Qatar is poised to move into the lucrative international Twenty20 cricket market as the venue for the inaugural Pakistan Super League, officials said Tuesday.
The head of the Qatar Cricket Association, Gul Khan told AFP there was a “70 per cent” chance Doha would host the tournament, to be played in February 2016, following three days of talks with the senior members of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) over the weekend.
PCB officials are expected to return to Qatar in early September when a final decision will be taken.
“We want some big international tournaments here,” Khan told AFP. “This is a good experience for everybody. It’s good for Qatar, it’s good for cricket.”
He added that “big players, big names” would take part in the tournament.
The PCB is looking for a venue after its first choice of the UAE gave priority to a separate tournament involving former players.
Details of the Super League tournament have yet to be finalised, said Khan, but there will be at least five teams.
Most of the players are expected to be from Pakistan but Khan added they would be looking to bring in players from other major cricket nations including India, Australia and England.
Media reports from Pakistan earlier this month claimed the PCB would in September begin the bidding process for selling team franchises, as well as broadcasting and merchandising rights.
The tournament would be played at Doha’s Asian Town Cricket Stadium, which has a 14,000 seat capacity, and it is likely all games would be day/night matches.
The event should prove popular among Qatar’s huge Asian community.
There are around 90,000 people from Pakistan living in Qatar, a number which is expected to rise in the near future with the influx of more workers needed for the huge number of infrastructure projects taking place in World Cup 2022 host nation.
In addition, there are large numbers of people from other strong Asian cricketing nations including more than half a million residents from India, 150,000 from Bangladesh and 100,000 from Sri Lanka.
Khan said it was hoped that the super league could attract spectators from nearby UAE.
The tournament could also pave the way for Qatar to host Pakistan Test matches, said Khan.
Currently Pakistan play their Test matches outside the country because of security concerns.
Pakistan will play Ashes winners England in a three-match Test series in the UAE in October and November.
If the negotiations secure the tournament in Qatar, it will reinforce the country’s position as a major sporting hub.
As well as the 2022 football World Cup, Qatar is set to host the Athletics World Championships in 2019, and last year hosted the short-course World Swimming Championships.
Officials will announce within the next month if Qatar will bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics.
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In numbers
Number of Chinese tourists coming to UAE in 2017 was... 1.3m
Alibaba’s new ‘Tech Town’ in Dubai is worth... $600m
China’s investment in the MIddle East in 2016 was... $29.5bn
The world’s most valuable start-up in 2018, TikTok, is valued at... $75bn
Boost to the UAE economy of 5G connectivity will be... $269bn
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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UAE v IRELAND
All matches start at 10am, and will be played in Abu Dhabi
1st ODI, Friday, January 8
2nd ODI, Sunday, January 10
3rd ODI, Tuesday, January 12
4th ODI, Thursday, January 14
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
Sam Smith
Where: du Arena, Abu Dhabi
When: Saturday November 24
Rating: 4/5
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
