Stephen Fleming labelled MS Dhoni the “absolute heartbeat” of Chennai Super Kings after the former India captain played his 200th game for the franchise.
Dhoni oversaw a return to form for Chennai as they beat Punjab Kings by six wickets in Mumbai on Friday night.
The former India captain has been central to the side being the most consistent in IPL history. Last season was the first in which Chennai have failed to make the playoffs in the competition.
He and coach Fleming are attempting to rebuild after that chastening campaign in the UAE last year, and the side bounced back from an opening day loss with a dominant display against Punjab.
“He has been the absolute heartbeat of CSK, whether it be performances, guidance or leadership,” Fleming said of Dhoni.
“You run out of things to say about him, but his longevity is something that is to be appreciated.
"To play 200 games and still have the desire to do well and perform well is a testament to his attitude, firstly towards the game but also to the franchise as well.
“The franchise has grown and MS has grown with it. It is a very good relationship and a great fit.”
The win over Punjab was set up by a fine new-ball burst by Deepak Chahar.
The opposition were reduced to 26 for five by the seventh over, with Chahar accounting for Mayank Agarwal, Chris Gayle, Deepak Hooda and Nicholas Pooran.
He ended with four for 13 from his four overs, and words of praise from his coach.
“I’m really impressed with how he bounced back after the first game [when Chahar went wicketless in the seven-wicket loss to Delhi Capitals],” Fleming said.
“We felt within our group that the conditions transpired against us with the drizzle and the dew, and we weren’t able to create any opportunities.
“The challenge was laid down to the bowling group as to how they were going to operate better in today’s conditions. Winning the toss is important to acknowledge, and there was some assistance there.
“Without doubt, when Deepak gets some assistance with a little bit of swing, he’s one of the finest around. His ability to swing the ball is one thing, but his skillset is also very high.
“The key really is keeping him simple in his plans, operating in and around the stumps, because he is so dangerous when the ball is swinging.”
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (c), Chamani Senevirathne (vc), Subha Srinivasan, NIsha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Esha Oza, Ishani Senevirathne, Heena Hotchandani, Keveesha Kumari, Judith Cleetus, Chavi Bhatt, Namita D’Souza.
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
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Match info
Uefa Champions League Group H
Juventus v Valencia, Tuesday, midnight (UAE)
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
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
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It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
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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.
