Muhammad Waseem prepared for a momentous final day of Cricket World Cup League 2 by playing arguably the most extraordinary innings in UAE’s one-day international history.
The national team’s captain brought his T20 prowess to bear in the longer of the limited-overs formats for the first time, with a stunning assault against Papua New Guinea in Kathmandu.
Waseem has already made two T20I centuries in his brief career to date, but had only passed 50 twice in 29 innings in the 50-over game before this one.
PNG, who had won their last three encounters with the national side, were the ones to bear the brunt as Waseem finally brought his T20 domination to bear in 50 overs.
The opener blazed 12 sixes in his innings of 119 from 76 balls. At one stage it appeared as if he might be set to break Eoin Morgan's record for most sixes in an ODI innings of 17.
Waseem's innings set his side up for a morale-boosting six-wicket win in their penultimate game in the competition.
He reached three figures off the 61st ball he faced. That was the fastest ODI century by a UAE player, breaking the 69-ball record of Vriitya Aravind – who was batting at the other end when Waseem achieved his milestone.
Waseem's final score was the third highest by a UAE player in the format, with only Khurram Khan (132 not out) and Rameez Shahzad (121 not out) having made more in the past.
Earlier in the day, Hazrat Bilal took four wickets as UAE restricted PNG to 234-7 from their 50 overs. Waseem's blitz at the top of the innings helped the national team reach the target with six wickets, and 68 balls, in hand.
"I had never taken 29 innings [to make a century] before and I was sad about this, but Alhamdulillah I did this today for my team," Waseem said.
"To be honest, I have to play my natural game. I am an opener and if I can get us off to a good start, and we can get 60 or 70 in the first 10 overs, it is good for my team.
"If I am there at the wicket, I will always try to play my natural game at the start of the innings. I just tried my best."
After three and a half years of competition, the last match of League 2 will take place on Thursday. Although UAE’s own fate is already sealed, there remains much riding on the final fixture. The tourists could yet be the ultimate party-poopers.
The national team are already guaranteed to play at the World Cup Qualifier Play-off in Namibia, starting later this month. If they beat Nepal on the final day, they will be joining them in Windhoek.
If the home side win, though, they will advance directly to the global Qualifier in Zimbabwe in the summer.
The stakes have sent the home supporters into a frenzy. As many as 20,000 are expected to pack into the Tribhuvan University ground, with potentially thousands more watching on from various vantage points – including being perched in trees – beyond the barbed wire fences.
"We don't care about audience or the crowd," Waseem said.
"We have already played in front of this crowd. We will try to play our best cricket and finish with a win.
"If I can play the same as I did today, if I do that tomorrow it will be good for my team."
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The Sky Is Pink
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf
Three stars
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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Start-up hopes to end Japan's love affair with cash
Across most of Asia, people pay for taxi rides, restaurant meals and merchandise with smartphone-readable barcodes — except in Japan, where cash still rules. Now, as the country’s biggest web companies race to dominate the payments market, one Tokyo-based startup says it has a fighting chance to win with its QR app.
Origami had a head start when it introduced a QR-code payment service in late 2015 and has since signed up fast-food chain KFC, Tokyo’s largest cab company Nihon Kotsu and convenience store operator Lawson. The company raised $66 million in September to expand nationwide and plans to more than double its staff of about 100 employees, says founder Yoshiki Yasui.
Origami is betting that stores, which until now relied on direct mail and email newsletters, will pay for the ability to reach customers on their smartphones. For example, a hair salon using Origami’s payment app would be able to send a message to past customers with a coupon for their next haircut.
Quick Response codes, the dotted squares that can be read by smartphone cameras, were invented in the 1990s by a unit of Toyota Motor to track automotive parts. But when the Japanese pioneered digital payments almost two decades ago with contactless cards for train fares, they chose the so-called near-field communications technology. The high cost of rolling out NFC payments, convenient ATMs and a culture where lost wallets are often returned have all been cited as reasons why cash remains king in the archipelago. In China, however, QR codes dominate.
Cashless payments, which includes credit cards, accounted for just 20 per cent of total consumer spending in Japan during 2016, compared with 60 per cent in China and 89 per cent in South Korea, according to a report by the Bank of Japan.
Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Australia World Cup squad
Aaron Finch (capt), Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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List of alleged parties
May 12, 2020: PM and his wife Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at least 17 staff
May 20, 2020: They attend 'bring your own booze party'
Nov 27, 2020: PM gives speech at leaving party for his staff
Dec 10, 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
Dec 13, 2020: PM and his wife throw a party
Dec 14, 2020: London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff event at Conservative Party headquarters
Dec 15, 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18, 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
The specs
Engine: 1.4-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 180hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 250Nm at 3,00rpm
Transmission: 5-speed sequential auto
Price: From Dh139,995
On sale: now
HOW TO WATCH
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Crazy Rich Asians
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeon, Gemma Chan
Four stars
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
The Facility’s Versatility
Between the start of the 2020 IPL on September 20, and the end of the Pakistan Super League this coming Thursday, the Zayed Cricket Stadium has had an unprecedented amount of traffic.
Never before has a ground in this country – or perhaps anywhere in the world – had such a volume of major-match cricket.
And yet scoring has remained high, and Abu Dhabi has seen some classic encounters in every format of the game.
October 18, IPL, Kolkata Knight Riders tied with Sunrisers Hyderabad
The two playoff-chasing sides put on 163 apiece, before Kolkata went on to win the Super Over
January 8, ODI, UAE beat Ireland by six wickets
A century by CP Rizwan underpinned one of UAE’s greatest ever wins, as they chased 270 to win with an over to spare
February 6, T10, Northern Warriors beat Delhi Bulls by eight wickets
The final of the T10 was chiefly memorable for a ferocious over of fast bowling from Fidel Edwards to Nicholas Pooran
March 14, Test, Afghanistan beat Zimbabwe by six wickets
Eleven wickets for Rashid Khan, 1,305 runs scored in five days, and a last session finish
June 17, PSL, Islamabad United beat Peshawar Zalmi by 15 runs
Usman Khawaja scored a hundred as Islamabad posted the highest score ever by a Pakistan team in T20 cricket
