Rumours of India’s demise have, it appears, been greatly exaggerated.
Sure, the nominal hosts of the T20 World Cup still need an unlikely sequence of results to fall in their favour if they are the stand a chance of advancing to the semifinals.
But they provided the sort of statement performance against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi that said: we are not done yet.
After two tepid losses had left them on the brink of elimination, Virat Kohli’s side threw off the shackles with a powerful 66-run win at Zayed Cricket Stadium.
Bizarrely, the Indian board deemed the 15th over of their side’s innings the ideal time to issue a statement confirming Rahul Dravid will be their new head coach, starting at the end of this tournament.
If the timing was designed to distract from their side’s imminent departure from what is technically a “home” World Cup, they were premature.
India’s batters were motoring at the time, flaying the beleaguered Afghan bowlers to all parts of the ground.
In the previous two defeats, their batters have attracted scorn for the sedateness of their approach. There was no lack of intent this time around.
Rohit Sharma, restored to the top of the order after being shuffled down one space last time out, led the way. The Mumbai Indians captain top scored with 74 from 47 balls.
Just as the BCCI comms team were pressing send on their email about Dravid’s appointment, Rohit drilled a catch to Mohammed Nabi at extra cover.
It brought to an end a first-wicket alliance worth 140 with KL Rahul, who went on to make 69 off 48 balls.
For the first time in the tournament, each of the batters who made it to the crease scored at a higher strike-rate than the player who had gone before.
The frenzy reached its peak with a whirlwind cameo worth 35 from a mere 13 balls by Hardik Pandya.
He even survived a collision with the burly Afghan wicketkeeper Mohammed Shahzad, albeit after some treatment from the physio, as India amassed a mighty 210 for two from their 20 overs.
The Afghans got nowhere close in reply, even if Rahmanullah Gurbaz briefly hinted that they might be able to.
India and Afghanistan fans descend on Abu Dhabi
In the first match since Asghar Afghan's retirement midway through the competition, it was his younger brother Karim Janat who top scored.
The all-rounder ended unbeaten on 42 from 22 balls, as Afghanistan made 144 for seven. Ravichandran Ashwin was the pick of the bowlers, as he took two for 14 from his four overs.
Despite appeals in recent days by Nabi and Rashid Khan for fans without tickets to stay away from the game, some ticketless Afghans did congregate outside the stadium.
A large group massed in the car park adjacent to the ground ahead of the 6pm start.
However, there was no repeat of the crowd disturbances that had marred Afghanistan’s match with Pakistan in Dubai last week, as they were kept a distance from the ground by security forces.
The policing operation had been ramped up ahead of the game, with more than 250 extra security personnel added.
A fleet of Special Tasks vehicles were on site, as was an anti-riot police van equipped with water cannons.
The K9 department of Abu Dhabi Police were ready with dogs, while mounted police conducted regular circuits of the perimeter to ward off any problems.
It had the desired effect. Inside the stadium, there was nothing in the way of unrest, even if one half of the supporters went home dejected.
For the Indian fans, though, there is reason still to believe. Their two remaining matches are against Namibia and Scotland, when they will hope to advance their net run rate further still.
If New Zealand are to slip up in any of their own remaining games - and they face Afghanistan on the last day - then India will be loitering with intent.
WTL%20SCHEDULE
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More on Quran memorisation:
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
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Healthcare spending to double to $2.2 trillion rupees
Launched a 641billion-rupee federal health scheme
Allotted 200 billion rupees for the recapitalisation of state-run banks
Around 1.75 trillion rupees allotted for privatisation and stake sales in state-owned assets
What is a calorie?
A food calorie, or kilocalorie, is a measure of nutritional energy generated from what is consumed.
One calorie, is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1°C.
A kilocalorie represents a 1,000 true calories of energy.
Energy density figures are often quoted as calories per serving, with one gram of fat in food containing nine calories, and a gram of protein or carbohydrate providing about four.
Alcohol contains about seven calories a gram.
Warlight,
Michael Ondaatje, Knopf
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
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.
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.
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
MATCH INFO
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Indika
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VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
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