Having just celebrated his 35th birthday, Simranjeet Singh must have feared the international cricket career he had always craved had passed him by.
Nearly four years earlier, he had already given up on trying to crack Ranji Trophy domestic cricket in India, and had looked for ways to make a living from the game elsewhere.
It was Covid times, and cricket had dried up in the state of Punjab. So the left-arm spinner travelled from his home in Ludhiana to the UAE instead, and picked up some matches.
He impressed, and the boss of one of the domestic club sides he played for arranged to convert his visa into a permanent one, on the proviso he represent the staff cricket team.
The matches continued and, when he went up against UAE national team players, he found he could more than hold his own.
Still, recognition had to be forced as much as earned. He found out where the national team were training, and approached the coach, the former India Test player Lalchand Rajput.
“On my first day here, I spoke to [Rajput], and said, ‘Sir, I am a spinner, I have completed my three years [residency qualification to be eligible to play international cricket] here and play A Division cricket – can you just check me out, and tell me what you think?’” Simranjeet said.
“He said, ‘OK, just wait five minutes and in the next round you can come and bowl.’ He gave me an opportunity in the nets, and felt good about me.
“He invited me back the next day, so I came back and after that he said I could continue joining their camp. The fact the bowlers were impressed with my bowling made me confident.”
Simranjeet was kept on to bowl in the nets, and bolstered the ranks whenever there were practice matches. He discovered he was becoming a permanent fixture in the training squad.
Then, last November, they made it official: he was called into the team for a regional T20 World Cup qualifier in Qatar, and debuted a week after turning 35.
“You know when you are bowling well and think you have a chance,” Simranjeet said.
“After that, sir told me I would be going in the team. I had been waiting for that moment for 18 or 19 years. When he announced the name of Simranjeet Singh in the 14-man squad, it was like a dream for me.
“I had goosebumps and was thinking, ‘Seriously? Now I am in an international team?' It was a proud and emotional moment for me and my family.”
He said he was lost for words when he told his news to those closest to him.
“I went home and was on a video call with my family,” he said.
“There are four of us in our family – mum, dad, sister, and me – and we were all in separate places. No one was sitting together.
What I saw from him is a typical left-arm spinner, putting more revolutions on the ball, giving flight, and beating the batsmen in the air
UAE coach Lalchand Rajput
“The video call started, and I couldn’t speak any words. I had been given my kit, so I just showed my UAE helmet on the screen, and everyone started crying.
“They had also all been waiting since 2006 for this moment. In those years, I had not been earning any money. They had been paying for me – my sister, my mum, everybody – as I had not been working in India until I got here.
“I wasn’t earning, I was just playing cricket for seven or eight hours per day, practicing. I was easily doing 40-50 overs in practice every day. So for me to bowl 15 or 20 overs, that is an easy task.”
In accordance with his Sikh faith, Simranjeet has never cut his hair or his beard, and he is proud to represent his religion as an international cricketer.
He is grateful to Rajput, as well as Harbhajan Singh Kala, his first coach back home in Ludhiana, for helping him reach this point.
Rajput, for his part, believes he can be an asset for the national team, both now and in the future.
“As a left-arm spinner, the more revolutions he gives is what struck me,” Rajput said.
“Most bowlers here have played T20 and T10, so they try to bowl the ball a little bit flatter. They want to contain the batters and are not bowling to take wickets.
“What I saw from him is a typical left-arm spinner, the type we see in India, who are putting more revolutions on the ball, giving flight, and beating the batsmen in the air.
“He has a lot of variations as well because he has a good arm ball. I think we have to back such players, and he has done exceptionally well.
“He never wants to give up at any time. He is always saying, ‘Sir, I will bowl at this stage.’ That is a good sign. He is not afraid of getting hit.”
Simranjeet will face the biggest challenge of his fledgling international career to date on tour in Amsterdam this month.
The national team return to Cricket World Cup League Two action when they face Scotland and the Netherlands – perhaps the two strongest sides in it.
“When you play against the best, only then will you come to know where you stand,” Rajput said.
“If you are playing against the best team and you do well, then the sky is the limit.
“You must always aim to be the best, and that is the attitude we are trying to get across.
“I come from Mumbai in India, and cricketers in Mumbai have the attitude that you must never give up at any time, until the last run is scored and the last wicket is taken.”
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Rating: 5/5
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The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
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Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
The%20specs
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
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Chelsea 2 Burnley 3
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Red cards Cahill, Fabregas (Chelsea)
Mina Cup winners
Under 12 – Minerva Academy
Under 14 – Unam Pumas
Under 16 – Fursan Hispania
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
MATCH INFO:
Second Test
Pakistan v Australia, Tuesday-Saturday, 10am daily at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Entrance is free
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
One in nine do not have enough to eat
Created in 1961, the World Food Programme is pledged to fight hunger worldwide as well as providing emergency food assistance in a crisis.
One of the organisation’s goals is the Zero Hunger Pledge, adopted by the international community in 2015 as one of the 17 Sustainable Goals for Sustainable Development, to end world hunger by 2030.
The WFP, a branch of the United Nations, is funded by voluntary donations from governments, businesses and private donations.
Almost two thirds of its operations currently take place in conflict zones, where it is calculated that people are more than three times likely to suffer from malnutrition than in peaceful countries.
It is currently estimated that one in nine people globally do not have enough to eat.
On any one day, the WFP estimates that it has 5,000 lorries, 20 ships and 70 aircraft on the move.
Outside emergencies, the WFP provides school meals to up to 25 million children in 63 countries, while working with communities to improve nutrition. Where possible, it buys supplies from developing countries to cut down transport cost and boost local economies.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2 (Benzema 13', Kroos 28')
Barcelona 1 (Mingueza 60')
Red card: Casemiro (Real Madrid)
Match info
Athletic Bilbao 0
Real Madrid 1 (Ramos 73' pen)
RESULT
Valencia 3
Kevin Gameiro 21', 51'
Ferran Torres 67'
Atlanta 4
Josip Llicic 3' (P), 43' (P), 71', 82'
Profile of Bitex UAE
Date of launch: November 2018
Founder: Monark Modi
Based: Business Bay, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: Eight employees
Investors: Self-funded to date with $1m of personal savings
Opening Rugby Championship fixtures: Games can be watched on OSN Sports
Saturday: Australia v New Zealand, Sydney, 1pm (UAE)
Sunday: South Africa v Argentina, Port Elizabeth, 11pm (UAE)
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
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Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
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Who: India v Bangladesh
When: Friday, 3.30pm, Dubai International Stadium
Watch: Live on OSN Cricket HD
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When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The five pillars of Islam
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Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
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The specs: 2018 Bentley Bentayga V8
Price, base: Dh853,226
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 550hp @ 6,000pm
Torque: 770Nm @ 1,960rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.4L / 100km
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
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- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
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- Price: Not announced yet
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WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
