Team India To Take on Bangla Tigers in Bangalore - ICC WT20 2016

India Vs Bangladesh – Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, 23rd March 2016 - ICC WT20 Match Preview

India will clash with Bangladesh in an important group 1 clash tomorrow at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore. The pitch for this clash is expected to be a flat deck after India has got two rank turners in Nagpur and Kolkata. The small boundaries will also mean that the batsmen can expect to breathe a little easily.

India will be high on confidence after they defeated arch rivals Pakistan in a high voltage match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. On the other hand, Bangladesh are coming off a defeat to Australia and having also lost to Pakistan in their opening game they will have to win this one to have any chance to progress to the knock out stage of the tournament.

The Indian batting, apart from Virat Kohli has looked pretty shaky with Rohit, Dhawan and especially Raina all falling cheaply at both Nagpur and Kolkata. Yuvraj too has not had much to do in the middle and it is only Kohli and to an extent Dhoni who have carried the Indian batting in the recent games. A game against the weaker Bangladeshi bowling line up might just be the tonic that the Indian batsmen need to get back in form.

The Bangladesh bowling attack will be sans Taskin and Arafat, both of whom have been banned after their bowling actions were deemed to be illegal. Their bowlers strived manly against a strong Aussie line up at Bangalore, with Mustafizur and Shakib being the key men. Mustafizur is someone who has tasted plenty of success against India and he will be hoping to make an impact in tomorrow's game as well.

The Bangla batting has also been in good form with Tamim, Sabbir, Shakib and Mahmudullah all making runs in some game or the other from Asia Cup onwards to the qualifying games and also against Pakistan and Australia. Tamim missed the match against Australia due to fever but he should be back for this crucial encounter.

The Indian bowling was expected to be carried on the shoulders of Ashwin buy he had performed well below par in the first two games on helpful pitches. Nehra and Bumrah have been exceptional at the top of the innings and also been doing a good job at the death.

This being a do or die game for both India and Bangladesh with a loss seriously jeopardising the prospects of a semi final appearance for them. Bangladesh has had a healthy rivalry with India recently and it should be a good game as the stakes are high in this clash.

Pakistan Battle for Survival against a Rampaging Kiwi Team

Group 2: Pakistan Vs New Zealand, #WT20 2016 at Mohali - Match Preview

New Zealand and Pakistan are two teams who are having a polar opposite time at the ICC WT20 2016. While New Zealand have thrived and prospered under new skipper Kane Williamson, Pakistan suffered a convincing loss against arch rivals India. The loss has jeopardised Pakistan's chances of making it to the semi final stage. New Zealand, on the other hand has tasted two victories against India and Australia and are almost through to the last four barring any calamity.

The Pakistan batting, which showed glimpses of their prowess against Bangladesh crumbled against India in the face of pressure. They need men like Hafeez, Malik and Akmal to provide the spark in the batting. Shahzad and Sarfaraz must also take greater responsibility if the above key men fail to deliver.

The Kiwi bowling has hummed nicely even without two of their most potent bowlers on Southee and Boult but one or both of them might return at Mohali, a ground which traditionally favours the quicker bowlers. They already have McClenaghan and Milne who will provide raw pace while the left arm spin off Mitch Santner has also strangled the opposition in both the games that New Zealand have won so far.

The Black Caps batting to had left a bit too be desired but on pitches which are as alien to them as any they will encounter, they have mannered to apply themselves better than their opponents. Williamson had been a calming head at the top which allows players like Guptill, Munro and Anderson to go ballistic at the other end. The experience of Taylor and the firepower of Ronchi have also served them well thus far. Then there is the ever improving Mitch Santner who can be rock solid or enterprising depending on the situation.

They will be up against a very good Pakistani pace attack comprising of Amir, Irfan, Wahab and Sami who will certainly be hoping that the Mohali pitch lives up to its reputation of being helpful to the faster bowlers. They also have Afridi who was very good against Bangladesh but might not get much purchase from the pitch in Mohali.

It promises to be a keenly contested match between two teams who will be eager to get a win under their belt, New Zealand so that they can seal their semi final spot and Pakistan so that they can stay in contention for the same. Another thing of interest in this match will be the captaincy of Williamson and Afridi - while Williamson has seamlessly taken over from Brendon McCullum, Afridi seems to be struggling and is under huge pressure to perform especially after the loss to India.

Pictures and Videos from the South Africa England Clash in the ICC WT20 2016 played at Wankhede in Mumbai

18th March 2011. I visited the hallowed Wankhede Stadium for the first time ever to witness a Cricket Match Live. It was the ICC 50 over World Cup 2011 and the match was between Sri Lanka, a team that I strongly support and New Zealand, a team that is likeable on and off the field.

 There was plenty of support for the Lankan Team that day 5 years ago!!

Two Friends, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, combined to torment the Kiwi's with a stand of almost 150 runs! Sanga made 111, Mahela 66.

Murli, then ran through the Kiwi line up - 

picking up 4 wickets in his 8 overs for just 25 runs!

Move 5 years forward. 18th March 2016. I went to watch South Africa take on England at the Wankhede, this time in the ICC WT20 2016. It turned out to be a cracking match with over 450 runs being scored in under 40 overs. I had a great view of the happenings on the field, having secured a seat in the Sunil Gavaskar Stand.

Here are some of the Pictures and Videos that I captured from that day! Enjoy!!

The Team Buses - Ready to ferry the Players from the Trident to the Wankhede, 

the Players must have enjoyed the Marine Drive Ride!

Wankhede looked pristine, filling up slowly - the crowd had waited in the searing heat to get in almost 3 hours before the game started!

The South African team arrived to a huge applause and 

chants of ABD... ABD... filled the air!

South Africa were the team that had the support of, I reckon, 90% of the crowd. 

AB De Villiers probably had 100%!

The match started furiously with both Amla and De Kock hitting 4's and 6's at will, they put on almost a 100 in just 7 overs!!

De Kock hit superbly through the off side, I managed to capture this wonderful lofted Cover Drive!

The huge crowd was on it's feet when De Villiers walked out, a huge roar greeted him and the chants reverberated in the Wankhede again... ABD... ABD... ABD...

The English made a spirited start to a huge chase, Hales and Roy putting up a show before Joe Root continued the assault with a calculated innings!

Chris Jordan was out caught brilliantly in the deep off the first ball of the last over by JP Duminy but the match was almost as good as over by then!

In the end, it was a stroll in the park for England, they needed just a solitary run off the last over to chase down the huge 230 set by the Protea team!!

I had a wonderful time at the Wankhede, a boisterous and colourful crowd adding to the atmosphere of this important WT20 2016 clash.

I hope you enjoyed this post!! Please share this post if you liked it and leave your precious comments regarding the South Africa-England WT20 Match!!

Nervy India to Clash with Surging Pakistani Team at Eden Gardens in Kolkata

India Vs Pakistan - Eden Gardens, Kolkata, 19th March 2016 - ICC WT20 Match Preview

After all the uncertainty that clouded Pakistan Team's participation in the ICC WT20 2016, they outplayed Bangladesh quite convincingly - their batsmen putting up their hands collectively before the bowlers put in a strong effort to defend the total.

India, on the other hand, overwhelming favourites of probably reach and every Cricket pundit under the Sun endured a horrific start to their campaign as they capsized to 78 all out in their opening encounter against a fired up Kiwi team at Nagpur.

An India vs Pakistan clash is always big and when it comes with the added tag of being a World Cup match, the stakes are almost unmatchable, the pressure almost unbearable and the winner of this match will take huge confidence and momentum going forward in the World Cup.

These two teams clashed in the Asia Cup T20I recently in Bangladesh and the Pakistani batting collapsed on that occasion on a seaming track. India has some problems early on as Mohammad Amir ran through the Indian to order before Virat Kohli rescued India with sublime batting.

The main clash will be that of the Pakistani bowling attack comprising of Amir, Irfan, Wahab and Afridi against the likes of Rohit, Kohli and Raina. With the Indian batsmen enduring a metronomic brain fade in Nagpur the onus will be on them to put up a better show this time around but it will not be that easy against Pakistan.

The Indian bowlers to need to guard against complacency as Pakistan have Hafeez, Malik and Akmal all in good form of late. Ashwin was not at his best against New Zealand and on a pitch that is expected to afford turn a lot will depend on Ashwin from the Indian point of view.

Bumrah and Nehra will have to ensure that they keep things tight early on and build the pressure so that the spinners can force mistakes of the batsmen as they will look to hit out.

I am especially looking forward to the Kohli-Amir duel part 2, after they played out a fascinating opening round in the Asia Cup clash. Amir will be keen to get one back on Kohli while the Indian batting superstar will no doubt look to stamp his authority on the big game.

This match was shifted from one of the most scenic cricket grounds where one can meditate looking at the snow capped peaks of the Dhauladhar Range in the background to one that is probably a cauldron of noise and chaos as 80,000 people cram into the Eden Gardens. The crowd will back India to the hilt and will give the Pakistani fielders a tough time for sure on the boundary. India must capitalise on the home support and win this all important clash else they are in danger of being thrown out of the party that they are themselves hosting in their house!

Key Battles to Look out for in the #IndVsPak Match at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, ICC WT20 2016:

Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan Vs Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Irfan

Virat Kohli Vs Mohammad Amir

Shahid Afridi Vs Yuvraj Singh

Shoaib Malik and Umar Akmal Vs R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja

Favourites India take on Dark Horse New Zealand in the Opening Encounter of the ICC WT20 2016

Group 2: India Vs New Zealand, #WT20 2016 at Nagpur - Match Preview

The qualifiers are done and dusted with (Afghanistan and Bangladesh have qualified) and now the main show of the ICC WT20 2016 can begin in all earnestness. Hosts and favourites, India will lock horns with the Kiwi team tomorrow at Nagpur to kick things off in this much anticipated mega event.

India are strong favourites for this WT20 having looked almost invincible lately - defeating Australia 3-0 in Australia, blanking Sri Lanka 2-1 in India before storming home to lift the Asia Cup convincingly. New Zealand have also won their last two T20I series and will pose a huge challenge to the Indian team first up.

Brendon McCullum might have retired but the Black Caps still possess a well rounded team filled with several explosive players like Guptill, Anderson and Munro. Williamson is probably the best batsmen currently going around and with Ross Taylor also coming back their batting looks solid and intimidating. The addition of Mitch Santner has added a penetrative look to their spin department, with him providing them with a left arm spin option too.

The Indian bowling has been humming noiselessly and has been a huge contributing factor in their recent success story. Nehra and Bumrah have almost always provided the early breakthrough along with keeping the opposition batting in check. R Ashwin has been at his deceptive best and he has been ably supported by Jadeja and Pandya. Dhoni also has the services of Yuvraj, Raina and Rohit if one of the main bowlers have a day off!

The Kiwi bowling might be more suited to seaming conditions but they cannot be taken lightly as the new white ball might swing and seam under lights. Boult and Southee are terrific exponents of the moving ball and with one of Milne and McClenaghan providing fiery back up, the Indian batting will have to be wary of them. They also have the canny Anderson and Elliott who are adept at taking the pace of the ball. Santner, Sodhi and Nathan McCullum provide the spin options for Williamson.

The Indian to order has been in scintillating form with Dhawan, Rohit and Kohli all being amongst the runs recently. Yuvraj, Raina and Dhoni might not have had long stints out in the middle but they have looked accomplished whenever they have had a chance for a hit in the middle. This is a fearsome batting line up, more so considering the form that they are in and the Kiwi bowlers will have their hands full trying to contain India's batsmen.

With the Nagpur pitch affording significant turn during the qualifying matches it remains to be seen what kind of a surface is prepared for the main rounds. If it is as slow and turning as it was during the last week then New Zealand can be in for a difficult first game. I hope it's a good pitch and we get a close game worthy of a big multi nation opening encounter.

Key Battles to Look out for:

Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan Vs Trent Boult and Tim Southee

Virat Kohli Vs Mitch Santner

Corey Anderson Vs R Jadeja

Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor Vs R Ashwin

ICC WT20 2016 - A Short Tournament Preview

So the ICC WT20 is upon us!! The Group A & B Matches are almost over with Afghanistan having proceeded already from the former after winning all their matches comfortably and more importantly playing a brand of cricket which is refreshing to see.

Bangladesh and Oman will face off today at Dharamshala to decide which of them will earn the right to play against Australia, India, New Zealand and Pakistan. Bangladesh will fancy their chances as they have in red hot form after beating both Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the Asia Cup which concluded recently.

Second Round - Super 10

Group 1 - England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Afghanistan

Group 2 - Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Bangladesh/ Oman

India will face New Zealand in the Super 10 opener against a strong Kiwi outfit at Nagpur, a pitch which has afforded lots of turn already in the qualifying matches.

I expect the World Cup to be a close affair with each team having something in their favour and going for them. Yes, India starts off as the overwhelming favourites after their recent pyrotechnics but a couple of bad days can throw you out of the competition.

The teams that I expect will give India a run for their money are New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. South Africa looks tremendously strong on paper and has it in them to go all the way. The Trans-Tasman neighbours also boast of strong unit’s but their ability to play spin is questionable and might prove a hindrance in their progress.

The West Indies team is filled with T20 cronies who ply their trade all across the globe in various T20 tournaments. Whether they can all gel together and provide an eye popping display remains to be seen.

The English team is all playing an attacking brand of cricket and they even possess a good spin attack this time around but the inability of their batsmen to face quality spin might just go against them.

Sri Lanka are a team that often goes under the radar when any multi-nation tournament starts but which comes together beautifully with each player suddenly finding form at the right time. They have had a wretched run recently but have the ammunition to turn things around quickly.

Pakistan, after all the turmoil and indecision regarding their participation in the ICC WT20 have finally arrived in India. They are a dangerous unit and are at their best when chaos and confusion reigns supreme all around them. Beware of them, is all I would say to all other teams facing the Men in Green!

Afghanistan are the story of this tournament thus far, they have won hearts and captured the attention of fans all around. They certainly have the players who can give a tough fight to any top nation and with their array of spin bowlers they can prove to be a big headache for some of the teams.

I can’t wait for the first ball to be bowled on the 15th of March and I know neither can you!! Which team are you supporting? Which 4 team’s do you think will progress to the Semi-Finals?

The Trials and Tribulations of T20I Cricket for Australia and Sri Lanka!

Twenty Twenty Cricket is very much like a human life. It is very difficult to predict what it will throw up at you, it will surprise you at every turn and it will leave you dumbfounded every time you try to make a smart prediction about the game.

I have been interacting with a lot of Sri Lankan fans online and they think that their team is crap. It is filled with players who can’t bat, they seem to rely too much on a few bowling superstars and they also drop catches at will. They are plagued by selection issues and don’t have any decent all-rounders expect Mathews (who also cops a lot of flak for his negative captaincy and silly team selections); Dilshan is ageing fast and so are Malinga and Herath; players like Shanaka and Kapugedera are labelled domestic beast’s at the most. Chandimal has a dismal T20I record (he improved it a bit with 2 50’s in the Asia Cup) for all the natural talent and flair that he seems to possess while their star wicket-keeper Kusal Perera is embroiled in a doping offence. Thisara Perera only plays to his potential once in a blue moon and Senanayake cannot extract turn for his life. Players like Jayasuriya, Vandersay and Rajitha are said to be products of a dysfunctional domestic structure which seems to be rotting.

Now compare this lot to the current Australian team which is, on paper, probably the most attacking team in the world and should be winning everything and destroying every team that comes in their way. They have Warner and Finch, a dangerous right-left combo which is keeping another left-right combo in Watson and Khawaja on the sidelines. Their middle order is filled with enterprising batsmen like Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell. They have dangerous all-rounders like Mitch Marsh and James Faulkner who can take the game away from the opposition within a matter of a few overs with either the bat or the ball in hand. Their bowling, though it is missing the raw fire-power of Mitch Starc, still has just about enough reinforcements to complement their ultra aggressive and strong batting unit. All these men are hardened by playing in the extremely successful and competitive Big Bash League back in Australia.

There seems to be a vast gulf between the two sides but the results of the two teams have been very similar over the past two to three months as far as the T20I’s are concerned. Sri Lanka lost 0-2 to New Zealand away, and then lost 1-2 to India in India before crashing out of the Asia Cup with just a solitary win against UAE, losing to India, Pakistan and even Bangladesh along the way; thus winning only 2 out of their last 9 T20 internationals. Australia, on the other hand lost 0-3 to India in their own backyard before being marooned by the Proteas in the 1st T20I of the three match series yesterday; in effect losing their last 4 T20 internationals.

Momentum is, what I feel, the biggest single all encompassing factor in T20 cricket. It is like an avalanche which starts off with a small mound of snow but assumes the form of a humongous monster gaining momentum and feeding on itself, thus annihilating anything and everything that comes in its wake. On the other hand, a huge boulder even if it seems immovable, is cut eventually even by water if it just sits in its place doing nothing. T20 cricket can change very quickly, a single good innings or bowling performance can take a side home, a single brilliant catch or a run-out turn around the fortunes of a sagging outfit.

India has the momentum behind them and they are riding on that wave which is feeding on itself. Each man knows its role right down to the bottom and they are executing their acts perfectly. Sri Lanka and Australia may not be winning too many matches at the moment but all they need is one or two sterling performances, a few men to stand up and take the game by the scruff of the neck and their more experienced men to guide the youngsters while coursing through the troubled waters. T20 Cricket, like human life, is not giving in while being down but getting up and trying to win even in the face of tricky situations. If you do that consistently, then your luck will turn, and eventually life will smile at you and shower you with unmatchable happiness and success!