Mohammed Rohid showed why MI Emirates felt compelled to spend $140,000 on him as he helped the UAE get their T20 World Cup qualification campaign off to a winning start.
The young left-arm seamer hit the jackpot at the first ILT20 auction last week. After a bidding war, the franchise where he first rose to prominence in the UAE’s 20-over league matched the substantial price tag to secure his services for the new season.
The auction happened just as the UAE players were waiting for their flights to be confirmed to Muscat for the Asia and East-Asia Pacific T20 World Cup Qualifier.
The nine-team event carries with it three places for the main event in India and Sri Lanka in February 2026.
The UAE endured a wake-up call in their opening match. Thanks to the excellence of Rohid and Junaid Siddique with the ball, the national team were only required to chase 119 to beat their Gulf neighbours.
They made heavy weather of it, especially with struggles at the top of their batting order, before eventually sealing a seven-wicket win with nine balls to spare.
Rohid was named player of the match for his return of 2-13 from his four overs, which included a maiden. He also picked up a run out off his own bowling as the UAE reduced Qatar to 5-3 in the first nine balls of the match.
The Pakistan-born pacer said he wants to give back to the UAE now after the good news that came his way in the ILT20.
“The UAE has given us so much, so it is our turn to give them a good win in the qualifiers and we hope to pick up the trophy,” Rohid said.
“I am also very happy with my selection for the ILT20. Junaid is our senior bowler and I always enjoy bowling with him. I am learning so many things from him.”
Siddique, the pace spearhead of the national team, actually trumped Rohid’s bumper pay day at the auction. He was also retained by his franchise, Sharjah Warriorz, after a bidding war that reached $170,000.
The duo appeared emboldened by it. Siddique took 1-19 against Qatar, including a wicket off the third ball of the match.
It meant that, despite bowling in the powerplay and the death overs, the $310,000 pair returned combined figures of eight overs, 3-32.
After a sluggish start to the chase, Alishan Sharafu – who top scored with 51 not out – and Harshit Kaushik guided UAE to the win with an unbroken stand of 76 for the fourth wicket.
The UAE will confirm their place in the Super Six stage of the tournament if they win their second match, against Malaysia on Friday.
Muhammad Waseem, the UAE captain, said the format of the competition leaves little room for mistakes.
“We were expecting a good wicket but the ball was keeping low and it was going to do something because it was fresh,” Waseem said.
“They hadn’t used it for the past few months. I am giving the credit to my bowlers. [Siddique and Rohid] have all the experience of franchise cricket. They have enough experience to bowl well at the death and they did that.
“It was a good innings from Alishan and Harshit, also. The good thing is we didn’t panic at any stage of the game. It is tough because, with two games [in the group], you don’t have any margin for error.”
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
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Transmission: 8-speed auto
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'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore'
Rating: 3/5
Directed by: David Yates
Starring: Mads Mikkelson, Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Jude Law
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
Fatherland
Kele Okereke
(BMG)
If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
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Student Of The Year 2
Director: Punit Malhotra
Stars: Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria, Ananya Pandey, Aditya Seal
1.5 stars
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo and dual electric motors
Power: 300hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 520Nm at 1,500-3,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.0L/100km
Price: from Dh199,900
On sale: now
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets