Oman proved to be the best type of gatecrashers as they claimed the T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier trophy at a pulsating Tribhuvan University stadium in Kathmandu.
It would be easy to say they broke the hearts of the extraordinary home support, as they beat Nepal to the title. Maybe they did, but if so, they did their very best to mend them straight away.
The final in Kirtipur was sensational. A tie after the 40 overs had been bowled, thanks to a run out off the final ball. Then a Super Over which, in truth, was entirely one-sided.
It was one of those rare occasions where the action on the field can even hold a candle to the scenes beyond the boundary in Kathmandu.
Both sides had arrived for the final demob happy. By reaching this point, they had taken care of the main business of the tournament.
That was earning qualification for the T20 World Cup in the United States and the West Indies next year.
Nepal had done so by beating the UAE in the semi-final two days earlier. That game had been played at the smaller of the two venues for this tournament, in Mulpani.
Ticket sales for that match were capped at 3,500. That was pitifully few, given the demand. Despite pleas from the Cricket Association of Nepal for fans to stay away and watch from home, and police checkpoints being set up on roads around the ground, there were in excess of 20,000 there.
Although the final was really little more than a ceremonial event, the fans again turned up in droves. Officially, there were 12,000 tickets sold. There were a good deal more than that inside by the end.
And the attendance inside was matched beyond the barbed wire-topped perimeter walls. Holes were torn in advertising boards so fans could peer through.
Hundreds climbed to watch from the highest branches of the trees which ring the ground. They would find the firmest branches to perch on, then place their shoes, bags and motorcycle helmets on the flimsier ones.
Among the thousands present was even the Nepal prime minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
They all had their hopes dashed at the end as Oman took the title but had been royally entertained by that point.
The sides made matching totals of 184. Nepal managed it for the loss of six wickets thanks to a reviving half-century by Gulsan Jha.
Kashyap Prajapati then blazed 63 to fire Oman’s reply, but they fell one short of winning it in normal time after Fayyaz Butt was run out off the last ball.
Nepal made an unexpected call in the Super Over when they entrusted the six balls to Abinash Bohara, the medium pacer.
Bohara is probably the lowest profile of a home bowling attack which also includes Sandeep Lamichhane, Sompal Kami and Karan KC.
It proved an injudicious call. Naseem Khushi took him for three sixes, and Nepal were left to chase 22.
In response, Oman went for the most obvious option available to them. Bilal Khan is one of the outstanding bowlers in associate cricket, and a masterly bowler of the yorker.
Kushal Malla did take his last two deliveries for boundaries, but Bilal had done the job by then.
Oman’s reserves and support staff swarmed onto the field to join the wild celebrations. Their cheers echoed around a newly silenced TU.
And yet they did their best to cheer the defeated opposition supporters. They did a lap of honour before being followed by Nepal’s players, and threw their caps to the fans for souvenirs.
Mazhar Khan, their long-serving assistant coach, did an extra lap, emptying their supply of practice balls by lobbing them into the crowd.
Once that stash ran out, he started dealing out bottles of Coca-Cola, too. The players joined him, passing on items of their own cricket equipment.
It meant everyone went home more or less happy. And for each of these teams, they can look forward to the onward leg of their journey to the World Cup.
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
57%20Seconds
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE%20medallists%20at%20Asian%20Games%202023
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The%20specs
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'
Rating: 1 out of 4
Running time: 81 minutes
Director: David Blue Garcia
Starring: Sarah Yarkin, Elsie Fisher, Mark Burnham
Fitness problems in men's tennis
Andy Murray - hip
Novak Djokovic - elbow
Roger Federer - back
Stan Wawrinka - knee
Kei Nishikori - wrist
Marin Cilic - adductor
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
More on animal trafficking
Miss Granny
Director: Joyce Bernal
Starring: Sarah Geronimo, James Reid, Xian Lim, Nova Villa
3/5
(Tagalog with Eng/Ar subtitles)
Sly%20Cooper%20and%20the%20Thievius%20Raccoonus
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MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
FIXTURES
Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21
- Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
- Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
- Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
- Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
- Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
- Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
- Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
- Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
88 Video's most popular rentals
Avengers 3: Infinity War: an American superhero film released in 2018 and based on the Marvel Comics story.
Sholay: a 1975 Indian action-adventure film. It follows the adventures of two criminals hired by police to catch a vagabond. The film was panned on release but is now considered a classic.
Lucifer: is a 2019 Malayalam-language action film. It dives into the gritty world of Kerala’s politics and has become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.
Company%20profile
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Company%20Profile
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UAE squad to face Ireland
Ahmed Raza (captain), Chirag Suri (vice-captain), Rohan Mustafa, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmad, Zawar Farid, CP Rizwaan, Aryan Lakra, Karthik Meiyappan, Alishan Sharafu, Basil Hameed, Kashif Daud, Adithya Shetty, Vriitya Aravind
