Bearing in mind Rohan Mustafa once declined a motorbike as a reward for being player of a tournament, it might be assumed he is not one for mementoes.
As such, it was a surprise to see him lovingly holding on to a stump in the wake of the UAE’s victory in the T20 World Cup Qualifier final against Ireland in Muscat on Thursday.
It turns out the UAE all-rounder, who hit the winning runs in the seven-wicket win against the Irish, does appreciate keepsakes. Just so long as he does not have to pay import duty.
“In big tournaments, like when we played in Namibia [in 2018], I do this,” said Mustafa, who took three wickets and was not out on 37 when victory was sealed.
“The semi-final was an important game. We had qualified for the World Cup, but [the groundstaff] said no, and that I had to take it after the final.
“I don’t keep balls or things like that, but I do when the tournament is really big for us. I take them to Pakistan now. Last time I went I took 110kgs of trophies, because there is no space to keep it.
“I have a big home in Pakistan, Alhamdulillah, so I keep these things there.”
Mustafa had the best view in the house of another remarkable knock by Muhammad Waseem. The UAE opener scored the second century of his 12-match T20 international career to lay the platform for UAE’s win.
In the process, he shared in a 141-run stand for the third wicket with Mustafa.
“To be honest, when you bat with him, sometimes you feel ashamed and think, 'why can’t I hit like him?'” Mustafa said.
“He was talking to me the whole time saying, ‘Please don’t give your wicket away. Because of you, I’m very confident. If I get out, you need to be there.’
“That was our plan. When he hits, I think he is one of the best hitters in Associate cricket. They had some off-spinners and he wanted to take the risks against them.
“I think he played outstandingly well. Credit to him, he took the match away from Ireland in a few overs.”
Winning the Qualifier means UAE will now be entered into a first-round group with Sri Lanka, Namibia and the second-placed side in the second global qualifier, which will be played in Zimbabwe later this year. Their matches will be played at Kardinia Park in Geelong on October 16, 18 and 20.
For the side’s two senior players, Mustafa and captain Ahmed Raza, it means a second trip to a World Cup. They were each in the UAE squad for the World T20 in Bangladesh in 2014.
Back then, UAE lost all their matches and failed to advance to the main phase of the competition. Raza is demanding better this time around.
“For myself and Rohan, the last time we played a World Cup, at that age it was more about just going to the World Cup,” Raza said.
“Now our mentality is that we want to go there and do well, make it to the Super 12, and cause some upsets over there.
“That mentality has definitely changed, and this group of people is special. We can really expect something very special from them come October in Australia.
“The first goal will be to make it to the Super 12, then do well from there on.”
As the defeated finalists in the tournament in Oman, Ireland will be pitched into a pool with West Indies, Scotland and the winners of the Harare qualifying event.
Andrew Balbirnie, Ireland’s captain, acknowledged the best team had won in Muscat, but said he was satisfied to be progressing to the main event.
“We have lot of positive aspects with how the week has gone,” Balbirnie said.
“We have qualified which was the main thing at the start of it. When you play a one-off final, you want to come out holding the trophy but I think the best team today won.”
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
TEAMS
EUROPE:
Justin Rose, Francesco Molinari, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Alex Noren, Thorbjorn Olesen, Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson
USA:
Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Webb Simpson, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau ( 1 TBC)
Star%20Wars%3A%20Ahsoka%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Various%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rosario%20Dawson%2C%20Natasha%20Liu%20Bordizzo%2C%20Lars%20Mikkelsen%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
HER%20FIRST%20PALESTINIAN
%3Cp%3EAuthor%3A%20Saeed%20Teebi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPages%3A%20256%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPublisher%3A%C2%A0House%20of%20Anansi%20Press%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Breast cancer in men: the facts
1) Breast cancer is men is rare but can develop rapidly. It usually occurs in those over the ages of 60, but can occasionally affect younger men.
2) Symptoms can include a lump, discharge, swollen glands or a rash.
3) People with a history of cancer in the family can be more susceptible.
4) Treatments include surgery and chemotherapy but early diagnosis is the key.
5) Anyone concerned is urged to contact their doctor
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.
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
Expert advice
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
More from Neighbourhood Watch
THE%20SWIMMERS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESally%20El-Hosaini%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENathalie%20Issa%2C%20Manal%20Issa%2C%20Ahmed%20Malek%20and%20Ali%20Suliman%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
