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New Zealand brace for unfamiliar opponents UAE

Published

1 month ago

2026/02/10

Priyan

Rachin Ravindra bagged a golden duck against Afghanistan (Cricinfo)

One misstep against Afghanistan in the 2024 T20 World Cup derailed New Zealand’s entire campaign. Two years later, New Zealand flipped the script despite injuries and illness, their opening win against Afghanistan in the group of death, which also includes South Africa, raising their chances of making the next round. Next up, an unfamiliar opponent: just six players in New Zealand’s 15-man squad have faced UAE in international cricket before.

New Zealand can rely on intel from Mark Chapman, who had come up against UAE more often when he was playing for Hong Kong, and Lockie Ferguson, who is more familiar with the UAE players owing to his stint in the ILT20 as Desert Vipers’ captain. They certainly won’t take UAE lightly – in 2023, a New Zealand side that included the likes of Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert and Chapman was toppled by UAE in Dubai.

For UAE, this is a chance for them to remind the world that they can challenge top teams after they had missed out on qualification for the 2024 T20 World Cup.

UAE have won just one of their six games at the T20 World Cup, but thanks to the ILT20, most of their players are up to speed with the format. Their captain Muhammad Waseem is a serial six-hitter while Alishan Sharafu can be just as explosive and float in the batting line-up. Left-arm spinner Haider Ali can stifle batters with his accuracy in the powerplay while fast bowler Junaid Siddique can nail yorkers.

UAE beat Bangladesh recently in a bilateral T20I series and gave Pakistan a scare in the Asia Cup. They will be hoping to add more scalps in international cricket.

Rachin Ravindra has had a rough build-up to this T20 World Cup. After illness forced him out of the warm-up game against USA in Navi Mumbai, he bagged a golden duck in New Zealand’s opening game against Afghanistan and conceded 14 runs in the only over he bowled, though he picked up the wicket of a well-set Gulbadin Naib. He will look to make a more substantial contribution on Tuesday.

When Muhammad Waseem gets going, he can cause serious damage, and New Zealand know that as well. The UAE captain has struck 190 sixes in 93 T20I innings and is just 16 away from toppling Rohit Sharma’s all time T20I record. He continues to be the face of UAE cricket in international cricket and the ILT20.

If Michael Bracewell, who is nursing a calf injury, doesn’t recover in time, New Zealand will likely stick with seam-bowling allrounder Jimmy Neesham though he conceded 33 runs in his three wicketless overs against Afghanistan. Finn Allen has been cleared to bat but his shoulder niggle has restricted him from throwing properly in the field. On Sunday, he was mostly at short fine leg and only engaged in under-arm throws.

New Zealand (probable): Finn Allen, Tim Seifert (wk), Glenn Phillips, Daryl Mitchell, Mark Chapman, Jimmy Neesham/Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner (capt), Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy

With UAE using Sharafu in the middle order, wicketkeeper-batter Aryansh Sharma will pair up with Waseem at the top. There may be a toss-up between Haider and Simranjeet Singh for the left-arm spinner’s spot. Muhammad Zohaib, who was supposed to slot in at No.3, has been sent back home due to “disciplinary issues,” according to a statement from the ECB. Sohaib Khan could potentially replace him in UAE’s XI.

UAE (probable): Aryansh Sharma (wk), Muhammad Waseem (capt), Alishan Sharafu, Sohaib Khan, Harshit Kaushik, Mayank Kumar, Dhruv Parashar, Muhammad Arfan, Haider Ali, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Jawadullah

(Cricinfo)

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Heat Index likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, North-western, Northern and North- central provinces and in Monaragala district

Published

5 hours ago

2026/03/27

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology
Issued at 3.30 p.m. on 26 March 2026, valid for 27 March 2026.

Thw Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, North-western, Northern and North-
central provinces and in Monaragala district.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum
temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491

Latest News

Israel says it has killed Iran’s navy chief overseeing Strait of Hormuz blockade

Published

6 hours ago

2026/03/27

Priyan

Israel says it has killed the Iranian navy chief overseeing what is a near-total blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Alireza Tangsiri, head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) navy, was “directly responsible for the terrorist act of bombing and blocking the Strait of Hormuz”, and has been “blown up”, according to Israel’s defence minister Israel Katz.

He added that a number of other “senior Navy command officials” have also been killed. Iran has not yet commented.

Since the start of the war on 28 February, Israel has assassinated several top Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and security chief Ali Larijani.

Effectively blockading the Strait of Hormuz – the thin waterway between Iran, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman, through which around 20% of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes – has been a key pillar of Iran’s strategy in the war.

Oil prices have consequently shot up, placing a direct price of the war on consumers in not only the US and Israel but across the world.

In recent weeks, an X account attributed to Tangsiri and cited by Iranian media has posted frequently about the Hormuz blockade, writing that “no vessel associated with the aggressors against Iran has the right to pass through”.

Tangsiri was appointed as the commander of the Navy in 2018, having previously served as deputy commander since 2010. In 2019, he was sanctioned by the US Treasury along with other IRGC commanders after Iran shot down a US surveillance drone near the strait.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Tangsiri as an individual with “a great deal of blood on his hands” and said his assassination was “yet another example of the co-operation between us and our friend, the United States, toward the common goal of achieving the objectives of the war”.

US Central Command said in a statement Tangsiri’s death “makes the region safer” and that the IRGC’s navy “is on an irreversible decline”. It also called on serving members of the IRGC to abandon their posts and return home “to avoid further risk of unnecessary injury or death”.

Israel’s military said in a statement posted on X that the head of the IRGC Navy’s intelligence directorate, Behnam Rezaei, was also “eliminated”.

(BBC)

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A strong Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system equips individuals with practical, relevant, and future-oriented skills helping to innovate responsibly towards a greener and sustainable future – PM

Published

17 hours ago

2026/03/26

Priyan

The Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated as the Chief Guest in the international conference on ’Transforming TVET Systems for climate resilience and green jobs’ organized by Colombo Plan Staff College, Philippines together with the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Sri Lanka on 24 th of March at Courtyard by Marriott Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The Conference serves as the flagship event of the five-day Regional Programme on “Transforming TVET for a Digital, Green, and Inclusive Economy” (23-27 March 2026), which continues throughout the week, bringing together representatives from CPSC member countries including Bhutan, Fiji, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, fostering high-level dialogue and knowledge sharing on climate-resilient and green skills development.

The Conference features technical and plenary sessions on climate-responsive TVET systems, green skills development, national policy frameworks, and emerging technologies shaping industry transformation.

Addressing at the event, the Prime Minister emphasized the role of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) that equips individuals with practical, relevant, and future-oriented skills in addressing climate change and shaping a sustainable future.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed that this transformation remains a national priority for Sri Lanka. She stressed that education must go beyond knowledge dissemination to empower individuals with opportunities, dignity, and the capacity to contribute meaningfully to society.

She further emphasized the need to integrate environmental sustainability into education and training systems by embedding green skills in curricula, investing in modern training facilities, promoting innovation, and fostering collaboration between training institutions and emerging green industries.

Highlighting the importance of ensuring equity the Prime Minister further stated, that opportunities arising from the green transition must be accessible to all, including youth, young women, people with special needs, and marginalized communities.

Reaffirming Sri Lanka’s commitment to working closely with regional and international partnerships, the Prime Minister emphasized the importance of transforming them to actual benefits and partnerships.

The occasion was attended by the Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Nalaka Kaluwewa, Additional Secretary (Vocational Training) Ms. Samanthi Senanayake Director General Colombo Plan Staff College Prof. Dr. Suresh K. Dhameja , TVET administrators, institutional leaders, policymakers, instructors, industry representatives, and international delegates from across the region and seniors officials and officials from Ministries.

(Prime Minister’s Media division)