IPL 8: Top 3 close finishes

IPL 8: Top 3 close finishes

The game of cricket has seen number of close finishes in the past irrespective of the format. Though, IPL has witnessed some one sided matches in the ongoing edition but still very close encounters have also taken place. Here, is the list of 3 most interesting and close matches in IPL 8.

1. Rajasthan Royals v Kings XI Punjab, Ahmedabad

 This match was the match of the tournament which stunned each and every spectator. The match went into the super over to decide its fate. The teams finished their respective scores at 191 for 6 in respective 20 overs. Chris Morris started the super-over by getting David Miller lbw off the first ball of the over. However, three consecutive boundaries by Shaun Marsh led Kings to 15 runs off 6 deliveries. The Royals had a target of 16. The story repeated and Mitchell Johnson dismissed Shane Watson off his first delivery. Steven Smith and JamesFaulkner tried their best but the run-out of Faulkner sealed the fate in Kings favor.

2. Kolkata Knight Riders v Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata

KKR had to face a defeat in their first match against CSK in the previous match. So, this match was a matter of pride for KKR. CSK batted first and set up a good total of 165 for the loss of 9 wickets. They had a bowling attack of defending this total but Kolkata didn't want to face another loss against the same team. Uthappa, who was given a chance while batting on 28 by MS Dhoni, went on to score a match winning fifty. He shared a match winning partnership with AndreRussell, who also scored an attacking fifty. The duo sealed a 7-wicket win with 1 ball remaining.

3. Delhi Daredevils v Rajasthan Royals, Delhi

Third in this list was the encounter between Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Daredevils. The Delhi team managed to score a huge total of 184 for 3 and in reply the Royals were reduced to 78 for four. But the RR batsmen were keen on playing a sensible innings and chased down the total on the last ball scoring 186 for 7. Deepak Hooda was the Man of the Match for his knock of 54 from just 25 balls.

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5 Pakistani players who are missed in IPL

5 Pakistani players who are missed in IPL

The Pakistan team have had some really good and talented players who could have been real stars of IPL. Pakistan team in the past has produced some real bowling and aggressive bating talents. The swing bowling and hitting abilities with the bat has been the weapons for the Pakistani players. The IPL is also known as a paradise for aggressive batsmen and talented bowlers.  So, here is the list of 5 top players from Pakistan who are being missed.

1. Shahid Afrdi

Shahid Afridi has been a good household name from the starting of his career. He has been able to hit some brilliant knocks in his initial stage of the career. The same temperament is expected whenever, he comes to play T20 format. He has played 78 T20 international matches with 1154 runs and 81 wickets. An all-rounder like Afridi who has the talent to hit some giant sixes as well as can pick up wickets for his team.  Surely, he could have been a star player with the type of form he is having.

2. Mohammad Hafeez

This right-handed all rounder from Pakistan is another success in the world of cricket. Picking up 46 wickets and has had a good run with the bat as well scoring 1342 runs in 61 international T20s. He has also been the skipper for the Pakistan team so would have the ability to anchor the team or give some innovative ideas whenever they were in some kind of a trouble.  He could have been a player who could have proven to be a trump card for any team.

3. Wahab Riaz

One of the most effective and consistent bowlers in any format of the game, Wahab has got line and length along with a talent of bowling in-swinging yorkers. In 85 domestic T20s he has played, Wahab Riaz has scored 414 runs which are some really decent figures for any tail batsman with the bat and has taken 97 wickets. A sure talent from the neighboring nation would have been an important part of any side in the IPL. The aggressive behavior with the ball can play a crucial role in any bowling line up. A player with class, ability, talent, aggression and temperament could have been a match winner for ant franchise team.

4. Sarfraz Ahmed

The wicket-keeper batsman from Karachi has shown some real glimpse of excellence in past few games he has played for Pakistan. He has performed well in the domestic T20 matches for his teams. The ace batsman has scored 787 runs in 66 T20 matches in Pakistan.

5. Umar Akmal

Umar Akmal is another batsman who is known for his aggressive batting and decent fielding. He has scored 1259 runs in 59 matches. He can also be used as a wicket keeper whenever required. So, a batsman with a good scoring rate and stand-in wicket-keeper can surely prove to be a man of the team. 

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5 Reasons why Chennai Super Kings defeated Royal Challengers Banglaore?

5 Reasons why Chennai Super Kings defeated Royal Challengers Banglaore?

After some consecutive defeats in the last two games, the Chennai Super Kings were looking to end this winless streak. On the other side, the Royals from Bangalore have had a brilliant outing against Kolkata Knight Riders with the bat. But the yellow army were in no mood to face another consecutive defeat at home. So, here are the 5 reasons why CSK dominated RCB at MA Chidambaram Stadium.

1.The Toss

The toss is rated as the most important moment of any match irrespective of the format. Well, MS Dhoni in this game against the RCB was lucky to take the toss in his favor. Winning the toss and batting first was very much on the cards at a venue like MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai.

2.Suresh Raina's responsible innings

After losing quick wickets of Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum, the CSK team required a sensible innings as well as something which can provide them momentum to get through. Suresh Raina's introduction at No.3 position proved to be a vital part in Chennai's innings. After establishing his innings, Raina took charge of the game and went on to score another fifty showing his ability and sense of responsibility. A 46-ball 52 set up a base for the other batsmen. He developed a solid partnership with Faf du Plessis giving some stability to the CSK innings. Surely, a match winning performance by this Indian batsman.

3. Virat Kohli's run-out

The skipper of RCB was in full form before he got unlucky to be dismissed by a runout. A miss communication with his teammate Dinesh Karthik, Kohli had to return back to the pavilion on an individual score of 48 of 44 balls. A blistering innings by the aggressive batsman could have taken them home if this unfortunate runout would not have taken place. This surely is a huge reason for the loss that RCB faced.

4. MS Dhoni - Skipper with a master mind

We have seen MS Dhoni turning matches up side down not with his batting but with his captaincy at numerous ocassions. Some same abiltiy was shown by the CSK skipper on the field. The Chennai team had struggled miserably with the bat and bowlers didn't have much to defend. But the skipper of the yellow army had other plans in his mind. Crucial bowling changes and field placements proved to be the most beneficial for his side. The Royal Challengers batsmen lost the momentum at the early stage of the innings. They lost wickets early and at a regular intervals made CSK gripping the match more strongly. " Thats the reason he has won all the three ICC titles as a skipper".

5. Bowlers did their job magnificently

Fom the start of the match the bowlers were giving batsmen a hard time. With some innvovative plans, Chennai bowlers too started the innings at a good pace. The fast bowlers Ishwar Pandey, Dwayne Bravo and Ashish Nehra were successeful in breaking partnerships and played a crucial role to restrict RCB but the major reason was the less economy rate. The bowlers didnot leak much runs keeping control in the match. " A match turned into a bowlers' paradise". 

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IPL 8: Top 5 death bowlers

IPL 8: Top 5 death bowlers

The cash rich league is in full swing at the moment with superb performances from the players. The slam bang version of the game is in favor of the batsmen so it is always nice to see bowlers ripping apart opposite numbers with his Yorkers and other variations. Indian Premier League has been a palace for batters but bowlers too have enjoyed success on many occasions. The most difficult thing is to bowl in the death overs, where batters are after the life of bowlers. The ongoing edition has seen unbelievable performances from the bowlers in the last overs. Let's take a look at the top five bowlers, who has restricted batsmen in the last phase of the match.

Mitchell Starc

The left arm pacer has been sensational for Royal Challengers Bangalore. He has taken 11 wickets at an economy rate of 5.83 in six matches. The best part has been his percent of dot balls. Starc has bowled 56 dot balls in 18 overs so far, which is the best in this year’s Indian Premier League. The batters have found him unplayable in the last overs of an inning.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

The Indian pacer has worked his magic once again for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League. The right arm fast bowler has taken 13 wickets in nine matches so far and has bowled 84 dot balls. He has held his line and length in the last overs, which has helped him in taking keys wickets of the opposite side.

Ashish Nehra

The left arm fast bowler has been Chennai Super Kings outstanding bowler in the Indian Premier League. He has bowled a nagging line and length, which has accounted for important wickets for his side. His dot balls stands at 107 in 10 matches so far. The former Indian bowler has taken 14 wickets in the league.

Lasith Malinga

He started on a bad note in the competition with some low performances under his belt. However, he has improved a lot, which has helped Mumbai Indians in the points table. The Yorker Man from Sri Lanka has added 13 wickets to his name in the Indian Premier League and is bowling superbly in the last overs. Watch out for him in the upcoming matches.

Trent Boult

He has been preferred over Dale Steyn in the Indian Premier League which shows his importance for Sunrisers Hyderabad. The left arm pacer has bowled 10 dot balls on an average in the six games. He has accounted for 8 wickets at an average of 23.87 in the competition.

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5 most expensive players flops in IPL history

5 most expensive players flops in IPL history

Indian Premier League has become one of the most popular and "glamorous" cricket leagues round the globe. Involving huge amount of money, the IPL has given many unknown cricketers a great platform to showcase their talent. But every coin has two faces and we have seen big guns of the world cricket failing miserably in this league. So, here is the list of 5 players who have not justified their price tag.

1) Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh is known for his class and caliber in the world cricket and when it comes down to T20 format, this man can take away games from the opponents at any point. But the IPL statistics suggest something else. This talent has failed miserably after being bought for an INR of Rs.14 crore by Royal Challenger Bangalore in 2014. He scored 376 runs in 14 matches at an average of 34.18 with 3 half-centuries to his name. With Yuvraj's standard this was quite a mediocre performance.

2) Dinesh Kathik

Another name that comes in the mind of every Indian spectator is of Dinesh Karthik. He scored just 325 runs at an average of 23.21 in 14 matches. Surely, this wasn't a performance of a player who was bought for Rs. 12.5 crore by Delhi Daredevils.

3) Kevin Pietersen 

 Kevin Pietersen who is known for his aggressive batting style was another miserable failure in the IPL 2014 edition. Bought at a huge amount of Rs. 9 crore, he managed 294 runs at 29.40 with just 1 fifty to his name. This was surely not a Kevin Pietersen's caliber performance.

4) Andrew Flintoff

Andrew Flintoff was a good household name whenever we talked about talented all rounders. With same image he was bought by Chennai Super Kings for Rs. 9.5 crore. He scored 62 runs at an average of 31 and took only 2 wickets in the three matches he played. Though, he got injured but his performance in the matches he played was also not up to his caliber. Surely, a big failure.

5) Irfan Pathan

The fast bowling ace of Indian cricket Irfan Pathan was one of the most unsuccessful players in IPL 2011. Rs 11 crore was spent on this player by Delhi Daredevils was surely not worth. He managed to score 150 runs at average of 18.75 in 14 matches and took 11 wickets. A performance not to watch out for any spectator.   

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8 facts of just engaged Rohit Sharma and Ritika Sajdeh

8 facts of just engaged Rohit Sharma and Ritika Sajdeh

Rohit Sharma, who has scored 2 double tons in the ODIs, has been in blistering form in the shorter formats of the game. This man from Mumbai has shattered many records in one day internationals, leading Team India to famous wins. He has been a treat to watch over the years. The Indian opener has now decided to settle down and will marry his long time girlfriend Ritika soon.

1. Rohit Sharma, who is leading Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, recently proposed to his long time girlfriend Ritika in a most romantic way. He took her to Borivili Sports Club and popped the question as the clock struck twelve. This is the same club where Rohit started his journey towards stardom. He chose the ground because of his professional connect with the place.

2. Ritika Sajdeh is also close to a few Indian cricketers and considers Yuvraj Singh as her brother. She has clicked several pictures with the left hand batsman, who is playing for Delhi Daredevils in the cash rich league. She is present in every game where her beau Rohit is playing but has kept herself away from the ever catching lenses of cameras.

3. Ritika has always admired Rohit for his cricketing acumen and technique. According to her, Rohit is dedicated towards his game and has never run from his responsibilities when it comes to cricket.

4. With Rohit Sharma deciding to settle down, the Indian cricket team will soon lose its one of the most famous bachelors leaving Virat Kohli in the driving seat. 

5. The ever classy Rohit Sharma took to twitter to announce the news of his engagement to Ritika. Rohit, who is known for his batting, proposed to his manager cum friend, Ritika Sajdeh (28) at the Borivali Sports Club. She was amazed to see Rohit in a romantic avatar and accepted his proposal there and then.

6. Ritika, who is a sports management professional, is dating Rohit Sharma since last 6 years. She resides in the posh Cuffe Parade area with her brother and father.

7. She is in touch with Yuvraj Singh for a long time who treats her as his sister. Ritika is Yuvi’s rakhi sister and has often celebrated this festival with the former heartthrob of the Indian team. He was the first one to congratulate the couple on their big day on Twitter.

8. There is some similarity between Rohit Sharma and Ritika when it comes to animals. The lovely lady is a dog lover while Rohit Sharma has always advocated his concern for the animals through PETA. He is actively involved with the organization, who is constantly working for the better treatment of the animals. 

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Is sledging part of cricket?

Is sledging part of cricket?

As a staunch traditionalist I have for long bemoaned the growing misbehavior of players. As far as I am concerned cricketers have long since gone overboard. Every time there is a little confrontation on the field or a banter that is not exactly friendly players just shrug it off when questioned by the media saying``Oh it was nothing. It’s all part of the game.’’ I have always felt that things should be nipped in the bud so that they don’t fly out of control. But by just shrugging things off, shoving them under the carpet and putting on a pretence that the problem didn’t exist things were clearly getting out of hand over the years and increasing misbehavior is but a culmination of what negligence and not tackling problems head on could lead to. I always cite the example of arguably the most disgraceful scene in the game – Rashid Patel chasing after Raman Lamba with a stump during the 1990-91 Duleep Trophy final at Jameshpur – and remind my audience that it all started with both players taunting each other with chaste abuse words.

Look how it ended just because things were not nipped in the bud. Ultimately sledging had to get personal and lead to ugly on-field confrontations such as the one between Glenn McGrath and Ramnaresh Sarwan at St John’s in 2003. The Australian fast bowler reportedly started the verbal war and became incensed at Sarwan’s riposte – an apparent reference to McGrath’s wife. And just recently Dale Steyn said that he hasn’t forgiven Australian captain Michael Clarke for what he considered to be a ``personal sledge’’ during the Newlands Test earlier this year. Clarke had publicly apologized to the South African pace spearhead following the incident but according to Steyn the issue has not yet been resolved.

I have always advocated that sledging has no place in cricket whatsoever and remain firmly of the view that with the cooperation of everyone concerned – administrators, umpires, match referees and players – the cancer can be eradicated and the game believe me will be much the better as a result.

Former Indian captain Ajit Wadekar is another who has strong views on the subject. In fact he wants the ICC to ban all types of sledging to stop animosity between rival players.  Not too long ago Tim de Lisle, former editor of Wisden in a thought provoking article also called for a ban on sledging. He argued that deep down cricketers are aware that sledging iswrong.  In fact de Lisle went further and said that if the ICC does not ban sledging the captains should take the lead. What is needed is a big, simple, magnanimous response. The problem has now spread all over the cricketing world and the only solution is to get to the root of the cause. The cynics might say that the fans wouldn’t enjoy watching a game conducted largely in silence. I wonder how much they are enjoying the vulgarity and obscenity that is being enacted out in the field in the guise of passion. It is ultimately a matter of ethics. Players have the power to clear the air. Let them start something now, something that leaves cricket in a better state and spirit than they found it. God knows that the once great game is in need of a healing touch and for all the initiative taken by the authorities who better to provide it than the cricketers themselves!

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