Sidhanta Patnaik is a writer for Wisden India and is providing the best and worst from the past few days in the Indian Premier League in The National's latest IPL review.
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Bowling woes for Bangalore and Pune
The inability of bowling units to provide breakthroughs has cost Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rising Pune Supergiants dearly, and put them on the bottom half of the table after five games each.
That Bangalore are better placed is because they beat Pune in a run-feast, but their flaws were exposed yet again, against Gujarat Lions, where they failed to defend 180 after Virat Kohli’s brilliant century.
MS Dhoni has not been helped by Ravichandran Ashwin’s poor form and has openly spoken about the lead bowler’s failure to stick to the brief, evident during their two-wicket loss to Kolkata Knight Riders.
The two sides lack a strike bowler with a range of varieties, a weakness especially evident in close games decided in the death overs. Barring Murugan Ashwin (Pune) and Shane Watson (Bangalore), none of the other bowlers have taken seven wickets in the competition so far for either of the teams.
Delhi’s comeback
It is still early days, but the credit for Delhi Daredevils’ three consecutive wins for the first time since 2012 must go to the coaching staff, led by Rahul Dravid and Paddy Upton, and Zaheer Khan’s captaincy.
The players have been given a free hand to express themselves, and Sanju Samson’s 48-ball 60 in the 10-run win against Mumbai Indians was a factor of that. Veterans such as Amit Mishra and Zaheer, who bowled an excellent penultimate over against Mumbai, have been sensational with the ball, and Mohammed Shami’s control has given the side an edge on the field.
In the absence of any real star, barring Quinton de Kock, it remains to be seen how far they go, but so far the contribution of the Indian talents have given a fresh twist to the franchise’s fortunes after many seasons of staleness.
The magic of ‘Fizz’
Mustafizur Rahman’s left-arm seam bowling has established that there is place for intelligent bowlers in a batsman-dominated format. He has played a significant role in Sunrisers Hyderabad’s wins over Gujarat Lions and Kings XI Punjab, returning combined figures of 8-1-28-3. Of his 48 deliveries, 27 were dots and he conceded just one boundary.
The pressure created by “The Fizz”, as he has been nicknamed by his Hyderabad teammates, has allowed the rest of the bowlers to reap the rewards and give the team the right balance. Consistent pace and a range of cutters apart, his ability to stay ahead of the batsmen during the death overs has made him a popular player.
Mysterious in every sense, he went up to David Warner, his captain, and said: “No problem bowling, but speaking and batting a problem.”
Star performance
That Virat Kohli’s first century – 100 not out for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Gujarat Lions – came on Sachin Tendulkar’s birthday had a nice ring to it. It was a classical knock filled with strokes all round the wicket, punctuated by smart running despite fighting cramps on a hot Rajkot afternoon. His unbroken 121-run partnership with KL Rahul gave a glimpse of his ability to guide a not-particularly-big hitter without breaking much sweat.
Worst display
So much of Kings XI Punjab’s fortune hinges on the form of David Miller, their captain, and Glenn Maxwell that their failure has left Punjab at the bottom of the table. Against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Moises Henriques dismissed them in the space of four balls as the innings lost direction. The pair now aggregates 85 in five games, and have been dismissed thrice in the same over so far this season.
Best run out
Mumbai Indians needed 62 runs off 45 balls against Delhi Daredevils when Rohit Sharma defended the fourth delivery of the over back to Zaheer Khan, who turned around and produced a direct hit at the non-striker’s end. Hardik Pandya, who had made 36 in 17 balls, knew the result immediately.
Best quote
“Next year, the IPL governing council will be looking at venues in India and abroad. The constant shifting is getting tough. From now, before drawing the schedule, we will check the availability of venues and prevailing conditions.” – Anurag Thakur, the BCCI secretary, on IPL being the soft target for every issue in India.
Key game
Gujarat Lions and Delhi Daredevils are second and third on the points table, but Delhi have played one game less. While Gujarat have been clinical in their four successful chases, Delhi’s ability to get the best out of their Indian talents, apart from Quinton de Kock’s batting, has been one of the highlights. Their face-off at the Feroz Shah Kotla on Wednesday is a tantalising prospect and the winner would put themselves in a stronger position.
Key statistic
In a week when Suresh Raina became the first Indian to score 6,000 Twenty20 runs, Virat Kohli stole the limelight with his first century in the format. His unbeaten 63-ball 100 against Gujarat Lions took his T20 average in 2016 to 110.22 with 11 fifty-plus scores in 17 innings.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Price, base / as tested From Dh173,775 (base model)
Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, AWD
Power 249hp at 5,500rpm
Torque 365Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Gearbox Nine-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined 7.9L/100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
SPIDER-MAN%3A%20ACROSS%20THE%20SPIDER-VERSE
%3Cp%3EDirectors%3A%20Joaquim%20Dos%20Santos%2C%20Kemp%20Powers%2C%20Justin%20K.%20Thompson%3Cbr%3EStars%3A%20Shameik%20Moore%2C%20Hailee%20Steinfeld%2C%20Oscar%20Isaac%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 2.5-litre, turbocharged 5-cylinder
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 400hp
Torque: 500Nm
Price: Dh300,000 (estimate)
On sale: 2022
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
UAE v IRELAND
All matches start at 10am, and will be played in Abu Dhabi
1st ODI, Friday, January 8
2nd ODI, Sunday, January 10
3rd ODI, Tuesday, January 12
4th ODI, Thursday, January 14
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
New schools in Dubai
The five pillars of Islam
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Did you know?
Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.
Jumanji: The Next Level
Director: Jake Kasdan
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Nick Jonas
Two out of five stars
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
The%20specs
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The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Torbal Rayeh Wa Jayeh
Starring: Ali El Ghoureir, Khalil El Roumeithy, Mostafa Abo Seria
Stars: 3
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Mountain%20Boy
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
The five pillars of Islam
Paris%20Agreement
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The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.3-litre%204cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E299hp%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E420Nm%20at%202%2C750rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E12.4L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh157%2C395%20(XLS)%3B%20Dh199%2C395%20(Limited)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPOPC%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAmna%20Aijaz%2C%20Haroon%20Tahir%20and%20Arafat%20Ali%20Khan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eart%20and%20e-commerce%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%3A%20u%3C%2Fstrong%3Endisclosed%20amount%20raised%20through%20Waverider%20Entertainment%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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 Wednesday and the pair embraced but he failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset was due to a personal matter.
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
