Before the 2015 Indian Premier League starts on April 8, The National will preview each of the eight teams. Next up, Sunrisers Hyderabad.
An overview
It is difficult to know what to make of one of the league’s youngest franchises. In their first season after they assumed the position of the defunct Deccan Chargers, they were outstanding, winning 10 of their 16 matches. In their second, last season, not so much, winning just six of 14 games.
It was a troubled season, involving multiple captaincy changes and a whiff of that has carried over this season. David Warner has taken over from Shikhar Dhawan and Darren Sammy, bringing to five the number of men who have led the franchise so far.
In practice they have the makings of a merely decent side though Warner could be the man to galvanise them. It is easy to see them have either a disastrous season, or an exceptional one, but not really a middling one.
They would have been stronger for Kevin Pietersen’s presence, of course, but he is an uncertain participant given his preoccupations with returning to England. The other two Englishmen in the squad, Ravi Bopara and Eoin Morgan, do not immediately stir the senses in the same way.
What they will need is a fired up Dale Steyn. The South African is the best fast bowler in the world today, but it becomes clearer every year that it is in the five-day game that his genius is given full outing.
He had a mediocre 2014 season, taking only 11 wickets in 14 games. He returns after a traumatic limited overs outing, hit for the six that ended South Africa’s World Cup. If he can work himself up for this season, then Sunrisers will go well.
He will be helped immensely by the presence of the newly-acquired flavour of the day, Trent Boult, who has shown himself to be, over the last couple of months, a growing limited-overs bowler.
The match winner – Shikhar Dhawan
With captaincy not his headache anymore, Dhawan may well be the man to rouse the franchise. He stands rejuvenated after a successful World Cup and has the kind of cockiness that teammates draw strength from.
Up and coming star – Lokesh Rahul
Earmarked since the 2010 U19 World Cup for great things, Rahul may finally have hit the big time. After a horror Test debut, he scored a hundred in his second Test in Australia and, as one of Sunrisers’ most expensive purchases in 2013, the franchise will be hoping for a return this year.
Five to watch
Eoin Morgan – The British press at least will be closely following the fortunes of Morgan. He has had a horror recent run of form, topped off by being captain of a disastrous World Cup. Get some runs here and some of the pressure will ease.
Kane Williamson – One of the world’s best young batsmen, Williamson had a not-too-great World Cup. But his class across all formats is obvious and until he plays, he will be crucial.
Ishant Sharma – Sometimes it feels as if Sharma is always injured. He missed the World Cup with a knee problem, further stalling a career that takes off only to be swiftly derailed. He will be an important foil for Dale Steyn.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar – The gloss has gone slightly off what had been a wonderful start to international cricket. A combination of injuries and a realisation that a little more pace may be necessary has contributed. A good time to return, though, behind bigger names.
Karn Sharma – Sharma was an important partner to fellow leggie Amit Mishra in their first-season semi-final run. He has continued to be impressive since then, in a solid if not spectacular rise. Had a poor India debut but, for now, he is comfortable in this format.
Coach – Tom Moody
Previous record – 2014: Group stage; 2013: Semi-final
The National’s verdict
Genuinely difficult to know which way they may veer. They have the capacity to go well, but much will depend on established internationals, such as Warner, Dhawan, Steyn and Ishant Sharma. If they get off to a bad start, however, things could unravel quickly.
MORE IPL PREVIEWS
– Consistency key for Chennai Super Kings
– Royal Challengers Bangalore boast fearsome batting and bowling
– Mumbai Indians still in a perpetual state of flux
– Kolkata Knight Riders in position for another podium place
– Delhi Daredevils still looking to turn big names into big results
– Kings XI Punjab counting on their starpower and stability
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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MATCH INFO
Fixture: Ukraine v Portugal, Monday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
Sunday's fixtures
- Bournemouth v Southampton, 5.30pm
- Manchester City v West Ham United, 8pm
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.”
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
MATCH INFO
Who: UAE v USA
What: first T20 international
When: Friday, 2pm
Where: ICC Academy in Dubai
