Aryan Lakra was denied a winning start to his international career as UAE lost out by a single wicket to United States in a thrilling one-day international in Aberdeen.
The 20-year-old debutant made a fine half-century to help the national team post a target of 254. Then USA weathered an alarming late collapse as they just made it over the winning line.
The fact Lakra had been picked to debut in place of Kashif Daud was not entirely a surprise.
Daud had been uncharacteristically poor a day earlier in the loss to Scotland, with an economy rate of 6.66 when bowling, and suffering the indignity of a golden duck, too.
Swapping him for Lakra would give the UAE an extra left-arm spin option, on a wicket that was having its second day of use.
What was a shock, however, was the fact Lakra walked to the wicket right at the start of play, and opened the batting with Muhammad Waseem.
Deposing Chirag Suri from his berth at the top of the order seemed a canny decision right from the off, though.
Lakra took his first over in international cricket for 11 runs, and seemed well equipped to deal with stepping up to elite level.
Hearteningly, the biggest stand of the UAE innings was between two players who had played together on the world stage in Under 19 cricket only recently.
Lakra captained the UAE side who went to the age-group World Cup in two years ago, leading a cohort that included Vriitya Aravind.
Aravind, who only turned 20 in June, has established himself in the senior game in the time since – to a record-breaking extent, as he became just the third player to notch two ODI tons while still a teenager.
So rapid has been his ascent, Aravind has been named as vice-captain of the national team for this series.
And yet he had to defer to his former age-group leader as he and Lakra pieced together an alliance worth 111 for UAE’s third wicket against USA.
Despite all the years of cricket they have played together, it was a misunderstanding between them which brought about Lakra’s demise.
He was left stranded after an aborted single when on 84. He was 16 short of becoming the 17th player to score a century on ODI debut.
It was difficult to tell who was more heartbroken – Lakra or his batting partner. To exacerbate the issue, he then holed out four balls later, having made 53.
When Rohan Mustafa was then run out off the next ball, UAE appeared to be in a tailspin.
A stand worth 63 between Basil Hameed and CP Rizwan for the sixth wicket helped them towards a total that eventually reached 253-8 by the end of the 50 overs.
With Sushant Modani and the dangerous Steven Taylor accounted for, the United States run chase was in the balance when – inexplicably – wind stopped play.
In the four days since arriving in Aberdeen for this series, the national team’s players have scarcely seen a cloud in the sky.
So fine had the conditions been, the match officials had not even considered signing off the Duckworth-Lewis Stern calculations.
And yet a freak gust of wind brought play shuddered to a halt for 48 minutes, after the two sightscreens at the top end of the field were upended.
Such was the force at which they were overturned, one was smashed irrevocably. Groundstaff worked manfully to get the remaining screen back in working order, in such good time that no overs were lost, meaning no DLS calculation was required.
When play resumed after the interruption, it was the United States who responded the better.
Monank Patel and Aaron Jones put on 126 together for the third wicket, to break the back of the run chase.
UAE’s frustration was obvious. When Jones was finally removed from the crease, having made 51, he did not take kindly to the send off he received from a pumped up Junaid Siddique. The umpires warned Ahmed Raza, UAE’s captain, to temper his fast bowler’s behaviour.
It felt a crucial moment, though, as the United States were overcome by nerves. Thanks to a combination of fine catching and ground fielding, as well as jittery batting, the American side lost six wickets for 40 runs.
It left them requiring two off the last over with just a lone wicket remaining. They got over the line when Gajanand Singh cut Basil Hameed away for the winning runs.
MORE ON TURKEY'S SYRIA OFFENCE
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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.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
Company info
Company name: Entrupy
Co-founders: Vidyuth Srinivasan, co-founder/chief executive, Ashlesh Sharma, co-founder/chief technology officer, Lakshmi Subramanian, co-founder/chief scientist
Based: New York, New York
Sector/About: Entrupy is a hardware-enabled SaaS company whose mission is to protect businesses, borders and consumers from transactions involving counterfeit goods.
Initial investment/Investors: Entrupy secured a $2.6m Series A funding round in 2017. The round was led by Tokyo-based Digital Garage and Daiwa Securities Group's jointly established venture arm, DG Lab Fund I Investment Limited Partnership, along with Zach Coelius.
Total customers: Entrupy’s customers include hundreds of secondary resellers, marketplaces and other retail organisations around the world. They are also testing with shipping companies as well as customs agencies to stop fake items from reaching the market in the first place.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
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%3Cp%3EThe%20Royal%20Navy%20raid%20is%20the%20latest%20in%20a%20series%20of%20successful%20interceptions%20of%20drugs%20and%20arms%20in%20the%20Gulf%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMay%2011%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EUS%20coastguard%20recovers%20%2480%20million%20heroin%20haul%20from%20fishing%20vessel%20in%20Gulf%20of%20Oman%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMay%208%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20US%20coastguard%20vessel%20USCGC%20Glen%20Harris%20seizes%20heroin%20and%20meth%20worth%20more%20than%20%2430%20million%20from%20a%20fishing%20boat%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMarch%202%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Anti-tank%20guided%20missiles%20and%20missile%20components%20seized%20by%20HMS%20Lancaster%20from%20a%20small%20boat%20travelling%20from%20Iran%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EOctober%209%2C%202022%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERoyal%20Navy%20frigate%20HMS%20Montrose%20recovers%20drugs%20worth%20%2417.8%20million%20from%20a%20dhow%20in%20Arabian%20Sea%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESeptember%2027%2C%202022%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20US%20Naval%20Forces%20Central%20Command%20reports%20a%20find%20of%202.4%20tonnes%20of%20heroin%20on%20board%20fishing%20boat%20in%20Gulf%20of%20Oman%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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TO ALL THE BOYS: ALWAYS AND FOREVER
Directed by: Michael Fimognari
Starring: Lana Condor and Noah Centineo
Two stars
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
Virtuzone GCC Sixes
Date and venue Friday and Saturday, ICC Academy, Dubai Sports City
Time Matches start at 9am
Groups
A Blighty Ducks, Darjeeling Colts, Darjeeling Social, Dubai Wombats; B Darjeeling Veterans, Kuwait Casuals, Loose Cannons, Savannah Lions; C Awali Taverners, Darjeeling, Dromedary, Darjeeling Good Eggs
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Two Popes
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce
Four out of five stars
