Sharjah Cricket Stadium has hosted more one-day internationals than any other venue in the world.
Officially, it started on April 6, 1984, when Pakistan and Sri Lanka played what was also the first ever Asia Cup fixture.
The emirate had been a hotbed for the game for some time before that, though.
Matches were played at the Royal Air Force base in Sharjah in the 1950s.
But the city was really gripped by the game from the mid-1970s onwards, thanks to the influence of businessman Abdulrahman Bukhatir.
As a schoolboy in Karachi, the Emirati had become transfixed by the sport via BBC radio transmissions of Test cricket.
His heroes were the likes of Hanif Mohammed, Tiger Pataudi, Richie Benaud and Peter May.
When he returned home to Sharjah, and his business empire boomed, he set about building a cricket enterprise to do the same – and which would also benefit his heroes.
“I was 12 years old and the only Arab in the class,” Bukhatir said in 1984 of his roots in the game.
“Cricket was by far the most popular game and there was just no way I could refuse to join in, basically because everyone else played.
“I was not what you would call a ‘born cricketer’ but I managed to get a feel for the game and understand its finer points.
“There are so many aspects of cricket. It has a much wider scope than any other game that I know.”
The Bukhatir League was formed in 1974. It remains the premier domestic competition in the country, with its 46th running all ready to start before the coronavirus brought about the suspension of sport.
Cricket has a much wider scope than any other game that I know
In 1977, more than 3,000 spectators came to watch a match between Pakistan International Airlines and a team of locally based players in the city.
The pitch at that time was a concrete strip, with a grassless outfield – the sort of cricket that is still recognisable to many recreational players in the country.
The crowds, though, were proof of the fact that international touring sides were attractive to the local audience, in particular the South Asian expatriate workforce.
Proof, too, that Bukhatir might need to think about an upgrade on the scaffolding stands that held the crowds until that point.
It prompted the construction of the stadium, which remains surely the most atmospheric of all the UAE’s cricket venues.
While 1984 is the first officially listed ODI in Sharjah, 1981 was the pilot edition. More than 8,000 people came to watch a Sunil Gavaskar XI including the likes of Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Dileep Vengsarkar and Ravi Shastri take on a similarly starry Javed Miandad XI.
It was the first of the Cricketers Benefit Fund Series, and saw Hanif Mohammed – Bukhatir’s hero – and Asif Iqbal benefit to the tune of $50,000 each.
That was the same sum that India walked off with when they won the first official ODI series in Sharjah in 1984.
In the first over ODI to be held in Sharjah, Sri Lanka beat Pakistan by five wickets, with Roy Dias being named man of the match for an unbeaten 57 in the run-chase.
Pakistan managed 187-9 in 46 overs, with Arjuna Ranatunga picking up 3-38. The Sri Lankans chased down the target with 15 balls to spare.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
Tips for used car buyers
- Choose cars with GCC specifications
- Get a service history for cars less than five years old
- Don’t go cheap on the inspection
- Check for oil leaks
- Do a Google search on the standard problems for your car model
- Do your due diligence. Get a transfer of ownership done at an official RTA centre
- Check the vehicle’s condition. You don’t want to buy a car that’s a good deal but ends up costing you Dh10,000 in repairs every month
- Validate warranty and service contracts with the relevant agency and and make sure they are valid when ownership is transferred
- If you are planning to sell the car soon, buy one with a good resale value. The two most popular cars in the UAE are black or white in colour and other colours are harder to sell
Tarek Kabrit, chief executive of Seez, and Imad Hammad, chief executive and co-founder of CarSwitch.com
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
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RESULTS FOR STAGE 4
Stage 4 Dubai to Hatta, 197 km, Road race.
Overall leader Primoz Roglic SLO (Team Jumbo - Visma)
Stage winners: 1. Caleb Ewan AUS (Lotto - Soudal) 2. Matteo Moschetti ITA (Trek - Segafredo) 3. Primoz Roglic SLO (Team Jumbo - Visma)
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
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
Five expert hiking tips
Always check the weather forecast before setting off
Make sure you have plenty of water
Set off early to avoid sudden weather changes in the afternoon
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear
Take your litter home with you
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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
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Types of policy
Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.
Whole-of-life insurance: as its name suggests, this type of life cover is designed to run for the rest of your life. You pay regular monthly premiums and in return, get a guaranteed cash lump sum whenever you die. As a result, premiums are typically much higher than one term life insurance, although they do not usually increase with age. In some cases, you have to keep up premiums for as long as you live, although there may be a cut-off period, say, at age 80 but it can go as high as 95. There are penalties if you don’t last the course and you may get a lot less than you paid in.
Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.
Income protection: this pays a replacement income if you fall ill and are unable to continue working. On the best policies, this will continue either until you recover, or reach retirement age. Unlike critical illness cover, policies will typically pay out for stress and musculoskeletal problems such as back trouble.
Results:
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 2,000m - Winner: Powderhouse, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
7.05pm: Handicap Dh165,000 2,200m - Winner: Heraldic, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.40pm: Conditions Dh240,000 1,600m - Winner: Walking Thunder, Connor Beasley, Ahmed bin Harmash
8.15pm: Handicap Dh190,000 2,000m - Winner: Key Bid, Fernando Jara, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
8.50pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed Dh265,000 1,200m - Winner: Drafted, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson
9.25pm: Handicap Dh170,000 1,600m - Winner: Cachao, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
10pm: Handicap Dh190,000 1,400m - Winner: Rodaini, Connor Beasley, Ahmed bin Harmash
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Karwaan
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
Director: Akarsh Khurana
Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar
Rating: 4/5
