DHAKA // If the UAE are going to achieve the improbable, and claim a first scalp of a major cricket nation at this Asia Cup, they are going to have to do it the hard way.
Glorious opportunities against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have been passed up in successive nights in Dhaka.
Now all that is left are two matches against the giants from Pakistan and India next week. Good luck with that, lads.
Read more from Paul Radley:
UAE batsmen outclassed again at Asia Cup T20, this time by hosts Bangladesh
UAE captain Amjad Javed says team can still cause an upset at Asia Cup after letting Sri Lanka off the hook
How different things might have been. It is worth pointing out the national team have overachieved by even reaching this stage at all.
The national team remains a developing side in its infancy, trying to compete with some of the most established countries in the sport.
Four thrilling wins put them on this stage far ahead of when they might realistically have expected to be back among the big boys.
And, now they are here, they have been doing half the job spectacularly - sometimes heroically - well.
For example, many of Bangladesh’s supporters have fallen in love with Mohammed Naveed, the UAE’s leading bowler, and a few of his colleagues besides. A fair chunk of the TV audience for the Asia Cup probably have, too.
In 40 overs between matches against the defending world champions in this format and then the host nation, the UAE gave up just 262 runs with the ball.
They have been startlingly thrifty. The problem lies in the fact they have been poor with the bat in reply.
The way their batsmen have faltered since the end of the qualifying round may show up a few glaring inefficiencies, but that tends to happen when the limelight is at its harshest.
If any of the batsmen have felt any shame at the way their inadequacies have been shown up against the bowlers of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in successive 14- and 51-run losses, they need not.
As Aaqib Javed pointed out when they were in this country for the World Twenty20 two years ago, television can provide an ideal learning tool. So long as the lessons are learnt.
That is all Amjad Javed, the team’s captain, is demanding. “Playing against experienced bowlers is a bit tough for a team like UAE,” Amjad said after Friday night’s loss to Bangladesh.
“We will learn some things from this tournament. We will go back, try to fix our batting problems, then come back again.
“The conditions are similar to what we play in in Dubai, but I think the quality of the bowlers and opposition is a bit different.”
Given the UAE have played three of the four most recent matches to be played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, they might feel a share on this ground by now.
They will be evicted today, though, when the small matter of India against Pakistan takes place here. The biggest fixture in the sport. It is an indicator of just what level the national team are being asked to operate at.
“India and Pakistan are the big Asian tigers and playing against them will be another learning point for us,” Amjad said.
“We will be trying to give them a hard time with are bowling and then look to score some runs against them.”
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Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
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Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
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Crops that could be introduced to the UAE
1: Quinoa
2. Bathua
3. Amaranth
4. Pearl and finger millet
5. Sorghum
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
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December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
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AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
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The%20specs
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
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.
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
In numbers
1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:
- 800 tonnes converted into alternative fuel
- 150 tonnes to landfill
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800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal
Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year
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Timeline
1947
Ferrari’s road-car company is formed and its first badged car, the 125 S, rolls off the assembly line
1962
250 GTO is unveiled
1969
Fiat becomes a Ferrari shareholder, acquiring 50 per cent of the company
1972
The Fiorano circuit, Ferrari’s racetrack for development and testing, opens
1976
First automatic Ferrari, the 400 Automatic, is made
1987
F40 launched
1988
Enzo Ferrari dies; Fiat expands its stake in the company to 90 per cent
2002
The Enzo model is announced
2010
Ferrari World opens in Abu Dhabi
2011
First four-wheel drive Ferrari, the FF, is unveiled
2013
LaFerrari, the first Ferrari hybrid, arrives
2014
Fiat Chrysler announces the split of Ferrari from the parent company
2015
Ferrari launches on Wall Street
2017
812 Superfast unveiled; Ferrari celebrates its 70th anniversary
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Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
