INDIA vs PAKISTAN - The History Continues...

ICC T20 World Cup 2012 Schedule

GROUPS:

FIXTURES - Qualifiers & Super 8s:

 

FIXTURES - Semi-Final & Final:

INDIA won Under-19 World Cup - 2012

India won their third Under-19 World Cup title as captain Unmukt Chand came up with a crucial, unbeaten ton in the final against Australia. India won its first Under-19 World Cup title in 2000 under the leadership of Mohammed Kaif and in 2008 under Virat Kohli. It is Chand’s third consecutive century in tournament finals to lift the trophy. It is said to be the highest successful chase at this venue to beat defending champions Australia in the final. Australian skipper Bosisto was awarded the Player of the Tournament award.

Earlier Australia posted a competitive total of 225 for 8 with the help of skipper William Bosisto (87 not out) who rebuilt the innings from 38 for 4. India's chase was a Topsy-turvy chase but it was steered around by the captain, who scored 111 not out off 130 balls with six sixes and seven boundaries. He was well supported by Baba Aparajith and Smit Patel who remained unbeaten on 62. India’s U-19 victory was applauded by Sachin Tendulkar, M.S.Dhoni and many former players. BCCI announces Rs 20 lakh cash prize for India Under-19 squad.

VVS Laxman retires from International Cricket

Very Very Special Laxman has announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect ending a 16-year career. Laxman represented India in 134 Tests, scoring 8781 runs at 45.97. Laxman made six of his 17 Test centuries against Australia, with an average of 49.67 in 29 Tests and success both home and away. His innings against Australia at Eden Gardens in Kolkata in 2001 with his 281 runs is the greatest achievement, then the highest score by an Indian batsman in Tests. His stand with Rahul Dravid which set up a stunning victory for the home team after following on and ended Australia's consecutive 16-match winning streak is the most memorable match of this era fans. Accidentally his last match also came against Australia. He will be remembered for several innings of extreme elegance under pressure. He is known for his match saving innings. 

I would say his retirement as an end of a glorious chapter of Indian cricket. This graceful batsman has chosen to retire with dignity and kept his pain to himself. He has been constantly criticized for his poor show in last 2 series against England and Australia and also it was said that he is blocking the position young talents. When he was asked about criticism in the emotional press conference, he responded that right from the start of his career there have been a lot of people who wrote negative about him and there have been more people who have been well wishers and talked positive about him. In a country like India, where cricket is more like a religion than a sport, if you try to satisfy each and every one, it's next to impossible.

It is not easy to be a match-winner at any level. Laxman acquired this reputation at the international level. He is an exceptional cricketer, who excelled in pressure situations. If a cricketer’s greatness is to be measured, his performances against the best opposition of his time (Australia) speak for himself. He became the second Indian batsman after Tendulkar to score more than 2000 runs against the Aussies. With Laxman's retirement, only Sachin Tendulkar remains among the golden generation of Indian cricketers after the retirements of all former Indian captains - Anil Kumble, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid.    

Olympic Games - 2012 Medal Count

World's Highest-Paid Cricketers

   

1. Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Total Earnings: $26.5 million
Cricket Pay: $3.5 million
Endorsements: $23 million
National Team: India
IPL Team: Chennai Super Kings
Major Sponsors: Reebok, PepsiCo, Sony

 

2. Sachin Tendulkar

Total Earnings: $18.6 million
Cricket Pay: $2.1 million
Endorsements: $16.5 million
National Team: India
IPL Team: Mumbai Indians
Major Sponsors: Adidas, Coca-Cola, Castrol

3. Gautam Gambhir

Total Earnings: $7.3 million
Cricket Pay: $3.9 million
Endorsements: $3.4 million
National Team: India
IPL Team: Kolkata Knight Riders
Major Sponsors: Reebok, Red Bull, Hero Honda

4. Virat Kohli

Total Earnings: $7.1 million
Cricket Pay: $3.1 million
Endorsements: $4 million
National Team: India
IPL Team: Royal Challengers Bangalore
Major Sponsors: Nike, PepsiCo, Toyota

5. Virender Sehwag

Total Earnings: $6.9 million
Cricket Pay: $2.8 million
Endorsements: $4.1 million
National Team: India
IPL Team: Delhi Daredevils
Major Sponsors: Fila, Hero Honda, Royal Challenge

 

6. Shane Watson

Total Earnings: $5.9 million
Cricket Pay: $2.9 million
Endorsements: $3 million
National Team: Australia
IPL Team: Rajasthan Royals
Major Sponsors: Gunn & Moore, Asics, TAG Heuer

 

7. Michael Clarke

Total Earnings: $4.9 million
Cricket Pay: $2.7 million
Endorsements: $2.2 million
National Team: Australia
IPL Team: Pune Warriors India
Major Sponsors: Spartan Sports, Gillette, Bonds

 

8. Brett Lee

Total Earnings: $4.8 million
Cricket Pay: $1.8 million
Endorsements: $3 million
National Team: Australia*
IPL Team: Kolkata Knight Riders
Major Sponsors: Reebok, Gatorade, Vodafone

*Lee retired from international cricket in July, 2012.

 

9. Ricky Ponting

Total Earnings: $4.1 million
Cricket Pay: $1.8 million
Endorsements: $2.3 million
National Team: Australia
IPL Team: None
Major Sponsors: Kookaburra, Valvoline, Rexona

10. Yusuf Pathan

Total Earnings: $3.7 million
Cricket Pay: $3.3 million
Endorsements: $350,000
National Team: India
IPL Team: Kolkata Knight Riders
Major Sponsors: PepsiCo, Tata Indicom

IPL 2012 Highlights

Indian Premier League is considered to be the greatest of all county crickets organized all over the world. With great players, umpires, referees, commentators and spectators from all over the world, IPL has achieved its maximum this year with full of greatest moments and also some flops and bad events. Let’s have a look at the statistics and some interesting facts of 5^th edition of IPL.

Under estimated KKR has bagged the IPL 2012 Trophy (Champions)

Defending champions CSK finds second spot in IPL 2012 (Runners)

DLF Golden Player of IPL 2012 - Sunil Narine (KKR) 

Citi Rising Star in IPL 2012 - Mandeep Singh (Kings XI Punjab)

IPL 2012 –Overview:

IPL 2012 has 76 matches with 22,453 runs with 732 super sixes and 12,036 boundaries in its account. This includes 96 fifties and the longest six is 112 meters by M.S.Dhoni.

From bowling perspective, 857 wickets have been taken with 6241 dot balls and 154 kmph by Dale Steyn being the fastest ball of the tournament. This tournament has seen 29 balls with 150+ kmph, most of which delivered by Shaun Tait.

Murali Vijay (CSK) has become the first Indian cricketer to score two IPL centuries.  

Orange Cap:

The highest run getter of this tournament is rewarded with Orange Cap. Chris Gayle (RCB) won this award with 733 runs off 15 matches at an average of 61. He is the highest individual scorer of IPL 2012 and also hits maximum number of sixes (59).

•  Chris Gayle (RCB) – 733 runs
• Gautam Gambhir (KKR) – 590 runs
• Shikhar Dhawan (DC) – 569 runs

Highest Strike-Rates:

• David Warner (DD) – 164.10  (256 runs)
• Virender Sehwag (DD) – 161.23 (495 runs)
• AB de Villiers (RCB) – 161.11 (319 runs)

Purple Cap: 

The highest wicket taker of this tournament is rewarded with Purple Cap. Morne Morkel (DD) bagged this cap with 25 wickets in 16 matches at an average of 18.12.

• Morne Morkel (DD) – 25 wickets
• Sunil Narine (KKR) - 24 wickets
• Lasith Malinga (MI) – 22 wickets

Best Bowling Figures:

• Ravindra Jadeja (CSK) – 5/16 (4 overs)
• Sunil Narine (KKR) - 5/19 (4 overs)
• Dimitri Mascarenhas (Kings XI) - 5/25 (4 overs)

Best Economy Rate:

• Sunil Narine (KKR) – 5.47
• Dale Steyn (DC) – 6.10
• Lasith Malinga (MI) – 6.30

Most number of maiden overs was bowled Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Praveen Kumar (3 overs each).

Fairplay Award:

• Rajasthan Royals (Rahul Dravid)

• Kings XI Punjab (Adam Gilchrist \ David Hussey)

• Deccan Chargers (Kumara Sanagakkara \ Cameron White)

CSK in IPL-2012 Play-offs

Once again Chennai Super Kings have made it to the playoffs, with a little help from Deccan Chargers. Since their 16th and final league game on Thursday, a defeat to Kings XI Punjab, Super Kings’ fate depended on three other results. Everything had gone in positive way to Chennai, but RCB remains rival till the end. It was a do or die match for RCB and it was expected to make it to playoff as the opposition team is considered to be underdog of IPL-2012. The beginning went in favour of RCB picking up all the crucial wickets of Deccan in quick session but Duminy single—handedly took the attack to the opposition and sent the bowlers for a leather hunt to rack up runs in quick time. With the strong batting line up, a target of 133 runs seemed to be so simple for RCB until Dale Steyn produced a fiery pace bowling spell of three for just eight runs which includes dangerous Chris Gayle and his opening partner Tillakaratne Dilshan. So finally in the 5^th edition of IPL, defending champions Chennai Super Kings go through the play—offs stage, along with table—toppers Delhi Daredevils, Kolkata Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians. CSK is the only team who has made to the semi finals so far.

Australian Open 2012 - Historic Match

Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open with 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 7-5 against Rafael Nadal.in a match that lasted 5hr 53min. The breathless 32-stroke rally, at 5-4 in the final set drew a standing ovation from the crowd. Novak has spent 11 hours of past 54 hours in the court and everyone is amazed by his athletic performance and stamina.

The match didn’t have much heat in the opening set even though set it lasted long and the next two sets had been more or less one-way traffic. Then, in the fourth set, just when Nadal looked to be on his way home, the Spaniard pounced. From 3-4 and 0-40 down in that set, Nadal exploded into action. At one occasion, both looked very tired still played hard and neither of them were ready to give up the title. At two sets all and 4-4 and deuce, Djokovic won the last eight points of the set, the last four on Nadal's serve which helped him to seal the trophy.

Everyone could find extreme tiredness in his body and his eyes staring glassily into the distance. It was the face of a man who had exhausted all his inner reserves. But he should have been extremely satisfied as he had just delivered one of the greatest sporting performances of the age. Nadaal should be the most frustrated man at this point as his hard work went in vain. Still he should be proud of giving a strong opposition and for making this game as one of the immemorable for everyone.

Post match in the presentation ceremony, Novak expressed that he is playing against one of the greatest players ever. And also admitted that Nadal is mentally strong, and he always comes up with his best game and best shots at the right moments. But still when he was 4‑2 down, he pushed himself up to the limit. Hope everyone might have watched this match and for those who missed it, below is the match summary in detail.