Bad weather in Southampton washed out the entire day four of the World Test Championship between India and New Zealand, with questions now being asked to why England was chosen as a venue for the match.
Rain was expected to be the biggest factor in the clash between Virat Kohli's India and the top-ranked New Zealand side at the Ageas Bowl.
The allocation of a reserve day might still not be enough for a result with the Black Caps on 101-2 in reply to India's 217, with well over two-and-a-half innings remaining for a result.
Only 141.1 overs of cricket has been possible so far. Rain had washed out the opening day on Friday and interrupted play over the rest of the weekend.
The washout prompted former England captain Kevin Pietersen to urge organisers to host one-off title matches in Dubai, where world-class facilities, weather and ease of travel are guaranteed.
"If it was up to me, Dubai would always host a one off match like this WTC game," Pietersen tweeted.
"Neutral venue, fabulous stadium, guaranteed weather, excellent training facilities and a travel hub! Oh, and ICC home is next to the stadium."
The former batsman added that "anytime between September – March" would be ideal for a match of such significance.
The UAE has emerged as a venue of choice for major international tournaments, especially during the pandemic.
The Pakistan Super League is currently being played in the Abu Dhabi right, while the remainder of the Indian Premier League is set to be held in the UAE in September and October.
The T20 World Cup could also be played in the country, given the grim health situation in India – who are due to host the tournament.
As far as the match is concerned, the Kiwis will be more disappointed with the turn of events. New Zealand were comfortably placed at 101-2 after fast bowler Kyle Jamiesen’s 5-31 restricted India to a seemingly below par total.
Devon Conway hit a solid 54 before being dismissed right before stumps on Day 3.
There is some positive news for cricket fans with better forecast over the remaining two days. If the match ends in a draw, the trophy will be shared.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
From Conquest to Deportation
Jeronim Perovic, Hurst
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
SQUADS
South Africa:
JP Duminy (capt), Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wkt), AB de Villiers, Robbie Frylinck, Beuran Hendricks, David Miller, Mangaliso Mosehle (wkt), Dane Paterson, Aaron Phangiso, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Tabraiz Shamsi
Bangladesh
Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Imrul Kayes, Liton Das (wkt), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wkt), Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shafiul Islam, Soumya Sarkar, Taskin Ahmed
Fixtures
Oct 26: Bloemfontein
Oct 29: Potchefstroom
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Norway v Spain, Saturday, 10.45pm, UAE
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