Kolkata Knight Riders Defeats Royal Challengers by 140 Runs

Kolkata Knight Riders, powered by a record unbeaten 158 from Brendon McCullum, easily won the inaugural match of the Indian Premier League, whipping Bangalore Royal Challengers by 140 runs at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday night.

The New Zealander amassed his runs off only 73 deliveries as Knight Riders put up a massive 222 after being put in to bat by Royal Challengers' captain Rahul Dravid.

In reply, the home side was dismissed for a meager 82 in 15.1 overs.

Watch the Scorecard

India ICL Wins World Series beating World ICL

So, we have emerged as winners in ICL world series also as India ICL beats World ICL easily in the final.

India Defeats South Africa in 3rd Test : Scorecard

India beat South Africa in the 3rd Test at Kanpur to draw the series. Below is the scorecard of 3rd Test.

South Africa 1st Innings

India 1st Innings

South Africa 2nd Innings

India 2nd Innings

India Win by 8 Wickets in the 3rd Test Against South Africa : Series Draw

All those who raised their fingers against India when they lost in the 2nd test, should now take it back as India crushed the Africans in the 3rd Test to win the match by 8 wickets.

The match being played at Green Park in Kanpur did not allow any of the two teams to pile up huge scores. South Africa scored merely 265 runs in the first inning while India could manage only 325 runs in its first inning.

Indian bowlers excelled in both the innings with Harbhajan taking most of the wickets in both first and second innings. Virender Sehwag who could not excel with the bat in this game produced a very good spell scalping three wickets today and helping India restrict South Africa for merely 121 runs.

Harbhajan today captured four wickets while Sehwag returned his career-best figures of three for merely 12 runs to skittle out South Africa for 121 in just 55.5 overs in their second innings - their second lowest total in India.

India were set to score 62 to win and they finished at 64 for two, with Rahul Dravid remaining unbeaten on 18 and Sourav Ganguly on 13.

India Bundled for 76 Runs in 1st Innings of 2nd Test Match vs South Afrcia : 2nd Lowest Score Ever

Shocking News!! South Africa bundled India for mere 76 Runs in the 1st innings of the 2nd Test Match. And this is after India winning the toss and chose to bat first.

Let me tell you 76 runs is the second lowest score in the test cricket ever.

Only two players scored in doubles figures with Dhoni scoring 14 and Pathan 21 Not Out.

Sachin Tendulkar Retires From Test Cricket : April Fool

April Fool

In a shocking revelation that has shook the cricketing fraternity, the ‘Little Master’ has decided to call it quits in the Test format of the game. Following his dropping for the second Test against South Africa with fielding maestro Mohammad Kaif taking his place– Sachin Tendulkar announced his retirement early this morning.

The BCCI had initially mentioned a groin-injury, which had supposedly left Tendulkar on the sidelines; yet after today’s announcement, one wonders if this was their veiled attempt to push India’s greatest batsman into what seems to be a very early retirement…

“After years of giving India my 100%, I have decided that I can no longer compete in the Test format of the game. The formula of a youth dominated ODI – T20 squad has reaped many rewards, I’m inclined to believe that this should translate into our Test squad,” Tendulkar said as he opened his Test-retirement announcement.

The BCCI have mentioned some sort of injury – but I’d like to make it clear that I’m still fully fit… so I’m somewhat baffled by their statement. I have talked with Mr. Dilip Vengsarkar and he has made it clear – the selectors new stance is to give young cricketers a chance to play Test cricket, and there was probably some sort of miscommunication with the BCCI,” Tendulkar went on to say with a hint of sarcasm.

After Australia I was under the impression that the BCCI knew what I was capable of, particularly in the Test format of the game… We may not have taken the series, but I believe thanks to our experience we were able to give the Aussies a run for their money,” said the man who single handedly won the recent CB tri-series for India after scoring a massive century in the first final and then following up with a 90 in the second against World Champs Australia.

Now as we chase the number one spot in Test standings – the selectors and Board are under the impression that youth is the winning formula for Tests. Since I have had my fair share of Test cricket, I’m willing to take a side step to give India’s youth a chance. I have given my life to cricket – maybe it’s time I gave a little more attention to my family.”

Sachin Tendulkar, quite possibly cricket’s most supreme batsman, didn’t seem to be in the best of moods during the conference – and once his short and curt speech ended, he vehemently refused to take any questions from the few journalists who were present. He quickly put on his shades and surrounded by personnel dashed to his Mercedes in which his wife Dr. Anjali was waiting.

Source : msn.com

Rahul Dravid Becomes 6th Batsman to Score 10000 Runs in Test Cricket

Rahul Dravid completed 10,000 runs in Test cricket when he reached 80 on the fourth day of the first Test against South Africa at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday.

Bangalore-based Dravid, 35, is playing in his 120th Test and averaged 55.11 at the start of his 206th innings.

With this Dravid became only the sixth batsman in history to score more than 10000 runs. Topping the list is Brian Lara followed by Sachin Tendulkar, A Border, S Waugh and S Gavaskar.

Virender Sehwag Smashed Triple Century against South Africa in the 1st Test

Virender Sehwag scored his second Triple Century and the fastest recorded to spearhead India's reply against South Africa on the third day of the first Test on Friday.

Sehwag bludgeoned an unbeaten 309 to match his previous best made against Pakistan in Multan in 2004.

Sehwag matched the feat of Australian Don Bradman and West Indies batsman Brian Lara, who have also surpassed 300 twice. Lara holds the record for the highest Test score (400 not out).

Sehwag told reporters

I have no words to describe this knock, this innings is even better than the one in Multan.

He achieved his triple hundred from an astonishing 278 balls, which surpassed the 362 balls faced by Australian Matthew Hayden when he scored a then world record 380 against Zimbabwe at Perth in 2003-4.

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Shahrukh n Sourav Lauches Kolkata Team For IPL

Kolkata, March 11 (IANS) Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan and former India captain Sourav Ganguly Tuesday unveiled the name and logo for the team which will be called Kolkata Knight Riders for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL), at a glittering ceremony here.

As the team’s theme song ‘Korbo, Lorbo, Jitbo’ (We will do it, fight it and win it) blared, the superstar who is the Kolkata team franchise owner raised his hands with team captain Ganguly, coach John Buchanan and actor Juhi Chawla.

The black and gold jersey of the team was also unveiled.

Source : bollywoodjunction.co.in

ICC Champions Trophy 2008 Groupings

After a volatile tri-series Down Under, India and Australia are set to face off again in September as the two teams find themselves in the same group for the ICC Champions Trophy scheduled to be held in Pakistan.


The following are the two groups (with seedings in brackets):

Group A: Australia (1), India (4), Pakistan (5), West Indies (8)
Group B: South Africa (2), New Zealand (3), Sri Lanka (6), England (7)

The groupings were finalised on the basis of teams' rankings in the ICC ODI Championship table as on March 12, which was the cut-off date for the determination of the seedings for the Champions Trophy.

The event will be played in a round-robin format with the top two sides from each group progressing to the semi-finals with the winners of these matches contesting the final.

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