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
The flights Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Where to buy
Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Five healthy carbs and how to eat them
Brown rice: consume an amount that fits in the palm of your hand
Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli: consume raw or at low temperatures, and don’t reheat
Oatmeal: look out for pure whole oat grains or kernels, which are locally grown and packaged; avoid those that have travelled from afar
Fruit: a medium bowl a day and no more, and never fruit juices
Lentils and lentil pasta: soak these well and cook them at a low temperature; refrain from eating highly processed pasta variants
Courtesy Roma Megchiani, functional nutritionist at Dubai’s 77 Veggie Boutique
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
RESULT
Manchester United 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1
Man United: Sanchez (24' ), Herrera (62')
Spurs: Alli (11')
All matches in Bulawayo Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Other must-tries
Tomato and walnut salad
A lesson in simple, seasonal eating. Wedges of tomato, chunks of cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, coriander or parsley leaves, and perhaps some fresh dill are drizzled with a crushed walnut and garlic dressing. Do consider yourself warned: if you eat this salad in Georgia during the summer months, the tomatoes will be so ripe and flavourful that every tomato you eat from that day forth will taste lacklustre in comparison.
Badrijani nigvzit
A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.
Pkhali
This healthy little dish (a nice antidote to the khachapuri) is usually made with steamed then chopped cabbage, spinach, beetroot or green beans, combined with walnuts, garlic and herbs to make a vegetable pâté or paste. The mix is then often formed into rounds, chilled in the fridge and topped with pomegranate seeds before being served.
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.”
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MATCH INFO
Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD
* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany - At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people - Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed - Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest - He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
The Rub of Time: Bellow, Nabokov, Hitchens, Travolta, Trump and Other Pieces 1986-2016
Martin Amis,
Jonathan Cape
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre Power: 150hp Torque: 250Nm Price: From Dh139,000 On sale: Now
Hotel Data Cloud profile
Date started: June 2016
Founders: Gregor Amon and Kevin Czok
Based: Dubai
Sector: Travel Tech
Size: 10 employees
Funding: $350,000 (Dh1.3 million)
Investors: five angel investors (undisclosed except for Amar Shubar)
