India Defeats South Africa

India defeats South Africa by an innings and 58 runs to retain the No 1 spot in the ICC Test Ratings. India would have lost the Numero Uno status, if they've lost this match or even played a draw. Though, India does not have any Test match in this year, it would be very interesting to see, how long can they stay at the top.

As far as this match goes, India won emphatically, despite a fighting century by the middle order batsman hashim Amla. Amla remained unbeaten on 127 but South Africa was unable to play the necessary overs today. Had South Africa played those last 9 balls, the efforts of Harbhajan Singh (5 wickets), Amit Mishra (3 wickets) and Ishant Sharma (2 wickets) would have gone in vain.

South African batsmen (apart from Amla) only looked to pass the time in the middle and were interested in sticking to the pitch, whereas Amla attacked the bowling, as and when he got a lose delivery. India had their moments regularly, as both the spinners get wickets at regular intervals. They broke the partnerships when they seemed stubborn and dangerous. Amla was their main target; however they were unable to take his wicket. Other batsmen just played around him.

India would have however, won this game pretty easily, had the rain not made this match such a nail biting finish. Indian supporters looked down when the final overs were going on. Then came the magical over of Harbhajan Singh, who was the real hero for India on Day 5.

The Man of the Match award and the Man of the Series award was given to Hashim Amla for making 490 runs in the series.

Well, this series proves that the real winner is Test Cricket. Who can say after watching such an enthralling Test Series that Test Cricket is boring. What do you think?

India Wins Idea Cup

Zaheer Khan took 6 wickets in the second innings of Bangladesh to complete the Indian whitewash over Bangladesh. Tamim Iqbal scored a brilliant century on the third day evening and shared a century stand with Junaid Siddiqui. This was the fastest century by any Bangladeshi batsmen, surpassing the century of wicketkeeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim in the first test of this series. India took the remaining wickets and completed the formality. Bangladesh though managed to avoid the innings defeat and took a lead of 1 run. Night-watchman Shahadat Hossain made 40 runs to avoid the innings defeat.

India defeated Bangladesh in the first Test match and completed the whitewash by defeating them in the second innings. Zaheer Khan took 6 wickets in the innings and was declared as the 'Man of the Match' and 'Man of the Series'. The worst part of the series for India was injury to S Sreesanth, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh. Dravid and Yuvraj will miss the series against South Africa.

Afridi Ready to Play in IPL

Shahid Afridi is still ready to play in IPL season 3, as he is ready to participate even after not being picked up by any franchisee in the auctions. Sohail Tanveer also joined Afridi and said that he does not have 'anything personal' against India and is ready to participate in the IPL and Champions League. Afridi, who played for Deccan Chargers in the first season of IPL, earlier said that it is an 'insult' for Pakistan Cricket, players and the country, as none of the Pakistani cricketers was picked in the IPL auction.

Meanwhile, IPL boss Lalit Modi said to a television news channel that there is still a 'window of possibility' for Pakistani players to participate in the IPL, as there are still some franchisees, who do not have full quota of players in their side. These franchisees can shun some players and picked Pakistani players, if they liked so. 2 days back, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram also said that there are no indications from the government on picking or dropping Pakistani players and it is a 'disservice of cricket'. After this statement of Modi, it is likely to be taken an indication for the franchisees to pick at least top Pakistani players like Afridi, Tanveer, Abdul Razzaq and Umar Gul.

Pakistan Loses Third ODI

Pakistan lost the third ODI to Australia by 40 runs in Adelaide Oval. With this victory, Australia won yet another ODI series win, as the hosts win the first two ODIs comfortably. Also, Pakistan was defeated in all the Test matches by the mighty Australians.

Australians, after batting first, put a decent total of 286 on the board, thanks mainly to a patient 83 by Shaun Marsh off 113 balls and a brilliant inning of 80 by Michael Clarke and a late onslaught by Michael Hussey. These two added 80 runs off just 33 balls.

Pakistan was soon reduced to 60/4, before Umar Akmal and Fawad Alam and then Shahid Afridi and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan scored briskly, but could not avoid defeat. For Australia, Ryan Harris took 5-43 and Mckay took 3.

Pakistan Tottering in First Innings

Pakistan was tottering at 165-6 in the first innings of the second Test. The first day of the second Test match was truncated due to rain and bad weather. Umar Akmal, though tried to play a match saving knock, but he was dismissed for 46. Daniel Vettori took 3 wickets and the pacers did excellent job, as all the major Pakistani batsmen fell cheaply. When the day’s play was called off, Pakistan was in trouble, as they were reduced to 165 for the loss of 6 wickets. Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Aamer were at the crease, when the play was called off.

Sehwag Mauls Sri Lanka

Virender Sehwag hit the second fastest double century to send Sri Lanka into complete disarray, as India take a lead of 50 runs in the third Test match against Sri Lanka here in Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai.

Earlier, in the morning Sri Lanka resumed their first innings and was all out for 393. Young all rounder Angelo Matthews missed what could have been his first hundred in Test Cricket. He was run out when he was on 99, thanks to a brilliant throw from Sachin Tendulkar. Harbhajan Singh finished with 4 wickets; Pragyan Ojha took 3, whereas pacers Zaheer Khan and S Sreesanth took a wicket each.

India began their innings in style; thanks to a brilliant innings from Virender Sehwag and replacement opener Murli Vijay. The usual roles get reversed, as Vijay started to hammer the Sri Lankan pacers, whereas Sehwag started off cautiously. Soon Sehwag came out of his skin and started to dominate the bowlers with cuts, pulls, drives, hooks, inside-out shots and every other shot mentioned in the book. Vijay was also elegant with his timing and the shots he played were simply exquisite. Vijay got out when he was trying to play a sweep shot against Rangana Herath. He made 87 off 122 balls with XX and 1 six off Muttiah Muralitharan. Rahul Dravid then joined Sehwag. But the dismissal of Vijay didn’t seem to disturb Sehwag, as he continued to play shots all over the park. Soon he completed his hundred and rose to 150 in no time. Rahul Dravid continued to play good shots as well and never seem to give a chance to the Lankans. Sehwag then completed his 6th double century. He became the 1st Indian to hit 6 double centuries. As soon as his double hundred came, he became crazy and started to play amazing shots. There was no respite for any Sri Lankan bowler. It can be seen from the economy rate of all the bowlers; the lowest being 4.56 of Welegedara. The Indian run rate was 5.61 at the end of the day’s play. Be it Muralitharan, or Herath, Matthews, Welegedara or ODIs best bowler Nuwan Kulasekara; there was no respite for any bowler.

India finished the day at 443-1 off just 79 overs. It would be very interesting to see, whether or not Virender Sehwag would be able to complete his third triple hundred or not. If he does so, he would not only be the first Indian in the world to do so, but the first batsmen in the world as well.

Records that were either broken or are on the verge of it:

• Sehwag’s 200 off just 168 balls is the second fastest double century in Test Cricket, behind New Zealander Nathan Astle off 153 balls.
• Sehwag is the first Indian to register six double centuries, outstripping Rahul Dravid’s five. Only Sir Don Bradman (12), Brian Lara (9) and Wally Hammond (7) have more.
• 284 is the 3rd most runs scored in a single day, behind Bradman’s 309 in 1930 and Wally Hammond’s 295 in 1933.
• First Indian to post four 250-plus innings. Only Sir Don Bradman (5) has more.
• Sehwag has made 200 runs in a day thrice. No other Indian has done it even once.
• Reached 6,000 runs from 123 innings, the 3rd fastest Indian after Sunil Gavaskar (117) and Sachin Tendulkar (120)
• Sehwag has a strike rate of 80.48, the best among the batsmen with over 6,000 Test runs. Viv Richards has the next best strike rate of 69.28
• India’s 443-1 is the most they’ve ever got in a single Test-day. Add Lanka’s 27 and an amazing 470 runs were scored on Thursday.

India completes Thumping Victory

India thrashed Sri Lanka by an innings and 144 runs in the second test here in Green Park Stadium, Kanpur. The first test in Ahmedabad’s Motera Stadium was a draw. As the debutant spinner Pragyan Ojha took the last wicket, Indian players, team management, crowd present in the stadium and millions following the match went wild.

India batted first and openers Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid scored hundreds and good scores by Yuvraj Singh, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman enable India to reach a mammoth total of 642. In reply, Sri Lanka was bundled for a mere 229 in the first innings, thanks to a five wicket haul of the returning pacer S Sreesanth. Not even a single half century was scored by any of the Sri Lankan batsmen in the first innings. Indian spinners too supported Sreesanth well, as Harbhajan Singh took 2 wickets and debutant spinner Pragyan Ojha too chipped in with a couple of wickets.

Sent for the follow-on, the story of first innings was repeated and Sri Lanka lost their first 4 wickets for just 54 at the end of third day’s play. India, having sense the victory, deliver the knockout punch on the fourth day as Harbhajan Singh took 3 wickets, Ojha took 2, Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth took 1 wicket apiece to restrict Sri Lanka to just 269. Middle order Sri Lankan batsman Thilana Samaraweera tried very hard to delay the defeat, as he scored a patient 78 not out, but he ran short of batting partners.

S Sreesanth was declared the Man of the Match for his second five wicket haul.

Indian team now looks charged up and will be ready to take on Sri Lankans in Mumbai, in the third test starting from Dec 2.