SHARJAH // A Friday morning fixture in Sharjah between Scotland and Bermuda was never likely to attract a capacity crowd.
With Sachin Tendulkar batting on the television for probably the last time that same morning, they were lucky all the players even turned up.
“I’ve built my whole career around Sachin,” said Lionel Cann, 41, the Bermuda batsman. “He has kept me going. By him prolonging his career I have carried on to become a senior player. The next two days are going to be sad.
“It was tough this morning because I wanted to see everything, I even switched on the TV inside [the dressing room] hoping it was on. He is going to be sadly missed.”
There are plenty of Tendulkar obsessives in the world. Few international cricketers wear their adoration for the Mumbai maestro quite as proudly as Cann does, though.
The 41-year-old batsman has an eight-year-old daughter called India and a four-year-old son named, somewhat predictably, Sachin.
“They both love cricket,” he said. “Hopefully one day they’ll be half as good as Sachin.”
When Bermuda played at the 2007 World Cup, they were drawn in the same group at India and their captain at the time confessed to hoping a catch would not be hit in Cann’s direction.
“Right now I’m hoping Tendulkar does not hit a catch to him because he will probably drop it to watch him bat,” Irving Romaine said in Jamaica back then.
When Cann took guard for Bermuda against Scotland in the opening match of the World Twenty20 Qualifier, he was living out another personal dream.
Standing on the same earth at Sharjah Cricket Stadium as that on which Tendulkar made seven of his 49 one-day international centuries. And Cann managed to channel the spirit of his hero, too, during an innings of 27 which may appear modest numerically, but was a crucial cameo as Bermuda eventually won by 18 runs.
In particular, when he launched Majid Haq, the Scotland off-spinner, over cow corner and on to the tented roof of the grandstand.
The ball bounced out of the stadium and into the neighbouring football ground. Tendulkar would have been proud of that feat.
Cann acknowledged he had been emboldened by the thought of playing at the same venue as the retiring Indian great.
“When I was young, watching cricket on telly, Sharjah hosted most of the matches, the Asia Cups and I got to watch him,” Cann said.
“As soon as you walk in the arena, and are in the same changing room as Sachin has been, and start warming up, and look at the scoreboards, you start to feel it. To bat here, to be a part of where he was such a part of, it is very emotional for me.
“I wish him all the best when he retires, and I will continue on and try to pass on everything I’ve learnt from him to our youngsters.”
pradley@thenational.ae
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Torbal Rayeh Wa Jayeh
Starring: Ali El Ghoureir, Khalil El Roumeithy, Mostafa Abo Seria
Stars: 3
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Total funding: Self funded
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Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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Defenders: Juan Foyth, Nicolas Otamendi, German Pezzella, Nicolas Tagliafico, Ramiro Funes Mori, Renzo Saravia, Marcos Acuna, Milton Casco
Midfielders: Leandro Paredes, Guido Rodriguez, Giovani Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, Roberto Pereyra, Rodrigo De Paul, Angel Di Maria
Forwards: Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Lautaro Martinez, Paulo Dybala, Matias Suarez
Biography
Favourite Meal: Chicken Caesar salad
Hobbies: Travelling, going to the gym
Inspiration: Father, who was a captain in the UAE army
Favourite read: Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter
Favourite film: The Founder, about the establishment of McDonald's
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Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
Match info
Deccan Gladiators 87-8
Asif Khan 25, Dwayne Bravo 2-16
Maratha Arabians 89-2
Chadwick Walton 51 not out
Arabians won the final by eight wickets
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Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Haemoglobin disorders explained
Thalassaemia is part of a family of genetic conditions affecting the blood known as haemoglobin disorders.
Haemoglobin is a substance in the red blood cells that carries oxygen and a lack of it triggers anemia, leaving patients very weak, short of breath and pale.
The most severe type of the condition is typically inherited when both parents are carriers. Those patients often require regular blood transfusions - about 450 of the UAE's 2,000 thalassaemia patients - though frequent transfusions can lead to too much iron in the body and heart and liver problems.
The condition mainly affects people of Mediterranean, South Asian, South-East Asian and Middle Eastern origin. Saudi Arabia recorded 45,892 cases of carriers between 2004 and 2014.
A World Health Organisation study estimated that globally there are at least 950,000 'new carrier couples' every year and annually there are 1.33 million at-risk pregnancies.
The specs
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Torque: 620Nm
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Price: upon application
On sale: now
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Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
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COMPANY PROFILE
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● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
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