On the day Mahika Gaur was announcing herself on the main stage of women’s international cricket, her ex-teammates with the UAE were also in action.
Had life not taken her in another direction, the wunderkind fast bowler might have been playing against Bhutan in Malaysia instead of for England in front of the Sky Sports cameras.
The impact the former Dubai College schoolgirl has made since switching allegiances to England for their limited-overs series against Sri Lanka has been extraordinary.
She has been featured on the BBC and Sky, and made back page news in many of the UK’s daily newspapers. The English women’s game has been gripped by Mahika Mania.
But the side she left behind have been ticking along nicely in her absence, too. At the Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier in Kuala Lumpur, which took place at the same time as England v Sri Lanka in the UK, the national team enjoyed one of its finest moments yet in cricket.
By reaching the final, they achieved their main aim of making it to the global Qualifier, where they will compete for one of the final places on offer at the main event in Bangladesh.
When they got there, they did something they have been trying to do for years: they beat a Thailand side who had been blazing a trail through the sport on the continent for much of the past decade.
The UAE players would have loved to have shared their moment of triumph with their great friend. But the result just went to show that, even without the skill of their lost fast bowler, UAE women’s cricket is going places.
“First of all, we really miss her in our bunch,” said Vaishnave Mahesh, the 16-year-old leg spinner who was the UAE’s leading wicket-taker in Malaysia.
“We had a group of people who would meet up often and she was one of them, so we really, really miss her here, not just on the field but off it.
“But what she has done is a remarkable achievement. We couldn’t be any prouder of her. I keep telling my friends that one of my friends is now playing for England.
The numbers are up, and it is not just about that, it is about the quality we have been producing
UAE women's cricket coach Ahmed Raza
“I send them all the Instagram reels about Mahika. When I see her on TV, I just keep shouting out her name.”
There are many remarkable strains to Gaur’s story. She put her A-level studies on hold to open the bowling for England, having been talent-spotted by a county cricket coach at a pop-up coaching clinic at Expo 2020 less than two years ago.
When she first started out in the game in the UAE as a 10-year-old schoolgirl, there were around 15 to 20 players involved in regular competitive cricket.
To go from an intake that small to becoming a starter in cricket’s mainstream is stunning enough. But then consider the fact she was only one of the stars of the UAE cricket team at the point she left, not its only one.
Gaur, 17, was far from the standout player in that side. Vaishnave, for example, is younger than Gaur, yet already has more than 50 T20 international wickets to her name.
Samaira Dharnidharka is another player who is junior to Gaur in age who has rich potential. Theertha Satish is still a teenager, and she has the world at her feet. The list goes on.
“The numbers are up, and it is not just about that, it is about the quality we have been producing," Ahmed Raza, the coach of the UAE women's national team, said.
“That is why we are getting the desired results. You don’t just rock up and beat Thailand, and that, too, in the manner we did.
“We only made 70 runs, but the character these women showed, they were all up for the fight.”
From a handful of regular players around six years ago, there are now around 700 women and girls playing competitive cricket in the UAE, many of them to a very high standard. So how did it happen?
“In the past four or five years, these girls have had a lot of exposure to matches that push their level,” Andy Russell, the Emirates Cricket Board development officer, said.
“With girls’ cricket, we can put them against boys who are at a higher level than where they are at, so they keep being pushed to get better.
“The nature of the game when they started was that their cricket as predominantly with boys. That meant they were being challenged at a much higher level.
“Introducing a girls-only programme then created that base of players to progress together.”
The women’s national team play in the boys’ academies Under 16 league competition. It means the leading 25 to 30 players get regular cricket against boys on a weekly basis.
When they started, they finished bottom of their pool by a significant distance. Their performance has improved to the point where they are competing in the top half of the table.
To grow the player base, the ECB run free weekly training sessions for girls between the ages of eight and 19, on Fridays at Skyline University in Sharjah and Saturdays at U-Pro Sports in Dubai.
The “Get Into Cricket” classes are overseen by Chaya Mughal, who has helped spearhead the development of the women’s game in a dual role as national team captain and development officer.
“Firstly, it’s incredibly fulfilling to see the enthusiasm and passion these young girls have for cricket,” Mughal said.
We are very proud of Mahika and what she has achieved ... But what [winning the Qualifier in Malaysia] has shown is there are many more potential players who can compete on an international stage
Andy Russell,
Emirates Cricket Board development officer
“Being part of their journey and witnessing their growth in the sport is a source of immense joy.
“Moreover, the programme’s emphasis on inclusivity and accessibility by offering free sessions ensures that cricket becomes accessible to girls from various backgrounds.”
The growth of the women’s game in general, not just in the UAE, has also made it a more common option for parents to encourage their children towards sport.
Mahesh Hariharan, who is Vaishnave’s father, played cricket to a high standard himself in Chennai before moving to Dubai when his daughter was two years old.
“It pleased me and my wife,” Hariharan said of his daughter’s decision to pursue cricket alongside her academic studies.
“We always wanted her to be in a team sport. We feel that team sport teaches life better than any school curriculum or university.
“Team sport makes you grounded because, even if they do well, if the team doesn’t do well they cannot just enjoy the moment.
“Team games teach about life, and how to handle success and failures. As parents, we were very happy she took to a team sport like cricket.”
While Gaur is the most vivid advertisement possible for their development programme, the ECB do want to keep hold of any future stars they help on the path to the top.
“We are very proud of Mahika and what she has achieved,” Russell said. “We first knew her as an 11-year-old who was already very tall, and you could see she had a lot of natural ability and talent.
“To see her progress and reach the heights she has at a full member is great. She is obviously a huge loss for us as we loved having her in our system and she contributed very well to what we were trying to achieve.
“But what that result [the UAE winning the Qualifier in Malaysia] has shown is there are many more potential players who can compete on an international stage.
“Our development programme gets a huge boost because of Mahika’s story, but the players who are coming through, we will try and retain them.”
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Match statistics
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 36 Bahrain 32
Harlequins
Tries: Penalty 2, Stevenson, Teasdale, Semple
Cons: Stevenson 2
Pens: Stevenson
Bahrain
Tries: Wallace 2, Heath, Evans, Behan
Cons: Radley 2
Pen: Radley
Man of the match: Craig Nutt (Harlequins)
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
Bareilly Ki Barfi
Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring: Kriti Sanon, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rajkummar Rao
Three and a half stars
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
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
The%20Boy%20and%20the%20Heron
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EHayao%20Miyazaki%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%C2%A0Soma%20Santoki%2C%20Masaki%20Suda%2C%20Ko%20Shibasaki%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
SPEC%20SHEET
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20M2%2C%208-core%20CPU%2C%20up%20to%2010-core%20CPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2013.6-inch%20Liquid%20Retina%2C%202560%20x%201664%2C%20224ppi%2C%20500%20nits%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20wide%20colour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F16%2F24GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201%2F2TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thunderbolt%203%20(2)%2C%203.5mm%20audio%2C%20Touch%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206%2C%20Bluetooth%205.0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2052.6Wh%20lithium-polymer%2C%20up%20to%2018%20hours%2C%20MagSafe%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201080p%20FaceTime%20HD%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Support%20for%20Apple%20ProRes%2C%20HDR%20with%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%20HDR10%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAudio%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204-speaker%20system%2C%20wide%20stereo%2C%20support%20for%20Dolby%20Atmos%2C%20Spatial%20Audio%20and%20dynamic%20head%20tracking%20(with%20AirPods)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Silver%2C%20space%20grey%2C%20starlight%2C%20midnight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MacBook%20Air%2C%2030W%20or%2035W%20dual-port%20power%20adapter%2C%20USB-C-to-MagSafe%20cable%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh4%2C999%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20Cashew%0D%3Cbr%3EStarted%3A%202020%0D%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Ibtissam%20Ouassif%20and%20Ammar%20Afif%0D%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3EIndustry%3A%20FinTech%0D%3Cbr%3EFunding%20size%3A%20%2410m%0D%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Mashreq%2C%20others%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The biog
Name: Younis Al Balooshi
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn
Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design
The five pillars of Islam
PROFILE OF INVYGO
Started: 2018
Founders: Eslam Hussein and Pulkit Ganjoo
Based: Dubai
Sector: Transport
Size: 9 employees
Investment: $1,275,000
Investors: Class 5 Global, Equitrust, Gulf Islamic Investments, Kairos K50 and William Zeqiri
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
The biog
Favourite book: Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
Favourite holiday destination: Spain
Favourite film: Bohemian Rhapsody
Favourite place to visit in the UAE: The beach or Satwa
Children: Stepdaughter Tyler 27, daughter Quito 22 and son Dali 19
How%20to%20avoid%20getting%20scammed
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3ENever%20click%20on%20links%20provided%20via%20app%20or%20SMS%2C%20even%20if%20they%20seem%20to%20come%20from%20authorised%20senders%20at%20first%20glance%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EAlways%20double-check%20the%20authenticity%20of%20websites%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EEnable%20Two-Factor%20Authentication%20(2FA)%20for%20all%20your%20working%20and%20personal%20services%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EOnly%20use%20official%20links%20published%20by%20the%20respective%20entity%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDouble-check%20the%20web%20addresses%20to%20reduce%20exposure%20to%20fake%20sites%20created%20with%20domain%20names%20containing%20spelling%20errors%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
