While Asif Khan has unquestionably been the headline act in the UAE team’s rebirth over the past three weeks, he has had the backing of a strong support cast.
The 33-year-old batter has announced himself as an international cricketer of substance with two centuries and a 96 in the space of the past five matches.
Records have tumbled in the process, and it has helped revive his side, who are now one win away from securing one-day international status, and potentially advancing to the Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
In each of the matches in which Asif made his mark so vividly, Vriitya Aravind posted scores of 94, 57 and 93 not out, often largely unnoticed because of the pyrotechnics at the other end.
When Asif made the fastest century ever by an Associate cricket, his 41-ball effort against Nepal in Kathmandu, Aravind was his partner in a stand worth 135.
When Asif made 96 against Namibia on Sunday, it was again in harness with the young wicketkeeper. This time they put on 160.
Given they dovetail so well together, it was a surprise their alliance in the victory in Windhoek was curtailed by a miscommunication when running between the wickets, leaving Asif four short of his century.
“We have played a lot of domestic games together in Ajman, so we know how to play,” Aravind said.
“It was unfortunate he got run out. That was the only negative. I love batting with Asif. He knows my game and I know his, and I think we complement each other.
“In the game against Nepal, I was on 80 and he was on 20. He got a hundred and I was still in the 80s. He knows I will give him strike and back him to do his thing, and it works out pretty well for us.”
Aravind acknowledged he does sometimes feel the urge to try to match Asif’s strike rate. He says batting with him, though, has aided his own return to form.
“It makes my job easier,” Aravind said. “For the past couple of months I haven’t been scoring the runs that I was doing last year. Coming off that phase, I have now started scoring again.
UAE beat Namibia in crucial ODI
“It means I can try to spend time at the crease and take singles when these guys are doing all the six-hitting.
“Sometimes I do get tempted and want to show my muscle as well, and show some authority. But at the end of the day it works out well. If he can hit five sixes out of the ground, it works out well for us.”
Having made 267 for five against Namibia, the tourists knew their fate could be largely dependent on getting Gerhard Erasmus’s wicket early.
The Namibia captain is arguably the leading batter in Associate cricket, having topped the run-scoring charts in Cricket World Cup League 2, which preceded this tournament.
Erasmus did offer a chance when he was on nought after just three balls, but Aravind dropped it. The 20-year-old keeper made no mistake when his rapid glovework saw Erasmus stumped when on 30, off the bowling of Aayan Khan.
“I dropped Erasmus before that, which was massive pressure,” Aravind said. “I didn’t like that. He is the main batsman, the wicket we all look for. As he was spending more time at the crease I was thinking, ‘I can’t make any more mistakes, I have to be on the spot.’
“He just slipped forward, and couldn’t get back inside the crease. That was a game-changing moment. As long as he was there we knew he could take the game deep, and him and [Ruben] Trumpelmann could come and do some damage at the end.
“It was relief. I was thinking, ‘Thank God.’ We have been having good days, and I didn’t want this one to go bad and me be the one messing it up.”
Groom and Two Brides
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Rating: 3/5
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Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
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The biog
Name: Marie Byrne
Nationality: Irish
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption
Book: Seagull by Jonathan Livingston
Life lesson: A person is not old until regret takes the place of their dreams
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Director: S Sashikanth
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Star rating: 2/5
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
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FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
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From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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