1st ODI between India and Australia called off

Rain played spoilsport in the first one-dayer of Future Cup between India and Australia in Bangalore. The match was abandoned due to heavy rain. Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. The team suffered early blow, thanks to the fine bowling from Sreesanth, Zaheer and Irfan Pathan. Sreesanth took 3 wickets, as Australia were struggling at 90/4 in 17 overs. However, a 144-run partnership between M Clarke and Haddin put Australia in command and the team scored 307/7 in 50 overs.

Clarke scored his maiden century with a blistering 130. HAddin made 69, while Gilchrist and Hopes contributed 34 and 37 respectively.

The Indian bowlers lost their way in the middle and the end. They allowed the Australians to take the command. Twenty20 captain M S Dhoni hardly looked at his self. Chasing a victory target of 308, India started on a disastrous note by losing Sachin Tendulkar for a duck in the first over. When heavy rain stopped play, India were 9/1 in 2.4 overs. The umpires finally called off the match after a series of inspections.

18 more Cricketers including Cairns and Astle join ICL

The Indian Cricket League, has added 18 more cricketers to its fold. Six international and 12 domestic players decided to sign contracts with the ICL, an Essel Group venture. The players included New Zealand all-rounders Chris Cairns, Chris Harris and Nathan Astle. Harmish Marshal of New Zealand, Pakistan's Azhar Mahmood and England's Darren Maddy also joined the ICL.

In another twist and turn of event, Pakistan's star batsman Moahammed Yousuf did a U-turn and aligned with the Pakistan Cricket Board by accepting a central contract from the board. He later addressed a joint press conference to announce his availability for the first Test against South Africa. It came as a shock for the ICL and it has shot a letter to him demanding explanation on his contract with them.

Ravi Shastri to head NCA

Ravi Shastri will be the Chairman of the National Cricket Academy (NCA). It became official after he accepted BCCI's offer. Shastri is likely to visit the NCA facility and meet Brijesh Patel, Secretary, Karnataka State Cricket Association. The top post of the NCA fell vacant after Kapil Dev was fired following his association with the Zee-sponsored ICL.

Shastri was India's cricket manager in Bangladesh after the exit of Greg Chappell. However, he did not continue in the job becayse of his media committments. The BCCI is willing to provide Shastri the choice to draw his own timetable to work in Bangalore and give time to the trainees there.

Shashank Manohar named BCCI President

Nagpur-based lawyer Shashank Manohar, was declared the President of the BCCI. He will succeed Sharad Pawar next year. Pawar will quit the post in September 2008, as he will assume charge as the President of ICC. The decision was taken at the 78th AGM of the Board.

The president of Goa Cricket Association (GCA) and Finance Minister, Mr. Dayanand Narvekar, was elected as the vice-president of BCCI for the third consecutive time.

Golden bats for Reebok Brand Ambassadors

The Reebok has felicitated its brand ambassadors in Bangalore by presenting golden bats to each. Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and 6 other players of the victorious Twenty20 team were given that honor.

Former Indian captain Rahul Dravid handed the "golden bat" to Dhoni on behalf of the company. Besides Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, R P Singh, Robin Uthappa and Rohit Sharma also received the golden bats.

BCCI announces Central Contracts for Players

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced central contracts for 33 players. There will be four grades instead of three. The lowest grade D has been created for players who have a chance to break into or make a comeback to the team.

The new grading system is a sign of appreciation from BCCI for the efforts of the cricketers. It will also give stability to the players. Significantly, all members of the World Twenty20 winning team have received a contract. Grade-A players will receive Rs 60 lakh instead of the previous Rs 50 lakh. Similarly, Grade-B players will receive Rs 40 lakh, while Grade-C players will receive Rs 25 lakh. The contracts are effective from October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2008.

Grade A: Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Anil Kumble, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan.

Grade B: VVS Laxman, Harbhajan Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Wasim Jaffer, S Sreesanth, Dinesh Karthik, RP Singh, Virender Sehwag.

Grade C: Irfan Pathan, Ajit Agarkar, Ramesh Powar, Munaf Patel, Robin Uthappa, Piyush Chawla, Suresh Raina.

Grade D: Rohit Sharma, Joginder Sharma, Manoj Tiwari, Ishant Sharma, Ranadeb Bose, Mohammad Kaif, Cheteshwar Pujara, Parthiv Patel, S Badrinath, Aakash Chopra, Yusuf Pathan.

It's Raining Cash on Indian Cricketers after Twenty20 World Cup Triumph

The cricket crazy nation, India celebrates its memorable victory in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup. Cricket is considered as a religion in India and the cricketers are worshipped as gods. It was evident when the triumphant team returned from South Africa.

Not only they got a grand welcome, but also gifts and cash prizes were showered on them like flowers. Here's a list of the prize money and gifts received by the Indian cricketers so far.

1) The Indian team received a prize money worth $490,000 for winning the Twenty20 World Cup.

2) The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) announced a prize money of $3 million (Rs 12 crore) for the team. Each member got a check of Rs 80 lakhs.

3) A special cash reward of Rs 1 crore given to Yuvraj Singh for his 6 sixes in an over.

4) The support staff including the Manager, Bowling Coach, Fielding Coach and Physio got Rs 15 lakhs each.

5) Lalit Modi, Vice President of BCCI gifted a Porsche car to Yuvraj Singh on his personal capacity.

6) Neosport presented a Mercedes car to R P Singh for excellent bowling performance in the tournament.

7) Sahara India has announced to give flats (worth Rs 25 lakhs = $62,500) to each cricketer.

8) The Delhi government has decided to offer free Air services to all members of Team India for 5 years.

9) Air India and Indian Airlines announced out-of-turn promotion for some cricketers including Dhoni, Uthappa, Gambhir and Harbhajan Singh. They will also get a steep hike in their salary.

10) The Haryana government has given Rs 21 lakhs to Joginder Singh.

11) The Karnataka government has announced a cash reward of Rs 5 lakhs each for player Robin Uthappa and bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad.

12) Maharashtra government has announced a reward of Rs. 10 lakhs each for Ajit Agarkar and Rohit Sharma.

13) Virender Sewhag and Gautam Gambhir will receive Rs 5 lakhs each from the Delhi government.

14) The Kerala government has announced a cash reward of Rs 5 lakhs for S Sreesanth.

15) The Baroda Cricket Association has handed over checks worth Rs 11 lakhs each to Pathan brothers - Irfan Pathan and Yusuf Pathan. In addition, they also received Rs 5 lakhs each from the Gujarat government.

16) RP Singh became the first recepient of the Manyavar Kanshiramji International Sports Award that carries a reward of Rs 10 lakhs.

17) The Jharkhand Government has bestowed the first "Jharkhand Ratna" award on Mahendra Singh Dhoni. According to the Chief Minister of the state, Dhoni will get a "surprise gift" on arrival.

18) The Union government has decided to give Z+ Security cover to M S Dhoni. Although it's not an award, only few eminent and VVIP persons in the country receive such security cover.

Please Note:

10 lakh = 1 millon
1 crore = 100 lakhs or 10 million
1 lakh = 100 thousand
5 lakh = 1/2 million

The exchange rate of a US Dollar = Rs 40

India celebrates the Twenty20 World Cup Victory

India is celebrating with joy and pride. The country now waits for its heroes to return from South Africa with the cup of glory in their hands. The BCCI had already announced Rs. 4 Crore for Team India for reaching the final. It now announced an additional $2 Million (Rs. 8 Crore).

The BCCI has also given a special prize of Rs. 1 Crore to Yuvraj for his spectacular performance in the tournament. In addition, the support staff will receive Rs. 15 Lakhs each.

Lalit Modi, Vice President of BCCI, has announced to gift a sports car to Yuvraj Singh on his personal capacity. The Karnataka Government has announced Rs. 5 Lakhs each for Robin Uthappa and Venkatesh Prasad. Maharashtra Government has announced Rs. 10 Lakhs each for Ajit Agarkar and Rohit Sharma. The Jharkhand Government has bestowed the first "Jharkhand Ratna" award on Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

The Prime Minister, President, Congress President Sonia Gandhi, BCCI President Sharad Pawar and many others former and current cricketers including Kapil Dev, Madan Lal, Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly and Zaheer Khan congratulated the team. Bollywood Superstar Shahrukh Khan, who was present at the stadium with his son, celebrated, hugged the Indian players and congratulated them. There is no doubt that a grand welcome awaits for Team India when they return with the Twenty20 World Cup.

India wins the Twenty20 World Cup

Joy and celebrations erupted across the country and the millions fans residing outside India jumped with ecstasy, as MS Dhoni lifted the Twenty20 World Cup. India won the World Cup, beating Pakistan by 5 runs in a nail biting finish. India's moment of glory came just when everyone has give up hope. But Dhoni's young team held into their nerves and recreated the magic of 1983.

Chasing the victory target of 158, Pakistan started well, but lost wickets at regular interval. At one stage, the team was tottering at 77/6. However, it staged a comeback and almost won the match, thanks to the late outburst from Misbah and Tanveer, but fell short by 5 runs. Pakistan bowled out for 152 with 3 balls to spare. Nazir made 33, while Younis Khan scored 24. Misbah contributed 43. Irfan Pathan was declared "Man of the Match", while Shahid Afridi won the "Player of the Tournament" award.

Pakistan restricted India to 157/5

Indian batsmen failed to live up to expectations and restricted by a spirited Pakistan. Pakistan bowled and fielded superbly to restrict India to 157/5 in 20 overs. Gambhir was the top scorer with 75 off 54 balls. Rohit Sharma scored an unbeaten 30.

Umar Gul took 3 wickets including the likes of Yuvraj and Dhoni. Both fell cheaply and could not even maintain a 100 per cent strike rate. Now it's to Indian bowlers to prove their mettle and win the match and the World Cup for the country.

Sreesanth Fined by Match Referee, But BCCI rewards Players

Indian Fast bowler S Sreesanth and has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee for excessive appealing during the match against Australia. He was found guilty for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct. Sreesanth was also issued a warning that he could have faced a stiffer punishment because of earlier contraventions.

The Indian team was also fined for maintaining a slow over rate, as it fell one over short. While the Indian team was fined 5 per cent of their match fee, skipper Dhoni was fined 10 per cent of his match fee.

However, there are cheers for Indian team from the BCCI. The BCCI congratulated the team for reaching the final of the Twenty20 World Cup and announced a reward of USD10 lakh (Rs. 4 crore) for the entire team. It also decided to present a sports car to Yuvraj Singh for his remarkable performance in the tournament.

Kangaroos beaten, India in the Final of Twenty20 WC

India dashed Australia's hope of winning the Twenty20 World Cup. A spirited Team India entered the final of the Twenty20 WC by beating Australia by 15 runs in the semifinal match. Chasing a victory target of 189, Australian batsmen started well, built the innings throughout, however, lost their nerves in the final lovers to lose the match.

Australia finished at 173/7 in 20 overs. Matthew Hayden scored 62 off 47 balls. Andrew Symonds made 43 off 26 balls, while Gilchrist contributed 22 runs. S Sreesanth was the pick of the bowlers, who took 2/12 in 4 overs. Yuvraj Singh was declared "Man of the Match". India will meet arch-rivals Pakistan in the final on Monday.

Yuvraj powers India to score 189/5 against Australia

It's Yuvraj Singh again. After missing the match against South Africa, he is back with a bang. The sixer guy did it again for India. Batting first, India scored 189/5 in 20 overs, thanks to a blasting 70 off 30 balls by Yuvraj Singh. He hit 5 sixes and 5 fours. Yuvraj also hit the longest six of the tournament, which went up 119 m high. For India, Gambhir made 24, Uthappa 34 and Dhoni led the final assault with 36 off 18 balls.

Pakistan storms into Twenty20 WC Final

After the "Bowl Out" loss to India, there was no looking back for Pakistan. The team entered the final of the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup, after beating New Zealand by 6 wickets. New Zealand's batting line-up never looked in shape against Pakistani bowlers and Kiwis finished at 143/8 in 20 overs.

Although New Zealand started well, Pakistani bowlers got an upper hand after rain stopped the play for a while. Umar Gul extracted the most from the overcast condition and bagged 3 wickets. For New Zealand, Vincent made 28, while Ross Taylor scored an unbeaten 37.

The target proved to be meagre for the strong batting line-up, as the team reached the target by losing just 4 wickets with 7 balls to spare. Imran Nazir top-scored with 59. Hafeez made 32. Skipper Shoaib Malik also contributed an unbeaten 26. Umar Gul was declared "Man of the Match" for his superb bowling performance. Pakistan will meet the winner of Australia - India match in the final.

India ended South Africa's Dream, reaches Semifinals

India scored an emphatic 37-run win over South Africa, the only team that remained unbeaten in the tournament so far. Ironically, this one match sealed South Africa's fate and it failed to break the World Cup jinx again. India won the toss and elected to bat first. Despite losing early wickets, the team scored 153/5 in 20 overs due to good batting performances from Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni. Rohit scored an unbeaten 50, while Dhoni made 44.

In reply, South Africa never looked threatening and surrendered before a disciplined and spirited Indian bowling and fielding. They could not even make the required 126 runs to reach the semifinals. South Africa finished at 116/9 in 20 overs. Boucher and A Morkel scored 36 runs each. For India, RP Singh took 4 wickets for just 13 runs. Rohit Sharma was declared "Man of the Match".

Australia, Pakistan, India and New Zealand qualified for the semifinals. While Pakistan will play New Zealand in the first semifinal, India will meet Australia in the second one.

Australia, Pakistan reach Semifinals

Australia beat Sri Lanka to reach the semifinals of the Twenty20 World Cup. The Aussies thrashed the Lankans by 10 wickets. Put into bat, Sri Lanka were bowled out for just 101, thanks to Stuart Clark's 4/20. Mubarak top-scored with 28. In reply, Australia batted superbly to reach the target in just 10.2 overs without losing any wicket. Hayden scored an unbeaten 58, while Gilchrist remained not out on 31.

In another match, Pakistan beat their Asian rivals Bangladesh by 4 wickets to reach the semifinals. Bangladesh were bowled out for 140 in 19.4 overs. Junaid Siddique scored a fine 71 off 49 balls. Pakistan reached the target in 19 overs by losing 6 wickets. Shahid Afridi top-scored with 39 off 15 balls. Imran Nazir made 27, while Hafeez contributed 23.

Yuvraj's World Record helped India beat England

Yuvraj Singh was in news just a few days back, when he was hit by five successive sixes by Dimitri Mascaranas of England in an ODI. Now, it's paid back time and Yuvraj did it in style. In the penultimate over of Indian innings, he hit Stuart Broad for six consecutive sixes. It happened for the first time in a Twenty20 match. Yuvraj scored the fastest fifty in any format of cricket game when he reached hit fifty off only 12 balls.

India won the toss and elected to bat first. Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag added 136 off 14.5 overs. Sehwag scored 68, while Gambhir made 58. Yuvraj led the final assualt and finished at 58 off 16 balls with 7 sixes. India made 218/4 in 20 overs. In reply, England started well, riding on luck on missed catches of Indian fielders, but fell short of the target. It came close, but finished at 200/6 in 20 overs. Solanki made 43, while Pieterson contributed 39. Yuvraj was declared "Man of the Match".

Later, Yuvraj acknowledged that his assault was based very much on vengeance. He was not only haunted by Mascaranas, but also spurred by Andrew Flintoff's remarks in the 18th over the match.

Justin Kemp powered South Africa to victory over New Zealand

South Africa beat New Zealand by six wickets, thus keeping the race for a berth in the semifinals open. New Zealand already have 4 points from 3 matches, while south Africa has 4 points from 2 matches. They will play their last match against India on Thursday, which has 2 points from 2 matches.

New Zealand scored 153/8 in 20 overs. McMillan proved his mettle again, by scoring 48 off 24 balls. Vincent made 32 and Brendon McCullum 38. Morne Morket took 4/17. In reply, South Africa were 45/3 at one stage. Justin Camp then came into picture. Kemp hit an unbeaten 89 off 56 balls. He singlehandedly won the match for south Africa. Boucher contributed 23. Kemp was declared "Man of the Match".

Captain's crown for Dhoni, Pathan and Harbhajan return to Team India

It's official now. Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been appointed as the captain of the ODI team for the upcoming series against Australia and Pakistan. Yuvraj Singh will be the Vice-Captain of the team. The BCCI had little options left after the refusal of Sachin Tendulkar to lead the one-day squad. Dhoni is currently leading the side at the ICC World Twenty20 in South Africa.

The Selectors have announced the team for the one-day series against Australia. While Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh made a comeback to team, Virender Sehwag failed to impress the selectors. Ajit Agarkar and Munaf Patel have been dropped from the ODI squad.

The Team: MS Dhoni (Captain), Yuvraj Singh (Vice-Captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Saurav Ganguly, Robin Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik, Gautam Gambhir, Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan, RP Singh, Romesh Powar, Harbhajan Singh, S Sreesanth and Piyush Chawla.

Sri Lanka crushed Bangladesh

Sri Lanka crushed Bangladesh by 64 runs to improve their chance of making it to Semifinals. Bangladesh bowled very well to restrict Sri Lanka at 147/5 in their 20 overs. Mahela Jayawerdena scored 30 off 30 balls. Jehan Mubarak made 31 not out, while T Dilshan scored an unbeaten 21. Opener Tharanga made 23.

In reply, Bangladesh started on a disastrous note, and failed to recover from the early shock. Finally, they were bundled out for just 83 runs in 15.5 overs. Aftab Ahmed and Shakib-al Hasan scored 18 runs each for Bangladesh.

Twenty20 included in Asiad Games

Twenty20 cricket is all set make a debut in the 16th Asian Games at Guangzhou in 2010. Four other sports Dance Boat, Roller Sport and the ancient Chinese board game of Weiqi, will also make their debut in Asiad Games.

Since cricket has a large fan following in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the Asiad Games authorities are hopeful of making a good business out of this.

Close win for New Zealand, Comprehensive Victory for Pakistan

The Super 8 tie between India and England will be a tense encounter, as it will be a do or die match for both teams. New Zealand scored 164/9 in 20 overs. While McMillan scored 57, Scott Styris made 42. In reply, England almost won the match, but was restricted by some fine bowling and fielding by New Zealand players. Finally, England finished at 159/8, thus losing the match by 5 runs. Maddy scored 50, while Solanki made 24.

In another match, Pakistan stunned Australia by 6 wickets. Batting first, Australia scored 164/7 in 20 overs. Michael Hussey top-scored with 37 off 25 balls. Hodge scored 36, while Symonds made 29. In reply, Pakistan lost 4 wickets for just 46 runs on the board. However, captain Shoaib Malik and Misbah-ul Haq added an unbeaten 119 off 78 balls to see Pakistan romp home with 5 balls to spare. Malik scored 52, while Misbah made 66.

Twenty20: Pakistan beat Sri Lanka

Pakistan stopped Jayasuriya and Sri Lanka in the Twenty20 World Cup. They beat Sri Lanka by 33 runs. Pakistan relied on some good batting performances by Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik to score 189/6 in 20 overs. Shoaib Malik scored 57, while Younis Khan contributed 51. Sanath Jayasuriya conceded a record 64 runs from his four overs.

In reply, Sri Lanka lost quick wickets early that included the wicket of Sanath Jayasuriya. Skipper Jayawardene made 28. Chamara Silva and Tilkaratne Dilshan contributed 38 each. However, Sri Lanka could manage 156/9 in 20 overs and lost the match by 33 runs.

Greg Chappell to join RCA as Advisor

Former India coach Greg Chappell has agreed to be the advisor of the Rajasthan Cricket Academy (RCA). The academy will become operational from October 2007. He will be assisted by Ian Fraser. It was announced by the RCA President Lalit Modi in a press release.

Chappell and Ian will work together to identify and train the future talent in Rajasthan. The academy will have five indoor pitches, a full video analysis system and 24 outdoor practice wickets. The academy will accommodate 70 students. In the first phase, the RCA will recruit 110 students in five batches of 22 from Rajasthan.

England no match for South Africa

South Africa completed a 19-run over England because of their all-round efforts on the field. South Africa scored 154/8 in 20 overs, thanks to Albie Morkel's 43 off 20 balls. Despite their best efforts, England managed just 135/7 in 20 overs, thus losing the match by 29 runs. For England, Matt Prior scored 32, while Owais Shah contributed 36.

Australia beat Bangladesh, Brett Lee takes first Twenty20 Hattrick

Australia showed that they are still the best when it comes to cricket irrespective of the version. They comprehensively beat Bangladesh in their Super 8 encounter. Put into bat, Bangladesh were never looked solid and finally bowled out for 123 runs. Brett Lee took the first hattrick of Twenty20 International by removing three Bangladesh batsmen in a row. For Bangladesh, Iqbal scored 32.

Mathew Hayden powered Australia to a big win, as Australia reached the target by losing just one wicket with 6.1 overs to spare. Hayden scored an unbeaten 73, while Gilchrist scored 43 off 28 balls. They put up a massive 104 run partnership for the first wicket.

New Zealnd beat India in a close Encounter

India's aim of making it to Semi-finals got a jolt, as the team crashed to a 10-run defeat to New Zealand in the first Super 8 match. India won the toss and elected to field first. Indian bowlers had a firm grip on the match for the first 15 overs. However, last five overs of the New Zealand inning snatched the match from India. New Zealand made 190 in 20 overs. Brendon McCullum made 45, while McMillan scored a hurricane 44. Jacob Oram contributed 35 runs.

India started the run chase on a brilliant note. Openers Sehwag and Gambhir put up 76 runs for the first wicket. New Zealand bowlers looked helpless when they were at the crease. However, after their departure, Daniel Vettori led the charge and put India on back foot again. India finally finished at 180/9 in 20 overs and lost the match by 10 runs. Sehwag scored 40, while Gambhir made 51. Dhoni contributed 24. Vettori displayed a spectacular performance by taking 4 wickets for just 20 runs.

South Africa beat Bangaldesh

South Africa, determined to break the World Cup jinx, prevented any sort of miracle and beat Bangaldesh by 7 wickets. South Africa won the toss and decided to field first. Bangladesh batsmen launched the onslaught on South African bowlers, but failed to capitalize in the end. The team was bowled out for 144 in 19.3 overs. Aftab Ahmed made 35 off 14 balls.

South Africa started the run chase on a solid note and never looked threatened by the Bangladesh bowlers. They reached the target with seven balls to spare. Duminy made 36 and Smith 41. Albie Morkel contributed 41.

Sri Lanka beat New Zealand

The 38-year old war horse Sanath Jayasuriya proved again that Twenty20 is not for youngsters only. Even the veterans can excel in this form of game if they have the right spirit and determination. Two rocking half centuries in a row and two man of the match awards. That is Sanath Jayasuriya. He led Sri Lanka to register a 7 wickets win over New Zealand.

New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat first. The Kiwis scored 14/7 in 20 overs. Ross Taylor scored 62 off 44 balls. Jacob Oram remained unbeaten on 33 off 19 balls. In reply, Sri Lanka started the run chase on an aggressive note with Jayasuriya leading the way. He made 61 off 44. Upul Tharanga made 37. Mahela Jayawardene made and unbeaten 35 off 18 balls. Sri Lanka reached the target with 7 balls to spare. Jayasuriya was declared "Man of the Match".

Indo-Pakistan Match Tied, India wins the Tie-Breaker

What a sensational finish to the Twenty20 match between India and Pakistan! The spectators could not have asked for more. The match was tied as both the teams scored exactly the same runs in their allotted overs. However, India managed to break the tie and thus, won the match in tie-breaker.

Pakistan won the toss in overcast conditions and put India into bat. Mohammad Asif broke India's back bone by removing the top 4 batsmen. However, Dhoni and Uthappa did the damage control and helped India post a challenging total. Uthappa made 50, while Dhoni contributed 33. India scored 141/9 in 20 overs.

In reply, Pakistan started cautiously, but kept losing wickets at regular intervals. At one stage, it looked like that Pakistan would lose the match by a huge margin. However, Pakistan tail enders almost won the match. Sreesanth bowled the last over with Pakistan requiring 12 off six balls. Finally, Pakistan required 1 run off two balls to win the match. However, the penultimate ball of the 50th over was a dot ball. The last ball of the innings witnessed a run out and the match was tied. For Pakistan, Misbah-ul-Haq scored 53.

Then came the "Bowl Out" into picture. Five players from each side were selected to bowl at the empty stumps. For India, Sehwag, Harbhajan and Uthappa hit the target, while Arafat, Umar Gul and Afridi missed the target. India won the bowl out 3-0. Mohammad Asif was adjudged as "Man of the Match". India never lost a match to Pakistan in any World Cup encounter. A great finish to the crucial match between the arch-rivals. Both teams qualified for Super 8 stage.

Australia beat England to reach the Super 8

Australia recovered from the shocking loss to Zimbabwe a few days back and beat England by 8 wickets to reach the Super 8 stage. England too qualified for the second round on a better run average than Zimbabwe. England was dismissed for a paltry 135 in 20 overs. Andrew Flintoff top scored with 31, with Pietersen contributing 21.

In reply, Australia began the run chase on a high note and reached the target with 31 balls to spare. Matthew Hayden scored an unbeaten 67 off 43 balls. Adam Gilchrist made 45.

Sri Lanka showed No Mercy to Kenya

Sri Lanka broke all records of Twenty20 cricket in their opening match against a hapless Kenya. They beat Kenya by 172 runs - a record victory margin in Twenty20. First, they posted the highest ever Twenty20 total of 260-6 from 20 overs. Sanath Jayasuriya made 88 off 44 balls. Mahela Jayawardene hit 65 off 28, and finally Jehan Mubarak smashed an unbeaten 46 from 13 balls in the end.

Kenya was never on the target and surrendered meekly before a spirited Sri Lankan attack. The African team finished at 88/9 in 20 overs. Jayasuriya was adjudged as "Man of the Match" for his spectacular performance with the bat and ball.

Indian Cricket plunged into Crisis after Dravid's Resignation

Indian cricket plunged into deep crisis after Rahul Dravid took the unprecedented decision of resigning from captaincy. The shocker came even as the BCCI is struggling to find a Coach for Team India. Former coach Greg Chappell expressed shock over Dravid's decision and revealed that some players and officials have made Rahul's life difficult. If we have to believe Chappell, Dravid may not play much longer. Chappell went to the extent of suggesting Sachin and Saurav's name for captaincy.

Since the crucial Australian tour is just a couple months away, the BCCI is a dilemma to find a coach and captain, though it has put up a volt face by saying that it has many options. According to BCCI sources, Sachin Tendulkar has been offered to lead Team India in both test matches and ODI. The BCCI also might consider giving Test captaincy to Sachin, and ODI captaincy to MS Dhoni. It is learnt that Sachin is considering all options before taking a final decision and it might come within a couple of days. Even if Sachin agrees to take up the job, it cannot be called a permanent solution, given his age and fitness problems.

BCCI launches Indian Premier League (IPL)

The BCCI finally decided to take on the Indian Cricket League (ICL). Ending the suspense that loomed for a few weeks, it launched the Indian Premier League (IPL) on the lines of English Premier League in soccer and the National Basketball League (NBA) of the USA. The launch was a big one with Glenn McGrath, Stephen Fleming, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble, ICC President Ray Mali and Chiefs of various cricket boards gracing the occasion with their presence.

The IPL talks big on Money front. There will be $5 million prize money for the Champions of Twenty20 League. In addition, the players will have a chance to play in the Champions Twenty20 League to be organized by the ICC. There will be 59 matches in total and they will be spread over 44 days. All the matches will be played under lights. There will be two matches every day. Now it's certain that player will reap a big harvest in the ongoing war between ICL and IPL.

England beat Zimbabwe, India - Scotland match Called Off

England beat Zimbabwe by 51 runs in a group B encounter of Twenty20 WC. England scored 188 for nine wickets in the stipulated 20 overs, with Kevin Pieterson hitting a 37-ball 79 (7x4s, 4x6s) and captain Paul Collingwood making 37 off 28 balls (1x4s, 2x6s). Zimbabwe failed to repeat the Australia magic and finished at 138 for seven in 20 overs. Brendan Taylor scored 47.

It was a disappointing day for India and its fans, as the match between India and Scotland was called off due to rain. Both teams shared 1 point each. India will meet Pakistan in a crucial match tomorrow.

Twenty20 Shocker for Australia and West Indies

Australia may be the undisputed champion in Test and ODI, but it may not repeat the same glory in Twenty20. The minnows Zimbabwe shocked the mighty Australia in a Twenty20 league match. Australia won the toss and decided to bat but were restricted to just 138-9 from their 20 overs. Andrew Symonds made 33, while Brad Hodge remained unbeaten on 35. Zimbabwe fought until the last over to pull off a shocking 5 wickets win just one ball to spare. Brendon Taylor led the charge with an unbeaten 60. It was a game Zimbabwe will remember for long.

Another shocker came for West Indies, as they were eliminated from Twenty20 WC, after being beaten by Bangladesh. Bangladesh not only won the match by 6 wickets, but also advanced into the next round. Bangladesh restricted West Indies to 164 for eight in 20 overs. For West Indies, Shivnaraine Chanderpaul (37) and Devon Smith (51) kept the scoreboard ticking. Dwayne Smith and Marlon Samuels made 29 and 27 respectively. In reply, Bangladesh reached the target with 2 overs to spare. Skipper Mohammad Ashraful made 61, while Aftab Ahmed made 62. Ashraful scored the fastest fifty of the Twenty20 cricket, by reaching the half century off 20 balls.

Win for Pakistan and New Zealand at Twenty20 WC

Both New Zealand and Pakistan won their Twenty20 matches in style. It was a cakewalk for the Kiwis, as they overcame the challenge of a lowly Kenya. Put into bat, Kenya were bowled out for 73 in 16.5 overs. Shane Bond, Chris Martin and Daniel Vettori picked up two wickets each. New Zeland reached the target in just 7.4 overs losing just one wicket.

In another match, Pakistan beat Scotland by 51 runs. Pakistan scored 171/9 in 20 overs. Younis Khan top-scored with 41. In reply, Scotland were bowled out for 120 in 19.5 overs. Fraser watts scored 46. Leg-spinner Afridi took four for 19 and fast bowler Gul claimed four for 25.

Twenty20 World Cup Kicks Off, South Africa beat West Indies in the Opener

The inaugural Twenty20 World Cup got off to a spectacular start at Johannesburg in South Africa. The first match was played between the host South Africa and West Indies. South Africa began the Twenty20 WC campaign in style, by winning the match by 8 wickets with 14 balls to spare. Put into bat, West Indies scored 205/6 in 20 overs, thanks to a hurricane 117 by Chris Gayle. DS Smith made 35.

South Africa never looked shaky in their run chase, as their batsmen made merry of the wayward bowling, confused fielding and poor catching by West Indies players. Gibbs led the run chase and remained unbeaten on 90. Justin Kemp scored an unbeaten 46. South Africa scored 208/2 in 17.4 overs. Chris Gayle was adjudged "Man of the Match" for achieving the milestone of become the first player to score a hundred in Twenty20 International.

Ponting tops ICC Awards, Jhulan Goswami wins it for India

Australian captain Ricky Ponting received the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the "Player of the Year" from ICC President Ray Marli at the ICC Awards in Johannesburg. He also received the "Captain of the Year" award. Ponting was named captain of both the ICC Test and ODI teams of the year. Matthew Hayden was named the "One-day Player of the Year" and fast bowler Shaun Tait, won the "Emerging player's Award". Simon Taufel was declared the best umpire for the fourth year in a row.

Pakistani batsman Mohammad Yousuf bagged the "Test Player of the Year Award" for scoring 944 runs in 10 innings. Mahela Jayawardene's Sri Lanka won the Spirit Of Cricket award, while Thomas Odoyo of Kenya was named the player of the year among non-Test nations. For India, the only solace is Jhulan Goswami, who won the "Women's Player of the Year" award. Sachin Tendulkar got a place in the ICC ODI team of the year for his consistent performance.

Poor Batting and Dubious Umpiring cost India Natwest Series

India failed to recreate the magic at Lord's and falter at the final hurdle. England beat India by 7 wickets to win the decider and the Natwest Series 4-3. India won the toss and elected to bat first. Both the openers started the innings on a cautious note. Ganguly and Gambhir did not last long. Then came the dubious finger of Pakistani Umpire Aleem Daar into picture. He raised finger twice, but it ruined India's hope on winning the match and the series.

Darr gave two back-to-back dubious decisions against Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar. TV replays proved him wrong, but the damage was already done. Despite Dhoni's half-century, India was bowled out for 187.

England started the chase on a disastrous note with both the openers falling cheaply to RP Singh. However, England batsmen gave no room to Indian bowlers after that. Bell made 36 before getting run out. Kevin Pieterson and Paul Collingwood batted beautifully to take England to victory. Pieterson made 71*, while Collingwood scored 64*. Pieterson was adjudged as "Man of the Match" and Ian Bell got the "Man of the Series" award.

Shoaib sent back Home after brawl with Asif

Pakistan Pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar has been sent home from South Africa after he was found hitting fellow fast bowler Mohammad Asif during a dressing room brawl. The PCB decided to recall Shoaib with immediate effect after an initial inquiry. Shoaib struck Asif on his leg with a bat after a heated argument inside the dressing room.

Although Asif suffered a bruised thigh during the clash, he is expected to be fit for the opening game of the Twenty20 World Cup. Pakistan will play its first game against Scotland on Wednesday in Durban. Later, Shoaib apologized to Asif for the unfortunate incident and blamed Shahid Afridi for provoking him. He also took on the media for seeing him as a soft target. The PCB has ordered a further probe into the incident.