The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted training schedules and preparation of athletes worldwide.
However, a handful have turned adversity into opportunity. Mohammed Riyan, UAE's former U19 international who was preparing for the new English cricket season, is one of them.
The diminutive opener joined the Cardiff Metropolitan University last year on a cricket scholarship to pursue a degree in sports management as well as representing the university team and Cowbridge Cricket Club in the Wales Premier Division 2.
Those plans are to be rescheduled after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced cricket will not resume until May 30, and this date may be extended if there is no improvement in the ongoing crisis.
Riyan, 21 and born to Indian parents in the UAE, is back in Abu Dhabi following the closure of universities in the UK.
Looking at the brighter side, Riyan believes the break has given him an opportunity to re-organise his life. And one of his key objectives is to win a place in the UAE senior national team.
One of the reasons for his new mission is that under the ECB laws, in order to play as a professional for a club in the UK you must have played a minimum of five international matches for a national team.
"After playing for the UAE U19 my next goal had always been to play for the UAE seniors," Riyan told The National.
“But it didn’t pan out that way and also I lost focus. Not that I did anything bad but I just got a bit laid-back and took things for granted. I lost my way a bit.”
Riyan is aware the Emirates Cricket Board are looking for fresh names after losing a majority of their senior players following last year's corruption scandal.
“I think I have a realistic chance if I work hard and perform in whatever tournaments I get to play,” he said.
Riyan has been included in the Pro Bash side Abu Dhabi Stars alongside Yodhin Punja, his former Cambridge High School (Abu Dhabi), Zayed Cricket Academy, UAE U19 and now Cowbridge CC teammate.
I think I have a realistic chance if I work hard and perform in whatever tournaments I get to play
“To play in the Pro Bash is a great opportunity,” he said. “I’m very excited to get a chance to play with some national team players like Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman and Yodhin.”
The Pro Bash is the first domestic franchise tournament in Abu Dhabi, which has also been temporarily suspended.
Riyan showed great promise from the age of 10 and he was the first school cricketer to get a scholarship in Ardingly College in the ninth grade in 2012.
He re-joined The Cambridge High School, Abu Dhabi, two years later and represented the UAE U19s in 2014 and 2015.
Riyan returned to the UK to join Seaford College in 2016 and in the following year, he moved to Anglia Ruskin University on a cricket scholarship and represented the MCCU Cambridge.
“I haven’t lost any of my cricketing skills but I still need to perform in the opportunities I get,” he said.
“My dad [Zaheer] has been supportive of my cricket. I had a long chat with him and he put in perspective the things I did wrong and did right. I want to balance my cricket and academics.
“I realised how important academics are for my future. I now feel I’m back on track with both.”
While in Abu Dhabi, Riyan wants to immerse himself in training and playing cricket as much as possible.
“Since I got back to Abu Dhabi [two weeks ago] I have started to work on my fitness,” he said.
“Nowadays I do it indoors, running up and down the stairs in my seven-storey residential apartment, seven days a week.
“I do that for 30-35 minutes followed by a workout. Boxing is also a part of my fitness routine.
“Since I’m not doing anything else, I want to increase the time I spend on my fitness, perhaps three times a day.”
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
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PRO BASH
Thursday’s fixtures
6pm: Hyderabad Nawabs v Pakhtoon Warriors
10pm: Lahore Sikandars v Pakhtoon Blasters
Teams
Chennai Knights, Lahore Sikandars, Pakhtoon Blasters, Abu Dhabi Stars, Abu Dhabi Dragons, Pakhtoon Warriors and Hyderabad Nawabs.
Squad rules
All teams consist of 15-player squads that include those contracted in the diamond (3), platinum (2) and gold (2) categories, plus eight free to sign team members.
Tournament rules
The matches are of 25 over-a-side with an 8-over power play in which only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Teams play in a single round robin league followed by the semi-finals and final. The league toppers will feature in the semi-final eliminator.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Saudi Cup race day
Schedule in UAE time
5pm: Mohamed Yousuf Naghi Motors Cup (Turf), 5.35pm: 1351 Cup (T), 6.10pm: Longines Turf Handicap (T), 6.45pm: Obaiya Arabian Classic for Purebred Arabians (Dirt), 7.30pm: Jockey Club Handicap (D), 8.10pm: Samba Saudi Derby (D), 8.50pm: Saudia Sprint (D), 9.40pm: Saudi Cup (D)
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Name: Enhance Fitness
Year started: 2018
Based: UAE
Employees: 200
Amount raised: $3m
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What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
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THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Europa League semi-final, second leg
Atletico Madrid (1) v Arsenal (1)
Where: Wanda Metropolitano
When: Thursday, kick-off 10.45pm
Live: On BeIN Sports HD
Profile
Company: Libra Project
Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware
Launch year: 2017
Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time
Sector: Renewable energy
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Generational responses to the pandemic
Devesh Mamtani from Century Financial believes the cash-hoarding tendency of each generation is influenced by what stage of the employment cycle they are in. He offers the following insights:
Baby boomers (those born before 1964): Owing to market uncertainty and the need to survive amid competition, many in this generation are looking for options to hoard more cash and increase their overall savings/investments towards risk-free assets.
Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980): Gen X is currently in its prime working years. With their personal and family finances taking a hit, Generation X is looking at multiple options, including taking out short-term loan facilities with competitive interest rates instead of dipping into their savings account.
Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996): This market situation is giving them a valuable lesson about investing early. Many millennials who had previously not saved or invested are looking to start doing so now.
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Brief scores:
Manchester United 4
Young 13', Mata 28', Lukaku 42', Rashford 82'
Fulham 1
Kamara 67' (pen),
Red card: Anguissa (68')
Man of the match: Juan Mata (Man Utd)
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Tour de France Stage 16:
165km run from Le Puy-en-Velay to Romans-sur-Isère
