• Germany's Muslim Yar bowls during the T20 World Cup Qualifier play-off match between Canada and Germany in Muscat, Oman, on February 22, 2022. Subas Humagain for The National
    Germany's Muslim Yar bowls during the T20 World Cup Qualifier play-off match between Canada and Germany in Muscat, Oman, on February 22, 2022. Subas Humagain for The National
  • Muslim Yar of Germany fields during the T20 World Cup Qualifier play-off against Canada. Subas Humagain for The National
    Muslim Yar of Germany fields during the T20 World Cup Qualifier play-off against Canada. Subas Humagain for The National
  • Muslim Yar during Germany's play-off with Canada. Subas Humagain for The National
    Muslim Yar during Germany's play-off with Canada. Subas Humagain for The National
  • Muslim Yar of Germany chats to a teammate during the T20 World Cup Qualifier play-off against Canada. Subas Humagain for The National
    Muslim Yar of Germany chats to a teammate during the T20 World Cup Qualifier play-off against Canada. Subas Humagain for The National
  • Muslim Yar fields for Germany during the play-off match with Canada. Subas Humagain for The National
    Muslim Yar fields for Germany during the play-off match with Canada. Subas Humagain for The National
  • Muslim Yar of Germany during the T20 World Cup Qualifier play-off against Canada in Muscat. Subas Humagain for The National
    Muslim Yar of Germany during the T20 World Cup Qualifier play-off against Canada in Muscat. Subas Humagain for The National
  • Germany's Muslim Yar collects the ball during the play-off against Canada. Subas Humagain for The National
    Germany's Muslim Yar collects the ball during the play-off against Canada. Subas Humagain for The National
  • Leg-spinner Muslim Yar of Germany bowls against Canada. Subas Humagain for The National
    Leg-spinner Muslim Yar of Germany bowls against Canada. Subas Humagain for The National
  • Muslim Yar of Germany during the play-off against Canada. Subas Humagain for The National
    Muslim Yar of Germany during the play-off against Canada. Subas Humagain for The National
  • Muslim Yar of Germany celebrates with teammates during the match against Canada. Subas Humagain for The National
    Muslim Yar of Germany celebrates with teammates during the match against Canada. Subas Humagain for The National

It means a lot to me to play cricket for Germany, says Afghan-born refugee Muslim Yar


Paul Radley
  • English
  • Arabic

When asked exactly what representing Germany at cricket means to him, Muslim Yar unconsciously adjusts his red cap with the black eagle crest. He puffs out his chest, across which “Deutschland” is picked out in red letters on a black shirt. Most noticeably, he wears a broad, proud smile.

“It is my country,” he says. “I wished a lot that I could play for Afghanistan, but it could not happen.

“I love cricket. I got a chance in Germany. When I arrived, I found some clubs and after that, slowly, slowly I have made my way through to the German national team.

“It means a lot for me to represent Germany. The country has already given me a lot. It is like my country now.”

Muslim arrived in Germany, via Turkey, six years ago during the so-called “long summer of migration” which saw over 250,000 Afghan refugees admitted to the country.

He has not been back to the country of his birth since. Which means six years without seeing his family, other than on the small-screen devices used for Skype or FaceTime – or, in the case of his brother, on the television.

With his age officially registered as 27, Sharafuddin Ashraf is approximately five years older than Muslim. To say the younger brother looks up to him is an understatement.

He is - like Muslim - a left-arm spinner, after all. And a good one, too. Sharafuddin has played 29 times for Afghanistan, including at the T20 World Cup in the UAE last year, when he was summoned as the replacement for retiring captain Asghar Afghan. All of which makes him a mine of expertise for his doting brother.

“I talked to him before our first game,” said Muslim, during the T20 World Cup Qualifier in Oman this week.

“He gave me some tips, told me where to put my fielders and how to bowl, and about the conditions because he has played a lot in Oman. His experience was good for me.”

Germany's Muslim Yar during the playoff match against Canada. Subas Humagain for The National
Germany's Muslim Yar during the playoff match against Canada. Subas Humagain for The National

This week, Muslim’s family will have had the chance to see him in action, too. Or at least for as much time as they were permitted by the faltering livestream of the matches from Muscat.

Germany lost four of their five games in the competition, but, according to the UAE captain Ahmed Raza “this is only the beginning for German cricket,” and “it has massive potential to shine at the top level”.

Not least because of the skills imported by the likes of Muslim. According to UN Refugee Agency figures, 147,994 Afghan refugees lived in Germany in 2020. The number is lower than the influx after 2015 because of factors including forced and voluntary returns to Afghanistan, as well as onward migration to new countries.

Afghans have helped propel the Germany team to a level they had rarely hinted at reaching before. And it means they have had an unlikely cheer squad in south Asia, too.

“When there is peace, I will go back to visit my family,” Muslim said.

“They miss me a lot. I spoke to them before the games, and told them I had a match and asked for them to pray for me. They said they prayed for me.

“I told them it was live and they could watch on FanCode. But internet is not so good in Afghanistan. They followed on cricinfo, and they sent me a message saying: ‘You lost again!’

“But they are very proud of me. The thing is, in Germany, not many people know about cricket. If they did, they would be proud of us as well.”

Muslim Yar of Germany bowls against Canada. Subas Humagain for The National
Muslim Yar of Germany bowls against Canada. Subas Humagain for The National

The German side is made up of roofers, chefs, students and a few ex-professionals, who can only think about training for cricket after finishing their day jobs. All of which makes the fact they challenged all of the sides they faced in the Qualifier, including UAE, all the more impressive.

“We have been here to learn and enjoy the experience of playing against such sides,” said Venkatraman Ganesh, who is an IT professional when he is not captaining Germany at cricket.

“Ireland are a Full Member, a Test-playing nation. There is nothing bigger than that. That is enough motivation for the boys to fight hard.”

Muslim is an apprentice engineer, although that is not his ultimate career aspiration.

“We would like to be professional players,” he said. “We want to play like this because we love the game. If we play more, we can be better than we are now.

“At the moment we are part-time. We go to our job before we play cricket. A couple of years ago, UAE was also like that.

"Now they are professionals, just playing cricket. It is our dream that one day we will be like that.”

Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.

A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.

Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.

A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.

On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.

The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.

Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.

The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later. 

The specs

Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8

Power: 611bhp

Torque: 620Nm

Transmission: seven-speed automatic

Price: upon application

On sale: now

The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet

Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder

Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm

Transmission: Nine-speed automatic

Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km

DUBAI%20BLING%3A%20EPISODE%201
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENetflix%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKris%20Fade%2C%20Ebraheem%20Al%20Samadi%2C%20Zeina%20Khoury%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Western Clubs Champions League:

  • Friday, Sep 8 - Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Bahrain
  • Friday, Sep 15 – Kandy v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
  • Friday, Sep 22 – Kandy v Bahrain
Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

Brief scores:

Day 2

England: 277 & 19-0

West Indies: 154

Monday's results
  • UAE beat Bahrain by 51 runs
  • Qatar beat Maldives by 44 runs
  • Saudi Arabia beat Kuwait by seven wickets
Company profile

Name: Back to Games and Boardgame Space

Started: Back to Games (2015); Boardgame Space (Mark Azzam became co-founder in 2017)

Founder: Back to Games (Mr Azzam); Boardgame Space (Mr Azzam and Feras Al Bastaki)

Based: Dubai and Abu Dhabi 

Industry: Back to Games (retail); Boardgame Space (wholesale and distribution) 

Funding: Back to Games: self-funded by Mr Azzam with Dh1.3 million; Mr Azzam invested Dh250,000 in Boardgame Space  

Growth: Back to Games: from 300 products in 2015 to 7,000 in 2019; Boardgame Space: from 34 games in 2017 to 3,500 in 2019

WITHIN%20SAND
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Moe%20Alatawi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Ra%E2%80%99ed%20Alshammari%2C%20Adwa%20Fahd%2C%20Muhand%20Alsaleh%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
  1. Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
  2. Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
  3. Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
  4. Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
  5. Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
  6. The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
  7. Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

%E2%80%98FSO%20Safer%E2%80%99%20-%20a%20ticking%20bomb
%3Cp%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20has%20been%20moored%20off%20the%20Yemeni%20coast%20of%20Ras%20Issa%20since%201988.%3Cbr%3EThe%20Houthis%20have%20been%20blockading%20UN%20efforts%20to%20inspect%20and%20maintain%20the%20vessel%20since%202015%2C%20when%20the%20war%20between%20the%20group%20and%20the%20Yemen%20government%2C%20backed%20by%20the%20Saudi-led%20coalition%20began.%3Cbr%3ESince%20then%2C%20a%20handful%20of%20people%20acting%20as%20a%20%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.ae%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D%26ved%3D2ahUKEwiw2OfUuKr4AhVBuKQKHTTzB7cQFnoECB4QAQ%26url%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.thenationalnews.com%252Fworld%252Fmena%252Fyemen-s-floating-bomb-tanker-millions-kept-safe-by-skeleton-crew-1.1104713%26usg%3DAOvVaw0t9FPiRsx7zK7aEYgc65Ad%22%20target%3D%22_self%22%3Eskeleton%20crew%3C%2Fa%3E%2C%20have%20performed%20rudimentary%20maintenance%20work%20to%20keep%20the%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20intact.%3Cbr%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%20is%20connected%20to%20a%20pipeline%20from%20the%20oil-rich%20city%20of%20Marib%2C%20and%20was%20once%20a%20hub%20for%20the%20storage%20and%20export%20of%20crude%20oil.%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EThe%20%3Cem%3ESafer%3C%2Fem%3E%E2%80%99s%20environmental%20and%20humanitarian%20impact%20may%20extend%20well%20beyond%20Yemen%2C%20experts%20believe%2C%20into%20the%20surrounding%20waters%20of%20Saudi%20Arabia%2C%20Djibouti%20and%20Eritrea%2C%20impacting%20marine-life%20and%20vital%20infrastructure%20like%20desalination%20plans%20and%20fishing%20ports.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
AIDA%20RETURNS
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MATCH INFO

What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany

Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)

Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

Company profile

Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

Based: Dubai

Sector: Online grocery delivery

Staff: 200

Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

if you go

The flights 

Etihad and Emirates fly direct to Kolkata from Dh1,504 and Dh1,450 return including taxes, respectively. The flight takes four hours 30 minutes outbound and 5 hours 30 minute returning. 

The trains

Numerous trains link Kolkata and Murshidabad but the daily early morning Hazarduari Express (3’ 52”) is the fastest and most convenient; this service also stops in Plassey. The return train departs Murshidabad late afternoon. Though just about feasible as a day trip, staying overnight is recommended.

The hotels

Mursidabad’s hotels are less than modest but Berhampore, 11km south, offers more accommodation and facilities (and the Hazarduari Express also pauses here). Try Hotel The Fame, with an array of rooms from doubles at Rs1,596/Dh90 to a ‘grand presidential suite’ at Rs7,854/Dh443.

STAGE 4 RESULTS

1 Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 4:51:51

2 David Dekker (NED) Team Jumbo-Visma

3 Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal 

4 Elia Viviani (ITA) Cofidis

5 Matteo Moschetti (ITA) Trek-Segafredo

General Classification

1 Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 12:50:21

2 Adam Yates (GBR) Teamn Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:43

3 Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:03

4 Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:43

5 Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45

The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5

What is the FNC?

The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning. 
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval. 
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
 

Fund-raising tips for start-ups

Develop an innovative business concept

Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors

Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19

Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.) 

Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months

Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses

Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business

* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna

WOMAN AND CHILD

Director: Saeed Roustaee

Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi

Rating: 4/5

Know before you go
  • Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
  • If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
  • By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
  • Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
  • Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.

 

Dubai World Cup factbox

Most wins by a trainer: Godolphin’s Saeed bin Suroor(9)

Most wins by a jockey: Jerry Bailey(4)

Most wins by an owner: Godolphin(9)

Most wins by a horse: Godolphin’s Thunder Snow(2)

While you're here
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4.0-litre%2C%20flat%20six-cylinder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eseven-speed%20PDK%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E510hp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E470Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efrom%20Dh634%2C200%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A

Director: Paul Weitz
Stars: Kevin Hart
3/5 stars

Updated: February 26, 2022, 4:08 AM