UAE are through to the T20 World Cup finals being held in India and Sri Lanka next February. Photo: ICC
UAE are through to the T20 World Cup finals being held in India and Sri Lanka next February. Photo: ICC
UAE are through to the T20 World Cup finals being held in India and Sri Lanka next February. Photo: ICC
UAE are through to the T20 World Cup finals being held in India and Sri Lanka next February. Photo: ICC

UAE qualify for T20 World Cup after thrashing Japan in Muscat


Paul Radley
  • English
  • Arabic

The UAE have qualified for the T20 World Cup after thrashing Japan in Oman.

The national team clinched their place in the top three of the qualifying tournament in Muscat.

That carries with it the prize of a place at the main event in India and Sri Lanka next February.

The UAE will be playing at the T20 World Cup for the third time in all.

It will be their first appearance since 2022 in Australia, where they failed to make it out of the preliminary group, but did pick up their lone win so far in the event, when they beat Namibia in Geelong.

Their form at the qualifying tournament, which has pitted south and west Asia sides against those from the East-Asia Pacific region, has been indifferent.

Losses to Nepal and Oman at the start of the Super Six phase meant their final two games, against Samoa and Japan, were must-win games.

They crushed both of them. It culminated in a eight-wicket win over Japan.

Haider Ali took three for 20 as Japan were restricted to 116 for nine from their 20 overs.

They only made it that far thanks to a counter-attacking 42 not out from 35 balls by No 9 Wataru Miyauchi.

Even though the target was 40 runs more than they might have been chasing, they made light work of the chase.

Muhammad Waseem, the UAE captain, is used to making big runs in finals at the Oman Cricket Academy, on the outskirts of the capital city.

He made a century there when the UAE last qualified for the T20 World Cup, and did similar last year as they made it to the Asia Cup.

This time around he did not have enough runs to work with to do the same. But he still ensured the UAE faced no jitters in the chase.

He made 42 from 26 balls to get the chase off to a flyer. Alishan Sharafu, his opening partner, took up the responsibility after his captain was dismissed, and made 46 as the UAE chased the target with 12.1 overs gone.

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Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

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MATCH INFO

Quarter-finals

Saturday (all times UAE)

England v Australia, 11.15am 
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm

Sunday

Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm

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What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

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What is Diwali?

The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.

According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.

In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.  

 

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Building boom turning to bust as Turkey's economy slows

Deep in a provincial region of northwestern Turkey, it looks like a mirage - hundreds of luxury houses built in neat rows, their pointed towers somewhere between French chateau and Disney castle.

Meant to provide luxurious accommodations for foreign buyers, the houses are however standing empty in what is anything but a fairytale for their investors.

The ambitious development has been hit by regional turmoil as well as the slump in the Turkish construction industry - a key sector - as the country's economy heads towards what could be a hard landing in an intensifying downturn.

After a long period of solid growth, Turkey's economy contracted 1.1 per cent in the third quarter, and many economists expect it will enter into recession this year.

The country has been hit by high inflation and a currency crisis in August. The lira lost 28 per cent of its value against the dollar in 2018 and markets are still unconvinced by the readiness of the government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to tackle underlying economic issues.

The villas close to the town centre of Mudurnu in the Bolu region are intended to resemble European architecture and are part of the Sarot Group's Burj Al Babas project.

But the development of 732 villas and a shopping centre - which began in 2014 - is now in limbo as Sarot Group has sought bankruptcy protection.

It is one of hundreds of Turkish companies that have done so as they seek cover from creditors and to restructure their debts.

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Updated: October 16, 2025, 3:03 PM