Virat Kohli's wait for an Indian Premier League title goes on after Royal Challengers Bengaluru fell to a four-wicket play-off loss to Rajasthan Royals in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
Rajasthan restricted Bengaluru to 172-8, a total they overhauled with six balls to spare in the do-or-die play-off at the world's biggest cricket stadium. It meant Bengaluru's dream run was over after they rose from the bottom of the table after eight matches to win six in a row and make the play-offs.
Rajasthan will face Sunrisers Hyderabad in the last play-off on Friday in Chennai to decide Kolkata Knight Riders' opponent in the final on May 26.
Kolkata made their fourth IPL showpiece after they hammered Hyderabad in the first play-off on Tuesday in Ahmedabad's intense heat.
Rajasthan restricted Bengaluru to 172-8, with Kohli contributing 33, a total they overhauled with six balls to spare in the do-or-die play-off at the world's biggest cricket stadium.
“With the dew coming in, we thought we were short with the bat and needed a few more runs to make it more competitive,” said Bengaluru captain Faf du Plessis. “Credit to the boys for fighting it out.
“If you look at naturally assessing the pitch, it looked like a 180-pitch. But we found out this season, with the one extra batter and long line-ups, it can be challenging.
“A lot of teams would have, their wheels would have fallen off after one win from nine. But we made sure to gave our best and to come back like that – six games in a row – takes a lot of heart.”
Trent Boult, with figures of 1-16, and Ravichandran Ashwin, 2-19, played pivotal roles in a disciplined bowling attack for Rajasthan, who elected to field first.
Du Plessis had departed early on in the innings 17 after Rovman Powell took a stunning forward diving catch running from deep mid-wicket off left-arm quick Boult.
Kohli attempted to set the pace in his 24-ball 33 but fell to Yuzvendra Chahal's leg-spin, much to the disappointment of the crowd at the 132,000 capacity stadium. He consolidated his position as the season's leading batsman with 741 runs including a century and five half tons in 15 matches.
Rajasthan bowlers kept a check on the scoring and took regular wickets including two off successive balls when off-spinner Ashwin sent back Cameron Green, for 27, and Glenn Maxwell, for a duck.
In reply, Rajasthan stuttered in their chase after Yashasvi Jaiswal, caught behind off Green on 45, and captain Sanju Samson, stumped out for 17, departed in the space of five deliveries.
Riyan Parag, who hit 36, and Shimron Hetmyer, who smashed 26, put on 45 to get their chase back on track before Powell steered the team home with a six in his unbeaten 16.
“We will have some great days, we will have some really bad days but the important thing is to bounce back,” said Samson. “The way we batted, bowled and fielded, I am really happy.
“All the credit has to go to the players. We have the momentum now, so the dressing room is confident.”
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FIGHT CARD
Fights start from 6pm Friday, January 31
Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) v Ahmed Saeb (IRQ)
Women’s bantamweight
Cornelia Holm (SWE) v Corinne Laframboise (CAN)
Welterweight
Omar Hussein (JOR) v Vitalii Stoian (UKR)
Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) v Ali Dyusenov (UZB)
Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) v Delfin Nawen (PHI)
Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) v Mohamed El Mokadem (EGY)
Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Ramadan Noaman (EGY)
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) v Reydon Romero (PHI)
Welterweight
Ahmed Labban (LEB) v Juho Valamaa (FIN)
Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) v Austin Arnett (USA)
Super heavyweight
Roman Wehbe (LEB) v Maciej Sosnowski (POL)
Managing the separation process
- Choose your nursery carefully in the first place
- Relax – and hopefully your child will follow suit
- Inform the staff in advance of your child’s likes and dislikes.
- If you need some extra time to talk to the teachers, make an appointment a few days in advance, rather than attempting to chat on your child’s first day
- The longer you stay, the more upset your child will become. As difficult as it is, walk away. Say a proper goodbye and reassure your child that you will be back
- Be patient. Your child might love it one day and hate it the next
- Stick at it. Don’t give up after the first day or week. It takes time for children to settle into a new routine.And, finally, don’t feel guilty.
RACE RESULTS
1. Valtteri Bottas (FIN/Mercedes) 1hr 21min 48.527sec
2. Sebastian Vettel (GER/Ferrari) at 0.658sec
3. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS/Red Bull) 6.012
4. Lewis Hamilton (GBR/Mercedes) 7.430
5. Kimi Räikkönen (FIN/Ferrari) 20.370
6. Romain Grosjean (FRA/Haas) 1:13.160
7. Sergio Pérez (MEX/Force India) 1 lap
8. Esteban Ocon (FRA/Force India) 1 lap
9. Felipe Massa (BRA/Williams) 1 lap
10. Lance Stroll (CAN/Williams) 1 lap
11. Jolyon Palmer (GBR/Renault) 1 lap
12. Stoffel Vandoorne (BEL/McLaren) 1 lap
13. Nico Hülkenberg (GER/Renault) 1 lap
14. Pascal Wehrlein (GER/Sauber) 1 lap
15. Marcus Ericsson (SWE/Sauber) 2 laps
16. Daniil Kvyat (RUS/Toro Rosso) 3 laps
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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.”
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Drivers’ championship standings after Singapore:
1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes - 263
2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari - 235
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes - 212
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull - 162
5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari - 138
6. Sergio Perez, Force India - 68
