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Desert Vipers seal five wicket victory against the MI Emirates as Fakhar Zaman dazzles in Dubai

Published

2 years ago

January 17, 2025

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Fakhar Zaman lit up the Dubai International Stadium with a stellar knock of 67 runs in 52 deliveries to secure a five-wicket victory for the Desert Vipers against the MI Emirates.

Fakhar Zaman and Alex Hales’ knock of 34 runs gave the Vipers a strong start in the run chase. Zaman and Sam Curran then erected a 65-run stand through the middle overs while Sherfane Rutherford powered his way to 21 runs in eight balls to chase the target of 160 in 19.1 overs.

Electing to bat first, the MI Emirates had a promising start but could not extend it into the middle overs. However, the MI Emirates scored 34 runs in the last two overs, with Kieron Pollard and Romario Shepherd hitting two sixes apiece to finish at 159/6.

In response, the Desert Vipers’ opening combination of Alex Hales and Fakhar Zaman coasted through the powerplay to post 51 runs.

Alex Hales had made his way to 34 runs in 22 balls when he was cleaned up by a ripper from Waqar Salamkheil in the eighth over. Dan Lawrence was dismissed soon after, caught and bowled by Dan Mousley in the ninth over. Mousley scalped Azam Khan in the same manner in his next over to bring the score to 71/3 in 10.1 overs.

With wickets falling on one end, Fakhar Zaman limited his risks until he unleashed two sixes off Salamkheil in the 14th over. Zaman brought up a 44-ball half century studded with four sixes and three fours.

Zaman creamed two more boundaries in the next over, while Sam Curran joined in with a huge six to complete a second consecutive 16-run over. The pair’s 50-run stand in 31 balls shifted the momentum toward the Desert Vipers.

Zaman was finally dismissed by Zahoor Khan in the 17th over, with the Vipers chasing 24 runs in 18 balls.

The next batter, Sherfane Rutherford hit two boundaries while Zahoor Khan picked up his second wicket through Sam Curran (28 runs) in the penultimate over. The Vipers needed six runs in six balls and Rutherford smoked AM Ghazanfar over deep square leg to seal the win in 19.1 overs.
In the first innings, the MI Emirates started well with Muhammad Waseem and Kusal Perera striking seven fours and a six to finish the powerplay at 48/0.

The runs dried up in the next phase of the innings as Wanindu Hasaranga picked up the first wicket of the night, trapping Waseem LBW for 18 runs. Kusal Perera also failed to convert a good start of 33 runs in 29 balls, falling to Dan Lawrence in the 10th over.

Nicholas Pooran and Tom Banton combined for a brief 22-run partnership but both batters fell in the 13th over. Skipper Lockie Ferguson dismissed Nicholas Pooran while Tom Banton was run out, leaving the MI Emirates at 86/4.

Kieron Pollard and Dan Mousley took the innings further with a 37-run stand. Mousley was dismissed by David Payne after a near run-a-ball knock of 15 runs.

Pollard gave the run-rate an injection with two fours and three sixes including two maximums of Lockie Ferguson in the 19th over. Ferguson had the final say though, dismissing Pollard in the same over after the West Indian had put on 36 runs in 23 balls.

The final over saw Romario Shepherd come out with all guns blazing, he scored an unbeaten 16 runs, smashing two sixes off David Payne as the MI Emirates finished at 159/6 in 20 overs.

On the thought process behind his innings, Player of the Match Fakhar Zaman said: “I think the fast bowlers were easy, but we were struggling against spinners. We just planned to play out their overs and take the game deep. It was because of the way the bowlers were bowling and the leg-side boundary was big, so I was looking for runs on the shorter boundary.”

MI Emirates skipper, Nicholas Pooran added: “I felt we were in the game; we were happy with 160, the way the pitch was playing, it seemed to be very tricky. It’s still young in the tournament, Mousley got us two wickets, we went searching for another, but we didn’t get it. Credit to Fakhar Zaman and Sam Curran, they played really well.”

Brief Scores
Desert Vipers bt MI Emirates by five wickets

MI Emirates 159/6 in 20 overs (Kieron Pollard 36, Kusal Perera 33, Muhammad Waseem 18, Lockie Ferguson 2 for 23, Wanindu Hasaranga 1 for 21, Dan Lawrence 1 for 21)

Desert Vipers 161/5 in 20 overs (Fakhar Zaman 67, Alex Hales 34, Sam Curran 28, Sherfane Rutherford 21 not out, Zahoor Khan 2 for 24, Dan Mousley 2 for 27, Waqar Salamkheil 1 for 29)

Related Topics:#desertvipers #dpworldilt20season3 #ilt20

Staff Reporter

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Dubai-born HOP Events targets 25 cities in global expansion

Published

2 hours ago

October 2, 2026

Staff Reporter

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A Dubai-founded events company is planning to expand into 25 cities worldwide over the next two years, as it looks to build an international business around music and culture.

HOP Events, founded by Dubai-based entrepreneur Kalpesh Kinariwala, said it aims to stage more than 250 events a year across 75 venues and arenas, reaching more than one million people annually.

Its planned expansion includes London, New York, Doha and Singapore, alongside its existing base in Dubai.

The company has organised concerts featuring artists including A.R. Rahman, Arijit Singh, Lucky Ali, Nancy Ajram, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and sitarist Rishab Sharma.

HOP now plans to broaden its programme beyond large-scale concerts, with storytelling, art and other cultural events forming part of its international expansion.

“Our goal has never been to build an events company,” Kinariwala said. “We’re building a platform where culture becomes a catalyst for connection.”

The plans were outlined after a recent Dubai event featuring storyteller Laksh Maheshwari.

HOP is the cultural arm of PANTHEON ACR, a Dubai-based venture founded by Kinariwala with interests spanning art, culture and real estate.

Kinariwala said Dubai’s position as a city with a large international population provided the starting point for HOP’s expansion.

The company said its programme over the next 24 months would feature both established international performers and emerging creative talent, alongside storytelling and other cultural experiences.

“The moments people carry with them for years are rarely the biggest,” Kinariwala said. “They are the moments that make us feel connected, inspired, understood or part of something larger than ourselves.”

Announcements

New-look Abu Dhabi T10 raises the stakes with star-studded 2026 draft; Naseem, Hales, Amir and Shanaka among top picks

Published

4 hours ago

October 2, 2026

Sudhashree Dash

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The 2026 Abu Dhabi T10 Player Draft saw a host of international stars find new homes ahead of the upcoming season, with Naseem Shah (Royal Desert Champions), Noor Ahmad (Emirates Eagles), Muhammad Amir (UAE Bulls), Alzarri Joseph (Arabian Aces), Dasun Shanaka (Yas Lions), Shadab Khan (UAE Bulls), Kusal Perera (Emirates Eagles) and Chris Jordan (Royal Desert Champions) among the headline names selected.

The Draft also saw several of the UAE’s leading players join the six franchises, underlining the growing depth of local talent in the reimagined Abu Dhabi T10. Alishan Sharafu (Arabian Aces), Aayan Afzal Khan (Royal Desert Champions), Muhammad Waseem (Royal Desert Champions), Haider Razzaq (Emirates Eagles), Muhammad Rohid (UAE Bulls), Ansh Tandon (Yas Lions) and Luqman Faisal (Emirates Eagles) were among the prominent UAE selections.

Awais Ali Shah (United Tigers), Dhruv Parashar (Royal Desert Champions), Harshit Kaushik (Emirates Eagles), Wali Muhammad (UAE Bulls), Adithya Shetty (United Tigers), Haider Ali (Yas Lions) and Vriitya Arvind (Arabian Aces) were also among those selected, further strengthening the UAE presence across the six squads.

The Arabian Aces will have plenty of experience and firepower in their ranks, with Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Sam Billings and Imran Tahir among their notable draft selections. Alzarri Joseph, Richard Gleeson, Dwayne Pretorius and Dunith Wellalage add further bowling and all-round options to a squad that already featured Moeen Ali, Andre Russell and Liam Livingstone as pre-draft signings. The Aces also secured further local and emerging talent to complement their international core.

The Emirates Eagles’ batting stocks feature Alex Hales, KS Bharat, Hassan Nawaz and Kusal Perera, while David Wiese and Chris Green offer valuable all-round options. Noor Ahmad, Rehan Ahmed and Ali Raza further strengthen the bowling department, complementing pre-draft signings Rovman Powell, Shimron Hetmyer and Trent Boult.

The Royal Desert Champions assembled a formidable side led by the likes of Naseem Shah, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera and Chris Jordan. Muhammad Waseem, Brandon King and Jayanth Liyanage add batting depth, while Gulbadin Naib and Keemo Paul provide all-round ability. The side already had Nicholas Pooran, Phil Salt and Sherfane Rutherford on board as pre-draft signings.

The UAE Bulls have an abundance of power-hitting options through Andre Fletcher, Aneurin Donald, Khwaja Nafay, Max Bryan and Azam Khan, with Shadab Khan and Khushdil Shah offering all-round depth. Muhammad Amir and Nuwan Thushara add to the bowling attack, while the franchise had already secured Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine and Romario Shepherd before the Draft. Scotland’s Bradley Currie also joins the squad.

The United Tigers have established international experience with Azmatullah Omarzai, Odean Smith and Mahedi Hasan offering all-round options, while Abbas Afridi and Sufyan Moqim strengthen the bowling resources. The Tigers’ pre-draft haul comprised the Pakistani trio of Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed and Faheem Ashraf.

The Yas Lions have plenty of experience with James Vince, Dasun Shanaka, Tom Moores and Akeal Hosein among their notable selections. Eshan Malinga and Obed McCoy build their bowling strength, while the Lions had already secured Jason Holder, David Willey and Andries Gous before the Draft. Netherlands’ Aryan Dutt also joins the squad as their Associate Member selection.

Arabian Aces: Moeen Ali, Andre Russell, Liam Livingstone, Alishan Sharafu, Muhammad Arfan, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Richard Gleeson, Sam Billings, Paul Walter, Alzarri Joseph, Imran Tahir, Salman Irshad, Quentin Sampson, Dwaine Pretorius, Vriitya Arvind, Ibrahim Masood, Amshi De Silva, Dunith Wellalage

Emirates Eagles: Rovman Powell, Shimron Hetmyer, Trent Boult, Haider Razzaq, Luqman Faisal, David Wiese, Noor Ahmad, Alex Hales, KS Bharat, Akif Javed, Hassan Nawaz, Rehan Ahmed, Ali Raza, Chris Green, Harshit Kaushik, Hilal Afghan, Toby Albert, Kusal Perera

Royal Desert Champions: Nicholas Pooran, Phil Salt, Sherfane Rutherford, Ali Naseer, Aayan Afzal Khan, Muhammad Waseem, Naseem Shah, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Luke Wood, Gulbadin Naib, Brandon King, Janith Liyanage, Keemo Paul, Dhruv Parashar, Raizal Nadir, Tajinder Singh Dhillon, Chris Jordan

UAE Bulls: Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Romario Shepherd, Muhammad Rohid, Tahir Zaman, Aneurin Donald, Muhammad Amir, Andre Fletcher, Khwaja Nafay, Nuwan Thushara, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Max Bryant, Azam Khan, Wali Muhammad, Uddish Suri, Bradley Currie, Shadab Khan

United Tigers: Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Zeeshan Naseer, Awais Ali Shah, Azmatullah Omarzai, Sufyan Moqim, Abbas Afridi, Odean Smith, Nurul Hasan Sohan, Shak Mahedi Hasan, Habibur Rahman Sohan, Noor ul Rahman, Shamim Hossain, Adithya Shetty, Noor Ullah Ayubi, Paul van Meekeren, Yasin Patel

Yas Lions: Jason Holder, David Willey, Andries Gous, Ajay Kumar, Ansh Tandon, James Vince, Dasun Shanaka, Eshan Malinga, Karim Janat, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Tom Moores, Khuzaima Bin Tanveer, Obed McCoy, Kamil Pooran, Haider Ali, Masood Gurbaz, Aryan Dutt, Akeal Hosein

Announcements

UAE petrol prices rise again: New fuel rates for October revealed

Published

2 days ago

September 30, 2026

Michael Gomes

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Filling up in the UAE is about to get more expensive, with petrol and diesel prices rising across all categories from October 1.

UAE motorists are set to feel another pinch at the pump this month after the UAE Fuel Price Committee announced higher petrol and diesel rates for October 2026.

The increase means drivers will pay more per litre across every petrol category, while diesel prices have also moved higher.

Fuel prices for October

The new rates will take effect from Thursday, October 1. Here’s what motorists will pay:

Super 98: Dh4.40 per litre
Special 95: Dh4.28 per litre
E-Plus 91: Dh4.21 per litre
Diesel: Dh4.80 per litre

That means Super 98 rises by 60 fils per litre, while Special 95 and E-Plus 91 increase by 59 and 60 fils respectively. Diesel is up by 50 fils per litre.

How much more will a full tank cost?

For motorists, the increase could quickly add up over the course of a month.

For example, filling a 50-litre tank with Super 98 will cost Dh220 in October, compared with Dh190 in September, a difference of Dh30 per fill-up.

A 50-litre tank of Special 95 will cost Dh214, compared with Dh184.50 previously.

For E-Plus 91, the same tank will cost Dh210.50, up from Dh180.50.

Diesel drivers filling 50 litres will pay Dh240, compared with Dh215 in September.

Why are fuel prices changing?

The UAE Fuel Price Committee reviews retail fuel rates at the end of each month, with prices linked to movements in global energy markets.

UAE fuel prices have experienced notable fluctuations this year. Rates fell in July after several consecutive monthly increases, before moving higher again in August and September.

The latest increase comes amid continued volatility in global and regional energy markets.

What does this increase mean for household budgets?

For people who drive every day, higher fuel prices can have an effect beyond the cost of a single trip to the petrol station.

Commuters, families and businesses that rely heavily on road travel may see their monthly transport expenses rise, particularly if they fill up frequently.

Even a relatively small increase per litre can become more noticeable when multiplied across several refuelling trips over the month.