Pakistan's former cricketer Wasim Akram will be among the former stars taking the pitch. Fareed Khan / AP Photo
Pakistan's former cricketer Wasim Akram will be among the former stars taking the pitch. Fareed Khan / AP Photo

Icons of Cricket 2016 pits cricket legends in a golf tournament



While England and Pakistan have been competing in the UAE this week, some of cricket’s glitterati of the past have arrived to promote a golf tournament. Shane Warne, Kapil Dev, Wasim Akram, pictured, and others will be up against each other in the Icons of Cricket 2016, a golf match between Australia and the Rest of the World in October 2016.

Star attractions

Iconique, the tournament organisers, clearly have an exhaustive contacts book. The first Icons Cup, in April this year, had a roll call including Darren Clarke, Fred Couples, Oscar De La Hoya and Luis Figo. Now they have opted to stage a Ryder Cup-style match between some of the most famous names in cricket.

Sledging subtly

The sort of conversations that go on between English and Australian cricketers on the field of play are hardly suited to the genteel climes of the golf fairways. Yet the chat between the two Icons teams will be immediately available to all. Players will be miked up for the television broadcast of the competition. “There’s going to be a lot of sledging between the two teams,” said Thomas Brookes, founder of the Icons series.

New, old ‘Rory McIlroy’

Michael Vaughan, the former Ashes-winning England captain who is the vice-captain of the Rest of the World side, said: “When we know we can’t get that much longer on a cricket field, we all take up the game of golf. We all think we are Rory McIlroy or Jason Day ... In a year’s time we will find out. I can’t wait for it to start.”

Word of warning

Shane Warne played in the Icons Cup earlier this year. Despite winning two matches against De La Hoya, he survived without being stung by any haymakers. He probably opted not to chirp the former multi-weight boxing champion, but that will not be the case when the cricketers take to the fairways. “We all know each other really well,” Warne said. “Straight away you can start the sledging on the first tee.”

Teams

Australia: Shane Warne, Mark Taylor, Michael Slater, Ricky Ponting, Greg Chappell, Damien Martyn, Dean Jones, Mike Hussey, Merv Hughes, Ian Healy, Greg Blewett, Allan Border; Rest of the World: Michael Vaughan, Viv Richards, Kevin Pietersen, Brian Lara, Brendon McCullum, Kapil Dev, Wasim Akram, Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher, Stephen Fleming, Ian Botham.

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Henrik Stenson's finishes at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship:

2006 - 2
2007 - 8
2008 - 2
2009 - MC
2010 - 21
2011 - 42
2012 - MC
2013 - 23
2014 - MC
2015 - MC
2016 - 3
2017 - 8

THE LIGHT

Director: Tom Tykwer

Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger

Rating: 3/5

If you go

The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road. 

The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
 

The specs

Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now

What is type-1 diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is a genetic and unavoidable condition, rather than the lifestyle-related type 2 diabetes.

It occurs mostly in people under 40 and a result of the pancreas failing to produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugars.

Too much or too little blood sugar can result in an attack where sufferers lose consciousness in serious cases.

Being overweight or obese increases the chances of developing the more common type 2 diabetes.

Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

Company Profile:

Name: The Protein Bakeshop

Date of start: 2013

Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani

Based: Dubai

Size, number of employees: 12

Funding/investors:  $400,000 (2018) 

THE SPECS

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 258hp at 5,000-6,500rpm

Torque: 400Nm from 1,550-4,400rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 6.4L/100km

Price, base: from D215,000 (Dh230,000 as tested)

On sale: now

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COMPANY PROFILE
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Started: 2021
 
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Number of staff: 22 
 
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The specs

Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6

Power: 400hp

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Transmission: 9-speed automatic

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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The specs

Engine: 0.8-litre four cylinder

Power: 70bhp

Torque: 66Nm

Transmission: four-speed manual

Price: $1,075 new in 1967, now valued at $40,000

On sale: Models from 1966 to 1970

Results

5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,200m. Winner: Majd Al Megirat, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Ahmed Al Shehhi (trainer)

5.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m. Winner: Dassan Da, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi

6pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m. Winner: Heba Al Wathba, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle

6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic Prestige (PA) Dh110,000 (T) 1,400m. Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi

7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Richard Mullen, Ahmed Al Mehairbi

Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,200m. Winner: Harbour Spirit, Adrie de Vries, Jaber Ramadhan.

Vidaamuyarchi

Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

Europe’s rearming plan
  • Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
  • Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
  • Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
  • Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
  • Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
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