Virat Kohli: Facets which define the supreme rise of star Indian batsman

Chaitan Papnai Real Picture

‘Miracles don’t happen; you have to make your own miracle,’ thus Virat Kohli and others sold India's World Twenty20 dreams in a promotional video. It's a different matter that it failed to come to fruition. But the tag line seems apt for the top-order Indian batsman, who has made it a habit of taking his team out of trouble more often than not.
His unbeaten match-winning knock against a formidable Australian bowling line-up, in a virtual quarter-final clash of the World T20, was one such act. The dynamic cricketer has done this so many times in the past that his fans now expect such performances every time he steps on to the field.
With the help of his sheer hardwork and strong will, the Delhi batsman has taken his game to another level. His miraculous 55* against Pakistan and 82* against Australia and a splendid 89* against eventual champions West Indies in WT20, illustrates how well he reads the game.

It seems as if he has started to meander his aggression in the right direction. His sheer chutzpah and ability to take up the challenge head-on make him a dangerous batsman.
Here are the five factors that make Virat Kohli a superstar in the gentleman’s game.
Conventional style: In the slam-bang version of the game, where most of the batsmen try cheeky shots to score runs at a rapid pace, Kohli has a knack of playing with the straight bat and hitting conventional shots. His ability to find gaps and hit boundaries at will, even when the ball is not coming on to the bat, puts the opposition bowlers and skippers under immense pressure. England’s Joe Root and Kohli are possibly the only two batsmen in contemporary cricket who can snatch the game away even while playing proper copy book shots in the shortest format. Art of finding gaps with ease and playing in the ‘V’ makes their batting look even more beautiful.
Fitness: It is certainly an important part in the life of a sportsperson, but in the Indian cricket team, Kohli is a fitness freak, who religiously hits the gym to strengthen his body. That’s the reason he is one of the best fielders in the Indian team and an outstanding runner between the wickets. His sprints in WT20, especially against Australia and West Indies were a treat to watch. The way he ran between the wickets and put the fielding units under constant pressure shows how fitness can help you push your limits and achieve the target with ease.
Finisher: At a time when many are of the view that an ageing Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s has lost his mojo to finish off the games, run-machine Kohli seems to have taken up the role for the Indian team. His record while chasing has always been exceptional, but the way he has been finishing games of late for Team India has proved that he has taken his game to next level. The big-match player is emerging as a new finisher for his side. Considering the fact that he is not a big hitter of the ball, his ability to pace innings to perfection while chasing – irrespective of the target, big or small – forces the opposition to doff their hats to the stylish cricketer.
Consistency: This is the hallmark of his batting and that’s the reason the 27-year-old has been the mainstay of Indian cricket team for the last half-a-decade or so, in all forms of the game. Even with so many big-hitters and dangerous batsmen in world cricket, Kohli has managed to make a special place for himself. In limited-overs cricket, he has a stupendous average of over 50 (in ODIs & T20Is), with 25 tons and 52 half-centuries. In Test cricket, his average is a shade above 44, with 11 hundreds and 12 fifties under his belt. More than anything else, his stature is growing with every passing match.
New facet of his personality: Kohli is known for his flamboyance and on-field antics, but of late, he has shown a new side of his personality. He praised tainted Pakistani pacer Mohammad Amir openly for his memorable spell against India in the Asia Cup T20. In fact, he then went a step further to gift him a bat ahead of the high-profile cash against the arch-rivals in the WT20. His demeanor has changed significantly over the years. Now one can easily feel the tranquility in his personality, which was missing earlier. He bats more purposefully now, which is certainly a good sign for the future of Indian cricket.
Barring the forgettable England tour, the Delhi-lad has hardly disappointed with the willow. The way he has been batting, he is not just destined to break many cricket records in the near future but to become an icon of young cricketers as well

Source-zeenews.india.

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Barcelona Open: Rafael Nadal, Kei Nishikori enter semi-finals

Barcelona: Rafael Nadal struggled to finish off Fabio Fognini at the Barcelona Open on Friday but eventually quelled one of his most troublesome opponents 6-2 7-6(1) to reach the semi-finals.

The Spaniard, bidding for a ninth title at the claycourt tournament having reclaimed his Monte Carlo crown last week, cruised through the first set against the Italian but he went off the boil in the second.
Fognini, who beat Nadal in the tournament last year and knocked him out of the U.S. Open, hit back with two breaks after trailing 0-2 in the second set and served to send the match into a decider.
Showman Fognini saved three match points from 0-40 at 5-6, one with an outrageous drop shot, before succumbing in the tiebreak.
Left-hander Nadal, eyeing a 10th French Open title next month, will face Andrey Kuznetsov or Philipp Kohlschreiber in the semi-finals.
In the other half Japanese second seed Kei Nishikori, bidding to defend the title, beat Alexandr Dolgopolov in straight sets and will play unpredictable Frenchman Benoit Paire for a place in the final
Source-- zeenews.india

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Chinese Grand Prix: Nico Rosberg extends win streak in Shanghai, Lewis Hamilton seventh

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Shanghai: Nico Rosberg claimed a dominant win in an action-packed Formula One Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday to extend his championship lead over Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton, who battled up to seventh with some feisty driving after starting last.

Rosberg crossed the line a mammoth 37.7 seconds ahead of German compatriot Sebastian Vettel, who recovered after colliding with his Ferrari team mate Kimi Raikkonen at the first corner, to claim his third win from three races this season.
Daniil Kvyat finished third to score Red Bull their first podium finish since September’s Singapore Grand Prix but the Russian had to defend himself after the race when an angry Vettel blamed him for the collision between the Ferraris.
Sunday’s win was the 17th of Rosberg’s career and extends his streak of race victories to six, dating back to last November’s Mexican Grand Prix.
The German now leads Hamilton at the top of the standings by 36 points with 18 rounds of a record 21-race season to run.
Hamilton, who had started from dead last after failing to set a time in Saturday’s qualifying session due to an engine problem, finished seventh, running into further trouble at the start when he lost his front wing in a first-corner collision.
The Briton used some good-old fashioned racing nous and clever strategy from Mercedes to work his way up to third, but his challenge faded in the later stages of the race.
Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo finished fourth. The Australian rocketed off the line from second on the grid and shot past Rosberg into an early lead, but was pushed onto the back foot after being forced into an early stop by a tyre failure.
Raikkonen, who came off worse in the first-corner collision with team mate Vettel, was sixth ahead of Felipe Massa of Williams.
Max Verstappen was eighth ahead of Toro Rosso team mate Carlos Sainz, while Valtteri Bottas rounded out the top ten for Williams.
The race was interrupted by an early safety car after a series of incidents at the very first corner left debris across the track.
The safety car led to a chopping and changing of the order with some drivers choosing to pit even as others stayed out, putting a mix of tyre strategies into play.
Source- zeenews.india.

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Rejuvenated Rafael Nadal defeats Gael Monfils for ninth Monte Carlo title

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Monte Carlo: Rafael Nadal needed nearly three hours to defeat Gael Monfils 7-5, 5-7, 6-0 on Sunday and win a record ninth title at the Monte Carlo Masters.

The Spaniard claimed his first trophy in the Principality since 2012 as he played in his 100th final and tenth in Monte Carlo.
Nadal`s win pulled him level with ATP leader Novak Djokovic on 28 trophies at the Masters 1000 level.
Nadal improved to 12-2 over Monfils as he won a first Masters honour since Madrid in May, 2014.
Nadal and Monfils were both plagued by unforced errors in the tight contest, with the winner striking 36 while Monfils made more than 50.
The match was also riddled with 34 break points, with Nadal converting on eight of 21 while Monfils managed five of 13.
"It`s great to win a Masters title again," Nadal said.
"I had a tough season last years. but I`ve had better preparation this year, even with a tough start to the season.
"I hope this week will help me a lot," the Spaniard said as he prepared to move onto his home clay of Barcelona next week.
Nadal now owns 68 titles and will carry on in the run-up to the French Open with renewed confidence; Monfils can take small consolation after winning his first-ever set against Nadal on clay.
The opening set took almost an hour and a quarter and set the stage for the second, which at one point featured three consecutive breaks of serve out to 4-4.
Monfils moved into winning position with a break for 6-5 and kept the struggle alive as he won the set for one apiece.
But the third was all Nadal as the Spanish fifth seed swept to a love finish to win his eighth clay match against the Frenchman without a defeat.
Nadal improved his superlative tournament record to 58-4 after winning eight straight titles from 2005-2012. His last finals appearance here was in 2013 when he lost to Novak Djokovic.
Nadal`s specialist record on his favoured clay is all but untouchable, with the 14-time Grand Slam winner standing 48-8 in clay finals
Source- zeenews.india

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Bengaluru FC ease past Salgaocar FC to claim second I-League title in three years

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Bengaluru: Bengaluru FC were on Sunday crowned as I-League football champions for the second time in three years as they blanked Salgaocar 2-0 in their penultimate league match here today.

Eugenson Lyngdoh (8th minute) and Seminlen Doungel (87th) socred for Bengaluru as Ashley Westwood-coached side took full three points to clinch their second I-League title in front of their home crowd at the Kanteerava Stadium.
They had won their maiden crown in 2013-14 season and had finished second last season (2014-15) behind Mohun Bagan.
With 32 points from 15 matches, Bengaluru took an unassailable five point lead from currently second-placed Mohun Bagan (27 points from 15 matches) with one match to spare.
This means that their last league fixture against Mohun Bagan on April 23 in Siliguri has been rendered inconsequential as far as I-League title is concerned.
But that match will have importance for deciding the second-place finisher as East Bengal (25 points from 15 matches) are currently at third just two points behind Mohun Bagan.
East Bengal can finish at second if they beat Shillong Lajong in their last match on April 24 in Shillong and Mohun Bagan lose against Bengaluru.
Seeking to clinch the title today itself, Westwood fielded the first choice eleven for the clash with Curtis Osano and John Johnson returning to the fold as centre halves with Eugeneson Lyngdoh and Michael Collins manning the midfield.
Youngster Malsawmzuala got a start with Udanta Singh as the wingmen. Skipper Sunil Chhetri combined with Korean Kim Seong Yong to form the attacking nucleus of the 'Blues'.
It took just eight minutes for Bengaluru FC to open the scoring through Eugeneson Lyngdoh. The India midfielder scored his third goal in his comeback from injury as he latched onto a loose ball from Salgaocar goalkeeper Karanjit Singh's punch off a cross from the left.
Unmarked 25 yards out, Lyngdoh drove it straight across the ground with a right footer to take the early lead and leave the Goans fluttered.
Salgaocar tried to make a comeback as Jackichand Singh made his way past a couple of defenders but Amrinder Singh was quick to get onto the ball. Thangjam Saran Singh was booked after he brought down Udanta Singh during a Lyngdoh freekick and Salgaocar never really pressed after that during the first half.
Kim Seong Yong could have added the second goal for Bengaluru but was blocked by Leny Pereira and on the second attempt off it, Eder did well to deny Sunil Chhetri from close range.
Six minutes past the half hour mark, Salgaocar keeper Karanjit pulled off fine save, diving to his left to deny Michael Collins.
After some lighting related interruption, the second half started with Salgaocar tried to break the resolute Bengaluru defense but were unable to create much of an impact with their attempts.
Skipper Chhetri set up the second goal for Bengaluru which sealed the title three minutes from time. After a fine move at the left channel, Chhetri squared the ball into the box and with Salgaocar keeper Karanjit out of his line, substitute Seminlen Doungel was there to calmly dab the ball into the open net.
The Kanteerava crowd erupted to wild cheers as the referee blew the whistle.
Source-- zeenews.india

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Inzamam-ul-Haq takes heavy paycut for Pakistan coaching job: Report

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New Delhi: In order to become the next coach of the Pakistan cricket team, former cricketer Inzamam-ul-Haq has agreed to take a heavy pay cut.

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Inzamam-ul-Haq quits as Afghanistan coach to become Pakistan chief selector

According to a report in The Indian Express, Inzy took a hefty pay cut of 4 lakh rupees from existing monthly salary of 12 lakh that he drew from Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB).
Earlier, the Pakistani legend resigned after almost eight months before the expiry of his contract with the Afghanistan Cricket Board.
According to a statement ACB, Inzamam resigned from his post considering his national obligations, pointing towards upheaval in Pakistan cricket.

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The statement by ACB further added that Inzamam has hailed the professional co-operation of the Afghan team and cricket board, khaama. com reported on Sunday.
ACB also added that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shahryar Khan spoke regarding Inzamam’s resignation as Afghanistan cricket head coach had requested Shafiqullah Stanikzai to cooperate in this regard.
Under Inzamam, Afghanistan had a decent outing at the ICC World Twenty20, where they defeated West Indies, who went on to win their second title.
Source-- zeenews.india.

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Indian Premier League, Match 13: Kings XI Punjab vs Kolkata Knight Riders - Preview

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Mohali: Having notched up their first victory against Pune Supergiants, an upbeat Kings XI Punjab face the all-round might of two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders in an Indian Premier League cricket tournament encounter, here on Tuesday.

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While KKR have four points from three games with two wins under their belt, Kings XI opened their account with a six-wicket win against Pune yesterday.
On paper, KKR are overwhelming favourites against Punjab with a more balanced outfit but reputations count for little in the shortest format as most of the contests are won on the day.
Expect an interesting battle between KKR's much vaunted batting line-up against KXIP's bowling which has looked disciplined during their last match against Pune on a two-paced wicket.

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So there could be some intriguing smaller battle within the battles. How Gambhir tackles Mohit Sharma's slower deliveries or how Sandeep Sharma can stop Andre Russell from hitting those towering sixes.
It will also be a challenge for KXIP spinners like Axar Patel as KKR is one side which has quality batsmen against slow bowlers.
For Knight Riders, the best part about their journey since Gambhir taking over in 2011 is the amount of consistency that they have shown over the years.
Not only have they won the title twice in 2012 and 2014 but more importantly have stuck with their core group of players in thick and thin during these years.
Skipper Gambhir, opener Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav, Andre Russell and Sunil Narine have all settled down in their respective roles in the past few years giving them a dangerous look despite the absence of a huge star in the ranks of a Kohli, Dhoni or AB de Villiers.
They have been more or less clinical in their two wins against Daredevils at home and Sunrisers in an away game. The loss against Mumbai Indians could be attributed more to Rohit Sharma's individual brilliance backed up nicely by Jos Buttler's pyrotechnics.

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The best part about KKR's campaign so far has been Gambhir's form as he is on top of the run-getters' table with 192 runs at a healthy strike-rate of 125.49. He has been playing the role of sheet anchor to perfection as has forged a good opening partnership with Robin Uthappa.
Uthappa's 81 runs in three matches may not look big in terms of volume but in both the wins, his contributions have been 35 and 38.
While it may not actually be a cause of worry, the nine-wicket win against Daredevils and eight-wicket win against Sunrisers but KKR's middle-order has not been put to test during the three matches that they have played.
However with a three-pronged spin attack of Narine, Piyush Chawla and Shakib Al Hasan, KKR can put the KXIP batting to test which has not been very consistent in their three matches so far.
Apart from these three, KKR also have veteran chinaman bowler Brad Hogg, who has also done well in the two matches that he has played.
The pace duties are expected to be shared between Morne Morkel, Umesh Yadav and Russell.
In KXIP team, Manan Vohra, who has scored 38, 32 and 51 in the three matches, the others have not lived upto the expectations. Glenn Maxwell's 14-ball-32 did help in their win against Pune Supergiants but Maxwell has had a struggle on Indian pitches since the start of the World T20.
The big shots have not come off as frequently as he would have expected. The worrying factor for KXIP is Maxwell's 34 runs in 3 matches and skipper David Miller's 31 in 3 games.
That has put the team under lot of pressure with another seasoned campaigner Shaun Marsh scoring only 17 in 2 games.
But in the three games, the shining light for KXIP has been their two pacers Sandeep Sharma (4 wickets) and Mohit Sharma (3 wickets), especially Mohit, who is also coming back from an injury. They have had decent economy rates of 5.55 and 6.57 respectively in the three matches so far.
He has shown the ability to mix and match his deliveries, varying the pace effectively during death overs. Sandeep has also bowled in good areas.
The problem area for KXIP in their bowling has been spinners Axar Patel and Pardeep Sahu, both of whom have leaked runs in the three matches that they have played. KXIP will certainly look at trying out someone in place of Sahu -- may be mystery spinner KC Cariappa or India discard all-rounder Gurkeerat Singh Mann.
Teams (from):
Kolkata Knight Riders: Gautham Gambhir (capt), Piyush Chawla, John Hastings, Brad Hogg, Jason Holder, Sheldon Jackson, Kuldeep Yadav, Chris Lynn, Manan Sharma, Morne Morkel, Colin Munro, Sunil Narine, Manish Pandey, Yusaf Pathan, Ankit Rajput, Andre Russell, Rajgopal Satish, Shakib Al Hasan, Jaydev Unadkat, Robin Uthappa, Suryakumar Yadav and Umesh Yadav.
Kings XI Punjab: Kings XI Punjab: David Miller (Capt.), Kyle Abbott, Murali Vijay, Manan Vohra, Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Anureet Singh, Axar Patel, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Pardeep Sahu, Sandeep Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Marcus Stoinis, Swapnil Singh, Armaan Jaffer, Farhaan Behardien, KC Cariappa, Rishi Dhawan, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Nikhil Naik, Shardul Thakur.
Match Starts at 8 pm.
Source- zeenews.india.

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ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2016 schedule announced

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the schedule of the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2016, which will be held across eight venues in four Bangladesh cities from 27 January to 14 February 2016.

Chittagong, Cox’s Bazar, Dhaka and Sylhet will share 48 matches between them during the 19-day tournament, which will open with the match between defending champion South Africa and host Bangladesh at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium (ZACS) in Chittagong.

The tournament will culminate with the final at the iconic Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur. All matches will be day fixtures and will start at 0930 local time. The Super League semi-finals and final will have reserve days.

For the first time in the history of this competition, ICC will produce live broadcast coverage of an unprecedented 20 matches. The matches which will be shown around the world by ICC broadcast partner, Star Sports and its licensees. include four from Chittagong, nine from Mirpur and seven from Fatullah. In the 2014 event in the UAE, Star Sports and its licensees had broadcast 11 matches, while 10 matches each were televised from the 2008, 2010 and 2012 events in Malaysia, New Zealand and Australia respectively. More details on broadcast coverage of the event will be announced in due course.

This increased broadcast coverage is a clear reflection in the enhanced profile of the event, which is billed as the platform for future stars. This claim can be substantiated by the fact that nine of the 10 current Test captains have previously played in the ICC U19 Cricket World Cups, while Pakistan’s One-Day International captain Azhar Ali participated in the 2002 tournament in New Zealand.

Announcing the schedule, ICC General Manager – Cricket, Geoff Allardice, said: “The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup an event which provides talented youngsters an early taste of international cricket in a global setting. Countless players have come through this event, and emerged shortly afterwards on to the international arena.


“It is at this tournament that the players also receive important education on topics such anti-doping and anti-corruption, which provides them a head start on the challenges that lie ahead for professional sportsmen.

“Bangladesh has staged a number of ICC events in the past and all these have been hugely successful because of the passionate and enthusiastic crowds as well as high quality playing facilities.”

According to the event format, the 16 sides have been equally divided into four groups of four each, with the top two from each group progressing to the Super League stage and the bottom two to feature in the Plate Championship.

Apart from the 10 Test playing countries, six Associate and Affiliate Member sides – Afghanistan, Canada, Fiji, Namibia, Nepal and Scotland – will also participate after winning the various regional qualifying events.

Reflecting on his time at the ICC U19 Cricket World Cup 2006 in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim, said: “I played in the 2006 event and it prepared me for the international stage. So, when I went to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 the following year, I had a fairly good idea of what to expect.

“The ICC U19 Cricket World Cup is like a dress rehearsal for the senior level.  It is the first stepping stone for every international cricketer. You can actually get a reasonable picture of the future. The genuine articles, the ones that are going to proceed to the next level and beyond can be identified here if you take a good look.”

Previous winners

1988 – Australia	1998 - England	2000 - India
2002 – Australia	2004 – Pakistan	2006 - Pakistan
2008 - India	2010 – Australia	2012 - India
2014 – South Africa

Groups

GROUP A	GROUP B	GROUP C	GROUP D
South Africa	Pakistan	England	Australia
Bangladesh	Sri Lanka	West Indies	India
Scotland	Afghanistan	Zimbabwe	New Zealand
Namibia	Canada	Fiji	Nepal

Warm-up matches
22 Jan – West Indies v Scotland, Fatullah; South Africa v Fiji, Fatullah Outer
23 Jan – Pakistan v Nepal, BKSP-1; Sri Lanka v New Zealand, BKSP-2; Afghanistan v Australia, BKSP-3; India v Canada, BKSP-4; England v Namibia, MAAS, Chittagong; Bangladesh v Zimbabwe, ZACS, Chittagong
24 Jan – South Africa v West Indies, Fatullah; Scotland v Fiji, Fatullah Outer
25 Jan – Afghanistan v New Zealand, BKSP-1; Sri Lanka v Nepal, BKSP-2; Australia v Canada, BKSP-3; Pakistan v India, BKSP-4; Zimbabwe v Namibia, MAAS, Chittagong; England v Bangladesh, ZACS, Chittagong

Tournament matches
Group matches
27 Jan – England v Fiji, MAAS, Chittagong; South Africa v Bangladesh*, ZACS, Chittagong
28 Jan – Australia v India*, Mirpur; New Zealand v Nepal, Fatullah; Pakistan v Afghanistan, SICS, Sylhet; Sri Lanka v Canada, SDS, Sylhet
29 Jan – Zimbabwe v Fiji, MAAS, Chittagong; England v West Indies*, ZACS, Chittagong; Scotland v Namibia, Cox’s Bazar (main)
30 Jan – India v New Zealand*, Mirpur; Australia v Nepal, Fatullah; Sri Lanka v Afghanistan, SICS, Sylhet; Pakistan v Canada, SDS, Sylhet
31 Jan – West Indies v Fiji, MAAS, Chittagong; England v Zimbabwe*, ZACS, Chittagong; Bangladesh v Scotland, Cox’s Bazar (main); South Africa v Namibia, Cox’s Bazar (second)
1 Feb – India v Nepal*, Mirpur; Australia v New Zealand, Fatullah; Afghanistan v Canada, SICS, Sylhet
2 Feb – West Indies v Zimbabwe*, ZACS, Chittagong; Bangladesh v Namibia, Cox’s Bazar (main); South Africa v Scotland, Cox’s Bazar (second)
3 Feb – Pakistan v Sri Lanka*, Mirpur

Plate Championship
4 Feb – Plater quarter-final 1 (AA3 v DD4), Cox’s Bazar (main); Plate quarter-final 3 (DD3 v AA4), Cox’s Bazar (second)
5 Feb – Plate quarter-final 2 (BB3 v CC4), Cox’s Bazar (main); Plate quarter-final 4 (CC3 v BB4), Cox’s Bazar (second)
7 Feb – Plate play/off semi 1 (loser PQF1 v loser PQF4), Cox’s Bazar (main)
8 Feb – Plate semi-final 1 (winner PQF1 v winner PQF4), Cox’s Bazar (main); Plate play/off 2 (loser PQF2 v loser PQF3), Cox’s Bazar (second)
9 Feb – Plate semi-final 2 (winner PQF2 v winner PQF3), Cox’s Bazar (second)
10 Feb – Plate play/off for 13^th/14^th positions (winner plate play/off semi-final 1 v winner plate play/off semi-final 2), Cox’s Bazar (main)
11 Feb – Plate play/off for 15^th/16th positions (loser plate play/off semi-final 1 v loser plate play/off semi-final 2), Cox’s Bazar (second
12 Feb – Plate final (winner plate semi-final 1 v winner plate semi-final 2), Cox’s Bazar (main); plate play/off for 11^th/ 12^th positions (loser plate semi-final 1 v loser plate semi-final 2), Cox’s Bazar (second)

Super League
5 Feb – Super League quarter-final 1* (AA1 v DD2), Mirpur
6 Feb – Super League quarter-final 3* (DD1 v AA2), Fatullah
7 Feb – Super League quarter-final 4* (CC1 v BB2), Mirpur
8 Feb – Super League quarter-final 2* (BB1 v CC2), Fatullah
9 Feb – Super League semi-final 1* (winner Super League quarter-final 1 v winner Super League quarter-final 4), Mirpur; Super League play/off semi-final 1* (loser Super League quarter-final 1 v loser Super League quarter-final 4), Fatullah
10 Feb – Super League play/off semi-final 2* (loser Super League quarter-final 2 v loser Super League quarter-final 3), Fatullah
11 Feb – Super League semi-final 2* (winner Super League quarter-final 2 v winner Super League quarter-final 3), Mirpur; Super League play/off 7^th/8^th positions* (loser Super League play/off semi-final 1 v loser Super League play/off semi-final 2), Fatullah
12 Feb – Super League play/off for 5^th/6^th positions* (winner Super League play/off semi-final 1 v winner Super League play/off Super League semi-final 2), Fatullah
13 Feb – Super League play/off four 3^rd/4^th positions* (loser Super League semi-final 1 v loser Super League semi-final 2), Fatullah
14 Feb – Super League final* (winner Super League semi-final 1 v winner Super League semi-final 2), Mirpur
 source-.tigercric

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Know the Premier League Teams, post-draft

The Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League 2016 will be starting from April 22nd. This is the most prestigious cricket league of Bangladesh, with 12 clubs participating in it for the ultimate glory.  The Players' Draft was held and here are the teams after the draft.

Prime Bank Cricket Club

Sabbir Rahman, Taibur Rahman Parvez, Md. Nazmul Islam Apu, Rubel Hossain, Yasir Ali Rabbi, Monir Hossain Khan, Shenaz Ahmed, Md. Azim, Jony Talukdar, Yasir Arafat Mishu, Nurul Hasan Sohan (retained), Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury (retained)


Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club

Nasir Hossain, Farhad Reza, Rakibul Hasan (Jnr.), Al-Amin Hossain, Rahatul Ferdous, Imtiaz Hossain Tanna, Sahagir Hossain Pavel, Md. Ziaur Rahman, Md. Zakaria Masud, Rony Talukder (retained), Sanjamul Islam (retained)


Dhaka Abahani Ltd

Tamim Iqbal Khan, Nazmul Hossain Shanto, Taski Ahmed, Saklain Sajib, Abul Hasan Raju, Avishek Mitra, Jubair Hossain Likhon, Taposh Baishay, Amitav Kumar Noyon, Abu Bakker Siddique, Shakib Al Hasan, Liton Kumar Das (retained), Mosaddek Hossain (retained)


Kalabagan Cricket Academy

Irfan Sukkur, Bishonath Haldar, Mayshukur Rahman, Abu Jayed Chowdhury, Abu Jayed Chowdhury Rahi, Ad. Abdul Halim, Prosonjit Das, Nur Hossain Munna, Taposh Ghosh, Rifat Pradhan, Didar Hossain Imran, Mehidy Hasan Miraz (retained), Md. Mahmudul Hasan Leemon (retained)


Mohammedan Sporting Club

Mushfiqur Rahim, Saikat Ali, Ezaz Ahmed, Nayeem Islam (jnr.), Enamul Haque (jnr.), Nazmul Hossain Milon, Shuvashish Roy Chowdhury, Hamidul Islam Himel, Habibur Rahman Jony, Nazmul Hossain, Sayed Golam Kibria, Mustafizur Rahman, Nayeem Islam (retained), Mr Ariful Haque (retained)


Legends of Rupganj

Soumya Sarker, Taijul Islam, Asif Ahmed Ratul, Abu Haider Rony, Zunaed Siddique, Alauddin Babu, Mizanur Rahman, Mehede Hasan Rana, Nahidul Islam, Sajjadul Haque Ripon, Murad Khan, Shaheen Hossain, Mithun Ali, Jahurul Islam (retained), Khandokar Musharraf Hossain (retained)


Victoria Sporting Club

Mominul Haque, Dhiman Ghosh, Al-Amin (jnr.), Abdul Majid, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Fazle Rabbi Mahmud, Anamul Haque, Jubair Ahmed, Dollar Mahmud, Mahamdul Haque Setu, Humayan Kabir Shahin, Nadif Chowdhury (retained), Sohrawardi Shuvo (retained)


Brothers Union

Imrul Kayes, Md. Zakir Hasan, Shahriar Nafees Ahmed, Mohammad Shahid, Nabil Samad, Ahmed Sadikur Rahman, Sanjit Saha Dip, Tushar Imran, Nur Alam Saddam, Nafees Iqbal Khan, Rumman Ahmed, Sheikh Najmul Hossain, Asif Hassan (retained), Iftekhar Sazzad Rony (retained)


Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Ltd

Mahmudullah Riyad, Marshall Ayub, Moktar Ali, Joyraz Sheikh, Shafiul Islam, Nazmus Sadat, Zabid Hossain, Rasel Al Mamun, Mahbubul Karim Mithu, Abdur Rahman Rony, Shohag Gazi (retained), Arafat Sunny (retained)

Kalabagan Krira Chakra

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Md. Sharifullah, Md. Sadman Isam Anik, Md. Tanvir Haider Khan, Mehrab Hossain (jnr.), Nihad Uz Zaman, Md. Jashimuddin, Dewan Sabbir Ahmed, Md. Hasanuzzaman, Robiul Islam Shiblu, Shoriful Islam, Abdur Razzak (retained), Tasamul Haque Rubel (retained)


Cricket Coaching School

Nasum Ahmed, Saeed Sarkar, Rajin Saleh, Amit Majumdar, Saleh Ahmed Shawon Gazi, Salman Hossain Emon, Refatuzzaman Ovi, Ali Ahmed Manik, Mehrab Hossain Joshi, Md. Saif Hassan (retained), Md. Saifuddin (retained)


Gazi Group Cricketers

Anamul Haque Bijoy, Shamsur Rahman Shuvo, Mehedi Hasan, Mohammad Sharif, Md. Farhad Hossain, Delwar Hossain, Mr. Furkan, Abu Sayeem Chowdhury, Nasir Uddin Faruque, Sajedul Islam, Imamul Mustakin Russell, Alok Kapali (retained), Mohammad Elias (retained)
source-ww.tigercricke

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Tigers dominate the WT20 2016 stat charts

Despite Bangladesh exiting the ICC Wt20 2016 from the Super 10 stage, the Tigers have been pretty dominant in the tournament stat charts. A few of the feats of Bangladesh players have stayed unbeaten at the end of the event.

Tamim Iqbal was the first to score a century for Bangladesh in T20Is, and he chose the occasion of WT20 2016 to do that. He was also the first to score a century in the tournament. Tamim carried his bat during the century and stayed not out at 103, the feat of being the highest individual scorer being unbroken throughout. Chris Gayle also scored an unbeaten century, but he scored exactly 100 in the match against England. Tamim Iqbal bagged two Player of the Match awards for his unbeaten 83 in Bangladesh’s first match and then again for his 103* against Oman.

The dashing opener from Bangladesh is also the highest run getter of WT20 2016 with 295 runs in 6 matches, sitting above Player of the Tournament Virat Kohli of India, who scored 273 runs in his 5 matches. Tamim hit the most sixes (14) in the process, another feat of his which stays at the top of the charts. He has hit 24 boundaries, sharing the third position with Joe Root, sitting below Kohli (29) and Samuels (26). Tamim Iqbal is also positioned number four with most fours (10) and sixes in an innings (5), both feat achieved in that devastating innings he played against Oman.

Mustafizur Rahman played only three matches in WT20 2016, but holds the feat of the Best Bowling Figures of the tournament, with 5-22 against New Zealand. He is one of the two bowlers who clinched a fifer in the event, Faulkner being the other one (5-27). Mustafizur took 9 wickets in the 3 matches he played for his side and also has the best strike rate (8.00) among the bowlers.

Shakib Al Hasan also enlisted his name at the top five in the bowling charts. He took a total of 10 wickets in 7 matches and positions himself among the top five most wicket-taking bowlers. With the best bowling figures of 4-15 against Oman in Bangladesh’s last match of the first round of matches, the all-rounder from Bangladesh also kept his name in the best bowling figures of the tournament.

There had been a good lot of individual achievements for the Tigers in ICC WT20 2016. Bangladesh came close to winning against India and had a close encounter against Australia, but this years’ journey at WT20 ended in a rather disappointing manner against New Zealand. Bangladesh started off their WT20 2016 venture on a high, beating Netherlands, then saw the Ireland match washed away to rain and won the Oman-game convincingly to qualify to the Super 10s.
source-- tigercricket

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English Star forced to retire due to a heart condition

England and Nottinghamshire batsman James Taylor’s has unfortunately retired from cricket after being diagnosed with a serious heart condition. Taylor originally withdrew himself from last week’s fixture against Cambridge MCCU with an illness then thought to be a viral condition. Following the withdrawal, specialist scans revealed yesterday that the 26-year-old has been suffering from a very serious heart condition, ARVC (Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Arrhythmia). 

England Team Director Andrew Strauss said, "It is both shocking and saddening to hear that James' career has been cut short in such a sudden and unexpected manner. Throughout his career, he has constantly impressed with his determination to make the absolute most of his ability, and it is immensely cruel that such a hard working player will be unable to fulfil his great potential in the international arena.

“The ECB will work closely with Nottinghamshire and together we will do everything possible to help James through this difficult period, and aid him in his recovery."

James Taylor made his debut against South Africa in 2012 and played his last of the seven Tests against the same opposition last winter. He debuted against Ireland in ODIs in 2011, the side he captained his side against last May during England's trip, and played his last ODI against Pakistan in November 2015.


Nottinghamshire Director of Cricket Mick Newell added, "Myself and all of James’ teammates and colleagues are terribly sad to hear this news, which comes as a big shock to us all. He is a model professional, the most hard working I’ve ever known in cricket, making it all the more difficult to accept that his career has been cut short in this way.

“It goes without saying that he has the very best wishes of us all in terms of recovering from his operation, and that we are looking forward to seeing him back at Trent Bridge when he is fit and able.”

The news of James' saddening retirement and illness did come as great shocks to the whole cricket fraternity. Taylor is currently being treated in hospital in Nottingham. The whole cricket world does hope that the attacking English middle order batsman comes back to a normal life soon with a surgery scheduled to take place coming Thursday or Friday.

According to the British Heart Foundation, ARVC is an inherited heart condition that causes the walls of the organ's muscle to stretch, restraining blood flow and progressively worsen over time. As well as causing palpitations, light-headedness and fainting, it carries a risk of sudden death due on exertion. It is not curable but most of the symptoms can be managed using medicine.

Sports Reporter at TigerCricket. He is a Marketing Graduate, and was involved with Cricket at University level. He is extremely passionate about the game and loves to write and perform analytics of the matches at times.
source--tigercricket

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Mustafiz shines in his maiden IPL stint

Despite a defeat for his side, the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Mustafizur Rahman played his part with the ball in brilliant fashion. The Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 45 runs, posting 227-4 on board, a bit too much for Sunrisers Hyderabad to chase down.

Ashish Nehra dropped down in a groin injury, as the second big blow for the side after Yuvraj missing out. The rest of the bowlers all gave out runs at an economy over 10, whereas Mustafiz kept his economy even below 7, at an innings that yielded 227 runs in 120 deliveries! Mustafizur Rahman’s bowling figures showed 4-0-26-2, which stands that RCB picked up 201-2 in the other 16 overs-absolutely devastating stuff from the devastating batting line-up consisting of Gayle-Virat-AB-Watson-Sarfaraz.

Mustafizur initially was introduced in the powerplay, to bowl the third over and then the sixth. He gave away only 4 runs in his first over, and 6 runs in the second-RCB yielding only 10 runs in the two overs Muustafiz bowled in the powerplay. Warner kept him reserved for the end part of the innings, which was probably not the thing to do with Virat and AB settling down in a pretty easy manner, hitting away all around the grounds. One over in between and then the nineteenth would have been an ideal ask.

The Virat-AB partnership of 157 runs took the game away from Sunrisers, and then the stormy knock from Sarfaraz in the end. Warner looked dangerous in the fight back, but to little effect. Wickets kept on tumbling on frequent basis for his side and the middle order failure brought in tremendous pressure for the lower orders to carry on the run flow to a win, thus resulted in a loss. The next game for Sunrisers Hyderabad is against Mumbai Indians on April 18^th.

About the Author

Minhaz Ali Khan Plabon

Sports Reporter at TigerCricket. He is a Marketing Graduate, and was involved with Cricket at University level. He is extremely passionate about the game and loves to write and perform analytics of the matches at times.
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Long wait over, Rajkot set to roll out red carpet for maiden IPL game

As Gujarat Lions captain Suresh Raina got up to join his teammates for the training session after addressing a pre-match conference, he was mobbed from all corners with cameras being thrust into his face. As the locals surrounded him for selfies and photos, Raina calmly addressed every request before returning back to the field. Similar scenes greeted Dale Steyn when he made his way out from the Rajkot Airport. The team staff had to form a security cover to ensure a safe passage.

Outside the team hotel, large groups of fans wait endlessly in scorching heat for one glimpse of the superstars. A five-run victory over Kings XI Punjab two days ago at the latter’s den has given Gujarat a perfect launch pad and expectations have soared.

With the Lions set to play their maiden home game against Rising Pune Supergiants, Rajkot has been bathed in colours of yellow and orange. The beautiful Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, which has hosted three international games (two ODIs & one T20I), is all set to welcome the IPL jamboree. “It’s (a special occasion) for everyone. Gujarat never had an IPL team in the first eight years. We are looking forward to playing for Gujarat,” said Raina with excitement.

While the team has a bevy of international stars in Dwayne Bravo, Brendon McCullum, Dale Steyn and Aussies James Faulkner and Aaron Finch, it is the all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who holds a special place in the hearts of the cricket-crazy fans.
Set to tie the knot soon, crowd favourite Jadeja is not merely a star attraction, but a vital cog in Gujarat’s line-up. The team-management relies on him for clues and first-hand information about the conditions. On the eve of the match, he was dispatching the balls into the stands. “He is an important player for India and for us in the IPL. He can bat, bowl and give you good runouts. He has good brains to read the game. He bats as per situation at No.7. He is a local boy and he has a lot of information about the wicket and local conditions. He is a key member and one of the first members to take feedback from,” explained coach Heath Streak.

Though the buzz has centered around Gujarat Lions, Streak is well aware that playing at home won’t make them overwhelming favourites. MS Dhoni’s RPS have the firepower to dash Gujarat’s party on Thursday night and Streak’s role would be to ensure Gujarat remains focused.
“It is good to have a winning start as it boosts your confidence. We have got really good experienced players in all the departments, and they will be keen to put up a good performance for the Gujaratis. In IPL, every game is a hard game and you can’t get carried away,” he said.

The first home game will pit Raina and Jadeja against former franchise mates Ravichandran Ashwin and Dhoni. With both teams having enough knowledge of each other’s strength, Raina said ideally the pressure would be on RPS, but Dhoni’s presence balances the equation.
“They will be also playing their first game against us, so it is the same for both the teams. We will play positively against them. This is our first game in Gujarat, so home support will be there.

“Pressure will be there on the opposition, but MS is the type of captain who has earned respect everywhere. We too have some players who are respected everywhere, so it is going to be quite an interesting game.”

Raina added that despite the team being together for only about a week, they have started gelling. “Heath (Streak) has played many matches for Zimbabwe in India, so he knows what it takes to motivate Indian youngsters. Then when you have so many seniors like Baz (McCullum), DJ Bravo, (Dwayne) Smith, James Faulkner, you have a lot to learn in the dressing room. How to enjoy and have fun together. That makes you perfect. Coaches give us the platform to express ourselves and be calm. That’s the key to T20 success.”
source-iplt20

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Preview: M6 - GL vs RPS

Match 6 of VIVO IPL 2016 will feature a clash between the two new franchises to join the most exciting cricket league in the world.

Gujarat Lions, who started their IPL campaign with a win over Kings XI Punjab on Monday, will play host to the MS Dhoni-led Rising Pune Supergiants, who themselves were impressive in their maiden IPL outing when they defeated the defending champions Mumbai Indians.

Suresh Raina’s decision-making, Dwayne Bravo’s match-changing over in which he dismissed the deadly duo of David Miller and Glenn Maxwell, and Aaron Finch’s powerful strikes at the top of the chase were the highlights of Gujarat Lions’ victory. MS Dhoni’s midas touch which brought him a wicket almost every time he made a bowling change and Ajinkya Rahane’s serene batting were the highlights of RPS’ maiden IPL win.

When

14 April 2016, 2000 Hrs IST

Where

Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot

Weather

Temperature: Max 32°c, Min 28°c
Humidity: Max 55%
Wind: 18kmph

The Protagonists

The Gujarat Lions and Rising Pune Supergiants both have several destructive batsmen in their ranks. While GL have Brendon McCullum, Aaron Finch and Suresh Raina in their top three, RPS have the finesse of Ajinkya Rahane, and the might of Faf du Plessis, Kevin Pietersen and MS Dhoni in their top four. Given how destructive each of those batsmen are, chances are the fate of the match will be decided by the performance of one or two of those individuals. Keep an eye on Ravindra Jadeja too, for he will be playing an IPL match in front of his home crowd for the very first time.

On the bowling front, GL possibly have an edge over RPS, thanks to the presence of Dwayne Bravo – the highest wicket-taker in the T20 format, and James Faulkner, who is some kind of a limited overs specialist.

Trivia

The SCA Stadium in Rajkot will become the 32nd venue overall and the 21st Indian venue to host an Indian Premier League match.

In the ten Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches played at the SCA Stadium in the 2013-14 season, seven were won by the team chasing. The team batting first scored 170 in five of those ten matches.

The Rising Pune Supergiants captain MS Dhoni needs 14 more runs to become the seventh batsmen to reach the 3000-IPL-runs milestone. His opposite number sits atop the list of top run-getters in the IPL, with 3719 runs.

In the only T20 International played at the SCA Stadium in Rajkot, Australia scored 201-7 batting first, after which India chased down the runs to win by six wickets, with two balls remaining.

What Next

Gujarat Lions will head to Mumbai to clash with the defending champions Mumbai Indians on April 16. The MS Dhoni-led Rising Pune Supergiants will be seen in action the following day – on April 17 – when they compete against Kings XI Punjab in Mohali
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When Rohit lit up Eden - yet again!

An earthquake measuring 6.9 in magnitude hit Myanmar on Wednesday evening that triggered a few tremors in parts of Kolkata. The tremors were felt in the Eden Gardens as well by a section of the media before the start of the game. On a sporting note, tremors of a different kind were to be experienced later by the Kolkata Knight Riders on the cricket field, courtesy some fine hitting from the Mumbai Indians batsmen who creamed a run-chase of 188 with finesse.

At the helm of it was, no prizes for guessing - Rohit Sharma, who sure has fond memories of the Eden Gardens. Time and again he has said that there is just something very positive about this ground that eggs him to put up his best bat forward. Wednesday night against KKR was no different. There were shots that were pure joy to watch.

A flick for six, some glorious drives through the covers and that straight bat with the elbow high up in line with the eye - it was classic Rohit Sharma on display. The nineteenth over that Andre Russell bowled was a treat to watch in particular as Rohit completely dismantled the bowler thrashing four boundaries in that over. And, just like that it was the final nail in the coffin - it was Game, Set and Match Mumbai Indians. Captain leading from the front, two vital points, some stellar performances and the smiles were back in the Mumbai Indians dugout. Here’s man of the moment Rohit Sharma taking IPLT20.com through the run-chase and talking about his love for his second home - the Eden Gardens.

A win after the loss in the first game; this has to be a satisfying victory isn’t it?

It is a satisfying victory. The win was important and we have been talking about it a lot and today was a perfect day. Getting those two points was very crucial. We have worked really hard for this. We wanted to do well in Mumbai as well but things didn’t go accordingly. I always believe that this team has got a lot of potential and we came and proved it here today. We will happily take these two points with us to Mumbai.

The opening pair put up 50 runs in five overs, just the kind of start that the team needed?

When you are chasing big scores like that, you have to understand and plan your innings with your partner. Myself and Parthiv Patel talked about it at the start of the innings and we got off to a good start in the power play. As soon as we lost Parthiv, Hardik Pandya tried to rotate the strike but he couldn’t unfortunately. But Mitchell McClenaghan and Jos Buttler changed the course of the game.

A perfect performance from you as well, just the kind of innings you would want to play going ahead in the tournament?

Absolutely! It is important that someone from the top three bats as deep as possible and today it was me. Once I got to a decent start, I made sure that I was there as long as possible. There is nothing like starting off well and then finishing it off for your team. It is more pleasing when you do that. What I did pretty well was that I planned my innings and my shot selection was pretty good. I have played a lot of cricket here and I understand the wicket really well. I know what my scoring shots are here and where I can get runs. I planned it all well and it worked for me.

And obviously, your Eden Gardens romance continues. You sure know how to play here in particular, don’t you?

I understand how to score runs here. The outfield here is fast and you have to just time the ball really well; that is all you have to do when you are playing at the Eden Gardens. You don’t need to over hit it and sometimes when you do that you tend to lose shape and there are chances of you getting out. I select my shots and the bowlers I have to target. It works well for me here but I know that it won’t happen always. As long as it keeps happening it is good and I am going to take it no matter what.

Tell us about the thought process behind Mitchell McClenaghan’s promotion at number four.

It was Ricky Ponting’s idea. He is the one sitting in the dugout and having those ideas going around. He sent us a message inside asking if sending Mitch was a right move. I said, why not - they have two chinaman bowlers bowling who were at most times bowling googlies. We wanted to just upset their rhythm and we did it perfectly.

Also Jos Buttler coming into his own should augur well going ahead in the tournament.

Jos is going to be a very important member of our team going ahead. He is going to be a key factor for us. I thought he batted brilliantly. He got us that momentum we were looking for. Scoring 41 in 22 balls was some effort. We know that he is that kind of a player and he has done it for England many times. Today was a perfect day - he came and smashed it all round the park. I look forward to performances like those from him in the future as well.

Going forward, what are the areas that you would be looking to work on?

Going ahead I would expect the same kind of performance although there is room for improvement in the bowling department. We have to understand that taking wickets is very important in this format. We didn’t do that and that is the reason why we had to chase such a steep target. The Kolkata Knight Riders batted really well and looked like getting 200 at one point. Our bowlers bowled well at the death and got back us into the game.

A special feeling to put up a match-winning performance in front of Sachin Tendulkar, who was present in the Mumbai Indians dugout?

Sachin Tendulkar is vital as far as Mumbai Indians is concerned. His presence gives us the kind of motivation we need. He is someone who is always there to help, share his thoughts and advice people if needed. He congratulated me after the game and I am sure he was happy to see us win the game more than anything else.
source-.iplt20

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Quick Stats: M5 - KKR vs MI

2 Number of captains to aggregate 2500 runs in IPL. Gautam Gambhir joined MS Dhoni, who has scored 2986 runs as captain.

7 Number of batsmen to aggregate 1,000 runs at a particular ground in IPL. Gautam Gambhir has now scored 1,023 runs at Eden Gardens. Chris Gayle- with 1,326 runs at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangaluru- tops the list.

10 Number of times Harbhajan Singh has caught a batsman off his own bowling in IPL – most such dismissals for any bowler. Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard are second with six caught & bowled.

12 Number of times Kolkata Knight Riders have lost to Mumbai Indians in IPL. This equals the record of most losses against a particular team in IPL. Royal Challengers Bangalore also have 12 losses against Chennai Super Kings. Chennai Super Kings on the other hand have lost to Mumbai Indians 12 times.

27 Number of times Gautam Gambhir has scored 50 or more in an IPL match- most for any batsman. David Warner and Suresh Raina have 26 such scores (later in the match Rohit Sharma also joined Warner and Raina).

55.86 Rohit Sharma’s average in IPL matches at Eden Gardens.

80% Mumbai Indians’ win-percentage at Eden Gardens (8 wins out of 10) – best for any side playing more than one match here.

84* Rohit Sharma’s score – highest for any Mumbai Indians captain in a chase in IPL. Sachin Tendulkar had made 72 against Chennai Super Kings at Mumbai Brabourne in 2010.

188 Mumbai Indians’ total – there has been only one higher successful chase at Eden Gardens in 49 matches. Kings XI Punjab had made 204 for two in 2010.
source--.iplt20

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Preview: M7 - DD vs KXIP

Match 7 of the VIVO IPL 2016 will feature the Delhi Daredevils playing host to Kings XI Punjab. Both teams are yet to open their account this season. While DD were decimated in their opening match against the Kolkata Knight Riders, KXIP took no points from their home match against debutants Gujarat Lions.

The Delhi Daredevils will need a huge improvement in their performance from the opening game. The batsmen fielded by the team, especially in the top five, were largely youngsters who have impressed in recent times and have earned their place in the XI. They will need to apply better and be better in their shot selection and one can expect this will have been addressed by coach Paddy Upton and mentor Rahul Dravid.

KXIP were good in parts in their opening game. The openers set up the innings very nicely, before the team lost the wickets of the dangerous David Miller and Glenn Maxwell in the same over. The team will be particularly disappointed about their bowling performance in the opening match; despite having set a target of 162, the team couldn’t defend the target, with the opposition running away with the match in 17.4 overs. The KXIP management could face a selection dilemma ahead of the match; if according to reports, Shaun Marsh has recovered from the bug that rendered him unavailable for the opening clash, it will interesting to see if he is picked in place of Marcus Stoinis.

When

15 April 2016, 2000 Hrs IST

Where
Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi

Weather
Temperature: Max 35°c, Min 31°c
Humidity: Max 27%
Wind: 13kmph

The Protagonists

Quinton de Kock is the only international cricketer in the Delhi Daredevils top five. The South African left-hander has been hitting the ball well recently; he was South Africa’s top run-getter in the recently-concluded World T20 and was named by the ICC in the Team of the Tournament. He will need to cause pile on the runs along with Shreyas Iyer, who was in scintillating form in this season’s Ranji Trophy. It will be interesting to see if DD propel Shreyas back to the top of the order – where he had plenty of success last season. Among the bowlers, DD will expect skipper Zaheer Khan and Amit Mishra to tie down the opposition batsmen. Given the history of the conditions in Delhi, one could also expect the team to bring in the South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir, possibly at the expense of Nathan Coulter-Nile.

Murali Vijay timed the ball very well in KXIP’s match against the Gujarat Lions. The Tamil Nadu batsmen is among few batsmen around who has the talent, temperament and skills to succeed in longer version of the game as well as in T20s – all this without taking any undue risks. David Miller and Glenn Maxwell can cause plenty of damage in very little time and hence they will be important characters in KXIP’s batting plans. On the bowling front, KXIP lack experienced international spinners in their ranks, and hence they will rely heavily on the likes of Mitchell Johnson and Chris Morris to provide them breakthroughs.

Trivia

Among the six teams who have been in the IPL from before this season, Delhi Daredevils is the only team to have lost more matches than they have won at HQ. Off the 44 matches DD have played at the Feroz Shah Kotla, they have won only 16, giving them a success rate of 37.2.

In the last 18 IPL matches played at the Feroz Shah Kotla, starting with the 2013 seasons, teams chasing down targets have been extremely successful, winning 13 matches. The average first innings total in those 18 matches was 153.
source--.iplt20

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Daredevils geared to go all out against KXIP: Amit Mishra

The Delhi Daredevils have been training at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground for the past few days in an effort to turnaround their fortunes. The Zaheer Khan-led side, which lost their first game of the tournament to the Kolkata Knight Riders, will be taking on Kings XI Punjab in their first game at home.

Under the watchful eyes of mentor Rahul Dravid and coach Paddy Upton, the Daredevils have been honing their skills in the sweltering Delhi heat. Keen to get a win under their belt, the team will be looking to take the opposition head-on in Friday’s clash. Speaking to the media ahead of the match, DD leg-spinner Amit Mishra said, “We will have a positive approach. The preparations are going well. We have been working hard at the nets. We are confident and we want to do well. We are going to go all out with an aggressive approach.”

Speaking about his own preparation while looking forward to the season, he said, “My effort would be to remain in the top 10 wicket-takers list this season. Daredevils didn't do well in the last two years and we want to finish in the top four. We are looking to start that journey from here in Delhi. We have been working hard and you can see that in the net sessions.”

Speaking about the young DD team, he elaborated, “This team has a lot of good players. We have some big hitters in Carlos (Brathwaite). Sanju (Samson) is there in the middle-order along with Karun Nair and Rishabh Pant. We have players who have been doing well in the domestic circuit. We need to click as a unit. We have a good team composition and we have been discussing and working on how to come up with the results we want.”

While preparing for various situations they will encounter in a match, the players are being guided by the mentor, coach and assistant coaches. The sessions are being monitored carefully while the players work on their skills diligently. Speaking about Dravid’s inputs during these sessions, Mishra said, “Rahul Dravid is a great player and respected by all. He shares his experiences and tells the batsmen what shots to play while keeping their styles and what suit their style of play. He tells the bowlers to go for the wickets, be positive and not worry about going for runs.”

Having done the hard yards over the past few days, it will be time for the Delhi Daredevils to put their plans to action and execute them well when they come up against David Miller’s side on March 15. 

source--.iplt20

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Quick Stats: M6 - GL vs RPS

83.33 Win-percentage for teams chasing a target in VIVO IPL 2016. Five out of six games played so far have been won by sides batting second.

81 Number of matches Suresh Raina has been part of a winning team in the IPL – most for any player. MS Dhoni is second with 79 wins.

41 Number of times MS Dhoni has remained not out in IPL – most such instances for any player. Irfan Pathan is distant second with 29 not outs.

32 Number of grounds that have hosted an IPL match. Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot also became 21st Indian ground to host an IPL match.

24 Number of stumpings made by Dinesh Karthik in IPL – most by any keeper in the tournament’s history. However, MS Dhoni equalled his tally later in the match.

7 Number of players with 3000 runs in IPL. MS Dhoni joined Suresh Raina (3743), Rohit Sharma (3476), Gautam Gambhir (3235), Virat Kohli (3212), Chris Gayle (3200) and Robin Uthappa (3039).

6 Number of times Suresh Raina has got out stumped in IPL – joint-most for any player with Ambati Rayudu and Robin Uthappa.

1 Number of IPL matches Suresh Raina had won as a captain before 2016 (out of three). He has now won two out of two.
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Play Bold – the Brendon McCullum way

When the top 10 international teams were locked in a battle to assert T20 supremacy in the ICC World T20, the format’s superstar was missing from the action. The return to the big stage in Mohali against Kings XI Punjab after a hiatus was low key and lasted just two balls. His fans were beginning to get a tad nervous, but before they would get impatient, Brendon McCullum reassured them that his charm had not withered away with a breezy 49 off 30 balls on a windy Thursday night.

The opening batsman rekindled the old magic and handed the packed house a bagful of joyous moments as Gujarat Lions kicked off their home campaign on a promising note with a seven-wicket win against Rising Pune Supergiants.

The Trans-Tasmanian opening pair of Aaron Finch-McCullum put on 85 for the first wicket and by the time both returned back to the dug-out, the match was firmly sealed. Despite being stumped for a duck in the first game, McCullum stepped out again and dispatched the first ball he faced for a four.

When the affable Kiwi settled down for a chat with IPLT20.com on some aspects of his batting, he underlined the need to back one’s instinct. The former Black Caps captain made it clear that aggression is his forte and he is in no mood to cut down his destructive game. Bowlers, please note.

It was a tremendous knock on a pitch that had a fair bit grass cover and was assisting swing bowling early on.

I was really pleased to make a contribution. I didn't do anything in the last game and was a bit of a passenger. The partnership Aaron Finch and I were able to create gave us a very good platform. He is in incredible form and has got back to back (half-centuries) for us. He is proving to be a very vital cog in our wheel.

It must feel special to secure a win in your first home game

It is really special. We were not sure how many fans were going to turn up. We knew we would get a good crowd. The stadium was full; they were loving every minute of it. To be able to get an impressive win over a very good Pune side in your home conditions is a good sign for the remaining home games. I hope they enjoy the upcoming games too.

You got out without scoring in the first game. Did that dismissal bother you at all as you attacked from the first ball again?

Look, that's the way I play. With a strong batting line-up, my role is to be aggressive. Sometimes you are going to miss out, but the key is to not change your approach. You’ve got to maintain that intensity and that to me, is to be aggressive. You’ve got to keep doing it.

You keep coming down the track. Is it to generate momentum or play with a bowler’s psyche?

At times, I am trying to create the momentum, but at times, you are also sending a message that you are trying to attack. Sometimes you come down, sometimes you sit back and try and play aggressive. You’ve got to be pro-active in T20. You may get out, but at least you are taking the aggressive approach.

Your bat swing is probably the swiftest in world cricket. Have you ever thought about it?

I am having a sore back, maybe because I swing the bat so hard!

Gujarat Lions have won both their games. What do you think of Suresh Raina’s captaincy?

I think in these first two games; his captaincy has been outstanding. In both the games, we got off to a rough start with the ball, but he has remained calm, composed under pressure and made sound decisions. He has been able to motivate the team when the game is on the line and it is not an easy skill to do. His leadership includes other leaders as well, it works well with the coach and he is always trying to create an environment and culture for the group. He is new to captaincy, but I think he has a massive future.

New Zealand and Australia are fierce rivals. How is opening the batting with an Aussie for a Kiwi?

The fierce rivalry is made out to be bigger than what it is. We're trying to do the same thing. That's the beauty of the IPL. It brings guys from different countries and cultures together to try and achieve a common goal. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, but one thing you take back from the IPL is great friendships, which lasts a long time after you've finished playing.

Are James Faulkner and Dwayne Bravo the best T20 bowlers?

Faulkner is going to get better and better as he plays more. He is a world class bowler and he is just getting his stride back. He is going to be a big player for us. He will play a role with the bat at some point and we know how devastating he can be.
In my opinion, Dwayne Bravo is the best overseas player in the IPL. He is so valuable with ball, bat and in the field and is a leader. We are very lucky to have him.

What was your training like coming into the IPL?

After the Test match against Australia, I had about five-six weeks off because I had a bad back, which I nursed through the summer. I was trying to get that right and it is still troubling me a little bit. Luckily, we've got an outstanding physio and masseur. My training wasn't much. I was trying to do aerobic fitness. I have just come over here looking to enjoy the experience of playing with the new team and playing in the IPL again.

You get so much love from fans all over the world. They want you to keep playing. Did that ever make you reconsider your decision?

(Laughs) I definitely won't be coming out of retirement. I had a great 14 years playing international cricket. I toured the world with best mates and represented my country for a long time. All good things must come to an end. I am now on the T20 circuit and enjoying that as well. It comes with different experiences and probably not the same pressure as you are under when you are playing for your country.

I am just enjoying being here. I love India. It is an incredible country. The IPL is an amazing initiative, which has captivated not only this country, but countries all over the world. I feel very lucky to be a part of it.
source-- .iplt20

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