When Covid disrupted UAE’s one-day international series against Ireland in Abu Dhabi last month, it had the indirect effect of depriving Adithya Shetty a slice of history.
Had the series followed its initial schedule, and comprised four matches rather than the revised two, the schoolboy leg-spinner would almost certainly have debuted.
Had he done so, he would have become the youngest player ever to feature in international cricket for the UAE, breaking Yodhin Punja’s record of 16 years and 206 days.
As it was, the series was truncated when four UAE players returned positive Covid results, and Shetty will now be forced to wait.
It is unclear when the UAE will play next. What does seem certain, though, as the 16-year-old whizkid will remain part of their plans for the foreseeable future. Robin Singh, the UAE coach, has hinted as much.
“We have incorporated a lot of young cricketers in the set up, but I have made it a point that they have to perform,” Singh said recently. “They can’t be coming into the side just because they are young.
“We have a 16-year old [Shetty] who has been in our national side, and he almost played against Ireland. I’m pretty sure these guys will play in the near future if they keep performing.”
Shetty’s performance in taking three wickets in a practice match against Ireland won him plenty of admirers among the senior players in the national team. The India-born teen is grateful for the way he was accepted into the fold.
“They say sport has no age, and the coach of the UAE team [Singh] keeps telling us this,” Shetty said.
“If you are with the men’s team, you will be treated like a men’s player, irrespective of how old you are or how young you are.
“I was welcomed nicely by the senior players. At first I didn’t speak to them a lot, I spent more time with the younger players, but as I spent more time with them everyone was really welcoming.
“It was nice to be with a group of guys who care about you and are happy when you do well as well.”
Since his first taste of the senior national team set up, Shetty has thrived in domestic cricket, too.
He has had a string of fine performances in the Bukhatir League, following on from some excellence in ICC Academy’s title win in the UAE Academies league.
His ascent in the game has been sharp since he was one of the first inductees into the ICC Academy’s scholarship programme back in 2017.
Qasim Ali, who has overseen Shetty’s development since he hand-picked him for the scholarship programme four years ago, predicted a “bright future” for a formerly “podgy kid”.
“He has a consistency in his bowling that is impressive for a young lad,” Qasim, the academy’s head coach, said.
“The fact he is determined to work on his skills outside of coaching hours shows he has the drive to succeed. He is quite relentless as a character.
“He is also focused on his fitness, which is good as he was a podgy kid when he first started with us.
“The programme we put together with the scholarship enabled him to get fitter and stronger. We have given the opportunity to play on good grounds and train relentlessly.
“We have opened this area up for free training to all our scholars. Without that they wouldn’t get the opportunity to practice their skills, and that is what the scholarship programme is about.”
Shetty acknowledged his attitude to fitness has improved over the recent past – which is handy, given that what he first found most appealing about bowling leg-spin was the lacking of running required to do it.
“My school coach at [Delhi Private School, where he first learnt the game] changed me into a leg-spinner,” Shetty said.
“Like everyone, I was initially a batsman and fast bowler, but my school coach said pace bowling wasn’t for me as I was quite short at that time.
“I was happy with that as it meant there wasn’t a lot of running to do. You just walk in from two steps and then bowl.
“As time went on, I started bowling leg-spin, and as time went along it became something that was becoming a career for me.
“I have worked on my fitness. Everyone knows now in cricket you need to be fit to play.”
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
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The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
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.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Letstango.com
Started: June 2013
Founder: Alex Tchablakian
Based: Dubai
Industry: e-commerce
Initial investment: Dh10 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 300,000 unique customers every month
The distance learning plan
Spring break will be from March 8 - 19
Public school pupils will undergo distance learning from March 22 - April 2. School hours will be 8.30am to 1.30pm
Staff will be trained in distance learning programmes from March 15 - 19
Teaching hours will be 8am to 2pm during distance learning
Pupils will return to school for normal lessons from April 5
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
The bio
Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions
School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira
Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk
Dream City: San Francisco
Hometown: Dubai
City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala
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
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Geneva from Dh2,845 return, including taxes. The flight takes 6 hours.
The package
Clinique La Prairie offers a variety of programmes. A six-night Master Detox costs from 14,900 Swiss francs (Dh57,655), including all food, accommodation and a set schedule of medical consultations and spa treatments.
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If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
The specs: 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
Price, base: Dh1.2 million
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 725hp @ 6,500pm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.3L / 100km (estimate)
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
