his career, Misbah led Pakistan to 26 test wins, making him the country’s most successful captain. Sehwag, widely considered to be one of the best batsmen of all time, secured multiple records while playing for India, including the fastest triple century in the history of international cricket.

The second annual cricket competition forms part of Expo 2020 Dubai’s strategy to advance worker welfare and health, safety, quality and environment (HSQE) standards, known as Better Together – a programme based on the core values of Care, Respect and Pride.

Tony Aikenhead, Chief Real Estate and Assurance Officer, Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “Better Together is based on the belief that we can only ensure world-class HSQE and worker welfare standards through close collaboration. This involves sharing knowledge and making continuous improvements side by side with our delivery partners, but it also means celebrating our achievements together. That is what the Expo 2020 Dubai Cricket Tournament is all about.”