Given how glorious their most recent past has been, Pakistan might have forgotten they are supposed to be going into their next T20 World Cup assignment bearing a grudge.
When New Zealand cancelled their series in Pakistan last month due to a security threat, it was met with anger from the hosts.
“Which world is NZ living in,” Ramiz Raja, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, asked back then.
Even Babar Azam, the Pakistan captain who has proved over the past week that he is not given to hyperbole, took to social media to lambast the decision.
“Extremely disappointed on the abrupt postponement of the series, which could have brought the smiles back for millions of Pakistan cricket fans,” Babar said on Twitter. “I've full trust in the capabilities and credibility of our security agencies."
In cyberspace, supporters demanded revenge on October 26 in the World Cup in Sharjah.
Now the day has arrived, and everyone has been distracted by entirely good news. Namely, the ending of a 29-year hex by way of their stunning, 10-wicket win over India on Sunday night – their first win over their greatest rivals in World Cup cricket.
On the eve of their next encounter, Kane Williamson, New Zealand’s captain, did have to broach the topic of the cancellation.
He straight batted it with typical poise, saying it had been a “really disappointing situation”, and said he expected the Super 12 game to be “played in the right spirit”.
And anyway, all anyone really cares about now is getting another glimpse of the heroes of Sunday night, like Babar, Mohammed Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi.
“We have highlighted the importance of staying grounded,” Vernon Philander, Pakistan’s consultant bowling coach, said.
“It was a massive win for the boys, make no mistake about it. But we also have a tournament at hand and it is important we stay focused.
“Today’s talk was about putting last night behind us and focusing on what is going to come [against New Zealand]. It is going to be another big game, and hopefully the boys will reset and be ready.”
Of the Pakistan bowling attack, Philander said that “from a skill point of view, they are some of the best I have ever seen”, and he labelled Shaheen a “wonderful talent”.
“He is a brilliant bowler,” said Philander, the former South Africa seamer who was brought into the Pakistan coaching set up for this competition after Waqar Younis stepped down.
“You have to be able to give him the freedom to strike. That is what we discussed.
“You want to encourage the guy to keep being positive. Obviously, if you strike with the new ball, you are putting your side ahead in the game.
“I would like to encourage him to keep going ahead with that trend. For me, consistency is important, but like we all know, bowlers win you games in T20 cricket.
“We want to make sure they keep having a positive outlook on the game.”
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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
Gulf Men's League final
Dubai Hurricanes 24-12 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
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)
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
The specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 849Nm
Range: 456km
Price: from Dh437,900
On sale: now
Fire and Fury
By Michael Wolff,
Henry Holt
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20myZoi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202021%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Syed%20Ali%2C%20Christian%20Buchholz%2C%20Shanawaz%20Rouf%2C%20Arsalan%20Siddiqui%2C%20Nabid%20Hassan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2037%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Initial%20undisclosed%20funding%20from%20SC%20Ventures%3B%20second%20round%20of%20funding%20totalling%20%2414%20million%20from%20a%20consortium%20of%20SBI%2C%20a%20Japanese%20VC%20firm%2C%20and%20SC%20Venture%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The biog
Name: Timothy Husband
Nationality: New Zealand
Education: Degree in zoology at The University of Sydney
Favourite book: Lemurs of Madagascar by Russell A Mittermeier
Favourite music: Billy Joel
Weekends and holidays: Talking about animals or visiting his farm in Australia
If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
