Rising Pune Supergiants 163/5 (20/20 ov)
Gujarat Lions 164/3 (18/20 ov)
Gujarat Lions won by 7 wickets (with 12 balls remaining)
Indian Premier League newcomers Gujarat Lions kept up their perfect start to the ninth edition of the competition as they beat fellow debutants Rising Pune Supergiants at Rajkot on Thursday evening.
Gujarat lost the toss and were put in to bowl, but some fine work with both the bat and ball saw them over the line to win by seven wickets with 12 balls to spare.
Pune captain MS Dhoni chose to bat first in the first IPL game at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.
Suresh Raina made three changes to the Gujarat side that beat Kings XI Punjab in Mohali.
Legspinner Pravin Tambe, left-arm spinner Shadab Jakati and batsman Akshdeep Nath were drafted in for Pradeep Sangwan, Sarabjit Ladda and Ishan Kishan.
Supergiants were unchanged from the side that won the tournament opener against Mumbai Indians.
Opener Faf du Plessis helped Pune set a challenging target as his 69 off 43 balls led them to 163 for five.
He was ably helped by Kevin Pietersen (37) before he was bowled by Dwayne Bravo.
The score could and should have been more, but Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh both got out cheaply.
The home side looked in the mood as the went in chase of their target, with Aaron Finch reaching his fifty before getting out without adding to the half-century. Brendon McCullum almost repeated the feat, but was caught off Du Plessis on 49.
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It was left to Bravo and Ravindra Jadeja to finish off Pune and the match finished on a quiet note as, after Bravo had just smashed a six, a wide from bowler RP Singh brought up 164 for five for Gujarat.
“It’s nice to contribute with the bat in two wins,” said Player of the Match Finch.
“It was a beautiful batting wicket.
“It was great batting with Brendon tonight. He is a special player.
I’m much happier that he is in our team. It’s a great start.
“Pune is a strong side that is led well by MS [Dhoni], but the way we’ve played has been pleasing.
“Probably if we can pick a few wickets in the Powerplays, it would be fantastic.
“Jadeja and Bravo have also been brilliant in pulling things back.”
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- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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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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