NEW DELHI // For a year before the India-Pakistan game during the 2003 World Cup, Indian fans pestered cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, wishing him well and offering their strategies for beating Pakistan.
The pressure took a toll. One of the best batsman ever to strap on pads, Tendulkar had insomnia for the 12 nights leading up to the game.
The little magician may have had trouble sleeping since last Thursday, when India beat Australia to set up today's blockbuster World Cup semi-final - India v Pakistan, in the state of Punjab.
These matches bristle with tension. They are much more than sporting contests; they are infused with the decades of animosity between the two countries.
"At these games, the atmosphere is simply electric," said R Swaminathan, an Indian businessman. As a schoolboy, he had attended the India-Pakistan quarter-final game in Bangalore during the 1996 World Cup.
"The stadium was a riot of India colours," Mr Swaminathan recalled. "After India won, there were huge celebrations outside the stadium."
These games attract millions of TV viewers and lure many celebrities to the match itself.
The stadium for today's game - Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali - holds only 30,000 spectators and tickets were sold out even before India and Pakistan reached the semis.
Among the dignitaries expected today are the prime ministers of India and Pakistan, Manmohan Singh and Yousuf Raza Gilani, the children of the Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, and Mukesh Ambani, India's richest man.
For Indian television, these matches are a bonanza. In the 2003 World Cup, the India-Pakistan game registered a television rating that was 53 per cent higher than the average rating of other India games.
As many as 122 million fans are expected to watch the match on TV in India alone, making it one of the most-watched cricket games in history, according to data from the World Cup gathered by TAM Media Research.
The rivalry has produced heart-break and euphoria for both players and fans.
For example, in the 1986 final of the Australasia Cup in Sharjah, India dominated much of the game and Pakistan needed four runs to win off the last delivery in the match.
Then Javed Miandad, who had already made a century, walloped a full toss into the stands for six, sparking wild celebrations in Pakistan.
A 2004 paper in the British Medical Journal called Mr Miandad's six "a shot heard throughout South Asia and much of the world." In its statistical analysis of more than 50 years of India-Pakistan cricket, the paper concluded that Pakistan started winning far more frequently after that game.
Sreeram B Iyer, a Chennai-based engineer and cricket aficionado, noted that "from 1986 … every third match or so, India would get into a winning position. Then something dramatic would happen … and Pakistan would win".
India finally began to recover in the 1990s. Mr Iyer described the shift in momentum as "liberating … One suddenly realised that a new era was beginning."
For players, the pressure of these matches can be daunting. "You get the feeling that the cricketers are trying to convince themselves that it's just another game, and that if they repeat it enough to themselves they'll believe it," said Rahul Bhattacharya, the author of Pundits from Pakistan: On Tour With India, 2003-04. "It's still 22 players out there, the pitch is still 22 yards - that kind of thing."
But for fans, these matches are not just another game.
A Test match in Kolkata in 1999 was played in front of stands that had been emptied by the police. Angry about an umpire's call, spectators burnt newspapers and threw plastic bottles onto the field.
In a 1999 World Cup game in Manchester, England, Mr Bhattacharya saw "Indian and Pakistani fans shoving flags in each other's faces, and a nasty sort of jibing. There's definitely some element of triumphalism."
But often the fans applaud cricket quality - even when it's displayed by the opponent.
In a closely fought 1999 Test match in Chennai, Pakistan won despite a classic Tendulkar century. Recalling the game later, Pakistan team captain Wasim Akram said: "How can I forget the Chennai crowd that gave Pakistan a standing ovation when we won a Test there?"
Mr Bhattacharya similarly recalled a game in Karachi. Pakistan needed to score six runs off the final ball to win. But batsman Moin Khan could not match Miandad's 1986 heroics and India won.
"There was so much applause for the Indian team after they won, and that spirit really continued throughout that tour," Mr Bhattacharya said. "Even now, when I think about it, I get goose pimples."
ssubramanian@thenational.ae
Company%20Profile
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Inside%20Out%202
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EXPATS
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Without Remorse
Directed by: Stefano Sollima
Starring: Michael B Jordan
4/5
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
THE NEW BATCH'S FOCUS SECTORS
AiFlux – renewables, oil and gas
DevisionX – manufacturing
Event Gates – security and manufacturing
Farmdar – agriculture
Farmin – smart cities
Greener Crop – agriculture
Ipera.ai – space digitisation
Lune Technologies – fibre-optics
Monak – delivery
NutzenTech – environment
Nybl – machine learning
Occicor – shelf management
Olymon Solutions – smart automation
Pivony – user-generated data
PowerDev – energy big data
Sav – finance
Searover – renewables
Swftbox – delivery
Trade Capital Partners – FinTech
Valorafutbol – sports and entertainment
Workfam – employee engagement
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
Women%E2%80%99s%20T20%20World%20Cup%20Qualifier
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The%20Specs
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to invest in gold
Investors can tap into the gold price by purchasing physical jewellery, coins and even gold bars, but these need to be stored safely and possibly insured.
A cheaper and more straightforward way to benefit from gold price growth is to buy an exchange-traded fund (ETF).
Most advisers suggest sticking to “physical” ETFs. These hold actual gold bullion, bars and coins in a vault on investors’ behalf. Others do not hold gold but use derivatives to track the price instead, adding an extra layer of risk. The two biggest physical gold ETFs are SPDR Gold Trust and iShares Gold Trust.
Another way to invest in gold’s success is to buy gold mining stocks, but Mr Gravier says this brings added risks and can be more volatile. “They have a serious downside potential should the price consolidate.”
Mr Kyprianou says gold and gold miners are two different asset classes. “One is a commodity and the other is a company stock, which means they behave differently.”
Mining companies are a business, susceptible to other market forces, such as worker availability, health and safety, strikes, debt levels, and so on. “These have nothing to do with gold at all. It means that some companies will survive, others won’t.”
By contrast, when gold is mined, it just sits in a vault. “It doesn’t even rust, which means it retains its value,” Mr Kyprianou says.
You may already have exposure to gold miners in your portfolio, say, through an international ETF or actively managed mutual fund.
You could spread this risk with an actively managed fund that invests in a spread of gold miners, with the best known being BlackRock Gold & General. It is up an incredible 55 per cent over the past year, and 240 per cent over five years. As always, past performance is no guide to the future.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
How tumultuous protests grew
- A fuel tax protest by French drivers appealed to wider anti-government sentiment
- Unlike previous French demonstrations there was no trade union or organised movement involved
- Demonstrators responded to online petitions and flooded squares to block traffic
- At its height there were almost 300,000 on the streets in support
- Named after the high visibility jackets that drivers must keep in cars
- Clashes soon turned violent as thousands fought with police at cordons
- An estimated two dozen people lost eyes and many others were admitted to hospital
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
SPECS
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The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Company%20Profile
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KLOPP%20AT%20LIVERPOOL
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Schedule for Asia Cup
Sept 15: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka (Dubai)
Sept 16: Pakistan v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 17: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 18: India v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 19: India v Pakistan (Dubai)
Sept 20: Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi) Super Four
Sept 21: Group A Winner v Group B Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 21: Group B Winner v Group A Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 23: Group A Winner v Group A Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 23: Group B Winner v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 25: Group A Winner v Group B Winner (Dubai)
Sept 26: Group A Runner-up v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 28: Final (Dubai)
How Voiss turns words to speech
The device has a screen reader or software that monitors what happens on the screen
The screen reader sends the text to the speech synthesiser
This converts to audio whatever it receives from screen reader, so the person can hear what is happening on the screen
A VOISS computer costs between $200 and $250 depending on memory card capacity that ranges from 32GB to 128GB
The speech synthesisers VOISS develops are free
Subsequent computer versions will include improvements such as wireless keyboards
Arabic voice in affordable talking computer to be added next year to English, Portuguese, and Spanish synthesiser
Partnerships planned during Expo 2020 Dubai to add more languages
At least 2.2 billion people globally have a vision impairment or blindness
More than 90 per cent live in developing countries
The Long-term aim of VOISS to reach the technology to people in poor countries with workshops that teach them to build their own device
The specs: 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali
Price, base / as tested Dh207,846 / Dh220,000
Engine 6.2L V8
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 420hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque 624Nm @ 4,100rpm
Fuel economy, combined 13.5L / 100km
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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