• Pakistan captain Babar Azam hit a match-winning fifty in the first T20 against Zimbabwe at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Saturday. AP
    Pakistan captain Babar Azam hit a match-winning fifty in the first T20 against Zimbabwe at the Pindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi on Saturday. AP
  • Pakistan's captain Babar Azam plays drive in the first T20 in Rawalpindi. AFP
    Pakistan's captain Babar Azam plays drive in the first T20 in Rawalpindi. AFP
  • Pakistan's Mohammad Hafeez is bowled out by Zimbabwe's Blessing Muzarabani during the first T20 in Rawalpindi. AFP
    Pakistan's Mohammad Hafeez is bowled out by Zimbabwe's Blessing Muzarabani during the first T20 in Rawalpindi. AFP
  • Pakistan batsmen Babar Azam, left, and Mohammad Hafeez during the first T20. AP
    Pakistan batsmen Babar Azam, left, and Mohammad Hafeez during the first T20. AP
  • Mohammad Hafeez scored 36 in the first T20 on Saturday. AP
    Mohammad Hafeez scored 36 in the first T20 on Saturday. AP
  • Zimbabwe's pacer Blessing Muzarabani, center, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Pakistan batsman Fakhar Zaman. AP
    Zimbabwe's pacer Blessing Muzarabani, center, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Pakistan batsman Fakhar Zaman. AP
  • Zimbabwe's Wesley Madhevere, left, and Elton Chigumbura run between the wickets. AFP
    Zimbabwe's Wesley Madhevere, left, and Elton Chigumbura run between the wickets. AFP
  • Zimbabwe's Sean Williams is bowled during the first T20 against Pakistan. EPA
    Zimbabwe's Sean Williams is bowled during the first T20 against Pakistan. EPA
  • Pakistan's wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan tries to run out Zimbabwe's Elton Chigumbura. AFP
    Pakistan's wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan tries to run out Zimbabwe's Elton Chigumbura. AFP
  • Pakistan's Haris Rauf celebrates after the dismissal of Zimbabwe's Ryan Burl. AFP
    Pakistan's Haris Rauf celebrates after the dismissal of Zimbabwe's Ryan Burl. AFP

Babar Azam has one eye on No 1 ranking as Pakistan target T20 series sweep against Zimbabwe


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Pakistan captain Babar Azam will be aiming for a T20 series clean sweep and a shot at the No 1 ranking for batsmen when his team take on Zimbabwe in the third and final match of the series on Tuesday.

Pakistan have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead following wins by six and eight wickets in the first two games in Rawalpindi. The hosts will be wary of taking it too lightly in the third match of the encounter as they had lost the dead rubber of the preceding ODI series via Super Over.

Captain Azam will also have a personal milestone on his radar. The right-hand batsman lost the No 1 ranking for T20 batsmen earlier in the year to England's Dawid Malan and will be aiming to reclaim it.

He made match-winning contributions of 82 and 51 in the first two matches and another big effort should help the 26-year-old get close to top spot. Malan currently leads the charts with 877 points with Azam close behind on 869.

Pakistan will also be buoyed by the performance of leg-spinner Usman Qadir. The 27-year-old leggie, son of the late spin great Abdul Qadir, picked up 3-23 in the second match and impressed experts with his control and variations.

"It is nice when young players perform," Azam after the second T20. "I played my early cricket with Usman so it was good to see him bowl like that. Overall, it's a good show by some talented players."

The specs

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Transmission: seven-speed auto

Power: 420 bhp

Torque: 624Nm

Price: from Dh293,200

On sale: now

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
UAE’s revised Cricket World Cup League Two schedule

August, 2021: Host - United States; Teams - UAE, United States and Scotland

Between September and November, 2021 (dates TBC): Host - Namibia; Teams - Namibia, Oman, UAE

December, 2021: Host - UAE; Teams - UAE, Namibia, Oman

February, 2022: Hosts - Nepal; Teams - UAE, Nepal, PNG

June, 2022: Hosts - Scotland; Teams - UAE, United States, Scotland

September, 2022: Hosts - PNG; Teams - UAE, PNG, Nepal

February, 2023: Hosts - UAE; Teams - UAE, PNG, Nepal

Name: Peter Dicce

Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics

Favourite sport: soccer

Favourite team: Bayern Munich

Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer

Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates 

 

FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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The specs

Engine: 4 liquid-cooled permanent magnet synchronous electric motors placed at each wheel

Battery: Rimac 120kWh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry

Power: 1877bhp

Torque: 2300Nm

Price: Dh7,500,00

On sale: Now

 

RESULTS

4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Yulong Warrior, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer)

4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Jordan Sport, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass

5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Conditions $200,000 (Turf) 1,200m
Winner: Jungle Cat, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Kimbear, Patrick Dobbs, Doug Watson

6.20pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 $300,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Blair House, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby

6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $400,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: North America, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

7.30pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 $250,000 (T) 2,410m
Winner: Hawkbill, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

What are NFTs?

Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.

You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”

However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.

This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”

This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.