The last time he made a trip to the UAE to play competitive cricket, Rashid Khan’s workload was of record-breaking intensity.
No one else had bowled as many balls in a Test match this century than he did when playing for Afghanistan against Zimbabwe at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in March.
In the space of four consecutive days he bowled 596 deliveries – the most in a Test match since Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan took 16 wickets to beat England at The Oval in 1998. That, too, having only just been passed fit to play after recovering from a broken finger.
And yet the Abu Dhabi Sunshine series, as that meeting was known as, might have been a more manageable test than that what is set to face Rashid and the rest of the players at the Pakistan Super League.
When the season resumes in the capital on Wednesday, it will represent the first time elite, professional cricket is played in this country in June.
According to forecasts, the temperature will feel-like 45°C at around the time the first ball is sent down in the game between Islamabad United and Lahore Qalandars, which will be 8pm Abu Dhabi time on single match days. For the double-header days, it will be 5pm for the first match.
Teams are planning to kit out players with ice vests. There will be extra breaks permitted. Still, it is going to be a challenge.
“I am used to a bit of humidity, coming from Queensland back at home, which is tropical and very humid,” said Usman Khawaja, who will be playing in the PSL for the first time, having signed up for Islamabad.
“But this humidity is as next-level as I have ever had it. The only thing that comes close is in Colombo.
“I actually think that T20 is the only format of cricket where batting is possibly harder than bowling. For bowlers, it is only four overs, and then you go and field.
“For batsmen, you could be batting for 10 overs. In those 10 overs, you could be sprinting 10 twos, a few threes and a few ones.
“With gear on, with your helmet on, if you score runs and are in for at least 10 overs, then T20 for batsmen can be even harder.”
The new schedule for the tournament includes six double headers. “It is about trying to keep hydrated are often as you need to,” Khawaja said.
“I think the challenge will be playing back-to-back-to-back games. I think there is a period where each of the teams are playing two games in a row.
“That is going to be a challenge, and teams will have to be smart. It is hard enough to do that schedule when it is good conditions. When it is like this, it adds that extra element.
“When the game happens, the adrenaline takes over, and you are concentrating on the bat and ball.
“You forget about the rest to some extent. It is only afterwards when you come home and you feel pain. I think we are used to it as professionals.”
The humidity means the pitch conditions will be different to those which Rashid faced back in March, when he took 11 wickets in the Test to beat Zimbabwe.
The Afghanistan leg-spinner, though, says he is unconcerned by the conditions, and is focused instead on bowling Lahore to success.
“I never think about the pitch a lot,” said Rashid, who has been given leave from England’s T20 county competition to play for Lahore in Abu Dhabi.
“If I play in Abu Dhabi, I play in Pakistan, or if I play wherever, it is all about how you bowl in the game. That is what matters to me a lot.
“I always think about doing well, and that shouldn’t be dependent on the conditions.
"As long as I am bowling my best deliveries, bowling in the right areas, whatever pitch, it can be difficult for any batsman.”
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
UAE v Zimbabwe A
Results
Match 1 – UAE won by 4 wickets
Match 2 – UAE won by 5 wickets
Match 3 – UAE won by 25 runs
Match 4 – UAE won by 77 runs
Fixture
Match 5, Saturday, 9.30am start, ICC Academy, Dubai
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh1,470,000 (est)
Engine 6.9-litre twin-turbo W12
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 626bhp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,350rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.0L / 100km
The specs
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
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
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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
SPECS
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Oppenheimer
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Bib%20Gourmand%20restaurants
%3Cp%3EAl%20Khayma%0D%3Cbr%3EBait%20Maryam%0D%3Cbr%3EBrasserie%20Boulud%0D%3Cbr%3EFi'lia%0D%3Cbr%3Efolly%0D%3Cbr%3EGoldfish%0D%3Cbr%3EIbn%20AlBahr%0D%3Cbr%3EIndya%20by%20Vineet%0D%3Cbr%3EKinoya%0D%3Cbr%3ENinive%0D%3Cbr%3EOrfali%20Bros%0D%3Cbr%3EReif%20Japanese%20Kushiyaki%0D%3Cbr%3EShabestan%0D%3Cbr%3ETeible%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
The%20specs
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Results for Stage 2
Stage 2 Yas Island to Abu Dhabi, 184 km, Road race
Overall leader: Primoz Roglic SLO (Team Jumbo - Visma)
Stage winners: 1. Fernando Gaviria COL (UAE Team Emirates) 2. Elia Viviani ITA (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) 3. Caleb Ewan AUS (Lotto - Soudal)
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
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The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
