Category Archives: IPL

Mumbai Indians dent Royal Challengers Bangalore net runrate

I grew up in Mumbai and have stayed for most part of my life in Mumbai, so saying my favorite IPL team is Mumbai Indians is a given. But I like Royal Challengers Bangalore as as team which has a great balance. It has my favourite fast bowler Dale Steyn and also one of the world best all time great all-rounder going by the name Jacques Kallis. Not to forget greats like Kumble and Dravid are also part of RCB.

Today was surely not a auspicious day in Bengaluru (Bangalore) with a crude bomb going off minutes before the game in a generator room. The match was delayed by an hour but did take place.

Mumbai Indians posted a considerably large score of 191/4 and restricted RCB to 134/9 and winning the match by 57 runs.

RCB were favorites to get into Semi finals as they had a very high net-runrate. This loss to Mumbai Indians was disastrous and leaves them with a net Runrate of +0.219. It was at a comfortable +0.467.

The Semi Final battle has really warmed up and I think RCB might just still make it and we might have a Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore final. What do you think? Do drop in your comments.

IPL in Multiplex & on HD at home! Wow!

With a thumping response to it’s first two editions of the tournament, IPL’s 3rd edition is doing equally great or may be even better! TRP ratings for this years IPL remains on top as expected!

IPL has already created a scary buzz amongst the Motion Picture business. People are hard to find in theatres to watch new movie releases.

After finding a solution to watch IPL matches on desktop and laptop through Youtube,  someone now tries to find a solution for the movie theatre owners.

IPL  tied up with UFO movies to broadcast live matches in multiplexes! I am sure, watching IPL live matches on a huge screen with no commercial breaks does sound to be fun! But will this idea get sold as expected? I have my doubts, except for semifinals & the final match!

Another good news for the HD TV owners with SUN DTH installed is that they can watch IPL matches in HD format. SUN DTH is offering HD subscription through which they are broadcasting IPL matches in HD format in association with the official broadcaster Sony’s Set Max! These matches also are without the commercial breaks!

Discovery Channel is also available in HD (16×9, 1080p) on SUN DTH. This looks like a beginning of a new High Definition television viewing era in Indian television history. There are constant technical trials going on for High Definition broadcast in India. I will be posting details in another post on DW very soon!

But for now let’s enjoy IPL in much bigger, clearer & un-cut picture! 🙂

Rajasthan Royals should play (idea) “oongli” cricket!

After watching pathetic fielding (dropped catches, missed run-out chances and countless misfields) and poor running between the wicket, by Rajasthan Royals player, I strongly believe that Rajasthan Royals players have some serious issue with their bones and muscles.

If by any chance, they can move atleast their finger (“oongli”) smartly, they should play “oongli” cricket! 😀

What do you think???

Link: Idea Oongali Cricket

(Disclaimer: Do not think that I am fan of Rajasthan Royals. I am fan of kolkata knight riders and that too for only DADA aka Saurav Ganguly!)

Who will make it to IPL semi-finals?

IPL has reached the stage where the points table is taking shape and the men from the boys are being separated quite drastically. Mumbai Indians have left their last two year’s dismal performances far behind and have won all but one of their seven matches. Mumbai Indians do look a certainly to get into the semi-finals unless ofcourse they ended up losing every game from now on.

Bangalore Royal Challengers and Delhi Daredevils are the other three teams I feel will make it to the Semi-finals. Both teams have decent balance and even though they do not have as good a record as Mumbai Indians but Delhi Daredevils with 12 points and Bangalore Royal Challengers with 10 points are pretty much a certainty. DD and BRC might not make it if one of their teams does hit a roadblock and just about loses every game which is a little difficult to imagine.

That leaves the 4th place up for grabs. We can count Kings XI Punjab because they have had a disastrous IPL with only 4 points until now.

So now it leaves Chennai Super Kings (8 points), Kolkata Knight Riders (8 points), Rajasthan Royals (8 points) and Deccan Chargers (6 points) as teams which can take the 4th place. I personally back CSK as they are already at 8 points and look strong with the resurgent form of Murali Vijay scoring and surprising many who thought he was only good for Test cricket.

So who do you think will make it to IPL semi finals? Do drop in your comments and let me know.

IPL comes out with a comic book version of IPL 2009 Final

The Indian Premier League has done something again that is quite unique. They ave produced a online comic book which covers the 2009 Final between Bangalore Royal Challengers and Deccan Chargers. This is quite interesting and is one of the many unique features of this year’s IPL. Some of it has been getting active on social networks to reaching out with the world with You Tube.

You can view the comic page by page at IPL website. The illustrations are done wonderfully and does capture a lot of the drama and interest that goes on behind a final match. The illustrations are done by Campfire.

I liked the look of the comic and a lot of good detailing had gone into it when it came to the visuals but I felt the drama behind the match and the individuals who make it happen was not so prevalent.

Do look up the comic and go through it. Drop in your comments with your views.

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…?

Upset No.2!

RoyalsCan you believe it… two teams at the bottom of the point table in IPL1 are playing for the cup in IPL2!!! This is beauty of cricket. Nobody could have predicted this. (Not ever Imran Hashmi from Zameen… hahaha) But a real stunner. Super Kings are simply outplayed! Dhoni should be worried about his game plans and strategies. There are several questions that should be asked…Why Murali was introduced so late? Where is Dhoni’s powerful stroke play? He must be answerable (to himself at least) for the sake of upcoming T20 World cup.

Chennai started very well and they were playing almost 10 per over till 5-6th over and after that they started loosing wickets regularly. They were definitely 15-20 runs short.

With less than 150 runs to chase Royal’s start was solid with new rising star of Indian cricket…. Manish Pandey. He kept on going with confidence after 100 in the last game he played against Deccan Chargers; first scored by an Indian in both IPL sessions and only second in this session. He must be thinking of repeating same performance against them in the final. And Mr. Dependable played like Mr. Dependable with ease and elegance.
Stage is set now…. Royals Vs Chargers!
Unpredictable…!

IPL-2 brings out the true champion… does it?

What a turn around IPL-2 has proved from IPL-1… no wonder this game is a great equalizer, the two teams who were at the bottom of the table last year are now ending this season just the other way around.

No one would have imagined a final clash between the Deccan Chargers and the Royal Challengers Bangalore at the beginning of this season, but here we are witnessing the clash between the two.

Now that brings up the question… Did any of these teams really look like champions through out this league?

Though one can argue they are in the top gear right now, but then you will have to agree that there were days of inconsistent performance too. With Gilly blasting against Delhi Daredevils in the first Semifinal and Manish Pandey doing the magic for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the last two games, Deccan Chargers and Royal Challengers Bangalore managed to pull it through to the final stage.

I don’t know if this the right format for any league where each team is playing two matches against all other opponents for around one and a half months, the the deciders turn out to be the last three matches!!!

What I know from famous leagues in other sports, the teams play against the opponents at home’ and ‘away’ matches and the champion team is decided based on the total points it has scored through the season and not just by one final match.

Look at IPL-1…Rajasthan Royals had played through out the season like champions, defeating all other opponents quite handsomely and coming out as the deserving champions when they won the thrilling final match. This time it was Delhi Daredevils all through except for one match or rather just first five overs of the second innings of the first Semifinal.

If it’s all about the Semifinals and Finals, then why so many other matches through the tournament? Is it the right way of finding a true champion?

Well, you may argue that you can not be crowned as a champion if you can not win the big matches that count the most! But, I really want to hear it out from you… what do you have to say about it?

Gilli stunned Delhi and played as if playing in a Gully!

Deccan Charged UpPradip Sangwan’s body language was showing every fear of a rookie bowler bowling against a gifted player. Viru did a costly mistake to introduce him when Nannes was punished for five consecutive fours in the very first over.

Full credit goes to Gilli. He put all his experience of playing finals and winning them. He not only scored runs but killed opponents attitude to play the game to win from the very first over. Even Viru seemed confused when Gilli was in full flow. Only Nehra was looking confident and positive.

With the record of fastest fifty in IPL in just 17 balls, he is also having height strike rate and score (85). This player is unstoppable in full flow. This style of hammering down the ball was introduced by West Indians in early 70s. Richards, Lloyd, Sobers played with the hammer in hand. Recently, Lara had that magic in his bat. In late 80s and early 90s, Aussie era started and won three world cups. Gilli was integral part of the team and Aussies success.

Now, morals are charged up and opponents must be thinking of tightening the screws against him. Another Aussie making his mark with quick 24 in 15 balls was Symonds. A player out of Gibbs, Symonds, Rohit, Gilli and others with quick fire 40-50 runs can make 250+ runs possible. And yeah, this total seems very very difficult for any team in finals.

It’s all ifs and buts but, with such a stunning performance, Deccan Chargers has become strong contender for holding the shining IPL trophy.