After playing an innings he described as being “like a dream” to win the Emirates D10 for Sharjah on Monday night, Vriitya Aravind’s celebrations were joyful – but brief.
The 18-year-old batsman's teammates – one of whom had screamed himself hoarse celebrating his outrageous strokeplay – raced on to the field when the eight-wicket win was sealed.
They raised their young colleague aloft, danced a collective jig, then Aravind took a few quick photos with the trophy before having to leave as fast as he could.
While the rest of the Sharjah side were having a post-match meal to celebrate a title well won, Aravind was racing home, having a quick shower, packing his kit up again, then heading to Dubai International airport.
From there, he took a red-eye flight to the UK, where he is now quarantining, in the hope of making it out in time to play the first club cricket match of the Birmingham league season on April 17.
The UAE national team wicketkeeper is in his first year as a student at Loughborough University. He is doubling up his studies with playing for the university cricket team, as well as club cricket.
With the UAE not scheduled to play until August, he opted to return to the UK, having studied remotely from Dubai in recent months.
He travelled in good spirits, after an innings of 66 not out from 27 balls in the final which he ranks among his finest moments in the game so far.
“It felt like a dream,” Aravind said. “When the game finished, they picked me up, and all the experienced players were really happy for me.
“Umair [Ali Khan, the joint-leading wicket taker in the tournament] lost his voice and couldn’t talk properly after the game because he had been cheering so much.
“It felt different this time – a youngster performing in the big games. It has always been experienced players who do well in the semi-finals and finals, like how Rohan [Mustafa, who played the match-winning innings in the semi-final against Dubai earlier in the afternoon] did.
“It really felt good, like a personal achievement for me. I have never chased down a target all alone before.
“Even though I’ve had good starts, I have never been able to finish a game. It was good that I did it for the first time in a final, the most important game.”
Aravind’s haul in the final, which took him to third place in the run charts for the tournament, came against an attack that included three national team bowlers, Ahmed Raza, Zahoor Khan and Mohammed Ayaz.
“It was one of the most memorable innings I’ve played because it was against some of the best bowlers in the UAE,” Aravind said.
“I still can’t really believe it. It was just my day, because some of the shots I played, I’ve never played before.
“I want to play all formats. I want to play 50 overs, T20, and T10, and I will be getting two-day cricket in the UK.
“I don’t want to be regarded as just a T10 player, or solely as someone who is aggressive. I want to be known as an all-round player.”
'Cheb%20Khaled'
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Marathon results
Men:
1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13
2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50
3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25
4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46
5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48
Women:
1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30
2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01
3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30
4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43
5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Cologne v Hoffenheim (11.30pm)
Saturday
Hertha Berlin v RB Leipzig (6.30pm)
Schalke v Fortuna Dusseldof (6.30pm)
Mainz v Union Berlin (6.30pm)
Paderborn v Augsburg (6.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund (9.30pm)
Sunday
Borussia Monchengladbach v Werder Bremen (4.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Bayer Leverkusen (6.30pm)
SC Freiburg v Eintracht Frankfurt (9on)
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
if you go
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The 12 breakaway clubs
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
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