India captain Rohit Sharma lifts the T20 World Cup trophy after a seven-run win over South Africa in the final at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Saturday, June 29, 2024. Getty Images
India's Virat Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma celebrate with the trophy after winning the ICC men's Twenty20 World Cup 2024 final cricket match between India and South Africa at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, on June 29, 2024. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP)
India pacer Jasprit Bumrah was the player of the tournament. Reuters
India captain Rohit Sharma celebrates after winning the T20 World Cup final against South Africa by seven runs at the Kensington Oval. Getty Images
Hardik Pandya starred with the ball for India, picking up three wickets in a tense victory. Getty Images
South Africa's Heinrich Klaasen smashed 52 from 27 balls and took his team close to victory. AFP
Hardik Pandya celebrates with Virat Kohli after dismissing David Miller. Getty Images
Virat Kohli held India's inning together with a timely knock of 76. AP
Virat Kohli made 76 from 59 balls to help India reach 176-7. Getty Images
Shivam Dube gave good support to Kohli, hitting 27 from 16 at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. AFP
Anrich Nortje of South Africa celebrates after dismissing Shivam Dube. Getty Images
Axar Patel rescued India's innings with 47 from 31 balls. AFP
Quinton de Kock celebrates with teammates after running Axar Patel out. Getty Images
South Africa's Keshav Maharaj dismissed India captain Rohit Sharma in his first over. AFP
South Africa's Keshav Maharaj got Rishabh Pant out for a duck. AFP
India ended their decade long wait for a major title as they kept their cool in a sensational clash against South Africa, securing a narrow seven-run win in the T20 World Cup final in Barbados on Saturday.
Virat Kohli had struggled the entire tournament but reserved his best for the last as he hit a composed 76 from 59 balls to help post a competitive 176-7.
In reply, South Africa started poorly but then accelerated in the middle overs brilliantly. Quinton de Kock (39) and Tristian Stubbs (31) put them back on track before Heinrich Klaasen threw the game wide open by smashing 52 from 27 balls.
Klaasen seemed to have ended the contest when he smashed spinner Axar Patel for 24 runs, with two sixes and two fours.
The Proteas needed just 30 from 30 balls with their first ever world title there for the taking. Hardik Pandya then brought India back into the contest, getting Klaasen out caught behind.
The Indian seamers then turned up the heat in the death overs as the equation became tougher for the Proteas.
Jasprit Bumrah gave away just two runs in the 18th over and Arshdeep Singh just four in the penultimate over. That meant Pandya got to bowl the last over with 16 needed and the dangerous David Miller (21) on strike.
Miller hit a full toss first ball down the ground where Suryakumar Yadav took an acrobatic catch at the boundary ropes under extraordinary pressure, jumping back inside the boundary ropes at the right time. Pandya then kept it under control against the tailenders, finishing with 3-20 as India won the title, also becoming the first team to win a T20 title unbeaten throughout the tournament.
South Africa finished on 169-8, with pacers Jasprit Bumrah (2-18) and Arshdeep Singh (2-20) delivering when it mattered.
Kohli had to dig deep to score the runs when it mattered the most, having struggled throughout. In the end, it turned out to be a title winning effort. After the match, Kohli announced that it was his last T20 International in India colours.
"This was my last T20 game playing for India," player-of-the-match Kohli said following India's victory.
"Time for the next generation to take the T20 game forward. This was my last T20 World Cup and this is exactly what we wanted to achieve. It was an amazing game. One day you feel like you can't get a run but one day, things just click. It hasn't quite sunk in for me yet."
After an emotional win, captain Rohit Sharma lauded his team for getting across the finish line after two failed attempts in the last 12 months - the World Test Championship and ODI World Cup finals.
"Hard to sum up what we've been through in last three-four years. A lot of high-pressure games, and we have been on the wrong side of it. Guys understand when the pressure is on what needs to be done, today was perfect example. We stuck together with our backs to the wall," the opener said.
Earlier, Kohli held the innings together with his best knock of the tournament. India had started poorly, losing captain Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant in the second over bowled by Keshav Maharaj.
But delivered when it mattered the most, making a hard-fought 76 at the Kensington Oval on Saturday.
Kohli and Axar put on a partnership of 74 which was the foundation of a challenging total before Shivam Dube helped step the tempo up at the end with 27 off 16 balls.
Kohli, who had come into the final averaging just 10.71, made the perfect start by hitting three fours off the opening over from Marco Jansen.
Kohli was looking in control but needed support after Suryakumar lasted just four balls before he holed out to Klaasen at deep square-leg off Kagiso Rabada.
Kohli and Axar were then motoring along nicely and the 100 came up off 82 balls with Axar smashing Rabada over long-on for six.
South Africa needed to break up the partnership and they got the breakthrough with De Kock running non-striker Axar (47) out while looking for a quick single.
Kohli took a long time to reach his fifty - from 48 balls - before he launched the next ball from Rabada over long-on for six.
Kohli finally went in the 19th over caught by Rabada at long-on after hitting six fours and two sixes in his 59-ball innings.
In the end, Kohli's masterful innings proved enough to secure victory. It was an emotional day for the Indians with many in tears, including Pandya and captain Sharma.
It was a bitter end for South Africa who had reached their first World Cup final after ending a streak of seven defeats in semi-finals in both World Cup formats.
"Gutted for the time being, it'll take some time to reflect on a really good campaign, hurts quite a bit but incredibly proud," said captain Aiden Markram.
"We bowled well, not a lot to work with, it was a chaseable total, batted well, came down to the wire, gutted not to get over the line.
"Things happen quickly at the back end, but got into a great position to prove we were worthy finalists."
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
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
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie
Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)
Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
Hydrogen has an estimated $11 trillion market potential, according to Bank of America Securities and is expected to generate $2.5tn in direct revenues and $11tn of indirect infrastructure by 2050 as its production increases six-fold.
"We believe we are reaching the point of harnessing the element that comprises 90 per cent of the universe, effectively and economically,” the bank said in a recent report.
Falling costs of renewable energy and electrolysers used in green hydrogen production is one of the main catalysts for the increasingly bullish sentiment over the element.
The cost of electrolysers used in green hydrogen production has halved over the last five years and will fall to 60 to 90 per cent by the end of the decade, acceding to Haim Israel, equity strategist at Merrill Lynch. A global focus on decarbonisation and sustainability is also a big driver in its development.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
if you go
The flights
Direct flights from the UAE to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, are available with Air Arabia, (www.airarabia.com) Fly Dubai (www.flydubai.com) or Etihad (www.etihad.com) from Dh1,200 return including taxes. The trek described here started from Jomson, but there are many other start and end point variations depending on how you tailor your trek. To get to Jomson from Kathmandu you must first fly to the lake-side resort town of Pokhara with either Buddha Air (www.buddhaair.com) or Yeti Airlines (www.yetiairlines.com). Both charge around US$240 (Dh880) return. From Pokhara there are early morning flights to Jomson with Yeti Airlines or Simrik Airlines (www.simrikairlines.com) for around US$220 (Dh800) return.
The trek
Restricted area permits (US$500 per person) are required for trekking in the Upper Mustang area. The challenging Meso Kanto pass between Tilcho Lake and Jomson should not be attempted by those without a lot of mountain experience and a good support team. An excellent trekking company with good knowledge of Upper Mustang, the Annaurpuna Circuit and Tilcho Lake area and who can help organise a version of the trek described here is the Nepal-UK run Snow Cat Travel (www.snowcattravel.com). Prices vary widely depending on accommodation types and the level of assistance required.
What you as a drone operator need to know
A permit and licence is required to fly a drone legally in Dubai.
Sanad Academy is the United Arab Emirate’s first RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) training and certification specialists endorsed by the Dubai Civil Aviation authority.
It is responsible to train, test and certify drone operators and drones in UAE with DCAA Endorsement.
“We are teaching people how to fly in accordance with the laws of the UAE,” said Ahmad Al Hamadi, a trainer at Sanad.
“We can show how the aircraft work and how they are operated. They are relatively easy to use, but they need responsible pilots.
“Pilots have to be mature. They are given a map of where they can and can’t fly in the UAE and we make these points clear in the lectures we give.
“You cannot fly a drone without registration under any circumstances.”
Larger drones are harder to fly, and have a different response to location control. There are no brakes in the air, so the larger drones have more power.
The Sanad Academy has a designated area to fly off the Al Ain Road near Skydive Dubai to show pilots how to fly responsibly.
“As UAS technology becomes mainstream, it is important to build wider awareness on how to integrate it into commerce and our personal lives,” said Major General Abdulla Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief, Dubai Police.
“Operators must undergo proper training and certification to ensure safety and compliance.
“Dubai’s airspace will undoubtedly experience increased traffic as UAS innovations become commonplace, the Forum allows commercial users to learn of best practice applications to implement UAS safely and legally, while benefitting a whole range of industries.”
