Rohit Sharma tore Pakistan attacker’s bowler with a lightning war run by 80
bulldozed their arch-rivals by nine wickets with Gambhir and Sharma Gautam Gambhir celebrates with teammate Rohit Sharma during the Twenty20 World Cup warm-up match against Pakistan.

Gautam Gambhir celebrates with the team-member Rohit Sharma during the match of pre-heating of Twenty20 world cup against Pakistan. Three surpluses to be saved in their final match of pre-heating ICC of the world Twenty20 Wednesday evening.

Driving out 159, Rohit and Gautam Gambhir (52 pas outside) 140 races in Juste raised 16 surpluses so that the stand of opening snap the door on Pakistan and India crossed to 159 for one in 17 surpluses to achieve an easy victory.

Rohit was a sublime blow of 53 balls, bejeweled with nine furnaces and two sixes. On the other hand, Gambhir played the second violin to perfection and was unconquered after a blow of 47 balls which included five blows with the barrier.

Earlier, Pakistan is descended to an insect before suffering a recession from semi-turns from beater though they reached thereafter of the 158 competing ones for six, thanks to the cameos from Ahmed Shehzad (25), Younis Khan (32), Misbah-UL Haq (37 pas outside) and Yasir Arafat (25 pas outside).
But with Gambhir obtaining its back and Rohit continuing its correction crimson, India the ‘hunting of S were extinct at a jovial beginning and they never slackened their handle.

Gambhir efflux the first ball of Umar Gul for the four delectable ones and finished finished similar mode.Rohit, while waiting, was not ready to be exceeded.

Consequently, Gul was struck more semi-on for four, Yasir Arafat was dispatched in the stands for the six first of the match before catching two furnaces in her next finished.

Shahid Afridi also was at the bad side of Rohit ‘s anger when the beater struck it above the midwicket for the six enormous ones.

Although Rohit thereafter fell into 16th more, by then it a question of formality for India was right.

Earlier, Pakistan is descended to an insect but India ‘the unit of bearing disciplined by S presented a remarkable return to limit them to 158 per six.

In spite to lose a counter early, Pakistan crossed with 45 insides just more than four surpluses before the loss of three counters without only race was added to the points.

After profit of the jet in the air, captain Younis Khan of Pakistan sent of the twins of adolescence Shahzaib Hassan (0) and Ahmed Shehzad (25) to open the turns of beater but Hassan was of return in the hut shortly after that Praveen KUMAR ‘delivery legitimates fifth pinned behind its with the far-section.

Shehzad also could have been a short stay but Harbhajan Singh turned a guard of children to the semi-counter in addition to RP Singh when the beater was on five and India were made to pay the clinger.

Shehzad threw all inhibitions and went after the bowler hats Indians and suddenly it rained borders with the oval.

RP Singh caught two in the same thing more and one or the other unscathed one of escape from didn ‘from T from Praveen while Shehzad drew and led with the dash.

Shehzad ‘aggression proved contagious while Kamran Akmal (19) also started to release its arms with the good effect.

It was probably too good with the end and Pakistan lost three counters more than five balls with Suresh Raina in thick action.

One Grooved airborne made Jonty Roods for swoop on a ball and to strike the sections to remove Akmal and then the first time under Shehzad ‘skier miscued by S in same Ishant Sharma placed more.

Shahid Afridi was flicker-and-miss the stay as droopier swashbuckling Irfan bordered by bottom Pathan and Mahendra Singh Dhoni took a hook of diving to remove it for a gold duck.

Shoaib Malik (14) started well before Pragyan Ojha snared the former captain in his finished first and Pakistan were without their higher half when the points reached 63.

Younis (32) and Misbah (37 pas outside) raised 50 races in 7.3 surpluses but borders had dried to the top of by then. Harbhajan obtained disencumbered in addition to Younis but Misbah and Arafat (25 pas outside) threw their beater with very to push the points after mark 150.

For more information visit http://www.indyalive.com/t20-world-cup/worldcup-2009/ or http://www.indyalive.com/t20-world-cup/

IPL Cricket & Commerce: An Inside Story

Much like its commissioner Mr Lalit Modi, IPL from the very beginning has always been mired in controversies of all imaginable kinds. From Vijay Mallya’s sacking of the team coach Charu Sharma for the team’s poor performance in season one to the grand auction of international players for season two in Fort Aguda Beach Resort in Goa, Modi has been able to keep the interest alive by successfully marrying money with sports. This is a new kind of cricket, where players are auctioned and teams and players are owned by frnanchise owners. But this is also the cricket where players from U-19 get a chance to play with Sachin Tendulkar or Shane Warne.

IPL: An Inside Story takes a look at almost all the aspects of IPL – from who actually first thought of such a tournament to the process of choosing the franchise owners, and from the socio-economic impact of the IPL on Indian society to the politics of shifting the venue of season two to South Africa.

About the author

TR Vivek has been a business and features writer for nearly a decade with stints at leading publications such as Economic Times, Business Today, Outlook and Business Standard. At present, he is Business Editor of Open, a weekly newsmagazine.
A sports nut, and a die-hard Ilayaraja and carnatic music fan, he lives with his wife and daughter in New Delhi.
With over twenty years in journalism, Alam Srinivas has worked for premier media organizations such as India Today, The Times of India, Outlook and Business Today. At present he is Executive Editor, Money Today. He has specialized in investigative pieces on the nexus between business and politics, and other forms of corporate corruption. Author of Storms in the Sea Wind: Ambani Vs Ambani also published by Roli Books, this is his third book.

If you have been following this game for long enough, you are probably going to remember those great underdog stories that once in a while pop up in the headlines at every World Cup tournament. It is not likely that the little unknown team is going to make it to the Final, or that the team is going to win the championship. It is more about seemly weak teams playing soccer finest squads and doing what seemed impossible: win.

Let’s start this overview. Back in 1966, North Korea qualified to the World Cup by beating Australia after all other teams in Asia withdrew from the tournament to protest FIFA’s decision to allow only one team from the region to play in the final phase. On their last game in the group round robin, North Korea had to face no other then Italy. It was a lonely goal by Pak Doo Ik that gave the 1-0 advantage to the North Koreans who managed to survive the Italians offensive strikes.

44 years later, the North Koreans are back in South Africa for their second World Cup. It doesn´t seem likely that this time around they are going to have another chance for an upset like that. They already loss to Brazil 2-1 and now they face Portugal in their next match. We´ll just have to see what happens with the Lusitanian squad once they hit the pitch again on Monday.

In 1990 World Cup in Italy, it was the defending champion, the Argentinean squad that had to deal with one of its most disappointing games ever. The Argentineans were facing Cameroon on the group round robin in their first game in the tournament. 38 year old player Roger Milas went on to score 4 total games in the tournament and do his trademark dance in the corner flag after each celebration.

In 2002 the National team from Senegal had a very difficult game ahead of them. They were playing the defending champion. It is true that the French squad was missing their best player, Zinedine Zidane, for injury. But their 1-0 defeat against Senegal in their opening match was not a good omen for what was to come. Les Blues had a below average performance and could not make it pass the first round.

This time around it seems as if the French team will not be bringing much fun to their fans either. It is a complete disaster for the French team. Inside the locker room and on the field, the guys are showing no cohesion, no teamwork whatsoever, and the results are very disappointing.

First they went on to draw against Uruguay in the tournament opener. Then they lost 2-0 to Mexico in their second game. The Mexican team, simply dominated the French squad. After that game, Raymond Domenech, the head coach, had a verbal discussion with Nicolas Anelka and the player was shown a red card by his own federation. Things are not looking great for the French. It seems like once again, Les Blues are not going to make it pass the first round.