Top bowlers for Kings XI Punjab

S.No	Player	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets	NB	Wd	RPO
1	Irfan Pathan	27.2	1	174	12	0	10	6.4
2	S Sreesanth	24.1	0	203	8	4	8	8.4
3	VRV Singh	20	0	167	6	0	3	8.4
4	Piyush Chawla	20	0	160	8	0	3	8.0
5	Brett Lee	16	1	112	3	3	0	7.0
6	Gagandeep Singh	8	0	80	2	0	0	10.0
7	James Hopes	11	0	121	2	0	1	11.0
8	Yuvraj Singh	2	0	11	1	0	1	5.5
9	WA Mota	3	0	36	1	0	2	12.0
10	K Goel	2	0	25	0	0	0	12.5

 

 

Kings XI Punjab pip Daredevils

Daredevils has won their past 2 matches with 9 wickets in hand. They were chasing. When they had to bat first they lost quick wickets and the middle order was found wanting. They really do not have anyone to fall back on once the opening pair of Sehwag and Gambhir departs. They scored a paltry 159 for the loss of 8 wickets. Manoj Tiwaray scored 39 runs.

Kings XI Punjab started their chase well with Simon Katich and Goel. They lost couple of wickets but Katich was not bothered with the happenings around him. He scored at will. He and Yuvraj had a healthy partnership to steer Punjab out of danger and closer to the victory. Yuvraj Singh did well to score 40 of 29 balls to take his side to victory.

Simon Katich who scored 75 of 52 balls was declared man of the match.

I cannot avoid my spiel about another aussie coming to the party, but cannot help it. Maybe, from tomorrow I will not be doing it that much. Australians are leaving for carribean tour tomorrow.

Video: Kings XI Punjab promotional video

Kings XI Punjab IPL Promotional video.

Daredevils won the toss and elect to bat against Punjab

It would be a face-off between Virendra Sehwag and Brett Lee. Lee playing his last IPL match would be raring to go and to leave an impression on the tournament. Sure, he would be missed so will the australians. Sehwag fresh from some clean hitting in Hyderabad with an unbeaten 94 would be ready to take on Brett Lee and company.

Gautam Gambhir, the in form batsman and the best T20 player in Indian circuit would like to play a big innings. Daredevils is one of the few teams which will not be affected by the australian tour. They have Glenn McGrath in their ranks who is retired and the resemblance between him and a bowling machcine is still uncanny.  Then there is the doppleganger of McGrath, Mohammad Asif.  What more can you ask for in a T20 competition where the bowler only gets 4 overs to make an impact and win the match for his side. Overall, a very balanced side and one of the favorites.

Kings XI Punjab fresh from a win and a controversy are ready to register one more win. Their chances against a victorious and balanced Daredevils are limited but If Yuvraj and Sangakkara can fire they have good chance. If they are batting first they need a good total for their bowlers to defend.

Daredevils start as favorites for this match. Maybe for the tournament.

Harbhajan Singh slaps Sreesanth

I could not post yesterday because my internet service is down. It is provided by Aircel one of the Super Kings sponsor. I will make up for that during the weekend. A lot has happened yesterday in the Kings XI Punjab vs Mumbai Indians match. It was a bowling win for Kings XI Punjab and some poor batting display by Mumbai Indians. Sangakara is the leading run scorer of the match and tournament.

What is interesting is not the match, but the post-match scenes. Everybody was ecstatic and Preity Zinta is on cloud nine. Suddenly, Sreesanth started crying. My best guess at that time was, because Preity Zinta hugged Brett Lee and not him he was upset. But, that is not the case. Harbhajan Singh has slapped Sreesanth. And he started crying. That whole incident is ridiculous on two accounts.

1.  Why did Harbhajan Singh slapped Sreesanth? What is he a hooligan or  is he the new don of  Indian cricket.
2. Why is Sreesanth crying for a slap? He tries to be tough to the opposition, sledging at them after he dismisses them. He do not have the chutzpah to say something when they are a batting anyway.

Other pertinent questions :

1. Would Harbhajan Singh slapped an aussie? Try slapping Mathew Hayden or Andrew Symonds.
2. What is with the sub-continent players aggression? First Shoaib Akthar, now Harbhajan Singh.
3. Why is the video evidence of Harbhajan slapping Sreesant captured by the media?
4. If captured why are they not showing us? I think the audience needs to know what Harbhajan is made of.

Kings XI Punjab vs Mumbai Indians

Both the teams lost their first two mathes and looking to register a win in IPL. Mumbai Indians gone down fighting in two close encounters, Punjab is undone by lackluster performance in their match against Rajastan Royals. It would be a brand new match and they have their spirits high.

What would be interesting is if Sachin Tendulkar plays. Rumor is it that Sachin is ready to play his first 20-20 game. He celebrated his birthday yesterday and turned 35.

If Sachin plays the game, Mumbai Indians might win it.

This encounter promises to be entertaining on a friday night.

Super Kings too good for Kings

After posting a total of 240 by Chennai Super Kings, propelled by the blistering Hussey knock, Punjab Kings needed some special performances. Especially from Yuvraj Singh. Yuvi started of well but his willow did not wield enough power and holed out a catch in the deep. Kumar Sangakkara kept the hopes alive for a while but they were never really in the fray. Punjab Kings needed an over of atleast 20-25 runs in the middle but that never happened. Overall a fighting performance from the Punjab Kings. Definitely a team to reckon with for the semi-final birth.

Kings XI Punjab fell short by 33 runs. Not bad.

Kings XI Punjab’s only hope – Yuvraj Singh

The batting order does not look like its gonna surmount the score of 240 of Chennai Super Kings.  While they have James Hopes, Simon Katich, Kumar Sangakkara as the known international batsmen everyone else are relatively new and untested batsmen.

Irfan Pathan and Brett Lee can provide some fireworks later but if you have to chase this total you need Yuvraj Singh to deliver. He is that guy, if plays can change the match and win it.

Chennai Super Kings post a huge total of 240

If it was mayhem in Bangalore its carnage in Mohali.
Mike Hussey slammed sixers at will and took his Kings XI Punjab to 240-5. The highest total ever in 20-20. His innings is studded with 9 sixers and 6 fours. Hussey scored 116 runs from 54 balls. He is the strong contender for DLF Sixers award. We have to wait and see if Yuvraj has other plans.

Suresh Raina looked like a man in hurry. His gait showed that he has a purpose. His stay at the crease was brief but effective.

Badrinath played well with Hussey, giving strike to Hussey and hitting sixers when time was running out.

Overall, great batting performance from Super Kings barring a disappontment from the the richest player of the tournament MS Dhoni.

PS : If you think you have seen it all, wait for the Deccan Chargers to take gaurd.

Kings XI Punjab ad upsets Singh community

IPL ad shows a clean-shaven man as a sikh. Sikh community leaders took umbrage of this.
Akali leaders are demanding its immediate withdrawal.

Irony is, while thiis news is shown on TV, it was repeated several times. Who benefits from this controversy. If this was not made public and amicably settled with the franchise owners nobody would know about it. That’s not how it was done. A controversy was created making the ad suddenly popular.

I did not notice that the man in the advertisement is not having a beard and wearing a turban.

The more the controversy the bigger hit IPL will be.

PS : I am not a femnist but, did women felt the Knight Riders ad was offensive?