Ind v Eng-ODI Series-Yuvraj's Sublime 150, Dhoni's Masterly 134 And Morgan's Superb 102

#INDvENG #ODI Series 2017

2nd ODI, #Cuttack

It was a day of centuries at the #Barabati #Stadium in #Cuttack, the venue for 2nd ODI between #India and #England. Trailing 0-1, English captain #EoinMorgan chose to chase on this super flat deck and also assuming that dew in evening would support their batsmen when chasing the total.

Early breakthroughs for #ChrisWoakes, including the prized scalp of talisman #VirakKohli put India on the backfoot early. Woakes snared Rahul, Virat and Dhavan in quick succession to send India reeling at 25 for 3.

In walked #MSDhoni to join #YuvrajSingh. It needed a partnership to not just bail India out of trouble but set a score where they could challenge the English batters. As it turned out, a dream partnership of sublime timing (Yuvraj - 150) and masterly timed innings (Dhoni - 134*) to guide India. They put on a stunning 256 run partnership (5th highest for any wicket in #ODIs). Both scoring majestic centuries in the bargain. By the time Yuvraj left, they had set up a great platform for the young bashers in Jadhav and Pandya to take centrestage.

With the insurance of Dhoni at the other end both didnt disappoint. Jadhav and Pandya slogged their way to get India to a massive 381 for 8 in 50 overs. MS remained unbeaten on 134.

The chase needed a similar response from English batsmen. However, #AlexHales nicked one Dhoni to get England to a worst possible start. Mr. Dependable #JoeRoot then joined #JasonRoy and both decided to take the attack to the Indians. Together they strung a century partnership.

Just when things began to look brighter , a change of bowling worked for Kohli.

#RAshwin,  after a poor game in Pune, bounced back to get Root. His flight and the wicket did him in. He lofted one straight to midwicket where skipper Kohli completed his catch.

#Morgan then stepped in and started accumulating runs. #JasonRoy kept smashing at the other end and propelled the innings with a wonderful 83 before he was castled by #Jaddu, #Moeen made a quickfire 50 and at 203 for 4 in 30 overs, the target seemed achievable. It was 20-20 scenario.

A couple of quick blows though set England back. Ashwin foxed dangerous #BenStokes and then tricked #JosButtler in quick succession to put pressure on England. #Morgan continued his fine strokeplay though and kept the asking rate within grasp. At 349 for 7, needing 33 in 18 balls, the game looked even and slightly tilted towards England since Morgan was in superb touch. 

Then tragedy struck. Bumrah's yorker was somehow dug by Plunkett but straight back to him. By that time, Morgan had followed up too long and way out of his crease. Bumrah ran him out comfortably to release a lot of tension in the India camp. The final couple of overs saw England fizzle out and ended 15 runs short of the target. What a pity! They were in it for most of the game and it would have been an all time classic run-chase if they had pulled this off!

India win the series 2-0 and the third one dayer will be played in #Kolkata on 22nd Jan 2017.

Man of the Match: Yuvraj Singh

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Happy New Year 2017

Here's Wishing All Sport Lovers a 
Very Happy New Year 2017

There is a ton of excitement in 2017 starting with the Australian Open Tennis Grand Slam, England's ODI series vs India, Australia v Pakistan ODIs, Champions Trophy Cricket In England, F1 season, English Premier League, Tennis Grand Slam season, IPL, ISL, Hockey and loads more....

Can't wait to grab a piece of the action!!

Who Will Win The Cup??  

ISL 2016: Recap Of the Season - ATK Wins Title, Kerala Wins Fans

#IndianSoccerLeague2016 #ISL 2016
#LetsFootball #Tournament #RoundUp

So, the #ISL Season 3 is finally over and #ATK deservedly won the final and the trophy for second time in 3 years. #KeralaBlasters came agonizingly second, yet again and will have to wait another year for a shot at glory.

Here's a round up of the entire tournament:

Week 1: #NEUFC North East United FC were surprise table toppers and #FCGoa were at the bottom stunning everyone.

Week 2: NEUFC started slipping but maintained their top spot. Kerala Blasters hadn't scored a single goal.Wow!

Week after week, the table positions started changing hands quickly especially the top of the table. #MumbaiCityFC held on to the top position the longest. 

#PuneCityFC and #NEUFC are the only teams not to participate in finals of any season yet. So, they do need to pull up their socks.

#DelhiDynamos' Souvik Chatterjee clocked most minutes on the pitch for any player this season, an average of 92 minutes on the pitch. That's staggering!
#DDs had a season high of 7,395 passes, almost a thousand more than second placed #ATK.

#ATK won the league, #Kerala won fans and their love. 

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Karun Nair Triple Century Sinks England, Well Almost

#IndvEng #TestSeries 2016
5th Test Match - #Chennai

Starting the day at 71*, little did #KarunNair could have imagined what a day this was going to be for him! By the time India's innings ended, 759 for 7 declared, he was walking back 303* (a massive achievement - only 2nd Indian behind Sehwag to do it) to setup a daunting task for the Englishmen to survive Day 5 of this test match.   

With able support from #Vijay, #Ashwin and #Jadeja, he piled up misery for England bowlers throughout the day. Session 1 was always going to be crucial with India still trailing by 86 runs, so caution was the keyword. The second session was in push mode to step up the scoring to build lead while the third one was turbocharge mode to set up a winning lead. He did all three with gumption and flair.

Well played Karun and there will be no surprises when the Man Of The Match will be selected tomorrow.

Brief Scores At the end of Day 4
England: 1st Innings - 477, 2nd Innings - 12/0
India: 1st Innings - 759 for 7 decl

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Ind v Eng Test Series 2016: India Take 3-0 Lead With Innings Win In Mumbai

#IndvEng #TestSeries 2016

#Ravi Ashwin wrapped up the England 2nd Innings within 8 overs of the 5th morning to give India a thumping win and 3-0 series win at Mumbai. There is one more test match at #Chennai to go but that is a #DeadRubber now.

Starting the day at 182 for 6, still 49 runs short of making India bat again, #JonnyBairstow and #JosButler were their only hopes to carry their innings forward and build some sort of leadf for their bowlers to bowl at. However, #Ashwin trapped Bairstow leg-before. He was quickly followed by #AdilRashid who holed out in the deep. 

It was #Butler to go next, trying to sweep against Ashwin, bowl taking the boots and spooning it to first slip. OUT was #Umpire verdict and Stokes challenged it. However, replays clearly indicated that the ball took Stokes bat, on the boots and popped up to slip for a simple catch. 

The very next over, Ashwin cleaned 'em all up, #JakeBall edging one behind. GAME OVER.
4 wickets for 14 runs in 8 overs on Day 5 and India won by a whopping margin of Innings and 35 runs.

Man of the Match:
Virat Kohli for his scintillating 235 to set a brilliant platform for his bowlers to take 20 wickets.
Ashwin wasnt far behind with 12 wickets but the stage at which Virat took control of the game was crucial in determining the outcome of the match. 


Kohli brought up his third double-ton of the year. He has scored a double-ton in the three consecutive series that he has played. First in West Indies, then against New Zealand at Indore and now against England. Prior to this year, Kohli had no double-ton in First-Class cricket. Not only he registered the highest score by an Indian captain but also the highest score by an Indian batsman against England. He broke a plethora of records, bringing India to the brink of another famous victory. India have lost their last two Tests against England at Mumbai, and therefore we can expect a refreshing change in pattern.

Brief Scores:
England
1st Innings: 400
2nd Innings: 196

India
1st Innings: 631

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ISL 2016: ATK v Mumbai City FC Semifinal First Leg Promises To Be A Thriller

#ISL2016 #IndianSoccerLeague
#Semifinals

#ATK being the first team to make the semi-finals in all the three editions, former champions know a thing or two about achieving success in the Indian Super League as they today stressed on a winning start in the last-four fixture against Mumbai City FC.

ATK were thrashed 0-3 by Chennaiyin FC last season in the first leg semi-final, something that led to their ouster in 2015.

Having learnt their lessons the hard way, ATK's South African midfielder Sameehg Doutie said they're focused on a winning start and hoped they would have the advantage to start the semifinal leg at home.

#TableToppers #Mumbai City #FC, on the other hand, qualified for the #Semifinals for the first time in three seasons after they outclassed defending champions #Chennaiyin #FC 2-0.

Their only loss at home this season had come against the same team Mumbai City FC who won via a 79th minute Diego Forlan goal in the league fixture on October 25.

Their record at the adopted Rabindra Sarobar Stadium has been poor with only one win (against Delhi Dynamos FC) from seven matches but Doutie said it did not matter.

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Its 6 Out Of 6 For India Womens Cricket Team In Asia Cup

#AsiaCup #WomensCricket
#IndvPak #AsiaCupFinal, #Bangkok

India maintained its unblemished record of winning all 6 editions of Women's Asia Cup till date and cemented their position as the strongest team in the continent by a fair distance. They now have a 32 match unbeaten record in the Asia Cup tournaments. This is the second edition of Asia Cup being played in #T20 format.

In the final, they were up against arch rivals #Pakistan and it was billed as a "thriller in the offing" game. It turned out to be damp squib. Batting first India scored 121 for 5 as they labored to their score in 20 overs. Pakistan bowlers applied pressure all the way and had it not been for a superb 73 from skipper Mithali Raj, they could have been in big trouble.

However, all signs of a classic game soon evaporated as the India spinners applied their version of the squeeze on the Pak batsmen and snuffed the game away. Mithali Raj was adjudged player of the match and the series. Kudos to the team on this triumph.

Brief Scores: 
Ind 121 for 5, 20 overs
Pak 104 for 6, 20 overs  

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F1 World Champion For 2016 Is Nico Rosberg

#F1 #MotoRacing #FinalRace
#AbuDhabi

In a thrilling season finale, Nico Rosberg, needing a podium finish to win the #Title, finished second behind his biggest threat and teammate Lewis Hamilton to claim the biggest prize in motor racing. The overall season was so closely fought that the difference between 1 and 2 was a mere 5 points. It was that close!

Although #Rosberg's title success was overshadowed by teammate Hamilton's defiance of team orders, his German company, Mercedes, was all praise of the new champ. Coping with Hamilton's tactics to back him up into the field, Rosberg pulled off a sensational #Overtaking move on Max #Verstappen to recover a position he had lost in the #Pitstops.

Hi Mercedes boss, Lowe said: "Many people can win a race but a championship is about that endurance. This is the longest season in the history of the sport. Nothing sums it up better than this Abu Dhabi win.

"To hold your nerve. Nico was squeezed from the front and the back. There was a very crucial overtake he had to make on Max knowing if he lost the car it would be all over. Holding his nerve through all of that: these are the marks of a great champion."

Hamilton said after the race that his championship was derailed by reliability problems, which included engine failures in qualifying earlier in the campaign and that blow-up in Malaysia.
For Wolff, while accepting that the Sepang failure ultimately proved decisive, he also believes that Rosberg deserves credit for the way he approached the campaign.

Lewis Hamilton remarked "Racing against the most talented driver as a teammate and winning a world championship and making it close the years before is quite an achievement. I think we should honor that, because he is a tough cookie and he doesn't let go. There are quite some remarkable character traits about him that make him a world champion and a worthy world champion."

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