Rashid Khan has asked for “unity” among supporters when Afghanistan play Pakistan in the opening game of the tri-nations series in Sharjah on Friday night.
The game is the first of seven T20 internationals to be played between the two sides, plus the hosts UAE, as preparation for the Asia Cup.
The last time Afghanistan and Pakistan met at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, in the 2022 Asia Cup, crowd unrest broke out in the stands after the game.
Amid the fighting, seats were ripped out and hurled at opposing fans, in an incident the then Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ramiz Raja termed “hooliganism”.
Over the course of the next month, the UAE will play host to a number of fixtures which come with a backdrop of political tension.
India and Pakistan are drawn in the same group in the first round of the Asia Cup, and could even play each other three times at the Dubai International Stadium in that event.
Pakistan and Afghanistan could meet three times in Sharjah, if they each reach the final of the tri-series. They are drawn in separate groups in the Asia Cup, but could potentially face each other in the second round.
Special security measures will be in place for the games in Sharjah, including potentially segregating supporters.
Rashid, the Afghanistan captain, has pleaded with spectators to support their sides, but respect their opposition also.
“It is a message to everyone who ever comes to watch the game in the stadium,” Rashid said.
“This game is something that brings unity, in brings people together, and brings nations together. It shows the right message, a message of peace.
“Everyone coming to the ground should support their team, support the players, and have fun. This game is all about enjoyment.
“We play this game to enjoy it and give entertainment to the crowd. I feel like it is just a game. There is nothing bigger to it.
“For the crowd to come and support their teams, and the respective players, that is what I request of them, and make sure they have fun and enjoy every moment of the game.”
Salman Agha, Pakistan’s captain, says the tri-series will be ideal preparation for the bigger challenges to follow in Dubai next month.
The 31-year-old batter replaced Mohammed Rizwan as Pakistan’s T20I captain earlier this year, and will lead a new-look side in the UAE, shorn of stars like Rizwan and Babar Azam.
“It is going to be exciting, but great for our preparation as well,” he said of the Sharjah series, which includes two matches apiece against UAE and the Afghans, followed by a final. “I know it is going to be challenging, but we are ready for that.”
The UAE have the lowest expectations on them among the three teams, but Muhammad Waseem, the captain, is confident they can make a mark in the tri-series.
The national team have claimed scalps of teams like New Zealand and Afghanistan themselves in recent times, and also beat Bangladesh in a T20I series in Sharjah.
The idea that they have home advantage for the series is debatable: Pakistan and Afghanistan have each played home fixtures in the UAE in recent years.
But Waseem is quietly confident. “It is home for all three teams, but the way we have prepared, the way we have played for the past couple of years, and the work we have done over the past one and a half months, I think we are going to play good cricket over here,” Waseem said.
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Expert advice
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Empty Words
By Mario Levrero
(Coffee House Press)
RESULT
Huddersfield Town 2 Manchester United 1
Huddersfield: Mooy (28'), Depoitre (33')
Manchester United: Rashford (78')
Man of the Match: Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield Town)
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
How to donate
Text the following numbers:
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MATCH INFO
Mumbai Indians 186-6 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 183-5 (20 ovs)
Mumbai Indians won by three runs
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
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The years Ramadan fell in May
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
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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.”
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
