India v Australia 2016 Cricket Rivalry Renews

#Ind v #Aus #ODI #Series #2016

The fierce (in the literal sense) rivalry between India and Australia #Cricket teams is all set to renew starting 12th Jan 2016 with a 5 ODI and 3 T20 series. India tour Australia and the series kicks off with the first #ODI at the #WACA #Perth.

Over the last few years, series between these two teams have been hotly contested mostly due to on-field verbal spats, ugly sledging and controversies. It all started with that infamous #MoneyGate scandal in #Sydney in 2008 when Harbhajan and Symonds got into an altercation that threw the sport into a great abyss (suspensions, threats from BCCI, fines, etc).

Australia brought fierce gamesmanship in the game under Steve Waugh and play their game very aggressively. The young Indian brigade has tried to match them word for word over the past few years. Although performances show Australia have an upper hand in terms of results, the Indian team has laid to rest its soft target image of the 90s and 80s.

So, how does it look this time around?

India is being led by the old veteran #MSDhoni (probably his last hurrah will be the #T20 #WorldCup to be played in Mar 2016 in India). With fading form and age, he has one last chance to show he is still the wily old fox who can inspire his team to win in Australia again (remember .. it was under his leadership that India beat Australia 2-0 in the Tri series of 2008). 

His deputy #ViratKohli is hot on his heels if he fails to perform and deliver results. Virat has taken the new India team by the storm with his win-at-all-costs and aggressive attitude. Youngsters want to follow him and his attitude seems to be rubbing on his young team.

So, how with Captain Cool handle this young brigade? remains to be seen.

Australia on the other hand are rebuilding a team again under the young #SteveSmith. A lot of their bowling strength is depleted since retirement of #MitchellJohnson last year and #MitchellStarc out with a hamstring problem. How are their young bowlers going to cope with international matches will determine Australia's outcome in the series.

There are dangerous players on both sides who can turn games on their own. Warner and Maxwell for Australia alongside Smith and Marsh' while Jadeja and Raina can turn it on for India apart from Dhoni, Kohli and Rahane. India's #RaviAshwin will be the huge difference between these two team's bowling departments. 

All in all, it looks like a humdinger of a contest between these two sides over the next two weeks. May the best "cricket" team win (not the worst behaving one)!

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CWC 2015 - Ind Beats Pak At Adelaide - Champions For India

Champions of #India's Historic win against #Pakistan at #Adelaide #CWC 2015

#Shikhar Dhawan​ - set the foundation with a un-Dhawan like innings - risk free and lot of patience. My man of the match really.

#Virat Kohli​ - got back into form and took to the Pak bowlers with usual disdain and touch of arrogance. Did most of the two chances he got.

#Suresh Raina​ - capitalized brilliantly on a solid platform and took the game away from Pak with his power hitting

#MS Dhoni​ - marshalled his troops well in this crunch game and on back of a some poor cricket over last three months. Press, media and supporters, including me, were gunning for his throat. His personal form is still a worry but this CWC needs Dhoni more as India captain than batsman.

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CWC 2015 - Corey Anderson Man Of The Match vs SL

#CoreyAnderson played a superb all round role in #NewZealand's crushing win over #SriLanka in their opening game of the #CWC 2015.

He scored a whirlwind 75 from 46 balls and came back to scalp 2 wickets in the SL chase. An easy win at #Wellington for NZ by 98 runs

Score Summary:
New Zealand: 331 for 6
Sri Lanka: 233 all out.

Venue: Hagley Oval, Wellington

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CWC 2015 - Steven Finn Takes First Hattrick

After getting thrashed all over the park, the #England bowlers had something to cheer about in their opening world cup game against #Australia at the #MCG.

#StevenFinn registered a #hattrick on the last three balls of the Aussie innings.

Wicket #1 - 49.4 overs - Brad Haddin c. Broad b.Finn 31 (14)
Wicket #2 - 49.5 overs - Glenn Maxwell c. Root b.Finn 66 (40)
Wicket #3 - 49.6 overs - Mitchell Johnson c. Anderson b.Finn 0 (1)

Finn finished his spell with 5 for 71 but not before being carted all over the place by the Australian batsman, especially Maxwell.

England need 343 to win this game. Big ask this!

 

CWC 2015 - Aaron Finch becomes First Centurion

#AaronFinch - First centurion at the #ICCWorldCup2015, #CWC2015

Riding his luck of being dropped in the first over for nought, Finch goes on to stroke a superb 135 against #Eng at the #MCG

 

Eng Thump Ind To Reach Triseries Final Jan 2015

After a small hiccup upfront, the Englishmen have shown India the door in the CarltonMid Triseries tournament.

Having bowled India out for just 200, the game was setup for an easy win.
But surprisingly, India was up for a fight today and reduced Eng to 66 for 5 in no time.
As always though (and that clearly indicates the bowling class of India -- utterly miserable) No 4 (#JamesTaylor) and No 7 (Jos Butler) collaborated beautifully for a century stand to clear away any thoughts of an upset loss for England.

By the time both were dismissed, England needed less than 10 runs to win the game with over 4 overs to spare. Broad and Woakes comfortably crossed the finish line.

Eng 201 for 7, through to the final against Australia at the #MCG on 1st Feb 2015.

What does this mean for #TeamIndia?

 - Elimination from the current Tri series

 - An extra couple of "rest days" before the World Cup (Remember MS Dhoni had complained of fatigue for their poor performance a few days ago?)

 - Time for introspection whether they have any realistic chance to qualify for the knockout stages at the world cup? Am sure Ireland, Zimbabwe and UAE are already plotting an upset win against them while the others Windies, South Africa and Pakistan are already smiling at their fortune of playing an out of form and disorganized #TeamIndia

 - Batting is in woeful form although they seem to have the talent. Bowling is at best club class and will not trouble world class batsmen the least (#AB can easily plan to break his fastest ODI century record when the two teams meet at the #MCG in their World Cup group encounter in Feb)

 - Need to plan/hope to bat second as that seems to be their best chance of winning some games at the moment.

 - If this performance continues at the World Cup, it could well be curtains for Dhoni from all forms of the game. His sour ties with Virat are already showing up and VK has a great chance to grab the captaincy position with both hands.

 - Can they think of calling #AnilKumble back from retirement to bowl at opposition tails or bowl containing overs?  

AB's Historic feat - Fastest Century In One Dayers

A long standing record in cricket is broken !!!

#ABDevilliers has done it.... 
Century in 31 balls ... OMG ... unbelievable batting from the most valuable player in cricket today.

#SouthAfrica vs #WestIndies
Venue: Wanderers, Johannesburg
Date: 18th Jan 2015

Batting first and riding well on #HashimAmla and #RileeRossouw hundreds, South Africa looked to build momentum for a big score through some quick runs from their middle order. #AB decided scoring quick was not good enough. He decided to take the bullet train route. 

And boy, did he explode?

Absolute carnage followed.
The hapless #Windies could do nothing but see the bowls flowing over their heads into the crowds in what has been one of the most audacious batting display in cricket history. Scoops, Sweeps, Paddle shots, Flicks, the runs flowed from everywhere... and AB the magician provided them all  .. in just 31 balls..

And that didn't end there.
He carried on and piled up 149 in 49 deliveries (including 16 sixes, a SA record)

Records set
50 runs - 16 balls - World record #ABDevilliers
100 runs - 31 balls - World record #ABDevilliers
16 sixes - South African record #ABDevilliers
Total score 439 - just four short of that magical 443 SA scored against Australia (again at Wanderers in that classic massive scoring game few years ago)

West Indies were so blown away by that onslaught, that their reply ended before it actually started.
Although #DeneshRamdin and #DwayneSmith got half centuries, they lost the game by 148 runs. Had they plucked AB early in his innings, they could have made a game of it. Not to be.

AB take a bow!

Underestimate Pakistan At Your Peril This #CricketWorldCup2015

The most unpredictable team of all time! by a distance.
Amazing talent, extraordinary performances on one day and even minnows feel proud on others. Such has been Pakistan's journey over the last 40 years of World Cup one day cricket.

From being arguably the best bowling unit (talent wise) ever to some of the most abject defeats in the World cup (notably - loss to Bangladesh in 1999 and to Ireland in 2007). You cannot predict which Pakistan side will land up on the field on a given day.

Boy, but if you give them a sniff and they are in the zone ... they can really nail you into submission with their audacious batting strokeplay or deadly bowling spells (as Australia found out in their league game in 1999 and NZ in that heartbreaking semifinal of 1992).

So how does this 2015 Pakistan World Cup squad look like?
Does it have the firepower to go all the way?

Batting
A lot inexperience in their batting ranks. A lot of youngsters roped in Ehsan Adil, Shehzad, Sohail, Maqsood. This could be their weakest link since conditions in Australia and NZ would favor seamers and teams from sub continent generally struggle here. Having said that, the "unseen" packages may just turn out to be surprise packages for other teams (India will their first opponent .. what a mouth watering clash scheduled for 15th Feb 15 at the Adelaide Oval)
A lot will depend on the experience of Misbah and Younis Khan to carry these youngsters when settting or chasing targets.

Bowling
The traditional powerhouse of this team.
Emergence of Riaz and Irfan is a good sign but still lack of experience could spell their doom. Just don't see anyone to guide these seamers in tight situations.
Spinners will be lead by Hafeez and Afridi and they should do well.

All rounders
Plenty but its just that they may or they may not. You may see a blinder from nowhere (remember Inzamam's 60 from 37 from nowhere in 1992 against NZ to snatch victory in the end-game of that match?) but you will also see timid failures along the way (like the World Cup final 1999 against Australia)

All in all, a very inexperienced side and definitely not the favorites by a long way. May be that could be a boon in disguise. Who thought Imran Khan's team would win that 1992 in Australia world cup after an atrocious start to their campaign then. The venue this time? ... ... Australia again! Do NOT count them out.

Team Pakistan for ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
#Misbah-ul-Haq
#AhmedShehzad
#EhsanAdil
#HarisSohail
#JunaidKhan
#MohammadHafeez
#MohammadIrfan
#SarfrazAhmed
#ShahidAfridi
#SohaibMaqsood
#SohailKhan
#UmarAkmal
#WahabRiaz
#YasirShah

#YounisKhan

Ind v Pak (Semi final, ICC World Cup 2011)

Venue: Mohali, India

Can it get better? The traditional arch rivals, sub-continent giants clashing in a World Cup semi final !! WOW. The stage was set for a magnificent showdown and the teams didn't disappoint.

Prime ministers of both countries greeted and wished players from either teams before the game. Dignitaries, bureaucrats, film stars, top corporate biggies and who's who from both countries made the game even more electrifying!


#MSDhoni won the toss and elected to bat.
#Sehwag and #Tendulkar provided a stunning start for the Indians. Sehwag smashed #UmarGul for 20 runs in an over. Tendulkar opened from the other end too. 50 struck in no time.

A bowling change did the trick for Pakistan. #WahabRiaz, the lanky left hander trapped Sehwag leg before for 38. #GautamGambhir joined in and run-rate slowed down. #Hafeez flummoxed him in the air and he was stumped for 27. When #ViratKohli and #YuvrajSingh got out of consecutive delivers by Riaz, India were in a spot of bother at 141 for 4.

In the meanwhile, Sachin had quietly crept past 50 (thanks to butterfingers by Pakis on 4 occasions) and holding fort. By the time he departed on 85, Pakistan had staged a comeback and were hoping to keep India under a manageable total.

Some late flurry by Dhoni, #SureshRaina and #Harbhajan helped India reach 260 in their 50 overs, way below par considering the start they had. Wahab Riaz's 5-for a fitting reward for gutsy and disciplined bowling.

But, as they say in big games runs on the board are crucial.
Is 260 enough or Pakistan will easily chase it down considering the superfast Mohali outfield?

Pakistan started their run chase steadily through #KamranAkmal and #MohdHafeez. #ZaheerKhan broke through their partnership with score on 44. Young #AsadShafiq joined Hafeez to take the innings forward. A moment of madness from Hafeez led to his downfall, Yuvraj claimed Shafiq and the ever reliable #YounisKhan and suddenly Pakistan were 106 for 4.

#UmarAkmal and #MisbahUlHaq then put on a partnership and started rebuilding. Umar upped the tempo with some lusty blows. Harbhajan struck at a timely moment for India clean bowling Akmal. #MunafPatel followed suit to get the very dangerous #AbdurRazzaq.

#ShahidAfridi started throwing his bat around while Misbah concentrated on holding his end. The required run rate was creeping up all the time. Something had to give way...

India knocked Afridi, Riaz and Gul to snatch the game away from Pak. Misbah's late heroics only delayed the inevitable. India won the game by 29 runs. Although the margin for victory was comfortable, a India-Pak game is always tense, combative and electrifying.

India moved ahead to the final of the World Cup to play #SriLanka.

MOM: Sachin Tendulkar

India vs Sri Lanka (World Cup Final 2011)

(ICC 50 overs a side ODI - World Cup)
Mumbai, 2nd Apr 2011

The two most powerful teams of the tournament (considering the sub continent conditions) met in the final of World Cup.

Some confusion at the toss, coin spun twice .. Sri Lanka won it and elected to bat.

 

After a stuttering start (#ZaheerKhan bowled three straight maidens at #UpulTharanga before claiming his wicket), Sri Lanka steadied through #Dilshan and captain #KumarSangakkara.

 

Dilshan was bowled by #Harbhajan with team score on 60, bringing in #MahelaJayawardhane.

He went on to play one of the most memorable knocks in one day cricket that day with a scintillating 103*. Pure elegance, class and his counter attacking at end of their innings was awesome!

With due support from Sanga, Saamrweera, Kulsekhara and Perera, Mahela posted a very formidable 274 runs on the board for India to chase. Remember, as a thumb rule in finals, runs on the board are best. Chasing means pressure especially with the stakes so high.

India began disastrously. #VirenderSehwag was trapped leg before by #LasithMalinga second ball. #SachinTendulkar playing his last world cup followed soon after edging one behind again off Malinga. Mumbai was dumbstruck. At 31 for 2, and the opening blaster pair out, India were in trouble.

The young brigade of #GautamGambhir and #ViratKohli steadied the ship with useful partnership of 83 runs before Kohli fell to Dilshan.

In walked #MSDhoni, ahead of the in-form #YuvrajSingh. A move that surprised experts, crowd and most probably SriLanka too. He along with Gambhir pulled the game away from Sri Lanka to a position of certainty and authority. By the time Gambhir fell for a superb 98, the writing was on the wall.

Befittingly, it was Dhoni who hit the winning shot (a massive six over long on) to lift the cup for India. His stunning and authoritative 91* ensured a facile win for India. Their 2nd world cup!!
The cup was dedicated to the #LittleMaster of course who had played 6 world cups without any success!

MOM: M.S. Dhoni, India

Watch highlights of this game on the video link in this post.