We are at the end of an incredible year in the world of cricket.
Many amazing performances and a few forgettable ones made 2021 a year to remember. Quite a lot happened over the last 12 months. Below is a list of the highs and lows of the year:
THE GOOD
New Zealand the champions of cricket
They won the World Test championship in 2021. Came agonisingly close to lifting the 50-over World title in 2019. And lost to Australia in the T20 World Cup final in Dubai this year. The Black Caps are quite simply the best team of the modern generation. No other team has come close to them in terms of consistency at major tournaments. Just enjoy this vintage group of Kiwi cricketers.
Rizwan the star
The year belonged to Pakistan wicketkeeper Mohammed Rizwan. He shattered the record for most T20 runs in a calendar year - his tally of 1326 almost 400 more than the next best Babar Azam, also in 2021 – and became the cog around which Pakistan cricket’s wheel turned. His ever present smile cleverly masked a ruthless batting machine, who is set to dominate all formats.
UAE launches T20 League
The UAE has hosted many top-tier tournaments. It was time to get their very own T20 franchise league. And the Emirates Cricket Board has delivered, in the form of Premier League T20 – a six-team tournament that is scheduled to start early next year. It is indeed a high-profile league, with IPL franchises, Glazer family of Manchester United and other big names involved.
Another format
We have T20 and T10. Can’t have T5, so how about The Hundred? England attempted to revamp the game and give a new product to cricket fans who have a number of options to choose from. Southern Brave claimed the inaugural men's title at Lord's, but the response to the innovative 100-ball format was mixed. As every league in the world has realised, having the best players from across the world for the entire tournament is the only formula for success.
Pakistan beat India at World Cup
Records are meant to be broken. This one took a long time though. After losing to India in 12 World Cup matches, Pakistan finally won one against their arch rivals. And what a victory it was in Dubai. A sensational new-ball burst by Shaheen Afridi and then an unbeaten century stand between the irrepressible Babar Azam and Mohammed Rizwan completed a 10-wicket win.
Depleted India’s miracle win in Australia
By the end of the Border Gavaskar series, India barely had 11 fit players to take field, such was the length of their injury list. And despite getting bowled out for 36 in Adelaide, the India reserve team mounted of the best comebacks to win the series 2-1 against a full strength Aussie side. Washington Sundar, T Natarajan and Shardul Thakur might not end up with hefty Test careers but played their part in one of the greatest Test heists.
Aussies win elusive T20 trophy
Not many backed the Aussies to shine at the World Cup in the UAE, with the men in gold and green making it to the knockouts on net run rate. They seemed down and out in the semi-final against an in-form Pakistan. Then Matthew Wade hit three audacious sixes against pacer of the tournament Shaheen Afridi to clinch a thrilling chase. In the final, Josh Hazlewood’s three-for restricted Black Caps 172, leaving David Warner and Mitchell Marsh to secure the elusive T20 world title.
UAE the place to be
As the world struggled to contain the pandemic effectively, the UAE became a safe destination for sporting events of all disciplines. The Indian Premier League was called off earlier in the year following a surge in cases within the teams. The T20 World Cup also could not be held in India. Both tournaments were moved to the UAE, and held back-to-back towards the end of the year. The ability of the UAE to host world-class events is truly unparalleled.
Ajaz’s perfect 10
Only two players in the century-plus history of Test cricket had picked up 10 wickets in an innings. New Zealand left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel became the third, against India. Even though the Kiwis lost miserably in the Mumbai Test, they now have one of the most coveted records in cricket. Incredibly, Patel was dropped from the squad for the next series against Bangladesh.
THE BAD
Kohli out … almost
He had just guided the Indians to a 2-1 Test series lead in England. But this was a year where Virat Kohli the captain lost considerable ground. He decided to relinquish India’s T20 captaincy at the end of the World Cup and also announced that the IPL in UAE would be his last as skipper of Bangalore. After India failed miserably in the UAE, the writing was on the wall and Kohli was pushed out of the ODI leadership post as well, and quite ruthlessly. He is still the Test captain but not with as firm a grip as before.
Afghanistan turmoil
When the Taliban took over control of Afghanistan, the fate of its cricketers was not clear. The political upheaval happened very close to the T20 World Cup, which was far from ideal. But the Afghans did play in the UAE, and gave a good account of themselves by thrashing Scotland by a massive 130 runs and coming close to defeating Pakistan. They truly are a tough bunch of cricketers.
End of an era
No one embodies T20 cricket quite like the West Indies do. Two World Cup titles are proof of that. But the sticky surfaces in the UAE made power hitting very difficult, negating the Caribbean team’s strength to a great degree. Even with T20 mega stars Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell and Kieron Pollard, the Windies were blown away – getting dismissed for 55 by England the lowest point.
Trail by spin
England toured India earlier in the year, eyeing a spot in the World Test Championship final at home. They started well, winning emphatically in Chennai. But in the next three Tests, India went for something resembling a scorched earth policy. Out came the rank turners, especially in the last two Tests in Ahmedabad where Joe Root took 5-8 with his off-spin. Left-arm spinner Axar Patel was a nightmare with the skiddy pink ball, taking 27 wickets in six innings at an average of 10 as India won the series 3-1 and qualified for the WTC final. Don’t think it was great cricket, to be honest.
Pandemic going nowhere
Cricket has barely got back on its feet. But a new wave of coronavirus cases is threatening to wreak havoc. Pakistan’s ODI series against the West Indies was postponed as their opponents did not have enough players to take the field after an outbreak in the squad. The Ashes has seen cases in the broadcast crew and media. The next few months could be brutal.
Paine-ful exit
Tim Paine was entrusted with the task of rebuilding Australian cricket’s image in the aftermath of the ball-tampering scandal. He did that to the best of his abilities, but a texting scandal on the eve of the Ashes made his position as Australia Test captain – considered the second most important job in the country after that of the prime minister – untenable. And just like that, the man who resurrected Australian cricket was gone.
Pranks go mainstream
It started off as a seemingly innocent pitch invasion by a prankster who goes by the name of Jarvo during the second Test between England and India at Lord’s. Turns out, he is a YouTuber with a decent following, and he did that over the next two Tests, ending up running into Jonny Bairstow and getting arrested. He has moved on to disrupting other sporting events, and is getting more clicks than ever.
Bangladesh’s home strategy
Bangladesh had an utterly forgettable T20 World Cup in the UAE. But the year promised a lot more, with the Tigers hammering Australia 4-1 and then the Kiwis 3-2 on some substandard pitches at home. Watching teams struggle to score 120 in a T20 match made for some remarkable viewing, although it got painful to watch after a point.
MEANWHILE ...
Moving on
Some very big names decided to quit the international game this year. South Africa’s AB De Villiers, Mr Cricket if there ever was one, called time on a remarkable career where absolutely nothing was beyond his reach with the bat or in the field. Caribbean star Dwayne Bravo’s T20 calypso won’t entertain us anymore. Australia quick James Pattinson has called it quits as well. And towards the end of the year, India’s World Cup winner Harbhajan Singh retired from the game. The list is long, and full of nostalgia.
Remembering the greats
Unfortunately, cricket bid the final goodbye to some loyal practitioners in 2021. Australia Test greats Ashley Mallett and Alan Davidson, India’s 1983 World Cup hero Yashpal Sharma and legendary England players Ted Dexter and Ray Illingworth passed away this year. That game will be poorer in their absence.
Even more IPL
If you thought the Indian Premier League leaves a disproportionately large imprint on international cricket, wait for 2022 when there will be 10 teams competing after two new franchises were announced. More matches will mean a bigger slice of the calendar for the T20 league, which is great news for Indian cricket stakeholders, but not so for the rest of the world.
The forever cycle
Get used to having a major ICC tournament every year in the immediate future. There is the T20 World Cup in Australia next year and the 50-over World Cup in India the year after. Then, you get an ICC event every single year – T20 World Cup, 50-over World Cup, Champions Trophy – until 2031. Forget about build-up or planning for a cycle. Cricket and fans are on the hamster wheel now.
Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
----
Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
----
Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
The biog
Occupation: Key marker and auto electrician
Hometown: Ghazala, Syria
Date of arrival in Abu Dhabi: May 15, 1978
Family: 11 siblings, a wife, three sons and one daughter
Favourite place in UAE: Abu Dhabi
Favourite hobby: I like to do a mix of things, like listening to poetry for example.
Favourite Syrian artist: Sabah Fakhri, a tenor from Aleppo
Favourite food: fresh fish
Simran
Director Hansal Mehta
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Soham Shah, Esha Tiwari Pandey
Three stars
Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
Teri%20Baaton%20Mein%20Aisa%20Uljha%20Jiya
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amit%20Joshi%20and%20Aradhana%20Sah%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECast%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shahid%20Kapoor%2C%20Kriti%20Sanon%2C%20Dharmendra%2C%20Dimple%20Kapadia%2C%20Rakesh%20Bedi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
%3Cp%3EElena%20Rybakina%20(Kazakhstan)%3Cbr%3EOns%20Jabeur%20(Tunisia)%3Cbr%3EMaria%20Sakkari%20(Greece)%3Cbr%3EBarbora%20Krej%C4%8D%C3%ADkov%C3%A1%20(Czech%20Republic)%3Cbr%3EBeatriz%20Haddad%20Maia%20(Brazil)%3Cbr%3EJe%C4%BCena%20Ostapenko%20(Latvia)%3Cbr%3ELiudmila%20Samsonova%3Cbr%3EDaria%20Kasatkina%3Cbr%3EVeronika%20Kudermetova%3Cbr%3ECaroline%20Garcia%20(France)%3Cbr%3EMagda%20Linette%20(Poland)%3Cbr%3ESorana%20C%C3%AErstea%20(Romania)%3Cbr%3EAnastasia%20Potapova%3Cbr%3EAnhelina%20Kalinina%20(Ukraine)%3Cbr%3EJasmine%20Paolini%20(Italy)%3Cbr%3EEmma%20Navarro%20(USA)%3Cbr%3ELesia%20Tsurenko%20(Ukraine)%3Cbr%3EEmma%20Raducanu%20(Great%20Britain)%20%E2%80%93%20wildcard%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Director: Kushan Nandy
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami
Three stars
Spider-Man%202
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Insomniac%20Games%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%20Sony%20Interactive%20Entertainment%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPlayStation%205%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km
Price: from Dh285,000
On sale: from January 2022
The specs: 2018 Maxus T60
Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder
Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm
Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km
How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
The winners
Fiction
- ‘Amreekiya’ by Lena Mahmoud
- ‘As Good As True’ by Cheryl Reid
The Evelyn Shakir Non-Fiction Award
- ‘Syrian and Lebanese Patricios in Sao Paulo’ by Oswaldo Truzzi; translated by Ramon J Stern
- ‘The Sound of Listening’ by Philip Metres
The George Ellenbogen Poetry Award
- ‘Footnotes in the Order of Disappearance’ by Fady Joudah
Children/Young Adult
- ‘I’ve Loved You Since Forever’ by Hoda Kotb
WHY%20AAYAN%20IS%20'PERFECT%20EXAMPLE'
%3Cp%3EDavid%20White%20might%20be%20new%20to%20the%20country%2C%20but%20he%20has%20clearly%20already%20built%20up%20an%20affinity%20with%20the%20place.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EAfter%20the%20UAE%20shocked%20Pakistan%20in%20the%20semi-final%20of%20the%20Under%2019%20Asia%20Cup%20last%20month%2C%20White%20was%20hugged%20on%20the%20field%20by%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20the%20team%E2%80%99s%20captain.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EWhite%20suggests%20that%20was%20more%20a%20sign%20of%20Aayan%E2%80%99s%20amiability%20than%20anything%20else.%20But%20he%20believes%20the%20young%20all-rounder%2C%20who%20was%20part%20of%20the%20winning%20Gulf%20Giants%20team%20last%20year%2C%20is%20just%20the%20sort%20of%20player%20the%20country%20should%20be%20seeking%20to%20produce%20via%20the%20ILT20.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20is%20a%20delightful%20young%20man%2C%E2%80%9D%20White%20said.%20%E2%80%9CHe%20played%20in%20the%20competition%20last%20year%20at%2017%2C%20and%20look%20at%20his%20development%20from%20there%20till%20now%2C%20and%20where%20he%20is%20representing%20the%20UAE.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20was%20influential%20in%20the%20U19%20team%20which%20beat%20Pakistan.%20He%20is%20the%20perfect%20example%20of%20what%20we%20are%20all%20trying%20to%20achieve%20here.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20about%20the%20development%20of%20players%20who%20are%20going%20to%20represent%20the%20UAE%20and%20go%20on%20to%20help%20make%20UAE%20a%20force%20in%20world%20cricket.%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
'Lost in Space'
Creators: Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless, Irwin Allen
Stars: Molly Parker, Toby Stephens, Maxwell Jenkins
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh1,100,000 (est)
Engine 5.2-litre V10
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch
Power 630bhp @ 8,000rpm
Torque 600Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 15.7L / 100km (est)
Palestine and Israel - live updates
Mobile phone packages comparison
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 370Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 3.9 seconds
Price: Dh230,000
On sale: now
