Whatever politics are at play, whatever the motivation behind the omission of Babar Azam from Pakistan’s squad for the Asia Cup, he will cope.
So, Mohammad Rizwan has lost his place, too, and been demoted to the B category of Pakistan’s central contracts? Well, boo hoo.
It does seem remarkable that Shreyas Iyer has not made the India squad for the competition, which starts in Abu Dhabi on September 9.
But all those trophies he has accrued in his stellar career to date will cushion his fall, not to mention all his IPL millions.
And Yashasvi Jaiswal is certainly unlucky to miss out with the elevation of Shubman Gill to the India squad. But it is all relative.
Then consider the case of Usman Khan. It is both a curious one, and sad, too.
If life had worked out a little differently, the 30-year-old batter from Karachi would have been getting ready to line up for the UAE against Pakistan in this Asia Cup.
He was due to qualify via the ICC’s residency criteria in May of this year. That would have meant a debut series in Uganda for which he would definitely have been selected, given his talent, followed by the massive opportunity presented by the Asia Cup.
Usman first stated his intention to play for the UAE in 2021, after arriving to play domestic cricket here during Covid.
He had followed the path trodden by many nondescript players in the past. That of travelling from the subcontinent to the UAE to play cricket for one of the many corporate teams who prop up the domestic game.
Companies offer talented players a wage, a visa, and a job – Usman worked variously as a security guard and a storekeeper - in the hope they will help the staff team win some matches, maybe even some trophies.
Often the players remain anonymous, and return home soon after. Sometimes they stay for longer, and achieve no further honours in cricket, but earn a steady enough income to help their families back at home.
Others catch the eye of the UAE selectors and, in time, graduate to the national team of their by-now adopted country.
And, in very unique circumstances, they excel to the point their homeland wants them back to play in their own national team.
That was what happened to Usman. From the start, he had been genuine in his desire to play for UAE. In 2023, when he first shot to prominence while still a domestic player in the Pakistan Super League, he maintained his position.
“My dream is to play for UAE,” he told The National back then. “I am working hard to do that. One day I want to play against Pakistan to show them my talent.”
Two years on, and he might have been in a position to do precisely that. The UAE face Pakistan three times over the course of the next few weeks.
First, they are pitted against them and Afghanistan in a tri-series in Sharjah. That is preparation for the Asia Cup itself, in which they are in a group with India, Pakistan and Oman.
But Usman will be nowhere to be seen. He had his head turned by an offer to play for Pakistan. It stands to reason that would be attractive.
He left his shared accommodation near the end of the runway at Dubai International Airport, went to a Pakistan training camp, and an offer to play at the T20 World Cup soon followed.
He went to that tournament, played the giant fixture against India in New York, and even held the catch that dismissed the great Virat Kohli.
Life was great. He remains a player with so much to give. His PSL numbers are fantastic. He is closing in on 1,000 runs at an average of 46.63 and a strike-rate of 156.60.
He has three hundreds, and has stated his intention of becoming the first to score a PSL double hundred.
That might seem far-fetched, but don’t doubt him. When he said he wanted to score a double in the UAE’s leading domestic limited-overs competition, back in 2023, he did it straight away in a game in Ajman.
But there was always the nagging suspicion Pakistan cricket – that most capricious of institutions – could pick him up, then put him straight back down again.
That is exactly what has come to pass.
He has been conspicuous by his absence from the Pakistan setup since a hamstring injury ruled him out of an international match in New Zealand in April.
While Babar and Rizwan will have to make do with “just” the $10,600 per month they make after their demotions to Category B central contracts, Usman quietly dropped out of the group earning $1,700 per month.
Maybe there are some who will be dancing on the grave of his career. His decision to opt for Pakistan certainly did not go down well with many of those in the UAE.
Once he had signalled his change of heart, the Emirates Cricket Board banned him from all of their competitions for five years.
“[He] has used the opportunities and development provided by the ECB to him to seek out other prospects and it was evident he was no longer wanting to play for ECB nor complete the eligibility criteria which he was under an obligation to do,” they said in April 2024.
That means no place for him in the DP World International League T20. He had been one of the most sought after players vying for one of the lucrative deals open to local players to play in that event. In particular, Andy Flower – his coach in both ILT20 and PSL – was a big fan.
That door is closed to him, and now so, it seems, is Pakistan.
So don’t waste tears on the likes of Babar, Rizwan, or Iyer. They will all be back to fight another day. But Usman? There are no guarantees.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Results:
5pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600 metres
Winner: Dasan Da, Saeed Al Mazrooei (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: AF Saabah, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: Mukaram, Pat Cosgrave, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) | Dh80,000 | 2,200m
Winner: MH Tawag, Richard Mullen, Elise Jeanne
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) | Dh70,000 | 1,400m
Winner: RB Inferno, Fabrice Veron, Ismail Mohammed
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh100,000 | 1,600m
Winner: Juthoor, Jim Crowley, Erwan Charpy
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 five pillars of Islam
More on Quran memorisation:
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Red Sparrow
Dir: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Egerton, Charlotte Rampling, Jeremy Irons
Three stars
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
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Date: Sunday, November 25
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPowertrain%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle%20electric%20motor%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E201hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E310Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESingle-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E53kWh%20lithium-ion%20battery%20pack%20(GS%20base%20model)%3B%2070kWh%20battery%20pack%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETouring%20range%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E350km%20(GS)%3B%20480km%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh129%2C900%20(GS)%3B%20Dh149%2C000%20(GF)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The 12
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The years Ramadan fell in May
Who is Mohammed Al Halbousi?
The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament Mohammed Al Halbousi is the youngest person ever to serve in the role.
The 37-year-old was born in Al Garmah in Anbar and studied civil engineering in Baghdad before going into business. His development company Al Hadeed undertook reconstruction contracts rebuilding parts of Fallujah’s infrastructure.
He entered parliament in 2014 and served as a member of the human rights and finance committees until 2017. In August last year he was appointed governor of Anbar, a role in which he has struggled to secure funding to provide services in the war-damaged province and to secure the withdrawal of Shia militias. He relinquished the post when he was sworn in as a member of parliament on September 3.
He is a member of the Al Hal Sunni-based political party and the Sunni-led Coalition of Iraqi Forces, which is Iraq’s largest Sunni alliance with 37 seats from the May 12 election.
He maintains good relations with former Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coaliton, Hadi Al Amiri’s Badr Organisation and Iranian officials.
The 10 Questions
- Is there a God?
- How did it all begin?
- What is inside a black hole?
- Can we predict the future?
- Is time travel possible?
- Will we survive on Earth?
- Is there other intelligent life in the universe?
- Should we colonise space?
- Will artificial intelligence outsmart us?
- How do we shape the future?
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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.
