IPL T20 Cricket

Captains played a very crucial role in changing the fortunes of their IPL teams. Captains like Shane Warne and Dhoni inspired their teams with their leadership qualities while Dravid and Laxman buckled under pressure with poor batting and unimaginative captaincy. Unlike Dravid, Laxman at least sacrificed money and iconic status.

Analysis of Indian Premier League captains:

1. Shane Warne: He is the coach, captain, magician, God, motivator and saviour for underdogs Jaipur. He inspired young Jaipur team to sensational victories.

2. MS Dhoni: Ice Man Dhoni showed his immense potential against Bangalore with his hard hitting and cool captaincy. Indian cricket is in the safe hands of this “Ice Man”. We will know his real potential in the coming matches where Chennai will miss the services of Mathew Hayden, Michael Hussey and Jacob Oram. Can he inspire his team like Warne?

3. Virender Sehwag: One superb inning against Hyderabad and nothing else.

4. Yuvraj Singh: He is playing consistently well in all the Mohali IPL matches. But team lost some matches due to bad selection and unsettled batting order. Indian vice-captain need to prove his captaincy skills.

5. Sourav Ganguly: He is an inspirational leader but poor batsman. Kolkata fans love the passionate combination of Sourav-Shahrukh but Ganguly needs to score runs.

6. Rahul Dravid: Why is he playing in this tournament? What can he do in Twenty20 games? He should sit at home and watch matches. Poor leader but good man.

7. VVS Laxman: You should pick your best players to win tight Twenty20 games. You can’t bat; you can’t see potential in young men; you can’t take bold innovate decisions; you can’t field; you can’t say no “Recommendation candidates”. Critics at last found answers for eternal questions like why he wasn’t picked by one day selectors.

8. Sachin/Harbhajan/Pollock: Sachin hides injuries for money/advertisements. Harbhajan slaps opposition players. Pollock is waging lone battle. How can you expect match winning performances from Mumbai IPL team?

IPL Awards:

Best captain: Shane Warne.

Cool captain: MS Dhoni. Chennai won two tight matches against Mumbai and Bangalore under cool Dhoni’s captaincy.

Worst captains: Harbhajan Singh and VVS Laxman.

Worst decision: Laxman gave last over to Andrew Symonds against Rajasthan Royals.

Best moment: Shane Warne hit 2 sixers and 1 four in the last over to destroy Hyderabad hopes.

Verdict: Why can’t India able to produce great leaders like Australia? Sachin, Dravid and Laxman are good batsmen but poor captains. Ganguly and Dhoni are the only world class captaincy materials from India. Anil Kumble is an intelligent captain.

Bangalore IPL slipped from jaws of success to defeat against Chennai Super Kings at Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore. Chennai won the game by 13 runs and registered its fourth successive win. Bangalore Royal Challengers who are on the way to register a sensational win suddenly lost quick wickets from the 15th over onwards. Dhoni, hussey and Oram once again played crucial roles for Chennai.

But we have to see how Chennai will perform after the departure of Hayden, Hussey and Oram. It is very difficult for Chennai to win the inaugural Indian Premier League tournament without these match winning giants. India and Chennai captain MS Dhoni almost singlehandedly won this match for Chennai with his stunning batting performance and cool captaincy. He is really a new age cricketer. He justified his 6 crore. He is the best captain after Shane Warne among the IPL captains.

IPL T20 match scorecard:

Chennai Super Kings: 178/5 in 20 overs.
Bangalore IPL: 165 all out in 19.4 overs.
Match result: Chennai won the game by 13 runs.

Man of the match: Chennai captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

IPL Cricket match highlights:

1. Dale Steyn failed miserably which helped Chennai to score respectable score.
2. Zaheer Khan once again bowled good spell and took the crucial wickets of Mathew Hayden, MS Dhoni and Michael Hussey. Zaheer Khan Form is a good hope for Indian team.
3. MS Dhoni played vital knock of 65 runs in just 30 balls with 9 fours and 3 sixers. This is a match saving knock from Chennai captain at a crucial point of innings.
4. Praveen Kumar is another Indian pacer who impressed cricket lovers with his tight bowling in this tournament. Bangalore is looking very strong in bowling department.
5. Wasim Jaffer and Ross Taylor almost took the match away from Chennai kings but Chennai bowler Amaranath changed the match course by taking both wickets.
6. South African pair Kallis and Boucher failed to play match saving knocked and buckled under tense conditions.
7. It is waste to talk about Rahul Dravid batting. Why are they (Dravid and other seniors) playing this tourney despite knowing well about their inability to cope with twenty20 demands?
8. MS Dhoni’s cool captaincy in tense situation is another major reason behind Chennai’s victory.
9. Bangalore lost last eight wickets for just 38 runs. Rahul Dravid scored “Golden Duck”.
10. Why Misbah-Ul-Haq is not playing for Bangalore despite being in superb form? Only God knows.

Verdict: Only teams with cool captains who can take bold decisions and inspire team members with their cricketing skills can win tournaments. Hyderabad, Bangalore and Mumbai missed such captains. Shane Warne is the real star who inspired an average team to do stunning things by instilling self belief in them. Shane Warne is the “God of Rajasthan Royals” and MS Dhoni is the representative of “New Age Cricket”.

Dark points in IPL history:

1. Eden Gardens pitch.
2. Harbhajan and Sreesanth episode.
3. Hyderabad selection politics.

But Indian Premier League gave me so many sweet memories in its short history. Long live IPL.

IPL authorities suspended Indian controversial spinner Harbhajan Singh from Indian Premier League 2008 for his ugly behaviour in Mohali. He was banned from playing remaining IPL matches in this season. BCCI will also ban him for at least 10 One Day Internationals or 5 test matches. ICC said that it will not interfere in this matter. Sreesanth also gets a warning from BCCI for his aggressive behaviour on the field. Ironically, Mumbai coach Lalchand Rajput fined 50% of his match fee as he failed to stop the quarrel.
BCCI appointed a senior lawyer to investigate about the entire episode and will submit report within 15 days. If Harbhajan found guilty in the investigation, he will be banned for life term according to ICC code of conduct.

Hyderabad Deccan Chargers won their game in IPL by beating Mumbai Indians at D.Y. Patil stadium in Mumbai. Adam Gilchrist scored fastest century in IPL to setup this emphatic win for Hyderabad IPL team. Hyderabad crushed Mumbai by 10 wickets as Mumbai played without Sachin Tendulkar and suspended Harbhajan Singh. This is the fourth successive defeat for Mumbai IPL team.VVS Laxman first time showed his batting skills and captaincy prowess in this match. But selection politics are still going on. On what criterion, Hyderabad selectors are picking Arjun Yadav over Ravi Teja. Ravi Teja need to switch to IPL as Ambati Rayudu did. Shivlal Yadav family is ruling Hyderabad cricket like their own kingdom. IPL franchisees need passionate owners like Shahrukh Khan, Preity Zinta and Vijay Mallya.

Indian Premier League teams will miss some match winning foreign cricketers in May. Absence of these stars will have maximum impact on teams like Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad while Teams like Rajasthan, Bangalore and Delhi will be less impacted by their absence. Dale Steyn is the bowler to watch out in May.1. Chennai Super Kings: New Zealand all rounder Jacob Oram and Australian batsman Mathew Hayden and Michael Hussey will not play for Chennai IPL in the next month. Chennai will reach semi-finals but title hopes are almost out of question due to their absence. These three cricketers clean swept all the three man of the match awards in the Chennai matches. Chennai is the most affected team in the Indian Premier League. South African pacer Morkel may fill the void left by Jacob Oram and Stephen Fleming may partially fill the gap left by Michael Hussey. But who will replace Match winner Mathew Hayden?

2. Punjab Kings Eleven: Mohali IPL will miss its strike bowler Brett Lee, Kylie Mills and Simon Katich. It is almost impossible to fill the boots of Australian Speedster.

3. Hyderabad Deccan Chargers: They will miss their star batsman Andrew Symonds. So their hope of reaching semi-finals is almost out of question.

4. Bangalore Royal Challengers: They will miss New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor, Australian speedster Ashley Noffke and West Indies batsman Chanderpaul. But Bangalore fortunes will be boosted by arrivals of South African sensation Dale Steyn. Zaheer Khan, Praveen kumar, Anil Kumble, Dale Steyn and Jacques Kallis may destroy any batting lineup in Indian Premier League.

5. Delhi daredevils: Delhi will not be affected much due to the absence of New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori. South African batsman De Villiers will join the squad.

6. Kolkata Knight Riders: They will miss New Zealand keeper Brendon McCullum, Australian captain Ricky Ponting and West Indies opener Chris Gayle. Ricky Ponting is the biggest disaster in the IPL. But Kolkata bowling will be strengthened by arrival of Umar Gul and Brad Hodge. Critics found answers for questions like why Ponting was less paid in the IPL auction than Hussey brothers. Who will fill replace McCullum?

7. Mumbai Indians: They will not be affected much as they miss the services of Dwayne Bravo only.

8. Rajasthan Royals: Underdogs in April will become hot favourites in May. They will not miss single cricketer in May. Mascarenhas, Sohail Tanvir and Younis Khan will join squad in May.

Australian and New Zealand cricketers dominated the first two weeks in the Indian Premier League with their stunning displays. South African and Pakistan cricketers may dominate the IPL matches in the coming weeks. But audience will surely miss the exemplary displays of cricketers like Mathew Hayden, Hussey Brothers, Brendon McCullum, Oram and Brett Lee. But we will see wonderful cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Dale Steyn, Umar Gul and Morkel in live action in the coming weeks. Some loss and some gain.

Mumbai Indians will clash with Hyderabad Deccan Chargers in their must win match at newly built D.Y. Patil stadium in Mumbai. Both teams lost all the three matches they played so far. Mumbai team will make a few changes by including Loots Bosman in place of Ronchi and Rajesh Powar in place of suspended Harbhajan Singh.

Mumbai is in deep trouble as they lost captain Sachin Tendulkar due to groin injury and stand-in captain Harbhajan Singh was suspended by BCCI due for slapping Sreesanth.

Stadium: DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai.

Match timing: From 4 PM onwards.

Match referee: Venkataraghavan.

IPL Twenty20 cricket match preview:

Mumbai Indians:

Key players:

1. Robin Uthappa: He played useful knocks for Mumbai.
2. Shaun Pollock: Really world class Twenty20 all rounder.
3. Abhishek Nayar: big hitter in lower order.
4. Sanath Jayasuriya: Failed to convert good openings.

Weaknesses:

1. Absence of Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh.
2. Hyderabad big hitters will exploit the weak bowling of Mumbai Indians.

Probable squad: Shaun Pollock (Captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Loots Bosman, Robin Uthappa, Abhishek Nayar, Bravo, Rajesh Powar, Ashish Nehra, Khote, Dhawal Kulkarni and Pinal Shah.

Hyderabad Deccan chargers:

Strengths:

1. Big hitters like Symonds, Afridi and Gilchrist.
2. Rohit Sharma is in good form.
3. Symonds is in good nick.

Weaknesses:

1. VVS Laxman – big burden with his poor batting and fielding. Worst captain in IPL.
2. Lack of transparency in selection.
3. Weak bowling attack.
4. Poor form of Adam Gilchrist.

Probable squad: VVS Laxman (Captain), Shahid Afridi, Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds, Rohit Sharma, Ravi Teja, Sanjay Bangar, Chaminda Vaas, RP Singh, Kalyankrishna and Pragyan Ojha.

Verdict: Hyderabad will register their first win over demoralised Mumbai. Most expensive team will be out of semi-final reckoning if they lost this match. If Sachin Tendulkar were fit, Mumbai will be advantageous position.

Mumbai IPL Captain Harbhajan Singh was temporarily suspended from Indian Premier League for slapping Mohali pacer Sreesanth. Match referee Farokh Engineer will conduct enquiry on Monday in this regard. Until then, Harbhajan will not be allowed to play in Indian Premier League. He will miss Mumbai's crucial match against Hyderabad on Sunday which is vital for both teams as they lost their first three matches. BCCI issued a show cause notice to Harbhajan Singh on this episode. Sreesanth didn't lodge any compliant against Harbhajan but Mohali franchise owner Preity Zinta and captain Yuvraj Singh took serious note of this ugly incident.BCCI suspended Harbhajan after seeing the video footage of the IPL match. Mohali management took the serious note of the incident and lodged a complaint against Indian spinner. Mohali team members stood by Sreesanth while Mumbai Indians team members stayed away from controversy. Sreesanth and Harbhajan Singh are emotional men by nature and Harbhajan might have shown his dissatisfaction over his performance in this way.

Mohali defeated Mumbai Indians by 66 runs in a one sided match at PCA ground in Mohali. Sangakkara guided Mohali to a modest total of 182. Sangakkara scored 94 runs in 56 balls (1 sixer and 13 fours) while no other Mohali batsman failed to score even 20 runs. Harbhajan Singh once again failed to utilise full quota of its in-form bowler. In the last match it was Harbhajan himself; today it is Nehra. If it is not Sangakkara, Mohali might be in all sorts of troubles.

It is the first win for Punjab Kings eleven while Mumbai lost all the three matches it played. Along with Hyderabad, Mumbai must win all the remaining 4 matches to reach semi-finals of the Indian Premier League.

Mumbai once again played without its icon Sachin Tendulkar and failed to pose any challenge to Mohali at any point of time. Brett Lee bowled a thunderous spell by giving just 9 runs in his 4 overs. This is the best bowling performance by a fast bowler in the Indian Premier League against strong batting lineup. Piyush Chawla is another bowler who impressed everyone with his fine bowling and took important wickets of Bravo and Tiwary who looked threatening with a solid partnership.

Toss: Mumbai captain Harbhajan Singh won the toss and chose to field first on a fast track.

IPL Twenty20 Cricket match scorecard:

Mohali IPL: 182 all out in 20 overs.
Mumbai Indians: 116/9 in 20 overs.
Match result: Mohali defeated Mumbai by 66 runs.

Man of the match: Kumara Sangakkara.

Match highlights:

1. Kumara Sangakkara became leading run scorer in IPL.
2. First McCullum, next Mark Boucher and now Kumara Sangakkara. Wicketkeepers are ruling IPL. Gilchrist is due.
3. Strong bowling lineup of Mohali finally regained form and Preity Zinta is smiling.
4. Mumbai surely missed Sachin Tendulkar at top order.
5. Foreigners are hogging limelight in the Indian Premier League.
6. Unlike popular perception, International bowlers are playing crucial roles in changing team’s fortunes.

Reliance always aims for either number one or two positions. But their IPL team is aiming for that position from bottom.

Unforgettable match! What a performance! Andrew Symond’s powerful century failed to save Hyderabad Deccan Chargers in a high scoring T20 IPL cricket match at Uppal Stadium in Hyderabad. Shane Warne hit 2 sixers and 1 four to score a sensational victory over favourite Hyderaabd. Collective scintillating batting performance by Rajasthan Royals stunned Hyderabad IPL in a high scoring tense match. Graeme Smith, Yusuf Pathan and Mohammad Kaif played sensible knocks to chase a huge target of 215 set by Deccan Chargers. With this defeat, Hyderabad is almost out of semi-finals of Indian Premier League.

Indian Premier League already witnessed some exciting contests and wonderful performances from world cricket stars. But teams like Hyderabad surprisingly lost both matches due to lack of proper planning. Everyone can learn cricket/real life lessons from these IPL T20 matches.

Lessons from Indian Premier League cricket matches:

1. Hyderabad Deccan Chargers: This is a classic case of fall from grace.
A. You need a motivational leader to win a contest. A weak leader like Laxman is a minus point.
B. You need proper planning and unbiased selection to win in any sport.
C. You need a team which is strong in all departments. Hyderabad bought 4 hard hitters and forgot about other departments.
D. You need bench strength in case of emergency. What will they do when Symonds will not available in the last weeks of May?

2. Kolkata Knight Riders:
A. It has exciting passionate owner like Shahrukh Khan (He is like Mark Cuban of NBA).
B. It has inspirational leader like Sourav Ganguly who will not settle for second place.

3. Jaipur IPL: Shane Warne is doing magic both on and off the field with his bowling, inspiring captaincy and tactical coaching. A genius leader like Warne can spot ability in young cricketers and raise their game level.

4. Delhi Daredevils: They believed in true world class players but not bits and pieces. Bowlers like Glenn McGrath and Mohammad Asif are giving superb starts with their accurate bowling. Class is permanent.

5. Bangalore Royal Challengers: They too believed in world class bowlers like Dale Steyn, Anil Kumble, Nathan Bracken and Zaheer Khan. True all-rounder like Praveen kumar is an additional bonus. But they picked world class test batsmen for Twenty20 cricket games.

6. Mohali IPL: They picked players for advertisement needs. Yuvraj picked wayward bowler like Sreesanth because of friendship which cost them both matches.

7. Mumbai Indians: When a real icon like Sachin Tendulkar will not play, their game plans will not work and team members will miss that “some thing”. But they tried their best in both matches. Return of Sachin will change the fortunes of Mumbai Indians.

8. Chennai Super Kings: What you will need when you have a cool, glamorous and inspiring captain like Dhoni in your team? What you will need when you have talented and committed players like Hayden and Hussey in your ranks?

Most awaited matches:

1. Chennai Super Kings Vs Kolkata Knight Riders.
2. Delhi Dare Devils Vs Chennai
3. Kolkata Vs Delhi IPL.

We will learn new lessons after seeing the results of above match. Mathew Hayden will miss Man of the tournament award due to Australia's tour of West Indies.

Hyderabad will play against rejuvenated Jaipur IPL at Rajiv Gandhi stadium in Hyderabad. This is a match between two of the weakest teams in Indian Premier League. Hyderabad unexpectedly lost first two matches despite strong squad due to poor team selection. Rajasthan Royals rose to the occasion against Mohali under inspirational Shane Warne leadership. South African Captain Graeme Smith will play in this match which is good news for weak Jaipur team.

Interesting battle:

Foreign players are dominating Indian Premier League (IPL) from the first match onwards. Brendon McCullum, Mike Hussey, David Hussey, Mathew Hayden, Mark Boucher, Kallis, Shane Watson were hogged limelight with their scintillating batting performance in the initial matches. But Indian batsmen are gradually coming into their own especially young cricketers are playing useful knocks for their teams. Surprisingly, senior cricketers failed to hog limelight in this fast format game. Virender Sehwag is the Indian batsman of the first round.

Top Indian batsmen in Indian Premier League:

1. Virender Sehwag: Only Indian who won the Man of the match award in an IPL match. He scored highest runs in a single over (30 runs) in an IPL match.

2. Suresh Raina: He was termed as “Future hope” by Wisden magazine. Sachin Tendulkar and Greg Chappell saw immense potential in him. This fine fielder suddenly lost form and place in Indian team. He played sensational cameo knocks for Chennai Super Kings in both matches. He should be in Indian one day team. Are selectors listening?

3. Yuvraj Singh: Mohali team lost both matches despite Yuvraj’s fine knocks in both matches.

4. Rohit Sharma: What a knock from this young man! He scored 26 runs in a Maharoof’s over and shone well in a poor Hyderabad team.

5. Robin Uthappa: He played well in both of Mumbai’s IPL T20 matches. Like Yuvraj, he failed to save his team.

6. Gautam Gambhir: He is continuing his fine form in IPL also. He played fine knock against Jaipur.

7. Shikhar Dhawan: He played good supporting knocks in both matches of Delhi Dare devils.

8. Ravinder Jadeja and Abhishek Nayyar: Jadeja has immense potential. He will learn much more under Shane Warne’s guidance and leadership. He destroyed Mohali bowlers in the end overs. Abhishek Nayyar is another hope.

9. MS Dhoni: Failed in one but came into his own against Mumbai. I am expecting much more from Indian captain and highest paid player in IPL.

10. Praveen Kumar &Irfan Pathan: These all-rounders are helping their team with bat also.

Batting Disaster:

1. VVS Laxman: He is becoming a big burden for his Hyderabad team.

I hope that senior cricketers will occupy more places in the next analysis. Sachin Tendulkar will play for Mumbai in the next match.

Delhi captain Virender Sehwag destroyed Hyderabad bowling attack to seal an emphatic victory for Delhi Daredevils. Delhi defeated Hyderabad by 9 wickets in a one sided match with 7 overs to spare at Uppal stadium in Hyderabad. Shikhar Dhawan once again played good supporting role to decimate Hyderabad in just 13 overs. This is a clinical and brutal knock from Delhi captain. Hyderabad’s fall from grace is unbelievable.

Hyderabad didn’t learn any lesson from Kolkata match. Once again they selected accumulators and recommendation candidates. What can one expect from a team like this one? It is waste to write about their management. Glenn McGrath- Mohammad Asif troubled Hyderabad Deccan chargers with their accurate bowling. Except Rohit Sharma, no one looked comfortable at crease. Despite losing Gautam Gambhir early, Delhi never looked uncomfortable in chasing this small target. Delhi along with Chennai and Kolkata are looking as hot favourites to win inaugural IPL T20 tournament.

Indian Premier League grabbed the attention of Indian cricket lovers in the first week itself. Brendon McCullum and Mike Hussey helped to raise awareness about IPL with fine centuries. IPL grabbed more TRP ratings than family soaps in the prime time, according to latest TV ratings. Whether cricket purists like it or not, IPL is here to stay and will expand to new cities. More International players will play in the coming years and may announce retirements if ICC will not accomodate IPL in the futire calendar.

Twenty20 cricket is mainly a batsmen game. So my top 10 cricket stars list mostly comprising of batsmen. Bangalore showed strong bounce back after a demoralising loss against Kolkata in the initial match. Kolkata won the both matches and is showing fine all-round performance. Foreign players (Australian and South African cricketers) shined in the first week of IPL T20 cricket tournament. Keepers like Brendon McCullum and Mark Boucher played match winning knocks in the first week. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Rohit Sharma are big disappointments in the first week. Despite Yuvraj’s brilliant batting, Mohali lost both matches.


First week IPL stats:

1. Happiest man: Shahrukh Khan.
2. Top team: Kolkata Knight Riders.
3. Best batsman: Brendon McCullum.
4. Innings of character: David Hussey.
5. Best brothers: Michael Hussey & David Hussey.
6. Worst pitch: Eden Gardens.
7. Big disappointment: Ricky Ponting and MS Dhoni.
8. Some things never change: McGrath’s accurate bowling and Sreesanth’s way ward bowling.
9. Worst organisation: Cricket Association of Bengal.
10. No. Of Man of the match awards won by Indian Cricketers: Zero.

Top 10 T20 Cricket Stars in the first week:

1. Brendon McCullum: Unforgettable innings in the first match.
2. Michael Hussey: Silenced critics who doubted his skills in T20 cricket.
3. David Hussey: Best innings in terms of character.
4. Gautam Gambhir: Lone Indian hope.
5. Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina: Young Indian heroes.
6. Mark Boucher: Crucial match winning knock against Mumbai.
7. Yuvraj Singh: Captaincy knock but team falters.
8. Ishant Sharma: India at last found a real fast bowler.
9. Andrew Symonds: Patient innings on a difficult pitch. Can any one stop him on a batting pitch? 10. Praveen Kumar: Real all-rounder and only positive thing for Bangalore in the first match.

Please share your picks. I hope Indian cricketers will play well in the coming weeks.

Hyderabad Deccan Chargers who lost the thriller against Kolkata Knight Riders will try to prove their mettle against Delhi Daredevils. It is a match between world class batting line up of Hyderabad Deccan Chargers and superb bowling attack of Delhi daredevils. This match under floodlights will surely entertain 40,000+ Hyderabad crowd with run feast by batting giants.
Stadium: Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal, Hyderabad. Team who wins the toss will bat first. Any score below 200 can be easily achievable. Hyderabad team with many big hitters has slight advantage.

Crucial players:

“Shanes” did it! Underdog Jaipur squad stunned Punjab Kings in an IPL T20 match at Sawai Man Singh stadium in Jaipur. Mohali IPL suffered their second successive defeat despite having so many international stars in their squad. Shane Warne and Shane Watson steered Jaipur to a comfortable victory. Rajasthan Royals defeated Punjab Kings by 6 wickets with 11 balls to spare. Both captains played well in this match but Yuvraj was not supported by teammates. This is a shocking loss to confident Mohali.

Shane Watson scored 76 runs 49 balls with 5 fours and 5 sixers. Ravinder Jadeja played a cameo knock in the end by hitting crucial 36 runs in 25 balls under stressful conditions. Their partnership of 69 runs in 43 balls turned this tight match into a one sided one. I can’t understand why Mohali picked Sreesanth and Piyush Chawla who are not ideal T20 bowlers. Yuvraj should stop selecting his friend Sreesanth for the team's cause. Wayward bowlers will be brutally exposed by batsmen in twenty20 games. Irfan Pathan escaped the onslaught of Rajasthan Royals with an intelligent bowling.

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Punjab Kings eleven will play with weak Rajasthan Royals at Sawai Man Singh Stadium in Jaipur. Both teams lost their opening matches but Punjab kings showed fighting spirit in chasing a massive target set by Chennai Superkings. Jaipur is the weakest team among IPL squads who have neither strength nor fighting spirit. Their match with Daredevils is the worst match in the IPL. This match is also go in the same way.

Image courtesy: Maxtelevision.com

Rajasthan Royals were famous for their “Never say die” character in the Indian history. But these Royals are the dullest team in the Indian Premier League. Until the return of Graeme Smith and Younis Khan, this team will continue to suffer embarrassing defeats. Dinesh Salunkhe’s performance is the only bright spot for Jaipur from Delhi match. Jaipur IPL should be more adventurous by playing talented youngsters like Shrideep Mangela.

Favourite: Mohali IPL team.

T20 Match Timing: From 7 PM onwards live on SetMax channel.

Pitch: Batting paradise.

Interesting battle:

1. Irfan Pathan (Mohali) Vs Yusuf Pathan (Jaipur). Brothers in arms.

Key players:

Rajasthan Royals:

1. Shane Warne.
2. Dinesh Salunkhe.
3. Shane Watson.

Punjab Kings:

1. Brett Lee.
2. Yuvraj Singh.
3. Irfan Pathan.
4. James Hopes.

Batting:

Jaipur is looking weak in batting due to absence of South African captain Graeme Smith. Kumara Sangakkara and Yuvraj Singh will exploit weak Jaipur bowling attack. Big hitters of Punab like James Hopes and Irfan Pathan will fancy their chances against Shane Warne. Young Indian players need to rise their level of play to upset Punjan Kings.

Bowling:

It is Australia Vs Australia. It’s Brett lee Vs Shane Warne. Shane Warne’s poor bowling in the Delhi match is a concern while Sreesanth’s wayward bowling is troubling Punjab Kings. Brett Lee was in good nick in the last match.

Verdict: Another defeat for Jaipur is on the cards. Home advantage may not have much impact on the outcome.

IPL Gossips:

1. According to bookies, Chennai Kings is the favourite followed by Kolkata Knight Riders to win the IPL 2008 T20 tournament.

2. Rs 20,000 crore is the amount of betting being done on IPL Cricket matches.

3. Jaipur IPL is trying to get England batsman Kevin Pietersen to strengthen their batting strength.

4. Graeme Smith will be available for Jaipur squad from the next match onwards. Kamran Akmal and Younis Khan will play in the next match.

5. Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance company is the official sponsor of the Jaipur IPL squad.

What a wonderful match! Contrary to Kolkata match, this IPL match is a wonderful exhibition of fine skills by cricket superstars. Bangalore IPL registered a sensational victory by defeating Mumbai Indians in a thrilling encounter at Wankhade Stadium in Mumbai. Bangalore won by 5 wickets with 2 balls to spare. Undoubtedly, this is the best match of IPL tournament. This is what IPL needs to attract more audience. Mumbai audience have tasted the "T20 Mazaa".

Man of the match: Mark Boucher.

Pitches win you matches. Kolkata defeated Hyderabad IPL by 5 wickets in a poorly organised tight match at Eden Gardens dusty track in Kolkata. David Hussey produced a match winning knock (38 crucial runs in 43 balls) under difficult conditions without losing concentration. Failure to win the toss came as a blessing disguise for Sourav Ganguly.

Hyderabad lost this match due to lack of world class spinner. Part time bowlers like Symonds and Styris were exposed in this tight match by Sourav Ganguly and David Hussey.

Mumbai Indians start as hot favourite against Bangalore Royal Challengers in the IPL T20 match at Wankhade Stadium in Mumbai. Harbhajan Singh led Mumbai IPL will take on weak Bangalore side which was hammered by Kolkata Knight Riders in the last match. Big hitters in the Mumbai IPL team will try to emulate McCullum against Bangalore. Robin Uthappa, Luke Ronchi, Dwayne Bravo and Loots Bosman are dangerous customers along with Sanath Jayasuriya and Pollock. Absence of Sachin Tendulkar will not have much impact on Mumbai Indians.

Bangalore T20 team batting is partially strengthened by the availability of Chanderpaul. But accumulators like Dravid, Kallis, Jaffer and Chanderpaul are no match for Mumbai Indians. Vijay Mallya should immediately buy ideal Twenty20 batsmen and all-rounders to strengthen Bangalore squad.

Mumbai IPL franchise which was subdued in the first round of the IPL auction gradually built an ideal T20 team. It has an ideal combination of big hitters and useful all-rounders. Shaun Pollock and Dwayne Bravo are ideal big hitting all-rounders in the late order batting. Loots Bosman has wonderful T20 record of hitting one four for every 3 balls.

Stadium: Wankhade Stadium, Mumbai.

Match time: From 8 PM onwards.

Latest IPL news:

1. Mumbai Indians captain Sachin Tendulkar will not play in this match due to fitness problems.

2. West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo will replace Lasith Malinga for Mumbai Indians. Malinga will miss IPL 2008 due to fitness problems (knee injury).

3. Javed Akthar penned team anthem “Rock the world” was released. Brand ambassador Hrithik Roshan acted in the album. Anu Malik is the music director of the anthem.

4. Adidas is the sports kit sponsor for Mumbai Indians.

5. Shivnarine Chanderpaul is available for Bangalore squad for this match.

Interesting point:

1. Robin Uthappa will play against his home Bangalore team.

Match timings: 8 PM onwards.

Mumbai Indians IPL team:

Mumbai team boasts of big hitters like Sanath Jayasuriya, Luke Ronchi, Loots Bosman, Shaun Pollock and Robin Uthappa. They will play havoc with weak Bangalore bowling on their home ground. Absence of Anil Kumble, Dale Steyn and Nathan Bracken make life easier for Mumbai Indians.

Coach: Lalchand Rajput (He was the coach of Twenty20 world cup winning Indian team).
Brand Ambassador: Hrithik Roshan.

Team squad:

Harbhajan Singh (Captain), Sanath Jayasuriya, Robin Uthappa, Shaun Pollock, Harbhajan Singh, Luke Ronchi, Loots Bosman, Ajeenkya Rahane, Saurab Tiwary, Abhishek Nayar, Dominic Thornley, Ankeet Chauhan, Ashwell Prince, Dhaval Kulkarni, Gaurav Dhiman, Manish Pandey, Musavir Kote, Sidharth Chitnis, Swapnil Singh, Vikrant, Ashish Nehra, Dilhara Fernando, Pinal Shaw, Rajesh Pawar, Rohan Raje and Yogesh Takawale.

Bangalore Royal Challengers:

Except Mark Boucher and Cameroon White, it is a team of test cricketers. I can’t understand what these test cricketers are doing in IPL Twenty20 cricket. This poor team is further weakened by non-availability of Anil Kumble, Nathan Bracken and Dale Steyn. Praveen Kumar is the lone hope for this weak team. Katrina Kaif is the only attraction for me in this Bangalore team.

Squad: Rahul Dravid (Captain), Wasim Jaffer, Kallis, Mark Boucher, Praveen kumar, Cameroon White, Ashley Noffke, Chanderpaul, Akhil, Virat Kohli, Appanna, Chipli, Ross Taylor, Arun Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Sunil Joshi, Vinay Kumar and Devraj Patil.

Bookies top teams:

According to bookies, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai Indians are top favourites to win the inaugural Indian Premier League.

This is the most awaited match between two strong IPL teams. Hot favourite Hyderabad Deccan Chargers will take on Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Hyderabad is hampered by 4- foreign player rule while Kolkata IPL is on high after decimating Bangalore Royal Challengers in the opening match. But Knight Riders will have to play at their best to win against Deccan Chargers.

Both teams are looking weak in bowling department. Ishant Sharma is crucial for Kolkata Knight Riders. If Adam Gilchrist nullify Ishant Sharma’s factor, Kolkata will be in trouble. Shahrukh Khan is once again betting big on “Bangalore match hero” Brendon McCullum. We have to see how Hyderabad control McCullum in this match and win match.

Crucial players:

1. Andrew Symonds – who can destruct any bowling attack and can bowl and field. Real T20 all-rounder.

2. Adam Gilchrist: If he is still at crease after 5 overs, Hyderabad wins the match.

3. Brendon McCullum: Can you forget his Bangalore innings.

4. Ishant Sharma: He should take Gilchrist's wicket in his first 2 overs.

Match timings: 5 PM onwards.

Stadium: Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Hyderabad needs to face 1 lakh passionate Kolkata fans. Kolkata fans resemble Liverpool fans that create great atmosphere and vehemently support their home team. IPL cricket needs this type of audience. Kolkata audience will view scintillating knocks in this match. Eden Gardens is the "Anfield of Indian Premier League".

Must watch: Shahrukh Khan provides full scale entertainment to the Kolkata viewers at Eden Gardens.

1. Rani Mukherjee dance.
2. Bipasha Basu entertainment. John Abraham may also come.
3. Kareena- Saif Ali Khan couple.
4. Possession from Hatibagan to Eden Gardens.

Good news: West Bengal Government waived entertainment tax for Kolkata Knight Riders. Good times for Bollywood “Badshaw” Shahrukh Khan. He is now "Khan of Good Times".

IPL Match preview:

Hyderabad Deccan Chargers:

Coach: Robin Singh.

Strong points:

1. Presence of Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds. Fearsome batting lineup.
2. Laxman’s intelligence captaincy.
3. Cool Rohit Sharma in the middle order.
4. R.P. Singh and Chaminda Vaas – ideal bowlers for 20-20 format.
5. Watch out for Ravi Teja, Hyderabad Ranji player.

Weak Points:

1. Only 4 foreign players per match rule.
2. Absence of world class spinner. Pragyan Ojha may face Piyush Chawla’s fate.
3. Shahid Afridi and Gibbs are not available for this match.
4. Hyderabad lacks depth in bowling attack due to lack of strong support bolwers.

Hyderabad IPL Team:

VVS Laxman (Captain), Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds, Ravi Teja, Sanjay Bangar, Rohit Sharma, Chamara Silva, Scott Styris, RP Singh, Chaminda Vaas, Nuwan Zoysa, Pragyan Ojha, Sarvesh Kumar, Kalyanakrishna, Vijay Kumar, Arjun Yadav and Venugopala Rao.

Kolkata Knight Riders:

Coach: John Buchanan.

Strengths:

1. Ishant Sharma is in superb form.
2. Brendon McCullum- what can I write about him?
3. Ideal team spirit.
4. We should not underestimate David Hussey who may expose Hyderabad support bowlers like Ojha.

Weaknesses:

1. Chris Gayle is not available due to groin injury.
2. Salman Butt and Umar Gul are not available. Salman Butt is in scintillating form.
3. Poor form of Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Ponting.
4. Symonds and Gilchrist may exploit bowlers like Agarkar.

Kolkata IPL Team:

Sourav Ganguly (Captain), Brendon McCullum, Ricky Ponting, Ashok Dinda, David hussy, Ishant Sharma, Ajit Agarkar, Murali Kartik, Mohammad Hafeez, Taibu, Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Siddarth Kaul, Cheteswar Pujara, Debabrata Das, Yashpal Singh and Prasanta Saha.

Verdict: Hyderabad Deccan Chargers is marginally ahead due to strong batting lineup. So many match winners in the Hyderabad team may change the match course within a few balls. Match result depends on how Kolkata bowlers control Adam Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds. If Ponting and Ganguly regain their full form, Hyderabad will be in trouble. Kolkata has home advantage due to vintage audience.

Note: Delhi Daredevils crushed Rajasthan Royals in a one sided match. Some readers questioned my negative views on Jaipur IPL team. My opinion is IPL authorities should remove franchise owners who have neither passion for game nor guts. Only Shahrukh and Preity Zinta have passion for IPL cricket and India Cements and Deccan Chronicle owners have guts to build great teams. Anil Ambani should buy Jaipur IPL and build it from scratch. Players like Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly should voluntarily withdraw their iconic status like Laxman for team’s cause. IPL is here to stay with minor changes.

Michael Hussey’s wonderful century helped Chennai super kings to defeat Mohali Kings eleven in a superb match at PCA ground in Mohali. Chennai IPL defeated Punjab Superkings by 33 runs. Michael Hussey in partnerships with Suresh Raina and Badrinath helped Chennai to reach a mammoth total of 240/5. But Mohali responded in a fighting manner and scored 63 runs in just 6 overs. But they gradually lost wickets in order to increase run rate. Mohali opener James Hopes scored 71 runs in 33 balls with 10 fours and 3 sixers. Yuvraj Singh scored quick fire 23 runs in 13 balls while Sangakkara scored half century in 29 balls but failed to save the match.

Unlike Bangalore match, Both IPL teams entertained weekend crowds with fours and sixers. Only Brett Lee and Muralidharan recorded economy rates below 9 per over. It is complete “Cricketainment” to the Mohali crowds. Only genuine bowlers like Brett Lee and Muralidharan withstood batsman onslaught in T20 cricket. No place for part time bowlers and inexperienced spinners.

IPL started in a grand fashion and Indians are gradually adjusting to the City patriotism. IPL is here to stay forever. ICC should change future programme calendar to accommodate Indian Premier League. BCCI should allow IPL teams to include at least 6 players to raise quality of tournament.

Turning point: Fall of James Hopes wicket changed the course of the match.

Man of the Match: Michael Hussey (Chennai Superkings).

Toss: Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat first.

IPL Cricket Scores:

Chennai Superkings: 240/5 in 20 overs.
Punjab Kings Eleven: 207/4 in 20 overs.

Highlights of Chennai IPL innings:

1. Mathew Hayden and Michael Hussey played comfortably against Brett Lee. Sreesanth disappointed Mohali fans with wayward bowling in the initial overs. Brett Lee bowled a wonderful ball to send Parthiv Patel back to pavilion.

2. Wilkin Mota dropped Hayden (when he is on 11 runs) in the bowling of James Hopes. This is Hope’s first ball in IPL tournament. Irfan Pathan reduced damage by taking Hayden’s wicket in the next over.

3. Dhoni disappointed cricket lovers by scoring just 1 run in 3 balls. Twenty20 cricket always threw surprises.

4. Suresh Raina was named as one of the future cricket stars by Wisden magazine and he was rated very highly by Greg Chappell. He scored some stunning shots in this match. Indian Cricket needs players like him. Coached need to groom players like him.

5. Michael Hussey – Suresh Raina combination stabilized Chennai innings after initial hiccups. They brutally exposed Piyush Chawla in his first over by scoring 19 runs (2 sixers and 1 four). They scored 20 runs in Karan Goel’s next over (2 sixers and 1 four). 39 runs in those 2 overs. Brutal assault. Chennai superkings scored 127 runs in the first 12 overs.

6. Wilkin Mota gave Mohali much needed break by taking the wicket of Suresh Raina. Suresh Raina scored 32 runs in just 13 balls. He is a great fielder and good T20 batsman.

7. Jacob Oram disappointed fans by scoring just 11 runs in 10 balls. Chennai expected McCullum act from Oram.

8. Sreesanth is not a suitable bowler for Twenty20 cricket. Line and Length is crucial in this format. He completely failed to utilize Mohali pitch. Mohali overpaid for this bowler. They paid for his flamboyancy and advertisement needs. Irfan Pathan’s medium pace failed to contain runs. He gave 42 runs in his 4 overs.

9. Michael Hussey gave cricket lesson to those who think that T2O cricket is not real cricket. He beautifully built his innings as he does in tests and one day matches. He is the most reliable batsman in the current international cricket. He scored fastest century in IPL tournament by hitting 100 runs in just 50 balls.

IPL Cricket records:

1. Michael Hussey scored fastest century in Indian Premier League. He scored century in just 50 balls by hitting 7 fours and 8 sixers. He spared no bowler in his magnificent innings. Brendon McCullum scored century in 53 balls yesterday.

2. Chennai Superkings scored highest runs in a single innings. They scored 240 runs in 20 overs.

3. James Hopes gave 25 runs in a single over. An IPL Cricket record.

4. Michael Hussey scored second highest number of sixers in IPL tournament (10 sixers).

5. Both teams crossed 200 mark.

IPL Teams:

Chennai Superkings:

M.S. Dhoni (Captain), Mathew Hayden, Parthiv Patel, Suresh Raina, Michael Hussey, Jacob Oram, S. Badrinath, Manpreet Gony, P. Amaranath, Joginder Sharma and Muttiah muralidharan.

Punjab Kings Eleven:

Yuvraj Singh (Captain), James Hopes, Karan Goel, Simon Katich, Kumara Sangakkara, Irfan Pathan, Brett Lee, Pankaj Dharmani, Sreesanth, Piyush Chawla and Wilkin Mota

Opinion: Chennai superkings emerged as hot favourite to win inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 tournament after their superb all-round performance in this match.

Delhi Daredevils IPL team will take on Jaipur’s Rajasthan Royals at Kotla cricket ground in Delhi. Jaipur is weakened by absence of South African and Pakistan players. Delhi Daredevils team is the strong favourite to win this match. Jaipur’s young players may surprise cricket analysts if they maintain cool composure under stressful conditions.

Indian Premier League (IPL) is a 20-20 cricket tournament which is being played between eight Indian city franchises. IPL was started on April 18 at Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore. This tournament has all the ingredients to change the dynamics of world cricket. Many companies are betting on twenty20 cricket to attract new age audience. It is simply “Cricketainment”. Sponsors of IPL cricket tournament:

Chennai Superkings IPL team will take on Punjab kings eleven IPL team at PCA ground in Mohali. This is a twenty20 IPL match between kings of same strength. Unlike Bangalore IPL match, this match will go to last over to decide winner. I am routing for youthful vibrancy of Mohali IPL team. Chennai’s lack of world class fast bowlers will become its major Achilles heel. If Brett Lee fails, Mohali will succumb to big defeat. Pitch: It helps fast bowlers. It is interesting to see how Mathew Hayden will tackle Brett Lee on this fast track. Mohali may elect to field if it wins the toss.

Kolkata IPL team crushed Bangalore Royal Challengers (test team) in a one sided twenty20 match at Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore. Kolkata defeated Bangalore by a big margin of 140 runs. Batting first, Kolkata IPL scored 222/3 in 20 overs thanks to magnificent 158 not out by Brendon McCullum. But Ricky Ponting and Sourav Ganguly failed to entertain the crowds. In response, Bangalore IPL was all out for 82 runs in 15.1 overs. Bangalore people may find it difficult to digest their team’s lack of fighting spirit. Except all-rounder Praveen kumar, not even a single Bangalore batsman has shown minimum fighting spirit and application in facing Kolkata Knight Riders. Shahrukh Khan is the happiest man on earth after seeing the wonderful all-round performance by his team. Kolkata IPL outclassed Bangalore IPL in batting, bowling and fielding.

Official website of Indian Premier League (iplt20.com) is launched by Live Current Media who also maintains bcci.tv. They want to present this site in the mould of English Premier League football club sites where you can view match videos, interact with fellow fans and shop for cricket merchandise. Live Current Media also owns cricket.com.

Live Current Media Inc. will work in association with Indian Premier League in maintaining the official website of IPL. They are paying $ 50 million to BCCI over 10 years as part of deal. As per agreement, popular cricket websites like Cricinfo and Cricket365 can’t able to provide live updates and commentary of IPL cricket games but TV news channels can broadcast short clips during news time.

From now onwards, IPLT20.com is the official online portal for Indian Premier League.

Highlights of the website:

1. Comprehensive multimedia section comprising of Audio, Video and photographs.

2. Live scorecards of IPL twenty20 matches.

3. Analysis (Previews and Reviews) of IPL Cricket matches.

4. Fantasy cricket game application for facebook users.

5. Profiles and interviews of IPL Cricketers and teams.

6. Schedule and results of Indian Premier League matches.

7. Tickets availability information.

8. IPL Contests and polls for interactivity.

9. Email newsletter with latest IPL news updates.

10. Records and other statistical information of Indian Premier League.

11. You can shop for cricket merchandise on iplt20.com

Improvements needed:

1. No live streaming of IPL cricket matches.

2. You need to pay to download videos and pictures.

My Rating: 4/5.

Click here to visit the official website of Indian Premier League.

Good news: www.cricketpremierleague.in has broken 1 lakh rank barrier in Alexa rankings. Today’s rank of my IPL Cricket blog is 92,448. Please continue your cooperation.

Hyderabad Deccan Chargers IPL team is the strongest team in the IPL 20-20 cricket competition. Hyderabad has the strongest batsmen and all-rounders among the IPL teams. It has 5-6 match winners who can change the course of match within a few minutes. Bowling is looking when compared to batting but Afridi and Symonds will compensate with their spin. No bowler will like to bowl to Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist, Gibbs and Afridi. Teams like Chennai and Kolkata may expose Hyderabad bowling attack weaknesses.

Franchise: Deccan Chronicle.
Coach: Robin Singh. Official Website: www.deccanchargers.com
Logo: Charging Bull.

Bangalore IPL team is a reflection of Rahul Dravid mentality. They assembled ideal test team for 20-20 tournament. Experience is its strength and weakness. But they have wonderful bowling attack. Bangalore Royal Challengers will play against Kolkata Knight Riders in the first match of inagural Indian Premier League 20-20 tournament at Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore.

Bangalore IPL team:

Captain& Icon: Rahul Dravid

Batsmen:

1. S. Chanderpaul (West Indies)
2. Misbah-Ui-Haq
3. Wasim Jaffer
4. Ross Taylor (New Zealand)
5. Virat Kohli (Under-19 captain)
6. Devraj patil.

All rounders:

1. Jacques Kallis (South Africa)
2. Cameroon White (Australia)
3. Praveen Kumar.

Wicketkeeper: Mark Boucher (South Africa).

Bowlers:

1. Anil Kumble
2. Dale Steyn (South Africa)
3. Zaheer Khan
4. Nathan Bracken (Australia)
5. Abdur Razaaq (Bangladesh)
6. Sunil Joshi
7. Ashley Noffke
8. Vinay Kumar.

Biggest miss: They failed to buy Karnataka star Robin Uthappa.

Coach: Venkatesh Prasad.

Franchise owner: Vijay Mallya.

Brand Ambassador: Katrina Kaif.

Official website: www.royalchallengers.com

Sportswear: Reebok

Formalwear: Louis Philippe.

Bangalore Royal Challengers will clash with Kolkata Knight Riders on April 18 in the inagural match of the first Indian Premier League (IPL) 20-20 tournament. This IPL Twenty20 match will be held at M. Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore under flood lights. Bollywood beauty Katrina Kaif will endorse Bangalore IPL team which is looking weak in all departments when compared to Kolkata IPL team which is owned by Bollywood Badshaw Shahrukh Khan.

Match timing: 7 PM – 11 PM on April 18, 2008.

Stadium: M. Chinnaswamy stadium, Bangalore.

Significant rule: Each team can field only 4 foreign players per match. Bangalore may field Mark Boucher, Kallis, Cameroon White/Ross Taylor and Misbah-Ul-Haq or some bowler while Kolkata may field Chris Gayle, Ricky Ponting, Umar Gul and Brendon McCullum.

Bangalore IPL team will play without their star bowlers, Anil Kumble, Dale Steyn and Nathan Bracken in the first match. Anil Kumble will miss the first match due to groin injury. Nathan Bracken will miss first four matches. Dale Steyn will not play in the initial matches due to a domestic competition at home. Kolkata IPL team will miss Shoaib Akthar due to ban.

IPL Teams analysis:

Bangalore IPL team:

Strengths:

1. Mark Boucher all round capabilities.
2. Misbah-Ul-Haq in the middle order.
3. Most experienced players.
4. Under-19 players may surprise us.

Weaknesses:

1. Weak bowling, batting and fielding.

2. Absence of Dale Steyn, Anil Kumble and Nathan bracken.

Kolkata Knight Riders:

Strengths:

1. Strong batting lineup.
2. So many match winners like Chris Gayle and Ricky Ponting.
3. Ishant Sharma and Umar Gul.
4. Sourav Ganguly’s inspirational captaincy and John Buchanan coaching.
5. Brendon McCullum hard hitting.
6. Many young under-19 players.
7. Strong bench strength.

Weak points:

1. Absence of world class spinner.

2. Young guns lack experience.

Crucial off field battle:

Shahrukh Khan Vs Katrina Kaif - Brand ambassadors.

Kolkata Knight Riders team:

Sourav Ganguly, Chris Gayle, Ricky Ponting, David Hussey, Brendon McCullum, Umar Gul, Ishant Sharma, Ajit Agarkar, Murali Karthik, Salman Butt, Akash Chopra, Taibu, Sarwan, Cheteswar Pujara, Siddarth kaul, Yashpal Singh, Ranadeb Bose, Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Rohan Banarjee, Debabrata Das, Sourashish Lahiri, Mohammad Hafeez, Iqbal Abdullah.

Coach: John Buchanan.

Bangalore Royal challengers: (Nickname: Best test team).

Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Mark Boucher, Nathan bracken, Chanderpaul, Kallis, Wasim Jaffer, Zaheer Khan, Dale Steyn, Cameroon White, Virat Kohli, Misbah-Ul-Haq, Abdur Razzak, Ross Taylor, Srivatsa Goswami.

Verdict: Kolkata IPL team will easily beat Bangalore Royal Challengers in the inaugural 20-20 match due to absence of its main bowlers. This match may not live up to its reputation. Bangalore management’s wrong selection of players during IPL auction will be exposed in this match.

Can Chanderpaul surprise us as he did against Sri Lanka in the recent one day match by hitting last ball sixer?

Sachin Tendulkar will not play the first match for Mumbai Indians IPL team. This is a major setback for the Mumbai young team. First match of the inaugural Indian Premier League will start on April 18. Bangalore Royal Challengers will play against Kolkata Knight Riders in the first match at Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore.

Latest IPL Cricket news:

Tickets will be on sale for Hyderabad IPL twenty20 matches from Saturday onwards. After their first match with Kolkata IPL team on April 20 at Kolkata, Hyderabad’s Deccan chargers will play their first home match with Delhi daredevils on April 22 at Uppal International Stadium.

According to bookies and cricket analysts, Hyderabad is the hot favourite to win the inaugural Indian premier League 20-20 tournament. There will be huge demand for tickets for matches played by Hyderabad IPL team. Cricket lovers will pay any amount to watch the batting exploits of Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist, Gibbs and Shahid Afridi.

How to buy tickets:

1. Online at http://www.deccanchargers.com

2. Online at http://www.ticketpro.in

3. ICICI bank branches in Hyderabad, Vizag, Vijayawada, Bhubaneswar and Secunderabad.

Tickets are available from:

1. 2 PM to 8 PM on Saturday.

2. 8 AM to 8 PM on Sunday and Monday.

Ticket rates:

1. East Pavilion - Rs 250.

2. West Pavilion – Rs 500.

3. North Pavilion (Level 2 - terrace) – Rs 1,000.

4. South Pavilion (Level 2 – terrace) – Rs 1,500.

5. North Pavilion (ground, level 1) – Rs 2,000.

6. South Pavilion (Ground, level 1) – Rs 2,500.

Benefits for ticket buyers:

1. Refreshments are free for all the ticket holders.

2. Prizes like 1-Mercedez Benz cars, 7- Maruti Swift, 35 TVS, 35 Yamaha Motorcycles.

Ticket applications will be available at booking counters and will be published on the Deccan Chronicle newspaper on April 11th and 12th.

You can buy 4 tickets on each application.

For more information: call 9841045688 and 9892033338.

1. South African cricketers will not be available for IPL matches in the first week as they will go back to home to play in the semi-finals and finals of their domestic tournament. So we will miss Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher, Makhaya Ntini, Morne Morkel, AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn in the first week. Bad news for respective IPL teams. It is a serious blow for Bangalore IPL team as they will miss their dangerous strike bowler Dale Steyn.

2. Kingfisher Airlines is the official carrier of Indian Premier League.

Indian premier League (IPL) cricket will provide non-stop entertainment for cricket and Bollywood lovers over 44 days in 8 Indian cities. Cricket stars from India, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are in live action in this Day& Night 20-20 cricket that will be played among eight city franchisees. Still we miss some superb cricket stars in action in IPL as they are playing for rival cricket league. Cricket stars missing in action in IPL:

Ticket sales for Indian premier League (IPL) matches were started from yesterday onwards. Response to ticket sales is very poor in Kolkata. At present, TicketPro is selling tickets for matches that will be held in Bangalore, Jaipur, Kolkata and Mohali.

Tickets for Chennai matches will be available from April 11th onwards. Click here to know more information about tickets. There is no information about ticket sales for matches that will be held in Mumbai, Hyderabad and Delhi.

Where to buy tickets for IPL matches?

1. Online at http://www.ticketpro.in/

2. At Reliance World shops.

3. At Planet M showrooms.

4. At Baskin Robbins outlets.

If you need updated information on ticket sales of other matches, register your name and email address at Ticketpro Cricket Club.

BCCI is not giving any updated information through its official website. That is their way of functioning.

BCCI announced prize money details of the DLF Indian Premier League (IPL). Total prize money for this prestigious 20-20 tournament is Rs 20 crore. Lalit Modi, chairman of the Indian Premier League announced the details of prize money.

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff announced that he is curiously following the IPL and may play in this tourney in future if he finds it an interesting one. It is a serious blow to county cricket if a star cricketer like Andrew Flintoff joins Indian Premier League.