Will the patriotic passion of 2013 be present?
With protests blowing up across Brazil last summer, the country’s national anthem took on special significance during the Confederations Cup. The Brazilian hymn lasted twice as long as other nations as sold-out crowds sang the second verse a cappella, and it galvanised the team: they scored in the opening 10 minutes in three of their five matches.
One-word answer: Yes.
Can Croatia’s form boys produce for their country?
Luka Modric was arguably the best player on the pitch in Real Madrid’s Uefa Champions League final success and Ivan Rakitic of Sevilla was the best player in the Primera Liga outside of Real, Barcelona and Atletico. If they can produce, Croatia can create. Striker Mario Mandzukic is suspended for the first game, though, so they will have to be even more inventive.
One-word answer: No.
[ For the latest World Cup build-up and team-by-team guides, visit our special website ]
Can Mexico maintain their second-round run?
The Mexicans have progressed to the round of 16 at each of their previous six tournaments, often against the odds. They will look at their Group A opponents and believe it is possible again. The warm temperatures will suit them better than their European counterparts and their pace will cause Cameroon problems.
One-word answer: Yes.
Can Cameroon return to Africa’s top seat?
When Cameroon became the first African team to reach the last eight in 1990, it was assumed they would build on the achievement. Instead, while Senegal and Ghana have duplicated the Indomitable Lions’ feat, Cameroon have withered. They haven’t progressed through their group for 24 years and desperately need to regain some African pride.
One-word answer: No.
Will the hosts handle the pressure?
Brazil won the Confederations Cup last summer, but it should not be forgotten they arrived at the tournament without expectations. Now they are overriding favourites. Any mention of the 1950 World Cup final is off limits in Scolari’s news conferences, so failing in front of their compatriots again is clearly on the camp’s collective mind.
One-word answer: Yes.
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
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Series info
Test series schedule 1st Test, Abu Dhabi: Sri Lanka won by 21 runs; 2nd Test, Dubai: Play starts at 2pm, Friday-Tuesday
ODI series schedule 1st ODI, Dubai: October 13; 2nd ODI, Abu Dhabi: October 16; 3rd ODI, Abu Dhabi: October 18; 4th ODI, Sharjah: October 20; 5th ODI, Sharjah: October 23
T20 series schedule 1st T20, Abu Dhabi: October 26; 2nd T20, Abu Dhabi: October 27; 3rd T20, Lahore: October 29
Tickets Available at www.q-tickets.com
Stat Fourteen Fourteen of the past 15 Test matches in the UAE have been decided on the final day. Both of the previous two Tests at Dubai International Stadium have been settled in the last session. Pakistan won with less than an hour to go against West Indies last year. Against England in 2015, there were just three balls left.
Key battle - Azhar Ali v Rangana Herath Herath may not quite be as flash as Muttiah Muralitharan, his former spin-twin who ended his career by taking his 800th wicket with his final delivery in Tests. He still has a decent sense of an ending, though. He won the Abu Dhabi match for his side with 11 wickets, the last of which was his 400th in Tests. It was not the first time he has owned Pakistan, either. A quarter of all his Test victims have been Pakistani. If Pakistan are going to avoid a first ever series defeat in the UAE, Azhar, their senior batsman, needs to stand up and show the way to blunt Herath.
EMIRATES'S REVISED A350 DEPLOYMENT SCHEDULE
Edinburgh: November 4 (unchanged)
Bahrain: November 15 (from September 15); second daily service from January 1
Kuwait: November 15 (from September 16)
Mumbai: January 1 (from October 27)
Ahmedabad: January 1 (from October 27)
Colombo: January 2 (from January 1)
Muscat: March 1 (from December 1)
Lyon: March 1 (from December 1)
Bologna: March 1 (from December 1)
Source: Emirates
The Case For Trump
By Victor Davis Hanson
Du Football Champions
The fourth season of du Football Champions was launched at Gitex on Wednesday alongside the Middle East’s first sports-tech scouting platform.“du Talents”, which enables aspiring footballers to upload their profiles and highlights reels and communicate directly with coaches, is designed to extend the reach of the programme, which has already attracted more than 21,500 players in its first three years.
Company Profile
Name: Direct Debit System
Started: Sept 2017
Based: UAE with a subsidiary in the UK
Industry: FinTech
Funding: Undisclosed
Investors: Elaine Jones
Number of employees: 8
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
