On a pleasant September morning 25 years ago, in the heart of India's Lutyens’ Delhi, four types of cricket balls lay on the rectangular table of a boardroom, waiting to be chosen by 18 international delegates. Australia and New Zealand wanted the oval cane ball; England wanted a size-3 football; India and Sri Lanka voted for a hard plastic one, the size of a regular cricket ball; and Pakistan argued for a size bigger.
Though poles apart, the four specimens had one thing in common: move them and they jangled, made, as they were, for blind cricketers.
Game changer
On the second and final day of the conference, George Abraham, the man who had mobilised the cohort, said before breaking for lunch: “Gentlemen, I just want to remind you why we’re together today. All of us have dreamt of having a blind cricket world cup. It will be a pity if a ball prevents us from having it. I suggest we start with one ball for the first tournament and then review it, if required.”
When the group gathered after lunch, a New Zealand delegate proposed the ball voted for by India and Sri Lanka be used for the first world cup. “And suddenly, there was no more opposition,” says Abraham, 62, who left a profession in advertising to develop blind cricket in India in the late 1980s.
[The sport offers blind children] not only pleasure, but mobility, the ability to respond to sound, and fair play
George Abraham,
co-founder, Association for Cricket for the Blind, India
On September 22, 1996, this historic conference brought together cricket-playing nations, standardised the equipment and rules, and formed the World Blind Cricket Council, a global governing body to manage and run the sport. It also declared that the first world cup would be hosted in the One Day International format in 1998 in India, the competition’s country of birth.
Changing perceptions
Abraham, a visually challenged cricket buff himself, was ecstatic. Keen to do something to uplift people like himself, his mind was made up the day he observed students from a blind school in Dehradun, in the state of Uttarakhand, playing cricket with a regular ball and bat, in 1989.
“So engrossed were they in the game, that each time they got a short break in school, they were out playing,” he says.
He saw that the sport had a lot to offer blind children. “Not only pleasure, but mobility, the ability to respond to sound and fair play,” he says. “I realised that it could become a terrific platform to showcase an image of a blind person that is starkly different from the existing stereotype of dark glasses and white cane.”
Given India’s obsession with cricket, Abraham was also certain the media would promote it and that blind cricket could create awareness about an underprivileged community.
Abraham worked from scratch to transform blind cricket from a pastime to a professional sport. “All I knew at the time from listening to BBC cricket commentaries was that Australia and England had blind cricket teams,” he recalls.
Inspired by radio commentary, visually impaired people played cricket in many forms. A common style was hitting a tin can with a wooden Braille slate, aiming it at a staircase, and scoring runs on the basis of the step it fell on.
Having never played blind cricket himself, Abraham wrote to British cricket commentator Brian Johnston, who sent him a history and rules of the game in the UK which, along with input from umpire Swaroop Kishen Reu, helped to frame a modified set of guidelines.
Murali Lal Mishra, a retired physical training instructor at the National Institute for Visually Handicapped in Dehradun in the late '80s and early '90s, proactively worked with a designer to develop the hard-plastic ball, which weighed 85 grams and came with about 36 metal bearings within.
While regular wooden wickets were chosen initially, it turned out that blind players – who rely on listening – could not differentiate the sound of a ball hitting a bat from that of a ball smashing into the wicket. Accordingly, for the first national tournament, held among 19 teams from across India in December 1990, metal wickets were used.
National tournaments have been held every year since, and in 1993, Abraham announced India would host the first blind cricket world cup five years later. In 1994, Abraham and D Ranganathan, a chartered accountant from New Delhi and passionate cricket player, formed the Association for Cricket for the Blind in India, now known as Cricket Association for the Blind in India.
Working up to the world cup
Abraham recalls his anxiety one morning in 1995, when he woke up and realised he may not be able to keep his promise of India hosting the world cup three years later. “In panic, I faxed a letter to the high commissions of all cricket-playing nations about my vision and asked for their interest in participation,” he says.
Australia replied within an hour, and the same year Abraham met up with the Australian Blind Cricket Council (now Blind Cricket Australia) in Sydney, where it was decided that India would hold a conference the following year for the seven blind-cricket-playing countries to open up a future for the sport.
With two years left to go after that, there was a great deal of work to be done, from booking stadiums to getting permission for teams to travel and planning their stay. Everything was reliant on funding, which turned out to be a big challenge.
[The world cup] is not just an event, but a life-changing tool for a blind person
Manvendra Singh Patwal,
batsman and wicket keeper
Ranganathan calculated the budget to be about 12.5 million Indian rupees (about $385,000 at the time), 40 per cent of which was meant to come from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, and the remainder from individual donations, corporate sponsorships and brand subsidies for the players’ outfits, shoes, equipment and food.
The biggest expense was accommodation for 21 members from each country at Hotel Kanishka, a four-star property that the Ministry of Tourism had offered under the Indian Tourism Development Corporation, at 30 per cent off.
A month before the tournament, a huge chunk of the funding from the ministry was pulled away. “I was scared as to how things would work out, but also certain I wouldn’t cancel the event,” Abraham says. The Ministry of Tourism rescued the rocking boat by offering organisers more than 70 per cent off accommodation, which resulted in the historic tournament being renamed the Kanishka World Cup Cricket for the Blind.
Call to arms
In the first league match on November 17, 1998, India beat England for no loss. The team reached the semi-finals unbeaten, only to be defeated by the South African team, which went on to win the finals as well. “We literally wept at the defeat,” says Manvendra Singh Patwal, who played as a batsman and wicketkeeper.
Patwal recalls a lot of audience members were surprised when someone scored a boundary or a six. “Their reaction was, ‘How can they do it?’ instead of, ‘Wow, great,'” says Patwal. But the team was heartened by the fact everyone cheered for their country.
The Blind Cricket World Cup is now played in the T20 format as well, and Bangladesh, Nepal and the West Indies have also come on board. India won its first One Day International in 2012, and is currently the champion in both formats. Ironically, while many countries enjoy the support of their government and cricket boards for blind cricket, the Indian government is yet to allocate a budget to develop the sport and fund its players; the governing body Board of Control for Cricket in India does not support the game.
India also lacks academies for blind cricket and not all blind schools, most of which are government-run, are interested or equipped to coach players, so professional training is hard to come by.
From his experience running the non-profit Blind Cricket Association, which organises domestic tournaments for players, Patwal says the sport is still seen as a charitable event. Players are paid peanuts and sponsorship is hard to come by.
“It’s not just an event but a life-changing tool for a blind person,” he says. “The confidence that the freedom to run around in an open ground gives us, is unmatchable.”
Types of policy
Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.
Whole-of-life insurance: as its name suggests, this type of life cover is designed to run for the rest of your life. You pay regular monthly premiums and in return, get a guaranteed cash lump sum whenever you die. As a result, premiums are typically much higher than one term life insurance, although they do not usually increase with age. In some cases, you have to keep up premiums for as long as you live, although there may be a cut-off period, say, at age 80 but it can go as high as 95. There are penalties if you don’t last the course and you may get a lot less than you paid in.
Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.
Income protection: this pays a replacement income if you fall ill and are unable to continue working. On the best policies, this will continue either until you recover, or reach retirement age. Unlike critical illness cover, policies will typically pay out for stress and musculoskeletal problems such as back trouble.
AIDA%20RETURNS
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The specs
Engine: 8.0-litre, quad-turbo 16-cylinder
Transmission: 7-speed auto
0-100kmh 2.3 seconds
0-200kmh 5.5 seconds
0-300kmh 11.6 seconds
Power: 1500hp
Torque: 1600Nm
Price: Dh13,400,000
On sale: now
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
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Karwaan
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
Director: Akarsh Khurana
Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar
Rating: 4/5
Match info:
Portugal 1
Ronaldo (4')
Morocco 0
Company%20Profile
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PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
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How Apple's credit card works
The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.
What does it cost?
Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.
What will the interest rate be?
The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts
What about security?
The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.
Is it easy to use?
Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.
* Associated Press
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Company profile
Date started: December 24, 2018
Founders: Omer Gurel, chief executive and co-founder and Edebali Sener, co-founder and chief technology officer
Based: Dubai Media City
Number of employees: 42 (34 in Dubai and a tech team of eight in Ankara, Turkey)
Sector: ConsumerTech and FinTech
Cashflow: Almost $1 million a year
Funding: Series A funding of $2.5m with Series B plans for May 2020
What is cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying or online bullying could take many forms such as sending unkind or rude messages to someone, socially isolating people from groups, sharing embarrassing pictures of them, or spreading rumors about them.
Cyberbullying can take place on various platforms such as messages, on social media, on group chats, or games.
Parents should watch out for behavioural changes in their children.
When children are being bullied they they may be feel embarrassed and isolated, so parents should watch out for signs of signs of depression and anxiety
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
Getting there
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town daily. Flights cost from about Dh3,325, with a flying time of 8hours and 15 minutes. From there, fly South African Airlines or Air Namibia to Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, for about Dh850. Flying time is 2 hours.
The stay
Wilderness Little Kulala offers stays from £460 (Dh2,135) per person, per night. It is one of seven Wilderness Safari lodges in Namibia; www.wilderness-safaris.com.
Skeleton Coast Safaris’ four-day adventure involves joining a very small group in a private plane, flying to some of the remotest areas in the world, with each night spent at a different camp. It costs from US$8,335.30 (Dh30,611); www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com
What is Genes in Space?
Genes in Space is an annual competition first launched by the UAE Space Agency, The National and Boeing in 2015.
It challenges school pupils to design experiments to be conducted in space and it aims to encourage future talent for the UAE’s fledgling space industry. It is the first of its kind in the UAE and, as well as encouraging talent, it also aims to raise interest and awareness among the general population about space exploration.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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
Brief scores:
Day 2
England: 277 & 19-0
West Indies: 154
