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While India attacked New Zealand in Napier scoring 273 for 4 in 38 overs, Sri Lankan team was on attack by Pakistani terrorists in Lahore.

The bus in which the team was going to Gaddafi stadium to play third day of second test match was attacked by at least 12 gunmen.  Two Sri Lankan players are seriously injured; including Read the rest of this entry »

Ok, the first Twenty20 match against New Zealand has happened and our dreams of conquering yet another match were shattered. We dream too much; day high dreaming it is called. It was somewhat expected but not this way.

Agreed, the weather was too cold, rainy and windy.. .. most of us take time to acclimatize but that does not mean our brains get numb instead of our hands and feet and we try to rain sixes with a strong wind.

Photo copyright : A Bisht

As typical of Sehwag, his score was impressive in first 3 balls and that’s it. Read the rest of this entry »

Ok, I wanted to give you a good nice Sunday brunch. But I was also waiting for a dish called Australian Open. Never mind, by the time this post shows in your readers, it’ll serve you as evening snacks except for my readers in US & Canada.

I AM HAPPY.

1. Indian pair of Bhupati & Sania Mirza won the mixed doubles finals at Australian open by 6-3, 6-1. Earlier, DPS student Yuki became the first Indian to win Australian junior title. Yayy !!

2. I am a great fan of Federer but this guy Nadal has tremendous talent as well. It’s hard on me then ! I am unable to decide whom to support !! So, posting it before any of them wins.
But then I like a player called Marcos Baghdatis as well, more for non-tennis reasons.

3. Hail cricket ! India won the 2nd ODI and now leading by 2-0 in 5 match series against Sri Lankans. Thus Indians now have won 7 ODI matches in a row.

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Of course, I am in complete love with cricket. And I love Indo-Australia matches in particular. We get to see all.. .. the stares, the angry fists, the happy fists, the chewing jaws, the thumping foot, the yells, and so on… Words are really not needed to convey the feelings but at times we have them as well.

Anyone who follows this blog knows I am a great fan of Dhoni, the Jharkhandi as I fondly call him.
He has done it again. He has led India in two test matches and won both. And the two captains who have achieved this feat before him were also playing in this match. Yes, I am talking about Saurav Ganguly and Sachin, the God.

This match has many things to remember…  Bowlers’ performance, batsmen’s records and of course Dhoni’s captaincy.
As much I like his aggressiveness on the field as I like his coolness. He dares to be innovative and different, believes in his players’ capabilities, and doesn’t shy away from admitting the weaknesses of the team.

Aye Aye Captain  !
Shhhh… Cuckoo, don’t always do Dhoni Dhoni. People will take offence.

OK.

While Ishant and Zaheer had their favourite targets and building on their experiences, Amit Mishra was coolly trying to show the worthiness of his inclusion in the team. He looks more promising to me than Piyush Chawla.

Do I have to mention about the batsmen now ? Gambhir, Sachin, Ganguly and Jharkhandi ooops Dhoni himself were among runs and records.

From Australian side.. .. I’ll mention the players I was missing most. All three great players.. Gilchrist, McGrath and Shane Warne. Why do people take retirement ?

Photograph copyright: Cuckoo, a TV shot taken earlier

All in all, it was a great team effort with a bit of verbal exchange which actually goes in favour of Indians. They get all charged up and perform better. Aussies, please note this and shut up for the rest of the matches.

Current Song:- Snow (Hey Oh) - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Technorati Tags:-Cricket India Dhoni

ये देश है वीर जवानों का
अलबेलों का मस्तानों का ..
इस देश में धोनी जैसे होते हैं
जिसे देखकर बॉलर रोते हैं
धोनी सबको ऐसा धोते हैं …

I am so so very happy.

Indian ODI & T20 cricket team’s cool headed and aggressive captain M S Dhoni has been chosen for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, only second cricketer after Sachin Tendulkar to receive the country’s highest honour for a sportsperson.

And the above song ?? No, no. Not written by me.
Well, the Jharkhandis have made many songs on their young leader and I just heard this one on TV.
Know some more about Mahi through his parents here.

Current Song:- Ye Desh Hai Veer JawanoN Ka - Naya Daur
Technorati Tags:- Cricket

So India won. Won because they simply refused to lose.
There’s something about M S Dhoni …I think Dhoni is the first fully grown-up skipper we’ve had in decades. Cool headed and aggressive. Oh, when I said that while watching the match yesterday, I was told those two adjectives don’t go together. I defy.

Oh well, I am not here to analyze the match. Many people have done that.

To me this match will remain memorable for more than one reason. Some of them besides the general ones are:-

0. Someone I know skipped his exam to watch the finals.
1. Brothers Pathan (Yusuf & Irfan) playing for the country in a World Cup final. Before them only 2 sets of brothers have played together in international matches. Brothers Chappell (Ian & Greg) and brothers Waugh (Steve & Mark).
2. A scene of celebration where an older brother carried his younger brother on his back.
3. Last over of the match. It sure had much more capabilities of causing heart-attacks than the last over of India-Australia match. With Misbah-ul-Haq, at strike, Pakistan had full chances of taking away the cup; yet he, who had made it possible till then, played a “cute” lappu shot to Shreesanth at fine leg. Highest levels of tension do kill our capability of thinking coolly.
4. Dhoni’s reasoning why he gave the final over to J Sharma. His words are sure going to make the difference in Indian Cricket sphere.. to his experienced seniors, to his young team-mates. “Bhajji wasn’t sure, he wasn’t getting his yorkers 100% right. I thought I’d give the over to a bowler who wanted to make a mark at the international level. It really didn’t matter to me if we didn’t win, because we’d given it our best.”
5. Dhoni giving away his shirt to a young fan and helping him wear it.

Now the reason for writing this post… The difference in giving thanks by the two captains.

Where Indian captain Dhoni was all praise and full of confidence for his young and talented side..
Some of his dialogues..

“I’d like to thank my young team, which has been amazing. No one expected us to win, and now we deserve a big celebration.”
“I don’t have bowlers to match the experiences of Bret Lee or Shane Watson, still they did not let us down”.
“Ravi, last evening when I read in Cricinfo that Aussies are your favourites for this semi-final, I thought let us prove you wrong”.

On the other hand Pakistani captain Shoaib Malik’s first two sentences were ..

“First of all I want to say something over here. I want to thank you back home Pakistan and where the Muslim lives all over the world.”

I fully understand that Islamic sentiments are thoroughly stuffed in their mindsets but heyy.. be careful dude !! Not all the Muslims ! Don’t ever say that. The Indian team had two Muslims playing for the country and they were just as happy as any other Indian Muslim all over the world at India’s victory. Don’t ever think all the Muslims in the world are supporting you. I hope you know that there are more Muslims in India than in Pakistan, and probably more Muslims praying for India than for Pakistan.

Have you ever thought how that statement of yours might have hurt the feelings of Danish Kaneria, your Hindu team-mate ? And what about that Hindu chap in team Pakistan’s uniform on the ground (I am not aware of his credentials) who continuously prayed by folding hands for your team’s victory ? Yes, the same man who did somersault after you defeated New Zealand in semis.

Mr. Malik, please note that in my country we often admire people for what they have achieved and not for which religion they belong to. Even a fellow Muslim, named Shah Rukh Khan hugged his countrymen and not you guys.

So, don’t bring your religion above the game. The Indian team has players from all the four major religions of the country, yet they played as Indians, not as Hindu, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians.

For now, Bye-Bye, Tata, fir milenge.

Current Song:- Chak De, Chak de India - Sukhvinder Singh
Technorati Tags: India Sports Cricket

:))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Current song- Sensualité - Axel Red
Technorati Tags: Cricket Smiles

For a change, some of my predictions in this game of chance is coming out correct. At the start of Super 8, I had predicted for Aus, SA, NZ and SL to be four semi-finalists. And I was right !!

Now, tell me which team is going to challenge Australia in the finals ? New Zealand or Sri Lanka ? What do you say ?
Don’t ask me silly questions like why am I not asking about South Africa.

Earlier, I had my finalists as Australia and South Africa but Proteas let me down. So, now my money is on Sri Lanka.

I know Australia is the best team, my all time favourites and they are going to win the cup but we must appreciate the efforts of Sri Lankans and how they have come up to this stage.
Yesterday was Maharoof’s day and he came out with an impressive figure of 10-3-25-4 at an economy rate of 2.50 plus one run-out as well.

I am supporting Sri Lankans for being the only Asian team in the race.

Hail Tigers !

P.S.- Heyy if you are reading this post, you got to comment. Ok ?

Current song- Piya Baawree – Ajay Pohankar

Technorati Tags: Cricket Sports World Cup

This time I have not written anything about cricket on my blog. That doesn’t mean I am not following it. Cricket, the most beloved and hated game of this nation is being religiously followed by me and millions of others (Ah, not sure though) so much so that I should call it stalking.
And the poor Indian team got so worried by this stalking that they thought it better to come in the safe hands of home sweet home rather than to stay there in an unknown country of islands facing wrath of seven other teams.

I think the Indians believed in the saying “Love thy Neighbour”. They loved Sri Lanka & Bangla Desh and could not see them losing. Good that we didn’t have Pakistan in that group. It would have been an enormous love affair.

But heyyy,, WAIT !!! Where have you gone now ? I am still here in West Indies following the game. There are other teams to get my attention till this most coveted cup is given to one of them. I love the game more than any one team but yes, I had hopes. Hopes from my Indian team to get into at least Super 8. I never expected them to win the cup though.

Australia was always my favourite and the way they are playing, there is no doubt the cup is theirs. Off late, the game has become quite boring, not because Indians aren’t there but because we are getting the expected results. It is no more unpredictable. Australians are just too perfect in all the departments. It is amazing to see their professionalism, their killer instinct and never say die attitude. No wonder I have more Australian players as my favourites than Indians.

And yesterday’s match ?? What a match it was ! SA vs Sri Lanka. Surely Lankans are determined to show the world they are not “bheegi billi” (?? wet cats ?..no no it gives a wrong meaning) but Asian tigers hungry for the Cup. And that Malinga ?? Four wickets in four balls ! An all time record for ODI cricket ?? Oh man, I always wonder how he bowls with that throwing action.

Well, at home front there is a lot to think and analyze to come to conclusion of what and how. But I don’t expect a drastic changeover in Indian scenario. Probably the coach will head for his home and one or two players will get a mild warning. Preparing new pitches, picking & training young ones, improving infrastructure, bringing more professionalism into the game.. all this will take a back seat.

The saddest thing of this world cup was Bob Woolmer’s tragic death. A huge loss to world of Cricket.

Anyway, the World Cup is on and my spirits are still high. Two finalists are South Africa & Australia. So boring !! Nothing is unpredictable. But I am ready to be proved wrong. :))

Good Luck Australia !!

Current song- Hothon se Choo lo Tum, Mera Geet Amar Kar Do – Jagjit Singh