As the dust settles on the Pakistan Super League draft in Lahore, we take a look at who did good business - and who did not.
The six franchises Islamabad United, Karachi Kings, Lahore Qalandars, Multan Sultans, Peshawar Zalmi and Quetta Gladiators picked 108 players (18 by each team), including the pre-draft retentions. There are a total of 36 overseas players (six in each team) with the biggest contingent coming from England (15) followed by West Indies (6), South Africa (5), Afghanistan (3), New Zealand (2) and Sri Lanka, Australia, UAE, Namibia, Zimbabwe (one each).
As teams prepare for the ninth season of the competition in February next year, we take a look at how the sides stack up.
Islamabad United - 9/10
The foundation of a good T20 team is based on six departments – an explosive top-order batter, a power-hitter for middle and the final overs, a keeper who can bat, a new ball bowler, a spinner for the middle overs and a bowler who can contain runs in the last phase. Islamabad United ticked all these boxes with their retentions and further strengthened in the draft. Islamabad have more than one option for most of the roles mentioned above.
Their prime picks in the draft were a wicket-keeper batter from England in Jordan Cox, who is striking at 150 in T20s this year, and the two emerging local fast bowlers Hunain and Ubaid Shah, brothers of the flamboyant Pakistan speedster Naseem Shah.
United picked up another budding fast bowler in Matthew Forde, who recently took three wickets for West Indies in an ODI against England. They also bagged two English fast bowlers, Tymal Mills and Tom Curran. That takes their fast-bowling options in the squad to nine.
United will base their team on the swashbuckling batting of Colin Munro and Alex Hales followed by the hitting of Cox and Azam Khan. For the first time in nine seasons, they won’t have the services of Asif Ali, a veteran power-hitter with 88 sixes in the PSL. This time, they are expecting Imad Wasim and Faheem Ashraf to play that role.
Naseem, who is expected to recover from a shoulder injury before the tournament, and Imad, will take care of the bowling in the powerplay. Naseem, being an all-phase bowler, will also bowl a couple of overs in the last stage of the innings.
Their only surprising pick was Salman Ali Agha, who is known for his batting against spinners but has a T20 strike-rate of 111.95. Perhaps, they are looking at him as an anchor in case the power-hitting plans don’t work.
Likely XI (overseas players in bold): Colin Munro, Alex Hales, Jordan Cox, Shadab Khan (capt), Azam Khan (wk), Imad Wasim, Qasim Akram, Faheem Ashraf, Naseem Shah, Matthew Forde, Hunain Shah
Remaining squad: Shamyl Hussain, Salman Ali Agha, Tymal Mills, Rumman Raees, Shahab Khan, Ubaid Shah, Tom Curran
Peshawar Zalmi - 8/10
Arguably the strongest batting unit in the competition but slightly thin on bowling. They have the services of the most prominent cricketer in the country Babar Azam, who will captain and open the batting for them. After him, they are likely to form their top order around five batters with great hitting ability – Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris, Tom-Kohler Cadmore, Rovman Powell and Asif Ali.
Their batting is so resourceful that Haseebullah Khan, a promising emerging batter who they retained before the draft, might struggle to get into the starting XI.
Peshawar’s major picks in the draft were the Afghanistan duo Naveen-ul-Haq and Noor Ahmad and the most experienced power-hitter in Pakistan Asif Ali, who famously hit three sixes against them in the final won by Islamabad in 2019. Dan Mousley, an off-spin bowling all-rounder from England, is also in their roster and they expect him to develop in the coming years.
Peshawar, however, could struggle with their bowling. The PSL playoffs will be played close to the start of the IPL in March. Since their two overseas bowlers Naveen and Noor are IPL regulars, they might have to leave early. Afghanistan are also planning to host Ireland for a Test, three ODIs and three T20Is in March in Abu Dhabi. If it happens, Noor’s participation in PSL could be restricted to just a couple of weeks.
Peshawar also don’t have a local fast bowler who plays regularly for Pakistan in T20Is. They will be banking on Salman Irshad, who they picked using right-to-match, and Mohammad Zeeshan, the 6ft 8in fast bowler currently in the UAE playing in the U19 Asia Cup for Pakistan.
Likely XI: Babar Azam (capt), Saim Ayub, Mohammad Haris (wk), Tom-Kohler Cadmore, Rovman Powell, Asif Ali, Aamir Jamal, Naveen-ul-Haq, Noor Ahmad, Salman Irshad, Mohammad Zeeshan
Remaining squad: Haseebullah Khan (wk), Dan Mousley, Arif Yaqoob, Mehran Mumtaz, Khurram Shahzad, Umair Afridi, Lungi Ngidi
Quetta Gladiators - 8/10
After failing to make it to the playoffs for four years in a row, Quetta Gladiators have made some big changes this year but not in captaincy. They are the only team in the tournament's history who never changed the captain. Sarfaraz Ahmed will lead the team for the ninth season in a row but will have a different set of players this time.
Rilee Rossouw, who was one of their key players when they were a successful franchise until 2019, is back with them after four seasons with Multan Sultans. He was traded before the draft. Quetta also released the left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz, who played eight seasons for them, and now will have two local leg-spinners in Abrar Ahmed and Usman Qadir.
It’s a team that loves operating with the spinners. Wanindu Hasaranga, the leg-spinner from Sri Lanka, will make his PSL debut in the coming season but will be available for five matches only. Hasaranga’s backup is the left-arm spinner from West Indies Akeal Hosein.
Fast bowling has been an issue for them in the last few years, which should be sorted out in the coming season with Mohammad Amir opening the bowling. Amir, for the first time in nine years, will be playing for a franchise other than Karachi Kings. He will be supported by the pace of Mohammad Hasnain and Mohammad Wasim. Saud Shakeel, who is an uncapped PSL player and was not considered for 33 matches by Quetta previously, is expected to open in 2024.
Their issue seems to be the absence of a bowler who can contain runs in the last phase of the innings and too much reliance on one hitter - Sherfane Rutherford - in the lower-order.
Likely XI: Jason Roy, Saud Shakeel, Khawaja Nafay, Rilee Rossouw, Sarfaraz Ahmed (capt and wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Wanindu Hasaranga, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Wasim, Mohammad Hasnain, Abrar Ahmed
Remaining squad: Will Smeed, Sajjad Ali (wk), Omair Bin Yousuf, Akeal Hosein, Usman Qadir, Adil Naz, Sohail Khan
Lahore Qalandars - 7/10
The winners of the previous two editions Lahore Qalandars didn’t make many changes in the core group, but the possible absence of Rashid Khan could hurt them big time. While they still have three excellent Pakistan pacers in Shaheen Afridi, Haris Rauf and Zaman Khan, it remains to be seen how successful they will be without Rashid bowling four overs for nothing in the middle-overs.
Rashid recently underwent lower-back surgery in the UK and is unlikely to be available for PSL 2024. He might not play PSL in 2025 either as there will be a full clash with the IPL.
Lahore’s big picks in the draft were Rassie van der Dussen, who they might struggle to put in the top-order as they have four local in-form options in Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Abdullah Shafique and Mirza Tahir Baig.
Lahore didn’t have a wicketkeeper in their first 16 picks and went for Shai Hope only in the supplementary round. As a keeper, Hope is likely to be in the XI but since he is also a top-order batter, it will be difficult to fit him in the batting order. That also means their power-hitters Sikandar Raza and David Wiese might not get enough balls to create an impact.
Last year, Lahore were saved by Shaheen Afridi’s unexpected power-hitting in the lower-order - whether it can be a regular formula for success, only time will tell.
Likely XI: Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Abdullah Shafique, Rassie van der Dussen, Shai Hope (wk), Sikandar Raza, David Wiese, Shaheen Afridi (capt), Syed Faridoun, Haris Rauf, Zaman Khan
Remaining squad: Mirza Tahir Baig, Kamran Ghulam, Dan Lawrence, Ahsan Bhatti, Rashid Khan, Jahandad Khan, Mohammad Imran
Multan Sultans - 7/10
A change in personnel but not the strategy. Multan Sultans will continue with a conservative top-order followed by power batters. They have lost the services of Tim David, who didn’t make himself available for the tournament this time, and Rilee Rossouw, who they gave to Quetta Gladiators in return for Iftikhar Ahmed and first Platinum pick (which they used to get the England all-rounder David Willey) and Kieron Pollard. What they still have is the dynamic leadership of Rizwan, under whom they have played three finals in a row.
Their notable picks in the draft were Willey, Reeza Hendricks, Dawid Malan and Reece Topley.
Multan didn’t retain Shan Masood, who produced prolific opening stands with Rizwan in recent years. Hendricks, a batter from South Africa with a T20I strike-rate of 115.71 in Asia, is expected to open the batting with Rizwan and Dawid Malan, another batter who has had issues with the strike-rate, coming at three. That means Iftikhar, who has hit most sixes (67) among Pakistanis in T20s in 2023, and Khushdil Shah will need to work hard as power-hitters.
Ihsanullah, who took 22 wickets for them in the last PSL and was player of the tournament, is still recovering from an elbow injury and is unlikely to be fully available for the PSL. Apart from him, they don’t have any local fast bowler of great repute. They hope Willey and Topley remain available and fit for the whole PSL or Shahnawaz Dahani finds his mojo once again.
Likely XI: Mohammad Rizwan (capt and wk), Reeza Hendricks, Dawid Malan, Tayyab Tahir, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, David Willey, Usama Mir, Abbas Afridi, Reece Topley, Faisal Akram
Remaining squad: Yasir Khan, Usman Khan, Aftab Ibrahim, Chris Jordan, Shahnawaz Dahani, Mohammad Ali, Ihsanullah
Karachi Kings - 6/10
After missing the playoffs for two seasons in a row, Karachi Kings have overhauled their squad, including a change in leadership. Pakistan Test skipper Shan Masood has joined them as captain, replacing Imad Wasim, who for the first time in the tournament won’t be playing for Karachi.
Mohammad Amir, another player who featured in eight consecutive seasons for them, has switched his alliance to Quetta Gladiators. The absence of Amir and Imad means they will need to find two new bowlers for the powerplay (overs 1-6).
They don’t have any fast bowler in the squad who is a regular for Pakistan in international cricket, and are also the only team in the tournament without a right-arm leg-spinner.
They'll bank on the experience of Hasan Ali and Mohammad Nawaz, both moving to Karachi for the first time in their PSL careers.
Karachi have a strong top-order in Masood, James Vince and Tim Seifert but lack options for power-hitting. Their first pick in the draft was Kieron Pollard, who had a good PSL with Multan Sultans in 2022 – 260 runs at SR 163. The only other six-hitter in their squad is Daniel Sams but he will struggle to fit in their combination as their go to overseas players are likely to be Vince, Seifert, Pollard and Tabraiz Shamsi.
The area where they played smartly was retaining Mohammad Akhlaq, one of the few keeper-batters in Pakistan. Seifert has not played in the PSL before so if that pick does not work out for them, they will at least have a local player to do the glovework.
Likely XI: Shan Masood (capt), James Vince, Tim Seifert (wk), Shoaib Malik, Kieron Pollard, Irfan Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Hasan Ali, Amir Khan, Tabraiz Shamsi, Mir Hamza
Remaining squad: Saad Baig, Mohammad Akhlaq (wk), Jamie Overton, Daniel Sams, Anwar Ali, Arafat Minhas, Sirajuddin
If you go
Flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.
The stay
Rooms at Alila Villas Koh Russey (www.alilahotels.com/ kohrussey) cost from $385 per night including taxes.
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)
Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers
1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.
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.”
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
'Panga'
Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta
Rating: 3.5/5
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Company profile
Company: Rent Your Wardrobe
Date started: May 2021
Founder: Mamta Arora
Based: Dubai
Sector: Clothes rental subscription
Stage: Bootstrapped, self-funded
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
UAE Premiership
Results
Dubai Exiles 24-28 Jebel Ali Dragons
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 43-27 Dubai Hurricanes
Fixture
Friday, March 29, Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons, The Sevens, Dubai
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4.4-litre%2C%20twin-turbo%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eeight-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E617hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E750Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efrom%20Dh630%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Basquiat in Abu Dhabi
One of Basquiat’s paintings, the vibrant Cabra (1981–82), now hangs in Louvre Abu Dhabi temporarily, on loan from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
The latter museum is not open physically, but has assembled a collection and puts together a series of events called Talking Art, such as this discussion, moderated by writer Chaedria LaBouvier.
It's something of a Basquiat season in Abu Dhabi at the moment. Last week, The Radiant Child, a documentary on Basquiat was shown at Manarat Al Saadiyat, and tonight (April 18) the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is throwing the re-creation of a party tonight, of the legendary Canal Zone party thrown in 1979, which epitomised the collaborative scene of the time. It was at Canal Zone that Basquiat met prominent members of the art world and moved from unknown graffiti artist into someone in the spotlight.
“We’ve invited local resident arists, we’ll have spray cans at the ready,” says curator Maisa Al Qassemi of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Canal Zone Remix is at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Thursday April 18, from 8pm. Free entry to all. Basquiat's Cabra is on view at Louvre Abu Dhabi until October
