The Indian side looked strong from the word go in the first Twenty20 ever played on Indian soil.
The best thing that I liked about the game was that the entire team appeared united and every player was actively involved in a positive spirit.
The Australian bowlers just did not stand a chance. In fact there was a stage when I felt that the Australian side was looking helpless. They just could not understand what went wrong overnight.
The same Australian team dominated the entire ODI series of 7 games, but in this one Twenty20 match the tables looked turned about.
The strength displayed by the Indian team was just too great. Even Sehwag's early dismissal was unable to spoil the sentiment even of a moment. Gambhir, Uthappa, Yuvraj, Dhoni were on top.
In the game at Brabourne Statium in Mumbai, Dhoni's Devils proved that they are worth of the World Championship Title that they won at South Africa in the ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2007 less than a couple of months ago.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
There is no place for racism in life
An excellent tour of Australia in India for 7 ODI games has come to an end.
The tour will go down in the annals of Indian cricket with a black spot where a talented member of the guest team was subjected to racist comments by the Indian audiences at more than one venue.
After the Vadodara game Andrew Symonds had reported against racist abuse from the audience. The matter was viewed seriously by the ICC, the Indian board and the Australian board. Sharad Pawar and Creagh O'Connor presidents of BCCI and Cricket Australia respectively even issued a joint statement that there was no place for racism in cricket just before the match at Mumbai.
Unfortunately, the incident was repeated at Mumbai on 17th October during the last ODI of the series. A photographer captured certain spectators enacting monkey chants on camera.
I agree with Ricky Ponting that there are many people in the country who find the incident embarassing. It is shameful that such behaviour has been witnessed in India, a country that takes pride for its secularism.
I can only hope and pray that such incidents are not repeated. Not only on the cricket ground but nowhere. There is no place for racism in life.
The tour will go down in the annals of Indian cricket with a black spot where a talented member of the guest team was subjected to racist comments by the Indian audiences at more than one venue.
After the Vadodara game Andrew Symonds had reported against racist abuse from the audience. The matter was viewed seriously by the ICC, the Indian board and the Australian board. Sharad Pawar and Creagh O'Connor presidents of BCCI and Cricket Australia respectively even issued a joint statement that there was no place for racism in cricket just before the match at Mumbai.
Unfortunately, the incident was repeated at Mumbai on 17th October during the last ODI of the series. A photographer captured certain spectators enacting monkey chants on camera.
I agree with Ricky Ponting that there are many people in the country who find the incident embarassing. It is shameful that such behaviour has been witnessed in India, a country that takes pride for its secularism.
I can only hope and pray that such incidents are not repeated. Not only on the cricket ground but nowhere. There is no place for racism in life.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Andrew Symonds shines at Nagpur
Australian middle order batsman and all-rounder - Andew Symonds - was the man of the day at Nagpur in the 6th ODI against India on 14 October 2007, Sunday.
A consistent and reliable player - Andrew - played true to his reputation.
His unbeaten century (107 in 88 balls) paved the wave for a huge total of 317 that the Australian side compiled when they batted first after winning the toss. As a bowler he proved himself to be the most economical - 10 overs 39 runs.
All in all - he stood out as the single name that played an important role in Australia's 18 run win against India.
A consistent and reliable player - Andrew - played true to his reputation.
His unbeaten century (107 in 88 balls) paved the wave for a huge total of 317 that the Australian side compiled when they batted first after winning the toss. As a bowler he proved himself to be the most economical - 10 overs 39 runs.
All in all - he stood out as the single name that played an important role in Australia's 18 run win against India.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Vadodara game brought India to its knees
The Indian cricket team which was up to now basking in the rays of the Twenty20 victory has been humbled by the Australian side.
Neither the Indian batsmen nor bowlers were able to cope up to the Australian attack. Loosing all wickets for a meagre 148 left scope for lot of criticism from all types of cricket loving audiences.
The Australians on the other hand have played consistent cricket. A steady game - consistent batting and bowling performances. They were on top during the 5th ODI palyed at Vadodara right from the word go.
It brought back memories of the ICC World Cup 2007 played in West Indies in March-April 2007, how the Indian cricket team was not able to even make it to Super 8 Series.
Neither the Indian batsmen nor bowlers were able to cope up to the Australian attack. Loosing all wickets for a meagre 148 left scope for lot of criticism from all types of cricket loving audiences.
The Australians on the other hand have played consistent cricket. A steady game - consistent batting and bowling performances. They were on top during the 5th ODI palyed at Vadodara right from the word go.
It brought back memories of the ICC World Cup 2007 played in West Indies in March-April 2007, how the Indian cricket team was not able to even make it to Super 8 Series.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Phew! India and its close finish victories
It seems that the Indian cricket side has made it an habit of close finish / nail biting victories.
Since the start of the Twenty20 games, all the victories that the country's cricket team has managed to claim all have been close finishes. All games were open right to the last over with scales tipping from one side to the other like a wild pendulum.
This was also the case in the yesterday's 4 ODI match against Australia that was played at Chandigarh. After loosing 2 games and 1 draw (washout) the Indian team fought back hard to bring itself back into the series.
Right into the last over the game was wide open with the opponents standing a better chance to win Dhoni's Devils fought and fought good. They managed to win the match and tame the Australian Kangaroos who have been on a winning spree all around the global arena.
The Indian team needs to buck up and put a little more into the game so that the audiences have a comfortable time watching their team win, instead of the present high tension scenario that sends the viewers' blood pressure shooting through the roof.
Since the start of the Twenty20 games, all the victories that the country's cricket team has managed to claim all have been close finishes. All games were open right to the last over with scales tipping from one side to the other like a wild pendulum.
This was also the case in the yesterday's 4 ODI match against Australia that was played at Chandigarh. After loosing 2 games and 1 draw (washout) the Indian team fought back hard to bring itself back into the series.
Right into the last over the game was wide open with the opponents standing a better chance to win Dhoni's Devils fought and fought good. They managed to win the match and tame the Australian Kangaroos who have been on a winning spree all around the global arena.
The Indian team needs to buck up and put a little more into the game so that the audiences have a comfortable time watching their team win, instead of the present high tension scenario that sends the viewers' blood pressure shooting through the roof.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
The pressure on seniors is very high
Post Twenty20 the pressure on the senior players who have rejoined the team has increased many fold.
Known as stalwarts of the Indian side - Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly - face the extra pressure during the series against Australia that is being played in India this season.
Dhoni and his team played excellent cricket and showed team work in South Africa to win the hearts of the Indian masses. The team had to be re-aligned to accommodate the seniors of Indian Cricket.
If their performance is not up to the mark they are definitely in for a lashing from the cricket fans. The first game saw Sachin dump his wicket in the very third over at Bangalore. Luckily, rain washed out the game and stopped any adverse reaction to the miserable display was suppressed.
Had India lost, these senior players would have definitely not have heard the last of it.
Known as stalwarts of the Indian side - Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Saurav Ganguly - face the extra pressure during the series against Australia that is being played in India this season.
Dhoni and his team played excellent cricket and showed team work in South Africa to win the hearts of the Indian masses. The team had to be re-aligned to accommodate the seniors of Indian Cricket.
If their performance is not up to the mark they are definitely in for a lashing from the cricket fans. The first game saw Sachin dump his wicket in the very third over at Bangalore. Luckily, rain washed out the game and stopped any adverse reaction to the miserable display was suppressed.
Had India lost, these senior players would have definitely not have heard the last of it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)