A year on from the indignity of failing to make the playoffs for the only time in their history, Chennai Super Kings returned to their throne in the Indian Premier League to thrill the masses at the Dubai International Stadium.
MS Dhoni got his hands back on the trophy for the first time since 2018 after his Chennai side beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 27 runs. It was the franchise’s fourth title, which is one less than the side they deposed, Mumbai Indians.
To say they were popular champions undersells the point. The 25,000-seater stadium in Dubai Sports City was rocking, filled to the 70 per cent permissible under the current Covid safety measures. The vivid yellow shirts of the Chennai supporters entirely outnumbered anything else.
They arrived early, left late, and cheered and whistled to celebrate their side’s return to the top of the podium.
After missing out on the knockouts a year ago, Stephen Fleming, Chennai’s coach, had said the franchise needed to start again and build anew.
And yet their champions this time round were all the same old heroes from the past. Faf du Plessis, 37-years old and deemed unworthy of a place in the South Africa squad for the forthcoming T20 World Cup, propped up the batting in the final.
His 86 not out from 59 balls brought him to within two runs of his opening partner, Ruturaj Gaikwad, at the top of the season’s run-charts. Gaikwad, with 635 runs, just about retained the orange cap.
With 192 for three to defend, Dhoni, 40, organised his side with all the poise you might expect from someone who was captaining for the 300th time in a T20 match.
Ravindra Jadeja’s fielding was game changing. As per always.
Only briefly did the game look out of Chennai’s control. Venkatesh Iyer and Shubman Gill did as they have done so frequently since the tournament resumed in the UAE, and got Kolkata’s innings off to a flyer.
Iyer hit a fourth half-century of his breakout IPL, although he did get some good fortune on the way.
Dhoni dropped him off the second ball he faced, off Josh Hazlewood. Iyer flicked the next ball over fine leg for six.
The same happened again when Iyer was on 21. Dhoni shelled a far tougher chance, off Shardul Thakur, then the left-handed opener swiped the next ball for four.
Iyer was warming to the task, launching a 92 metre six off Jadeja on his way to 50 in 31 balls.
Jadeja got his avenge shortly after, though, as he just about held on to a steepling boundary catch to dismiss Iyer off Thakur.
Gill remained and profited from one unbelievable stroke of luck. On 22, he was caught on the boundary by Ambati Rayudu.
He was reprieved though, because of the fact the ball had clipped a Spidercam cable, thus rendering it a deadball. He then took successive fours off Jadeja straight after. Gill was railing against the inevitable, though.
In Kolkata’s two IPL title wins, they had chased a similar target successfully. In 2012, they made 192 to beat Chennai, while two years later they chased 200 to beat Kings XI Punjab.
This time, though, the task was too sizeable, and they managed just 165 for nine.
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
Results
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
India squads
T20: Rohit Sharma (c), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Krunal Pandya, Yuzvendra Chahal, Rahul Chahar, Deepak Chahar, Khaleel Ahmed, Shivam Dube, Shardul Thakur
Test: Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant
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
Scorebox
Dubai Sports City Eagles 7 Bahrain 88
Eagles
Try: Penalty
Bahrain
Tries: Gibson 2, Morete 2, Bishop 2, Bell 2, Behan, Fameitau, Sanson, Roberts, Bennett, Radley
Cons: Radley 4, Whittingham 5
Hili 2: Unesco World Heritage site
The site is part of the Hili archaeological park in Al Ain. Excavations there have proved the existence of the earliest known agricultural communities in modern-day UAE. Some date to the Bronze Age but Hili 2 is an Iron Age site. The Iron Age witnessed the development of the falaj, a network of channels that funnelled water from natural springs in the area. Wells allowed settlements to be established, but falaj meant they could grow and thrive. Unesco, the UN's cultural body, awarded Al Ain's sites - including Hili 2 - world heritage status in 2011. Now the most recent dig at the site has revealed even more about the skilled people that lived and worked there.
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The bio
His favourite book - 1984 by George Orwell
His favourite quote - 'If you think education is expensive, try ignorance' by Derek Bok, Former President of Harvard
Favourite place to travel to - Peloponnese, Southern Greece
Favourite movie - The Last Emperor
Favourite personality from history - Alexander the Great
Role Model - My father, Yiannis Davos
Walls
Louis Tomlinson
3 out of 5 stars
(Syco Music/Arista Records)
The%20stats%20and%20facts
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)
Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)
West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (10.45pm)
Sunday
Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)
Aston Villa v Chelsea (7.15pm)
Everton v Liverpool (10pm)
Monday
Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Coming 2 America
Directed by: Craig Brewer
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones
3/5 stars
The Written World: How Literature Shaped History
Martin Puchner
Granta
The%20specs
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Results:
Men's wheelchair 800m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 1.44.79; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 1.45.88; 3. Isaac Towers (GBR) 1.46.46.
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
