BANGALORE // The first thing that strikes you about Shane Watson, the Australia all-rounder, is his imposing physique.
The muscular opener for the world champions in one-day cricket has the torso of an Australia rules footballer and has been dubbed "Tarzan" in certain circles. Yet there is far more to him than initially meets the eye.
For one, Watson is the International Cricket Council (ICC) ambassador for Room to Read, an organisation that "seeks to transform the lives of millions of children in developing countries by focusing on literacy and gender equality in education".
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Also
• Duminy takes South Africa past Ireland and into the quarter-finals
• Points table
• Dravid joins Ganguly in heading to Abu Dhabi for MCC's season opener
• Formula of students and cricket in Abu Dhabi schools adding up
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John Wood, the founder, quit his job with Microsoft and set forth in a new direction after a trip to Nepal where he saw tremendous enthusiasm for learning, but very little by way of resources.
During the World Cup, Room to Read has teamed up with the ICC and Reliance Life Insurance to bring about "Boundaries for Books" — with 25,000 Indian rupees (Dh2,020) contributed for every six hit during the competition. As much as five million rupees could be raised as a result.
The funds will help Room to Read establish libraries that provide books in the local language and English to underprivileged children. Each six can ensure that at least 30 children get access to fully functional libraries with books and trained teachers.
On Monday afternoon, in between his preparations for Australia's final two group games, Watson spoke of his interest in the project. "Reading is the most important skill you can have," he said. "It helps your development as a person in so many ways."
At a recent Room to Read event in Sydney, an individual bid A$8,500 (Dh30,7680 to have a one-on-one coaching session with him. That money alone funds a library for 200 children for three years and also provides 14 girls in Asia with a one-year education scholarship.
"It starts with school, where you start to learn, but it goes beyond that," Watson said. "Reading gives you a good start in life."
Watson said that he reads a lot of autobiographies. "I find that it's helped me to learn from other people - their experiences and how they coped with adverse situations," he said
When children see their heroes make it big through hitting sixes and taking wickets, what should be their incentive to sit down and read? "It's an important part of my life because it gives me better perspective," said Watson.
"Without reading, it's that much harder to achieve your goals. People who don't have the opportunity can get stuck in a certain environment."
For Watson, the reading adventure began at the Australian Cricket Academy in Adelaide as a teenager. The first book to stir him was Alan Davidson's autobiography, Fifteen Paces. "It had a big impact on me," he said. "He was an all-rounder and that was something I wanted to be."
As focused as he is on World Cup glory, Watson insists that the game and those that play it have a greater responsibility.
"I think it's a great initiative from the ICC," he said. "The World Cup gets tremendous exposure and is widely watched. Already, more than 5,000 children have gained access to reading materials on the subcontinent."
As part of the campaign, Watson conducted fielding drills for children in Colombo earlier in the competition. "Not everyone is as lucky as you or me," he said. "It was great to see how it has touched their lives. The highlight was seeing the smiles on their faces. Quite a few of them love cricket as well, and had plenty to say about it!"
He rates Andre Agassi's Open as his favourite book, and does not rule out the possibility of writing one himself one day. "It would probably be an autobiography, detailing my experiences, both good and bad," he said. "It's not been plain sailing for me, in any way, and if someone can learn from that, that would be great."
If you would like to contribute, please visit http://www.roomtoread.org/worldcup.
sports@thenational.ae
Command%20Z
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The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
If you go
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Funchal via Lisbon, with a connecting flight with Air Portugal. Economy class returns cost from Dh3,845 return including taxes.
The trip
The WalkMe app can be downloaded from the usual sources. If you don’t fancy doing the trip yourself, then Explore offers an eight-day levada trails tour from Dh3,050, not including flights.
The hotel
There isn’t another hotel anywhere in Madeira that matches the history and luxury of the Belmond Reid's Palace in Funchal. Doubles from Dh1,400 per night including taxes.
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Women%E2%80%99s%20T20%20World%20Cup%20Qualifier
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Grand slam winners since July 2003
Who has won major titles since Wimbledon 2003 when Roger Federer won his first grand slam
Roger Federer 19 (8 Wimbledon, 5 Australian Open, 5 US Open, 1 French Open)
Rafael Nadal 16 (10 French Open, 3 US Open, 2 Wimbledon, 1 Australian Open)
Novak Djokovic 12 (6 Australian Open, 3 Wimbledon, 2 US Open, 1 French Open)
Andy Murray 3 (2 Wimbledon, 1 US Open)
Stan Wawrinka 3 (1 Australian Open, 1 French Open, 1 US Open)
Andy Roddick 1 (1 US Open)
Gaston Gaudio 1 (1 French Open)
Marat Safin 1 (1 Australian Open)
Juan Martin del Potro 1 (1 US Open)
Marin Cilic 1 (1 US Open)
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Abu Dhabi Grand Slam Jiu-Jitsu World Tour Calendar 2018/19
July 29: OTA Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan
Sep 22-23: LA Convention Centre in Los Angeles, US
Nov 16-18: Carioca Arena Centre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Feb 7-9: Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE
Mar 9-10: Copper Box Arena in London, UK
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
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- Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
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Company%20Profile
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