The Indian Premier League is set to resume in the UAE after a pandemic-enforced disruption earlier in the year.
The T20 tournament had to be suspended in May after several players and backroom staff tested positive for Covid-19 amid a brutal second wave of cases in India.
As time went by, it became clear a major tournament could not be held in India. So the IPL was shifted to the UAE, where it will resume from September 19 and conclude on October 15. And the players will hardly get any time to rest as the T20 World Cup, which was also scheduled to be held in India, will start two days later.
Players from various franchises have already landed in the UAE, with international commitments delaying the arrival of many stars.
The change of venue will not be the only talking point in the second half of the season. Many big names will not be seen in action during IPL 2021 in the UAE due to varying reasons.
All-rounder Ben Stokes is on an indefinite break from cricket, England wicketkeeper batsman Jos Buttler has opted out for the birth of his second child. England fast bowler Jofra Archer has been ruled out for a long duration as he recovers from finger surgery and manages his troublesome elbow.
Australian fast bowler Jhye Richardson is also unavailable while Pat Cummins has opted out of the UAE leg.
The changes have resulted in a windfall for many players who were overlooked during the IPL auction earlier in the year.
England leg-spinner Adil Rashid will feature in his first IPL after Punjab Kings named him as a replacement for Richardson.
Also, two Sri Lankan cricketers were rewarded for their impressive performances during India's limited overs tour of the country earlier in the year. Spin bowling all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga and fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera have been included in Royal Challengers Bangalore's squad.
The resumption of the IPL means we will get to see the best paid cricketers on the planet showcase their skills in one arena. Below is the list of the top salaries in IPL 2021, including those who will not be in the UAE.
Top 20 highest paid cricketers in IPL 2021
1. Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore). 170 million rupees ($2.3m)
2. Chris Morris (Rajasthan Royals). 162.5m rupees ($2.2m)
3. Pat Cummins (Kolkata Knight Riders, subject to availability). 155m rupees ($2.1m)
4. MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings). 150m rupees ($2.05m)
5. Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians). 150m rupees ($2.05m)
6. Rishabh Pant (Delhi Capitals). 150m rupees ($2.05m)
7. Kyle Jamieson (Royal Challengers Bangalore). 150m rupees ($2.05m)
8. Glenn Maxwell (Royal Challengers Bangalore). 142.5m rupees ($1.95m)
9. Jhye Richardson (Punjab Kings, unavailable). 140m rupees ($1.91m)
10. David Warner (Sunrisers Hyderabad). 125m rupees ($1.71m)
11. Ben Stokes (Rajasthan Royals, unavailable). 125m rupees ($1.71m)
12. Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders). 125m rupees ($1.71m)
13. Hardik Pandya (Mumbai Indians). 110m rupees ($1.5m)
14. AB de Villiers (Royal Challengers Bangalore). 110m rupees ($1.5m)
15. KL Rahul (Punjab Kings). 110m rupees ($1.5m)
16. Manish Pandey (Sunrisers Hyderabad). 110m rupees ($1.5m)
17. Suresh Raina (Chennai Super Kings). 110m rupees ($1.5m)
18. Krishnappa Gowtham (Chennai Super Kings). 92.5m rupees ($1.26m)
19. Rashid Khan (Sunrisers Hyderabad). 90m rupees ($1.23m)
20. Krunal Pandya (Mumbai Indians). 88m rupees ($1.2m)
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Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich 1
Kimmich (27')
Real Madrid 2
Marcelo (43'), Asensio (56')
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
