Kings XI Punjab Coach Anil Kumble and whole team at the dugout jumps with joy sand celebrates win over Mumbai Indians during match 36 of season 13 of the Dream 11 Indian Premier League (IPL) between the Mumbai Indians and the Kings XI Punjab held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates on the 18th October 2020. Photo by: Samuel Rajkumar / Sportzpics for BCCI
Kings XI Punjab Coach Anil Kumble and whole team at the dugout jumps with joy sand celebrates win over Mumbai Indians during match 36 of season 13 of the Dream 11 Indian Premier League (IPL) between the Mumbai Indians and the Kings XI Punjab held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates on the 18th October 2020. Photo by: Samuel Rajkumar / Sportzpics for BCCI
Kings XI Punjab Coach Anil Kumble and whole team at the dugout jumps with joy sand celebrates win over Mumbai Indians during match 36 of season 13 of the Dream 11 Indian Premier League (IPL) between the Mumbai Indians and the Kings XI Punjab held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates on the 18th October 2020. Photo by: Samuel Rajkumar / Sportzpics for BCCI
Kings XI Punjab Coach Anil Kumble and whole team at the dugout jumps with joy sand celebrates win over Mumbai Indians during match 36 of season 13 of the Dream 11 Indian Premier League (IPL) between t

Super Over bonanza took IPL 2020 close to cricketing perfection


Paul Radley
  • English
  • Arabic

Has the IPL reached sporting perfection? Or as close as T20 cricket could possibly get to it?

According to the influential Italian sports writer and novelist Gianni Brera, who worked in the mid-20th century, the perfect football match should end 0-0.

He believed a goalless draw could contain the ideal balance of attacking prowess and defensive robustness, with no flaws – and therefore no goals.

All of which sounds nice, if a little dull, especially when set against the Lockdown IPL of 2020.

The IPL has found a way of playing off attacking excellence against increasingly extraordinary defensive skills, in high scoring games, that still end up in stalemates.

Four of the first 36 matches this season have ended in ties. Of the two that happened on Sensational Sunday in the UAE, even one of the one-over eliminators ended tied, too.

When the IPL was first created, back in 2008, it had two main goals. First, to base itself on the most luminous cricket talent money could buy.

And, secondly, to as good as guarantee that all sides are well matched, hence the regulations governing how franchises are able to recruit, retain, and trade players.

Never has the second of those aims been so clearly achieved as it has this season. The concept of parity peaked on Sunday when both matches went to a one-over eliminator.

Lockie Ferguson starred for Kolkata Knight Riders against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the first. Then came an even bigger thriller.

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Kolkata v Hyderabad Super Over: player ratings

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Kings XI Punjab were bottom of the table, yet they took defending champions and favourites Mumbai Indians to two Super Overs, and eventually won out.

It was Punjab's second tie of the tournament. The previous weekend, they had lost a game by two runs, when Glenn Maxwell's shot off the final ball against Kolkata Knight Riders fell millimetres short of going for six.

More than any other side, their matches have been living and dying by the odd inch here or there.

Even in the stunning double-tie against Mumbai, all the major flashpoints were centred on such narrow margins.

Chris Jordan was run out just short of the second run that would have won Punjab the match off the last ball in regulation time.

The first Super Over ended with scores level when KL Rahul’s flicked throw beat Quinton de Kock to the stumps in a photo finish.

Once the sides had figured out the new eliminator regulations and gone back out, Mumbai might have had it won when Kieron Pollard hit the last ball of Jordan’s over towards the long-on fence.

Mayank Agarwal clawed it back while soaring in the air. Even that needed TV adjudication, to see if he had flicked the boundary marker in setting off, or while falling back down to earth.

He had not, and, with Chris Gayle’s help, settled the chase shortly after.

Given the finish, it was no surprise he was high on life when he fronted for his TV interview straight after.

“This is sport,” Agarwal said. “It can get hard, but you can definitely not live without it.

“The mindset was, we have nothing to lose. The first-ball went for six, then the pressure was off us.

“For a moment or two, the Delhi Capitals game [which they lost in a Super Over] went through my mind, but then it was a case of watching the ball and hitting.”

The kind of team spirit and camaraderie we have been showing has been second to none

Jordan, for his part, felt his side deserved a break, given the previous close finishes.

“I feel like, the way we played this season, a lot of matches could have ended with us on the winning side,” Jordan said.

“That wasn’t the case, but I think in the last two games especially, the kind of team spirit and camaraderie we have been showing as an entire team, unit and franchise has been second to none.”

Now they get the chance to live it all again. Once their limbs, and emotions, have recovered, they will have to start again, having given themselves a shot at making the playoffs.

To think, as recently as 13 years ago, the IPL was not even a thing, and Indians were sceptical about T20 cricket. Thank goodness they came to their senses.

if you go

The flights

Direct flights from the UAE to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, are available with Air Arabia, (www.airarabia.com) Fly Dubai (www.flydubai.com) or Etihad (www.etihad.com) from Dh1,200 return including taxes. The trek described here started from Jomson, but there are many other start and end point variations depending on how you tailor your trek. To get to Jomson from Kathmandu you must first fly to the lake-side resort town of Pokhara with either Buddha Air (www.buddhaair.com) or Yeti Airlines (www.yetiairlines.com). Both charge around US$240 (Dh880) return. From Pokhara there are early morning flights to Jomson with Yeti Airlines or Simrik Airlines (www.simrikairlines.com) for around US$220 (Dh800) return. 

The trek

Restricted area permits (US$500 per person) are required for trekking in the Upper Mustang area. The challenging Meso Kanto pass between Tilcho Lake and Jomson should not be attempted by those without a lot of mountain experience and a good support team. An excellent trekking company with good knowledge of Upper Mustang, the Annaurpuna Circuit and Tilcho Lake area and who can help organise a version of the trek described here is the Nepal-UK run Snow Cat Travel (www.snowcattravel.com). Prices vary widely depending on accommodation types and the level of assistance required. 

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SCORES

Multiply Titans 81-2 in 12.1 overs
(Tony de Zorzi, 34)

bt Auckland Aces 80 all out in 16 overs
(Shawn von Borg 4-15, Alfred Mothoa 2-11, Tshepo Moreki 2-16).

While you're here
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Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Specs%3A%202024%20McLaren%20Artura%20Spider
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Important questions to consider

1. Where on the plane does my pet travel?

There are different types of travel available for pets:

  • Manifest cargo
  • Excess luggage in the hold
  • Excess luggage in the cabin

Each option is safe. The feasibility of each option is based on the size and breed of your pet, the airline they are traveling on and country they are travelling to.

 

2. What is the difference between my pet traveling as manifest cargo or as excess luggage?

If traveling as manifest cargo, your pet is traveling in the front hold of the plane and can travel with or without you being on the same plane. The cost of your pets travel is based on volumetric weight, in other words, the size of their travel crate.

If traveling as excess luggage, your pet will be in the rear hold of the plane and must be traveling under the ticket of a human passenger. The cost of your pets travel is based on the actual (combined) weight of your pet in their crate.

 

3. What happens when my pet arrives in the country they are traveling to?

As soon as the flight arrives, your pet will be taken from the plane straight to the airport terminal.

If your pet is traveling as excess luggage, they will taken to the oversized luggage area in the arrival hall. Once you clear passport control, you will be able to collect them at the same time as your normal luggage. As you exit the airport via the ‘something to declare’ customs channel you will be asked to present your pets travel paperwork to the customs official and / or the vet on duty. 

If your pet is traveling as manifest cargo, they will be taken to the Animal Reception Centre. There, their documentation will be reviewed by the staff of the ARC to ensure all is in order. At the same time, relevant customs formalities will be completed by staff based at the arriving airport. 

 

4. How long does the travel paperwork and other travel preparations take?

This depends entirely on the location that your pet is traveling to. Your pet relocation compnay will provide you with an accurate timeline of how long the relevant preparations will take and at what point in the process the various steps must be taken.

In some cases they can get your pet ‘travel ready’ in a few days. In others it can be up to six months or more.

 

5. What vaccinations does my pet need to travel?

Regardless of where your pet is traveling, they will need certain vaccinations. The exact vaccinations they need are entirely dependent on the location they are traveling to. The one vaccination that is mandatory for every country your pet may travel to is a rabies vaccination.

Other vaccinations may also be necessary. These will be advised to you as relevant. In every situation, it is essential to keep your vaccinations current and to not miss a due date, even by one day. To do so could severely hinder your pets travel plans.

Source: Pawsome Pets UAE

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Prop idols

Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.

Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)

An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.

----

Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)

Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.

----

Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)

Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.

ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

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
Ramy%3A%20Season%203%2C%20Episode%201
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TRAP

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue

Director: M Night Shyamalan

Rating: 3/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

Power: 579hp

Torque: 859Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh825,900

On sale: Now

Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

UAE%20ILT20
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THREE
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The Prison Letters of Nelson Mandela
Edited by Sahm Venter
Published by Liveright

The specs

AT4 Ultimate, as tested

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Power: 420hp

Torque: 623Nm

Transmission: 10-speed automatic

Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)

On sale: Now