• Ethan D’Souza, 16, is the youngest ever player to be drafted in the Abu Dhabi T10. All images Antonie Robertson / The National
    Ethan D’Souza, 16, is the youngest ever player to be drafted in the Abu Dhabi T10. All images Antonie Robertson / The National
  • Ethan D’Souza will represent Team Abu Dhabi in the T10 tournament.
    Ethan D’Souza will represent Team Abu Dhabi in the T10 tournament.
  • Ethan D’Souza has already represented the Abu Dhabi team in Emirates D20.
    Ethan D’Souza has already represented the Abu Dhabi team in Emirates D20.
  • Ethan D’Souza is set to rub shoulders with the best in the game.
    Ethan D’Souza is set to rub shoulders with the best in the game.
  • Ethan D’Souza's T10 teammates will include Chris Lynn, Fabian Allen and Adil Rashid.
    Ethan D’Souza's T10 teammates will include Chris Lynn, Fabian Allen and Adil Rashid.
  • Ethan D’Souza with Matt Boucher, CEO of Abu Dhabi Cricket & Sports Hub.
    Ethan D’Souza with Matt Boucher, CEO of Abu Dhabi Cricket & Sports Hub.
  • Ethan D’Souza at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.
    Ethan D’Souza at the Zayed Cricket Stadium.

Abu Dhabi T10 youngster Ethan D’Souza on 'incredible' learning curve


Amith Passela
  • English
  • Arabic

Ethan D’Souza seems to always have a smile on his face. That is likely to remain there for the foreseeable future with the 16-year-old becoming one of the youngest ever players to be drafted into the Abu Dhabi T10.

D’Souza was taken in by Team Abu Dhabi for the T10 tournament later this year. He will join the 16-player squad in season six of the competition that takes place at the Zayed Cricket Stadium from November 23 to December 4.

For the dashing left-handed opener and off-spinner from the Zayed Cricket Academy, the opportunity is “incredible”.

“It’s going to be an incredible experience to share the dressing room with renowned professionals of franchise cricket,” D’Souza, who made his debut for the Abu Dhabi team at Emirates D20 in June, told The National.

“I’m very excited and looking forward to it. I want to soak in the good moments as much as possible and learn from them, particularly their lifestyles both on and off the field, their training and preparations ahead of a game.”

D’Souza will spend two to three weeks with the likes of Australian Chris Lynn, Fabian Allen of the West Indies, Afghanistan quick Naveen ul Haq, and England’s Adil Rashid, Phil Salt and Jamie Overton.

“This is the biggest moment of my cricket after representing the Abu Dhabi team,” he said.

“It will be interesting to learn from the technical staff and players on how they prepare game plans and assess the team’s performances after every game. For me, to be in the side is great and I wish I get an opportunity to get on to the field.”

D’Souza was playing a practice match at the Zayed Cricket Stadium at the time of the draft but it got over by the time local players were announced.

“I didn’t want to think too much about the draft but at the end of the game, my teammates were able to watch the part when my name was announced,” he said.

“My teammates hugged and congratulated me. I was very happy and enjoyed that moment.”

D’Souza has been playing cricket since he was three. His father enrolled him at Zayed Cricket Academy when he was seven-and-a-half.

“It was fun at first,” he said of his early days in cricket. “I just enjoyed playing with the other boys. At 13 it started to change and I wanted to play seriously and at a better level.

“I started to work harder to improve my game all round. Fortunately I was provided with the break earlier than I thought, to represent the academy team.”

D’Souza’s parents John and Sharmila have been his biggest supporters, with his father guiding his cricket journey and mother helping him in his studies.

“My parents haven’t put pressure that I have to get high marks in my exams and that’s helped me to spend more time to develop my cricket. I have managed to balance my studies and sports, though,” he explained.

D’Souza’s performance, particularly his fielding, in the Emirates D20 came for high praise from all teams. That earned him the nickname “Tiger”.

He played all 12 games, taking nine catches and was involved in two runs outs, one of which was a direct hit. That was in addition to around a dozen runs he would save for his team almost every game.

“In the Emirates D20, we reached the final and that’s an achievement we had never got before. So that was a real good moment in my first appearance at this level,” the teenager said.

“I enjoy fielding and want to save as many runs as possible for my team.”

One of the reasons for his athleticism is that he also plays football and basketball.

“Being quick on the field has just come from playing matches, and the football and basketball I play when I don’t play cricket.”

D’Souza, a Grade 11 pupil at Abu Dhabi Indian School, is in the UAE U19 pool and working towards his goal of making it to the final squad.

“Everyone from my parents, the academy management, coaches and fellow colleagues as well as members of the Abu Dhabi men’s team have encouraged and supported me in my cricket journey,” D’Souza said.

ICC Intercontinental Cup

UAE squad Rohan Mustafa (captain), Chirag Suri, Shaiman Anwar, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Saqlain Haider, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Naveed, Imran Haider, Qadeer Ahmed, Mohammed Boota, Amir Hayat, Ashfaq Ahmed

Fixtures Nov 29-Dec 2

UAE v Afghanistan, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Hong Kong v Papua New Guinea, Sharjah Cricket Stadium

Ireland v Scotland, Dubai International Stadium

Namibia v Netherlands, ICC Academy, Dubai

THE DETAILS

Director: Milan Jhaveri
Producer: Emmay Entertainment and T-Series
Cast: John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee
Rating: 2/5

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company

The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.

He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.

“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.

“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.

HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon. 

With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.

Pad Man

Dir: R Balki

Starring: Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, Radhika Apte

Three-and-a-half stars

The biog

Birthday: February 22, 1956

Born: Madahha near Chittagong, Bangladesh

Arrived in UAE: 1978

Exercise: At least one hour a day on the Corniche, from 5.30-6am and 7pm to 8pm.

Favourite place in Abu Dhabi? “Everywhere. Wherever you go, you can relax.”

Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation. 

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000. 

Electric scooters: some rules to remember
  • Riders must be 14-years-old or over
  • Wear a protective helmet
  • Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
  • Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
  • Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
  • Do not drive outside designated lanes
The%20specs
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SANCTIONED
  • Kirill Shamalov, Russia's youngest billionaire and previously married to Putin's daughter Katarina
  • Petr Fradkov, head of recently sanctioned Promsvyazbank and son of former head of Russian Foreign Intelligence, the FSB. 
  • Denis Bortnikov, Deputy President of Russia's largest bank VTB. He is the son of Alexander Bortnikov, head of the FSB which was responsible for the poisoning of political activist Alexey Navalny in August 2020 with banned chemical agent novichok.  
  • Yury Slyusar, director of United Aircraft Corporation, a major aircraft manufacturer for the Russian military.
  • Elena Aleksandrovna Georgieva, chair of the board of Novikombank, a state-owned defence conglomerate.
The stats: 2017 Jaguar XJ

Price, base / as tested Dh326,700 / Dh342,700

Engine 3.0L V6

Transmission Eight-speed automatic

Power 340hp @ 6,000pm

Torque 450Nm @ 3,500rpm

Fuel economy, combined 9.1L / 100km

Ovo's tips to find extra heat
  • Open your curtains when it’s sunny 
  • Keep your oven open after cooking  
  • Have a cuddle with pets and loved ones to help stay cosy 
  • Eat ginger but avoid chilli as it makes you sweat 
  • Put on extra layers  
  • Do a few star jumps  
  • Avoid alcohol   
Summer special
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SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202-litre%204-cylinder%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E268hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E380Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh208%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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

Libya's Gold

UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves. 

The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.

Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.

Takreem Awards winners 2021

Corporate Leadership: Carl Bistany (Lebanon)

Cultural Excellence: Hoor Al Qasimi (UAE)

Environmental Development and Sustainability: Bkerzay (Lebanon)

Environmental Development and Sustainability: Raya Ani (Iraq)

Humanitarian and Civic Services: Women’s Programs Association (Lebanon)

Humanitarian and Civic Services: Osamah Al Thini (Libya)

Excellence in Education: World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) (Qatar)

Outstanding Arab Woman: Balghis Badri (Sudan)

Scientific and Technological Achievement: Mohamed Slim Alouini (KSA)

Young Entrepreneur: Omar Itani (Lebanon)

Lifetime Achievement: Suad Al Amiry (Palestine)

Match info

Arsenal 0

Manchester City 2
Sterling (14'), Bernardo Silva (64')

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Updated: September 30, 2022, 6:12 AM