There is no such thing as a sure thing, but India did seem pretty close to it ahead of their home World Twenty20.
Nobody could lay a finger on them at the Asia Cup which preceded it. They had won all but one match so far this year. Virat Kohli was invincible. The bowlers were flying. They were nailed on, surely?
They blew it, though. Or perhaps the West Indies simply beat them to it. Either way, the fact remains the country with the richest and most popular domestic T20 extravaganza have still only won the World T20 once – and that predated the inception of the Indian Premier League (IPL), anyway.
We have spent the past month trying to deduce whether IPL pedigree is essential for global success in cricket’s fastest format.
England reached the final, with minimal IPL experience, so it does not matter a jot, right? But West Indies won it, and all their players are IPL veterans, so obviously it is a necessity. But India wilted under pressure in the semi-final, so it counts for nothing, OK?
Whatever. The World T20 was really just the hoers d’oeuvre before the IPL, anyway.
What is more pertinent is not whether IPL experience aids international performance, but how the knowledge gained on that stage services the players when the proper cricket – meaning the IPL – starts.
Read more IPL preview coverage:
[ Everything you need to know for the 2016 IPL season ]
[ Joe Root, Darren Sammy and 10 big name players missing from 2016 Indian Premier League ]
History is a sketchy guide as to whether it does or it does not. In 2009, the first tournament after the IPL’s 2008 debut, Pakistan won the World T20. But that event was played during the English summer, so after that year’s IPL had finished.
The fact England won the world tournament in the Caribbean the following year skews the evidence slightly, too, on account of the fact few English players are ever employed in India.
The leading players have struggled to secure release from the England and Wales Cricket Board, and the franchises treat those who do make it to auction with caution because of their inflated base prices.
That said, though, a few England players did make an impression on the 2010 IPL. Kevin Pietersen, who is now free from international ties, topped the batting averages in the seven matches he played, having been player of the series in the World T20.
Owais Shah was second in the IPL averages, but had not been part of England’s squad in the West Indies. Ravi Bopara and Michael Lumb, two world champions with England, did play in that IPL, but to middling effect.
Kolkata Knight Riders have won the IPL that immediately followed the past two World T20s.
In 2012, their advance to the title was founded on the unplayability of Sunil Narine with the ball.
The mystery spinner, who has since been disarmed after his bowling action was found to be illegal, took three for nine in the World T20 final West Indies won by 36 runs against Sri Lanka. Then he took 24 wickets, with an economy rate of 5.47, in 15 games for his IPL franchise.
Online poll: Who will win the 2016 Indian Premier League?
Chris Gayle enjoyed a fine campaign, too. His tally at the top of the runscorers was around 150 more than the next best, even though he played two games less than Gautam Gambhir, who was second in the charts.
Then two years ago, Sri Lanka beat India to win the world event, but the footprint of their players on the 2014 IPL was minimal bar the usual excellence of Lasith Malinga.
So will the star of this year’s competition be West Indian? It is not exactly guaranteed. Darren Sammy and Marlon Samuels, captain and man of the match in the World T20 final, respectively, both went unsold at auction.
And if the likes of Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Lendl Simmons excel, it is difficult to suggest that was as a direct result of their recent experience on the global stage. Each play more franchise, T20 cricket than they do internationally, anyway.
One perennially underachieving franchise are hoping they have got the jewel in the crown of the world champion side, though.
Carlos Brathwaite was recruited for the equivalent of Dh2.3million by Delhi Daredevils at auction. They were obviously already in on the secret of the player who has already been the ultimate cricket hero once this month.
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Director: Nag Ashwin
Starring: Prabhas, Saswata Chatterjee, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, Shobhana
Rating: ★★★★
Frida
Director: Carla Gutierrez
Starring: Frida Kahlo
Rating: 4/5
Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
hall of shame
SUNDERLAND 2002-03
No one has ended a Premier League season quite like Sunderland. They lost each of their final 15 games, taking no points after January. They ended up with 19 in total, sacking managers Peter Reid and Howard Wilkinson and losing 3-1 to Charlton when they scored three own goals in eight minutes.
SUNDERLAND 2005-06
Until Derby came along, Sunderland’s total of 15 points was the Premier League’s record low. They made it until May and their final home game before winning at the Stadium of Light while they lost a joint record 29 of their 38 league games.
HUDDERSFIELD 2018-19
Joined Derby as the only team to be relegated in March. No striker scored until January, while only two players got more assists than goalkeeper Jonas Lossl. The mid-season appointment Jan Siewert was to end his time as Huddersfield manager with a 5.3 per cent win rate.
ASTON VILLA 2015-16
Perhaps the most inexplicably bad season, considering they signed Idrissa Gueye and Adama Traore and still only got 17 points. Villa won their first league game, but none of the next 19. They ended an abominable campaign by taking one point from the last 39 available.
FULHAM 2018-19
Terrible in different ways. Fulham’s total of 26 points is not among the lowest ever but they contrived to get relegated after spending over £100 million (Dh457m) in the transfer market. Much of it went on defenders but they only kept two clean sheets in their first 33 games.
LA LIGA: Sporting Gijon, 13 points in 1997-98.
BUNDESLIGA: Tasmania Berlin, 10 points in 1965-66
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Top 10 most competitive economies
1. Singapore
2. Switzerland
3. Denmark
4. Ireland
5. Hong Kong
6. Sweden
7. UAE
8. Taiwan
9. Netherlands
10. Norway
FINAL SCORES
Fujairah 130 for 8 in 20 overs
(Sandy Sandeep 29, Hamdan Tahir 26 no, Umair Ali 2-15)
Sharjah 131 for 8 in 19.3 overs
(Kashif Daud 51, Umair Ali 20, Rohan Mustafa 2-17, Sabir Rao 2-26)
ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
US tops drug cost charts
The study of 13 essential drugs showed costs in the United States were about 300 per cent higher than the global average, followed by Germany at 126 per cent and 122 per cent in the UAE.
Thailand, Kenya and Malaysia were rated as nations with the lowest costs, about 90 per cent cheaper.
In the case of insulin, diabetic patients in the US paid five and a half times the global average, while in the UAE the costs are about 50 per cent higher than the median price of branded and generic drugs.
Some of the costliest drugs worldwide include Lipitor for high cholesterol.
The study’s price index placed the US at an exorbitant 2,170 per cent higher for Lipitor than the average global price and the UAE at the eighth spot globally with costs 252 per cent higher.
High blood pressure medication Zestril was also more than 2,680 per cent higher in the US and the UAE price was 187 per cent higher than the global price.
Dolittle
Director: Stephen Gaghan
Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Michael Sheen
One-and-a-half out of five stars
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
'Manmarziyaan' (Colour Yellow Productions, Phantom Films)
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal
Rating: 3.5/5
Company Profile
Name: HyveGeo
Started: 2023
Founders: Abdulaziz bin Redha, Dr Samsurin Welch, Eva Morales and Dr Harjit Singh
Based: Cambridge and Dubai
Number of employees: 8
Industry: Sustainability & Environment
Funding: $200,000 plus undisclosed grant
Investors: Venture capital and government
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
