It would be misleading to suggest Imran Tahir cut a doleful figure sat beyond the boundary, wearing the high-vis clobber of a drinks waiter for the majority of the 2020 IPL in the UAE.
Sure, he wanted to play. Who wouldn’t? And, given that Chennai Super Kings were so uncharacteristically poor, he must have felt he had the wherewithal to help fix the problems.
But did he ever appear sullen? Did he strop off at being overlooked? Not remotely. It is not in his nature.
Playing last season in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Dubai challenged the tried and tested methods of each of the franchises. The prevailing pitch conditions generally favoured seam bowlers more than is usual back in India – or at least in Chennai.
The conundrum was especially acute for a CSK side whose extraordinary success down the years – they had never missed the playoffs until last season – had been based on loading their side with spinners at a home ground conducive to that art.
When Tahir was sacrificed in the UAE, he understood. He ended up playing just three matches last season, but maintained an economy rate of 6.9 runs per over, which was the best of any Chennai bowler bar Josh Hazlewood.
The tournament has returned to India, but there are no guarantees a return to their old gameplan will reap immediate rewards for CSK. There are, after all, no home games because of how the schedule has been arranged to combat the effects of Covid.
So Tahir knows he is not guaranteed a recall to the starting line up straight away, but he says he will be ready if called upon.
"Playing for Chennai is an absolute privilege," Tahir told The National. "I have been involved with the franchise for the past few years and it is one of the top, top brands I have been involved with.
“The Chennai Super Kings are very close to my heart. I am not sure how the team will [be selected], and what the first XI will be on the park for the first game.
“I always look for my opportunity, and for me I need to be prepared for that. If I get the opportunity, I need to make sure I justify it.”
Tahir turned 42 at the end of last month. He has seen and done most things in cricket, but he acknowledges he still feels nerves when he plays.
“If you are not nervous, then you are AB de Villiers,” he said of his long-time South Africa teammate.
“He is the master, a super talented guy. But he also told me that he worked super hard for it. You always have to work hard, no matter how good you are.
“For me, I do get nervous, which is a good thing. It is more of a positive nervousness than a negative one. You have to be super good not be nervous.”
Between playing at the PSL at the start of March and the start of the IPL, Tahir had spent his time in Dubai rather than at home in Durban.
He kept himself in tune by playing club cricket in places as low-key as the remote – but delightful – grounds in Batayeh, amid the dunes midway between Sharjah and Al Dhaid.
The South Africa leg-spinner loved his time in a country that has featured in a number of high points in his nomadic career.
Such as back in 2013, when he revived a Test career that had suffered fearful damage on tour in Australia, as he took five for 32 in Dubai against Pakistan, the country of his birth.
At the end of that day of triumph, Tahir said he felt “more South African than Pakistani”, and he remains full of gratitude to the country he has represented more than 150 times in international cricket.
IPL record stats
“It is very difficult,” the Lahore-born spin bowler says now. “I am Pakistani by birth. That is absolutely fine for me. My dream was always to play for Pakistan.
“But for me to fulfil my international cricket dream, South Africa took to me with open arms. There was never one second where I thought people ignored me, or that I had to adjust to the culture because people were not supporting me.
“It has been an absolutely unbelievable experience, and I can never pay that back to South Africa.
“I am really, really grateful to Cricket South Africa and South African people, and the support of my wife and my family. Without their support, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
“That is why I feel South African. Every now and then I try to learn some Afrikaans words, and some Zulu words, because my son goes to the local school in Durban.
“If that’s not the case then I don’t feel South African. I appreciate every single thing, I love the country, and I love the people. I can say that I am proudly South African.”
And he remains hopeful he can still play a part for the Proteas in the future, too.
“I’m still available for T20, and am hoping to get into the World Cup squad,” Tahir said.
“I was in the group who was going to go to the T20 World Cup which was cancelled because of Covid. I had the signal that I would be part of it, and I am very much looking forward to it.
“I hope I have a great IPL, which is what they are looking for, I hope I have a great PSL if we get the opportunity to play, then I think it will be easier for me to get in.”
Results
2.15pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,950m
Winner: Hello, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihi (trainer).
2.45pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,800m
Winner: Right Flank, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
3.15pm: Handicap Dh115,000 1,000m
Winner: Leading Spirit, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
3.45pm: Jebel Ali Mile Group 3 Dh575,000 1,600m
Winner: Chiefdom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
4.15pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,400m
Winner: Ode To Autumn, Patrick Cosgrave, Satish Seemar.
4.45pm: Shadwell Farm Conditions Dh125,000 1,200m
Winner: Last Surprise, James Doyle, Simon Crisford.
5.15pm: Handicap Dh85,000 1,200m
Winner: Daltrey, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihi.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay
Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.
Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.
Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)
Valencia v Atletico Madrid (midnight)
Mallorca v Alaves (4pm)
Barcelona v Getafe (7pm)
Villarreal v Levante (9.30pm)
Sunday
Granada v Real Volladolid (midnight)
Sevilla v Espanyol (3pm)
Leganes v Real Betis (5pm)
Eibar v Real Sociedad (7pm)
Athletic Bilbao v Osasuna (9.30pm)
Monday
Real Madrid v Celta Vigo (midnight)
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WHEN TO GO:
September to November or March to May; this is when visitors are most likely to see what they’ve come for.
WHERE TO STAY:
Meghauli Serai, A Taj Safari - Chitwan National Park resort (tajhotels.com) is a one-hour drive from Bharatpur Airport with stays costing from Dh1,396 per night, including taxes and breakfast. Return airport transfers cost from Dh661.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Etihad Airways regularly flies from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu from around Dh1,500 per person return, including taxes. Buddha Air (buddhaair.com) and Yeti Airlines (yetiairlines.com) fly from Kathmandu to Bharatpur several times a day from about Dh660 return and the flight takes just 20 minutes. Driving is possible but the roads are hilly which means it will take you five or six hours to travel 148 kilometres.
Slow loris biog
From: Lonely Loris is a Sunda slow loris, one of nine species of the animal native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore
Status: Critically endangered, and listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list due to growing demand in the global exotic pet trade. It is one of the most popular primate species found at Indonesian pet markets
Likes: Sleeping, which they do for up to 18 hours a day. When they are awake, they like to eat fruit, insects, small birds and reptiles and some types of vegetation
Dislikes: Sunlight. Being a nocturnal animal, the slow loris wakes around sunset and is active throughout the night
Superpowers: His dangerous elbows. The slow loris’s doe eyes may make it look cute, but it is also deadly. The only known venomous primate, it hisses and clasps its paws and can produce a venom from its elbow that can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in humans
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESteven%20Knight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EMark%20Ruffalo%2C%20Hugh%20Laurie%2C%20Aria%20Mia%20Loberti%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2F5%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2
Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')
Barcelona 0
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog:
Languages: Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, basic Russian
Favourite food: Pizza
Best food on the road: rice
Favourite colour: silver
Favourite bike: Gold Wing, Honda
Favourite biking destination: Canada
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
Background: Chemical Weapons
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULT
Bayern Munich 5 Eintrracht Frankfurt 2
Bayern: Goretzka (17'), Müller (41'), Lewandowski (46'), Davies (61'), Hinteregger (74' og)
Frankfurt: Hinteregger (52', 55')
