The Indian Premier League is one of the best platforms for cricketers to display their talents.
While the more famous names and million-dollar recruits are expected to deliver, a few unheralded names routinely end up upstaging them.
Here we take a look at players who have put in some stunning performances, while being away from the limelight.
Sai Sudarshan
Gujarat Titans left-handed batsman has looked at ease against pace and spin, getting starts every match. Has a good range of strokes and no apparent weakness. Given the dearth of quality left-handed batsmen with proper technique in the Indian team, he should aim higher as the season progresses.
Sandeep Sharma
A real surprise package. The medium pacer was not even in the scheme of things - even though he is a veteran of IPL - but came in as a replacement for Rajasthan Royals pacer Prasidh Krishna. Sharma has an economy of less than seven after three games, and held his nerve brilliantly against a marauding MS Dhoni to defend five off the last ball with a pin-point yorker.
Rinku Singh
The diminutive southpaw has packed the biggest punch this IPL. Pulled off one of the all-time great wins for Kolkata, hitting five successive sixes off the last five balls of the game against Gujarat to secure victory. Comes from an extremely humble background, so every great outing feels like a win for cricket.
Tushar Deshpande
The Chennai Super Kings fast bowler has been entrusted by Dhoni to bowl the death overs, and he has acquitted himself well more often than not. The 27-year-old has bowled with good pace, while showing good control of his yorkers. He could form the nucleus of Chennai's future pace attack along with Matheesha Pathirana and Rajvardhan Hangargekar.
Suyash Sharma
The 19-year-old Kolkata leg-spinner played his first ever professional match directly in the IPL, and picked up three wickets straightaway. His fast leg-spin and googlies are difficult to get under, which makes you wonder why he was not selected all these years at various levels.
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)
Date started: August 2021
Founder: Nour Sabri
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace
Size: Two employees
Funding stage: Seed investment
Initial investment: $200,000
Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East)
DUBAI%20BLING%3A%20EPISODE%201
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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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
OIL PLEDGE
At the start of Russia's invasion, IEA member countries held 1.5 billion barrels in public reserves and about 575 million barrels under obligations with industry, according to the agency's website. The two collective actions of the IEA this year of 62.7 million barrels, which was agreed on March 1, and this week's 120 million barrels amount to 9 per cent of total emergency reserves, it added.
The biog
Hobbies: Salsa dancing “It's in my blood” and listening to music in different languages
Favourite place to travel to: “Thailand, as it's gorgeous, food is delicious, their massages are to die for!”
Favourite food: “I'm a vegetarian, so I can't get enough of salad.”
Favourite film: “I love watching documentaries, and am fascinated by nature, animals, human anatomy. I love watching to learn!”
Best spot in the UAE: “I fell in love with Fujairah and anywhere outside the big cities, where I can get some peace and get a break from the busy lifestyle”
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Bio:
Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people
Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite food: Fish and vegetables
Favourite place to visit: London
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
SPECS
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