Super Kings beat Deccan Chargers, to face Mumbai Indians in final

Super Kings beat Deccan Chargers, to face Mumbai Indians in final




A fine spell of fast bowling from Doug Bollinger helped Chennai Super Kings beat defending champions Deccan Chargers by 38 runs in the semi-final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) here Thursday. Super Kings will now face Mumbai Indian in Sunday’s final at the same venue.

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Mumbai Indians beat Royal Challengers, enter IPL final

Mumbai Indians beat Royal Challengers, enter IPL final




Mumbai Indians relied on their rampaging form to outclass Royal Challengers Bangalore by 35 runs and romped into the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) here Wednesday.

Electing to bat, Mumbai Indians recovered from a bad start to post 184 for five in 20 overs. Their in-form skipper Sachin Tendulkar was out early, but Ambati Rayudu (40), Saurabh Tiwary (52) and Kieron Pollard (33 not out of 13 balls) ensured that they set a tough target for Bangalore.

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Sachin likely to play against Kings XI Punjab

Sachin likely to play against Kings XI Punjab










Mumbai Indians skipper Sachin Tendulkar, who complained of fatigue and dehydration during their last match against Chennai Super Kings, is recovering well and is expected to play against Kings XI Punjab Friday.

Tendulkar left the field while batting, but came back later when Mumbai Indians were struggling to save the match.

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Knight Riders win over Dardevils to stay in semis hunt

Knight Riders win over Dardevils to stay in semis hunt




Sourav Ganguly led from the front with a majestic half century coupled with some brilliant fielding as the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) beat Delhi Daredevils by 15 runs in an Indian Premier League outing here Wednesday.

Replying to the Knight Riders’s 181/3, the Daredevils could only manage 166/8 before a 45,000-strong crowd at the Eden Gardens.

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Mumbai Indians, Super Kings clash with eye to semi-final

Mumbai Indians, Super Kings clash with eye to semi-final









Mumbai Indians and the Chennai Super Kings won't be taking anything for granted in their Indian Premier League game here Tuesday as the race for the semifinals gets hotter.

For sure, the Mumbai Indians plan to go full blast in a bid to sustain their wining run that has stretched to seven from eight games. They are sitting pretty with 14 points and just one defeat in eight outings.

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The Spinner’s Tale

The Spinner’s Tale







Chennai Super Kings’ leading player in IPL 2010 has been their strike bowler, Muttiah Muralidaran.

Murali has been among the top wicket-takers in the tournament and remains one of the contenders for the Purple Cap this season.

Delhi Daredevils spinner Amit Mishra may have just displaced the Sri Lankan at the top of the tree, but that has not dampened the spirit of the world’s best off-spinner.

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I come to IPL to entertain: SRK

I come to IPL to entertain: SRK











Days after twitting to his Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) players that they stop giving excuses and instead deliver, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan says he is neither involved in cricketing matters of his team nor the management part of it, but is only there to "entertain."

"I don't involve myself in the cricketing part. Because I feel if I tell them how to play, they will tell me how to act," the KKR owner said.

"I don't tell them (the players) much. I can only love them. Business decisions are taken by (co-owners) Juhi Chawla and Jai Mehta. I come to entertain."

However, he justified the stern warning through his twitter account. "It helps at times if you treat them (the Knight Riders cricketers) as boys."

SRK, as Shah Rukh is affectionately called, seemed happy after his side's convincing victory against the Deccan Chargers Thursday.

"It's good to see dada (KKR skipper Sourav Ganguly) among the runs. I told them (the cricketers) at the start of this season that we cannot do worse than last year's performance. So they can only take the team up".

With Ganguly leading from the front with a blazing 54-ball 88, the KKR scripted a 24-run win over the Deccan Chargers to move up to the fifth slot in the IPL table with eight points. The team had finished with the wooden spoon in the second edition of the tourney held in South Africa last year.

"It's most disappointing when the spectators come and we do not live up to expectations. So it's time we prove ourselves to the crowd at Eden Gardens," said King Khan.

The KKR are scheduled to play four more games at their home ground till April 19.

Asked about his IPL experience since 2008, Shah Rukh said, "The first two years I did not know what to do. I felt helpless when the team did not do well. But now I know the game has its share of ups and downs."

Source : dhangout.com

Sangakkara, Yuvraj, Ganguly cross 800 runs mark

Sangakkara, Yuvraj, Ganguly cross 800 runs mark









Kumar Sangakkara Sunday became the first Kings XI Punjab batsman to score 800 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL), followed by teammate Yuvraj Singh, while Saurav Ganguly became the first player to cross the same mark for the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Sangakkara amassed 826 runs at an average of 30.59, including six fifties in 32 matches.

Other statistical highlights of the match between Kings XI and the Knight Riders here Sunday:

Yuvraj is the second player for Kings XI to complete 800 runs in the IPL, amassing 809 (ave.24.51), including three fifties in 38 matches.

Sangakkara and Jayawardene were associated in a stand of 98 for the second wicket, which is Punjab's highest for any wicket against Knight Riders in the IPL.

Ganguly (36 off 31 balls) is the first batsman to make 800 runs for the Knight Riders - 815 runs at an average of 25.46 in 35 matches.

Ganguly is the top scorer for the Knight Riders in the 2010 edition of the IPL, aggregating 277 runs at an average of 30.77, including two fifties, in nine matches.

Kings XI have recorded their second victory in the third edition of the IPL.

The Knight Riders (200/3) have posted their highest total in the third edition of the IPL.

The score is the first ever of 200 in the IPL at the Eden Gardens, while Kings XI (204 for two wickets) is now the highest ever at this venue.

Kings XI total is the third successful chase of 200-plus in the IPL.

Chris Gayle (88 off 42 balls) has recorded his highest score in the IPL, outstripping 75 off 60 balls against Mumbai at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai March 22, 2010.

Irfan Pathan has become the first all-rounder to complete the double of 500 runs and 40 wickets in 37 matches.

Mahela Jayawardene (110 not out off 59 balls) has recorded his best ever innings in IPL - his first century in Twenty20.

Jayawardene's brilliant unbeaten knock of 110 is the second highest after Shaun Marsh (115 off 69 balls against Rajasthan at Mohali on May 28, 2008). They are the only two batsmen to register hundreds for Punjab in the IPL.

Jayawardene has received his fourth Man of the Match award in the IPL.

Gayle and Manoj Tiwary have added 101 for the second wicket - their highest for this wicket position in the IPL.

Source : dhangout.com

Daredevils end Royal Challengers winning streak

Daredevils end Royal Challengers winning streak

Delhi Daredevils snapped the four-match winning run of Royal Challengers Bangalore, beating the home side by 17 runs in Indian Premier League here Thursday.

Delhi Darevevils posted a challenging 183 for five after being put to bat with middle order batsman Kedar Jadhav scoring an unbeaten 50 runs off 29 balls. AB de Villiers contributed 45.

Royal Challengers made a good start through Manish Pande (39) and Jacques Kallis (27) but suddenly lost quick wickets and finished at 166 for nine in 20 overs. Amit Mishra (2-23) and Andrew McDonald (2-42) did the damage with the ball.

Pande and Kallis shared a 71-run stand in 9.1 overs, but then the Challengers suddenly lost the plot as wickets tumbled one after the other. They were reduced to 137 for eight. Virat Kohli struck an unbeaten 38 and tried to resurrect the innings but found no support from the other end.

Table toppers Royal Challengers lost their second game in six outings while Daredevils scored their third win from six matches.

Earlier, Daredevils began on an explosive note with a flurry of fours and sixes in the first three overs to take the score to 44 runs.

Opener David Warner (33 off 14 balls) was dismissed in the fourth over, caught by Vinay Kumar near the ropes off pacer Dale Steyn.

Virendar Shewag (12) then got out to a brilliant catch by Virat Kholi in the very first ball of medium pacer Vinay Kumar, who has been in a startling form.

But Delhi continued to take their chances and rattled up 64 runs for the loss of two wickets in the first six overs.

AB De Villiers and skipper Dinesh Karthik kept the scoreboard moving with smart running between the wickets and occasional big shots.

The home team got a break when Karthik got out in a dramatic fashion as De Villiers shot hit the stumps at non-strikers end after brushing Steyn's hands.

The explosive opening by Warner and Shewag unsettled Challengers so much that their fielding and throws to the wickets were sloppy run out chances were missed.

De Villiers and Jadhav put up 31 runs for the fourth wicket before the former was run out brilliantly by Eion Morgan with a direct straight throw to the stumps.

Andrew McDonald (18) and Jadhav steered the innings in the slog overs.

Source : dhangout.com

Murali hits a purple patch

The Chennai Super Kings have little to smile about these days. But the one man who is giving the yellow brigade some cheer is their wily old campaigner, Muttiah Muralidaran.

With nine wickets from five games, Murali leapfrogged his countryman Chaminda Vaas from the Deccan Chargers, to become the leading wicket-taker of the tournament. Murali became the proud holder of the Purple Cap on Tuesday night.

Muttiah MuralidaranBut the champion off-spinner is clearly disappointed that his spells are not translating into victories. “It is disappointing that out of five matches we have had three losses. It is a tough time for us,” Murali told iplt20.com after yet another disappointing loss.

Ask him the one reason for the team’s poor run of form, and Murali has a simple answer: “We are missing Dhoni. I hope he comes back soon and we start winning.”

After Dhoni, even Justin Kemp is out with back spasms. So all this has created a hole in the middle-order, feels Murali. “We have been unlucky with injuries.”

Murali bowled yet another magical spell on Tuesday night against Royal Challengers Bangalore, but again that wasn’t enough to ensure a win for the Chennai team. It was only Murali who could manage to keep a tight leash on the Royal Challengers’ batting with yet another three-wicket haul in DLF IPL 2010.

Ask him about the magic behind his form, and he just rolls his eyes. “I am just bowling normally like previous times and it is working for me.”

Murali clearly enjoys having the responsibility of leading the Super Kings’ attack on his shoulder. With no real strike bowler up-front, it is all down to Murali. Does he feel the pressure? “Not at all, I don't feel the pressure. I have handled it for the last 20 years. I am just continuing to do what I have done so far.''

The Sri Lankan, though, believes that he is not the only strike bowler in the Super Kings line-up. “Every bowler is a strike bowler. We have five bowlers who take the field and everyone contributes to a team. It is disappointing that things have not gone our way so far. But we will see what happens in the next match,'' said Murali.

The keen contest between Murali and Vaas for the Purple Cap is very much the talking point thus far. Vaas and Murali formed Sri Lanka's most famous bowling pair in the 1990s and the early part of 2000s. So it has been a needle contest between Vaas and Murali to get their hand on the Purple Cap. But Murali does not see it as any tussle for the Cap. “No nothing of that sort. I want to win matches. If we win, the Caps will take care of themselves.''

Murali is clear in his mind on what Chennai Super Kings need to do to snap out of this current run. "We have lost three of our five matches. Now we need to win at least five of the remaining nine games to go into the semi-finals. It is a long way to go. But I am confident that we can turn it around".

source: dhangout.comk

Tendulkar guides Mumbai Indians' win over Knight Riders

Tendulkar guides Mumbai Indians' win over Knight Riders


Sachin Tendulkar scored a fine unbeaten 71 to guide Mumbai Indians to a seven-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Brabourne Stadium here Monday.

Mumbai Indians easily chased the target of 156 runs, losing three wickets, in 18.3 overs as Knight Riders suffered their fifth consecutive loss to the Mumbai team.

The Mumbai Indians bowlers bowled a tight line and length to restrict the Knight Riders to 155 for three in 20 overs after captain Sourav Ganguly opted to bat first.

Chris Gayle, playing his first match of the tournament, struck 75 off 60 balls while Ganguly and Owais Shah scored 31 runs each.

Mumbai Indians got off to a flying start with Shikhar Dhawan (23) and Tendulkar, who hit 10 fours in his 48-ball stay, scoring at more than 10 runs per over.

Dhawan greeted Shane Bond by smashing him for three fours in the first over and in the second, Ishant Sharma suffered the same fate at the hands of Man of the Match Tendulkar.

The batting maestro was in full form and smashed Ishant for three fours again in the fourth over, by when the hosts had put 45 runs on board.

It forced the early introduction of spinners in the third over and both Gayle and Murali Kartik were successful in slowing down the run flow.

Dhawan departed after he came down to charge Kartik and was caught by Ganguly at short-midwicket with the score at 61 in 6.5 overs.

Saurabh Tiwary (30) and Tendulkar carried on in the same breath spanking the Knight Riders' bowling to all parts of the ground before Ganguly took a spectacular catch at the covers to get rid of Tiwary off Ishant.

R. Sathish (21 not out) then played a responsible innings with his captain and took Mumbai Indians home without any more loss.

Earlier, Gayle and Ganguly got the Knight Riders to a great start with their 70-run stand. Gayle's 60-ball knock was studded with seven fours and two sixes.

Shah also came up with an useful 31 but some tight bowling by Mumbai Indians in the last few overs saw Knight Riders making just 155 for three. Mumbai Indians spearhead Zaheer Khan picked up two wickets for 27 runs.

Source : dhangout.com

Court summons for Preity Zinta on IPL ads

Court summons for Preity Zinta on IPL ads



A court here Monday issued summons to Bollywood actor and Kings XI Punjab's chairperson Preity Zinta and co-owner Ness Wadia for using pictures of freedom fighters in their Indian Premier League advertisements.

The summons were issued by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Anshul Berry on a complaint filed by city-based NGO Global Human Rights Council (GHRC).

In their complaint, GHRC had objected on the use of pictures of freedom fighters, including of Bhagat Singh and Rajguru, in the advertisements of Kings XI Punjab. They said the advertisements had "hurt the sentiments of the people".

"Earlier summons could not reach the accused as they were travelling at various match venues in the country. Now I will personally go to hand over the summons to Preity Zinta and others at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) stadium," Arvind Thakur, president of GHRC, told IANS.

The court has summoned Zinta and Wadia April 2.

"They are saying that they have already rendered a public apology through some daily newspapers. But they have not given assurance that they will not indulge in such activities in future. Therefore, we want them to render an apology before the court," he said.


Source : dhangout.com