India's National Sport - Cricket

The GOD and his 50 centuries..!!!!

2010-12-22T19:50:00.000+05:30

No. 1: Sachin Tendulkar saved the Old Trafford Test for India in 1990 with an unbeaten 119 in the final innings. At 17 years and 112 days, he was only a month older than Mushtaq Mohammad was when he had become Test cricket's youngest centurion. Wisden noted: "He looked the embodiment of India's famous opener, Gavaskar, and indeed was wearing a pair of his pads."

No. 2: "This little prick's going to end up with more runs than you, AB," Merv Hughes said as Tendulkar wrecked Shane Warne's debut with an unbeaten 148 at the SCG in 1992. He was the youngest boy to score a Test century in Australia.

No. 3: On a lethal pitch at the WACA in 1992, Tendulkar made 114 against an attack that included Craig McDermott and Merv Hughes, scoring the bulk of his runs with square cuts. "That is when I felt that, yes, now I am here to play cricket anywhere in the world, any bowling attack and I am confident enough to tackle them," he would say, years later.

No. 4: On his way to 111 at the Wanderers in 1992, Tendulkar, at 19 years and 217 days, became the youngest batsman to reach 1000 Test runs, displacing Kapil Dev. "In my era, I think he's the best player I've ever had the pleasure of playing against," Allan Donald, who bowled to Tendulkar in that match, said in 2007.

No. 5: His first century in India was against England in 1993 in Madras, a venue at which he would play many more memorable innings. "Tendulkar's six-hour 165 - including 24 fours and a six - was a gem but, had a third umpire, using TV replay, been on hand to review a run-out attempt by Lewis when he was on 9, India might not have made such a conclusive total," Wisden reported.

No. 6: Tendulkar's second-innings 104 at the SSC in 1993 was his first century in Sri Lanka. It helped set up India's first Test victory in the country. He provided the thrust that allowed India to make a declaration and complete the win late on the final day.

No. 7: A 142 in India's innings-victory against Sri Lanka in Lucknow in 1994. "The home team's start was uninspiring, the openers struggled to find their rhythm against Wickremasinghe ..." Wisden reported. "Not until mid-afternoon, when the assured Tendulkar helped place conditions in perspective, did India resemble the side so used to dominating visiting teams."

No. 8: Tendulkar's 179 in Nagpur in 1994 was his first hundred against the West Indians and it remained his highest score until his maiden double-century in 1999. He got to this century by hooking Courtney Walsh for six.

No. 9: Tendulkar made 122 out of 219 in the second innings at Edgbaston in 1996. No other batsman reached 20. "It will be difficult for India to get back into the series having lost the first Test. However, if one player can make it possible it is Tendulkar," Imran Khan wrote in the Daily Telegraph. "His hundred in the second innings was pure class. His compact defence and freedom of strokes on both sides of the wicket with a straight or a horizontal bat makes me feel that he might break all batting records - especially as he is even younger than Brian Lara."

No. 10: A 177 at Trent Bridge in 1996 helped ensure Tendulkar was Wisden's Cricketer of the Year. "Tendulkar averages over 50 in Tests and is the supreme right-hander, if not quite the finest batsman, on the planet. He is a focused technician, who offers a counterpoint to Brian Lara's more eye-catching destruction, fuelled on flair and ego," Wisden said. "He has, it seems, been around for ever. In the third Test at Trent Bridge last summer, he scored 177, the tenth century of his Test career and his second of the series: yet remarkably, at 23, Tendulkar was younger than any member of the England team, with only Dominic Cork and Min Patel born even in the same decade."

No. 11: Tendulkar's 169 at Newlands in 1997 was part of a thrilling stand with Mohammad Azharuddin. They added 222 in 40 overs. Tendulkar carried on after his partner fell, and helped India avoid the follow-on. He was eventually the last man out, and it needed one of the great out-field catches of all time from Adam Bacher to end it.

No. 12: Tendulkar's 143 allowed India to declare on 537 for 8 at the Premadasa Stadium in 1997. Sri Lanka's riposte was 952. Tendulkar said the pitch was "unfit for Test cricket", adding: "If we had lost the toss and batted second, we could also have played a massive innings. We only lost wickets because we took chances and looked for runs."

No. 13: In the very next Test, Tendulkar scored 139 in another high-scoring contest at the SSC in Colombo.

No. 14: Another century against Sri Lanka, this time in Mumbai in 1997. Tendulkar toiled for 71 minutes for 8 runs on the first day but found his touch on the second, moving from 87 to 99 with successive sixes off Kumar Dharmasena. During his innings of 148, Tendulkar went past 4000 Test runs, and his 256-run stand with Sourav Ganguly was an Indian record for the fourth wicket.

No. 15: The torment of Australia, and Warne, continued in Chennai, where Tendulkar made 155 in 1998. The contest between the two champions was among the best Ian Chappell had watched. "The defining moment came just after lunch, when Warne went round the wicket with Tendulkar having just passed his fifty," Chappell wrote on ESPNcricinfo. "Tendulkar took to his offerings like a kid offered a lolly-shop gift voucher. A brace of sixes and fours from lofted sweep/pull shots to the midwicket region convinced Warne to abort this tactic. Tendulkar's preparatory work had proved to be a masterstroke."

No. 16: Tendulkar scored 177 out of the 281 runs India added while he was at the crease against Australia in Bangalore in 1998. Wisden said he was "impossible to contain" and on the second morning Tendulkar scored 60 off 64 balls, before falling to little-known Adam Dale.

No. 17: At Napier in 1990, Tendulkar had fallen 12 short of becoming the youngest Test centurion. Eight years later, in Wellington, he made his first Test hundred in New Zealand off 123 balls.

No 18: Tendulkar's 136, a masterclass made with a spasming back, took India to the verge of victory against Pakistan in Chennai in 1999, but the tail collapsed after he was dismissed with only 17 to get. "Because he was such a big player and in awesome form at the time, we were all pretty sure that Sachin was going to win the game for them," Moin Khan, Pakistan's wicketkeeper at the time, said years later. "But as soon as we got him out, it became obvious to us that we would win - in those days India's reliance on him was much greater than it is now."

No. 19: Tendulkar made an unbeaten 124 in the third innings of a nondescript Test at the SSC in 1999, which ended in a draw.

No. 20: Having spent a month recovering from back trouble, Tendulkar scored a valuable second-innings century - 126 not out - that helped India post 505 for 3 after they had collapsed for 83 in the first innings against New Zealand at Mohali in 1999.

No. 21: Tendulkar scored his first double-century - 217 against New Zealand at Motera in 1999 - in his 71st Test.

No. 22: Tendulkar made 116 out of a total of 238 at the MCG in 1999, a Test India lost by 180 runs. "Somewhat unsurprisingly, it was yet again the brilliant Tendulkar who was answering the unenviable call to shore up India's battered defences," wrote John Polack. "After an engrossing battle with a bouncer-hungry McGrath had kept him subdued through the early part of his stay, he gradually began to increase his scoring rate with a number of beautifully crafted strokes ... Quite simply, his sense of assurance and sheer range of shots against an adroitly rotated attack were perfectly applied in these hostile circumstances."

No 23: An extract from ESPNcricinfo's report from the day: Tendulkar made 122 against Zimbabwe at the Kotla in 2000, John Wright's first Test as India coach. "Earlier, Tendulkar was visibly miffed with himself. On a flat batting track, against a friendly Zimbabwean attack, he got himself out for just 122. The way Tendulkar was batting, that should have been just the beginning. After flaying Brian Strang for three boundaries in the first over of the day, Tendulkar pounced on anything loose ... each one was a shot of class."

No. 24: The unbeaten 201 against Zimbabwe in Nagpur in 2000 was the 50th international century of Tendulkar's career. He was the first batsman to score so many. Sunil Gavaskar, Viv Richards and Desmond Haynes, all retired, had 35 hundreds, and Mark Waugh 31 at the time.

No. 25: The 126 in Chennai against Australia in 2001 helped India win one of the greatest series of all time. He reached the century with his second six, off Colin Miller, and also hit 15 fours. Three came in an over from Shane Warne. Two were played to the fine-leg boundary after which, Warne, bowling from round the wicket, bounced Tendulkar, who responded with an upper-cut to the third-man boundary.

No. 26: Another hundred in defeat - 155 in Bloemfontein in 2001 - on Virender Sehwag's debut. During the innings Tendulkar, at 28 years and 193 days, became the youngest to score 7000 runs. He reached his century off 114 balls and at one point had hit eight fours in 18 deliveries. "I didn't want to think about what was coming next," Tendulkar said afterwards. "I thought let's just deal with the present. My first line to him [Sehwag] when he came in was `I know you're tense. You're never going to be this tense again, so enjoy the moment'."

No. 27: His 103 at Motera in 2001 was more than a third of India's first-innings total against England. "Tendulkar was supreme in the afternoon, ridiculing England's packed off-side fields by whipping balls from outside off through the leg side at will," Wisden reported. "Hussain's captaincy was enthusiastic, clear-sighted and, at times, uncompromisingly negative: he never allowed the game to drift, marshalled his limited resources intelligently and posed Tendulkar question upon question, most of which were answered perfectly."

No. 28: Tendulkar's 176 against Zimbabwe in Nagpur 2001 set up India's innings victory. The century took him to one fewer than Don Bradman's tally of 29.

No. 29: Tendulkar's 117 - his first Test century in the West Indies - helped India win a tense Test in Trinidad by 37 runs in 2001. "Following a difficult start - on 6, he survived a confident claim for a catch at the wicket off Sanford - Tendulkar settled to build his 29th Test hundred, which put him level with Don Bradman, though he had taken 93 Tests to Bradman's 52," Wisden reported. "It was a resolute rather than commanding innings."

No. 30: Tendulkar scored 193 in his 99th Test, at Headlingley in 2002, contributing significantly to India's innings-and-46-run victory. "The beauty of Tendulkar is the ability to make shots that the merely very good players cannot - and the wiser 29-year-old model even does it without risk," wrote Rahul Bhattacharya in the Guardian. "His wrists are a curious mix of clay and steel: able to take any shape, then, trading suppleness for force for the briefest moment that bat meets ball. Yesterday he swirled his way about on the onside as if it was his very own version of leg theory."

No. 31: India were 11 for 2, needing to erase a 139-run deficit against West Indies, when Tendulkar rallied with 176 to save the game in Kolkata, 2002. "It has been said innumerable times in the past, most loudly by his critics, that Tendulkar fails to make runs when India need it the most," wrote Anand Vasu for Cricinfo. "Today ... not being altogether destructive, or indeed too defensive, Tendulkar remained unbeaten on 114 as the players walked off the field."

No. 32: Tendulkar ended a two-year fallow period with an unbeaten 241 at the SCG in 2004, an innings in which he cut out shots between mid-off and point because he was falling to them. "I would put this innings right at the top of my hundreds," he said. "I am happy that I was able to maintain the discipline throughout the innings. Things had gone wrong a couple of times with my shot selection, and I knew I had to cut out a few strokes."

No. 33: The 194 in Multan in 2004 was controversial. Tendulkar, who was batting slowly, was denied a shot at a double-century when Rahul Dravid declared as India pushed for victory. "Even the greatest have their goals, dreams and milestones, and a double-century against Pakistan in Pakistan would have been a memory to treasure," John Wright, India's coach, wrote in his book. "After a sleepless night, I spoke to Tendulkar who confirmed that he'd wanted the team to cut him some slack. Then he and Dravid talked it through and resolved the matter."

No. 34: The 248 in Dhaka in 2004 was Tendulkar's highest score and it brought him level with Sunil Gavaskar's world record number of centuries. "I said to him my expectations are higher and I want not 40 but 50 Test hundreds from him," Gavaskar said. "When I saw Sachin play a flick wide of mid-on in the nets for the [Ranji] Probables team I knew here was a special talent."

No. 35: The 109 against Sri Lanka at the Kotla in 2005 gave Tendulkar the world record. "His 35th hundred was not his prettiest. A large part of it was a struggle," wrote Sambit Bal. "But it will remain a memorable one. And who knows, it could even be a liberating one. How his career shapes from here might depend on how much freedom he grants himself."

No. 36: The 101 in Chittagong in 2007 came 17 months, 10 Tests and 17 innings after No. 35, the longest gap Tendulkar endured between centuries. "After 17 years, I don't think I have a point to prove," Tendulkar said. "I would dedicate this to my father as it was his eighth death anniversary yesterday. So, this one was pretty emotional."

No. 37: The unbeaten 122 in the next Test in Dhaka wasn't pretty. "Tendulkar couldn't improvise and play a scoring shot when deceived by the slowness of the wicket," Sidharth Monga wrote for Cricinfo. "Not long ago, you'd describe him as a batsman who had two shots for every ball; here he was struggling to do anything more than nudge it to leg. It was all the more painful to see him make the conditions and bowling look more difficult than they probably were."

No. 38: An unbeaten 154 at the SCG in 2008, aka Monkeygate. "Commit all your crimes when Sachin is batting," one banner read. "They will go unnoticed because even the Lord is watching." Another said: "Sachin Cricket Ground." Tendulkar called the SCG "one of my favourite grounds . Sometimes you walk on the field and it gives you good feelings. It is one of those grounds."

No. 39: A 153 at the Adelaide Oval, his first at Don Bradman's home ground, in 2007-08. "Unless his nerve fails him or batting becomes a chore, Tendulkar will be back in 2012," wrote Peter Roebuck in the Sydney Morning Herald. "Far from losing focus, he looks eager. Rejecting the captaincy helped him to renew his vitality. After a struggle, he has come to terms with age; has learnt to combine the singles of experience with the boundaries of youth."

No. 40: A 109 in Sourav Ganguly's final Test helped India win the series against Australia 2-0 in Nagpur in 2008. "I know I am batting well, but I was not getting to the three-figure landmark. But I don't think that is everything," Tendulkar said. "I have gone in at crucial [stages] at almost four or five times and I have been able to play. That is very satisfying, when you deliver when the team needs the most."
No. 41: Tendulkar's match-winning 103 in a run-chase against England in Chennai, less than a month after Mumbai was attacked in 2008. "He's 35 years old and owns practically every batting record in the game, but you couldn't escape the feeling that this was probably Sachin Tendulkar's finest hour," wrote Dileep Premachandran. "To score the winning runs in a record-shattering chase was special enough, but when that last stroke also brought up your 41st century, it became ineffably so."

No. 42: A 160 in Hamilton in 2009 was the bedrock of a victory that led to India's series win. "When will Tendulkar retire? Answer: when it suits him. But he'll certainly be around until the 2011 World Cup," wrote David Leggat in the New Zealand Herald. "That gives him two years at least. Eight more centuries give him 50. He's got 43 in ODIs. A double of 50 in each form of the game has a nice ring to it. It is certainly within his capabilities."

No. 43: An unbeaten 100 on a flat pitch at Motera in 2009 helped India draw the Test against Sri Lanka, after the visitors had amassed 760 in their first innings. It ensured Sri Lanka stayed without a Test win in India.
No. 44: Sehwag called Bangladesh an ordinary side before the Chittagong Test in 2009 and Tendulkar's unbeaten 105 was needed to prop India up to 243 in the first innings, in a match they eventually won. ©AFP

No. 45: The 143 against Bangladesh in Mirpur in the next Test was a relatively quick one. It took 182 balls and led to India's ten-wicket win. ©Associated Press

No. 46: A second-innings 100 from Tendulkar couldn't prevent South Africa from steam-rolling India by an innings and six runs in Nagpur in February 2010

No. 47: The 106 in Kolkata helped India level the series against South Africa and stay No. 1 in Tests. "Watching him bat can be a demoralising experience for those on the other side. He knows his game so well, and seldom does anything more than is required," Cricinfo reported. "With Tendulkar these days, as opposed to the man who eviscerated Shane Warne in Chennai and Bangalore in 1998, patience is a weapon used to wear down bowlers."

No. 48: Sri Lanka declared on 642 for 4 at the SSC and India slipped from 165 for 0 to 241 for 4. Tendulkar scored his 48th century and converted it into a double, giving India the lead. "Yesterday when I got into the dressing room, I had a long ice bath. I was in the ice tub for a while. Then I did some stretches, had an early dinner, and I was in bed by 8.30," he said. "For almost all four days, I have been on the field. It's been demanding on the body, but it's held up pretty well."

No. 49: A 214 in Bangalore helped secure India's 2-0 win against Australia in 2010. "On his last tour of Australia, Tendulkar was given rapturous ovations by an adoring public each time he went in or out. But the Australians might not have seen the last of him," wrote Sambit Bal. "Fifty Test hundreds are but a formality. A hundred international hundreds are there for the taking. Tendulkar, though, endures not in the pursuit of milestones, but because he can't fall out of love with cricket."

And Last but not the least as we can truly say
No. 50: India began their second innings in Centurion with a deficit for 484 and were reduced to 277 for 6. Tendulkar rallied, along with Dhoni, and his century changed India's prospects of saving the game from impossible to improbable

IPL 2010 Statistics

2010-03-17T16:32:00.002+05:30

TEAM STATISTICS

	MAT	WON	LOST	PTS	NET RR
DD	2	2	0	4	+0.10
KXIP	3	2	1	4	-0.64
DC	2	1	1	2	+0.50
MI	1	1	0	2	+0.20
KXIP	2	0	2	0	-0.42
RCB	2	1	1	2	+0.11
CSK	2	1	1	2	+0.60
RR	2	0	2	0	-0.80

Delhi Daredevlis and Mumbai Indians are looking in a great touch.

IPL III BEGINS

2010-03-12T11:59:00.002+05:30

Grand Opening ceremony today in DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai!

Match - 1 : Deccan Chargers vs Kolkata Knight Riders

Commences 8 pm (IST) 10 March 2010

Knight riders:

Deccan Chargers:

You can now watch IPL III on youtube here: http://www.youtube.com/ipl

Pakistan won T20 world cup 2009

2009-06-21T23:11:00.002+05:30

He is the man who bought the victory to Pakistan. He played outstanding cricket in semifinal and final to seize the championship with ease.

toons

2009-05-18T12:26:00.000+05:30

Toons

2009-05-18T12:04:00.003+05:30

Hurrray .. R.P. Singh

2009-05-07T13:30:00.001+05:30

RP Singh is the coolest dude in IPL .. taking wickets after wickets :)

SRK Trapped

2009-04-29T21:39:00.000+05:30

SRK cries day and night .. KKR ko le ke fas gaya yar :( :( :( :(

Flop show continues with Gauti and Viru

2009-04-28T20:42:00.002+05:30

Rajasthan Royals are looking in great spirit to go for a KILLER !!

Again a flop show by Viru and Gauti led Delhi Daredevils in a dirty soup.

BIG Fight .. God of Cricket v/s Lord of Bengal !!

2009-04-27T20:13:00.004+05:30

Tendulkar took Mumbai to a blazing start with boundaries and sixers flowing off his bat all around the ground. Jaysurya complemented him with blasts of sixes and fours, got his fifty off just 26 balls.

Chris Gayle hit the 150th six of IPL 2009 when he hit Bravo over long on in the 3rd over of the innings.
This is the biggest margin of victory in IPL 2009 (in terms of runs).
This was the second time that Kolkata were dismissed under 100 against Mumbai. They were dismissed for 67 against Mumbai in IPL 2008.
Mumbai Indians were 61/0 at the end of the powerplay, which is their highest total after 6 overs.
The 127-run opening stand was the highest partnership for any wicket in IPL 2009.
The opening stand between Sachin and Jayasuriya was only the second hundred-plus partnership of the season.

KKR gonna lose again !! Beware fighting spoilt brats ... you are fighting against Mumbai Indian's..

Know the LEAGUE LEADERS :)

2009-04-27T17:34:00.002+05:30

Matthew Hayden(Chennai)

* Matches: 3
* Runs: 166
* Balls: 97

* SR: 171.13
* Avg: 55.33
* HS: 65

RP Singh (Hyderabad)

* Matches: 3
* Avg: 8.25
* SR: 8.7

* Wickets: 8
* Econ: 5.65

Updates from points table

2009-04-27T15:47:00.001+05:30

Indian Premier League Team Standings - 2009

Team	P	W	L	Pts	NRR
Deccan Chargers	3	3	0	6	+1.627
Delhi Daredevils	3	3	0	6	+0.684
Kings XI Punjab	4	2	2	4	+0.271
Chennai SuperKings	4	1	2	3	+1.067
Mumbai Indians	3	1	1	3	+0.175
Kolkata Knight Riders	4	1	2	3	-0.887
Rajasthan Royals	4	1	2	3	-1.700
Bangalore Royal Challengers	5	1	4	2	-0.596

P : Played	W : Won
L : Lost	Pts : Points
NRR: Net Run Rate

Dhoni v/s Gilli ... questioning super gamesmanship !!

2009-04-27T14:55:00.005+05:30

Chennai Super Kings 165/6 (20.0/20 ov)

Cricket is a game of uncertainty and is changing its course everyday. Chennai started their season II journey with blasts. They were looking unbeatable at one point of time. But, then a loss and a washout in two successive games led them in soup. Now they have to go for a kill today to prove their worth.

The most promising team in this season is undoubtedly - Gilli's Deccan Chargers. They are all together a different team this year. Adam's gamesmanship helped the team to rise and prove their challenge. Gibbs and his opening pair is almost equivalent to Gauti's and Viru's for Delhi Daredevils.

No doubt, this match will be a nail biting game with fires from both ends.

Pathan bros against each other :)

2009-04-26T21:27:00.000+05:30

Kevin Peterson pulling his team !!

2009-04-26T19:09:00.002+05:30

Nothing worked out !

No time to write

2009-04-25T05:08:00.001+05:30

So just uploading random pics :)

Bangalore vs Kings XI

2009-04-24T20:15:00.008+05:30

Kings XI Punjab won by 7 wickets (with 6 balls remaining)

Ravi Bopara played a fine innings and then Yuvi finished off the game with sixes and fours all around the ground.

Personal information

Full name	Ravinder Singh Bopara
Born	4 May 1985 (1985-05-04) (age 23) Forest Gate, London, England
Nickname	Puppy
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.8 m)
Batting style	Right-handed
Bowling style	Right-arm medium
Role	All-rounder

Kings XI Punjab 173/3 (19.0/20 ov)
Bangalore Final Score : 168/9 in 20.0 overs

Bangalore Royal Challengers won the toss and elected to bat

Updates from POINT TABLE

2009-04-24T19:25:00.000+05:30

Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	N/R	Pts	Net RR
Deccan Chargers	2	2	0	0	0	4	+2.158
Delhi Daredevils	2	2	0	0	0	4	+0.985
Mumbai Indians	2	1	0	0	1	3	+0.950
Rajasthan Royals	3	0	1	1	1	3	-1.875
Chennai	3	1	2	0	0	2	+1.067
Bangalore	3	1	2	0	0	2	-0.683
Kolkata	3	1	1	1	0	2	-0.887
Kings XI Punjab	2	0	2	0	0	0	-1.779

Next Match : Kolkata vs Rajasthan

2009-04-23T20:11:00.015+05:30

YUSUF played in a magical way.. won the game for his team !!!! Hats offffffffff

YUSUF was magical !!!!! He won the match for his team 6 6 2 4 in the superover !!!!!

Match tied.. super over will decide the fate :) :) :) :)

Who can forget the last IPL final tie match. BOWL out favored Indians. But now the scene is changed. Each team will select two players - one to bowl and one to bat - for what will be called a Super Over. Whichever pair scores the most will win.

Ganguly departs. 2 runs needed from the last ball.

Kolkata needs 2 runs from 1 ball :)

Yo !! I had predicted 150 as the final scores for Rajasthan Royals, and today I was true.

Ganguly is on the crease and seems like they will win this game.

Predicted score: Rajasthan Royals: 150

Kolkata Knight Riders won the toss and elected to field

It is raining at Capetown at the moment and it is getting heavier.

Venue: Newlands, Cape Town

Much awaited play of IPL : Today at Durban

2009-04-23T12:42:00.010+05:30

A master piece of sensible bowling and fielding shown by Delhi Daredevils turned a sharp win over Chennai Super Kings.

Chennai Super Kings 180/9 (20.0/20 ov)
Delhi Daredevils 189/5 (20/20 ov)

Highest score of IPL - II. What a fantastic game.

Delhi Daredevils' AB de Villiers scored his maiden IPL hundred against Chennai Super Kings at Kingsmead, Durban

Gambhir departs on the first ball !!

Chennai Super Kings v Delhi Daredevils,

IPL, Durban

Its gonna be a high-voltage game as Mc Grath is planning to play this game. One side is the rock solid player Mathew Hayden, and on the other side are the two best openers - Gautum Gambhir and Sehwag.

Royal Challengers vs Deccan Chargers!

2009-04-22T16:56:00.012+05:30

Deccan Chargers won by 24 runs

DRAVID GO DOWN FIGHTING .. Dravid and Kohli gave a good fight and knocked every delivery.

Rahul Dravid	c V Rao b S Styris	48	27	5	2	177.78
Virat Kohli	c H Gibbs b RP Singh	50	31	7	0	161.29

Kevin Peterson failed again. He scored 11 runs in 15 balls. Dravid is the highest scorer in IPL this year and have proved everyone including Vijay Mallya wrong. Bravo Dravid, we wish you good luck for the tournament.

Predicted Score of Deccans: 190
Actual Score:184/6 (20.0 Ovs)

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BLR: 160/8 (20.0 Ovs)

Adam Gilchrist c Kohli b Pietersen 71 (45b 6x4 5x6) SR: 157.77

v/s

Gilchrist opened the firing asault ;)

Deccan Chargers won the toss and elected to bat

April 22, 2009
Start time 16.30pm (14.30GMT)

Rain Rain Go Away !

2009-04-22T13:18:00.003+05:30

Yesterday we rushed early to home from office. Everyone was waiting for Shane Warne vs Sachin Tendulkar's game. I covered 14 kms in 20mins on my bike via Western Exp Highway in Mumbai.

But the match got abandoned without a ball bowled. It was really disappointing.

We all want to see the two Gods of cricket on the field facing each other.. but real God seems pretty indifferent.

Updates : Kolkata Knight Riders vs Kings XI Punjab

2009-04-21T15:55:00.020+05:30

Kolkata Knight Riders 79/1 (9.2/20 ov)

Rain Delayed the MATCH

Kings XI Punjab 158/6 (20.0/20 ov)

Fourth Wkt: KC Sangakkara run out 26 (24b 2x4 0x6) SR: 108.33

Third Wkt: RS Bopara c McCullum b Ganguly 15 (15b 2x4 0x6) SR: 100.00

Second Wkt: IK Pathan c Kartik b Ganguly 32 (17b 5x4 1x6) SR: 188.23

First Wkt : K Goel c Gayle b Sharma 0 (7b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00

=-========-=========-====

Kolkata have won the toss and opted to bowl. Yashpal Singh comes in place of Agarkar, who bowled just one over that left nothing in the game.

Dada has to prove himself otherwise I have a job for him ;-)

Updates: Chennai vs Bangalore

2009-04-20T23:11:00.003+05:30

Final Scores:

Chennai Super Kings 179/5 (20/20 ov)
Bangalore RC 87 (15.2/20 ov)

Chennai Super Kings won by 92 runs

Powerful batting and superb bowling helped Chennai Super Kings to win the match. Hayden was at his best and he destroyed the bowling line up of Bangalore Royal Challengers. Hayden and Parthiv Patel provided just the start MS Dhoni would have wanted after he won the toss, sprinting to 106 in 10 overs. Hayden was at his bullying best, and the hallmarks of his batting were on view: the walk-down-the-track to club the quicks, the muscular sweeps against the spinners.

Kevin P at the presentation ceremony responded : "We didn't turn up, didn't we? May as well have stayed back in Cape Town, and given them two points." And he had a smile on his face ;-)

Murali gets Man-of-the-Match award. "Hayden deserves the Man-of-the-Match award," Murali says. "If the pitches turn like this, I will enjoy the tournament."

Updates from POINTS TABLE and boundary meter

2009-04-20T17:52:00.003+05:30

Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Pts	Net RR	For	Against
Bangalore	1	1	0	2	+3.750	133/20.0	58/20.0
Delhi Daredevils	1	1	0	2	+3.167	58/4.5	53/6.0
Deccan Chargers	1	1	0	2	+2.849	104/13.1	101/20.0
Mumbai Indians	1	1	0	2	+0.950	165/20.0	146/20.0
Chennai	1	0	1	0	-0.950	146/20.0	165/20.0
Kolkata	1	0	1	0	-2.849	101/20.0	104/13.1
Kings XI Punjab	1	0	1	0	-3.167	53/6.0	58/4.5
Rajasthan Royals	1	0	1	0	-3.750	58/20.0	133/20.0

Boundary Meter:

4s = 74
6s = 31

Call for the Veterans

2009-04-20T13:26:00.004+05:30

IPL is taking a different turn this year. The series looks real challenge for Shane Warne and McCullum/Ganguly. Strategies and learning gained in the last IPL is no where similar this year. Veteran players like Sachin, Dravid and Laxman are proving their worth in this format of the game. This year, bowlers are having good time on the ground. Also, days for Veterans are now back.

A blog from Vikas Singh on TOI is speaking the ultimate truth. We never know !! Seems like Warne may call back Kaif :) :)

Source:

SOS: Warney, call back Kaif Vikas Singh - Sunday April 19, 2009

"Let's start with the debacle that befell the defending champs on Saturday. In a previous blog, written after Rajasthan Royals lost to South African T20 champs Cape Cobras in a practice match, I'd said it was to early to get worried. Well, Shane Warne should now press the panic button -- namely, the speed dial on his phone for Mohammad Kaif. When Kaif was sent home after the Rajasthan Royals squad was pruned, I wondered if the usually canny Warne had missed a trick. Now, I'm convinced he has."

Keep a track on BHAJJI !!

2009-04-20T10:12:00.003+05:30

Here are few lines from Bhajji's blog posted on 19th april. He is enjoying himself a lot as perfectly he said "Spinners ki balle balle !!"

Source : http://bhajji.bigadda.com/

" I should be modest but still would like to give myself a tap on my shoulder as I am also in the list of players who helped their team in their own small way. When I came into ball, two most destructive players of the present day cricketing world were at the crease, ‘Mathew Hayden and Andrew Flintoff’. It was very important to break this partnership otherwise in few overs they could have taken the game away. I got rid of Flintoff and didn’t give away many runs. So far so good. "

For reading more about Bhajji .. keep visiting http://bhajji.bigadda.com/ . Its actually interesting and funny too.

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Deccan Chargers !

2009-04-19T21:10:00.008+05:30

Finally, Deccan Chargers wrapped up the game very early. They won by 8 wickets. Kolkata Knight Riders were no where in the match and Deccan over-ruled the game in all the three areas - bowling, batting and fielding. Agarkar's over was the costiliest one and made the play easy for Deccan's. Poor batting lineup of KKR and a poor bowling attack made an easy day for Deccan's. Ganguly was as vulnerable with bat as with the bowl. Agarkar got an answer again why he is out of the international side. Gilli and Gibbs are still the greatest star in the cricket history and they proved their worth.

Rohit Sharma played a superb inning and won the match in a magical way by hitting fours and sixes all around the ground.

My good wishes to Deccan Chargers. I wish if Mr. Khan can concentrate more on game strategy rather than ads and songs. This proved today.. "Money can't buy everything"

Thats all for the day. Here is your author -Ritesh Ambastha, hoping for more fun and real good games in the coming days. Good night readers !!

Cheers !!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deccan Chargers are on their way to finish off this game in hurry. Agarkar was costly - 17 runs in an over. Match is no where in hands of Kolkata KR. Sorry rahega Shahrukh ;-)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

v/s

Much awaited game is delayed due to rain. Kolkata has won the toss and are ready to BAT first. It is being confirmed that this will be 20 overs match.

Dravid surprised himself ;-)

2009-04-19T20:04:00.002+05:30

A determined Dravid though batted with elan and patience and proved his worth in bowler friendly conditions. Yeterday, his innings was a good mixture of aggression and control as it lifted his team from the pits to a fighting position. He played one of the finest innings in his T20 career. He fired fours and sixes all around the ground. No doubt, he was at his best !!

Updates from POINTS TABLE

2009-04-19T19:58:00.001+05:30

Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Pts	Net RR	For	Against
Bangalore	1	1	0	2	+3.750	133/20.0	58/20.0
Delhi Daredevils	1	1	0	2	+3.333	58/4.5	104/12.0
Mumbai Indians	1	1	0	2	+0.950	165/20.0	146/20.0
Chennai	1	0	1	0	-0.950	146/20.0	165/20.0
Kings XI Punjab	1	0	1	0	-3.333	104/12.0	58/4.5
Rajasthan Royals	1	0	1	0	-3.750	58/20.0	133/20.0

Veeru vs Yuvi

2009-04-19T17:10:00.006+05:30

Delhi Daredevils won the match by 10wkts.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Delhi Daredevils Score: 20/0 RAIN HAS STOPPED THE PLAY

Its raining too heavy, and the umbrellas/raincoats are out. This could be the end. Hope for the best !!

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Kings XI Score: 104/7 in 12 overs

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Kings XI won the toss and decided to bat first.

Remember, this match is of 12 overs only !!

Rain Rain .. came again ! Toss delayed

2009-04-19T16:39:00.002+05:30

The toss for the third match of the Indian Premier League between Delhi Daredevils and Kings XI Punjab is delayed to rain at Newlands in Cape Town .

1st Day updates

2009-04-19T07:31:00.002+05:30

Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Superstars:

Final Scores: Mumbai Indians 166 for 7 (Tendulkar 59*, Nayar 35) beat Chennai Super Kings 145 for 7 (Hayden 44, Malinga 3-15) by 19 runs

Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Rajasthan Royals:

Bangalore Royals bundled out Rajasthan Royals to the second lowest total inn Twenty20 history. There may be plenty of fresh faces but it was the old hands, Dravid and Kumble were the stars in Bangalore's . Dravid made a polished half-century, while Kumble took five-wicket haul in Twenty20s to clean up Rajasthan.

Score Summary: Bangalore Royal Challengers 133 for 8 (Dravid 66, Mascarenhas 3-20) beat Rajasthan Royals 58 (Kumble 5-5) by 75 runs

Live match updates: Mumbai v/s Chennai

2009-04-18T15:40:00.004+05:30

Ravi Shastri bellows "South Africa are you ready? "
Dhoni won the toss. Opted to "FIELD" first.

So, Chennai Super Kings are ready to field. Sachin's Mumbai Indians to bat first !!

Eligible lady host/commentator in IPL ?? Do you think Mandira is the only one?

2009-04-18T14:40:00.004+05:30

Mandira Bedi is a co host for IPL-II 2009. Mandira's association with MAX spans over six years. She is trying to play a significant role in attracting, engaging and expanding the audience base for cricket viewing in India and abroad.

I don't understand this. Neither do I agree with the fact that she is the only eligible lady in the country to co-host cricket shows. I don't find any difference in the way she talks about cricket. For me, her knowledge is over isolated from cricket knowledge base.

Mandira talks about her look for promoting the game very often. The actress, who is much known for giving cricket a whole new dimension when she first hosted Extraaa Innings in nooddle strap sari blouses below stylish saris. I don't know whether she promoted the game or herself. There is no point to even think that she is promoting the game. The nooddle straps are now strapless.

Just wait and watch.. wat goes LESS ;-)

First Match - Mumbai INDIANS and Chennai SUPER KINGS !

2009-04-18T14:25:00.005+05:30

Finally, the much awaited IPL -II is gonna start in few hours.

The first match will start at 4.00pm between Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings and Sachin's Mumbai Indians.

Being in Mumbai, I support for Mumbai Indians. I hope this year they will do something magical. Sachin is in a good form and is well supported by his young team. On the other hand, Dhoni is a match winner and can use his motivational/inspirational image to turn around the winning tide in any direction.

Its gonna be great fun !! Good luck Mumbai Indians ;-)

Harbhajan Singh @ BIGADDA BLOG

2009-04-16T17:02:00.003+05:30

I met bhajji in our BIGADDA office today. He is now rolling out his own blog at http://www.bhajji.bigadda.comBlogging, the feisty off-spinner said, will help him to interact with his 'fans and friends' directly.

"The blog will help me to clarify things about myself that usually does not reach people. Those who know very little about me can find out what else do I like apart from cricket," he said.

Harbhajan, who plays for Mumbai Indians in the IPL said dashing Indian opener Virender Sehwag had the potential to become the first Indian to score a century in the cash rich Twenty20 league.

"Veeru has chances of scoring a century. But I hope he does not score one against us," he said.

Shane Warne looks at a different pitch

2009-04-16T16:58:00.002+05:30

Shane warne is looking forward to win this IPL tournament in the same glittering and eye cracking manner. Although, he agrees that the competition will be tough, but he has a stable believe in his young team. He said that there is a slight change in practicing strategy for the game, but the basics of preparation are the same.

IPL Season II - Schedule, teams and players, in South Africa

2009-04-06T18:21:00.000+05:30

Date	Teams	Venue	Time (IST)
Saturday, 18-Apr-09		Cape Town	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday, 18-Apr-09		Cape Town	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday, 19-Apr-09		Cape Town	4 p.m. to 7p.m.
Sunday, 19-Apr-09		Cape Town	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Monday, 20-Apr-09		Port Elizabeth	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Tuesday, 21-Apr-09		Durban	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Tuesday, 21-Apr-09		Durban	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Wednesday, 22-Apr-09		Cape Town	8 p.m. to 11p.m.
Thursday, 23-Apr-09		Durban	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday, 23-Apr-09		Cape Town	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Friday, 24-Apr-09		Durban	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Saturday, 25-Apr-09		Durban	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday, 25-Apr-09		Cape Town	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday, 26-Apr-09		Port Elizabeth	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, 26-Apr-09		Cape Town	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Monday, 27-Apr-09		Durban	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Monday, 27-Apr-09		Port Elizabeth	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Tuesday, 28-Apr-09		Pretoria	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Wednesday, 29-Apr-09		Durban	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Wednesday, 29-Apr-09		Durban	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Thursday, 30-Apr-09		Pretoria	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday, 30-Apr-09		Pretoria	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Friday, 1-May-09		East London	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday, 1-May-09		Durban	8 p.m.to 11 p.m.
Saturday, 2-May-09		Port Elizabeth	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday, 2-May-09		Johannesburg	8 p.m. to 11p.m.
Sunday, 3-May-09		Port Elizabeth	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, 3-May-09		Johannesburg	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Monday, 4-May-09		East London	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Tuesday, 5-May-09		Durban	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Tuesday 5-May-09		Durban	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Wednesday, 6-May-09		Pretoria	8 p.m.to 11 p.m.
Thursday, 7-May-09		Pretoria	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday, 7-May-09		Pretoria	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Friday, 8-May-09		East London	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Saturday, 9-May-09		Kimberley	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday, 9-May-09		Kimberley	8 p.m. to 11p.m.
Sunday, 10-May-09		Port Elizabeth	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, 10-May-09		Johannesburg	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Monday, 11-May-09		Kimberley	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Tuesday 12-May-09		Pretoria	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Tuesday, 12-May-09		Pretoria	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Wednesday, 13-May-09		Durban	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Thursday, 14-May-09		Durban	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday, 14-May-09		Durban	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Friday, 15-May-09		Bloemfontein	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Saturday, 16-May-09		Port Elizabeth	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday, 16-May-09		Johannesburg	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday, 17-May-09		Johannesburg	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, 17-May-09		Bloemfontein	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Monday, 18-May-09		Pretoria	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Tuesday, 19-May-09		Johannesburg	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Wednesday, 20-May-09		Durban	4 p.m.to 7 p.m.
Wednesday, 20-May-09		Durban	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Thursday, 21-May-09		Pretoria	4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday, 21-May-09		Pretoria	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Friday, 22-May-09	Semi Final 1	Pretoria	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Saturday, 23-May-09	Semi Final 2	Johannesburg	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday, 24-May-09	FINAL	Johannesburg	8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Kolkata Knight Riders

2009-04-01T18:29:00.002+05:30

Sourav Ganguly
Anureet Singh
Abhisek Banerjee
Ameya Shrikhande
Mohammad Sanuth
Murtuza Hussain
Natraj Behera
Ajit Agarkar
Rohan Banerjee
Sanjay Bangar
Mark Cameron
Gaurav Chabra
Aakash Chopra
Ishwar Choudhary
Avik Chowdhury
Debabrata Das
Ashok Dinda
Aditya Dole
Shatrunjay
Gaekwad
Chris Gayle
Arindam Ghosh
Gnaneswara Rao
Moises Henriques
Brad Hodge
David Hussey
VA Indulkar
Iqbal Abdulla
Sheldon Jackson
Murali Kartik
Saurasish Lahiri
Charl Langeveldt
Brendon McCullum (wk)
Anustup Majumdar
Mashrafe Mortaza
Angelo Mathews
Ajantha Mendis
Mohnish Parmar
Cheteshwar Pujara
Sachin Rana
Wriddhiman Saha (wk)
Dhiran Salvi
Sanjib Sanyal
Sourav Sarkar
Ishant Sharma
Laxmi Shukla
Sunny Singh
Chetan Suryavanshi
Bhavik Thaker
Rajesh Verma
Kshemal Waingankar
Yashpal Singh

Bangalore Royal Challengers

2009-04-01T18:24:00.001+05:30

Rahul Dravid
Kevin Pietersen (c)
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Balachandra Akhil
KP Appanna
Sreenath Aravind
Jagadeesh Arunkumar
Saurabh Bandekar
Raju Bhatkal
Rajesh Bishnoi
Mark Boucher (wk)
Nathan Bracken
Bharat Chipli
Gaurav Dhiman
Dillon du Preez
Muralidharen Gautam
Shreevats Goswami
Kedar Jadhav
Wasim Jaffer
Ishank Jaggi
Sunil Joshi
Jacques Kallis
Karan Sharma
Virat Kohli
Praveen Kumar
Anil Kumble
Abhmanyu Mithun
Manish Pandey
Pankaj Singh
Udit Patel
Devraj Patil
Jitendra Patil
Jesse Ryder
RK Sabharwal
Dale Steyn
Ross Taylor
Robin Uthappa
Roelof van der Merwe
Vinay Kumar
Cameron White
Tinu Yohannan

Rajasthan Royals

2009-04-01T18:20:00.002+05:30

Gajendra Singh
Srideep Mangela
Kamran Khan
Raiphi Gomez
Ashraf Makda
Mohammed Arif
Atul Sharma
Amit Singh
Paul Valthaty
Shane Warne (c)
Aditya Angle
Swapnil Asnodkar
Lee Carseldine
Siddharth Chitnis
Paras Dogra
Shane Harwood
Tyron Henderson
Ravindra Jadeja
Mohammad Kaif
Justin Langer
Dimitri Mascarenhas
Parag More
Morne Morkel
Naman Ojha
Munaf Patel
Niraj Patel
Yusuf Pathan
Rob Quiney
Mahesh Rawat (wk)
Anup Revandkar
Dinesh Salunkhe
Graeme Smith
Shaun Tait
Siddharth Trivedi
Shane Watson

Kings XI Punjab

2009-04-01T18:18:00.002+05:30

SQUAD:

Ryan Ninan
Yuvraj Singh (c)
Ajitesh Argal
Ravi Bopara
Piyush Chawla
Burt Cockley
Karan Goel
James Hopes
Mahela Jayawardene
Simon Katich
Uday Kaul
Sahil Kukreja
Brett Lee
Shaun Marsh
Wilkin Mota
Irfan Pathan
Luke Pomersbach
Ramesh Powar
Kumar Sangakkara (wk)
Vikram Singh
Sunny Sohal
Sreesanth
Tanmay Srivastava
Jerome Taylor

Delhi Daredevils

2009-04-01T18:12:00.003+05:30

SQUAD:

Virender Sehwag (c)
Rajat Bhatia
Paul Collingwood
AB de Villiers
Tillakaratne Dilshan
Gautam Gambhir
Dinesh Karthik (wk)
Andrew McDonald
Glenn McGrath
Farveez Maharoof
Yo Mahesh
Mithun Manhas
Amit Mishra
Yogesh Nagar
Dirk Nannes
Ashish Nehra
Aavishkar Salvi
Pradeep Sangwan
Owais Shah
Manoj Tiwary
Daniel Vettori
David Warner
Tejashwi Yadav
Umesh Yadav

Deccan Chargers

2009-04-01T18:10:00.000+05:30

SQUAD:

Harmeet Singh
Shoaib Ahmed
Abhinav Kumar
Manvinder Bisla
Halhadar Das
Fidel Edwards
Herschelle Gibbs
Adam Gilchrist (wk)
Ryan Harris
Jaskaran Singh
Doddapaneni Kalyankrishna
VVS Laxman
Pragyan Ojha
Dwaraka Ravi Teja
PM Sarvesh Kumar
Rohit Sharma
Chamara Silva
RP Singh
Dwayne Smith
Scott Styris
Tirumalsetti Suman
Andrew Symonds
Chaminda Vaas
Venugopal Rao
Paidikalva Vijaykumar
Arjun Yadav
Nuwan Zoysa

Chennai Super Kings

2009-04-01T18:03:00.002+05:30

StephenFleming
MSDhoni
PalaniAmarnath
SrikkanthAnirudha
RavichandranAshwin
SubramaniamBadrinath
GeorgeBailey
LakshmipathyBalaji
NapoleonEinstein
AndrewFlintoff
ManpreetGony
MatthewHayden
MichaelHussey
ShadabJakati
JoginderSharma
VirajKadbe
ArunKarthik
SureshKumar
AlbieMorkel
AbhinavMukund
MuttiahMuralitharan
MakhayaNtini
JacobOram
ParthivPatel(wk)
SureshRaina
ThilanThushara
SudeepTyagi
VidyutSivaramakrishnan
MuraliVijay

Mumbai Indians

2009-04-01T17:52:00.002+05:30

SQUAD:

Sachin Tendulkar (c)
Dwayne Bravo
Shikhar Dhawan
Jean-Paul Duminy
Dilhara Fernando
Harbhajan Singh
Sanath Jayasuriya
Zaheer Khan
Dhawal Kulkarni
Ryan McLaren
Lasith Malinga
Kyle Mills
Mohammad Ashraful
Chetanya Nanda
Graham Napier
Abhishek Nayar
Ajinkya Rahane
Rohan Raje
Luke Ronchi (wk)
Jaydev Shah
Pinal Shah
Rahil Shaikh
Yogesh Takawale (wk)
Saurabh Tiwary

Welcome !!

2009-04-01T17:40:00.001+05:30

The BCCI launched the Indian Premier League (IPL) on the lines of football's English Premier League and the National Basketball League (NBA) of the US.

The IPL works on a franchise-system based on the American style of hiring players and transfers. These franchises were put for auction, where the highest bidder won the rights to own the team, representing each city.