When an administrative oversight by Gujarat Giants deprived Mahika Gaur a place in the first Women’s Premier League, it was a mixed blessing for the UAE teenager.
It meant the 16-year-old left-arm pacer would miss out on playing in the WPL, whose inaugural edition was completed last week when Mumbai Indians beat Delhi Capitals in the final.
The female version of the Indian Premier League has already altered the landscape of the women’s game, and is likely to become the franchise event in which players most want to feature, much like the IPL in the men’s sphere.
Gaur was the subject of a bid by the Giants on auction day back in February, only for the team to be told they had exhausted their overseas player quota.
So no party for the towering seam bowler, but at least it meant she did not have to ask for any more time off school.
“When I found out I had been picked up for the auction I was really excited,” Gaur said. “I didn’t actually watch the auction as we had training that day, but I checked my phone after.
“My sister had sent a message saying, ‘You won’t understand, just watch the video.’ I watched the video and saw that a team had bid for me but they had already done their quota of international players.
“That was a bittersweet moment for me. It gave me great confidence to see a team had bid for me, so I didn’t take it in a negative way. Hopefully I can play in that at some point in the future.
“Everyone thought [the WPL] would be big, but not on the scale that it was. For sure, it is a goal of mine to play in that at some point in the future.”
For both male and female players in the UAE, the path to leading franchise competitions is becoming increasingly navigable.
The men’s players benefited from the advent of the DP World International League T20 this year, by which they can advertise their abilities to other franchise leagues around the world.
Similar can be said for the FairBreak Invitational for women. When Covid restrictions in Hong Kong meant the first season of that event was brought to the UAE last year, many locally-based players benefited.
Esha Oza, Kavisha Kumari, Chaya Mughal and Theertha Satish all played alongside some of the stars of the world game. Other UAE internationals, such as Gaur, Vaishnave Mahesh and Samaira Dharnidharka were recruited as reserves during the season, but did not play.
The second season of the tournament starts in Hong Kong next week, and Gaur has been drafted this time, with Oza, Kumari and Theertha again involved.
“I was happy for them but at the same time, I really wanted to be part of it,” Gaur said of missing out on playing last year.
“Seeing the exposure that they got, seeing them playing with such big names, that was really motivating for me to continue training as hard as I can.
“This year when I got the call up, obviously I was really happy. All of them said it was a great experience and they didn’t stop talking about it. I have heard lots of stories about what they learnt.”
Gaur was invited to tour Australia with a FairBreak squad during the winter, but had to turn down the opportunity. She had already missed a large chunk of the school term while playing for UAE at the Under 19 World Cup in South Africa.
The English-born bowler returned to the UK last year to attend boarding school on a sports scholarship, but her home remains Dubai.
Picking which cricket commitments to pursue among her academics is not an easy task, but she is glad of the chance to be heading to Hong Kong for FairBreak.
“The fact Associate players get so much exposure playing alongside players from Test-playing nations, it’s letting women who might not otherwise be recognised to be seen,” Gaur said.
“If you are from an Associate nation, bowling to players from Test-playing nations and getting them out, then with Women’s Premier League, the Hundred, and so many other franchise leagues, it will be great for people to spot potential talent.
“Last year, there were a lot of new people who hadn’t been heard about, and because of FairBreak, people got to see them.
“There are more franchise leagues, which is amazing, and more women’s matches are being telecast. Even the U19 World Cup.
"It was so well broadcast, and the ICC Instagram account was putting out so much stuff. It was great. It is really exciting for the future.”
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
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2021 World Triathlon Championship Series
May 15: Yokohama, Japan
June 5: Leeds, UK
June 24: Montreal, Canada
July 10: Hamburg, Germany
Aug 17-22: Edmonton, Canada (World Triathlon Championship Final)
Nov 5-6 : Abu Dhabi, UAE
Date TBC: Chengdu, China
Where to submit a sample
Volunteers of all ages can submit DNA samples at centres across Abu Dhabi, including: Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec), Biogenix Labs in Masdar City, NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City, NMC Royal Medical Centre, Abu Dhabi, NMC Royal Women's Hospital, Bareen International Hospital, Al Towayya in Al Ain, NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
The%C2%A0specs%20
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
The specs: 2018 Jaguar E-Pace First Edition
Price, base / as tested: Dh186,480 / Dh252,735
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 246hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 365Nm @ 1,200rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Men’s singles
Group A: Son Wan-ho (Kor), Lee Chong Wei (Mas), Ng Long Angus (HK), Chen Long (Chn)
Group B: Kidambi Srikanth (Ind), Shi Yugi (Chn), Chou Tien Chen (Tpe), Viktor Axelsen (Den)
Women’s Singles
Group A: Akane Yamaguchi (Jpn), Pusarla Sindhu (Ind), Sayaka Sato (Jpn), He Bingjiao (Chn)
Group B: Tai Tzu Ying (Tpe), Sung Hi-hyun (Kor), Ratchanok Intanon (Tha), Chen Yufei (Chn)
The five pillars of Islam
Expo details
Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Expo to be held in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia
The world fair will run for six months from October 20, 2020 to April 10, 2021.
It is expected to attract 25 million visits
Some 70 per cent visitors are projected to come from outside the UAE, the largest proportion of international visitors in the 167-year history of World Expos.
More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020
The site covers a total of 4.38 sqkm, including a 2 sqkm gated area
It is located adjacent to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai South
