Is it a case of "too little, too late" or "better late than never"? The answer, in the context of Tuesday's indefinite suspension of the Indian Premier League, depends on how optimistic or pessimistic one is about life. But the decision to call off the world's richest cricket competition midway through the season, at a time when the coronavirus pandemic is devastating the country in which it is being held, is the right one. And that is what's important, both for India and the game itself.
In February, the number of Covid-19 cases in India began rising, with infections averaging at about 10,000 per day. The situation worsened in April due to several factors, ranging from irresponsible behaviour among the public to the government’s lack of preparedness for a predictable “second wave”. Election rallies, religious festivals and other social gatherings were all held, many of which became superspreader events. Behind the aggregate figures – 20 million people infected and 222,000 dead – are soul-crushing stories of people dying on the streets, sometimes outside hospitals.
Amid this unprecedented crisis, it has puzzled many to see live cricket being broadcast on television from stadiums inside the country. Many within the cricket fraternity and outside have questioned the rationale for the BCCI, the competition organiser, kicking off the season, which started on April 9, in the first place. Even though the tournament was being staged inside bio-secure bubbles, criticism grew louder over the fact it was being held in cities most affected by the pandemic, particularly Delhi.
A woman takes care of her husband who has Covid-19 as they wait outside the casualty ward at Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, in New Delhi, India. Reuters
Family members mourn after a man is declared dead amid a surge in coronavirus cases in India. Reuters
A patient with breathing problems is seen inside a car while waiting to enter a hospital for treatment, amid the spread of the coronavirus in Ahmedabad, India. Reuters
India’s second Covid-19 wave is devastating, with more than new 200,000 coronavirus cases recorded each day. Reuters
Dr Rajesh Bhagchandani, centre, a director at Apex hospital in Bhopal city, intubates a patient. He feels helpless that the hospital, which is now reserved for critically ill Covid-19 patients, cannot accommodate more people who require oxygen. Dr Rajesh Bhagchandani
Dr Himanshu Dewan, director of critical care at QRG hospital in Faridabad, a town near India’s capital New Delhi, says the number of deaths will climb because patients do not have access to treatment. Dr Himanshu Dewan
A health worker arranges oxygen cylinders that are being used for Covid-19 coronavirus patients at a private hospital in Allahabad. AFP
Dr Himanshu Dewan, director of critical care at QRG hospital in Faridabad, a town near India’s capital New Delhi, is acutely aware a patient could die on the road if turned by hospitals that cannot admit more Covid-19 cases . Courtesy: Dr Himanshu Dewan
A man carries an empty oxygen cylinder to get it refilled at a private refilling station, for his relative who is suffering from the coronavirus disease, in New Delhi. Reuters
Patients with breathing problems are seen inside an ambulance waiting to enter a Covid-19 hospital for treatment in Ahmedabad. Reuters
A health worker collects a nasal swab sample from a woman in Amritsar. AFP
An Indian police officer distributes face masks in Hyderabad. AP Photo
A health worker administers the Covidshield vaccine at a government hospital in Hyderabad. AP Photo
People wearing masks wait to test for Covid-19 at a hospital in Hyderabad. AP Photo
A health worker takes a mouth swab sample at a hospital in Hyderabad. AP Photo
Nuns wait to take a test for Covid-19 at a test center in Kolkata, Eastern India. EPA
According to some, ambulances and fully kitted-out mobile-testing centres commissioned to look after the eight competing teams and organisers could no doubt have been activated instead for the public good. Cricket writer and podcaster Siddhartha Vaidyanathan put it best on Twitter, when he said: “A national tragedy is a time for every single resource. Players are being tested every other day. Ambulances wait outside stadiums. Police requirement. These are resources that can save lives. And every life matters.”
Even if going ahead with the IPL was justified – it was surely a welcome distraction for many, at first – its continuation up to this point has been criticised for appearing "tone deaf". In a searing piece for the Hindustan Times, veteran journalist Sharda Ugra wrote: "The IPL plays itself out nightly on our TV screens. Bubble-wrapped into tone deafness in a persistent, foghorn blast for its many sponsors every five minutes, rather than any quiet, measured acknowledgement of the suffering outside its gates."
Indeed, could the presentation have reflected the sombre national mood, by way of mellower live commentary, more thoughtful product placements and regular in-stadia announcements acknowledging the suffering? Absolutely.
Ugra's point has rankled many cricket fans who follow European club football. Some have pointed, with a measure of envy, to the amount of time, money and effort clubs such as Manchester City have invested in the communities they are part of, especially in these hard times.
This may be akin to comparing apples with oranges, however. For, unlike club football, franchise cricket is not played continually throughout the year. Which leaves teams in the IPL and other competitions around the world with much less time and fewer financial resources to plough back into the cities or regions they claim to represent. Surely though, they can follow the lead of one IPL team – Rajasthan Royals – which announced a $1 million contribution towards Covid-19 relief.
The 2021 Indian Premier League was suspended indefinitely on Tuesday but the BCCI are planning to complete the tournament. IPL
As a former sports journalist who covered the game for more than a decade, I often sympathise with cricketers, for we can hardly fathom the pressures they play under, both on and off the field. Indian players, in particular, are always hectored by fans to show more social consciousness and have an opinion on all matters. Yet the radio silence on this matter from some top cricketers, including Indian national team captain Virat Kohli and his deputy, Rohit Sharma, have befuddled me and so many others. This contrasts wildly with India's footballers and other athletes who have provided funds and their own social media accounts to help amplify urgent requests for medial aid.
Kohli's wife, Bollywood star Anushka Sharma, has announced she is starting a "movement", alongside her husband, to eradicate Covid-19. But, the fact that a normally vociferous Kohli has thus far said so little about the current crisis has led to speculation that he is simply showing fealty to the BCCI, the world's richest and most powerful cricket board, and its flagship product, the IPL.
Sport needs a narrative that reflects the society it is meant to serve in order to succeed
True or not, however, none of this is likely to damage the IPL brand, for cricket will continue to be a national pastime. Besides, since its inception in 2008, the tournament has constantly polarised public opinion. Even today, it provokes debate between purists, who prefer the game to be played and presented in a more traditional way, and new-age fans who love its breezy format, franchise model and glitzy presentation.
Many have pointed out that the IPL provides scores of little-known, up-and-coming players with the platform to succeed and financial compensations they would otherwise not have received had they only plied their trade in the country’s more established but poorer domestic competitions. This is true, even if the naysayers scoff at the rich and famous franchise owners, some of whom have had no prior association with the sport. Even those who call the IPL a “Mickey Mouse tournament” that serves only to dilute cricket’s quality and competitiveness concede this fact.
If nothing else, the IPL reminds all Indians that their country, which boasts having the globe's largest cricket economy, commands the world's attention and perhaps even respect.
Which is probably why, despite the broader scope of the debate this time, it is instructive that the IPL was suspended not due to unfavourable public opinion – more than half the viewers opposed it, according to one poll – but because infections were reported inside some of its bubbles.
That said, more than anything else, sport needs a narrative that reflects the society it is meant to serve in order to succeed. Was Indian cricket even cognisant of the tragedy unfolding around it over the past month? That’s for its custodians to reflect on during their time off.
Chitrabhanu Kadalayil is an assistant comment editor at The National
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
Results
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 2,200m; Winner: Gurm, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Al Nafece, Al Muatasm Al Balushi, Mohammed Ramadan
6pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Ashton Tourettes, Adrie de Vries, Ibrahim Aseel
6.30pm: Arabian Triple Crown – Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Ottoman, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7pm: Liwa Oasis – Group 2 (PA) 300,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Hakeemat Muscat, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Ganbaru, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
UAE players with central contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.
Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm)
Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (7pm)
Southampton v Manchester United (7pm)
Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
Swansea City v Watford (7pm)
Leicester City v Liverpool (8.30pm)
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)
Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz