The DP World International League T20 might reserve admission for only a few UAE-based players. But every so often, it can still turn out to be a dream factory for local lads.
When Farhan Khan first found out he was selected for the UAE’s T20 franchise tournament, he was so shocked he fell out of bed.
The uncapped 20-year-old seam bowler was idling about on the top bunk of his room when he received the message that has changed the arc of his cricket career.
“I was not having such a good T10 season personally and had gone back home to Pakistan for a brief while to work on myself, my diet and my fitness,” said Farhan, who is originally from Peshawar.
“I played a bit in Pakistan too but without much success and I really thought I would not be able to make it to the ILT20 this time. In fact, when I first got to know that I was selected for Dubai Capitals, I couldn’t believe it.
“It was around noon when I got the message from the team manager, and I literally fell off my bed on the upper bunk. I share a room with three others and one of my mates was sleeping below at the time.
“I woke him up from his sleep to tell him what just happened. He was the first person who I told about my selection. I was ecstatic. It was a pure goosebumps moment for me.”
After his roommates, he quickly set about notifying his nearest and dearest back at home. “I had actually prepared my family for the worst – that I may not be picked for the ILT20 because I knew everything depended on performances,” he said.
“But when I told them about my selection, it was a different kind of happiness for me. The like I had never seen or felt before. My mum was elated to hear the news and said she felt proud of me.”
Playing against some of the stars of the global game, in immaculately appointed stadiums, in front of live TV audiences is a world away from what Farhan is used to.
The lanky fast bowler started out playing in the street as a kid where “I got hooked on to the sport”.
“Initially there was not much support back home like in the case of most Pathan families, but when I started playing well, they took notice,” he said.
“When others told my dad about my cricketing prowess, he heard them and let me play tape-ball cricket. Eventually, I joined an academy and moved up the ranks.”
One of his cousins was playing for Seven Districts, a leading UAE club team based in Ajman, and smoothed the path for Farhan to join him.
He quickly started turning heads in domestic cricket, and caught the attention of Ahmed Raza, the former national team captain who now holds coaching positions in both the UAE and Dubai Capitals setups.
“I kept an eye on him during the D-series, which is our premier tournament,” Raza said of Farhan. “He impressed me and everyone who had a look at him. He is young, tall, has a clean action and swings the ball. He also bowls in different phases on T20 games.”
Raza discussed the new find with the rest of the Capitals’ management and, after they had the chance to watch him live in the ILT20’s development tournament, they made it a priority to select him for the main event.
“We were clear about wanting to pick him because he is special in terms of what he has to offer in a T20 game,” Raza said.
“Everyone saw that in the first game. He bowled up front, then came back and bowled the last over against arguably the best finisher in the world, Kieron Pollard. He delivered, and I think he is going to go from strength to strength.
“From a UAE perspective I think it will be about how we can preserve him until he qualifies for UAE. Hopefully he can do great things for the franchise and for the country in the future.”
If Farhan ever daydreamed about playing big-time cricket, it might have gone down in similar fashion to the first game of this season’s ILT20, between the Capitals and defending champs MI Emirates.
It was Farhan’s first match of any note in professional T20 cricket, and the rookie was given the responsibility of bowling the last over of the match.
He needed to defend 13 to win the game. A nervy task, no matter who is at the other end. It just so happened that the player Farhan was going up against was the batter who has played more T20 games than anyone else in history.
Kieron Pollard is closing in on 700 matches in the format. He has played for over 20 major teams, in leagues all across the world. The contrast between the two players could not have been any greater.
“I was under pressure playing my first game at an international level,” Farhan said.
“And then I was not used to playing in front of such a big crowd. My first two overs were not at all good and I thought I wouldn’t get another over, let alone the final over.
“But just when I was about to change my fielding position before the final over, I got a shock as I got called to bowl. Up against me was a man who’s hit over 900 sixes and is one of the best finishers in the T20 game. I was in a state of disbelief.”
Sikandar Raza, the Capitals captain, had used up the allocation of his more experienced bowlers, and was left with his untested debutant to bowl the decisive six balls.
“They were only five or six down, so I wanted to trust my senior guys first,” Sikandar said. “We only needed a couple of dots, and I knew that if we held our lines and lengths, we had a chance.”
The equation became six required off the last ball. Pollard swiped a length delivery from Farhan to the long-on boundary – and it bounced just inside the rope.
“I just can’t believe that I defended 13 runs against Pollard,” Farhan said. “Even when I was about to bowl the last ball with six runs [remaining for MIE to win] I knew anything could happen. I still can’t believe it.”
With victory secured, Farhan was swamped by euphoric teammates. “When I came to bowl the last over, Sikandar bhai told me to keep believing. He said, ‘You can do it.’ He really boosted my confidence well,” Farhan said.
“The reaction [after the win] was strange. For a moment, I thought it was a six because the ball had gone for a boundary after just one bounce.
“When I looked up, I saw Sikandar bhai rushing towards me. He came and hugged me and then everybody else came around and hugged me. It was like a dream.”
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
If you go:
The flights: Etihad, Emirates, British Airways and Virgin all fly from the UAE to London from Dh2,700 return, including taxes
The tours: The Tour for Muggles usually runs several times a day, lasts about two-and-a-half hours and costs £14 (Dh67)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is on now at the Palace Theatre. Tickets need booking significantly in advance
Entrance to the Harry Potter exhibition at the House of MinaLima is free
The hotel: The grand, 1909-built Strand Palace Hotel is in a handy location near the Theatre District and several of the key Harry Potter filming and inspiration sites. The family rooms are spacious, with sofa beds that can accommodate children, and wooden shutters that keep out the light at night. Rooms cost from £170 (Dh808).
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THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203S%20Money%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202018%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20London%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Zhiznevsky%2C%20Eugene%20Dugaev%20and%20Andrei%20Dikouchine%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%245.6%20million%20raised%20in%20total%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
THREE
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Nayla%20Al%20Khaja%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Jefferson%20Hall%2C%20Faten%20Ahmed%2C%20Noura%20Alabed%2C%20Saud%20Alzarooni%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
The specs: 2018 Ford Mustang GT
Price, base / as tested: Dh204,750 / Dh241,500
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque: 569Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.3L / 100km
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.
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