IPL 2021: Delhi overpower Rajasthan to move to top of the table

Delhi Capitals continued from where they left to clinch their second win in many games in the UAE edition of IPL 2021 at the Zayed Cricket stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

Sent in to bat first by Rajasthan Royals in the first game of the day, Delhi got off to a shaky start but posted 154-6 before restricting their opponents to 121-6 to emerge winners by 33 runs.

With the victory, Delhi took their tally to 16 points and moved to the top of the table. They are now almost certain of a top four finish.

Pacers Avesh Khan and Anrich Nortje provided the early breaks by grabbing a wicket each in the space of two deliveries. Ravichandran Ashwin removed David Miller to leave Rajasthan reeling at 17-3. They soon were staring down the barrel at 55-5 in the 12th over.

The Rajasthan captain Sanju Samson fought a lone battle as he remained 70 not out with Mahipal Lomror (19) the only other Rajasthan batsman to reach double figures.

“With the quality of batsmen we have in our side I thought the total was an easy chase but we lost too many wickets and weren't able to get any momentum in our chase,” Samson said.

“We might consider changes for the next game, but it is too early now. We have to remove all emotion before that. We’ll take some time off and then talk about the game in the morning.”

Earlier, Kartik Tiyagi, who bowled an epic last over to guide Rajasthan to a two-run thriller over Punjab Kings, was the man to provide the breakthrough with his first delivery as Shikhar Dhawan (8) played on to his stumps.

Prithvi Shaw (10) skied a Chetan Sakariya delivery to Livingstone at mid-on to leave Delhi 21-2 in the fifth over before a 62-run stand for the third wicket between Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant took them to 83 in 11.4 overs.

Iyer made a 32-ball 43 while Pant (24) and Shimron Hetmyer (28 off 16) helped Delhi post a score their bowlers did well to defend.

Nortje was the pick of Delhi's bowlers with 2-18 from four overs and captain Pant was all praise.

“If not the best, it is one of the best,” he said of the Delhi attack. “But we like to take it as one match at a time.

“There's a fair bit of planning, as a team we plan according to the batters, and execute according to those plans.

“I am happy with my form. As long as the team is winning, I am happy.”

Green ambitions

Trees: 1,500 to be planted, replacing 300 felled ones, with veteran oaks protected
Lake: Brown's centrepiece to be cleaned of silt that makes it as shallow as 2.5cm
Biodiversity: Bat cave to be added and habitats designed for kingfishers and little grebes
Flood risk: Longer grass, deeper lake, restored ponds and absorbent paths all meant to siphon off water

Tips to keep your car cool

Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
Park in shaded or covered areas
Add tint to windows
Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

Going grey? A stylist's advice

If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica

Best Agent: Jorge Mendes

Best Club : Liverpool

Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)

Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker

Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo

Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP

Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart

Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)

Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)

Best Women's Player: Lucy Bronze

Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi

Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)

Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)

Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs

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IPL 2021: Delhi overpower Rajasthan to move to top of the table

Sanju Samson’s 70 in vain as his team loses by 33 runs in Abu Dhabi

Green&nbsp;ambitions

Tips to keep your car cool

Going grey? A stylist's advice

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets

Specs

Green ambitions