It was bat against ball, but not as we knew it. Professional baseball made its debut in the region on Friday night at a cricket stadium in Dubai Sports City that had been specially reappointed for two nights only.
A decent-sized crowd came to watch the opening night of Baseball United’s All-Star Showcase. It was evenly split between those who couldn’t believe what they were seeing and those who couldn’t really understand what they were seeing.
There were the baseball diehards who were reveling in having their favourite pastime played out in front of them for the first time in the Middle East.
They were appreciating Bartolo Colon, the 50-year-old starting pitcher and four-time MLB all-star, dusting off some of his old hits.
They also might have been wondering if the sight of eight-time all-star Robinson Cano making a comeback on a playing field in the desert was just a mirage.
And then there were those who were trying to figure out why the umpires weren’t signaling four when the ball hit the fence. And trying to work out what precisely the pitcher was aiming for.
And also how they had such a good view of the action. It has been said by baseball fans that there are no good seats at cricket, essentially because all the action happens a good 70 metres away from the front row.
On Friday night, the majority of spectators were sat behind – or at least close enough - to home plate. They could feel the whizz of a fastball and the swish of the bat far more intimately than in cricket.
Some were closer still to the action. A few metres outside the foul lines on either side of the field were “cabanas” from where spectators could have a meal while watching the game.
Kash Shaikh, the founder of Baseball United, had promised to bring “a little bit of Americana to Dubai”. But the cabanas felt more of a nod to Dubai and its high-end hospitality sector. They were the poshest of posh seats.
The Emirates Cricket Board have agreed a 15-year deal with Baseball United. That should provide plenty of scope for borrowing ways to market their own sport.
Because of the contrast between those who knew what was going on and those trying to make sense of it all, the game meant different things to different people.
Halfway through the first inning, Courtney Hawkins made what was heralded on the tannoy as the “historic first base hit”. The Dubai Police band, situated in the stand at what would be right field for a baseball player - or mid-off for a cricketer - responded with a rendition of 'The Final Countdown'.
Steven Moya completed the first run. Shortly after that, the band played Michael Jackson’s 'Thriller'. For the uninitiated who were trying to get to grips with the scoring system, it was unclear whether or not they were being ironic.
For many in that group, the game really started in the fifth inning, when the “prospect players” were given their chance to impact proceedings.
Especially given that it immediately pitted India against Pakistan. Akshay More, one of three Indians involved, took to the mound to pitch. Facing him was a player by the lone name of Wahid, from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Wahid learnt baseball from his older brother, who was introduced to it at university in Pakistan. He has clearly learnt it well, given how he managed to navigate the bases to score his side’s first run.
He walked to first base after four pitches outside of the strike zone by More. Then he picked up two more bases after More erred with his throw to first base when he thought Wahid was stealing ground. The overthrow ended up by a cabana instead.
Wahid went on to complete his side’s first run. It started a comeback which ended up with them winning the match, late in the evening in Dubai.
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.”
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday, February 8 v Kenya; Friday, February 9 v Canada; Sunday, February 11 v Nepal; Monday, February 12 v Oman; Wednesday, February 14 v Namibia; Thursday, February 15 final
The Dictionary of Animal Languages
Heidi Sopinka
Scribe
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
Tales of Yusuf Tadros
Adel Esmat (translated by Mandy McClure)
Hoopoe
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
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- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
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- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Director: Paul Weitz
Stars: Kevin Hart
3/5 stars
A general guide to how active you are:
Less than 5,000 steps - sedentary
5,000 - 9,999 steps - lightly active
10,000 - 12,500 steps - active
12,500 - highly active
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Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
