Tricky targets in T20

Mumbai Indians, the defending champions, bowed out of the CLT20, with an embarrassing defeat at the hands of the Sydney Sixers. Having done well to restrict Sydney to 136, Mumbai were too slow to start with their run-chase and couldn’t make up for it as the overs went by.However, such an approach has been seen a number of times when teams are chasing those in-between totals in T20 cricket. Such instances do beg the question: How should a team approach such a run-chase?

My views regarding this is :
When a team has to chase totals within the range of 130-150, the first thought that may come to their mind is, “Come on, we can knock them off pretty easily? It is T20 cricket after all!” However, somewhere at the back of their minds, there is a voice of cautioning which says, “Hang on; we don’t want to lose this one. It could be a major embarrassment.”

The fall of an early wicket is what makes such a feeling stronger and may push the team into a shell. The other possibility is that the openers themselves get a bit too cautious. Thus, such scores are more a psychological battle when compared to some of the 170 or 180 plus totals we see.On many an occasion, we see such low scores on surfaces that aid the bowlers. Such run-chases can be tricky, but the targets can be achieved with proper application.

When the team starts the chase with a flier – then that takes the pressure off their middle order. Having set a base and by getting the run-rate under control, the other batsmen have no problems in getting into their stride. Batting sides can attempt such a practice if the conditions are good and the batsmen can play their strokes. In difficult conditions, it may be a gamble – which may or may not pay-off.

Ultimately, it seems to be a mind-game and it is all about handling the pressure and maintaining your cool. A team’s cricketing sense is tested in every way when faced with such challenges.

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Invaluable Watson

Shane Watson: As i will say this name is enough for making any opponent against him sweaty.Since he hit his stride as a top-class international allrounder in all formats, Watson's stats have been staggering, across Tests, ODIs and T20 internationals, with both bat and ball. Watson's contributions in the shorter forms of the game has been outstanding.When cricket Australia called him back just after a few games he played in CLT20, the angry reaction of Sixers was natural, but given Watson's form with both bat and ball, it's understandable that Cricket Australia wanted him in the best possible shape for a crucial series.It was just a strategy  to give him more time to prepare for the vital Test series against South Africa later this season, a win in which will once again give Australia the No. 1 Test ranking.Watson has been the one consistent performer - with a substantial body of work - in all three formats of the game, with both bat and ball, over these last four years.

So, i am waiting eagerly for the super entertaining series between Aussies and Proteas starting from november 9.(And don't forget Watson is there too).
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Fairness vs Unfairness

It is not, as its name suggests, a competition of winners. But,Is it fair that teams from India, Australia and South Africa have a direct entry into the main CL T20? I, personally don't agree.The imbalanced nature of the competition is its greatest flaw. With four IPL teams, two South African franchises and two Australian gaining automatic entry into the event, the rest are right to feel a little left out.I think the farce regarding qualification rounds for some teams and direct entry for some others is causing heartburn in the heart of some of the nations.Also, too many teams from a single nation dilutes the very essence of Champions League. Yeah, i know that they are the owners of this tournament and as owners of the tournament, Ind,Aus and SA have the right to have more teams in the tournament proper for commercial reasons but on the other hand it has failed to achieve the true motto of the tournament, Champion of the champions.

But, as usual, we have to live with it. Let's forget this and just watch upcoming superexciting matches.
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One team One people One Goal

I could never get the fact that why People love to abuse or mock Darren Sammy. He is, after all, West Indies’ non-playing captain.Most people don’t think he should be in the side.His medium pace is very gentle and his wild slogging is rarely effective.Chris Gayle could do a better job and he’s taking the spot of someone better, is what they say. They say it a lot.Sammy has heard all of this. He’s just a nice guy.His innings was as far from pretty. He barely kept out yorkers, hit crazily across the line, mistimed almost everything . He heaved West Indies to a score that Sri Lanka could not challenge. This was a captain’s innings.With the ball, he came on at a time when Sri Lanka had thrust Angelo Mathews up the order. Sammy brought up his fine leg, knowing Mathews would be tempted. Sammy tried an offcutter and Mathews fell straight into his trap, missing the ball as it moved further away from him off the pitch.West Indies have played well at times against England, Australia, India and New Zealand and just often failed against them (except New Zealand).To win this tournament you need luck, skill and timing.They played their most perfect game and smashed Australia in every way.In the final of the World T20, Sammy ended with 2 for 6 off two overs, 26 off 15 balls and a trophy.Isn't it a captain's knock?Sammy is the man no one wanted as a player. Sammy is the man who no one wanted as a captain. And Sammy is the captain who has given his team their first major ICC trophy since 1979.Isn't it ironical?

Now coming to their dancing, they were better than Srilankan cheerleaders in every possible way. Although i like cheerleaders, and i am eagerly waiting for them in this champions league anyway, yet i can't stop praising the West Indies' dancing skills. and Lastly the most important innings of the match : Marlon Samuels, i am going to remember this innings for ever. One man army, from 32-2 in 10 overs, he made the most valuable contribution to the match and gave West Indies a fighting total, which in the end proved 36 runs more.Hats off to him.

Now in the words of Darren Sammy, i am concluding this world cup as:

“This is it for the fans wi bleed maroon wi came wi saw and wi conquered. One team one people and the goal was achieved”.

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India:One more elimination in T20 WC

India ended their World Cup campaign on a winning note, but it was not enough in the end.Bitter sweet moment for India, they go home with 4 wins out of 5 matches, they lost one match that determined their fate in the tournament. What do you call it? Misfortune is not the accurate word here.India were knocked out of the World Cup for the 3rd consecutive time and Pakistan qualified for the semis for the 4th time in 4 T20 World Cups. India will reflect upon the hammering at the hands of Australia. A trifle better show might have helped them sail through to the semis, they now go empty handed.What a time to come good for Faf Du Plesis, not good enough to win a match, but good enough to annoy a billion people at once.India were really good, really bad. It seems as Dhoni's men have given us everything, yet nothing both at the same time.

But on a night like this there is really nothing more you can do than sit back and enjoy the sweet sound of cricket.

Result: India once again got eliminated from the World T20. Yuvi is back in his old touch and as usual South Africa continues their form in the ICC Tournaments.
Now looking forward for the champions league and England series.

Thanks.

India Vs Pakistan : Was this time any different?

Pakistan have a great bowling attack against anyone who isn’t India.Isn't it true?
If Shane Watson is superman , then certainly Virat Kohli is Batman.A day which was full of abuse finally ended with usual result with India making it 8-0 in the world cup encounters against their favourite opponents. What a moment it is!!! A wicket is the greatest moment ever. A six is greater than the greatest.Nothing remains as usual in Indo-pak game.The crowd chants Sachin’s name even though he is not there. 70% of the crowd (I am not sure about this number , may be larger)  have their countries shirt on. People with face paints are more likely to dance. Pakistani fans leave earlier enough so  that they don’t have to deal with too many Indian fans on the way out. Indian fans stay, dance and cheer the tv interview.Just mesmerizing it is!!!

About the match , there is hardly anything to write. India broke the three year old jinx of not being able to win a single game in the Super 8 stages of the T20 World Cup In a game of the magnitude of India v Pakistan, putting a total on board is always a safe option and Mohammad Hafeez chose to do exactly that when he won the toss. I totally disagree with Hafeez looking at the fact that 6 of the 7 games played earlier in the super 8 stage were won by the team chasing. Pakista never looked in the game after first 2 overs. Almost every batsman of them getting out was in suicidal mode. And rest was nothing surprising . The target of 129 was never going to tough and it was later confirmed by the solid performance of Virat Kohli. Now The matches of Tuesday have become interesting. Too much depends on that day. Let's see which team is the one to hold the nerves in the end.

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Australia with Watson

Just forget about the ping pong deliveries bowled by Indian bowlers.
Just forget about the impressive display by the Aussies batsmen.
Just forget about the lethal bowling of Patty Cummins.
But one thing which you can't forget is : Australia at the moment with Shane Watson being a freaking robot of death.In T20 cricket you need to bow down to Watson for what he can do to a single game.
Now, surely we can say that even you, i or anyone else would have sent those rubbish deliveries of india into the crowds. But sincerely speaking, No indian bowler would have been so much lethargic against us. It is because At the moment Watson is getting these balls delivered to him simply because his machismo is just destroying the bowlers even before they come in.Wickets, runs, cheques, he’s getting them all, threee man of the matches in a row in this world cup. It's simply amazing. Also he is now joint highest number of man of the match award bagger tieing with Shahid Afridi. While afridi played 53 games to get those 7, watson has taken only 33. Isn't that impressive enough?

Result: Chawla and Sharma are back as usual in their original touch. and  i have one question to the aussies? Why do they not take singles off the Indian spinners? Why only send them to the crowd mercilessly? Please I can't get over this so easily.

Waiting for the game against Pakistan.
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England vs Spin Mystery

Finally, the most awaited game finished with india thrashing England in style.The pitch was ok for spinners. OK. Not anything more.Greame swann bowled well too on this pitch. But England could barely handle the bat when the spinners came on. It wasn’t even one of the obvious players that ended their world. Piyush Chawla is the player Indian fans abuse when they’re tired of abusing Rohit Sharma. This looked like the  same Indian bowling attack that has the Indian media attention since i was a kid.Some wanting four bowlers, some five, some eleven.You need a research grant and a team of technicians to look into who played the worst shot.Almost each of the England players played shots that They would like to forget asap. In their minds, England seemed to be playing on a ghost pitch but that is not very true.They must blame themselves more than the 22 yard thing.

Overall, india rested some key players, still they emerged as one sided winners yesterday. I am just hoping Indians might even give Chawla and Shamra a day or two of less abuse.
Looking forward for the next games.

thank you

India Vs Afganistan

Have you ever imagined what have been hands for in cricket, when you are fielding?
I personally feel that they are for catching the ball when the striking batsman has lofted it.In the case of Afghanistan, hands are made for deflecting the ball randomly and then placing on your head and just to feel sorry and wishing if that moment can be brought back.I thought this was because they didn’t need to catch the ball, but now I see it might just have been because they lacked the hand eye coordination needed for catching.So far in their development that Afghanis haven’t mastered batting, but hitting, oh yes, surely hitting they do.  They all seem obsessed with Dhoni, and that’s no bad thing.  It’s 11 excitable tailenders,Yesterday while i was watching, some opener of afganistan played a shot called helicopter(i don't know why helicopter? Does it fly abruptly or whatever be the reason, just ignore it.) which clearly demonstrated the way they have been watching Mr. Dhoni.

India should have shut them down a bit more efficiently.But as always they are slow starters.Of all three major sides so far, India were the least impressive.(others impressive ones were Srilanka and Aussies). Waiting for the next matches so anxiously....

Thanks to all......

Andrew Strauss.. A man to remember

When Andrew Strauss appeared as captain in around 2008-09 (i don't remember exactly), then ’d never thought of him much at all.That’s not to say I ever thought he was rubbish, he just wasn’t someone who I thought of much. But for someone who had been around for so long, he was almost anonymous to me.
But there was something special inside in him which always compelled me to watch him.
Strauss always treated it more seriously than some of his team mates and he almost got it everytime.
Strauss turned a team of decent players into a professional unit that beat teams up with precision and tedium. They, briefly, took over the world. There is no doubt that without Strauss this team would have continued to be an inconsistent spoiler team. That’s not to say Strauss was perfect. But for a Late blooming Test player to play 100 Tests, 50 as captain, win three Ashes (two in charge), beat the number one team 4-0 and claim the number one title all with a batting average of barely 40. There is something special to that. It’s an overachievement on a massive scale.
In doing all Strauss went from a fairly forgettable opening batsman to a captain who’ll be mentioned for years to come. Strauss only touched greatness a couple of times, but who expected him to even touch it once? Especially with an average of 40.91.
Strauss was definitely much more than a forgettable opener with a few decent shots through point. I’m just glad we got to see it.

Thank you for your likes and comments.