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By K.R. Nayar The Lanka Premier League once again lived up to its glamour and glory, proving it is among the best leagues in the world today. This league, which began two days after the conclusion of the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, ended on Sunday (July 21, 2024), with Jaffna Kings emerging as champions for the fourth time. Jaffna Kings displayed their authority through a nine-wicket win over Galle Marvels to lift the trophy they had won in the inaugural edition in 2020, as well as in 2021 and 2022. They regained the title they had lost to B-Love Kandy in 2023.   Jaffna Kings - champions for the fourth time   Though I was stranded due to the cyclone in Barbados soon after the World Cup following the Barbados International Airport being closed for three days, I have been closely following the contests in this league. I had reported on the 2023 edition of this league and talked about    the keen contests and the huge fan following for this event. Though this le...

By K.R. Nayar Sunil Gavaskar celebrated his 75th birthday in England on July 10. For me, this is the birthday of a role model who inspires and motivates me through his words and mere presence. Just watching him walk in or even sitting beside him reminds me that nothing is impossible if you stand up with positivity and aim for it. To celebrate his birthday, his dear friend, UAE-based businessman and cricket enthusiast Shyam Bhatia, created a book about him titled ‘Sunny G’ and presented it to him in the presence of Sachin Tendulkar, a cricketer who followed his footsteps to become another legend. Bhatia shared with me the videos and photos from the event, and it felt like I was there too at the Brasserie Restaurant in Central London attending his birthday celebration. Shyam Bhatia presents 'Sunny G' to Sunil Gavaskar  Those who attended the celebration included his brother-in-law Gundappa Vishwanath, and another of Gavaskar’s dear friends, former West Indies skipper Clive L...

By K.R. Nayar Attending   the funeral of someone so dear to every expatriate in the UAE was painful. Ram Buxani, who passed away on Monday (July 8, 2024), has been one of the UAE’s leading businessmen. He was not merely a businessman but a guardian of almost every expatriate. As I joined the walk with his mortal remains towards the electric crematorium at New Sonapur, I knew it was the final part of his historic journey in the UAE, which began as an 18-year-old in 1959. Many showered rose petals onto his body, and I felt that each petal was saying thank you to a man who took the ‘High Road’ and inspired many. His autobiography was rightly titled “Taking the High Road.”   Ram Buxani... the man who always greeted everyone with a smile  Buxani’s presence in the UAE gave the feeling of a protector for every expatriate. Many of those whom I spoke   to while waiting at the crematorium said that whenever they felt down and out or thought it was the end of the road for...

By K.R. Nayar Barbados Getting the opportunity to visit my favourite cricketer's final resting place before leaving Barbados was most heartening. Malcolm Marshall, one of West Indies' greatest pacers, who terrorized batsmen with his pace, is buried at St. Bartholomew’s Church. Standing in front of his grave brought back memories of his deadly deliveries that flustered batsmen and got them out. As if by instinct, I looked towards the right of his grave as he always ran in with a diagonal run-up towards the umpire and delivered the ball at an unplayable speed. Great feeling to stand besides the grave of the legendary Malcolm Marshall  Whenever he ran through batting line-ups, it used to be described as “Marshall Law declared.” He died young at the age of 41 due to colon cancer. The news of his death on November 4, 1999, sank the cricketing world into sorrow as he had played until 1995, appearing for Scotland after his last international match in 1992. He did unbelievable thin...

By K.R. Nayar From Barbados At a time when Associate countries created waves in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, Gurumurthy Palani, who has been playing a role in spreading the game among associate countries in various roles over the years is hoping to get elected to the ICC Board of Directors. Gurumurthy Palani (extreme right) with BCCI Secretary  Jay Shah and Mohammad Mansoor, Chairman Bahrain Cricket Federation   A banker by profession, Gurumurthy wants add more value to associate members. He carries with him 30 years of experience in banking, consulting and fintech along with his deep passion for the game. The role he has played in creating facilities, setting up a High Performance Academy and nurturing talent through various events in Bahrain, are examples. The reward for him was the progress that Bahrain could make and become a rising team. The development he brought about as Chief Development Officer for Bahrain Cricket Foundation also made him understand more about what...

By K.R. Nayar Bridgetown   Team India took the world by storm, winning the ICC T20 World Cup without losing a single match from the start. However, after lifting the trophy, they were stopped by a hurricane. The final was thrilling, and the joy following India’s win was immense; but within a few hours, the host country was battered by Hurricane Beryl. This hurricane originated in the Atlantic and intensified with sustained winds of 210 km/h. Team India was supposed to travel with the World Cup to receive a joyous welcome from their home fans, but unfortunately got stranded here since the airport was closed.   Provides coverage for Janam TV in Malayalam   At the time of writing this story, the hurricane had intensified to category 5 from category 4, with winds increasing to nearly 160 mph. Fortunately, it has changed trajectory and now moved towards Jamaica.   Personally, this has been a frightening experience. A few hours after midnight on Monday, the howling...