The eyes of the cricket world will be on India again when the Indian Premier League begins on March 22 with Chennai Super Kings facing Royal Challengers Bangalore.
There is no dearth of flashy kits and big hits of franchise cricket at this time of the year. But there is nothing quite like the IPL, where the very best compete for a slice of the great fortune and recognition that awaits.
This year's IPL will have an added layer of importance as the T20 World Cup begins straight after (June 2-29), which means many national teams will rely on performances in the IPL when selecting their final squads for the showpiece event in the Caribbean and US.
As we prepare for another thrilling season of IPL, here is everything you need to know.
When does IPL 2024 start?
The IPL starts on Friday, March 22, with a clash between defending champions Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The match begins at 6.30pm UAE time.
Schedule
Why is the complete schedule not out yet?
There was a lot of uncertainty over this year's IPL as it coincided with general elections in the country. For a period, there was a feeling the tournament could be split between India and an overseas location.
This time, the Indian board is taking it one step at a time and ensuring security clearances in advance in order to avoid the chaos of the ODI World Cup. There, the board had to redraw plans after announcing the fixtures due to scheduling conflict with local authorities.
Hence, only a part of the schedule has been confirmed. There are reports that the second half of the tournament could be held outside India.
Squads
Chennai Super Kings: MS Dhoni (captain, wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rachin Ravindra, Ajinkya Rahane, Daryl Mitchell, Moeen Ali, Deepak Chahar, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Santner, Maheesh Theekshana, Mustafizur Rahman, Matheesha Pathirana, Shardul Thakur, Mukesh Choudhary, Simarjeet Singh, Ajay Mandal, Nishant Sindhu, Prashant Solanki, Tushar Deshpande, Avanish Aravelly, Shaik Rasheed, Sameer Rizvi
Gujarat Titans: Shubman Gill (captain), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Kane Williamson, David Miller, Matthew Wade (wk), Vijay Shankar, Jayant Yadav, Rahul Tewatia, Azmatullah Omarzai, Shahrukh Khan, Noor Ahmad, Rashid Khan, Abhinav Manohar, B. Sai Sudharsan, Robin Minz, Joshua Little, Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Kartik Tyagi, Spencer Johnson, Sai Kishore, Manav Suthar, Darshan Nalkande, Sushant Mishra
Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (captain), Rohit Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Dewald Brevis, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Tim David, Vishnu Vinod, Romario Shepherd, Mohammad Nabi, Piyush Chawla, Shreyas Gopal, Nehal Wadhera, Nuwan Thushara, Jasprit Bumrah, Jason Behrendorff, Gerald Coetzee, Dilshan Madushanka, Shams Mulani, Shivalik Sharma, Naman Dhir, Anshul Kamboj, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Arjun Tendulkar
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Faf du Plessis (captain), Virat Kohli, Will Jacks, Anuj Rawat (wk), Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Tom Curran, Suyash Prabhudessai, Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Lockie Ferguson, Mahipal Lomror, Manoj Bhandage, Swapnil Singh, Karn Sharma, Mayank Dagar, Himanshu Sharma, Saurav Chauhan, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Akash Deep, Rajan Kumar
Kolkata Knight Riders: Shreyas Iyer (captain, subject to fitness), Phil Salt, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Nitish Rana, Rinku Singh, Manish Pandey, Sherfane Rutherford, KS Bharat (wk), Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Vaibhav Arora, Chetan Sakariya, Mitchell Starc, Gus Atkinson, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Suyash Sharma, Ramandeep Singh, Anukul Roy, Sakib Hussain
Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (captain & wk), Jos Buttler, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Rovman Powell, Riyan Parag, Ravichandran Ashwin, Donovan Ferreira, Yuzvendra Chahal, Adam Zampa, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Nandre Burger, Abid Mushtaq, Kuldeep Sen, Navdeep Saini, Prasidh Krishna, Sandeep Sharma, Kunal Rathore, Shubham Dubey
Lucknow Super Giants: KL Rahul (captain), Quinton de Kock, Kyle Mayers, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda, Devdutt Padikkal, Ashton Turner, Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, Amit Mishra, K. Gowtham, Yudhvir Singh, Mark Wood, Mohsin Khan, Shivam Mavi, David Willey, Naveen-ul-Haq, Yash Thakur, Arshin Kulkarni, Prerak Mankad, Mayank Yadav, Arshad Khan
Delhi Capitals: Rishabh Pant (captain), David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Shai Hope, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Mitchell Marsh, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Ricky Bhui, Yash Dhull, Kuldeep Yadav, Abishek Porel, Anrich Nortje, Khaleel Ahmed, Ishant Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Rasikh Salam, Jhye Richardson, Kumar Kushagra, Lalit Yadav, Sumit Kumar, Vicky Ostwal, Pravin Dubey
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins (captain), Aiden Markram, Abhishek Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Travis Head, Rahul Tripathi, Glenn Phillips, Heinrich Klaasen, Marco Jansen, Wanindu Hasaranga, Washington Sundar, Anmolpreet Singh, Abdul Samad, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, T Natarajan, Umran Malik, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Upendra Yadav, Sanvir Singh, Nitish Reddy, Mayank Markande, Shahbaz Ahmed, J Subramanyan, Jaydev Unadkat, Akash Singh
Punjab Kings: Shikhar Dhawan (captain), Matthew Short, Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Liam Livingstone, Rilee Rossouw, Sikandar Raza, Rishi Dhawan, Chris Woakes, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh, Nathan Ellis, Sam Curran, Kagiso Rabada, Vidwath Kaverappa, Harshal Patel, Atharva Taide, Harpreet Bhatia, Ashutosh Sharma, Shashank Singh, Shivam Singh, Vishwanath Singh, Tanay Thyagarajann, Prince Choudhary
How to watch matches in the UAE?
The IPL will be shown live on CricLife 1 via the STARZPLAY app in the UAE.
What is new this year?
Well, for starters, Australia's all-conquering pacer Mitchell Starc returns to the IPL after a gap of eight years. Almost the entire 2023 ODI World Cup winning Australia squad will be in India, with Pat Cummins also announced as captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad.
On the other hand, one of the most successful captains in IPL – Rohit Sharma – saw his stint as Mumbai Indians leader come to end when the franchise parachuted in Hardik Pandya in his place. That has led to a lot of hand wringing in the Mumbai camp, which will make for interesting TV.
Also, bowlers will be allowed to bowl two bouncers per over, which could challenge the more traditional power hitters, who are used to plating their foot down and smashing across the line.
IPL 2023 team of the year
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
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Overall head-to-head
Federer 6-1 Cilic
Head-to-head at Wimbledon
Federer 1-0 Cilic
Grand Slams titles
Federer 18-1 Cilic
Best Wimbledon performance
Federer: Winner (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012)
Cilic: Final (2017*)
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Museum of the Future in numbers
- 78 metres is the height of the museum
- 30,000 square metres is its total area
- 17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
- 14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
- 1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
- 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
- 100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Rain Management
Year started: 2017
Based: Bahrain
Employees: 100-120
Amount raised: $2.5m from BitMex Ventures and Blockwater. Another $6m raised from MEVP, Coinbase, Vision Ventures, CMT, Jimco and DIFC Fintech Fund
The specs: Rolls-Royce Cullinan
Price, base: Dh1 million (estimate)
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 563hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 850Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
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
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
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Brief scoreline:
Crystal Palace 2
Milivojevic 76' (pen), Van Aanholt 88'
Huddersfield Town 0
Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
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
RESULTS FOR STAGE 4
Stage 4 Dubai to Hatta, 197 km, Road race.
Overall leader Primoz Roglic SLO (Team Jumbo - Visma)
Stage winners: 1. Caleb Ewan AUS (Lotto - Soudal) 2. Matteo Moschetti ITA (Trek - Segafredo) 3. Primoz Roglic SLO (Team Jumbo - Visma)
Women%E2%80%99s%20T20%20World%20Cup%20Qualifier
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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.”
Without Remorse
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Starring: Michael B Jordan
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A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
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HIV on the rise in the region
A 2019 United Nations special analysis on Aids reveals 37 per cent of new HIV infections in the Mena region are from people injecting drugs.
New HIV infections have also risen by 29 per cent in western Europe and Asia, and by 7 per cent in Latin America, but declined elsewhere.
Egypt has shown the highest increase in recorded cases of HIV since 2010, up by 196 per cent.
Access to HIV testing, treatment and care in the region is well below the global average.
Few statistics have been published on the number of cases in the UAE, although a UNAIDS report said 1.5 per cent of the prison population has the virus.
