Pakistani cricket team's captain Sarfraz Ahmed raises the Champions Trophy for a crowd gathered to welcome him, outside his residence in Karachi, Pakistan.
Pakistani cricket team's captain Sarfraz Ahmed raises the Champions Trophy for a crowd gathered to welcome him, outside his residence in Karachi, Pakistan.

Sarfraz Ahmed rewarded with Pakistan Test captaincy



Pakistan have rewarded Sarfraz Ahmed with the country’s Test captaincy, two weeks after he led the national team to an elusive Champions Trophy title in England.

Underdogs Pakistan trounced India by a record 180-run margin in the final in London on June 18 to lift the Champions Trophy.

Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan named Sarfraz Test captain at a ceremony honouring the winning team hosted by prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad on Tuesday. “I take this opportunity to announce Ahmed as our Test captain in addition to one-day and Twenty20 captain,” Shaharyarn said.

The 30-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman will lead Pakistan in the three-match Test series against Sri Lanka, likely to be held on the neutral venue of the UAE in October.

Sarfraz has already led Pakistan in nine one-day internationals since last year, winning seven and losing two. He has also led in eight Twenty20s, winning seven and losing just one.

The Test captaincy has been vacant since Misbah-ul-Haq retired after winning a three-match Test series 2-1 in the West Indies in May this year.

Sarfraz said leading Pakistan in all three formats is a great honour.

"I am honoured to be appointed Test captain," he said during the ceremony. "I will do my best to lift the team in all three formats and will not rest on Champions Trophy laurels."

Sharif rewarded every member of the Champions Trophy winning team with a prize of 10 million rupees (Dh350,383) while members of the team management received five million (Dh175,191).

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Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

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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
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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

What is Folia?

Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.

Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."

Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.

In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love". 

There are also plans to take Folia to several more locations throughout the Middle East and Europe.

While health-conscious diners will be attracted to the concept, Prince Khaled is careful to stress Folia is "not meant for a specific subset of customers. It is meant for everyone who wants a culinary experience without the negative impact that eating out so often comes with."

Brighton 1
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Tottenham 1
Kane (48)

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Episode list:

Ep1: A recovery like no other- the unevenness of the economic recovery 

Ep2: PCR and jobs - the future of work - new trends and challenges 

Ep3: The recovery and global trade disruptions - globalisation post-pandemic 

Ep4: Inflation- services and goods - debt risks 

Ep5: Travel and tourism 

How to help

Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.

Account name: Dar Al Ber Society

Account Number: 11 530 734

IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734

Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank

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By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin

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match info

Southampton 2 (Ings 32' & pen 89') Tottenham Hotspur 5 (Son 45', 47', 64', & 73', Kane 82')

Man of the match Son Heung-min (Tottenham)

Points classification after Stage 4

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2. Marcel Kittel (Germany / Quick-Step) 81

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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.