England fast bowler Jofra Archer was never your average bowler. So you would not expect him to have an uneventful day in the office.
The Rajasthan Royals right-arm pacer roared back into form by bowling a wicket maiden in his first over of a terrific spell against Chennai Super Kings on Sunday which laid the foundation of a tense win for his team and repaid the faith put in him by the management despite a disastrous start to the season.
This year's IPL has been one of extremes for the Rajasthan quick. Archer has had a stop start career in the league ever since multiple injuries derailed his once meteoric rise as the foremost fast bowler in the world. The last time he played an entire season of IPL was 2020, missing three entire seasons since then and playing just five matches in 2023.
With a non existent record in recent IPL, Rajasthan took a big gamble by pledging $1.5 million for his services during the player auction late last year.
The decision seemed to have backfired early on as Archer was taken apart in his first outing of the season on a flat deck in Hyderabad. The 29-year-old recorded the most expensive spell in IPL history as he was hit for 76 in his four overs by a merciless Sunrisers side.
Archer was handed a big jolt first up by the marauding Travis Head, Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen, with Head hitting a six and four fours in his first over that went for 23.
It was a forgettable day for Archer and Rajasthan as Sunrisers recorded the second highest score in IPL history – 286.
There was more punishment waiting for Archer in his second match against title holders Kolkata Knight Riders, going for 33 runs in a two-and-a-half overs of a one-sided contest in Guwahati.
But there was not going to be a 'three-peat'. Defending 183 against Chennai in their second home ground in Guwahati, Archer produced a spell for the ages as he set the tone for the match and possibly the tournament.
Producing considerable seam movement and carry, Archer had in-form batter Rachin Ravindra on his toes, forcing the southpaw to edge a fast rising delivery behind off the fourth ball.
Archer had his tail up the entire evening, bowling a maiden first up and conceding just one in his next over. It was the first maiden over of IPL 2025.
Archer had figures of 1-13 from his three overs and could have finished his spell with more than one wicket.
For some reason, stand-in captain Riyan Parag did not bowl him in the death overs when Chennai were edging close to victory with MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease. The more expensive Sandeep Sharma and Tushar Deshpande were pressed into action, and the two somehow got the job done for a six-run win.
Maybe this is the way forward for Archer and Rajasthan – use his best form up front and knock the wind out of the powerplay overs; Chennai were just 42-1 after six overs on Sunday.
Archer would feel that given his new-found form, he should be used during the death overs as well. And he can't possibly bowl worse than Deshpande, who was smashed for two sixes and a four even when he had a cushion of 39 runs to defend in 12 balls against the Super Kings.
For now, Rajasthan and England will be happy to have their premier fast bowler closer to his peak form. If he can get through the season without any fitness issues, Archer will have batsmen ducking for cover.
And with the T20 World Cup also in India early next year, Archer has sent out a warning to all about what is in store.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
2.15pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m
Winner: Maqam, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).
2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m
Winner: Mamia Al Reef, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
3.15pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 2,000m
Winner: Jaahiz, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel.
3.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,000m
Winner: Qanoon, Szczepan Mazur, Irfan Ellahi.
4.15pm: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Cup Handicap (TB) Dh200,000 1,700m.
Winner: Philosopher, Tadhg O’Shea, Salem bin Ghadayer.
54.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m
Winner: Jap Al Yassoob, Fernando Jara, Irfan Ellahi.
THE LOWDOWN
Romeo Akbar Walter
Rating: 2/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Robby Grewal
Cast: John Abraham, Mouni Roy, Jackie Shroff and Sikandar Kher
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
The details
Heard It in a Past Life
Maggie Rogers
(Capital Records)
3/5
About Tenderd
Started: May 2018
Founder: Arjun Mohan
Based: Dubai
Size: 23 employees
Funding: Raised $5.8m in a seed fund round in December 2018. Backers include Y Combinator, Beco Capital, Venturesouq, Paul Graham, Peter Thiel, Paul Buchheit, Justin Mateen, Matt Mickiewicz, SOMA, Dynamo and Global Founders Capital
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.”
Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
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Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
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Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
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