With a cricket ball in hand and an uncanny ability to bamboozle batsmen with express pace and swing, Mohammad Aamer had the world at his feet. However, while he may have been a wonder on the pitch, his antics off it have been less impressive.
Faced with the prospect of losing one's livelihood, most people would stay out of the spotlight.
Aamer, on the other hand, has looked completely inept in the way he has conducted himself, leaving observers wondering who, if anyone, is guiding the youngster through this troubled time.
As if the gravity of "spot-fixing" allegations against him were not enough, Aamer appeared wearing a "Legalise Cannabis" T-shirt during the International Cricket Council (ICC) hearing in Doha - an act of foolishness in itself.
It is possible that the naive Aamer and his defence team wanted to play the "young and immature" card, but what sort of message did that send to the people deciding his fate?
To add to this sorry list of faux-pas is his latest misdemeanour - bowling five overs in a club match in Rawalpindi while serving a ban imposed by the ICC. This invited the immediate wrath of both the ICC and the hapless Pakistan Cricket Board and could possibly endanger any goodwill towards his plight.
As the ICC prepares to announce its verdict on February 5, Aamer and his defence would be well advised to follow the path of Mohammad Asif, his co-accused, who has been nothing but a picture of good behaviour since the events of last summer.
sports@thenational.ae
Tales of Yusuf Tadros
Adel Esmat (translated by Mandy McClure)
Hoopoe
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- 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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Madrid Open schedule
Men's semi-finals
Novak Djokovic (1) v Dominic Thiem (5) from 6pm
Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) v Rafael Nadal (2) from 11pm
Women's final
Simona Halep (3) v Kiki Bertens (7) from 8.30pm
