Clarke to miss series

Australia captain Michael Clarke will miss the limited-overs cricket series against Pakistan next month due to a hamstring injury that forced him home early from a recent series in Zimbabwe. Cricket Australia physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said tests had confirmed “a significant hamstring injury” for the 33-year-old Clarke. “Importantly, the scans have demonstrated tendon damage which complicates the recovery from this injury,” Kountouris said. He remained hopeful that Clarke will be available for the two test matches against Pakistan starting Oct. 22. Left-hander Phil Hughes was drafted into the ODI squad on Wednesday to replace Clarke for the three limited-overs internationals in the United Arab Emirates starting Oct. 7. Hughes was initially left out of the squad for the one-dayers, despite scoring two half-centuries in four matches in the recent Zimbabwe tri-series, but was already scheduled to travel to the UAE earlier than the remainder of the test squad to work on his batting technique against spin bowling with coaching consultant Muthiah Muralitharan.
The 25-year-old Hughes has been in and out of the Australian set up since making his test debut in 2009, but has only played 24 ODIs since his debut in that format in 2013 and averages 37.31. He forced his way back into the ODI squad for the Zimbabwe after scoring two double-centuries in two weeks for Australia A against South Africa in July and August. Clarke, who has struggled in the past with a back problem, hurt his left hamstring last month and missed Australia’s first two games in the tri-series involving South Africa and Zimbabwe. He returned to play against Zimbabwe but retired hurt during his innings and, although he returned to bat and field, it was his only game of the tour. Clarke has been at the forefront of Australian team’s resurgence in the last 12 months and is likely to play an important role in the team’s preparations for the World Cup, which starts February in Australia and New Zealand. He averages 45 with the bat in 237 ODIs, including eight centuries and 56 half centuries, and was part of Australia’s World Cup winning team in 2007. He has had more success in the test arena, averaging 51.5 in 105 matches including 27 centuries and 27 half centuries.
other Cricket news:-
Afridi is T20 captain
Shahid Afridi will captain Pakistan in Twenty20s until 2016 while Misbah-ul-Haq will remain the skipper for the World Cup next year, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced. Afridi replaced Mohammad Hafeez, who stepped down after Pakistan’s unimpressive performance at the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh this year. Afridi has led Pakistan in 19 T20s from 2009-11, losing 11 and winning eight. He was captain when the team reached the semifinals of the World Twenty20 in the West Indies in 2010. He was removed as captain in 2010 after differences with the then-PCB chairman Ijaz Butt. “Afridi’s bowling is very good in Twenty20s and we should back him,” former captain Mohammad Yousuf told Geo Television. “He just needs to take the rest of his team-mates with him.” Afridi is the world’s third highest wicket-taker in T20s, with 77 wickets from 74 matches, eight behind top wicket-taker Saeed Ajmal, who was has been suspended for a suspect action, and six behind fast bowler Umar Gul. Misbah, 40, has captained Pakistan in 74 ODIs, with a win-lost record of 40-31. Pakistan is scheduled to play eight one-dayers and three T20s in the United Arab Emirates before the World Cup in February in Australia and New Zealand. It will take on Australia in a one-off T20 and three ODIs, next month, then two T20s and five ODIs against New Zealand in December.
Source- http://www.crictoday.com/news/196-slidenews/12670-clarke-to-miss-series.html
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Windies beat Bang in second test

Veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul completed his 30th Test century and left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn followed with 5-72 as the West Indies defeated Bangladesh by 296 runs late on day four of the second test. The West Indies, playing its landmark 500th test, swept the two-test series 2-0. Chanderpaul’s unbeaten 101 allowed the West Indies to declare its second innings at 269-4 early in the day. Bangladesh, set 489 for an unlikely victory, was bowled out for 192 in the final over of the day. Benn’s second five-wicket haul of the series was supported well by fast bowler Jerome Taylor, who claimed his 100th Test wicket on his way to figures of 3-39. For the visitors, Tamim Iqbal top-scored with 64 and left-hander Mominul Haque contributed 56, the pair adding 110 for the third wicket to give the visitors hope. But once Benn removed Tamim, the innings went into terminal decline, the last eight wickets tumbling for 34 runs in an hour and a half. Earlier, the West Indies added 61 runs in 10 overs after resuming in a position of strength at 208-4. Chanderpaul and Jermaine Blackwood extended their unbroken fifth wicket stand to 169. Blackwood, resuming on 43, soon brought up his second test half century and Chanderpaul, who celebrated his 40th birthday a month ago, wasted no time in moving from 63 to another triple figure score. In doing so, the veteran became the 11th batsman to reach 30 test tons. The left-hander also became only the second West Indian to score a century after the age of 40, joining Clive Lloyd, who was watching on from the stands in his role as chairman of selectors.
Bangladesh got off to a bright start through Tamim and Shamsur Rahman. Shamsur (39) took on a short bowling barrage from Taylor, smacking him for four and two sixes, off successive balls. But he eventually fell to the stroke, top-edging straight to deep backward square leg at 47-1. One run later, Benn claimed Anamul Haque (0) edging to wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin for a duck to further strengthen the hosts’ grip. But Tamim and Mominul forged a sterling partnership either side of tea to stall the West Indies. Mominul survived a chance to Darren Bravo at first slip when 29 but the pair were largely untroubled as they batted into the final session. The 33-year-old Benn made the crucial breakthrough an hour after tea when Tamim swung across the line and skied to Shannon Gabriel at midwicket and soon added the scalp of Mominul, who hit a full toss straight to the same fielder. In between, Gabriel claimed Mahmudullah lbw for a duck. The lower order offered little resistance as Benn took his series tally to 14 wickets and Taylor brought up his 100th in his career. Benn had Nasir Hossain lbw and pouched a return chance off Taijul Islam while Taylor bowled Mushfiqur Rahim and had Robiul Islam lbw. Kemar Roach, who had taken a five-wicket haul in the first innings, ended the match by rattling the stumps of Shafiul Islam.
Source-http://www.crictoday.com/news/12672-windies-beat-bang-in-second-test.html

The broken nose saga continues

duck and be hit on the helmet or perhaps he has misjudged the length and the speed of the ball and is struck. In the pre-helmet days batsmen had to be extra careful in negotiating the faster deliveries for obviously he could not afford to be hit on the head. These days it is not an uncommon sight to see a batsmen being hit on the helmet for he is aware that even if he makes a misjudgment he is protected. But as we have seen this is not guaranteed. The recent mishap to Stuart Broad in the Old Trafford Test against India is a case in point. The tall left handed England all rounder hooked Varun Aaron for successive sixes – a grand way to open his account. Heady with success he went for another maximum off the very next ball. But having just come in perhaps he had not got his eye fully in for this delivery – another short one – was a shade quicker timed at 141 kmph and rose probably more than Broad expected. He was late on the stroke and the ball struck him flush on the grille of the helmet where it lodged itself. Some of the newer helmets have an extra grille on the visor but it appeared that Broad’s helmet didn’t. The ball went in between the grille and the peak of the helmet and it was quickly obvious that it was a nasty blow with the bridge of the nose taking the maximum impact. He was bleeding and the physio rushed out to render first aid. Broad was led off holding a cloth to the bloody nose. Not unexpectedly he did not take any further part in the match even as England made light of his absence as a bowler and won in three days by an innings and 54 runs.
Taken to hospital Broad required stitches for a fractured nose but he made a fast recovery and included in the team for the final Test at the Oval he played with a nose splint to disguise the temporary damage. Broad’s case is not the first such incident. There have been a few players over the years who have suffered grievous injuries in a similar manner with the helmet unable to save them. The most famous – or infamous depending on one’s point of view – is the one involving Mike Gatting and Malcolm Marshall. It happened on the 1985-86 England tour of the West Indies. Gatting the vice captain had been one of the few batsmen to be among the runs during the early phase of the tour but in the first ODI at Kingston he suffered a blow which had long term consequences both in playing terms and psychologically. England batted first and Gatting came in when the score was ten for two with both Tim Robinson and skipper David Gower falling for ducks to Patrick Patterson. The fearsome West Indian speed quartet was at full strength for besides Patterson, there were Marshall, Courtney Walsh and Joel Garner. Gatting had scored ten when he missed an attempted hook off Marshall and was struck flush on the nose. To add insult to injury the ball cannoned off his face to the stumps. Gatting was predictably donning protective gear but some of the early helmets did not have the visors that came in later. Gatting flew home to get his nose fixed and after convalescing for some time rejoined the team four weeks later. As misfortune would have it he broke his thumb within 20 hours of his return in the game against Barbados. In the first innings he batted bravely showing no after effects of his facial injury but after making 36 in 85 minutes he had no counter to a fast medium delivery from Vibert Greene which as bad luck would again have it lifted steeply to his bottom hand whence it looped to second slip where Carlisle Best completed the catch. Gatting did not bat in the second innings and took no further part in the tour. How much impact Gatting’s initial injury had on the team as a whole could be debated but the fact remains that England suffered a 5-0 “blackwash’’ in the Test series besides losing the ODI series 3-1.
One recalls Manoj Prabhakar meeting with the same fate at the hands of Walsh on the 1994-95 West Indian tour of India. As an opening batsman Prabhakar was courageous personified and this quality saw him face up to the fastest of bowlers despite limitations in his technique. In the third and final Test at Mohali he had scored a brave 120 in the first innings – incidentally the only Test century in his 39-match career – batting for 405 minutes and handling the pace of Walsh, Kenny Benjamin, Cameron Cuffy and Andy Cummins admirably. In the second innings when India were set a victory target of 357 Prabhakar again opened but before he could open his account he had his nose broken by Walsh in the very first over. He tried to pull the ball but it went through his helmet grille causing considerable damage. Prabhakar was led off bleeding and not unexpectedly could not come back to bat even as India went down to defeat by 243 runs. While on the subject I also recall Kris Srikkanth being hit on the face by a ball from Wasim Akram despite wearing a helmet in an ODI between India and Pakistan at Hyderabad in 1987. He had scored just two and the injury kept him out of the three remaining matches in the series. Without their most explosive batsman
Source-http://www.crictoday.com/

Chopra joins Sachin Tendulkar-owned team

Former Newcastle striker Michael Chopra’s Indian origin made him a top pick as he was bought quickly by Kerala Blasters in the international player draft of the Indian Super League. Chopra, the only English player among 49 players in the draft, was picked by the south Indian franchise which is part-owned by retired cricket great Sachin Tendulkar. “When the drafts came up, the first name that caught our attention was that of Chopra,” said former England goalkeeper David James, a player and manager with the Kerala Blasters. “We immediately decided to pick him and are happy to have him in this team.” Chopra will get $58,185 per season, according to organizers. Other prominent picks included French defender Bernard Mendy ($80,000) and former Manchester United midfielder Bojan Djordjic of Sweden ($58,185) by the Chennai franchise, while Spanish midfielder Jofre Mateu ($58,185) went to Atletico de Kolkata. The players were classified in pay brackets of $39,000 to $80,000 as the league, to be played from Oct. 12-Dec. 20, brought in a mix of some big names by Indian standards as well as upcoming players in a bid to boost the game’s following. The order of draft picks was decided by draw of lots, with the teams choosing from players in pre-decided sets according to their positions of play.
Unlike the biddings at cricket’s Indian Premier League, from which the ISL is inspired, there was no glamour quotient as the cricketers and film stars associated with the tournament did not turn up for the draft. Giant screens showed the team selection process inside the hall for the draft at a prominent five-star hotel facing the Arabian sea. All the teams have the option of selecting three players from outside the draft process, including a marquee player. Luis Garcia (Kolkata), Joan Capdevila (North East United FC) and David Trezeguet (Pune) are some of the marquee players announced so far, while other teams are still scouting for big names, which are being paid more than those in the draft. Teams will have squads of 22 with a similar process for Indian players completed last month. Most of the Indian players also figure in the national I-League tournament run by the All India Football Federation, which is likely to play second fiddle to the heavily-promoted ISL in the coming seasons. The I-League also features several foreign players but no big names since fees are generally much lower. “Frankly speaking, the I-League has not delivered,” All India Football Federation secretary-general Kushal Das said. “Indian football needed some adrenalin and we are hoping the ISL will help attract people to the game.”
The eight-team ISL is being organized by IMG-Reliance in collaboration with Rupert Murdoch’s Star India group. The presence of former cricketers and Indian film stars as co-owners in the league is expected to arouse interest in the cricket-crazy country of 1.2 billion where a number of franchise leagues in other sports have mushroomed over the past few years. Former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has a stake in Atletico de Kolkata, while Bollywood actors Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor and John Abraham are among the other co-owners of teams in Pune, Mumbai and Shillong, respectively. Meanwhile, organizers announced that Bangalore owner Sun Group has dropped out and will be replaced with one from Chennai that will be run in collaboration with Italian club Inter Milan. The name of the team will be announced later.
Source-https://www.crictoday.com

Piedt leads SA to win

South Africa beat Zimbabwe by nine wickets inside four days in the one-off test at Harare Sports Club to reinforce its position as the top-ranked team. The South Africans easily knocked off the 41 runs they needed in their second innings, finishing on 44-1 to seal victory and follow up a series win over Sri Lanka last month under new captain Hashim Amla. South Africa earlier bowled Zimbabwe out for 181 in its second innings after off-spinner Dane Piedt took 4-62 to increase his match haul to eight wickets on debut. Fast bowlers Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel picked up three wickets each in the second innings, as Zimbabwe's initial resistance was swept away and it slumped from 98-2, losing eight wickets for 83 runs on the final afternoon. Steyn, the top-ranked bowler in tests, finished with match figures of 8-84 and South Africa was seldom in trouble on a slow, lifeless pitch in Harare that the visiting batsmen and bowlers both took a little time to work out. "Very satisfied with the win, we played well through the day," South Africa's AB de Villiers said. "Test cricket is all about playing well away from home." Zimbabwe fought hard and had its own offspinner making a successful debut. John Nyumbu took 5-157 in South Africa's telling first innings of 397 to give the strugglers a positive outlook despite their batting collapse on the last day. "We were competitive for three days and were blown away after lunch today," Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor said. "A lot of positives for us. Nyumbu has been in first-class form for a number of years. Full credit to him." Playing its first test in a year and first against South Africa in a decade, Zimbabwe made 256 batting first, relying heavily on Taylor's 93. South Africa's Piedt returned 4-90 in his first bowl in tests and was an instant success when he removed Mark Vermeulen with his first ball, a delivery that turned sharply from outside the off stump on a pitch that helped the spinners more than anyone.

Steyn had enough pace and skill to trouble the Zimbabweans despite the pitch to take 5-46 in the first innings, his 24th career five-wicket haul. South Africa replied with 397, with Faf du Plessis making 98, Quinton de Kock 81, and JP Duminy 55. Opener Vusi Sibanda gritted his way to 45 as Zimbabwe held off the South Africans at the start of the second innings, but he and Vermeulen fell in successive overs to start the collapse. Steyn had 3-38 and Morkel 3-15 to back up Piedt, who won the man of the match prize.

Source-https://www.crictoday.com

Yuvarj Singh: A Consistent Effort Is Required

Yuvarj Singh: A consistent effort is required
There is no denying the fact that Yuvraj Singh has all the talent in the world to dominate any bowling unit. His firepower was at display in one of the T20 World Cup matches against Australia. Rising from nowhere, he scored a brilliant 60 which helped his team in winning the match by 73 runs. The innings had Yuvarj Singh's class written all over it but he was still not at his best. The Indian southpaw somehow managed to hold on to his place in the playing XI. He is no more part of the Indian Test setup while has also lost his place in the ODI scheme of things. The struggle started against Australia in the ODI series which continued in the West Indies series as well. He was axed from the team for the tour of New Zealand, which landed him in jeopardy as far as 2015 Cricket World Cup is concerned.

A lifeline was thrown to him when selectors decided to include him in the squad for the T20 World Cup. The trust turned into betrayal when he dismissed cheaply against the arch rivals Pakistan. The horror show was again on display but this time with the West Indian team, a match which had no pressure moments for the Men in Blue. Time was running out for him as media and fans were asking for his ouster in order to bring Ajinkya Rahane or Stuart Binny in the squad. Then came the match against Australia, which changed everything for him. After starting slowly, he finally came into his groove, hitting Australian bowlers for fours and sixes. The old touch was back and Yuvraj was seen enjoying his batting. I know he was not able to dispatches full tosses for sixes but this can happen to any batsman across the globe. His match winning performance certainly delighted his fans, who were praying for his favorite player. The knock has brought a huge sigh of relief for Yuvi. He has shown such glimpse since making his comeback after winning his battle with cancer but Team India need consistency from him. A performance here and there won't help his cause of maintaining his permanent place in the playing XI. The team is looking for a Yuvraj who could once again become the backbone of the team as his presence is crucial. The fans would love to see more of Yuvraj Singh in the future matches. India has made it to last four of the T20 World Cup and it's the responsibility of players like Yuvi to guide them through.

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Source- http://goarticles.com/article/Yuvarj-Singh-A-Consistent-Effort-Is-Required/8718664/

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T20 World Cup: Sri Lanka vs. South Africa

Sri Lanka
They are firm favorites to land their first T20 World Cup trophy in Bangladesh. The rainbow nation has played exceptional cricket in the last few years and is looking set for their first match. Kumar Sangakkara, Kusal Perera, Mahela Jayawardene and Lahiru Thirimanne are Lanka’s inform batsmen while the likes of Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera can destroy any team with their batting as well as bowling. Lasith Malinga, Ajantha Mendis and Sachithra Senanayake are quality bowlers. The only problem area for this team is Dilshan’s form with the bat.

South Africa
This team is struggling with injuries. Star bowler Dale Steyn and Faf du Plessis are doubtful for the opening match because of their hamstring. South Africa has always struggled against the spin bowling and Lanka has enough bowlers to trouble them. JP Duminy and AB de Villiers are the only two batsmen who can bat easily against all sorts of bowlers otherwise rest of the lot could find life difficult. Moreover, their bowling is not suitable for the slow and turning tracks of Bangladesh.

Verdict
Sri Lanka has a better chance of winning this one because of their well balanced squad.
Teams

South Africa Squad
F du Plessis*, HM Amla, F Behardien, Q de Kock†, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, BE Hendricks, Imran Tahir, DA Miller, JA Morkel, M Morkel, WD Parnell, AM Phangiso, DW Steyn, LL Tsotsobe

Sri Lanka Squad
LD Chandimal*, SL Malinga, TM Dilshan, HMRKB Herath, DPMD Jayawardene, KMDN Kulasekara, RAS Lakmal, AD Mathews, BAW Mendis, MDKJ Perera, NLTC Perera, S Prasanna, KC Sangakkara†, SMSM Senanayake, HDRL Thirimanne

T20 World Cup: New Zealand vs. England (7pm)
New Zealand
The Black Caps are in form at the moment. The batsmen are making runs while the bowlers have found success in restricting opposite numbers. Martin Guptill, Brendon McCullum, Ross Taylor and Luke Ronchi are tailor made for the shortest format while the likes of Corey Anderson, Jimmy Neesham and Nathan McCullum are talented all-rounders. Tim Southee and Kyle Mills have taken lot of wickets in the slam bang version of the game. They should bat sensibly against the spinners
England
This European nation is not finding their feat in the T20 format. The batsmen are not scoring runs while bowlers are leaking boundaries in every over. Michael Lumb and Eoin Morgan have shown some class in the last few matches while others have not given consistent performance. Bowlers are unable to contain the rivals. Stuart Broad, Jade Dernbach and Chris Jordan are bowling expensive bowlers.
Verdict
New Zealand has a chance of upsetting England easily.
Teams
England Squad
SCJ Broad*, EJG Morgan, MM Ali, IR Bell, RS Bopara, TT Bresnan, JC Buttler†, JW Dernbach, AD Hales, CJ Jordan, MJ Lumb, SD Parry, JC Tredwell, CR Woakes, LJ Wright

New Zealand Squad
BB McCullum*, CJ Anderson, TA Boult, AP Devcich, MJ Guptill, RM Hira, MJ McClenaghan, NL McCullum, KD Mills, C Munro, JDS Neesham, L Ronchi†, TG Southee, LRPL Taylor, KS Williamson



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ICC World Twenty20: India Vs. Pakistan

India
Team India has not lost to Pakistan in their three previous meetings of the T20 World Cups. The team led by MS Dhoni has played brilliantly against their arch rivals. However, there are several issues which need to be solved before this match. Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma have found life difficult in the shortest format of the game while the Indian bowlers are not reliable. Rohit Sharma in particular has become a burden on the team who is just not finding a way to score runs. The same could be said about fast bowlers. Mohammad Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Varun Aaron are not death bowlers and have been taken for plenty by the batsmen. The good news for the Indian team is the form of Virat Kohli and the return of Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni. These four can win matches from any situation. Even Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin are effective bowlers on the sub-continent pitches.

Pakistan
Pakistan is the most successful team in the T20 World Cups. This is one format which has seen the best of their players. Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi can dismantle any bowling unit. They have won several matches for their side and containing them won't be easy for the Indian bowlers. These four can clear boundaries on consistent basis. Pakistan has a bowling to die for. Saeed Ajmal is the best spinner in the business at the moment while Junaid Khan and Umar Gul are capable of winning matches. Their Yorkers are not easy to negotiate, which could spell trouble for the Indian batsmen.

Verdict
My heart is with the Indian team but let me get the fact right. India is not playing smart cricket while Pakistan has improved a lot in the last few matches. Pakistan is looking strong enough to win their first ever T20 game against the Men in Blue in the T20 World Cups.

India (possible playing XI): 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Suresh Raina, 5 Yuvraj Singh, 6 MS Dhoni (capt. & wk), 7 Ajinkya Rahane/Stuart Binny/Amit Mishra/Varun Aaron/Mohit Sharma, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 R Ashwin, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Mohammed Shami.

Pakistan (possible playing XI): 1 Kamran Akmal (wk), 2 Sharjeel Khan, 3 Mohammad Hafeez (capt.), 4 Umar Akmal, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Sohaib Maqsood, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Bilawal Bhatti, 9 Sohail Tanvir, 10 Umar Gul, 11 Saeed Ajmal.

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Source-http://goarticles.com/article/ICC-World-Twenty20-India-Vs.-Pakistan/8673076/

Virat Kohli: India’S Don Bradman

It is getting next to impossible to see India's victory without Virat Kohli's contribution. Sachin Tendulkar was consistent throughout his career and the current vice captain of the Indian team has kept this trend alive. His latest performance came against England in the warm up game before the T20 World Cup. The match had no significant value but after losing to Sri Lanka in their opening match, MS Dhoni's boys were under some sort of pressure. Much like every game, the team started poorly, losing Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan cheaply.

However, the Indian supporters knew that all was well till the time Virat Kohli was at the crease. After starting cautiously, the right hand batsman went on rampage against all the English bowlers. His unbeaten 73 off 47 balls had class written all over it. He along with Suresh Raina, who scored 55 off 31 balls, helped his team in posting 178 for 4 in 20 overs. It was a big task for the opposite team who could manage 158 for 6 from the allotted overs. Virat Kohli, who has been in news for his alleged affair with Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, hit 8 fours in his entire innings.

This is not the first time he has helped India in overcoming from a difficult position. Virat has been scoring runs since long and there is hardly any weakness visible in his batting at the moment. His running between the wicket and the habit of converting ones in twos and twos into three is phenomenal. He can score runs without hitting regular boundaries. The recent innings against England had no sixes, which is enough to prove that big shots are not required to maintain the tempo in the shortest format of the game. One has to be smart enough to find new ways to keep scorecard moving in the slam bang cricket. There is no denying the fact that India's chances in the T20 World Cup will depend on the performance of Virat Kohli. If he gets going in all the matches, there are chances of lifting yet another T20 trophy. He has become India's Don Bradman in a span of short time, which is worth praising. Much like Bradman, Virat Kohli takes way all the pressure from his team mates. Apart from this, he has calm down in the last few months. His critics were after him because of his habit of getting too aggressive on the field but Virat has tamed this problem. He is more calm and compose these days, which is sign of maturity. Hail Virat Kohli……………..

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Top 5: Highest Run Getters in T20 World Cups

T20 is the most beloved format of cricket at the moment. The exceptional and powerful hitting with clever piece of bowling had made this version famous in a span of short time. The T20 World Cup has started in Bangladesh and the world is expecting closely fought matches. Let's take a closer look at the top five leading run getters in the show piece event.

Mahela Jayawardene, Sri Lanka
The Lankan maestro has announced the current edition of the T20 World Cup will be his last as he is not going to play slam bang format after this. He has accumulated 858 runs in 25 matches at an average of almost 41, which is phenomenal. He has scored five fifties in the T20 World Cups, which is second highest in the history of this format. The right hand batsman has hit 91 fours, which is the highest while his 22 sixes, is fourth in the list.

Chris Gayle, West Indies
He is the most dangerous T20 batsman across the globe. The tall West Indian is known for his brutal hitting. The left hand batsman has scored 664 runs from just 18 games at an exceptional average of more than 44. His strike rate is over 150, which is breathtaking. He has more sixes (43) and fifties (6) to his name in the T20 World Cups.

Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lanka
Dilshan could miss out on the T20 World Cup as he has not fully recovered from a finger injury he sustained during the ODI series against Bangladesh. The former Lankan captain is also struggling for form but is a devastating player in the shortest format. The clean striker of the ball has scored 632 runs in 25 matches at an average of 30.

Kumar Sangakkara, Sri Lanka
He is the third Sri Lankan in the top four, which shows that Lankans prefer this format a lot. The good news is that he is in tremendous touch and could be Lanka's trump card in the T20 World Cup. The left hand batsman has added 590 runs in 25 matches and also has 75 fours to his name.

Brendon McCullum, New Zealand
Kevin Pietersen was in the fifth place but he is no more part of the international setup so it was useless to include his name. The New Zealand captain is the right candidate to take Pietersen's slot in the leading run getters list. He has been a part of all the editions of the T20 World Cups and has managed 552 runs in 21 matches.

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Virat kohli and ms dhoni a winning combo of team india

MS Dhoni is back in the team after recovering from his side strain. His presence is enough to boost confidence among his colleagues for the upcoming T20 World Cup. This is one format where he is very dangerous with the bat. His can win matches even from the dead situations, which has made him special in this shortest version. He has all the shot in his batting arsenal to score at a brisk pace. All eyes will be on his captaincy. We have been hearing that his methods have become old and less inspiring, which is the reason behind India’s poor performance in the recent times. However, it is not fair to blame him completely for the defeats. The young guns have failed to adapt and we can’t held MS Dhoni responsible for the same. Moreover, the upcoming T20 World Cup will be held in Bangladesh, which has been a happy hunting ground for the team. The comeback of Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh is good news for the team. Yuvraj Singh is a sure shot match winner and has displayed this on number of occasions in the past and this could be his tournament. Suresh Raina has a tendency of scoring in boundaries, which could help India in winning the matches. The left hand batsman has struggled a lot on the bouncy tracks but sub-continent pitches are tailor made for his shot making. He has played numerous match wining knocks for the team and same is expected from him in the upcoming T20 event.
Apart from these two, the inform Virat Kohli, is the backbone of India’s batting order. He is scoring runs since years and there is hardly any way of stopping him from doing his business. The vice captain of the Indian team is a class batsman, who like scoring against all sort of bowlers. He can hit fast bowlers across the park while his ability of handling spinners is simply superb. The Indian batting revolves around him and if he is able to score, then there is no way of stopping India from winning the game. The second area where he can be helpful is his leadership qualities. I know MS Dhoni will lead India but Kohli’s input could prove valuable for the current skipper. Kohli is experienced enough to alert MS Dhoni if he is going wrong somewhere, which is good for the team in the important tournaments like T20 World Cup. According to me, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina are the ones who could help their team in lifting another T20 trophy. There is no denying the fact that cricket is played with eleven men but there are players in each and every team who stands out from the rest because of their exceptional abilities Let’s hope that Men in Blue are able to win the biggest T20 tournament across the globe.
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Million-dollar buys rule IPL auction

Indian Premier League, the T20 extravaganza, is known for providing fun, excitement, sadness and unlimited action at a faster pace. The auctions were held in Bangalore in order to finalize the teams for the upcoming edition. Let’s take a look at the formation of the teams after the all important auction process.
Kings XI Punjab
Squad: 23 (Indian 16, overseas 7)
Cost: INR 55.90 crore
Batting arsenal: George Bailey (INR 3.25 crore), Virender Sehwag (INR 3.2 crore), Shaun Marsh (INR 2.2 crore), Cheteshwar Pujara (INR 1.9 crore), Gurkeerat Singh (INR 1.3 crore), Mandeep Singh (INR 80 lakh), David Miller (retained), Manan Vohra (retained)
Allrounders: Glenn Maxwell (INR 6 crore), Rishi Dhawan (INR 3 crore), Thisara Perera (INR 1.6 crore), Akshar Patel (INR 75 lakh), Karanveer Singh (INR 10 lakh)
Wicketkeeper-batsmen: Wriddhiman Saha (INR 2.2 crore)
Bowling unit: Murali Kartik (INR 1 crore), Shivam Sharma (INR 10 lakh), Mitchell Johnson (INR 6.5 crore), Beuran Hendricks (INR 1.8 crore), L Balaji (INR 1.8 crore), Sandeep Sharma (INR 85 lakh), Parvinder Awana (INR 65 lakh), Anureet Singh (INR 20 lakh), Shardul Thakur (INR 20 lakh)
Expensive player at auction: Mitchell Johnson (INR 6.5 crore)
Best bargain buy: Shaun Marsh (INR 2.2 crore)
Strengths: They were able to play their cards with perfection in the recently held auctions. Kings XI Punjab has added firepower in almost every department of the game. Virender Sehwag is out of form since long but this could be his IPL. Moreover, the likes of Glenn Maxwell, Thisara Perera, Mitchell Johnson and Rishi Dhawan can dismantle any unit with their individual performances. It would be interesting to see how Cheteshwar Pujara goes about his business in this format of the game.

Weaknesses: Kings XI Punjab doesn’t have a quality spinner in their side. Murali Kartik has lost his touch and is at the end of his career. Shivam Sharma is still a budding spinner, who will be under pressure to make his performance count in the IPL. The wicket keeping area could be another concern as Wriddhiman Saha is only known for his keeping skills rather than his batting.
Kolkata Knight Riders
Squad: 21 (Indian 13, overseas 8)
Cost: INR 59 crore
Batting arsenal: Manish Pandey (INR 1.7 crore), Chris Lynn (INR 1.3 crore), Suryakumar Yadav (INR 70 lakh), Gautam Gambhir (retained)

Allrounders: Jacques Kallis (INR 5.5 crore), Yusuf Pathan (INR 3.25 crore), Shakib Al Hasan (INR 2.8 crore), Ryan ten Doeschate (INR 1 crore), Andre Russell (INR 60 lakh)
Wicketkeeper-batsmen: Robin Uthappa (INR 5 crore), Manvinder Bisla (INR 60 lakh), Debabrata Das (INR 20 lakh), SS Mondal (INR 10 lakh)
Bowling unit: Piyush Chawla (INR 4.25 crore), Kuldeep Yadav (INR 40 lakh), Sunil Narine (retained), Vinay Kumar (INR 2.8 crore), Morne Morkel (INR 2.8 crore), Umesh Yadav (INR 2.6 crore), Pat Cummins (INR 1 crore), Veer Pratap Singh (INR 40 lakh)
Expensive player at auction: Jacques Kallis (INR 5.5 crore)
Best bargain buy: Andre Russell (INR 60 Lakh)
Strengths: Kolkata Knight Riders have assembled a good squad for the best T20 league across the globe. They have strength in the batting department while their bowling is capable enough of defending low scores. The whole world knows about the destruction Robin Uthappa is capable of causing in the IPL. The arrival of Morne Morkel, Umesh Yadav and Pat Cummins has certainly boasted the strength of the fast bowling unit.
Weaknesses: The only problem with the Kolkata Knight Riders could be the form of their players in the upcoming season of the cash rich league. Gautam Gambhir and Yusuf Pathan have been struggling for runs since long and if this continues in the IPL, things could become bad for the former champions. Their evergreen all-rounder Jacques Kallis has a good record but his growing age could affect his performance in the fast pace game.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Squad: 21 (Indians 14, overseas 7)
Cost: INR 60 crore
Batting arsenal: Nic Maddinson (INR 50 lakh), Vijay Zol (INR 30 lakh), Tanmay Mishra (INR 10 lakh), Virat Kohli (retained), Chris Gayle (retained)
Allrounders: Yuvraj Singh (INR 14 crore), Albie Morkel (INR 2.4 crore), Yuzvendra Chahal (INR 10 lakh)
Wicketkeeper-batsmen: Parthiv Patel (INR 1.4 crore), Yogesh Takawale (INR 10 lakh), AB de Villiers (retained)
Bowling unit: Muttiah Muralitharan (INR 1 crore), Shadab Jakati (INR 20 lakh), Mitchell Starc (INR 5 crore), Varun Aaron (INR 2 crore), Ashok Dinda (INR 1.5 crore), Ravi Rampaul (INR 90 lakh), Harshal Patel (INR 40 lakh), Abu Nechim (INR 30 lakh), Sachin Rana (INR 20 lakh), Sandeep Warrier (INR 10 lakh)
Expensive player at auction: Yuvraj Singh (INR 14 crore)
Best bargain buy: Albie Morkel (INR 2.4 crore)
Strengths: They have a batting line up which can score 300 runs in the allotted 20 overs of the game. They have bought Yuvraj Singh for the whopping Rs. 14 crore and he is one player who can win tournament of his own forget about winning the few games. This team has done a great business by adding Albie Morkel and Mitchell Starc in their team as these two are renowned T20 players, who are always consistent. Albie Morkel has played an important part in winning two league crowns for his former team Chennai Super Kings and has been brought in to do the same.
Weaknesses: They have a habit of over relying on Chris Gayle, which could once again hamper their winning chances in the Indian Premier League. Moreover, they have exhausted much of their cash on acquiring the services of foreign stars despite knowing that they can field on four of them in a match. Apart from Yuvraj Singh and Virat Kohli, there are hardly any other Indian batsmen in the team, who could score heavily for them.
Mumbai Indians
Squad: 21 (Indian 13, overseas 8)
Cost: INR 59.95 crore
Batting arsenal: Michael Hussey (INR 5 crore), Apoorv Wankhede (INR 10 lakh), Rohit Sharma (retained), Ambati Rayudu (retained)
Allrounders: Corey Anderson (INR 4.5 crore), Jalaj Saxena (INR 90 lakh), Kieron Pollard (retained)
Wicketkeeper-batsmen: Aditya Tare (INR 1.6 crore), CM Gautham (INR 20 lakh), Ben Dunk (INR 20 lakh), Sushant Marathe (INR 10 lakh)
Bowling unit: Pragyan Ojha (INR 3.25 crore), Shreyas Gopal (INR 10 lakh), Harbhajan Singh (retained), Zaheer Khan (INR 2.6 crore), Jasprit Bumrah (INR 1.2 crore), Josh Hazlewood (INR 50 lakh), Krishmar Santokie (INR 30 lakh), Marchant de Lange (INR 30 lakh), Pawan Suyal (INR 10 lakh), Lasith Malinga (retained)
Expensive player at auction: Michael Hussey (INR 5 crore)
Best bargain buy: Corey Anderson (INR 4.5 crore)
Strengths: This team is renowned for its strong base which has helped them in winning their first title in the last edition of the Indian Premier League. Mumbai Indians have retained their top five players while have added new established names. Michael Hussey is a match winner, who was the highest run scorer in the IPL in 2013. They were successful in picking up Corey Anderson, who is the new sensation of world cricket. He has been literally hitting the bowlers out of the park since scoring fastest ODI hundred. Zaheer Khan will add new dimension to their fast bowling.
Weaknesses: The only problem could be the lack of high quality batsmen in the team. Apart from Captain Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu, there is hardly any other batsman from India who is a T20 specialist. Sachin Tendulkar has retired while Dinesh Karthik has moved to Delhi Daredevils. The absence of such talent could affect the reigning champions in their title bid. Also, there is hardly any good wicket-keeper batsman in the team.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Squad: 24 (Indian 17, overseas 7)
Cost: INR 59 crore
Batting arsenal: David Warner (INR 5.5 crore), Aaron Finch (INR 4 crore), KL Rahul (INR 1 crore), Venugopal Rao (INR 55 lakh), S Anirudha (INR 20 lakh), Manprit Juneja (INR 10 lakh), Ricky Bhui (INR 10 lakh), Shikhar Dhawan (retained)
Allrounders: Darren Sammy (INR 3.5 crore), Irfan Pathan (INR 2.4 crore), Moises Henriques (INR 1 crore), Parveez Rasool (INR 95 lakh)
Wicketkeeper-batsmen: Naman Ojha (INR 50 lakh), Brendan Taylor (INR 30 lakh), Amit Paunikar (INR 20 lakh)
Bowling unit: Amit Mishra (INR 4.75 crore), Karan Sharma (INR 3.75 crore), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (INR 4.25 crore), Ishant Sharma (INR 2.6 crore), Jason Holder (INR 75 lakh), P Parameswaran (INR 30 lakh), Ashish Reddy (INR 20 lakh), Chama Milind (INR 10 lakh), Dale Steyn (retained)
Expensive player at auction: David Warner (INR 5.5 crore)
Best Bargain buy: Irfan Pathan (INR 2.4 crore)

Strengths: They have the most dangerous pair in this format of the game. David Warner and Aaron Finch are no pushovers and containing them is next to impossible for any team. They can chase any score and has the ability of putting tons of runs on the board that too against the best bowling attack. The addition of Irfan Pathan is good news for the team as he will be gearing up to prove his worth again to the Indian selectors. Sunrisers Hyderabad was able to win back Amit Mishra and Karan Sharma. These two were their star performers in 2013.

Weaknesses: Apart from Shikhar Dhawan, they have no one from India, who could take the responsibility of scoring runs in the middle order. They will be counting on the performance of their foreign stars but if they are unable to score the much needed runs, life won’t be easy for a team which surprised everyone with their performance in the last edition of the Indian Premier League.
Chennai Super Kings 
Squad: 20 (Indian 12, overseas 8)
Cost: INR 59.80 crore
Batting arsenal: Batsmen: Faf du Plessis (INR 4.75 crore), Mithun Manhas (INR 30 lakh), Suresh Raina (retained)
Allrounders: Dwayne Smith (INR 4.5 crore), John Hastings (INR 50 lakh), Vijay Shankar (INR 10 lakh), B Aparajith (INR 10 lakh), Dwayne Bravo (retained), Ravindra Jadeja (retained)
Wicketkeeper-batsmen: Brendon McCullum (INR 3.25 crore), MS Dhoni (retained)
Bowling unit: Samuel Badree (INR 30 lakh), Pawan Negi (INR 10 lakh), R Ashwin (retained), Mohit Sharma (INR 2 crore), Ashish Nehra (INR 2 crore), Ishwar Pandey (INR 1.5 crore), Ben Hilfenhaus (INR 1 crore), Matt Henry (INR 30 lakh), Ronit More (INR 10 lakh)
Expensive player at auction: Faf du Plessis (INR 4.75 crore)
Best bargain buy: Dwayne Smith (INR 4.5 crore)
Strengths: This team has retained their best five players who are capable of winning matches against all the other franchises. Apart from them, the availability of all-rounders makes Chennai Super Kings a dangerous unit. Dwayne Smith and Brendon McCullum, the two new entries, are renowned for their exploits in the shortest format of the game and if they are picked in the playing XI, let’s be sure of some breathtaking display from their willows. The addition of Samuel Badree will help this team on the turning tracks.
Weaknesses: I know Mohit Sharma was superb in the last edition of the Indian Premier League but he is still learning about the dos and don’ts of the cricket. Their fast bowling is looking weak as only Ben Hilfenhaus has an experience of playing at the highest level.
Delhi Daredevils
Squad: 23 (Indian 16, overseas 7)
Cost: INR 60 crore

Batting arsenal: Kevin Pietersen (INR 9 crore), M Vijay (INR 5 crore), Manoj Tiwary (INR 2.8 crore), JP Duminy (INR 2.2 crore), Ross Taylor (INR 2 crore), Kedar Jadhav (INR 2 crore), Mayank Agarwal (INR 1.6 crore), Saurabh Tiwary (INR 70 lakh), Milind Kumar (INR 10 lakh)
Allrounders: Laxmi Ratan Shukla (INR 1.5 crore), Jimmy Neesham (INR 1 crore), Jayant Yadav (INR 10 lakh)
Wicketkeeper-batsmen: Dinesh Karthik (INR 12.5 crore), Quinton de Kock (INR 3.5 crore)
Bowling unit: Rahul Sharma (INR 1.9 crore), Shahbaz Nadeem (INR 85 lakh), Nathan Coulter-Nile (INR 4.25 crore), Mohammad Shami (INR 4.25 crore), Jaydev Unadkat (INR 2.8 crore), Wayne Parnell (INR 1 crore), Siddarth Kaul (INR 45 lakh), Rahul Shukla (INR 40 lakh), HS Sharath (INR 10 lakh)
Expensive player at auction: Dinesh Karthik (INR 12.5 crore)
Best bargain buy: Ross Taylor (INR 2 crore)
Strengths: They have learned a lesson from the drubbing they had in the last edition of the Indian Premier League. Delhi Daredevils have got rid of all their failing stars and have formed a team which is complete in every department of the game. Kevin Pietersen is back for them and is available for the whole season. Murali Vijay, Manoj Tiwary, Saurabh Tiwary and Dinesh Karthik are the leading Indian players in the shortest format of the game and their presence in the batting lineup is enough to guarantee a much required stability.
Weaknesses: It is difficult to find any weaknesses in the squad of the Delhi Daredevils as they have cover for each and every department of the game. They are bit tight in the all-rounder’s category, which could hurt them. The players of this team will have to make sure that they give their best in the important moments of the games as this format is cruel and unforgivable.
Rajasthan Royals
Squad: 25 (Indian 17, overseas 8)
Cost: INR 54.45 crore

Batting arsenal: Brad Hodge (INR 2.4 crore), Karun Nair (INR 75 lakh), Unmukt Chand (INR 65 lakh), Ajinkya Rahane (retained)
Allrounders: Steven Smith (INR 4 crore), Rajat Bhatia (INR 1.7 crore), Abhishek Nayar (INR 1 crore), Ben Cutting (INR 80 lakh), Kevon Cooper (INR 30 lakh), Rahul Tewatia (INR 10 lakh), Shane Watson (retained), Stuart Binny (retained), James Faulkner (retained)
Wicketkeeper-batsmen: Dishank Yagnik (INR 30 lakh), Ankush Bains (INR 10 lakh), Sanju Samson (retained)
Bowling unit: Iqbal Abdullah (INR 65 lakh), Ankit Sharma (INR 10 lakh), Pravin Tambe (INR 10 lakh), Tim Southee (INR 1.2 crore), Dhaval Kulkarni (INR 1.1 crore), Kane Richardson (INR 1 crore), Deepak Hooda (INR 40 lakh), Vikramjeet Malik (INR 20 lakh), Amit Mishra (INR 10 lakh)
Expensive player at auction: Steven Smith (INR 4 crore)
Best bargain buy: Rajat Bhatia (INR 1.7 crore)
Strengths: When you have Rahul Dravid in the camp, the planning and strategy has to be perfect. The Rajasthan Royals were able to buy lot of players despite not spending their full amount and the credit should be given to their former captain. .Tim Southee is another great buy.
Weaknesses
They have a squad where many of the players are inexperienced when it comes to shortest format of the game. Moreover, there could be an issue with the fast bowlers. There is no big Indian name in their fast bowling recourses. This has been the case with them over the years and might once again find some solution for this. They will certainly miss Rahul Dravid’s services as a captain, who was influential in the last edition.
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