Cricket Overview
ISD Academy has partnered with ICC Academy, the provider of the highest level of cricket training in the world. Located just down the street from Dubai’s International Stadium, ICC Academy is the leading cricket training facility, offering a bright future for the game of cricket. With two cricket ovals and 38 practice pitches, as well as a state-of-the-art indoor facility with six cricket lanes and high-performance gym, ICCA represents the center of excellence for world cricket.
Through year-round technical and tactical training and competitive cricket, ISD Academy athletes will experience growth in skills and game knowledge faster than anybody in the region. ICC Academy plays host to several professional cricket teams each season, providing our athletes with a rare opportunity to train, interact, and learn with the top players in the world at their sport.
Technology & Facilities
• Two full-size, floodlit, ODI-accredited cricket ovals
• 38 natural turf practice pitches (12 Australian, 12 Pakistani, 4 English, 7 synthetic, and 3 hybrid)
Indoor Cricket Centre:
• 6 cricket lanes offering three types of pitches (batting-friendly, pace-friendly, spin-friendly)
• Convertible to indoor cricket field
• Range of bowling machines for high-performance training
• Batfast: dynamic simulators versatile enough to double up as the ultimate training tool or provide limitless entertainment
• PitchVision: an innovative training platform that facilitates an analytical system consisting of motion-tracking and video analysis, giving players an opportunity to review match performances thereby getting an insight into their strengths and weaknesses instantly
• Powerbase Gym: located in ICC and equipped with Olympic lifting stations, free weights, functional training spaces, range of plyometric throwing and dragging stations, physio & manual therapy spaces
• Eupepsia Performance Lab: state-of-the-art strength and conditioning facility focused on optimizing athletic performance through baseline testing and periodic measurement followed by sport-specific, personalized training program to attack deficiencies and maximize strengths
• Eupepsia Recovery: whole-body cryotherapy, oxygen & hydrogen therapy, compression remedy, magneto therapy, and infrared sauna
• Eupepsia Medical Clinic: sports physiotherapy, recovery, and conditioning, wellness therapies, diet & nutrition, and ayurvedic medicine
Cricket Program Structure
First Term
Technical Development
• Fundamental coaching, technique correction and implementation.
• Specialised sessions to develop specific skills like batting, bowling, fielding, wicket-keeping etc.
• Development of hand-eye coordination and motor skills through specialised drills and routines, to suit the needs of the game.
• Strength and conditioning.
• Video Analysis sessions.
• Use of modern technology for performance enhancement.
• Nutritional awareness.
Player Development
• Development of effective communication skills.
• Development of leadership/captaincy skills.
• Sports medicine and physiotherapy sessions.
• Development of life skills.
• Development of decision-making skills.
• Behold the spirit of the game
Second term
Technical Development
• Improving tactical and technical awareness of the players through sufficient game time and match simulation sessions.
• To enable players to experience team play in different formats and continue to develop their own specialist skills and decision making.
• Develop players who are talented and demonstrate high potential to represent ICC Academy.
• Use of modern technology for performance enhancement.
Player Development
• Development of mental skills.
• Application of sports psychology techniques.
• Sports medicine and physiotherapy sessions.
• Development of life skills.
• Development of decision-making skills.
• Identifying and developing future leaders
• Behold the spirit of the game.
Third term
Technical Development
• Players are challenged through games and testing scenarios to begin specialisation in different formats.
• Match simulation sessions and matches played within the group as well as visiting teams.
• Biomechanics in cricket.
• Use of modern technology for performance enhancement.
Player Development
• Anti-Corruption and Anti-Doping awareness.
• Development of media handling skills.
• Sports medicine and physiotherapy sessions.
• Development of decision-making skills.
• Identifying and developing future leaders
• Behold the spirit of the game
development process
ICC Academy has all the tools to provide cricket players with a platform to elevate their game to a collegiate or professional level, even providing opportunities to represent the UAE national team. ISD Academy student-athletes attend special, individualized daytime training sessions with ICC high-performance coaches and train and compete with the Warriors Elite Performance Program at least five days per week in the evening. They consistently organize inter-academy tournaments and compete in the Emirates Cricket League in January and February against the top-level competition at their age in the UAE. Through groundbreaking technology and developmental coaching, student-athletes will maximize their potential and achieve their desired results!
Warriors Elite Performance Program
ICC Academy’s flagship program, the Warriors develop cricket players faster and more effectively than anyone in the region through fundamental coaching, technique correction, and implementation. Throughout the year, Warriors coaches run personalized sessions to develop specific skills like batting, fast-bowling, spin-bowling, fielding, and wicket-keeping outside of regular training hours. Our players will attend these sessions and camps weekly to develop rapidly and stay ahead of the competition. In practice, ICC Academy emphasizes development of hand-eye coordination and motor skills through specialized drills and routines, simultaneously improving tactical and technical awareness of the players through sufficient game time and match simulation sessions.
International Exposure
ICC Academy plays host to more than 40 international cricket teams each year, providing an incredibly professional training environment for their athletes. Through these interactions with the highest-level professionals in the sport, they will gain influential experience and training habits. The top cricket players in the Academy will have opportunities to compete in friendly games against these teams as well, furthering their experience in elite-level competition.
Twice during the school year, ISD Academy cricket players travel abroad to test their learned skills against international players and teams. They participate in friendly matches, tournaments, and showcases in front of collegiate and professional scouts to achieve the exposure they need to continue playing cricket at the next level following ISD Academy.