Bearing in mind he could not speak English when he first started out in international cricket, it’s fair to say Harbhajan Singh has got the hang of it now.
Maybe that stands to reason. He did have a gilded, 17-year career for India, which took him to all points of cricket’s compass.
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He won enough match awards to deem it necessary for at least a decent grasp of the language in which post-match ceremonies are most often delivered.
Still, though, DP World picked well when they invited the off-spin great along for the day to help out with some promotion.
Harbhajan was at the logistics company’s head office in Jebel Ali to help draw attention to an initiative designed to support the growth of grassroots cricket.
Specifically, he was there to unveil a shipping container which has been repurposed to provide changing facilities, secure storage, a scoreboard and a portable wicket. The container will be placed at Victoria Cricket Academy at Skyline University in Sharjah.
There will be no doubt as to its purpose, even when it is all locked up. On the outside is a striking mural of Sachin Tendulkar made by Saudi graffiti artist Maajed Ahmed.
It is the fourth of 50 such containers which DP World plan to provide around the world. Harbhajan was also tasked with giving out kitbags to children from various cricket academies around Dubai.
It was no surprise the aspiring players – plus a large chunk of the company’s staff – were in thrall to the former India star. What was less expected was quite how loquacious the man himself was while he was centre of attention.
“If you are dreaming when you are asleep, that dream will never come true,” Harbhajan said, in an off-the-cuff missive to everyone present, not just the child cricketers.
“Dream big, but dream while you are awake. Chase that dream by working hard and doing whatever it takes. Cricket gave me everything – name, fame – and I can’t thank it enough.”
“You have to have the will to become what you want to become. The only way it will happen is if you dream about it while you are awake.”
Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan was prompted on the significance of having decent cricket kit. He pointed out that he saved for six months for his first pair of cricket shoes, and still has them now, so much do they mean to him.
The bat with which he scored his two Test centuries, in back-to-back Tests against New Zealand in 2010, remains one of his most prized possessions.
“Coming from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, this is what you want to become – a cricketer,” he said.
“I saw Kapil Dev on the TV and I wanted to be like him. I started my career with judo, but I was being hammered every day.
“I left judo, started playing badminton, but that didn’t work. Then I wanted to become a cricketer, and although I didn’t have much, I had the will.
“There wasn’t the infrastructure where I came from. I’m from a village, a small place, and from there it is important to have the will to succeed.
“You have to have the will to become what you want to become. The only way it will happen is if you dream about it while you are awake.”
Harbhajan reckons the unheralded players from the UAE involved in the DP World International League T20 at present have the right to dream just as big as anyone else.
“They have a lot of potential,” he said. “[PSL-bound Muhammad] Waseem last year scored so many runs. He is someone who can play in any other league as well.
“There are many other players. Aayan Khan has done very well, bowling along with the leg-spinner [Zuhaib Zubair]. I think these youngsters are reaching their best now because they are rubbing shoulders with some of the greats of the game.
“It is great to have such a league that gives the opportunity for the local boys to go out and express themselves.
“When the IPL started, a lot of young players came up and played for India. Hopefully with this league it can help all the UAE players achieve their ultimate goal to play for their country, and win matches for their country.”
While he has been in the UAE for the best part of a month with his commentary duties on the ILT20, his old side’s series against England has not escaped Harbhajan’s attention.
The five-Test series is all-square at 1-1. Surprisingly, England took the first game on a turning pitch, before India bounced back in the second game to level.
Harbhajan echoed the view of his former captain, Sourav Ganguly, that India do not need to prepare turning pitches to get the better of visiting teams.
“Players like Jasprit Bumrah don't need any specific kind of pitch to perform,” he said.
“We have some equally capable spinners and batsmen but sometimes while trying to make conditions suitable for us, we tend to fall in the same pit we may have dug for our opponents.
“So, the toss becomes very important in those conditions. The result should not depend on the toss ideally. Make pitches where you can win despite losing the toss.
“The pitch for the second Test was a good one and see how the result went in favour of India. India has the potential but don't let the conditions dictate. Instead provide a platform for young India players to play all five days of the Test match and show their mettle.”
Honeymoonish
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The cost of Covid testing around the world
Egypt
Dh514 for citizens; Dh865 for tourists
Information can be found through VFS Global.
Jordan
Dh212
Centres include the Speciality Hospital, which now offers drive-through testing.
Cambodia
Dh478
Travel tests are managed by the Ministry of Health and National Institute of Public Health.
Zanzibar
AED 295
Zanzibar Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, located within the Lumumba Secondary School compound.
Abu Dhabi
Dh85
Abu Dhabi’s Seha has test centres throughout the UAE.
UK
From Dh400
Heathrow Airport now offers drive through and clinic-based testing, starting from Dh400 and up to Dh500 for the PCR test.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
Liverpool v Manchester United - 3.30pm
Burnley v West Ham United - 6pm
Crystal Palace v Chelsea - 6pm
Manchester City v Stoke City - 6pm
Swansea City v Huddersfield Town - 6pm
Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth - 6pm
Watford v Arsenal - 8.30pm
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Everton - 4.30pm
Southampton v Newcastle United - 7pm
Monday
Leicester City v West Bromwich Albion - 11pm
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Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
england euro squad
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Man Utd), Sam Johnstone (West Brom), Jordan Pickford (Everton)
Defenders: John Stones (Man City), Luke Shaw (Man Utd), Harry Maguire (Man Utd), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (Man City), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Reece James (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolves), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid)
Midfielders: Mason Mount (Chelsea), Declan Rice (West Ham), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds)
Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Man Utd), Raheem Sterling (Man City), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Phil Foden (Man City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
FA CUP FINAL
Chelsea 1
Hazard (22' pen)
Manchester United 0
Man of the match: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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
What is 'Soft Power'?
Soft power was first mentioned in 1990 by former US Defence Secretary Joseph Nye.
He believed that there were alternative ways of cultivating support from other countries, instead of achieving goals using military strength.
Soft power is, at its root, the ability to convince other states to do what you want without force.
This is traditionally achieved by proving that you share morals and values.
India squad
Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, K.L. Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant, Shivam Dube, Kedar Jadhav, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Deepak Chahar, Mohammed Shami, Shardul Thakur.
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