The league phase of the Indian Premier League has finally finished after the two-month long T20 carnival pushed beyond its original schedule due to a sudden conflict between India and Pakistan.
Punjab, Gujarat, Bengaluru and Mumbai will now shift their focus to the play-offs that begin on Thursday. With the so much to unpack, we take a look at the best uncapped players of the season.
Stats go up until the final league phase match between Lucknow and Bengaluru on Tuesday.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Rajasthan Royals)
Matches: 7, Runs: 252, Avg: 36, SR: 206.5, 100s: 1, 50s: 1
The most sensational talent, arguably, in the history of the IPL. The 14-year-old (yes, just 14) was introduced at the halfway mark and turned into the biggest draw of the league. Opening the batting for Rajasthan, Suryavanshi showed why he has been fast-tracked to the top. A century, fifty and 252 runs from seven games at a strike rate of over 200 was beyond the imagination of even the most hopeful fans. His century against Gujarat was the second fastest in the history of the league. More importantly, world-class bowlers were forced to plan against a kid who will be an U19 player even after five years. Displayed unfathomable power and endurance while in his early teens.
Priyansh Arya (Punjab Kings)
Matches: 14, Runs: 424, Avg: 30.28, SR: 183.5, 100s: 1, 50s: 2
Heading into the IPL, the left-handed opening batter had a few eyes on him as he had lit up the domestic scene with some extraordinary hitting – which takes a lot since India has a seemingly endless supply of batters. Drawing comparisons to the lazy elegance of Chris Gayle, the 23-year-old from Delhi powered Punjab’s rise to the top of the table at the end of the league phase, scoring more than 400 runs, which is a great achievement in his maiden IPL campaign. Has a very subdued disposition, just like Suryavanshi, but has looked the part. His ton came against Chennai when the team were 83-5 in eight overs.
Ayush Mhatre (Chennai Super Kings)
Matches: 7, Runs: 240, Avg: 34.28, SR: 188.97, 50s: 1
Not as flamboyant as other top order players on the list, but has been one of the more prominent additions to the league. Brought in as a late injury replacement at Chennai, the 17-year-old batter showed a temperament far beyond his years, injecting a comatose Super Kings batting line-up with life and aggression. Mhatre displayed respectable technique while maintaining a high tempo, something which more experienced teammates were unable to do. Failed to convert only one start. Expected to get full backing from the team next year as several underperforming players are set to be offloaded.
Shashank Singh (Punjab Kings)
Matches: 14, Runs: 284, Avg: 56.80, SR: 149.47; 50s: 2
The 33-year-old has mastered the art of propping up the lower middle order at Punjab, aided by greater responsibility provided by a new team management and captain. Shashank has displayed a brilliant all-round game for a second straight season and Punjab have duly cashed in, rising to the top. Has yet to play international cricket but is guaranteed to earn his India cap soon, and possibly feature in the T20 World Cup early next year. Had predicted Punjab will finish at the top before the IPL started and ensured that.
R Sai Kishore (Gujarat Titans)
Matches: 14, Wkts: 17, Best: 3/30, Econ: 9.11
The left-arm spinner, 28, has technically played three T20Is for India but they were at the 2023 Asian Games, which fall outside the regular international calendar. Kishore has been the most successful finger spinner this season, making use of his vast experience in domestic cricket. Armed with one of the best arm balls in the IPL, Kishore has held his own against most teams. With the national team in a transition phase in the spin department, expect him to rise up the ranks rather quickly.
Digvesh Rathi (Lucknow Super Giants)
Matches: 12, Wkts: 14, Best: 2/30, Econ: 8.18
The right-arm mystery spinner has posed serious problems for the opposition – and his own team. One of the few bright spots for Lucknow, Rathi’s variations were really tough to pick. It was his antics, however, that made more headlines – be it his exaggerated wicket celebrations or a verbal clash with departing batter Abhishek Sharma. Has accrued fines and even a ban for his actions. Rathi comes from the unforgiving grounds of Delhi cricket, so naturally has an edge to him. If he brings his emotions under control, he can go even higher.
Anshul Kamboj (Chennai Super Kings)
Matches: 8, Wkts: 8, Best: 3/13, Econ: 8.00
The new-ball bowler has slipped under the radar, quietly going about his job at the Super Kings. With a sizeable body of work in first-class cricket, the 24-year-old seamer has shown immaculate control with the ball, extracting every available help from the pitch and proving rather difficult to hit away. Has all the attributes needed to succeed in overseas conditions, and can be the perfect second or back-up seamer for the national team.
Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Hotel Silence
Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir
Pushkin Press
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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It's up to you to go green
Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.
“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”
When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.
He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.
“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.
One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.
The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.
Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.
But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”
Mubalada World Tennis Championship 2018 schedule
Thursday December 27
Men's quarter-finals
Kevin Anderson v Hyeon Chung 4pm
Dominic Thiem v Karen Khachanov 6pm
Women's exhibition
Serena Williams v Venus Williams 8pm
Friday December 28
5th place play-off 3pm
Men's semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Anderson/Chung 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Thiem/Khachanov 7pm
Saturday December 29
3rd place play-off 5pm
Men's final 7pm
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
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Abaya trends
The utilitarian robe held dear by Arab women is undergoing a change that reveals it as an elegant and graceful garment available in a range of colours and fabrics, while retaining its traditional appeal.
Related
What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.
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%3Cp%3EAverage%20amount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20at%20DIC%20factory%20every%20month%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EApproximately%20106%2C000%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAmount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20from%201%20litre%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%20%3Cstrong%3E920ml%20(92%25)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETime%20required%20for%20one%20full%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%20used%20cooking%20oil%20to%20biofuel%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EOne%20day%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EEnergy%20requirements%20for%20one%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%201%2C000%20litres%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%96%AA%20Electricity%20-%201.1904%20units%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Water-%2031%20litres%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Diesel%20%E2%80%93%2026.275%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Jebel Ali card
1.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,400m
2.15pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,400m
2.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,000m
3.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,200m
3.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m
4.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,600m
4.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,800m
The National selections
1.45pm: Cosmic Glow
2.15pm: Karaginsky
2.45pm: Welcome Surprise
3.15pm: Taamol
3.45pm: Rayig
4.15pm: Chiefdom
4.45pm: California Jumbo
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
6.30pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group 1 (PA) US$75,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Ziyadd, Richard Mullen (jockey), Jean de Roualle (trainer).
7.05pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (TB) $250,000 (Turf) 1,800m
Winner: Barney Roy, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm: Meydan Cup Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,810m
Winner: Secret Advisor, Tadhg O’Shea, Charlie Appleby.
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Plata O Plomo, Carlos Lopez, Susanne Berneklint.
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
9.25pm: Al Shindagha Sprint Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Gladiator King, Mickael Barzalona, Satish Seemar.
Gifts exchanged
- King Charles - replica of President Eisenhower Sword
- Queen Camilla - Tiffany & Co vintage 18-carat gold, diamond and ruby flower brooch
- Donald Trump - hand-bound leather book with Declaration of Independence
- Melania Trump - personalised Anya Hindmarch handbag
Points about the fast fashion industry Celine Hajjar wants everyone to know
- Fast fashion is responsible for up to 10 per cent of global carbon emissions
- Fast fashion is responsible for 24 per cent of the world's insecticides
- Synthetic fibres that make up the average garment can take hundreds of years to biodegrade
- Fast fashion labour workers make 80 per cent less than the required salary to live
- 27 million fast fashion workers worldwide suffer from work-related illnesses and diseases
- Hundreds of thousands of fast fashion labourers work without rights or protection and 80 per cent of them are women
The Florida Project
Director: Sean Baker
Starring: Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe
Four stars
