• India's Virat Kohli plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy one-day international (ODI) semi-final cricket match between Australia and India at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on March 4, 2025. (Photo by Ryan Lim / AFP)
    India's Virat Kohli plays a shot during the ICC Champions Trophy one-day international (ODI) semi-final cricket match between Australia and India at the Dubai International Stadium in Dubai on March 4, 2025. (Photo by Ryan Lim / AFP)
  • India's KL Rahul (42 not out) and Ravindra Jadeja (two not out) celebrate after the victory over Australia in Dubai. Getty Images
    India's KL Rahul (42 not out) and Ravindra Jadeja (two not out) celebrate after the victory over Australia in Dubai. Getty Images
  • Australia's Cooper Connolly, centre, celebrates the dismissal of India captain Rohit Sharma for 28. AP
    Australia's Cooper Connolly, centre, celebrates the dismissal of India captain Rohit Sharma for 28. AP
  • India's Shreyas Iyer is bowled by Adam Zampa of Australia for 45. Getty Images
    India's Shreyas Iyer is bowled by Adam Zampa of Australia for 45. Getty Images
  • Australia's Marnus Labuschagne of Australia drops a catch off India opener Rohit Sharma. Getty Images
    Australia's Marnus Labuschagne of Australia drops a catch off India opener Rohit Sharma. Getty Images
  • India's Virat Kohli scored 84 off 98 balls including five fours. AP
    India's Virat Kohli scored 84 off 98 balls including five fours. AP
  • Captain Steve Smith top-scored for Australia with 73 off 96 balls, including four fours and a six, as his team were bowled out for 264. AP
    Captain Steve Smith top-scored for Australia with 73 off 96 balls, including four fours and a six, as his team were bowled out for 264. AP
  • Australia batter Alex Carey is run-out by India's Shreyas Iyer (not in picture). AP
    Australia batter Alex Carey is run-out by India's Shreyas Iyer (not in picture). AP
  • India's Axar Patel celebrates after bowling Australia batter Glenn Maxwell for seven. AFP
    India's Axar Patel celebrates after bowling Australia batter Glenn Maxwell for seven. AFP
  • India's Shreyas Iyer takes a catch to dismiss Australia batter Ben Dwarshuis for 19, off the bowling of Varun Chakaravarthy. Reuters
    India's Shreyas Iyer takes a catch to dismiss Australia batter Ben Dwarshuis for 19, off the bowling of Varun Chakaravarthy. Reuters
  • Australia's Alex Carey scored 61 off 57 balls including eight fours and one six. AFP
    Australia's Alex Carey scored 61 off 57 balls including eight fours and one six. AFP
  • India's Ravindra Jadeja, left, celebrates with teammate Virat Kohli after taking the wicket of Australia batter Marnus Labuschagne for 29. AFP
    India's Ravindra Jadeja, left, celebrates with teammate Virat Kohli after taking the wicket of Australia batter Marnus Labuschagne for 29. AFP
  • Australia batter Steve Smith is bowled by India's Mohammed Shami. AP
    Australia batter Steve Smith is bowled by India's Mohammed Shami. AP
  • India fielder Shubman Gill takes a catch to dismiss Australia's Travis Head. AFP
    India fielder Shubman Gill takes a catch to dismiss Australia's Travis Head. AFP
  • Australia's Travis Head hit a quickfire 39 off 33 balls, including five fours and two sixes. AP
    Australia's Travis Head hit a quickfire 39 off 33 balls, including five fours and two sixes. AP
  • India's Shubman Gill , right. celebrates with teammate Hardik Pandya after taking the catch to dismiss Australia opener Travis Head. AFP
    India's Shubman Gill , right. celebrates with teammate Hardik Pandya after taking the catch to dismiss Australia opener Travis Head. AFP

Virat Kohli in runs again as India beat Australia to reach Champions Trophy final in Dubai


Paul Radley
  • English
  • Arabic

Dubai International Stadium will stage the Champions Trophy final on Sunday after India clinched their place by beating Australia.

Virat Kohli’s renaissance continued as he played the innings which underpinned the run chase.

He might have fallen short of a second century in the space of three matches in this competition, but his 98-ball 84 turned the game in India’s favour. They eventually sealed the win by four wickets.

The competition has nominally been hosted by Pakistan. But India’s advance to the final will mean five matches will have been staged on neutral territory in Dubai.

The final, which starts at 1pm on Sunday, will be switched from Lahore, with India set to play the winners of Wednesday's second semi-final, between New Zealand and South Africa.

Much has been made of the advantage India have had by being able to base themselves at one venue for the duration of the event.

Fate has handed some change to their opposition too, though. Steve Smith, Australia’s captain, called correctly ahead of the semi-final.

It was the 14th time in succession Rohit Sharma has lost the toss before a one-day international.

Smith opted to have first use of a wicket which has generally been dusty and conducive to spin throughout the competition.

India again went with an attack packed with slow bowlers. Varun Chakravarthy retained his place after his spectacular five-wicket haul on his tournament debut against New Zealand in the previous game.

He did not get the chance to celebrate quite so many times this time around, but the impact he made was just as vital.

Travis Head has been India’s tormentor so often in the recent past, snatching world titles from them. After a tough start at the hands of Mohammed Shami and Hardik Pandya, he had just started to find his range.

The opener had hit 39 from 32 balls before perishing right at the start of Chakravarthy’s spell.

Australia had to steady the ship once Head had gone, and they had the ideal candidate for it in the form of captain Smith. He anchored the innings with 73 and shared in half-century partnerships with Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey.

Carey’s 57-ball 61 gave the Australians the impetus required to post a testing total.

It would likely have been more than the 264 they were eventually bowled out for were he not run out by a brilliant direct hit by Shreyas Iyer, which brought to mind Martin Guptill’s dismissal of MS Dhoni in the 2019 World Cup semi-final.

India benefitted from some fortune at the start of their reply. Rohit was dropped twice in the first three overs, both difficult chances, by Cooper Connolly and Labuschagne.

Connolly dismissed him soon after, but Kohli was also granted a reprieve when Glenn Maxwell dropped him when diving to his right at full length.

India were 30-1 after five overs when Kohli entered the fray. By the end of his stay, the score was 225-5 with just over seven overs left.

It was the sort of platform on which Pandya usually thrives. The all-rounder launched two sixes straight over long off from the bowling of Adam Zampa, to both thrill the crowd, and settle their nerves.

Pandya also fell just before the job was done, caught on the boundary rope trying to finishing it with the six required.

Instead, it was KL Rahul who did the needful, launching Maxwell over the rope off the first ball of the penultimate over.

Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Results

1. New Zealand Daniel Meech – Fine (name of horse), Richard Gardner – Calisto, Bruce Goodin - Backatorps Danny V, Samantha McIntosh – Check In. Team total First round: 200.22; Second round: 201.75 – Penalties 12 (jump-off 40.16 seconds) Prize €64,000

2. Ireland Cameron Hanley – Aiyetoro, David Simpson – Keoki, Paul Kennedy – Cartown Danger Mouse, Shane Breen – Laith. Team total 200.25/202.84 – P 12 (jump-off 51.79 – P17) Prize €40,000

3. Italy Luca Maria Moneta – Connery, Luca Coata – Crandessa, Simone Coata – Dardonge, Natale Chiaudani – Almero. Team total 130.82/198.-4 – P20. Prize €32,000

HOW%20TO%20ACTIVATE%20THE%20GEMINI%20SHORTCUT%20ON%20CHROME%20CANARY
%3Cp%3E1.%20Go%20to%20%3Cstrong%3Echrome%3A%2F%2Fflags%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E2.%20Find%20and%20enable%20%3Cstrong%3EExpansion%20pack%20for%20the%20Site%20Search%20starter%20pack%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E3.%20Restart%20Chrome%20Canary%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E4.%20Go%20to%20%3Cstrong%3Echrome%3A%2F%2Fsettings%2FsearchEngines%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20in%20the%20address%20bar%20and%20find%20the%20%3Cstrong%3EChat%20with%20Gemini%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20shortcut%20under%20%3Cstrong%3ESite%20Search%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E5.%20Open%20a%20new%20tab%20and%20type%20%40%20to%20see%20the%20Chat%20with%20Gemini%20shortcut%20along%20with%20other%20Omnibox%20shortcuts%20to%20search%20tabs%2C%20history%20and%20bookmarks%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The%20US%20Congress%20explained
%3Cp%3E-%20Congress%20is%20one%20of%20three%20branches%20of%20the%20US%20government%2C%20and%20the%20one%20that%20creates%20the%20nation's%20federal%20laws%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20Congress%20is%20divided%20into%20two%20chambers%3A%20The%20House%20of%20Representatives%20and%20the%20Senate%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%C2%A0The%20House%20is%20made%20up%20of%20435%20members%20based%20on%20a%20state's%20population.%20House%20members%20are%20up%20for%20election%20every%20two%20years%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20A%20bill%20must%20be%20approved%20by%20both%20the%20House%20and%20Senate%20before%20it%20goes%20to%20the%20president's%20desk%20for%20signature%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20A%20political%20party%20needs%20218%20seats%20to%20be%20in%20control%20of%20the%20House%20of%20Representatives%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20The%20Senate%20is%20comprised%20of%20100%20members%2C%20with%20each%20state%20receiving%20two%20senators.%20Senate%20members%20serve%20six-year%20terms%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20A%20political%20party%20needs%2051%20seats%20to%20control%20the%20Senate.%20In%20the%20case%20of%20a%2050-50%20tie%2C%20the%20party%20of%20the%20president%20controls%20the%20Senate%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Imperial%20Island%3A%20A%20History%20of%20Empire%20in%20Modern%20Britain
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Charlotte%20Lydia%20Riley%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Bodley%20Head%3Cbr%3EPages%3A%20384%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company profile

Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

Based: Dubai

Sector: Online grocery delivery

Staff: 200

Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends

The specs: 2018 Audi RS5

Price, base: Dh359,200

Engine: 2.9L twin-turbo V6

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 450hp at 5,700rpm

Torque: 600Nm at 1,900rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 8.7L / 100km

RESULTS
%3Cp%3E%0D5pm%3A%20Deerfields%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(Turf)%202%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Taajer%2C%20Richard%20Mullen%20(jockey)%2C%20Salem%20Al%20Ketbi%20(trainer)%0D%3Cbr%3E5.30pm%3A%20The%20Galleria%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C600m%0D%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Zafaranah%2C%20Antonio%20Fresu%2C%20Musabah%20Al%20Muhairi%0D%3Cbr%3E6pm%3A%20Wathba%20Stallions%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(T)%201%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Ifahat%20Du%20Loup%2C%20Abdul%20Aziz%20Al%20Balushi%2C%20Sulaiman%20Al%20Ghunaimi%0D%3Cbr%3E6.30pm%3A%20Mazyad%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C200m%0D%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20AF%20Majalis%2C%20Tadhg%20O%E2%80%99Shea%2C%20Ernst%20Oertel%0D%3Cbr%3E7pm%3A%20Dalma%20%E2%80%93%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C400m%0D%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Bassam%20Al%20Wathba%2C%20Bernardi%20Pinheiro%2C%20Majed%20Al%20Jahouri%0D%3Cbr%3E7.30pm%3A%20World%20Trade%20Centre%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh80%2C000%20(T)%201%2C400m%0D%3Cbr%3EWinner%3A%20Fawaareq%2C%20Dane%20O%E2%80%99Neill%2C%20Doug%20Watson%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport

Price, base: Dh5.1 million

Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm

Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km

The specs: 2019 Subaru Forester

Price, base: Dh105,900 (Premium); Dh115,900 (Sport)

Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder

Transmission: Continuously variable transmission

Power: 182hp @ 5,800rpm

Torque: 239Nm @ 4,400rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 8.1L / 100km (estimated)

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

Ultra processed foods

- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns 

- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;

- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces

- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,

- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202-litre%204-cylinder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E153hp%20at%206%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E200Nm%20at%204%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6-speed%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6.3L%2F100km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh106%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tips to avoid getting scammed

1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday

2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment

3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone

4) Try not to close the sale at night

5) Don't be rushed into a sale 

6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour

RESULTS

Argentina 4 Haiti 0

Peru 2 Scotland 0

Panama 0 Northern Ireland 0

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press

Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
  1. Join parent networks
  2. Look beyond school fees
  3. Keep an open mind

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.”

Updated: March 04, 2025, 4:48 PM