Aishwaryaa H is a writer for Wisden India contributing IPL commentary to The National for the 2016 season. Here, he offers his talking points after the nine days of matches.
Read more: 2016 Indian Premier League: Updated results, analysis and fixtures in UAE time
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Place displace
After the Bombay High Court ordered that 13 matches scheduled for Maharashtra from May 1 be moved out of the state due to severe drought, the BCCI had to look for other options. The final, originally scheduled in Mumbai on May 29, is set to be shifted to Bangalore, according to Rajeev Shukla, the Indian Premier League chairman. "After speaking to the franchises, we have given them four options: Raipur, Jaipur, Kanpur and Visakhapatnam," said Shukla on the options available to franchises for league matches. Rising Pune Supergiants opted for Visakhapatnam as their new home, while Mumbai Indians have chosen Jaipur. Kings XI Punjab, who were scheduled to play three home matches in Nagpur, will now choose between Mohali, their original home, and Dharamsala.
Chennai Super Kings reunion
The match between Rising Pune Supergiants and Gujarat Lions was a reunion of sorts, both teams replete with stalwarts from the erstwhile Chennai Super Kings. After playing together for eight years, Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni played against each other for the first time in the IPL, with the former ending up on the winning side. Batting first in Rajkot, Pune could not capitalise on a good start, thanks to some disciplined death bowling by Gujarat. Even after Dhoni took Dwayne Bravo for 20 runs in the final over, Pune could manage just 163 for five in 20 overs after being 87 for one in the first 10 overs. An 85-run opening partnership in 8.3 overs between Brendon McCullum and Aaron Finch took the game away from Pune, even as Raina and Bravo came up with useful contributions that helped Gujarat chase down the total in 18 overs. On social media, fans labelled this the #CSKDerby and even Ravindra Jadeja said he felt he was part of a "CSK practice match".
Fantastic Finch
IPL 2016 got its much deserved thriller after a cluster of one-sided games when Gujarat Lions played against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Gujarat had done well to restrict Mumbai to 143 for eight after opting to bowl. The total didn't look intimidating when Aaron Finch and Suresh Raina were together, as both batsmen made sure that the required rate was well under control. But once Raina fell, a mini-collapse ensued, leaving Finch holding fort. Struggling with a hamstring injury/cramps, Finch saw wickets fall around him but continued to play his shots undeterred. Requiring 11 off the last over and limping on one leg, Finch sealed the match with a four off the final delivery after Dhawal Kulkarni had scored a timely boundary earlier in the Jasprit Bumrah over. The result made it three out of three wins for table-toppers Gujarat, and it was also the third straight man-of-the-match award for Finch.
Star performance
Chasing 192 in 20 overs against Royal Challengers Bangalore at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Quinton de Kock notched up the first hundred of IPL 2016. De Kock looked at ease right from the first delivery he faced. His 51-ball 108, with three sixes and 15 fours, helped Delhi Daredevils chase down the target in 19.1 overs, with seven wickets remaining. De Kock became the second youngest player, after Manish Pandey, to score an IPL century. With this win, Delhi climbed up the points table and are currently placed third with two wins in three matches.
Worst display
Pune's performance against Punjab. Opting to bat first on a good surface, Pune posted a below-par 152 against the home side. Barring Faf du Plessis, who also seemed to slow down towards the end, none of the Pune batsmen could get going after getting starts. Pune's bowling did not help their cause either, as they let the opening pair of Murali Vijay and Manan Vohra take the game away with a partnership of 97 runs in 12.2 overs. Though leg-spinner Murugan Ashwin did give Pune a ray of hope by picking up three vital wickets, Glenn Maxwell made sure of Punjab's first win of the season with an unbeaten 32 off just 14 deliveries.
Best catch
One of the bright spots for Bangalore in their loss against Delhi was the relay catch involving Shane Watson and David Wiese. Watson ran back from mid-on to long-on to pouch the catch offered by Shreyas Iyer, a brilliant effort even in isolation. Sensing that the momentum might carry him over the boundary, he threw the ball back in the field of play. Wiese, running all the way back from mid-off, dived to his right and caught the ball, sliding to a stop just millimetres from the boundary rope. The catch of the tournament, easily.
Best quote
“Virat [Kohli] chasing is very dangerous, so is asking them to bat first.” – Zaheer Khan, the Delhi Daredevils captain, after winning the toss and electing to bowl first against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Key game
Mumbai Indians v Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Wankhede Stadium. A batting beauty with two teams which are dependent on their strong batting line-ups could make it a cracker of a match. Bangalore, not the best travellers, will be playing at a venue where Mumbai have lost both their matches this season.
Key statistic
Amit Mishra, the Delhi Daredevils leg-spinner, played his 100th IPL match when he turned out against Kings XI Punjab, and Virat Kohli reached 1,653 runs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium – the most by a player at a venue in Twenty20s – but it was the Pandyas, Hardik and Krunal, who caused the most excitement by becoming the first brothers in IPL history to play for the same side.
Results
2.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m
Winner Lamia, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
3pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,000m
Winner Jap Al Afreet, Elione Chaves, Irfan Ellahi.
3.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m
Winner MH Tawag, Bernardo Pinheiro, Elise Jeanne.
4pm Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 2,000m
Winner Skygazer, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
4.30pm The Ruler of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh250,000 1,700m
Winner AF Kal Noor, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
5pm Sharjah Marathon (PA) Dh70,000 2,700m
Winner RB Grynade, Bernardo Pinheiro, Eric Lemartinel.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
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Company%20profile
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THE%20SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%204.4-litre%20twin-turbo%20V8%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20653hp%20at%205%2C400rpm%0D%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20800Nm%20at%201%2C600-5%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3ETransmission%3A%208-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E0-100kph%20in%204.3sec%0D%3Cbr%3ETop%20speed%20250kph%0D%3Cbr%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20NA%0D%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Q2%202023%0D%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh750%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: SimpliFi
Started: August 2021
Founder: Ali Sattar
Based: UAE
Industry: Finance, technology
Investors: 4DX, Rally Cap, Raed, Global Founders, Sukna and individuals
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
Scoreline
Saudi Arabia 1-0 Japan
Saudi Arabia Al Muwallad 63’
Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
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.
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (All UAE kick-off times)
Borussia Dortmund v Eintracht Frankfurt (11.30pm)
Saturday
Union Berlin v Bayer Leverkusen (6.30pm)
FA Augsburg v SC Freiburg (6.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Werder Bremen (6.30pm)
SC Paderborn v Hertha Berlin (6.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Wolfsburg (6.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Borussia Monchengladbach (9.30pm)
Sunday
Cologne v Bayern Munich (6.30pm)
Mainz v FC Schalke (9pm)
RACE SCHEDULE
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday, September 29
First practice: 7am - 8.30am
Second practice: 11am - 12.30pm
Saturday, September 30
Qualifying: 1pm - 2pm
Sunday, October 1
Race: 11am - 1pm
Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
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