Younis Khan’s brilliant unbeaten century takes Pakistan home

His walk to the pitch is always a jaunty stride. Confident steps, shadow-playing of few shots and then a loud request to the umpire for fine-tuning his stance, have been his signature style.

Younis Khan has always been a picture of confidence and it was perfect that he was at the crease while anchoring Pakistan’s chase against his favourite rivals.

Younis Khan’s unbeaten 123 (117b, 11x4, 1x6) guided Pakistan to an eight-wicket victory over India in a STAR Cricket Asia Cup semifinal league match at the National Stadium here on Wednesday. Younis, who struck 108 to help Pakistan defeat M.S. Dhoni’s men and win the Kitply Cup at Dhaka, continued to be India’s scourge on a day when a victory was imperative for the host to keep its hopes of a berth in the final alive.

Chasing India’s 308 for seven in 50 overs, Pakistan scored 309 for two in 45.3 overs. Pakistan gained two points and now needs to defeat Bangladesh on Friday while hoping that India loses to Sri Lanka on Thursday.

In that context when both Pakistan and India will be level on four points, the home side will qualify on the basis of having more victories in the semifinal league, according to the tournament officials who clarified late in the night.

Spain crowned champion of Europe

The delightfulness of Euro 2008 has been capped by its profound justice. Adroit and artistic Spain have triumphed in a tournament where their squad had the depth of talent to outdo all others.

Those who mused that Luis Aragonés’s side might lack in forwards while the tournament’s top-scorer, David Villa, was injured received their answer.

Liverpool’s Fernando Torres took the only goal with a mixture of anticipation, pace and delicacy of finish.

Germany were as intrepid as is to be expected of a nation in pursuit of a seventh major prize. Nonetheless, Michael Ballack, who had recovered from a calf strain, was the key person in a line-up that had to depend on its doggedness.

Strong-minded as Spain have also been in winning all six of their matches here, technical excellence is the true basis of their domination.

Aragonés carries some notoriety but he has taught Spain to count on their talent. The inability to win a trophy since taking this same competition in Madrid in 1964 has been all the more galling because footballers of lavish gifts have been among those who floundered.

At Euro 2008, by contrast, Spain permitted their opponents to assume the lead in only one game, an inconsequential tie against Greece.

Team not to rest on past exploits, says Dhoni

Mahender Singh Dhoni believes in living in the present, does not carry burdens of the past and is clear about the direction his team is striving for in future.

The India cricket captain, expressing his thoughts on Asia Cup 2008, was clear that his team will be starting from scratch in the seven-nation event hosted by Pakistan.

“Indian teams have always done well in Pakistan, but that is in the past. For this team, the scenario will be different, the conditions will be different. We are working towards playing to potential, play to the best of our abilities. Then the chances of winning games are more.”

The Triangular Series final loss to Pakistan, the captain attributes as part of the game. “Winning and losing is all part of the game,” reasoned the skipper, stressing on the playing to potential factor as the surest way to record more victories than defeats.

The team flies out from Mumbai at a time when the silver jubilee celebrations of the 1983 World Cup winning squad is foremost in people’s mind. The current Indian captain, asserting his own leadership style and developing into a mature batsman as a result of responsibility, referred to Kapil Dev’s historic triumph with pride.

Dhoni (born July 1981) was an infant when India turned the one-day world upside down defeating West Indies at Lords on June 25, 1983.

Gambhir powers to an unbeaten century

Gautam Gambhir is light on his feet and heavy with his contributions. The left-hander is making all the right moves these days.

His compelling footwork, timing and balance were the highlights of an unbeaten hundred in the last league match of the Kitply tri-series cricket tournament at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur on Thursday.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men made light of a chase of 223, romping home by seven wickets in the 36th over. They will now meet Pakistan in the final here on Saturday.

Gambhir’s unbeaten 107 (101b, 13x4, 1x6) indicated his growing maturity. He played second fiddle to Virender Sehwag without being negative and launched into strokes after his senior partner’s departure.

It was crucial for the host to be consistent with the shiny, hard ball and force mistakes. Apart from Mashrafe Mortaza, the rest disappointed.

Sehwag began with a flowing cover-drive off Mortaza and then cut loose. He was provided width by Farhad Reza and promptly responded with cuts and pulls. There were also occasions when Sehwag converted the length. A yorker-length ball was eased past the bowler and the ropes.

India scores an emphatic win Paceman Praveen complements Sehwag, Gambhir’s good effort

With his unique wrist action, Praveen Kumar is among those rare pacemen who can swing and seam, often the same delivery.

The canny Praveen cut through the Pakistani top-order on a sluggish wicket to fashion an emphatic win for India in a Kitply tri-series league game at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium here on Tuesday night.

Chasing 331, Pakistan was dismissed for 190 in a no-contest.

The victory also brought to an end Pakistan’s run of 12 ODI wins

The deceptive Praveen of a quick-arm release dismissed Salman Butt, Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf before prising out a threatening Kamran Akmal.

Nadal demolishes Federer

Rafael Nadal equalled Bjorn Borg’s record of four consecutive French Open crowns, overpowering World No.1 Roger Federer 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 in the final in Paris on Sunday. The Spaniard’s win — his third on the trot against Federer in French Open finals — kept his unbeaten record at Roland Garros intact.

By the fourth game, Rafael Nadal had Roger Federer kicking the clay in frustration. By the second set, the normally stoic Federer was screaming at himself.

The drubbing went on from there. Nadal won his fourth consecutive French Open title in a rout Sunday, again spoiling Federer's bid to complete a career Grand Slam.

Dominating the world's No. 1 player with astounding ease, Nadal swept six consecutive games early in the match and swept the final nine games to win 6-1, 6-3, 6-0.

It was Federer's worst loss in his 173 Grand Slam matches, and the shortest Roland Garros men's final in terms of games since 1977.

So thorough was the thumping that during the trophy ceremony, Nadal was moved to apologize.

``Roger, I'm sorry for the final,'' Nadal said.

For the No. 2-ranked Nadal, it was merely another in a series of dominating victories. He lost only 41 games in seven rounds.

``I've hoped I could have done better today than four games,'' Federer said. ``But Rafael was very strong this year.''

The Spaniard became the second man to win four consecutive French Open titles. Bjorn Borg did it in 1978-81.

ri-series gets underway today

It was only in March this year Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men achieved one of India’s greatest ODI triumphs. India won a gruelling triangular series down under, also featuring Australia and Sri Lanka.

Now, many talk about the death of the ODI. Twenty20’s sweep and popularity have shortened public memories. It’s fast and fun-filled. And it’s not predictable.

The ODI faces a challenge but should survive the phase. After all, among the abbreviated versions of the game, it’s a more complete test of skills. Here, the bowlers have a greater say.

Under the circumstances, the Kitply tri-series, the first ODI competition after the IPL, will be followed with keen interest.

India, Pakistan and host Bangladesh will duel it out in a short four-match (three league games and the final) tournament.

The series begins with a day-night clash between Pakistan and Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur on Sunday.

There have been spells of rain in these parts, but every game has a reserve day. The drainage facilities at the venue are considered adequate as well.

IPL owes its success primarily to player commitment

The close encounter in the finals at Mumbai, yet again, proclaimed the roaring success of the Indian Premier League. Kudos to the organisers who stood up to the challenge and put up a great product.

That leads us to the next question. What were the factors that made this a big success?

The primary reason for IPL’s success was the players’ high intensity and sustained involvement through out the tournament. No matter how philosophical one is, the unprecedented flow of money is the strongest reasons for player’s unflinching commitment. At the same time, loyalty to the team cannot be discounted either.

Team owners seemed to take it pretty seriously too, going as far as sacking team officials and not mincing words even to the icon players and demanding results. The players must come to terms with owners’ reactions, which may not be very pleasant at times.

Terrific end to a stupendous show

Jubilant Rajasthan Royals players celebrate after defeating Chennai Super Kings in a final-ball thriller in Mumbai on Sunday.
The inaugural DLF-IPL Twenty20 competition was not about the big hits alone. Pacemen with control and movement struck. Spinners with clarity of thought and variety largely delivered. There were phases when batsmen who could graft were needed by their teams like oxygen. And natural stroke-makers flourished without resorting to crude methods.

Of course, there were a few ugly heaves that went for the maximum and a few dismissals that were self-inflicted. But then, Twenty20 cricket proved more than just a ‘hit or miss’ format.

Shane Warne, a tactically sharp captain with great motivational skills, showed strategy had its place even in the shortest version of the game. Warne shuffled his batsmen, managed his overs wonderfully well and switched his fielders around with great tact, either luring or suffocating the batsmen.

Fittingly, the Royals skipper was in the middle when his team nailed a humdinger off the last ball in a pulsating final.

The popular IPL witnessed packed stadiums and high-octane duels. The competition could grow in the years to come.

Chennai Super Kings lost by a short head and the side paid for a couple of tactical lapses in the final. S. Badrinath could have been sent higher in the order and the side should have squeezed in an extra bowler in the eleven for the title clash.

Cricket made IPL a success: Warne

After a dream victory in the inaugural DLF-IPL, the Rajasthan Royals captain and coach Shane Warne declared that “as long as his body holds” he would return to the Indian Premier League.

“I will be 40 next year, a bit too old for these sorts of finishes. But the players make me feel young. The IPL is here to stay. Lalit Modi, the franchises, all made it possible. It was an entertainment package, but the IPL was successful because of cricket.”
Defining moment

Sohail Tanvir’s pull shot off Laxmipathy Balaji turned out to be the defining moment on the last day of the 44-day, 59-match entertainment-filled league for the Royals at the D.Y. Patil Stadium on Sunday night. It was the Royals’ 13th win out of 16 IPL matches, the reverses having come against Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab.

“It was just one of those things that were meant to be. After all, we are the entertainers of the IPL. No one could have written a script like that, a last-ball finish to win.

“During the journey to the ground, the number of people I saw on the way, it was tremendous.”

When asked how he felt to have won a first trophy as captain in his 20-year-career, Warne said: “I was the vice-captain of the Australian side that won the 1999 World Cup in England and I have been part of Australia’s victories in the Ashes and against India. The IPL is up there.

Warne’s Rajasthan Royals reigns supreme

Rajasthan Royals had the serendipity of scripting a glorious last-ball win in the DLF-IPL final in front of a full house at the D.Y. Patil Stadium here on Sunday. Unperturbed by the fall of a clutch of wickets and undaunted by the climbing run rate, the Jaipur outfit proceeded to dare the rival.

Yusuf Pathan (56, 39b) was the most daring batsman profited mostly from glaring lapses made on the field by Chennai Super Kings, especially by Suresh Raina and Manpreet Gony off his own bowling.

Pathan capitalised on the luck that came his way and secured the final victory for his team with a blazing knock that had four mighty sixes and three boundary shots and forged a crucial fourth wicket partnership with Shane Watson that fetched 65 runs.

Fittingly Shane Warne, who had moulded a team filled with rookies into a winning combination, was in the thick of action when the moment came, although it was the left-handed Sohail Tanvir who dispatched L. Balaji for a four off the last ball of the tournament.

Royals needed eight runs off the last over and Balaji was given the responsibility of bowling the make or mar over. He bowled a wide, and the eighth wicket pair managed to steer the side to a phenomenal triumph on the final day of the IPL.

Raina’s steady hands had worked efficiently to make good runs in the first session and then held a sharp catch at backward point. A catch that came off the bat of Pathan when Royals’ score was 75 for three was a regulation catch he would have taken 99 times out of 100.

It turned out be a costly lapse and perhaps the title too went down with it. Later he ran out Pathan with a direct hit, but by then Royals was within striking distance of the target.

Earlier Raina’s ingenuity and purposeful batting paved the way for Chennai Super Kings to post a modest total. It was a peculiar first session when the left hander was the lone batsman who came close to dominating the bowling. Mahendra Singh Dhoni added valuable runs in the end to take the total to 163.

Rajasthan Royals crowned IPL champion

Rajasthan Royals, chasing 164, scored a last-ball three-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings to win the DLF-IPL title at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.

The Royals required eight runs off the last over with skipper Shane Warne and Sohail Tanvir at the crease. The side needed one run off the final ball delivered by paceman L. Balaji. Tanvir sealed the win for the Royals amid excruciating tension.

Yusuf Pathan, with his big-hitting (56 off 39 balls) and fastish variety of off-spin (three for 22), emerged the hero for the winning side.

He was sensationally run out by Suresh Raina, who scored a direct hit after running to his left from point. However, Raina had put down Pathan at mid-wicket off Muttiah Muralitharan when the batsman was on 13. It proved a crucial miss.

The match was in the balance when Warne cover-drove Makhaya Ntini to the fence off the final ball of the penultimate over. Ntini, who had bowled impressively, was a picture of anguish. There were celebrations in the Royals camp. Then, Warne and Tanvir ensured that their team finished at the right end of a thriller.

Pathan was adjudged Man of the Match and all-rounder Shane Watson the Player of the Series. The Jaipur team was coasting towards a win when Muralitharan deceived Shane Watson (28 off 19) in the air. Earlier, the little Swapnil Asnodkar of compelling hand-eye coordination and bat-speed, lofted the ball over the infield on either side of the wicket. His 28 gave the innings momentum.

Then, the Royals lost ground. With the Royals slumping to 42 for three in the seventh over, the Super Kings were full of beans. The Royals recovered through Shane Watson and Pathan.

When Super Kings batted, opener Parthiv Patel (38) and a free-stroking Suresh Raina (43) produced useful efforts.

Watson and Tanvir bowled well at the death, but Dhoni (29 not out off 17 balls), produced a few timely blows.

Delhi Daredevils get a Royal thrashing

The purple cap on Sohail Tanvir’s head is a beacon for batsmen to recognize and respect the IPL’s highest wicket-taker. Captain Shane Warne’s gambit to use him as a pinch-hitter did not work. The Pakistani repaid his captain with a stunning catch on the fence to send back dangerman Virender Sehwag in over number two.

That signalled the beginning of the end for Delhi Daredevils in the first semifinal of the DLF-Indian Premier League at the Wankhede stadium here on Friday night. Sehwag and mates crumbled in 16.1 overs for 87 runs, chasing down 192 for nine in 20 overs.

Substitute Taruvar Kohli and Mohd Kaif displayed their reflexes to send back Gautam Gambhir and Dinesh Karthik respectively.

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Shaun Marsh’s century helps Kings XI Punjab to easy win

This was one tall-scoring no-contest that nobody seemed to mind. The crowd loved the barrage of big hits, Kings XI Punjab was pleased to post its highest tally in the Indian Premier League while a seriously-depleted Rajasthan Royals did not think too much of the 41-run defeat.

Centurion Shaun Marsh, fellow opener James Hopes and skipper Yuvraj Singh happily indulged in some huge hitting to raise the team’s score to 221 for three against a rival that happily experimented with everything — a new captain, a toothless attack and an inexplicable batting order.

The result was a near carnage at the PCA Stadium with the Kings XI trio hitting 14 sixes and 20 boundaries between them much to the delight of the home supporters. Rajasthan responded with eight sixes and 18 fours in its 180 for seven.

Emphatic win for Mumbai Indians

On a day when afternoon showers nearly washed out the match, the crowd’s loudest cheers were reserved not for the moment when the covers came off and an 18-overs a side match was deemed feasible but when the public address system announced ‘Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar’ as he walked out with Sanath Jayasuriya.

Chasing Royal Challengers Bangalore’s 122 in their DLF Indian Premier League match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Wednesday, the Mumbai Indians’ skipper (40 n.o., 42b, 4x4, 1x6) largely stayed in Jayasuriya’s shadow. The Sri Lankan hogged the limelight with a blazing 54 besides gifting stinging palms to a few spectators as he carted four sixes into the stands besides four fours in a 37-ball blitz.

The duo’s 96-run partnership ensured Mumbai Indians’ nine-wicket victory in the last league match for both teams. Mumbai Indians finished with 14 points while the home side stayed on eight.

Royals beat Mumbai by 5 wickets

Niraj Patel (40 not out) and Ravindra Jadeja (23 not out) turned heroes by scoring 16 runs from the match-deciding last over to guide Rajasthan Royals to an improbable last-ball 5-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians in a nerve-wrecking Indian Premier League match here Monday.

Chasingh 146 for victory, the young duo stood tall among ruins to share an unfinished 69-run stand for the 6th wicket to single-handedly decide the fate of the match though aided by some blunders by the Mumbai team.

Monday's result ensured that Delhi Daredevils make it to the semifinals with 15 points from 14 matches while Mumbai Indians (12 points from 13 matches) will have to wait the outcome of Tuesday's match between Chennai Super Kings (14 points from 13 and bottom placed Deccan Chargers in Hyderabad.

If Chennai wins, they will make the grade and Mumbai's match against Bangalore Royal Challengers on Wednesday will be inconsequential as the MS Dhoni-led side will get 16 points in that case.

If Chennai loses, Mumbai will have to win against Bangalore and in that case net run rate will decide who will make it to semifinals.

Coming together in the 13th over at their team total of 77 and five, Jadeja and Patel braved the odds to inch closer to the target of 146, but to score 16 from the last over seemed difficult if not impossible.

Dilahara Fernando, who bowled the last over conceded a free-hit in the second ball and Niraj took three from it before hitting a six in the third ball and two singles in next two balls.

The drama was not over there with the Sri Lankan bowling a wide in the penultimate ball when Mumbai needed four from two balls.

IPL Challengers ambushes Super Kings

Winning cricket is a lot about handling pressure. When a semifinal place beckoned, Chennai Super Kings dug a hole for itself at Chepauk on Wednesday.

A horrible mess-up saw the side slumping from 60 for no loss in the ninth over to 111 for eight when the final over commenced. Sixteen runs were required off the final six balls.

Then, Suresh Raina managed just a single run off the first three balls from Praveen Kumar. Makhaya Ntini conceded three dot balls and Royal Challengers Bangalore romped home by 14 runs.

The visitor deserved credit for the manner it fought after making just 126 for eight in 20 overs. Then, Dravid led well and his bowlers responded.

Super Kings has 14 points from 12 games while Royal Challengers takes its tally to six from an equal number of matches.

While Royal Challengers displayed great spirit on the field, it still was a match that Super Kings contrived to lose. When percentage batting was required after a solid opening stand of 60 in 9.1 overs between Stephen Fleming and Parthiv Patel, Super Kings batsmen perished to forgettable lofted shots. Strategically, it was poor cricket.

Dhoni’s dismissal, after he promoted himself to No. 3, was the turning point. He took a calculated risk of paceman Vinay Kumar and holed out to long on.

IPL Kings XI holds its nerve in a thriller

Sachin Tendulkar left his mark on T20 cricket with a well-crafted 46-ball 65 (12 fours), his first half-century of the DLF Indian Premier League.

His run-out at the non-striker end after being sent back by Robin Uthappa, Mumbai Indians 41 runs away from victory at 159-4, triggered off a wave of panic down the ranks.

Instead of picking up the cue from the skipper’s composed batting, four more run-outs followed as the home team was bowled out for 188, two tantalising runs away from a probable victory.

Kings XI Punjab won by one run, with captain Yuvraj Singh bringing down the curtain on a grand game with a dive to run out the last man. He had earlier twisted the knife into Mumbai with two vital wickets (Uthappa and Shaun Pollock) just when Mumbai Indians was inching towards 190 needed for victory.

IPL Rajasthan Royals storms into the semifinals

It is all over for Kolkata Knight Riders. For the Shah Rukh Khan-owned side the inaugural DLF-Indian Premier League is almost over though it has two more matches left.

Diehard supporters may come up with many permutations and combinations that could keep the side’s chances of a semifinal berth alive but the reality is that Shane Warne and his Rajasthan Royals has ensured the elimination of Sourav Ganguly’s Knight Riders.

The Kolkata side will now play for minor places in this Twenty20 competition.

5-wkt. win for Daredevils

Powered by a frenzied 90-run partnership in seven overs between openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, Delhi Daredevils overcame a mid-innings stutter, to script a five-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore in the DLF-Indian Premier League match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Monday.

Chasing Challengers’ 154, Gambhir (39), the most prolific batsman in the IPL, kept threading his fours, while Sehwag (47) unleashed mayhem, slashing Zaheer and pulling Praveen Kumar.

Sehwag survived but not for long as he smote Praveen straight to Bharath Chipli but by then his 19-ball cameo topped with nine fours and a six, had set his team well on course.

IPL Akhtar doubtful for crunch game

After Sunday’s thunderstorm that blew away Kolkata Knight Riders’ chances of a win over Chennai Super Kings at the Eden Gardens, the team suffered another jolt with the news that bowling spearhead Shoaib Akhtar is down with a knee injury.

With Rajasthan Royals eyeing its ninth win, the Kolkata outfit would have liked to field its best 11 in its 12th match of the DLF-Indian Premier League on Tuesday. The local side needs to win the remaining three games and wait for other results to see whether it can make it to the knockout stage.

IPL T20 Another win for Mumbai Indians

It was yet another dismal performance from the Deccan Chargers. It suffered its fifth straight defeat at home as Mumbai Indians notched up it’s sixth straight win with a 25-run verdict in the DFL-Indian Premier League at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here on Sunday.

Sri Lankan pace bowler Dilhara Fernando’s double strike in the fifth over of the innings — forcing the dangerous Adam Gilchrist to slash to third man and trapping Rohit Sharma leg before — effectively short-circuited whatever hopes the host had entertained.

IPL T20 CSK Makhaya Ntini performs a hat-trick

Chennai Super Kings won the DLF-IPL Twenty20 match by three runs against Kolkata Knight Riders as per the Duckworth-Lewis method after play was halted first by the failure of some lights in the floodlight towers and later by a Nor’wester that lashed the stadium.

At the time of the stoppage, Super Kings had replied with 55 for no loss in eight overs chasing Knight Riders’ 149 for five in 20 overs.

As per the D/L method, Super Kings needed to score 52 in eight overs.

The Super Kings openers, Stephen Fleming and Parthiv Patel, negotiated the famed Knight Riders’ pace attack of Shoaib Akhtar and Ishant Sharma with aplomb.

IPL T20 Mumbai makes it a no-contest

The sight of Shoaib Akhtar steaming in is a scary sight for the batsmen, apart from testing their reaction time. Ishant Sharma bringing the ball down from a height is a daunting prospect. Without runs to defend, these two weapons turned into blanks for Kolkata Knight Riders.

Sanath Jayasuriya steadied Mumbai Indians’ nerves with blistering strokeplay (48 not out, 17b), flicking sixes to mid-wicket like only he can to rattle the bowlers, reducing the run chase to a no-contest as the home team sauntered home by eight wickets in its DLF-Indian Premier League’s ninth round match at the Wankhede Stadium here on Friday.

Akhtar was brought down to earth after the minor high of Sachin Tendulkar’s wicket off the fifth ball, as Jayasuriya’s counter-punching resulted in 29 runs in over number two. From then on, it was a cruise all the way for Mumbai and it overhauled Kolkata’s 67 — the lowest score in the IPL so far — in just 5.3 overs.

Shaun Pollock showed Mumbai the way with an outstanding four-over spell of swing bowling, finishing with three for 12 after the visitors were asked to bat.

Tendulkar chipped in with four catches as Dwayne Bravo (two for 13), Rohan Raje (two for 16) and Dominic Thornely (two for seven) joined the party.

IPL T20 Mishra does the trick for Daredevils

In a game dominated by batsmen, unsung leg-spinner Amit Mishra picked up five wickets, including a hat-trick in the crucial last over of the match, to keep Delhi Daredevils afloat in the DLF-Indian Premier League. An overflowing Ferozeshah Kotla on Thursday witnessed some splendid innovation in stroke-play as the home bowlers strove to snatch the match from a determined opposition.

The setting was ideal. A run-chase that promised action as Shahid Afridi and Adam Gilchrist walked to the middle and carted the ball around.

IPL Jayasuriya ambushes Chennai Super Kings

Sachin Tendulkar kept Sanath Jayasuriya away from bowling duties. And the hungry Sri Lankan feasted on the Chennai Super Kings bowlers, lashing 11 sixes in an awesome display of crisp, clean hitting as Mumbai Indians cruised to a nine-wicket victory in the DLF-Indian Premier League at the Wankhede Stadium here on Wednesday.

Jayasuriya’s unbeaten 114 came off just 48 deliveries and he hit nine boundaries apart from the 11 sixes. Mumbai Indians, chasing 157 for victory, reached 158 for one in the 14th over in a one-sided encounter.

Shoaib Akhtar bowls Knight Riders to victory

Shoaib Akhtar produced a magical three-over opening spell to demolish the Delhi Daredevils top-order, as Kolkata Knight Riders scripted a sensational 23-run win in the DLF-Indian Premier League encounter at the Eden Gardens here on Tuesday.

For Akhtar, who had to miss two matches on fitness grounds and was doubtful even for this tie, it was a memorable IPL debut. He began in spectacular fashion, sending back Delhi Daredevil skipper Virender Sehwag in the second ball of the opening over.

He removed Gautam Gambhir in his next over and dismissed A.B. de Villiers and Manoj Tiwary off successive balls in his third over to be on a hat-trick. Tillekeratne Dilshan, however, denied Akhtar a hat-trick.

Daredevils fought back through some dogged batting by Dilshan and Amit Mishra. The two added 24 for the sixth wicket to put Daredevils back on track. Just when it looked like Daredevils was in with a chance came the dramatic run out of Dilshan (25, 19b, 5x4). Laxmi Ratan Shukla’s throw sent the Sri Lankan back.

Police commissionerate for suburbs

A police commissionerate will be set up for the suburbs given the huge population increase and consequent policing needs, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi announced in the Assembly on Monday.

Replying to the debate on the demands for grants for the Police department, Mr. Karunanidhi said that more than 1.2 crore people lived in the area under the present Greater Chennai Police Commissionerate. Apart from the increase in population and vehicles, many industries had to set shop in the suburbs.

Mr. Karunanidhi said Mumbai city had a commissionerate and there were two such set-ups to cater to its suburbs. In Hyderabad, there was one each for the city and the suburbs.

IPL Kings XI leaves Challengers in ruins

Rahul Dravid, under fire from all quarters, must have finally realised that it is impossible to win a war with bows and arrows against an enemy armed with rapid-fire guns.

It was yesterday once more for Royal Challengers Bangalore as it came up with yet another uninspiring performance against Kings XI Punjab and found itself gunned down with nine wickets and 4.2 overs to spare.

The victory was the sixth for Kings XI in nine matches. With 12 points, the team shares the second spot with Chennai Super Kings. The result meant that Royal Challengers kept Deccan Chargers company with four points and seven losses from nine games, but trailed in the net run-rate to be last in the standings.

Yuvraj Singh may have lost the toss but got everything right mainly due to the bulk of the job done by home-grown bowlers and overseas batsmen. A target of 144 never looked challenging as Kings XI’s frontline batsmen dealt in sixes and stayed in cruise mode.

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Delhi Daredevils wilted under Shane Watson’s assault to lose its DLF-IPL encounter to Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium here on Sunday.

The powerful Australian hit thundering shots and towering sixes (74, 40b, 5x4, 5x6) and single-handedly changed the complexion of the match as Royals scripted its fifth win on home ground. Royals, which has won all its matches at home, leads the table with 14 points and has almost clinched a place in the semifinals. Watson was named ‘man-of-the-match.’

Defending a total of 156, Daredevils strove to compete against the odds. A.B. de Villiers and Virender Sehwag pounced on mistakes made by the rival batsmen and Royals looked vulnerable.

Delhi sustained the pressure, but once Watson pulled Yomahesh for a six over midwicket and targeted him to accelerate Royals’ scoring rate from a mere three an over in the first five, events changed dramatically.

Though leg-spinner Amit Mishra captured the wickets of Graeme Smith and Ravindra Jadeja, it was not enough.

Watson fell when the Royals was seven short of the target. He was declared out after umpire Steve Davis referred the appeal to the third umpire.

IPL Ganguly show lays Deccan Chargers low

Sourav Ganguly’s batting was all about timing. And, the Prince of Kolkata left an indelible impression on the capacity crowd with a special effort (91, 57 balls 11 x 4, 5 x 6) and complemented it with a two-wicket haul to script Kolkata Knight Riders’ 23-run win over Deccan Chargers and keep its chances of qualifying for semifinals afloat in the DLF Indian Premier League match at Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here on Sunday.

For the host, this was the fourth straight defeat at home and is languishing with four points from nine matches while Knight Riders have eight points from eight matches.

For Deccan Chargers, chasing a formidable 205, the fortunes revolved around the form of the explosive Adam Gilchrist. He seemed to be in the mood, pulling Ishant Sharma to the fence and then on-driving Ashok Dinda and hitting him over his head for two fours in the fifth over. But in the same over, he pulled straight to the mid-wicket to the delight of Knight Riders.

IPL Badrinath, Dhoni set up Chennai’s win

S. Badrinath and M.S. Dhoni fed off each other’s frenzy to put on 91 runs in 64 balls for the fourth wicket, which helped Chennai Super Kings defeat Kings XI Punjab by 18 runs at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday. L. Balaji added to some climactic drama, managing the IPL’s first hat-trick, to seal the win for Chennai.

Badrinath bought time initially with chanceless defence. Compelled to begin scoring, Badrinath began by taking two boundaries off S. Sreesanth — one over mid-wicket and the other over the bowler’s head. Suresh Raina took V.R.V. Singh on for a strike through the covers. The innings’ first six came when Badrinath made full use of a free hit.

Following Raina’s dismissal, Badrinath took Piyush Chawla on for his second six, which sailed over mid-wicket. M.S. Dhoni wasted little time in hitting Chawla for maximum over deep mid-wicket and sent the next one straight for another six. Chennai Super Kings brought up its 100 in 10.5 overs. Badrinath prospered in his captain’s company, giving himself room against James Hopes for a confident cut through point. The 50-run partnership between the two came in 33 balls.

IPL Super Kings may find the going tough

The Chennai Super Kings, having averted crisis in Delhi, will face a side on a five-match winning streak, at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday. Kings XI Punjab has gathered an envious number of performers. There has been no dependence on one individual and it has performed well as a unit.

“We had a couple of bad games in the beginning, but we assessed the situation after that. We’ve worked on our game-plans and focussed on being consistent. Everyone’s been assigned a role which they’re all sticking to. Our plans are working out well, and it’s looking good for us,” said Kings XI skipper Yuvraj Singh on Friday.

The Punjab side has worked its way to the top of the points table, which makes it a challenge for the Chennai Super Kings to defeat it for the second time in the competition.

IPL Yusuf Pathan powers Royals to easy win

Batting with gusto, Yusuf Pathan a secured Rajasthan Royals its sixth win in the IPL that has placed the Jaipur team on top of the DLF-IPL table. Graeme Smith seemed glad to play the supporting role, as Pathan went about his business, smashing fours and sixes.

The men in Royal blues have evidently found the conditions at the Sawai Mansingh stadium quite to its favour, and it was no different on Friday. Its home record has been without a blemish so far. Moreover, no other team in the eight team league has recorded six wins, though the Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings may follow suit anytime.

The home team lost the openers, but yet it crossed the finishing line with plenty of overs to spare and notch up its second win against the Deccan Chargers. Indications are that the Hyderabad team will struggle to stage a comeback.

Once Adam Gilchrist was sent back after a stroke-filled half century, it became clear that Royals would put its resources to optimum use. Once the opponent had been restricted to 140, Pathan and Smith completed the job at hand untroubled.

IPL Warne considers changes to his side

On Friday, the DLF-IPL may just see the participation of its first ever player from England. Handpicked by Rajasthan Royals at the instance of its captain and coach Shane Warne at the second auction, Hampshire’s Dimitri Mascarenhas has so far been a mere spectator of the success of the team. Warne has kept him occupied in the nets with bat and ball and in brain storming sessions since the 30-year-old all-rounder arrived here ten days ago.

Mascarenhas has built a reputation around explosive batting and handy efforts with the ball. Two years ago, Warne had expressed surprise at the fact that England had never, until then, given him a chance in the one-day side — his captain at Hampshire considers him the best ‘finisher’ with the bat in England regards his bowling pretty useful too. Last summer, Mascarenhas had clobbered Yuvraj Singh for five sixes in an over, emphasising his ability with the bat.

IPL Last-ball win for Super Kings

A last-ball finish left the local spectators heart-broken, but Chennai Super Kings, backing itself wonderfully, drove home the essence of calculated aggression and some sensible batting in a very clinical manner.

Chennai, electing to chase, accomplished a pulsating four-wicket victory over Delhi Daredevils, which did everything right but failed to finish.
Pressure on Daredevils

The win kept Chennai in the race in the DLF-Indian Premier League and put pressure on Daredevils.

Chasing 188 for victory, Chennai had the composure and the flourish, as seen in the manner in which Albie Morkel decimated Virender Sehwag in an over to swing the match his side’s way. The tail then completed the mission in a thrilling end to a fine contest.

Sehwag looked helpless as Morkel picked the ball clean and hard to plunder 23 runs in an over. The silence at the Kotla was stunning and suddenly the venue exploded when V. Yomahesh brought Daredevils back into the reckoning by claiming the wickets of M.S. Dhoni and C.K. Kapugedera in the same over.

IPL T20 Gilchrist sets up Chargers’ second win

A series of self-inflicted dismissals saw the Chennai Super Kings manage just 144 for seven, in the IPL match against the Deccan Chargers at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. Adam Gilchrist’s savagery took the Chargers to a comfortable seven-wicket win, on Tuesday.

Gilchrist, never inclined at buying time, was severe on Makhaya Ntini. Twenty20 and Chennai’s score agreed well with the left-hander. The license to attack was used to maximum effect. Nitini was censured for his length, when the left-hander struck two sixes, one over mid-wicket and the other over mid-on.

The front-foot moved just enough for the execution to materialise. The 36-ball 54 had seven fours and two sixes, and ended when S. Badrinath at point took an excellent catch off Albie Morkel.

With Gilchrist having set it up for the Chargers, Scott Styris ensured the win for the visiting side. It was the Chargers’ second win in seven matches.

Kings XI Punjab saunters to victory

Punjabi interludes wafted in the breeze at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday night as Kings XI Punjab notched its fifth successive victory in the DLF Indian Premier League.

In a fire-and-ice performance, mirrored by S. Sreesanth’s twin-strike in the match’s first over and Shaun Marsh’s valuable 39 (34b, 4x4, 1x6), Kings XI defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by six-wickets.

Kings XI has 10 points from seven matches and Royal Challengers continued to slip and has four from seven outings.

Chasing the home side’s meagre 126, Kings XI stumbled initially as opener James Hopes found a diving Cameron White while Zaheer Khan exulted in the innings’ second over.

Ramnaresh Sarwan ambled in and drove the bowlers to distraction, threading boundaries through a packed off-side manned by four fielders. Sarwan’s cameo (31, 30b, 5x4, 1x6) that fizzled out in Praveen Kumar’s wicket-maiden, ensured that the visitor was ahead of the required run-rate.

IPL Warne – leading from the front

The matches in the IPL have provided a lot of entertainment and thrills to the purists as well as the recently converted fans. The tournament has provided the opportunity to see the great, good and the upcoming cricketers on the same platform.

The cricketers belonging to the different categories have displayed admirable skills but some have shown that excelling in mind games backed up by skills is the domain of a great cricketer. The likes of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath have provided a lot of delight to the public apart from teaching their younger colleagues a thing or two about this game.

Pollock inspires Mumbai to fine win

Shaun Pollock made things happen as Mumbai Indians stunned Delhi Daredevils by 29 runs for an astonishing victory in the DLF Indian Premier League on Sunday. The home team captain struck three sixes in a 14-ball 33 — runs that proved critical in the final analysis — and then prodded his bowlers and fielders into action as Delhi, chasing 163, fell apart bit by bit to get bowled out for 133.

Gautam Gambhir, looking to overtake Rohit Sharma as the leading run-getter, ended with one off nine balls and Glenn McGrath finished his quota of overs without a wicket against his name.

Pollock’s influence was evident as Mumbai defended 162 at the D.Y. Patil stadium with the enthusiasm of a side willing to go that extra mile. The collective effort was good enough for the bottom placed team to pull down the league topper in 18.5 overs. Dhaval Kulkarni’s stretch on his follow-through to deflect a ferocious Virender Sehwag drive onto the stumps to run out AB de Villiers was just a sample of the adrenalin flowing. Robin Uthappa, patrolling at cover, chipped in with a smart catch to send back Gambhir.

Ban on Shoaib suspended

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Tribunal on Sunday suspended the five-year ban on fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar for a month. The PCB move will enable Akhtar to take part in the on-going Indian Premier League (IPL).

“We have suspended the ban for a month. From June 4, the five-year ban will be effective again,” said Farrukh Aftab, who heads the tribunal, in Islamabad.

The PCB acted on a request from Akhtar’s lawyers who said the IPL was refusing to allow the bowler to take part in its Twenty20 competition while the ban stood. The PCB ban, for several disciplinary breaches, pertained to representing Pakistan and playing cricket at home. However, the IPL insisted on the ban being lifted or suspended.

Akhtar has been signed on by the Kolkata Knight Riders for $ 450,000. He could boost the attack of the side that has lost its last four games.

Lalit Modi, chairman and commissioner, IPL, said “Akhtar’s contract still stands. I am going to call him and tell him to take the first flight to India.”

The PCB is expected to take a final decision on Akhtar’s appeal on June 4.

Challengers’s confidence rekindled

Royal Challengers Bangalore managed to grab a breath in the DLF-Indian Premier League on Saturday with its three-run victory over Deccan Chargers but before the team can savour its hard fought victory, Monday night will pit the home side against Kings XI Punjab at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

With two wins and four points from six matches the team’s confidence has been rekindled by Saturday’s result. Royal Challengers skipper Rahul Dravid would hope that his team would continue its good form against Yuvraj Singh’s Kings XI.

Kings XI, after shrugging aside its opening two losses, has notched up four consecutive victories to gift endless dimples to franchise owner Preity Zinta.

Tanvir rattles Chennai Super Kings

Victory was never in doubt for Rajasthan Royals in its DLF-IPL Twenty20 clash after left-arm seamer Sohail Tanvir rocked the Chennai Super Kings top order with three wickets at the start at the Sawai Man Singh stadium here on Sunday night.

He also showed a safe pair of hands to signal the end of two batsmen before finishing the day’s splendid work by taking three more wickets. His remarkable bowling analysis of 4-0-14-6, to use a cliché, created history.

The Pakistan bowler’s phenomenal six-wicket burst — split in two spells — sent Chennai Super Kings crashing to 109. The Royals batsmen then took charge. Graeme Smith dispatched Makhya Nitini over mid wicket with a short arm pull and slashed another over cover as he put his team firmly on road to its fifth win.

First victory for Mumbai Indians

Finally, Mumbai Indians tasted victory in the DLF-Indian Premier League.

Without Sachin Tendulkar and making three changes, Mumbai Indians showed better motivation and had a better game plan as it chalked up its seven-wicket victory over the Sourav Ganguly-led Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens here on Tuesday.

Mumbai Indians’ batting was in complete contrast to that of Knight Riders, which chose to bat first. Despite losing three early wickets, Mumbai Indians’ fourth-wicket pair of Robin Uthappa and Dwayne Bravo mixed controlled aggression with caution to completely take the match away from the home side.

IPL Dhoni inspires Super Kings to victory

The Mexican waves vanished in a jiffy as Chennai Super Kings went past Royal Challengers Bangalore’s initial charge, to script a 13-run victory in a DLF-Indian Premier League match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday night.

Chennai Super Kings now has an all-win record in its four matches and has eight points, while Royal Challengers stays at two from four.

Chasing Chennai Super Kings’ 178, on a day when the rain stayed away, Royal Challengers struck an early vein of aggression through Wasim Jaffer (50, 33b, 5x4, 2x6).

Jaffer along with Ross Taylor (53, 34b, 3x4, 3x6) crafted an 89-run second-wicket partnership. However the chase unhinged in despair, after Jaffer holed out in the deep, though Taylor continued to bludgeon, swiping Morkel into the stands past long-on and then scampering for a single that ushered in his fifty.

Kallis and Taylor perished soon, and the required statistics whittled down to 47 runs from 30 deliveries.
Tension mounted after Manpreet Gony scalped Boucher and Royal Challengers skipper Dravid for a blob and Albie Morkel crashed one through Virat Kohli’s stumps.

And in the final stretch, Zaheer Khan and Praveen Kumar were found short of breath and stranded outside the crease. With 17 runs required in the last over, the home team lost its spirit and was bowled out for 165 with two balls to spare.

Earlier Chennai Super Kings found its roar towards the end as skipper M.S. Dhoni blitzed a 30-ball 65 with nine fours and three sixes. Dhoni walked in after Suresh Raina was run out and with the score reading 83 for three in 12 overs.

The skipper took apart Dale Steyn, clubbing a few past long-on. He edged a few past the third man ropes but it was a night on which the man-of-the match Dhoni could not be denied.

IPL All eyes on Sachin Tendulkar

On the eve of the clash between Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders in the DLF-Indian Premier League, the biggest question being asked here is whether Sachin Tendulkar will play his first match in this Twenty20 tournament or not.

Down 0-4 already in the 14-match, home and away tournament, Mumbai Indians has already been pushed into the cellar.

It is time to fire on all cylinders before it is too late. In this situation it is quite natural for Mumbai Indians to look up to Tendulkar to play the role of a saviour. “Sachin Tendulkar’s presence will be a major factor,” said Kolkata Knight Riders’ coach John Buchanan.

Harbhajan banned from ongoing IPL

Harbhajan Singh was on Monday banned from further participation in this edition of the Indian Premier League.

The decision was arrived at following a hearing here when Harbhajan pleaded guilty and later apologised publicly.

Harbhajan, leading the Mumbai Indians, was found guilty of having physically assaulted Kings XI Punjab speedster S. Sreesanth at the end of their match at Mohali on Friday.

He was also fined 100 per cent match fee from the third match onwards while the Mumbai team coach Lalchand Rajput was fined 50 per cent of his match fee for not preventing Harbhajan from slapping Sreesanth.

At the end of the press conference, Harbhajan and Sreesanth were presented to the media and made to shake hands and embrace each other.

Sreesanth chose not to speak but Harbhajan made a statement, “whatever happened was very bad and I feel sorry for it. Sreesanth is like a brother. We have been playing together and will play together in the future, too.

“I have been punished for the wrong I did.

“I have respect for the Board and we all know the Board has treated the players like its children. I hope the Board will continue to support me and I seek the support from the people. I will bring smiles to your faces whenever I play next.”

Harbhajan in another storm

Harbhajan Singh once again finds himself in the centre of a disciplinary storm. The BCCI hearing on the off-spinner for allegedly assaulting S. Sreesanth physically, will be conducted in New Delhi on Monday.

Suspended from the Indian Premier League until a verdict is reached, Harbhajan faces another career crisis.

What transpired between him and Sreesanth — the Board claims to have video evidence — after the contest between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab at Mohali on Friday will be clearer after the hearing. Match Referee Farokh Engineer will be the central figure during the process.

Both Harbhajan and Sreesanth are volatile cricketers on the arena but did the former cross the line this time around?

Adam Gilchrist goes on the rampage

Adam Gilchrist exploded against Mumbai Indians, forcing skipper Shaun Pollock at the receiving end of the blast to smile at the hapless situation.

Such was the savagery (109 not out, 48 balls) of the Australian opener’s strokeplay that the dazed bowlers in blue appeared like sending down deliveries into a batting machine.

Batting in a zone of his own, the left-hander swatted an incredible 10 sixes and nine boundaries in the course of the fastest century in the IPL. Hyderabad’s Deccan Chargers vaulted to a 10-wicket victory in the DLF Indian Premier League match, its first after three defeats in a row.

V.V.S. Laxman (36 not out), watching the awesome fireworks show from the other end, rotated the strike.

Gilchrist’s knock meant that teammate Andrew Symonds, waiting for his turn to bat, did not get an opportunity to entertain fans in his last match in this event. The latter will fly out to join the Australian team.

Katich sets up Kings XI’s victory

Simon Katich’s savage counter-attack set up Kings XI Punjab’s four-wicket win over Delhi Daredevils in the DLF Indian Premier League to trigger off celebrations in the vociferous crowd at the PCA Stadium here on Sunday.

After Delhi managed to send back Punjab opener Karan Goel and the in-form Kumara Sangakkara with just 11 runs on the board, Katich almost single-handedly brought Punjab close to victory with a 52-ball 75 chasing Delhi’s 158 for eight in 20 overs. Kings XI skipper Yuvraj Singh then put the finishing touches with three deliveries to spare.

The result signalled Punjab’s second victory in four outings and Delhi’s first defeat in three games.

Katich, the Man of the Match who hit a six and 11 boundaries, added 58 runs with Mahela Jayawardene (15, two fours) for the third wicket in 5.5 overs and another 50 with Yuvraj (40 not out) before being run-out. When Katich was fourth out at 119, Punjab needed 40 runs in six overs.

IPL Warne spoils Chargers’ party

With defeat within shaking hands distance for Rajasthan Royals, one man single-handedly turned the match on its head. That happened to be the skipper himself Shane Keith Warne, who with his side needing 17 runs in the last over, accomplished the amazing feat with a ball to spare in the Indian Premier League cricket match against Deccan Chargers at the Rajiv Gandhi international stadium on Thursday.

To take his men to victory, the leg-spin wizard smote Andrew Symonds twice for six, as if to avenge the latter’s blatant assault on the former, earlier in the day. A resurgence by the Chargers, which came a shade too late in the night, saw the host plunge to its third defeat in a row.

The visitor was well on its victory, thanks to a rollicking second-wicket stand of 98 between opener Graeme Smith (71, 45b, 4x8, 6x2) and Yusuf Pathan (61, 28b, 4x4, 6x6). Smith played the sheet-anchor, never intimidated by the Chargers’ attack, smashing it at will to all corners of the ground.

Revelling in his company, Pathan, who was adjudged the Man-of-the-Match, surged to his half-century in double quick time, off just 21 balls.

The pair was separated when Pathan’s miscued hit off Kalyankrishna sailed straight into Symonds’s hands at long on. There was a lull in the scoring after Pathan’s exit, as Laxman shuffled his bowlers and their ends. Most capable of his men in stopping the run-riot was Shahid Afridi, who had a bag of three for 28.

Shane Watson didn’t last long, foxed by an Afridi flipper. A run-a-ball routine followed, before Kaif hoisted Symonds over the mid-wicket hoardings. The wiry India discard replicated that feat, not once but twice in that very over. Kaif’s exit and Smith’s came in quick succession, the former holing out to Symonds at long-on off Afridi and the latter to Kalyankrishna at deep mid-wicket.

Earlier, Warne bucked the trend, inviting his rivals to bat, after reading the flip of the coin right. Buoyed by Symonds’ blistering and unconquered century (117, 53b, 4x11, 7x6) the Chargers had set up an imposing 214 for five. With scant regard for line or length, the dreadlocked Queenslander had steadied the Deccan boat rocked by reversals that ripped through its top order. Anything above the waist, he pulled with pulverizing power.

Warne had a hand in Symonds’ half-century, the leggie’s fingers unable to cut off a heave that then made the ropes.

Super Kings has the last laugh

In a format created to favour batsmen and big hitting, a bowler won the match for Chennai Super Kings at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Wednesday.

Young paceman Manpreet Singh Goni’s four immaculate overs at the beginning of the Mumbai Indians’ innings proved the decisive spell in a crucial Indian Premier League duel in front of a packed audience.

Bowling with control and working around the basics, Goni conceded just 18 runs in his four overs. Super Kings won but not before surviving a scare after some hectic hitting by Abhishek Nayar (45 n.o., 20b, 6x4, 1x6) and skipper Harbhajan Singh in the end overs. A barrage of fours and sixes brought Mumbai Indians desperately close.

Joginder Sharma, once again, was alive at the death.
Second win

Defending 208, the host clinched a thriller by six runs for its second successive victory in the competition. Mumbai Indians is without a win in two games.

Mumbai Indians faltered at the start. S. Badrinath scored a direct hit from point to catch Luke Ronchi short of the crease at the non-striker’s end. Not much later, key man Sanath Jayasuriya was unable to pick the impressive Manpreet Singh Goni’s change of pace.

Goni bowled tight from one end, but Jacob Oram suffered at the other as Robin Uthappa (43 off 36 balls) cut loose. The batsman displayed power and finesse before swishing at a delivery from Joginder Sharma to lose his leg stump.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni shuffled his bowlers, led with a combination of instinct and foresight. With the ability to get his deliveries to skid off the surface, Joginder can be a dicey bowler in this format and Dhoni used him to break partnerships.

A youngster like Palani Amarnath held his nerve — after being struck for a six — to castle Pollock.

IPL Virender Sehwag leaves Deccan Chargers gasping

Virender Sehwag fashioned Delhi Daredevils’s emphatic nine-wicket win over Deccan Chargers in the DLF-Indian Premier League at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium here on Tuesday.

It was a clinical demolition by a man in form as the Daredevils captain treated every bowler with contempt. There was an opportunity for the home team but the local lad Pragyan Ojha failed to latch on — running to his left at deep square-leg — to a mistimed pull off Chaminda Vaas in the third over of the innings.

But after that escape, the Delhi star played some awesome shots (94 n.o., 41b, 10x4, 6x6). He picked the gentle medium-pace of Andrew Symonds for special treatment, hitting him for 4, 6, 4, 6, 4, 6 in his second over and the 13th of the innings.

Shikhar Dawan (25 n.o., 23b, 3x4) played perfect foil to Sehwag’s hurricane innings during the 112-run stand for the second wicket which knocked the host out of the match.

It was the second straight defeat for Deccan Chargers, while Delhi Daredevils registered its second win in as many matches.

IPL Warne, Watson fashion Royals's easy win

It was the day of the Australians in Royal Blue colours. First, Shane Warne's tantalising spin bowling and cunning outwitted the Kings XI Punjab batsmen and then Shane Watson's fine knock settled the issue for the home team while chasing a target of 167.

It was a splendid display that would have won Watson his captain and coach Warne's approbation. Watson (76 not out, 49b, 5x4, 5x6) amply demonstrated that wrist work was not necessary to flay the bowling and that a batsman such as him, endowed with strong shoulders and powerful arms, could thrash the bowling and unnerve the rival ranks.

After another disappointing performance by the Royals' opening pair, Watson forged a useful 51-run stand with fellow Australian Darren Lehmann and thereafter led his team to a thumping win in the company of Ravindra Jadeja, with the left-hander carting half-a-dozen big blows and staying put in the middle until the task was accomplished.

Kings XI captain Yuvraj brought back Brett Lee for a second spell, but by then Watson had done sufficient damage to make the target less imposing. Yuvraj's team suffered its second defeat and would mull over its inadequacy in the bowling department.

IPL Knight Riders wins low-scoring match

The very essence of a Twenty20 match is entertainment unlimited, on the pitch and off it.

But an atrocious Eden Gardens pitch made sure flamboyance and free-stroking batsmanship took the back-seat in a low-scoring game between Deccan Chargers and Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday.

Sony hits Max-imum with IPL

The Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty-20 cricket tournament has already cast a magic spell on Indian television viewers.

While cricket lovers were glued to their TV sets in the night watching Shah Rukh Khan’s Knight Riders demolish liquor baron Vijay Mallya’s Royal Challengers in the inaugural match on Friday in Bangalore, Sony SetMax catapulted to the number one channel in terms of viewership across all genres during the peak time of 8pm to 11pm.

That is because its share of viewership in television and cable homes around the country zoomed nearly eightfold to 16.8 per cent between 8 pm and 11 pm compared to the last few Fridays.

The average market share of SetMax (which is essentially a movie channel but is now showing cricket) for the last four Fridays in the same time slot was only 2.1 per cent, according to Audience Measurement & Analytics (a-MAP) which monitors viewership across TV channels. The agency covers over 35 million cables and satellite homes across the country.

The viewership of Sony SetMax during the three-hour period on Friday was way ahead of channels across the board.

According to the agency, the closest competitor was Zee, which garnered a market share of 7 per cent. While Star Plus got a market share of 4.6 per cent, 9X was at 2 per cent, Sony Entertainment Television — another channel from the group — at 1.8 per cent and NDTV Imagine at 1.5 per cent.

Speaking to Business Standard on the jump in market share for their channel, Sony TV India Head Kunal Das Gupta said, “It’s heartening to see such a response and it is a fulfillment of what we had expected. With this IPL is now a well established product on TV.”

Sony TV-WSG has bought the broadcasting rights of the IPL matches for a staggering $1.3 billion (Rs 4120 crore) for 10 years.

The combine has already earned over Rs 380 crore by selling advertising time in India and globally for the IPL matches this year. The 44-day tournament will see eight teams clashing in 59 matches.

The large viewership of IPL, according to industry experts, can be challenged only by Shah Rukh Khan’s new quiz programme “Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hai”, which will be telecast on Star Plus from April 25 during the peak time of the matches (8pm to 9pm).

IPL An easy opener for Delhi Daredevil

Glenn McGrath’s spell set the trend on a dull night at the Ferozeshah Kotla as Delhi Daredevils thrashed Rajasthan Royals in a match that rarely rose above mediocrity. The contest lacked the flavour and pace of the Indian Premier League matches elsewhere when the batsmen dictated terms to produce a torrent of runs.

An encouraging turnout heralded floodlit cricket at the Kotla even as Bollywood star and Delhi Daredeviles brand ambassador Akshay Kumar made a dramatic appearance when he came sliding down a cable stretched across the ground. He could not complete the distance though. The acrobats and some cycling stunts caught the attention of the spectators but the occasion lacked the aura associated with a carnival.

There was neither entertainment nor cricket at the Kotla, much to the chagrin of the audience. Long spells of inactivity on the field was hardly the kind of advertisement the organisers would have expected even though the home team made a remarkable start to the IPL. The result, an overwhelming victory for Delhi Daredevils, was on expected lines given the depleted strength of Rajasthan Royals.

Hussey stars for Super Kings

Less than 24 hours after Brendon McCullum redefined power-hitting in the youngest version of the game, Michael Hussey showed that a match-winning century could have more flair than brute force. Though the Indian Premier League is just three games old, the batting standards have already been set.

With nearly 450 runs scored in 40 overs here, it is, no doubt, turning out to be true value for money for the paying spectators. However, such a scenario raises questions of what would be a safe total in the Twenty20 format?

In what turned out to be a 33-run victory for Chennai Super Kings’s batting might over Kings XI Punjab’s potent pace attack, it became clear that even a target of 200 is within reach of the team batting second, thanks to batting friendly-pitches, fast outfield and altered boundaries, at least at the PCA Stadium here.

On Saturday, Hussey’s unbeaten 116 inspired Chennai to 240 for five in 20 overs. With a target that would have been defendable even in a 50-over game, Chennai had almost batted the opposition out of the contest before a far-from-partisan crowd of around 15,000.