Kolkata Knight Riders v Chennai Super Kings at Kolkata
Both the teams have had similar runs in the tournament. They won on trot, then lost continuously, then won, then lost. Both have had a few very high scores and very low scores. Both have had tight finishes and both have lost badly at some point.
Men at the Helm
Ganguly and Dhoni both are exceptional leaders. Both are very aggressive. While Ganguly is vocal, Dhoni is a silent operator. Both can assess the situation at a quick pace and find a way out more often than not. It would be an extremely gripping clash.
We have the bat
Both teams have similar sort of line ups where they heavily depend on a couple of players. If Knight Riders’ batting has been weakened by the departure of Ponting and Mc Cullum, Super Kings have been hit badly with Hayden, Hussey and Oram leaving.
We have the ball
Kolkata have an edge in this department with Ishant, Shoaib and Dinda bowling really well. Chennai badly need Murali to come to the party. The opponents have tried to negotiate him with safety. In the process, he has been economical but hasn’t picked up wickets. They need Ntini to fire as well getting into the business zone of the league.
Patrolling Party
Chennai are a better over all fielding side but Kolkata in the last few matches have shown tremendous commitment and zeal. Murali has been inspiring in the field. Who says it’s a youngsters’ game?
High on betting meter
On most betting meters they are placed at the same level. Kolkata are marginally lower on a few owing to their vulnerable batting.
Who gets the tick?
This match has the makings of an intriguing battle. Its almost impossible to choose a winner but Kolkata have a slight edge owing to their bowling strength. Chennai need Raina, Dhoni and Murali to come good
The eight franchisee owners and sponsors of the Indian Premier League (IPL) have decided to donate Rs 60 million for the victims of the serial bombings that rocked the city on Tuesday.
“The eight franchisees and five sponsors of the league would come together to donate Rs 6 crores towards the Rajasthan chief minister’s relief fund, as aid towards the victims of the terror attacks in Jaipur. This contribution will go towards the rehabilitation of the affected families of the victims,” IPL chairman and commissioner said in a statement Friday.
A cheque would be handed over to the Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje during Saturday’s game between Rajasthan team and the Bangalore team.
The eight franchises have donated Rs 5 million each, while the five sponsors namely DLF Ltd, Vodafone, Citibank, Kingfisher and Hero Honda have contributed Rs 4 million each, the statement said.
As a mark of respect to the victims of the terror attacks, both the teams will wear black armbands during the game Saturday.
In a way, this marks as a great respect to the game and spirit of game. Hats-off to IPL.
In a new move, it has been decided that random dope tests will be conducted on players participating in the IPL Tournament. Chairman Lalit Modi said that Indian Premier League will conduct a random dope test on the players participating in the Twenty20 tournament. After a report in the Nation, which claimed that Shoaib Akhtar was questioned about a large number of syringes in his baggage prior to leaving for Mumbai earlier this month at the Karachi airport, the IPL commissioner announced that the test will be conducted in 2 to 3 days.
However, the Pakistan Cricket Board has played down a report in a section of the media that fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar was questioned about a large number of syringes in his baggage prior to leaving for Mumbai earlier this month at the Karachi airport.
A report in the Nation said that prior to boarding the flight to Mumbai en route to Kolkata the custom officials had questioned Shoaib on an inordinately large supply of syringes in his luggage-reportedly as many as three dozen in number.
The fast bowler, who is playing for Shah Rukh Khan’s Kolkata Knight Riders team in the Indian Premier League, told the custom officials that he needed the syringes because he was a diabetic, the report said.
The first time one has heard off the fast bowler suffering from this ailment. When a senior official of the board was asked about the incident, he said it was no big deal as the syringes were empty and contained no substances.
Shafqat Naghmi, chief operating officer also showed ignorance over the medical history of Shoaib saying he would have to check up to find out if the fast bowler was a diabetic.
But he made it clear that Shoaib had gone to India to play in the IPL and currently he was under the preview of the IPL rules and regulations.
When reminded about Shoaib’s past record of having tested positive for a banned substance, nandrolone in 2006 with team-mate Mohammad Asif, Naghmi said the IPL was recognised by the International Cricket Council but it was not an ICC event.
“I don’t thing it is a big deal. The syringes were empty and first we have to confirm if the report has got all the facts right. There is no question of the Pakistan Board contemplating any action against Shoaib for this,” he said.
Shoaib is playing in the IPL after the three-member appellate tribunal, hearing his appeal against the five-year ban imposed on him, suspended the ban for a month to allow him to play in the cash-rich Twenty20 competition.
IT department has finally asked about the taxes which it should earn from the mega event of IPL, where the only buzz word has been “money, money, and more money”.
The Income Tax Department sent notice to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) asking for copies of agreements. The Income Tax department has asked for contract details of all Indian Premier League (IPL) players, as reported by a private news channel.According to reports, the IT-D wants to check whether TDS Tax Deduction at Source (TDS) was deducted at 11.3%.
Jayasuriya’s current stunning performance has got the Sri Lankan selectors thinking and he has now been bought back into the national team.
Veteran Sanath Jayasuriya has been recalled to Sri Lanka’s one-day squad for the Asia Cup in June.
Jayasuriya, 38, was dropped for Sri Lanka’s West Indies series in April after a lean run that included a highest score of 41 in his previous 20 innings.
However, the opening batsman won his place back in the team after smashing 114 from 48 balls for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, an innings that included 11 sixes and nine fours.
Opener Upul Tharanga was axed to make room for Jayasuriya who will open the batting with Mahela Udawatte, who made his debut in the West Indies.
Sri Lanka also included spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who was rested for the West Indies tour.
All rounder Farveez Maharoof and fast bowler Dilhara Fernando returned to the squad in place of pace bowlers Thilan Thushara and Ishara Amarasinghe.
The six-nation Asia Cup will be played in Pakistan from June 24 to July 6.
