The UAE kept alive their hopes of making it to the last four of the Asia Cup with a comprehensive win over Oman in Abu Dhabi.
The national team bounced back from their opening day humbling at the hands of India with a 42-run win over their Gulf neighbours at Zayed Cricket Stadium.
They now have a day’s rest before the seminal fixture of Group A. If they can create a shock and beat Pakistan at Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday, they would advance to the Super Four phase at the expense of Salman Agha’s side.
That would set up a reprisal of their opening game against India. It would also help defuse simmering tensions created at the end of the Pakistan-India game on Sunday night, when Suryakumar Yadav and his side refused to shake hands with their counterparts.
As the recriminations from that continued to be felt up the E11 in Dubai, where Pakistan’s board were lobbying for the removal of match referee Andy Pycroft because of the issue, UAE and Oman were returning to action.
In the days leading up to the tournament, the matches were scheduled from 6pm starts – as had been originally planned – to 6.30pm, with the heat of late UAE summer being the reason given.
Somehow, the only game with a 4pm start – which coincidentally is likely to attract the fewest viewers to the TV broadcast – was retained.
It meant the opposing captains, Jatinder Singh of Oman and the UAE’s Muhammad Waseem, were out in the middle at 3.30pm for the toss.
After being invited to bat first, the UAE’s openers knew they would have to deal with searing heat, as well as an Oman attack with whom they are perhaps surprisingly unfamiliar.
The two sides have played plenty of cricket against each other over the past decade. But the Oman side had been overhauled in recent times after a pay dispute saw many of their most established players leave the country.
Still sore from being fired out for their lowest T20 international total, by India, a few days earlier, Waseem and Alishan Sharafu, his opening partner, appeared intent on showing the wider viewing public they can actually play.
They did so in fine fashion. Sharafu was the aggressor at first.
Playing at a ground where he has made his name playing for Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the International League T20, the 22-year-old opener hit a sparkling half century. His 38-ball 51 included seven fours and a six.
Once he went, Waseem picked up the slack. It is a marker of the size of the Zayed Cricket Stadium playing field that, in his 54-ball stay, the UAE captain only hit three sixes.
His power is well known: only Rohit Sharma has hit more sixes than Waseem in T20I history. What is less appreciated is his fitness. His innings of 69 required plenty of aerobic energy.
It was also the foundation for victory for the UAE. With the platform he laid, complemented by quick runs late on by Mohammed Zohaib and Harshit Kaushik, the hosts were able to post 172-5.
They would have been confident of defending that against most sides, but especially so once they reduced the new-look Oman line up to 32-4 within the powerplay.
Junaid Siddique and Mohammed Rohid, their new-ball duo, took three of those between them. The fourth fell to Haider Ali, the left-arm spinner who was outstanding again. He finished his four overs with 2-22.
Oman were incapable of recovering. Mohammed Jawadullah, back into the side after missing out against India, took two wickets, while Siddique hastened the hosts over the winning line as he finished with 4-23.
Fittingly, it was Waseem who sealed the win, running round from mid-off to swoop for a direct hit run out that saw Oman bowled out for 130.
Brief scores:
Toss: Nepal, chose to field
UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23
Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17
Result: UAE won by 21 runs
Series: UAE lead 1-0
Bundesliga fixtures
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
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
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Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
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
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
