• Esha Oza hits a boundary for the UAE on the way to a 10-wicket demolition of the Netherlands in the Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on April 29, 2024. All images by Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Esha Oza hits a boundary for the UAE on the way to a 10-wicket demolition of the Netherlands in the Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on April 29, 2024. All images by Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • UAE openers Esha Oza and Theertha Satish after winning the game in Abu Dhabi which keeps alive their hopes of a semi-final place at the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier
    UAE openers Esha Oza and Theertha Satish after winning the game in Abu Dhabi which keeps alive their hopes of a semi-final place at the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier
  • Openers Esha Oza and Theertha Satish finished unbeaten as UAE reached 104-0, easily chasing down the Netherlands total of 101-9
    Openers Esha Oza and Theertha Satish finished unbeaten as UAE reached 104-0, easily chasing down the Netherlands total of 101-9
  • UAE's Theertha Satish scored 36 off 33 balls
    UAE's Theertha Satish scored 36 off 33 balls
  • UAE captain Esha Oza hits a boundary on her way to 66 off 39 balls
    UAE captain Esha Oza hits a boundary on her way to 66 off 39 balls
  • UAE's Esha Oza celebrates reaching 50.
    UAE's Esha Oza celebrates reaching 50.
  • UAE's Esha Oza cracked nine fours and two sixes in her knock of 66.
    UAE's Esha Oza cracked nine fours and two sixes in her knock of 66.
  • UAE bowler Samaira Dharnidharka, who finished with figures of 3-11, celebrates after taking the wicket of Netherlands' Hannah Landheer for a duck
    UAE bowler Samaira Dharnidharka, who finished with figures of 3-11, celebrates after taking the wicket of Netherlands' Hannah Landheer for a duck
  • Netherland batter Babette de Leede is bowled by UAE's Samaira Dharnidharka for six.
    Netherland batter Babette de Leede is bowled by UAE's Samaira Dharnidharka for six.
  • Netherlands batter Eva Lynch is run out by UAE's Kavisha Egodage for one
    Netherlands batter Eva Lynch is run out by UAE's Kavisha Egodage for one
  • UAE bowler Kavisha Egodage celebrates taking the wicket of Netherland's' Robine Rijke for 44
    UAE bowler Kavisha Egodage celebrates taking the wicket of Netherland's' Robine Rijke for 44
  • Netherlands opener Sterre Kalis walks off after being caught lbw by Samaira Dharnidharka for a duck.
    Netherlands opener Sterre Kalis walks off after being caught lbw by Samaira Dharnidharka for a duck.
  • UAE's Kavisha Egodage celebrates running out Netherlands batter Eva Lynch
    UAE's Kavisha Egodage celebrates running out Netherlands batter Eva Lynch
  • Robine Rijke top scored for the Netherlands with 44 off 36 balls
    Robine Rijke top scored for the Netherlands with 44 off 36 balls
  • UAE's Khushi Sharma celebrates with teammates after bowling Netherlands captain Heather Siegers for 12
    UAE's Khushi Sharma celebrates with teammates after bowling Netherlands captain Heather Siegers for 12
  • Netherlands' Frederique Overdijk hits out on her way to 12
    Netherlands' Frederique Overdijk hits out on her way to 12

‘Simba’ and the magician give ‘fearless’ UAE a shot at place in Qualifier semi-finals


Paul Radley
  • English
  • Arabic

Esha Oza has urged the UAE to play “fearless” cricket as they chase a place in the last four of the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier.

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The two finalists at the 10-team event in Abu Dhabi will book their place at September’s main event in Bangladesh.

The national team remain in with a shot at qualification. With one game left in Group B, they sit third, two points behind the Netherlands.

The two sides vying for a semi-final berth will both be in action on Friday. The Netherlands have the advantage of playing second, against table-topping Ireland, after the UAE’s game against Vanuatu.

For the national team to overhaul the Dutch, they have to beat Vanuatu convincingly and hope the Irish win the later game.

In the process, the UAE have to attempt to improve a net run-rate that is currently +1.117 inferior to the Dutch, to leapfrog them in the table.

Although much has to go their way for them to stand a chance, the national team are in fine spirits, following their thrashing of the Dutch last time out.

Their 10-wicket win at Zayed Cricket Stadium on Monday night was the most complete performance yet by a UAE team that is appearing for just the second time at a global qualifier.

It was a fine comeback from a sluggish start to the competition in which they had suffered defeats to Ireland and Zimbabwe.

The Zimbabwe loss was particularly disappointing for the team, given the UAE had beaten them the last time the sides met, and the African team had suffered a shock loss to Vanuatu in their opening game.

But Oza, the UAE captain, said Zimbabwe had taught her side a valuable lesson.

“We were quite disappointed after the [Zimbabwe] game,” said Oza, who was player of the match against the Netherlands for her rapid half-century in the run chase.

“We expected a better result, but Zimbabwe showed us that anything is possible. Given the loss they were coming off, the way they fought back against us helped us understand that anything is possible.

“It is all about being fearless. Anything can happen if you are fearless, so hopefully that can work our way, too.”

Happily, the UAE side is infused with the fearlessness of youth. Amid the fine collective display against the Dutch, two of the outstanding performers are aged just 17.

Samaira Dharnidharka set the platform for victory with her excellence with the new ball, before a bewitching spell of leg-spin from Vaishnave Mahesh consolidated their advantage.

“They are our young guns,” Oza said. “We call Samaira ‘Simba’ [after the character from the Lion King movie] because she is our baby lion and she shows it out on the field.

“And Vaishnave is a magician with the way she spins the ball both ways. They are both just 17 but they play as though they are way older than they are.”

Dharnidharka finished the Netherlands innings with figures of three for 11, and that included a boundary off the penultimate ball of her four overs.

She listed it as her favourite day in cricket – other than when she took four for five in a match against Nepal that clinched UAE qualification for the last global qualifier.

Captain Esha Oza, left, has called on the UAE to be 'fearless' in their remaining T20 World Cup qualifier match. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Captain Esha Oza, left, has called on the UAE to be 'fearless' in their remaining T20 World Cup qualifier match. Chris Whiteoak / The National

“I think it is the best day yet – after Nepal,” she said. “I just kept bowling to my strengths, hitting the deck and trying to do what I do best, and hope they make the mistake. We can still make it to the semis and we are hoping to win the next game, too.”

Whoever does eventually advance in second place from Group B will almost certainly be pitted against mighty Sri Lanka.

Chamari Athapaththu’s side have won all three of their matches in the competition so far, with Scotland in second place in that group going into the final round of matches.

The five new places of worship

Church of South Indian Parish

St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch

St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch

St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais

Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais

 

Punchy appearance

Roars of support buoyed Mr Johnson in an extremely confident and combative appearance

if you go

The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.

The trip 

Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.

Business Insights
  • As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses. 
  • SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income. 
  • Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
How will Gen Alpha invest?

Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.

“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.

Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.

He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.

Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”

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Health Valley

Founded in 2002 and set up as a foundation in 2006, Health Valley has been an innovation in healthcare for more than 10 years in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
It serves as a place where companies, businesses, universities, healthcare providers and government agencies can collaborate, offering a platform where they can connect and work together on healthcare innovation.
Its partners work on technological innovation, new forms of diagnostics and other methods to make a difference in healthcare.
Its agency consists of eight people, four innovation managers and office managers, two communication advisers and one director. It gives innovation support to businesses and other parties in its network like a broker, connecting people with the right organisation to help them further

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Updated: May 02, 2024, 6:27 AM