Most of the teams have announced their 30 member squads for the ICC Champions Trophy 2008 to be held in Pakistan. I would be coming up with them soon.

I thought India were a little better prepared this time. I thought India had the edge. I was so wrong. The chokers tag remains, for now.

Pakistan have still a match to go, but I am not bothered, the Pakistani crowd is not bothered and the ICC is not bothered. Shoaib Malik too. So here I shoot and do a preview thing for the final of the cup. Since my new year in business school begins on Monday, I will ape Dean Jones in doing a SWOT analysis.

Looks cool and all. I am expecting a cracker of a match. But then I was expecting Ishant to take 5 every game. My favorites to win this final would be India. Why? Well, cos I am …read more

India completed yet another professional match in their Professional Match winning streak by completely routing Bangladesh in the first match of the super 4s in the ongoing Asia Cup 2008 in Karachi, Pakistan.
When Bangladesh began well, about 60/1 in 10 overs (much better than Pakistan), MSD decided to let them score as many as they could, as Raina was there to get it (no Sehwag in this match). The Bangladeshis swelled with pride after getting 283 in their alloted overs, with Ian Chappel even going on to say strange things (it runs in the family), knowing little that the Indians …read more

Two groups (A and B) with three teams each, play a round robin league. Top 2 teams from each group qualify to the super 4s. Another round robin. The top 2 reach the final. The points from the initial group stage are carried forward to the super 4.
Somebody asked me this.
Thanks

This is turning out to be something we have to get used to now. Barring an odd defeat in an odd final, India seems to have got the better of Pakistan these days. Anyway, this match wasn’t that boring for me not to report it, though it could have been better.
It all began in an all too familiar fashion. A feeling of déjà vu, you might say. As Dropmal was dropped, skip Malik decided to end his ruefully bad form by opening the innings and batting even more ruefully till the time he saw Ishant Sharma’s face. 26/0 in 10 …read more

While watching the India v Pakistan match, I was wondering about the attitude of the Pakistan Players. They looked as it they are on a walk in a park in downtown Karachi. Super Laid Back, smiling, chatting with their IPL teammates et al. It was as if they were just chilling as they knew that they would be in the final. Lack of Resolve is the buzz phrase here.
This is what Naseem Ashraf, the Chief guy in Pakistan Cricket, wrote in a letter to the Team Management: (six and out takes no responsibility of the leak):
Last night’s performance against …read more

Why am I even reporting this! Of course India won. I would like to re-brand the term – “meek surrender” to “Bangladesh Cricket Team”. They seem to have mastered the art of starting to believe that they can win the match and then losing it halfway into the match.
Positives for India : Gautam Gambhir was awesome
Negatives for India : Few people got a bat, bowling could have been better, thank god they have the hapless Pakistan in the final
Positives for Bangladesh : Scored 222
Negatives for Bangladesh : Read intro para
Phew, lets hope the final is not one sided like the …read more

I missed it in my review of yesterday’s match, but this is something to treasure. I know there was a lot of luck and reflexes involved, but the output was beautiful. Yeah, beautiful is the word to describe.
Salman Butt c Rohit Sharma b Praveen Kumar
This is what the Cricinfo guys said about the catch:
Kumar to Salman Butt, OUT, Gone this time, a blinder from Rohit Sharma at cover point, Butt cuts it and Rohit dives to his left and takes a superb, low, one-handed catch

All right, now watch it!

Video : Youtube

MS Dhoni and his men in blue thrashed Pakistan by 140 runs in the second ODI of the tri-nation Kitply Cup. This also ended Pakistan’s 12 game winning streak which consisted of 5 games against Bangladesh.
 
End of winning streak
The amazing fact was that India did not let Pakistan be in top at any moment in the match. Most of the batsmen contributed to India’s score of 320, a massive one considering the fact that the pitch aided spinners. But not so massive too, considering Pakistan went in with 4 seamers. Brains man. Shoaib Malik did not even bowl …read more