In seven months at the helm of one of world cricket’s rising forces, Stuart Law has got pretty much everything right. Other than two things.
First, there is his plan to rid Nepal of the nickname “The Cardiac Kids”. He is well intentioned, and there has been signs they might be working out how to dispassionately put teams away when they have them at their mercy.
Evidence: when they beat West Indies by 90 runs in Sharjah last month, to clinch their first bilateral series win against a Test-playing nation. It does not come much more ruthless than that.
But then they reverted to type at the T20 World Cup Qualifier which followed in Muscat, taking last-over thrillers against the UAE and Qatar to help ease their path to India and Sri Lanka. Which was, of course, way more fun than winning them the other way.
Secondly, there is his attempt to dampen expectations. He cautioned against people expecting them to beat the West Indies ahead of that series, pointing out it was more about prep for the qualifier which followed.
But they went and dominated the first two games of that, taking the series in rapid time.
So now when he says people should be wary about expecting too much from Nepal at the T20 World Cup, people might question: why?
It is difficult not to get excited when Nepal have won 10 games out of 12 in the T20 international format. That included a three-match series against the West Indies, with one of the two losses coming in the dead rubber third match. It also includes wins against top associate sides like Scotland, Netherlands, the UAE and Oman.
During that streak, they have made a strong case for them delivering on one of Law’s targets: to be regarded as the best fielding side in the world.
That was shown chiefly by Dipendra Singh Airee’s extraordinary, record-demolishing run of direct hits in five successive matches.
It was also evidenced by Gulshan Jha’s magnificent catches to turn the series against the West Indies.
Still, though, Law is still pleading for some perspective. “I think we’ve got to have realistic expectations,” he said.
“There’ll be people in Nepal thinking, ‘Right, we can go on and win the World Cup.’ Now, that’s everyone’s dream, of course. But it may be a bridge too far right now to compete and beat teams like India and Australia.
“We go there [to the T20 World Cup in February], and it’s a free hit. Every team we play, they’re going to be under more pressure to beat us and they’re going to be wary of us.
“Every game we go into, we’ll be the underdog. I love that term. It just means there should be no pressure. We just go and play a game of cricket, play the way we want to play and don’t get sucked into playing the opposition’s way.
“And if we play well enough on the day, you never know. T20 cricket in particular, is a very funny game. You can win or lose in one or two overs.
“So, if we’re good enough for long enough, there’s every chance we could cause an upset.”
During their sequence of wins, there were two moments which provided a clue to the reasons behind Nepal’s excellence in the field.
Each was less spectacular than Airee’s run outs, or Jha’s catches, and have no acknowledgement in any scorebook.
In the thrashing of the West Indies in Sharjah, Jha took two brilliant catches, but also tried for a third. It was a lost cause which he would not accept. He dived forward, and could have ended up with a face-full of cricket ball, and a few missing teeth. He did not take the catch, but it spoke of an unyielding commitment.
Almost the identical thing happened in the final game of the qualifier, when qualification, and even victory against Samoa, was as good as sealed. Sundeep Jora tried to make something of a lost cause, like Jha had done against the West Indies. And he was only a fielding substitute at the time.
“I’m OK if people make mistakes by having a go,” Law said. “It’s when they sit back and wait for it and then they make a mistake that’s when you think, ‘OK, we’ve got problems there.’
“I want them to be aggressive in everything they do, whether they’re batting, bowling, or fielding. But there’s also a time you’ve got to use your smarts as well and make intelligent decisions.”
Which brings Law to his perennial aim: calming down the Cardiac Kids. Last-ball finishes, like the one against the UAE in Muscat, will always happen. But so long as the players are clear-minded and cool under pressure, he will be satisfied.
“What has really changed for me in the group is how calm we are now in the dressing room,” Law said.
“Before when we were going well, they were really up and boisterous. And then we were losing wickets or getting hit, we were very, very quiet, but now we’re very even.
“And the more even you are, the calmer you are, the better decisions you make.”
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
ENGLAND TEAM
England (15-1)
George Furbank; Jonny May, Manu Tuilagi, Owen Farrell (capt), Elliot Daly; George Ford, Ben Youngs; Tom Curry, Sam Underhill, Courtney Lawes; Charlie Ewels, Maro Itoje; Kyle Sinckler, Jamie George, Joe Marler
Replacements: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ellis Genge, Will Stuart, George Kruis, Lewis Ludlam, Willi Heinz, Ollie Devoto, Jonathan Joseph
Company%20profile
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:
Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate
Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid
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%3Cp%3ECompany%20name%3A%20Shipsy%3Cbr%3EYear%20of%20inception%3A%202015%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Soham%20Chokshi%2C%20Dhruv%20Agrawal%2C%20Harsh%20Kumar%20and%20Himanshu%20Gupta%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20India%2C%20UAE%20and%20Indonesia%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20logistics%3Cbr%3ESize%3A%20more%20than%20350%20employees%3Cbr%3EFunding%20received%20so%20far%3A%20%2431%20million%20in%20series%20A%20and%20B%20rounds%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Info%20Edge%2C%20Sequoia%20Capital%E2%80%99s%20Surge%2C%20A91%20Partners%20and%20Z3%20Partners%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP
Group A
Paraguay
Japan
Switzerland
USA
Group B
Uruguay
Mexico
Italy
Tahiti
Group C
Belarus
UAE
Senegal
Russia
Group D
Brazil
Oman
Portugal
Nigeria
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
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
EA Sports FC 25
Developer: EA Vancouver, EA Romania
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4&5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5
Fighter profiles
Gabrieli Pessanha (Brazil)
Reigning Abu Dhabi World Pro champion in the 95kg division, virtually unbeatable in her weight class. Known for her pressure game but also dangerous with her back on the mat.
Nathiely de Jesus, 23, (Brazil)
Two-time World Pro champion renowned for her aggressive game. She is tall and most feared by her opponents for both her triangles and arm-bar attacks.
Thamara Ferreira, 24, (Brazil)
Since her brown belt days, Ferreira has been dominating the 70kg, in both the World Pro and the Grand Slams. With a very aggressive game.
Samantha Cook, 32, (Britain)
One of the biggest talents coming out of Europe in recent times. She is known for a highly technical game and bringing her A game to the table as always.
Kendall Reusing, 22, (USA)
Another young gun ready to explode in the big leagues. The Californian resident is a powerhouse in the -95kg division. Her duels with Pessanha have been highlights in the Grand Slams.
Martina Gramenius, 32, (Sweden)
Already a two-time Grand Slam champion in the current season. Gramenius won golds in the 70kg, in both in Moscow and Tokyo, to earn a spot in the inaugural Queen of Mats.
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
