Saying the future looks bright for UAE women’s cricket feels like it is underselling the point given that a 14-year-old schoolgirl bowled them to the next phase of T20 World Cup qualifying.
Samaira Dharnidharka, who was granted time off from her Year 10 studies at Gems Winchester to play, took four wickets for five runs in a sparkling spell at the ICC Academy.
It set the seal on a dominant 48-run win for the national team over Nepal, as they clinched a clean-sweep in the Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier.
Their rousing success means they will advance to the global Qualifier, to be played next year. If they finish in the top two places in that eight-team competition, they will play at the 2023 T20 World Cup in South Africa.
Their success was built on collective effort, not least in the form of some fine young talent.
The 17-year-old opener Theertha Satish was the tournament’s leading run-scorer. Nineteen-year-old Khushi Sharma took the most wickets.
And, when the pressure was on in the decider against Nepal, it was a 14-year-old bowler who settled the nerves with a four-wicket salvo.
“I just took it as a normal game, and — as a 14-year-old — you want to create a long-lasting impression,” Dharnidharka said.
“My aim was to hit the deck and keep bowling dots. If I did that, we knew wickets would come, so I wanted to keep building pressure.
“I have had to miss school, but they are really proud of me.”
Rarely for a match involving Nepal in the UAE, the home team had the noisier support.
Indeed the cheer squad which followed the UAE’s matches over the past week far exceeded anything the men’s team have had in the past.
It included choreographed songs, and the accompaniment of a portable speaker. They sung “That’s the way, Maahi ve,” when Mahika Gaur, the exceptional 15-year-old left-armer, was bowling.
There were placards with various messages, including “Khushi strikes again” whenever she took a wicket.
“It is awesome,” Dharnidharka said of the support. “It feels great to have such a lot of support. You get extra motivation and it creates pressure on the other team.”
For all the excellence of the young players during the course of the tournament, UAE’s success was overseen by the assured figure of Chamani Seneviratna.
The 43-year-old all-rounder, who played six World Cups for Sri Lanka in the past before moving to Sharjah, saved her best for the final match.
She earned the player of the match award against Nepal after her 36-ball 52 took UAE to 127 for five. She then took two for six with the ball as Nepal were bowled out for 79.
“We have talented players but I think we need to raise our standard when we are going to the global Qualifier,” Seneviratna said.
“We have to work towards that, and keep enjoying ourselves. We have good, talented players and I think we have a positive future to look forward to.
“Playing with these youngsters, I just tell them to settle, to stay at the wicket, and once they are settled that’s when they can play a long innings.
“They can take advantage of when they are playing with me, and share their ideas with me, and that makes things easier.”
Immediately after sealing victory, the team received a Zoom call from Robin Singh, the UAE head coach who was on tour with the men’s side in Namibia.
“We had a plan and, thanks to God, we achieved that goal,” Najeeb Amar, Singh’s assistant, who was in charge of the women’s side, said.
“The best of it was it was completely a team effort. They listened well to whatever the plans were and implemented them in the field.
“The highlight today was Samaira. We kept her for this game, and we knew what she could do. She delivered it, and I am really proud of her.”
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
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Rating: 2.5/5
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
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Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani
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Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
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How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
