SHARJAH // For now, the World Cup dream will have to wait. The leading players of the national cricket team will be leading the other, less- glamorous side of their double-lives today.
The shopkeepers will be back keeping their stores. The flight catering staff will be packing lunch trays.
The bankers will be making sure that more important statistics than their bowling figures add up correctly.
And at various points of the globe, too. For instance, Khurram Khan, the team captain, will be either headed to or coming home from the United States when the climax to the 2015 World Cup qualifying championship is played out.
Khurram has maintained an extraordinary level of performance over his decade or so with the national team, given that his day job sees him regularly crossing most of the world’s time zones as a matter of course.
The Pakistan-born captain is a flight purser for Emirates Airline. As such, while the action takes place in Sharjah, he will be on long-haul duty to Los Angeles.
“There won’t be any time to watch the game, but everybody will be online following what is happening in the games and keeping their fingers-crossed,” said Khurram, who is arguably the best player in the history of the sport here.
“I’m going to be on the way to Los Angeles, but I’ll be keeping in touch. The internet is going to be on, following it ball by ball.”
Khurram believes his side are the only fully amateur one left in a strata of the sport which is becoming increasingly professionalised.
He has a point.
The Ireland side who won this competition so convincingly are employed as full-time professional players.
The same goes for their other rivals for an automatic qualifying place, Afghanistan.
For all the obvious challenges the Afghan players face, having made such an unlikely rise from adversity, they all get to play cricket full-time.
Their stock has risen so markedly during their decade in international cricket that a number of them, such as Karim Sadiq and Asghar Stanikzai, are even employed to play as overseas players in the UAE’s corporate leagues.
Mohammed Nabi, their captain, actually turned down a contract to play here recently – he had played so much cricket of late, he was missing his family.
“It is only Ireland who have qualified so far and if you look at their players, they all play county cricket, they are all professional cricketers, almost everybody is on a contract,” Khurram said.
“I think it is a huge achievement, the boys coming from work and practicing here, putting their heart and soul into it and I think they have done wonderfully well.”
Ahmed Raza, the Sharjah-born vice-captain of the national team, will be back behind his desk at a bank in Bur Dubai this morning.
He has long hours to look forward to, an 8am to 9pm double-shift to make up for time owed to colleagues who have covered for him when he has had to miss work for cricket.
All the while, however, the personal banking officer by day and left-arm spinner by night will be staying abreast of what is going on in Sharjah, by surreptitious means.
“I will have [ESPN]cricinfo on my desktop and on my mobile as well,” Raza said.
“I am going to be following it from ball one to the end. On Friday, I will be free, but I still don’t think I will go to the ground to watch it. I will be too anxious to watch.
“If I was there, I would be wanting the Kenyans to do something different and I would be wanting to get out there and tell them, so I don’t think it would be such a good idea to go to the ground.”
Rohan Mustafa, the young all-rounder who performed a star turn in the recent wins over Namibia, is looking for a window in his sales job to get to the ground to watch.
“The Afghanistan and Kenya matches are very important for us,” Mustafa said. “Of course, I will come to the ground. I’ve been playing for the last six years and this is the biggest moment for the UAE team. Our heart is at the ground and we are praying Kenya will win. I believe it will be a very big achievement for the UAE to qualify for the World Cup directly.”
One of the few people employed full-time in the cause of UAE cricket thinks he will skip the chance to watch the two matches in person, though.
That is a personal choice for Aaqib Javed, the national team coach, because the former Pakistan bowler struggles to watch cricket after coaching it all day.
“It is really difficult for me to come and sit at the ground and watch cricket,” Aaqib said.
“I hardly watch on TV, I’m not a person who can come and watch cricket games, it is really hard for me.
“So far, we have done the things which are in our control and I’m glad we have done it.
“Now it is down to Afghanistan and Kenya and we will wait and see what happens.”
pradley@thenational.ae
NUMBER-CRUNCHING
2- Teams qualify automatically for the 2015 World Cup from the World Cricket League. Ireland are already guaranteed first place, while the UAE are currently in possession of the second berth. The national team could still be denied the prize, however, if Afghanistan beat Kenya in Sharjah twice this week, today and on Friday.
0.298- The UAE's overall run rate over the duration of the World Cricket League is actually 0.298 inferior to that of third-place Netherlands. However, the national team leapfrogged the Dutch into second place on Sunday because they have won one more game over the course of the championship.
10- It is around a decade now since Afghanistan first held trials in Kabul with a view to set up a national cricket team. Many of the leading players were just returning from exile in Pakistan, some of them going to their homeland for the first time, having been born in the refugee camps across the border.
17- It is 17 years since the UAE made its lone appearance at a World Cup. The UAE actually won the qualifying competition, beating host side Kenya in the final. Bangladesh were still not yet a Test nation, Ireland were also-rans in the competition, and Afghanistan did not even play cricket then.
20- Months since Kabir Khan, pictured, left his role as coach of UAE cricket to take up a similar position in Afghanistan. It was the second time the former Pakistan bowler had swapped his allegiance from UAE to Afghanistan. Now it is his new side who are standing between the UAE and a place at the World Cup.
Results
• UAE beat Namibia by 138 runs on Sunday
• UAE beat Namibia by 156 runs on Friday
Fixtures
• Today, 9.30am start, Afghanistan v Kenya, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
• Friday, 9.30am start, Afghanistan v Kenya, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Admission for both matches is free
The matches will be streamed live at www.icc-cricket.com and on the official ICC YouTube Channel.
Squads
Afghanistan
Mohammed Nabi (captain), Mirwais Ashraf, Hamid Hassan, Hamza Hotak, Nawroz Mangal, Mohammed Shahzad, Karim Sadiq, Hashmatullah Shahidi, Samiullah Shinwari, Sayed Ahmed Shirzad, Asghar Stanikzai, Shapoor Zadran, Afsar Khan Zazai, Rahmat Shah
Kenya
Collins Obuya (captain), Ragheb Aga, Dhiren Gondaria, Irfan Karim, Shem Ngoche, Alex Obanda, Nehemiah Odhiambo, Nelson Odhiambo, Elijah Otieno, Morris Ouma, Rakep Patel, Gurdeep Singh, Hiren Varaiya, Dominic Wesonga
The Freedom Artist
By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group B
Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Eriksen 80')
Inter Milan 0
BOSH!'s pantry essentials
Nutritional yeast
This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.
Seeds
"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."
Umami flavours
"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".
Onions and garlic
"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."
Your grain of choice
Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."
NEW ARRIVALS
Benjamin Mendy (Monaco) - £51.75m (Dh247.94m)
Kyle Walker (Tottenham Hotspur) - £45.9m
Bernardo Silva (Monaco) - £45m
Ederson Moraes (Benfica) - £36m
Danilo (Real Madrid) - £27m
Douglas Luiz (Vasco de Gama) - £10.8m
RESULT
Arsenal 1 Chelsea 2
Arsenal: Aubameyang (13')
Chelsea: Jorginho (83'), Abraham (87')
World Series
Game 1: Red Sox 8, Dodgers 4
Game 2: Red Sox 4, Dodgers 2
Game 3: Saturday (UAE)
* if needed
Game 4: Sunday
Game 5: Monday
Game 6: Wednesday
Game 7: Thursday
SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh184,500
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
England's lowest Test innings
- 45 v Australia in Sydney, January 28, 1887
- 46 v West Indies in Port of Spain, March 25, 1994
- 51 v West Indies in Kingston, February 4, 2009
- 52 v Australia at The Oval, August 14, 1948
- 53 v Australia at Lord's, July 16, 1888
- 58 v New Zealand in Auckland, March 22, 2018
SHOW COURTS ORDER OF PLAY
Centre Court (4pm UAE/12pm GMT)
Victoria Azarenka (BLR) v Heather Watson (GBR)
Rafael Nadal (ESP x4) v Karen Khachanov (RUS x30)
Andy Murray (GBR x1) v Fabio Fognini (ITA x28)
Court 1 (4pm UAE)
Steve Johnson (USA x26) v Marin Cilic (CRO x7)
Johanna Konta (GBR x6) v Maria Sakkari (GRE)
Naomi Osaka (JPN) v Venus Williams (USA x10)
Court 2 (2.30pm UAE)
Aljaz Bedene (GBR) v Gilles Muller (LUX x16)
Peng Shuai (CHN) v Simona Halep (ROM x2)
Jelena Ostapenko (LAT x13) v Camila Giorgi (ITA)
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA x12) v Sam Querrey (USA x24)
Court 3 (2.30pm UAE)
Kei Nishikori (JPN x9) v Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x18)
Carina Witthoeft (GER) v Elina Svitolina (UKR x4)
Court 12 (2.30pm UAE)
Dominika Cibulkova (SVK x8) v Ana Konjuh (CRO x27)
Kevin Anderson (RSA) v Ruben Bemelmans (BEL)
Court 18 (2.30pm UAE)
Caroline Garcia (FRA x21) v Madison Brengle (USA)
Benoit Paire (FRA) v Jerzy Janowicz (POL)
Specs
Engine: 2-litre
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 255hp
Torque: 273Nm
Price: Dh240,000
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 0
Manchester City 2
Bernardo Silva 54', Sane 66'
Six tips to secure your smart home
Most smart home devices are controlled via the owner's smartphone. Therefore, if you are using public wi-fi on your phone, always use a VPN (virtual private network) that offers strong security features and anonymises your internet connection.
Keep your smart home devices’ software up-to-date. Device makers often send regular updates - follow them without fail as they could provide protection from a new security risk.
Use two-factor authentication so that in addition to a password, your identity is authenticated by a second sign-in step like a code sent to your mobile number.
Set up a separate guest network for acquaintances and visitors to ensure the privacy of your IoT devices’ network.
Change the default privacy and security settings of your IoT devices to take extra steps to secure yourself and your home.
Always give your router a unique name, replacing the one generated by the manufacturer, to ensure a hacker cannot ascertain its make or model number.
Scoreline
Germany 2
Werner 9', Sane 19'
Netherlands 2
Promes 85', Van Dijk 90'
Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
MORE ON INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE
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.
Match info
Premier League
Manchester United 2 (Martial 30', Lingard 69')
Arsenal 2 (Mustafi 26', Rojo 68' OG)
Vikram%20Vedha
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Gayatri%2C%20Pushkar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hrithik%20Roshan%2C%20Saif%20Ali%20Khan%2C%20Radhika%20Apte%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
UAE-based players
Goodlands Riders: Jamshaid Butt, Ali Abid, JD Mahesh, Vibhor Shahi, Faizan Asif, Nadeem Rahim
Rose Hill Warriors: Faraz Sheikh, Ashok Kumar, Thabreez Ali, Janaka Chathuranga, Muzammil Afridi, Ameer Hamza
ARM%20IPO%20DETAILS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EShare%20price%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Undisclosed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ETarget%20raise%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%248%20billion%20to%20%2410%20billion%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProjected%20valuation%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2460%20billion%20to%20%2470%20billion%20(Source%3A%20Bloomberg)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ELead%20underwriters%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Barclays%2C%20Goldman%20Sachs%20Group%2C%20JPMorgan%20Chase%20and%20Mizuho%20Financial%20Group%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
Gully Boy
Director: Zoya Akhtar
Producer: Excel Entertainment & Tiger Baby
Cast: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, Siddhant Chaturvedi
Rating: 4/5 stars
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm)
Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (7pm)
Southampton v Manchester United (7pm)
Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
Swansea City v Watford (7pm)
Leicester City v Liverpool (8.30pm)
Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)
Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)
Bangladesh tour of Pakistan
January 24 – First T20, Lahore
January 25 – Second T20, Lahore
January 27 – Third T20, Lahore
February 7-11 – First Test, Rawalpindi
April 3 – One-off ODI, Karachi
April 5-9 – Second Test, Karachi
Info
What: 11th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship
When: December 27-29, 2018
Confirmed: men: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, Hyeon Chung, Karen Khachanov; women: Venus Williams
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae, Virgin megastores or call 800 86 823
THE BIG MATCH
Arsenal v Manchester City,
Sunday, Emirates Stadium, 6.30pm
MATCH INFO
Tottenham 4 (Alli 51', Kane 50', 77'. Aurier 73')
Olympiakos 2 (El-Arabi 06', Semedo')
