WT20 - New Zealand Ambush India In Their Den

#‎Ind‬ v ‪#‎NZ‬
Group 2 - Match 
VCA Ground, Nagpur

Kiwis handed India their second worst ‪#‎T20‬ defeat at Nagpur today. 
Defending a smallish 126, their spinners demmolished the famed batting line up for 79 !

Indian batsmen inexplicably imploded chasing this total and folded cheaply.
Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni tried but without support from others, they faded away.

Architects of NZ win were Corey Anderson with the bat while spinners Nathan McCullum (2 wicket) and Ish Sodhi (3 wickets). However, ‪#‎MitchellSantner‬ pulled off a match-winning performance with with valuable 18 runs and 4 wickets and was adjudged Man of the M
atch.

Group 2 and the #T20 World Cup opens up safter this astonishing result. What a start!!!

Brief LIVE Scores
NZ - 126 for 7, 20 overs
Ind - 70 all out, 18.1 overs

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#WT20 - Ind v NZ - Group 2 Opener pits heartthrobs vs favorites

#WT20
#Ind v #NZ
Group 2 Match
VCA Ground, Nagpur
15th Mar 2016

The serious end of #WT20 starts today with hearthobs Kiwis take on tournament favorites India in a Group 2 game at Nagpur. The odds are heavily stocked in favor of India with their form, balance and spin. They are the team to beat at this T20 World Cup.

Having said that, the Kiwis have come on the back of some really excellent performances vs Australia and will look to surprise the hosts with a mighty challenge. Their batting has the firepower to blast bowling attacks away and bowlers can run through batting lineups. Coupled to that their fielding is exemplary and could eventually be the deciding factor in this game.

Captain Kane Williamson will need to lead their team from the front to tackle the Indian spinners (Ashwin, Jadeja, Harchajan, etc). There in lies their Achilles Heel and India will look to take full advantage on that front. In absence of the just retired great Brendon McCullum (#Baz), Guptill, Taylor, Anderson, Elliott will have to bat out of their skin to pose challenge to this renewed India bowling lineup led by veteran Ashish Nehra and slinger boy Jasprit Bumrah (who has pleasantly surprised everyone with his yorkers and death bowling).

India on the other hand look balanced both with the ball and bat. The batting top order has been batting like a dream (Dhawan, Rohit and Virat) and thats helping build or chase large totals easily. The middle order (though low on practice due to the top order show) including Yuvraj, Raina, Dhoni can single handedly win games for their side. Rahane's solidity and Jadeja's all round ability make this a very formidable unit.

So, what will happen at Nagpur?
India's spin or Kiws' agility
India's top order or NZ middle order?

Looks interesting.
Let the #Wt20 begin!!

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Ind v Pak T20 Asia Cup 2016

Dress Rehearsal to the big one!

Indian Cricket Team take on Pakistan Cricket Team in a mouth wateringAsia Cup T20 - 2016 encounter today as prelude their big clash in next month's ICC T20 World Cup 2016 at Dharamshala.

Clearly a big duel between India's batting guns vs Pakistan's bowling armoury. Pak will try to attack the top heavy Ind batting line up via their pace battery of @MohamadAmir and Wahab Riaz and thats where the game seems to be won or lost. First 6 overs in India's innings could prove to be the deciding stage in the match.

Of the two weaker links, India's bowling seems to hold an edge over Pak's batting but in T20, you predict at your own peril. It could be anyone's day with the bat or bowl.

Can't wait to get started....

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Who Will Win The Cup?

Djokovic Stretched To Limit At Aus Open 2016

#NovakDjokovic vs #GillesSimon
#AustralianOpen #GrandSlam #Tennis 2016

It was expected to be a canter for #Djoker, but what transpired at the #RodLaverArena on Sunday night was nothing short of extraordinary. Little known, Gilles Simon stretched the champion to a magnificent 5 setter in Round 3 of the Men's Singles draw winning hearts of millions watching that match worldwide.

After winning the first set rather comfortably, Djoker and Simon wrestled in the second set and it went to a tie-breaker. Simon ran through the tie-break 7-1 (many unforced errors from Novak) to level the set line.

Novak however gained composure to lead yet again, taking the third set 6-4.
However, not to be out done, Simon bounced back to take the fourth with an identical margin 6-4.

The pressure was clearly showing on Novak but he brought all his experience and gritty play to snatch the fifth one 6-3 and progress to the next round.

The gruelling game lasted 4 hours 32 min and the crowd was spellbound by the strokeplay of little known Gilles as he enthralled them with dazzling serves and strokeplay. Djoker made 100 enforced errors and had it been a more accomplished/experienced player, would have been packing bags for that display. 

He now faces Kei Nishikori in the next round.
The Australian Open is heating up as we move into the decisive week of the tournament and players scrambling for Quarterfinal berths!

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Ind v Aus T20 Series After High Scoring ODIs

#Ind v #Aus

#T20 Series, Game 1 - #AdelaideOval

After a super high scoring 5 ODI series, (300+ scores in all but one games), the centre-stage now moves to 3 T20 series starting at the Adelaide Oval on 26th Jan 2016.

26th Jan is India's #RepublicDay and #AustraliaDay too! So, its a great occasion for both teams facing off to determine the better T20 team. Given the team's batting strengths, its difficult to pick an outright winner although Aussie bowlers have held their own at crucial stages to snatch games from India during the ODI series. That could still be the deciding factor.

Having said that, the win at #SCG will give India renewed hope and much needed morale to take on the Aussies in their den and tame them as well. 

Both teams are packed with T20 specialists and games can change in matter of couple of overs. Thats how tight and close this one is going to be!

There was talk that #ViratKohli would be picked to lead India ahead of #MSDhoni considering his poor run of form. However, the Sydney win seams to have sealed MS his place as captain. His wobbly 40 in that chase were important too, especially that last over six against Mitch Marsh was very crucial before #ManishPandey sealed the game for them.

Australia will look at #DavidWarner and #GlennMaxwell to power their innings with some big hitting alongside #GeorgeBailey and #SteveSmith. Their Indian counterparts have even more firepower with likes of #RohitSharma, #ViratKohli, #MSDhoni, #SureshRaina and #YuvrajSingh (may be his last hurrah at world cricket stage .. if he fails to grab this opportunity).

#JamesFaulker, #MarkRichardson and #JohnHastings have bowled wonderfully at the death and  pulled things back for Australia in the ODIs. They will look to do the same here. For India, the death bowling remains a huge problem and that could just be the difference in the two sides at the end of it.

All eyes on the #AdelaideOval tomorrow when both teams line up for their respective #NationalAnthems and a cracking T20 game!!

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India Pull One Back Finally, Australia Take ODI Series 4-1

#India v #Australia 
5th ODI, #SCG

Finally, India pulled one back against Australia in the current ODI series after being thumped on four occasions. Manish Pandey along with Rohit Sharma steered India's run chase beautifully to see their first win in the last ODI at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Set a massive target of 330, Rohit and Shikhar Dhawan started solidly putting on a century stand. Quick wickets of Dhawan and Virat Kohli meant India were on the backfoot yet again in this series.
Manish stepped on to... the scene and in Rohit's company blossomed India's innings. Just when Rohit looked like getting a 3rd hundred of the series, tragedy struck. He edged one behind on 99!

The woefully out of form, M.S.Dhoni joined Manish and India started to fall behind the required run-rate but Manish's aggression and Dhoni's composure set the game up for a thrilling finish.
In the final over with 13 to win, Dhoni slammed a six over long off but was out the very next ball. However, Manish kept his cool and smashed the winning runs alongside completing his maiden ODI century. He was adjudged Man of the Match.

Earlier in the day, riding on David Warner and @MitchelMarsh tons, Australia piled on the agony for India yet again. Although their bowlers did better by capturing 4 early wickets, the same old story of inexperience surfaced. Debutatnt Jasprit Bumrah impressed with a two wicket haul and excellent death bowling.

We now move to the 3 match ‪#‎T20‬ series starting early next week and India will take a lot of confidence from this win although ODI series has been pocketd by Australia 4-1.

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Who Will Win The Cup?

Match Fixing Scandal Rocks Tennis

#MatchFixing #Tennis

In a sensational scoop, the tennis world is rocked by a #matchfixing scandal where players have been bribed to lose matches or fix sets/games/matches to #Bookies' liking. Needless to say, this is a multi-million dollar scam with lot of big names involved.

Some #Wimbledon matches in 2015 were fixed and sources say that 16 of the top 50 ranked men's tennis players are actively involved in fixing their matches. This is a serious allegation and could bring the sport to big disrepute. 

The most startling statement came in from World No 1 #Novak #Djokovic when he agreed that he was approached by bookies in 2007. They approached him through his team members. They scrapped that offer but just goes to show, it is easy to access top players and get them agree on fixing matches for huge sums of money. 

Betting is legal is some parts of the world and banned in others, but, the business is rampantly run all over the world illegally. It is widely believed that #Mafia from Russia and Italy run this tennis betting racket through their channels.

Being an individual sport, the ramifications of fixing games isn't taken lightly by players who want to earn a quick buck. Country pride is not at stake (as opposed to other sports where betting, match fixing and bribery become national disasters. Football, Cricket to name a few!) hence it is pretty easy to get these guys to throw games and earn millions in betting money.

Where will this go? How will #ITF respond?
Hope it doesn't go the Football way or Cricket. Its pretty sad day in sport.

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Australian Open 2016: Will Novak Achieve GRAND SLAM?

The Australian Open ‪#‎Tennis‬ ‪#‎Grand‬ ‪#‎Slam‬ tournament gets underway n Melbourne, Australia. 

Novak Djokovic vying to complete the GRAND SLAM (all four majors in a row) and dont see anyone stopping him considering his form and class! There is clear daylight between him and the others at the moment. Note that, he had won French, Wimbledon and US Open (bt Federer at the Championships and Flushing meadows) and is looking ominous to go the distance here at the Rod Laver Arena at Melbourne Park. 

Roger Federer will probably on tour for the last time in his glittering career, trying to add to his 17 Grand Slam titles. Can he add one more? Rafa Nadal is on his way back but loads of injuries and back problems have hampered him for well over an year now. He looks a shadow of his golden prime from 2-3 years ago. Andy Murray looks out of sorts. So, the men's draw seems to petering out into a Djoker vs Fed/Nadal/Murray final.

Serena Williams seems to be hot favorite to win this SLAM in women's draw. While the Russians are always competitive, Serena looks a class apart and will look to go past Steffi Graf's 22 Grand slams.  

In women's doubles, Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis will look to extend their unbelievable run of successes from 2015. Unbeaten since Wimbledon 2015, they are the golden pair to watch out and grab their third straight GRAND SLAM crown. 

In men's doubles, the Bryan Brothers will look to win this slam easily unless there is some big upset or likes of Leander Paes, Daniel Nestor, Andy Ram pull out something sensational.

All in all, looks like an interesting couple of weeks of action at the first grand slam of the year!

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