Category Archives: WC T20 2009

‘Catch the Spirit’ – WT20 India vs Pakistan warm-up match

clip_image002The International Cricket Council (ICC) has designated the World T20 2009 warm-up match between India and Pakistan as a ‘Catch the Spirit’ match. The match is scheduled to be played at the Oval on June 3 from 10:00 PM IST.

‘Catch the Spirit’ highlights the respect with which the game is played around the world and is one of the themes of the ICC’s ongoing centenary year of 2009.

As per ICC media release, the funds raised by this match will go to support the families of the victims of the attack on the Sri Lankan team and match officials in Lahore in March.

Though, complete details are still not available but the funds will be raised primarily through requests for contributions from spectators inside the ground, appeal for donations from the spectators outside the ground via television broadcasts and internet coverage of the match and contributions from other parties having direct or indirect interest in cricket.
This stands out as a testimony of a great spirit that sport events can show to support a noble cause. I wish all the success to the organizers and hope spectators and cricket stakeholders across the globe contributes wholeheartedly during the match.

The match will be broadcasted live in India on TV on Star Cricket.

The Indian Squad for WT 20

india-cricket-teamThe young Indian team with an average age of 24.6 years looks pretty balanced and much stronger than the team that won the last title.

The suspense around Zaheer’s fitness and availability still continues. In case he is not able to join the squad, he could be replaced with Ashish Nehra who did well at this IPL or perhaps Munaf Patel. If Nehra is included in the squad, it will be his first international match after 2005.

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Though Sehwag and Gambhir seemed a little out of touch during the IPL, but they need just one match to get back into the demolishing form again and promise a solid fort at the top of the order. Part time bowlers have proved that they are more than a utility option and with any combination from the playing eleven, Dhoni will have a choice of 9 players whom he can ask to bowl.

No doubt, the defending champions will start their campaign being the tournament’s favorite!

ICC World Twenty20 2009 Women’s Tournament [Schedule]

clip_image002The second edition of ICC World Twenty20 will feature two parallel tournaments – the women’s tournament featuring 8 teams and the men’s tournament featuring 12 teams.

The groupings and schedule of the women’s tournament is given below:

Group A Group B
Australia India
New Zealand England
West Indies Sri Lanka
South Africa Pakistan

Warm-up matches

JUNE 2009
08 MON NZ vs ENG
4:30 PM IST		 RSA vs SL
4:30 PM IST
08 MON AUS vs IND
8:30 PM IST		 WI vs PAK
8:30 PM IST
09 TUE RSA vs PAK
4:30 PM IST		 NZ vs IND
4:30 PM IST
09 TUE WI vs SL
8:30 PM IST		 ENG vs AUS
8:30 PM IST

Group Stage

JUNE 2009 GROUP A GROUP B
11 THU WI vs RSA
4:30 PM IST		 IND vs ENG
8:30 PM IST
12 FRI AUS vs NZ
4:30 PM IST		 PAK vs SL
8:30 PM IST
13 SAT WI vs NZ
4:30 PM IST		 IND vs PAK
8:30 PM IST
14 SUN AUS vs WI
4:30 PM IST		 ENG vs SL
8:30 PM IST
15 MON NZ vs RSA
4:30 PM IST		 IND vs SL
8:30 PM IST
16 TUE AUS vs RSA
4:30 PM IST		 ENG vs PAK
8:30 PM IST
18 THU

Women’s S/F – A1 v B2
5:30 PM IST
19 FRI

Women’s S/F – B1 v A2
5:30 PM IST
21 SUN

Women’s Final
3:00 PM IST

This is a welcome decision by ICC to hold Women’s T20 World Cup along with Men’s T20 World Cup as this will surely bring extra media attention and a definite boost to women’s cricket, the otherwise ignored aspect of international cricket.

With so many matches happening every day during the World Cup, it sure is going to be absolute delight for the cricket fans!

ICC World Twenty20 2009 Men’s Tournament [Schedule]

clip_image002[6]The second season of ICC World Twenty20 will start from June 5, 2009 in England. This time the ICC World Twenty20 will also feature a parallel competition between 8 women’s teams, along with the men’s tournament in which 12 teams are participating.

The groupings and schedule of the men’s tournament is given below:

Groups

GROUP A GROUP B GROUP C GROUP D
India – A1 Pakistan – B1 Australia – C1 New Zealand – D1
Bangladesh – A2 England – B2 Sri Lanka – C2 South Africa – D2
Ireland Netherlands West Indies Scotland

Group Stage

JUNE 2009 GROUP A GROUP B GROUP C GROUP D
05 FRI ENG vs NED
10 PM IST
06 SAT IND vs BAN
10:30 PM IST		 AUS vs WI
6:30 PM IST		 NZ vs SCO
2:30 PM IST
07 SUN ENG vs PAK
10:00 PM IST		 RSA vs SCO
6:00 PM IST
08 MON IRE vs BAN
6:00 PM IST		 AUS vs SL
10:00 PM IST
09 TUE PAK vs NED
6:00 PM IST		 NZ vs RSA
10:00 PM IST
10 WED IND vs IRE
10:00 PM IST		 SL vs WI
6:00 PM IST

Super 8’s – Groups

GROUP E GROUP F
A1 B1
B2 A2
C1 C2
D2 D1

The teams will retain their initial seeding for the Super 8’s, irrespective of whether they finish first or second in their group. In case they are knocked out by team 3 of their group, then team 3 will replace the seeding of the team that they knock out.

If India qualifies for Super 8’s, even if it comes second, India will still be A1. If for example, Ireland qualifies instead of India, Ireland will become A1.

Super 8s GROUP E (A1, B2, C1, D2) GROUP F (B1, A2, C2, D1)
11 THU B2 vs  D2
10:00 PM IST		 D1 vs  A2
6:00 PM IST
12 FRI India (A1) vs  Australia (C1)
10:00 PM IST		 B1 vs  C2
6:00 PM IST
13 SAT C1 vs  D2
6:00 PM IST		 D1 vs  B1
10:00 PM IST
14 SUN India (A1) vs  England (B2)
10:00 PM IST		 A2 vs  C2
6:00 PM IST
15 MON B2 vs  C1
10:00 PM IST		 B1 vs  A2
6:00 PM IST
16 TUE India (A1) vs South Africa (D2)

10:00 PM IST

 D1 vs  C2
6:00 PM IST
18 THU

Semifinal – E1 v F2
10:00 PM IST
19 FRI

Semifinal F1 v E2

10:00 PM IST 2030 hrs BST
21 SUN

Final

7:30 PM IST

India will play a warm-up match against New Zealand at 10 PM on 1 June.

For those of you who are interested in watching a T20 match between India and Pakistan, which otherwise will not happen in the Group matches or Super 8’s, then watch out for a warm-up game on 3 June at 10 PM when both the teams play against each other.

All the matches (including the warm-up matches) will be broadcasted live in India on ESPN, Star Sports and Star Cricket.

IPL to be held twice in a year?

In an interview to Daily Telegraph, the IPL commissioner – Lalit Modi has dropped a hint that the IPL could be held twice a year.

In Modi’s own words:

“The IPL will be based in India, but the second season (of a year) that we are planning gives us the chance to see if a market exists and we are seriously looking at what we can do with it”

The response that IPL-2 got from cricket fans in South Africa has definitely encouraged Modi to think bigger now and he is looking at various possible opportunities.

imageNow the big question that arises is whether or not there is any scope for another IPL within the same year? We already have the World Cup T20 happening every alternate year, annual Champions League starting this year, other ODI series and Test matches that happen all the year around… wow, isn’t  that a lot of cricket?

Do you think it could end up being too much of T20 to handle? How will it impact the audience of test matches and ODIs, I wonder…?