A considerably weakened Indian team will look to get their preparations for the T20 World Cup under way against a full-strength South Africa in a five-match series that begins in Delhi on Thursday.
The five T20 games will give both teams a chance to get an idea of the form of their personnel heading into the World Cup cycle, which makes the hosts' job tricky as they will be without almost half of their first-choice players.
Captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah had already been rested from the series after a gruelling season. Then on Tuesday, it was announced that stand-in captain KL Rahul had picked up a groin injury and was out of the entire series, along with wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who took a hit to his hand in training.
That has allowed wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant to take over the captaincy reins, with fit-again all-rounder Hardik Pandya named his deputy.
"It's a great feeling, especially getting an opportunity like this in your home town, [no] bigger opportunity than that and I will make the most of it," Pant, 24, said.
Pant added that his performance would be bolstered by the experience of leading Delhi.
"It will help me a lot because when you keep on doing the same thing over a period of time you tend to improve," he said. "I am someone who keeps learning from my mistakes, and I think that's what is going to help me in the coming days."
Also of significance is the return of wicketkeeper batsman Dinesh Karthik to the Indian team after three years, with the 37-year-old now having reinvented himself as a finisher and power hitter in white-ball cricket.
Also in the spotlight will be uncapped fast bowlers Umran Malik and Arshdeep Singh, who will be hoping for a maiden international outing after a stellar IPL 2022.
Right arm quick Malik consistently bowled at well over 150kph throughout the IPL and is easily the quickest bowler in the country, with former India coach Ravi Shastri eager to get him playing international cricket as soon as possible. Singh, on the other hand, was the one of the most economical bowlers in the death overs during the T20 league and among the few quality left-arm bowlers in the country.
However, current coach Rahul Dravid hinted at making the two wait as other, more established, seamers are ahead of the them in the pecking order. That means proven bowlers like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel and Avesh Khan could get the nod.
For South Africa, it is a chance to extend their good recent form against the team in blue after they dominated a full-strength India at home in the Test and ODI series, winning both comfortably, earlier in the year.
Wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock and David Miller bring their tremendous form from the IPL into the series, while fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje will give the visitors the edge in the bowling department.
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
Kathryn Hawkes of House of Hawkes on being a good guest (because we’ve all had bad ones)
- Arrive with a thank you gift, or make sure you have one for your host by the time you leave.
- Offer to buy groceries, cook them a meal or take your hosts out for dinner.
- Help out around the house.
- Entertain yourself so that your hosts don’t feel that they constantly need to.
- Leave no trace of your stay – if you’ve borrowed a book, return it to where you found it.
- Offer to strip the bed before you go.
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
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.
How to register as a donor
1) Organ donors can register on the Hayat app, run by the Ministry of Health and Prevention
2) There are about 11,000 patients in the country in need of organ transplants
3) People must be over 21. Emiratis and residents can register.
4) The campaign uses the hashtag #donate_hope
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Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Zayed Sustainability Prize
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
