In their first series after the fall from grace of their biggest star, Nepal enjoyed a frenzied Friday as they clinched a comeback win over the UAE in Kathmandu.
After limiting their guests to just 176 for nine from their 50 overs, Aasif Sheikh and Gyanendra Malla shared a dapper century partnership to set up a crushing six-wicket victory in the series finale.
It completed a resounding bounce back for the home side. They had been soundly beaten in the opening match on Monday, before clinching a three-wicket win two days later.
The result delighted the massed ranks of supporters beyond the boundary rope at the Tribhuvan University ground.
The party started early. Before a ball had even been bowled following the 9am start, a band had assembled on the grass banks on the high side of the ground. They scarcely let up all day.
While their team’s bowlers ran through the UAE batting line up, Nepal’s supporters – including one wearing a pantomime horse’s head - waved flags, sang songs, and showed off homemade banners.
One proclaimed that: “East or west, Nepal is best.” On this day at least, it was hard to argue.
The scene beyond the fence was relatively sedate in comparison to what happened in the game’s second innings.
After 17-year-old whizz-kid Aayan Khan dragged UAE from 93 for nine to their final total, the crowd surged the gates. The main entrance to the ground was thrown open, and fans flooded in.
That was the cue for many more who had hitherto been watching through holes in the bushes beyond the perimeter walls to scale the fences and enter, too.
It meant the crowd inside the ground swelled to almost double, to approximately 5,000.
The batting of Sheikh and Malla thrilled them. As the band led the festivities, some fans were wielding a No 25 Nepal shirt as they danced.
That is the number of Sandeep Lamichhane, the former captain and golden boy of Nepal cricket.
Currently, he resides around 5kms from the ground, on remand at the Central Jail in Kathmandu, where he is in custody facing a rape charge.
In his absence, his former teammates have surprisingly thrived in this series. They comfortably despatched a UAE side for whom this was a first assignment since playing at the T20 World Cup in Australia.
It was they who had deprived Nepal a place at that competition, when they beat them at the qualifying event in Muscat in February. This might not exactly have qualified as revenge, but it was still sweet for Nepal and their supporters.
The joy of the home side cut a stark contrast to that of the touring side, for whom it was another dire display amid an alarming slump in form.
Since the decision was made to dispense with the services of Ahmed Raza – who had a 66 per cent win rate as captain of the national team – in August, the UAE have played 11 limited-overs matches.
They have lost eight of those, which includes five losses to sides ranked lower than them in the ICC standings. The three wins have come against Singapore, Namibia, and – in the first match of this lost series – Nepal.
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Ukraine v Portugal, Monday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN MARITIME DISPUTE
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
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)
The biog
Age: 59
From: Giza Governorate, Egypt
Family: A daughter, two sons and wife
Favourite tree: Ghaf
Runner up favourite tree: Frankincense
Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”
Andor
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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
JOKE'S%20ON%20YOU
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
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.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
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
