The UAE’s home T20 franchise competition starts on Saturday when the third season of the DP World International T20 gets under way.
The campaign will begin at Dubai International Stadium with a rerun of last year’s final between MI Emirates, the defending champions, and Dubai Capitals.
Opening ceremony
The organisers opted against a starry opening ceremony last year after Jason Derulo performed ahead of the debut season in 2023.
This time around the first match will be prefaced by a performance by Bollywood stars Shahid Kapoor, Pooja Hegde and Sonam Bajwa. That will start at 6pm, with the cricket due to start at 7.15pm.
Schedule
Other than Saturday’s opening night, most matches will start at 6.30pm, with early matches on weekends at 2pm, and the second match on weekends starting at 6pm.
How to watch
The matches can be watched live in the UAE on Abu Dhabi TV, Dubai TV and Myco, as well as the ILT20’s YouTube channel. Talk FM Radio 100.3 will also have commentary.
It will be shown on many of Zee TV’s channels in India, Samsung TV Plus and Rakuten TV in Europe, Tapmad in Pakistan, and Styx Sports in Nepal.
Tickets
Admission starts at Dh15 for six to 16 years, and Dh20 for adults. Tickets are available here.
Teams
The same six teams who started out the first ILT20 two years ago remain – with the only slight amendment being the fact the Sharjah Warriors now have a funky z added to their name, having become the Warriorz.
Gulf Giants were the first winners in 2023, before MI Emirates – an offshoot of IPL side Mumbai Indians – took their title last year.
Dubai Capitals and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders are also affiliates of IPL teams, while Desert Vipers have the same owners as Manchester United.
Players to watch
Phil Salt (Abu Dhabi Knight Riders): The world’s No 2-ranked T20I batter has a strong affinity with the UAE capital, having previously represented Team Abu Dhabi in T10.
ADKR’s first match: Sunday, January 12, 2pm, Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi.
Fakhar Zaman (Desert Vipers): The big-hitting left-hander is the biggest name import from Pakistan. He will be back at the grounds where he first made his name in the Pakistan Super League.
Vipers’ first match: Sunday, January 12, 2pm, Zayed Cricket Stadium.
David Warner (Dubai Capitals): Retired from international cricket and in the IPL sidings, but the former Australia opener is likely to remain as competitive as ever.
Capitals’ first game: Saturday, January 11, 7.15pm, Dubai International Stadium.
Dipendra Singh Airee (Gulf Giants): One of a select group to have hit six sixes in an over in international cricket. The Nepal all-rounder is one of the most electric fielders in the world.
Giants’ first game: Sunday, January 12, 6pm, Dubai International Stadium.
Muhammad Waseem (MI Emirates): Everyone knows about his MI batting colleague Nicholas Pooran. But more people should know about the brilliance of the UAE captain.
MI’s first game: Saturday, January 11, 7.15pm, Dubai International Stadium.
Tim Southee (Sharjah Warriorz): Ended a great New Zealand Test career earlier this winter. Now he will be captaining the Sharjah franchise in ILT20.
Warriorz’s first game: Sunday, January 12, 6pm, Dubai International Stadium.
Home hopes
Two places per starting XI are reserved for UAE-based players. They do not need to be eligible just yet for the national team, but at least be in the process of qualifying.
Rohan Mustafa, the long-serving former national team captain, has switched from Desert Vipers to Sharjah Warriorz for the new season. He will play alongside fellow UAE players Mohammed Jawadullah and Junaid Siddique.
The Vipers have Dhruv Parashar, Ali Naseer and Tanish Suri, a young trio in whom great hopes are invested for the future of UAE cricket.
Big-hitting middle-order batter Saghir Khan is an intriguing signing for Gulf Giants, where spin duo Aayan Khan and Zuhaib Zubair excelled last season.
Alishan Sharafu remains key to AD Knight Riders’ hopes, having made his name with them last season against an all-star Vipers bowling attack.
UFC%20FIGHT%20NIGHT%3A%20SAUDI%20ARABIA%20RESULTS
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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.”
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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%3Cp%3E-%20Congress%20is%20one%20of%20three%20branches%20of%20the%20US%20government%2C%20and%20the%20one%20that%20creates%20the%20nation's%20federal%20laws%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20Congress%20is%20divided%20into%20two%20chambers%3A%20The%20House%20of%20Representatives%20and%20the%20Senate%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%C2%A0The%20House%20is%20made%20up%20of%20435%20members%20based%20on%20a%20state's%20population.%20House%20members%20are%20up%20for%20election%20every%20two%20years%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20A%20bill%20must%20be%20approved%20by%20both%20the%20House%20and%20Senate%20before%20it%20goes%20to%20the%20president's%20desk%20for%20signature%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20A%20political%20party%20needs%20218%20seats%20to%20be%20in%20control%20of%20the%20House%20of%20Representatives%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20The%20Senate%20is%20comprised%20of%20100%20members%2C%20with%20each%20state%20receiving%20two%20senators.%20Senate%20members%20serve%20six-year%20terms%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20A%20political%20party%20needs%2051%20seats%20to%20control%20the%20Senate.%20In%20the%20case%20of%20a%2050-50%20tie%2C%20the%20party%20of%20the%20president%20controls%20the%20Senate%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
INDIA SQUADS
India squad for third Test against Sri Lanka
Virat Kohli (capt), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Vijay Shankar
India squad for ODI series against Sri Lanka
Rohit Sharma (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul
The specs: 2018 Jaguar F-Type Convertible
Price, base / as tested: Dh283,080 / Dh318,465
Engine: 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 295hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.2L / 100km
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How does ToTok work?
The calling app is available to download on Google Play and Apple App Store
To successfully install ToTok, users are asked to enter their phone number and then create a nickname.
The app then gives users the option add their existing phone contacts, allowing them to immediately contact people also using the application by video or voice call or via message.
Users can also invite other contacts to download ToTok to allow them to make contact through the app.
Three ways to get a gratitude glow
By committing to at least one of these daily, you can bring more gratitude into your life, says Ong.
- During your morning skincare routine, name five things you are thankful for about yourself.
- As you finish your skincare routine, look yourself in the eye and speak an affirmation, such as: “I am grateful for every part of me, including my ability to take care of my skin.”
- In the evening, take some deep breaths, notice how your skin feels, and listen for what your skin is grateful for.
BIG SPENDERS
Premier League clubs spent £230 million (Dh1.15 billion) on January transfers, the second-highest total for the mid-season window, the Sports Business Group at Deloitte said in a report.
If you go
- The nearest international airport to the start of the Chuysky Trakt is in Novosibirsk. Emirates (www.emirates.com) offer codeshare flights with S7 Airlines (www.s7.ru) via Moscow for US$5,300 (Dh19,467) return including taxes. Cheaper flights are available on Flydubai and Air Astana or Aeroflot combination, flying via Astana in Kazakhstan or Moscow. Economy class tickets are available for US$650 (Dh2,400).
- The Double Tree by Hilton in Novosibirsk ( 7 383 2230100,) has double rooms from US$60 (Dh220). You can rent cabins at camp grounds or rooms in guesthouses in the towns for around US$25 (Dh90).
- The transport Minibuses run along the Chuysky Trakt but if you want to stop for sightseeing, hire a taxi from Gorno-Altaisk for about US$100 (Dh360) a day. Take a Russian phrasebook or download a translation app. Tour companies such as Altair-Tour ( 7 383 2125115 ) offer hiking and adventure packages.
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