South Africa beat Pakistan in the Decider, wins Series

Pakistan lost a match that was in their hand until the last few overs and thus, lost the series to South Africa 2-3. South Africa overcame a spirited Pakistan challenge to win the cliffhanger by 14 runs. Ironically, Pakistan lost their last six wickets for just 20 runs. South Africa won the toss and elected to bat first. The team scored 233 for nine from their 50 overs.

Shoaib Akhtar, back in the team after a 13-match ban, wrecked the South African innings with a 4-wicket haul. Jacques Kallis was the top-scorer for South Africa with a brilliant knock of 86. Gibbs contributed 54.

Pakistan looked comfortable, as they chased only 234 to win the match and the series. The team started well despite Makhaya Ntini's 4-wicket haul. Younis Khan (58) and Mohammad Yousuf (53) had shared a third wicket partnership of 106. However, the late strike by Albie Morkel, who took 4-44, put Pakistan on back foot and it lost the last 6 wickets for 20 runs. Finally they fell short of 14 runs. The Pakistan team were dismissed for 219 in 46.3 overs.

India Blue wins Challenger Trophy

Virender Sehwag-led India Blue beat India Red by six wickets in the final to win the NPK Salve Challenger Trophy ODI tournament at Ahmedabad. India Red scored 269 in 49.3 overs. Gautam Gambhir scored a fine 82. S Badrinath made 55 and Mahesh Rawat remained unbeaten on 43.

India Blue did not start the run chase on a positive note and were 55/3 at one stage. However, Dinesh Karthik had a point to prove before the selectors who dropped him from the ODI squad for the forthcoming series against Pakistan. And he did it in style. Karthik scored an unbeaten knock of 116 off 92 balls. Suresh Raina continued his good form with the bat by scoring 50. Neeraj Patel contributed an unbeaten 62. India Blue reached the target with 9 overs to spare.

Dinesh Karthik was declared "Player of the Match". Suresh Raina was named "Player of the Series". Ironically, both the players failed to get the selectors' nod. This is the biggest tragedy of Indian cricket.

Dravid dropped, Sehwag gets Selectors' nod

The national selectors finally dared to drop an out-form dependable-turned-liability Rahul Dravid from the ODI squad for the forthcoming series against Pakistan. Dinesh Kartik too got the axe. Virender Sehwag and UP all-rounder Praveen Kumar were brought into the squad. The team was announced only for the first two ODIs.

Dravid was under immense pressure for a long time. First he resigned from captaincy due to pressure, but failed to perform with the bat. According to Chief Selector Dilip Vengsarkar, Dravid was being given a break and should be back in the team soon. Gautam Gambhir made a comeback in place of S Badrinath.

The Team:

Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Robin Uthappa, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Captain), Irfan Pathan, Praveen Kumar, Zaheer Khan, RP Singh, Sreesanth, Harbhajan Singh and Murali Kartik.

Dhoni gets his "Surprise Gift"

A surprise gift awaited much longer than expected for Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. When the stylist Dhoni reached Jharkhand in a new look, Chief Minister Madhu Koda presented him a Toyota Corolla car along with the Rs 5 Lakh cheque. However, Dhoni was quick to donate the cheque to Chief Minister's relief fund. The function was organized at the CM's official residence.

Dhoni would be formally conferred the "Jharkhand Ratna" on November 15, the eighth statehood day of Jharkhand. Dhoni was overwhelmed to receive the honor. The Chief Minister justified his decision saying, Dhoni has made Jharkhand proud and now onwards the entire world would come to know the position of Jharkhand in the international map.

5 Reasons why I will choose Cricket over any other Game

It is said that baseball was originated from cricket. Some may find it strange because baseball is considered as one of the most popular games in the world. The popularity cricket has achieved over the years, is really amazing. It has left Baseball and many other sports way behind.

There are so many games and sports that offer the best to players. However, if I will have to choose one, I will definitely go for cricket. Reason: there are many. I have listed the top five reasons why I will give preference to cricket over any other game.

1) Career Prospects: I am not saying that baseball does not have career prospects. But it can hardly compete with the charisma of cricket. If I play cricket in Australia, England, South Africa or in the subcontinent countries like India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, my career will reach new heights, provided I play up to my skill and efficiency.

It is interesting to note that major companies in the subcontinent hire the talented cricketers at a high price and allow them to play cricket throughout the year. Sounds strange? You can make a fast buck without doing anything for your company. Also you and your team perform well on the international events, you may get out-of-turn promotions.

2) Money Factor: In today's professional world, sports and money go hand in hand. Sportspersons always look for money while deciding their future course of action. There are many sports that are cash-enriched and cricket is certainly one of them. Recently, we published an article about how cash rained on Indian cricketers after their Twenty20 World Cup triumph. If money is the deciding factor, I will blindly opt for cricket.

3) No loss of Stamina: Unlike Soccer and Lawn Tennis, cricket does not require hard stamina, as the game is spread over almost 7 hours during an one-day match. You can relax and play with a peace of mind unless there is a crunch situation towards the end of the game. Pressure is still there, as victory is always important. But at the end of the play, you won't feel drained out, which is very common in other forms of the game. If you save your strength and stamina even after playing for seven hours, what more will you need?

4) Playing Cricket is Fun: Cricket is a serious game, yet funny. The team that plays better on that day wins irrespective of the past records and strong players. The game is completely unpredictable and anything can happen and anytime. That is the funniest thing about the game. Sometimes the minnows walk away of the game against the powerful and formidable teams. The way cricket is being played is funny and the newly introduced Twenty20 format provides wholesome fun and entertainment to the crowd and players.

5) Excitement of Cricket: If you think that cricket is a dull game because it is long, then rethink. Cricket provides the maximum excitement when it comes to one-day format and Twenty20. And, if you are playing a match in the Indian subcontinent, then be prepared for the biggest excitement of your life. If the match is between arch-rivals India and Pakistan, then it will be full of emotion, strength, excitement and drama. Even a match could be won unexpectedly on the last ball of the match. People too often witness a nail-biting finish in one-day and Twenty20 cricket.

India thrashed Australia in Twenty20 Match

When it comes to Twenty20 cricket, Indian youngsters led by M S Dhoni are in high spirits. It has been proved against when they thrashed Australia by 7 wickets with 11 balls to spare. India played the same team that won the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa. However, Murali Kartik was the lone inclusion.

Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. The Indian bowlers R P Singh, Irfan Pathan and Murali Kartik bowled superbly. However, Harbhajan Singh was the most economical who gave only 17 runs in 4 overs and took one wicket. Pathan took 2 wickets. Australia scored an unimpressive 166/5 in 20 overs. Ricky Ponting scored 76.

India started the run chase in style, but lost Sehwag cheaply. Gambhir and Uthappa added 82 runs for the second wicket. Uthappa made 35. Yuvraj joined the party soon and hit 3 sixes in his unbeaten 31. Gautam Gambhir played an brilliant innings of 63 off 52 balls. Dhoni hit the winning runs with a brilliant six off Brett Lee. India won the Future Cup Twenty20 by 7 wickets.

Gautam Gambhir was declared "Man of the Match" and got a Maruti Suzuki SX4 car, while Harbhajan Singh got Rs. 100,000 as the "Most Economical Bowler" of the match. Yuvraj Singh got two awards for most number of sixes and for best fielding.

India beat Australia in Mumbai ODI, salvages Pride

India pulled off a sensational two-wicket victory over Australia in the final ODI in Mumbai, thanks to the brilliant efforts from the tailenders. In a low-scoring match, Australia batted first, but bundled out for 193 in 41.3 overs. The Australian batsmen fell to Murali Kartik's spin, who took a career-best of 6 wickets for 27 runs. Ponting scored 57, while Johnson contributed 24. Hopes made 22.

India's run chase began on a disastrous note with both Ganguly and Kartik falling cheaply. The ball was swinging in full flow and the Indian batsmen were either edging or missing it. Sachin Tendulkar managed to score 21 before falling to Brett Lee.

At one stage, India were 64/6. Then came the tailenders into picture. Harbhajan, Zaheer and Murali Kartik played brilliant innings alongside Robin Uthappa to give India an incredible victory. Uthappa made 47. Harbhajan scored 19, while Zaheer made 31 not out. Zaheer and Murali added an unbeaten 52 for the 9th wicket. Murali Kartik remained unbeaten on 21. India won the match with four overs to spare.

He was declared "Man of the Match" for his all round display. Andrew Symonds was declared "Man of the Series". Australia won the Future Cup series 4-2.

Another victory for the Aussies, win the Future Cup

Andrew Symonds played yet another blistering knock to see Australia win the Future Cup with an unassailable 4-1 lead over India. Australia proved too strong for India in the 6th ODI at Nagpur. Although the team fought well, it fell short by 18 runs.

Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. Even though Matthew Hayden did not play in the match, there was no respite for India, as Gilchrist and Ponting took the initial charge. Gilchrist scored 51, while Ponting made 49. However, it was the in-form batsman Andrew Symonds who led the onslaught on Indian bowlers. Symonds scored an unbeaten 107 off 88 balls. Australia made 317/8 in 50 overs.

Indian openers Sachin Tendulkar and Saurabh Ganguly gave a fantastic start to India by adding 140 for the first wicket. However, once Sachin departed, the Indian innings began sinking. Sachin scored 72 off 72 balls, while Ganguly made a fine 86. Dhoni and Uthappa tried to bring India back into the match, but did not succeed. Uthappa made 44. Dhoni contributed 26, while Pathan scored 29. Brad Hogg took 4 wickets. Andrew Symonds was declared "Man of the Match".

Humiliating defeat for Team India at Vadodara

India suffered a humiliating defeat against Australia in the 5th ODI at Vadodara. Toss was the key factor and India won it. That was the last time Indian camp had a laugh. Then it was Australia that treated the Indian cricketers as school kids and thrashed them by 9 wickets.

In the first over of the match, Ganguly and Dravid were out without scoring. The team never recovered and were on 43/5 at one stage . Thanks to Sachin's 47, Zaheer's 28 and Pathan's 26, India managed to score 148 in 39.4 overs. Mitchell Johnson took 5 wickets.

A meagre total of 148 was not enough for the Indian bowlers to defend. Australia reached the target in the 26th over, losing just one wicket. Gilchrist scored 79 off 77 balls. Hayden scored 29, while Ponting made an unbeaten 39. Johnson was declared "Man of the Match". Not a memorable 400th ODI appearance for Sachin Tendulkar!

Rest of India beat Mumbai to lift the Irani Trophy

Pace bowler Munaf Patel spearheaded Rest of India to a nine wicket over Mumbai in the final of the Irani Trophy cricket. A devastating five-wicket haul by Munaf helped Rest of India win the coveted title. Chasing a victory target of 88, Rest India took just 18.5 overs to win the match and the trophy. Parthiv Patel who scored a century in the first innings, remained unbeaten on 60 in the second innings.

Final Scorecard:

Mumbai 453 and 106.

Rest of India 472 and 91/1

India beat Australia in an ODI after Three Years

At last, a win for India against the mightly Australia and that came after three years and 11 matches. Dhoni's team managed to pull off a sensational 8-run victory over the Kangaroos in the 4th ODI at Mohali.

India won the toss and elected to bat first. Both the openers played cautiously and added 91 runs for the first wicket. Tendulkar was seen struggling in the beginning. He was let off by umpires at least on three occasions. Tendulkar made 79, while Ganguly scored 41. Yuvraj contributed 39. However, it was the late charge by Dhoni and Uthappa that helped India to pile up 291/4 in 50 overs. Dhoni scored an unbeaten 50 off 35 balls. Uthappa remained unbeaten on 30. Australia conceded 31 wide balls in the Indian innings.

In reply, Australia started the run chase confidently. In-form batsmen Hayden and Symonds almost won it for Australia. However, after their departure, India sensed victory and capitalized on the advantage. Hayden scored 92, while Symonds made 76. Australia finally ended at 283/7 in 50 overs. M S Dhoni was declared "Man of the Match".

The next match will be played at Badodara on Thursday. S Badrinath was included in the Indian team as a replacement for injured Gautam Gambhir.

Shoaib Akhtar to join IPL

Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar is all set to join to Indian Premier League (IPL). He has sought permission from PCB in this regard. According to Shoaib, he has been approached by the IPL and agreed to play for them. However, it is necessary to get consent from the PCB to sign contract with any other league.

Akhtar faces disciplinary action for hitting teammate Mohammad Asif with a bat a few days before the Twenty20 World Cup. He was sent back from South Africa as a punishment. A three-member committee is probing the matter and it would announce the verdict soon.

Yuvraj's ton went in Vain, as India surrendered before the Aussies

Australia again proved that India is no match to them when it comes to ODI cricket. A ruthless Australia extended their lead in the series with a comfortable 47-run victory over India in the third ODI at Hyderabad. Australia won the toss and elected to bat. The Kangaroos piled up a challenging total of 290/7 in 50 overs. Andrew Symonds scored a blistering 89 off 83 balls. Matthew Hayden made 60, while Michael Clarke contributed 59.

India started the run chase on a disastrous note with the scoreboard reading 13/3. Uthappa and Dravid were out without scoring. Tendulkar and Yuvraj tried to consolidate the innings. However, Sachin departed at 43 to a loose shot. Dhoni and Yuvraj built the Indian innings. However, once Dhoni departed on 33, the Australian win became a formality with other Indian batsmen falling cheaply to Australian bowling attack. Yuvraj fought the lone battle and scored 121 off 115 balls. India were bowled out for 243 in 47.3 overs. Andrew Symonds was declared "Man of the Match".

Mighty Australia thrashed Twenty20 Champs

The Twenty20 champs were brought down to earth barely a week after they crowned glory and cash. Rain saved Team India in the 1st ODI in Bangalore. But Kochi exposed the wide gap between India and Australia. Australia thrashed Dhoni's team by 84 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

India won the toss and put Australia into bat. Indian fast bowlers responded well and at one stage, Australia were 8/2. However, some sizzling batting performances by Symonds and Haddin helped Australia score 306/6 in 50 overs. Haddin scored an unbeaten 87. Symonds made 87, while Matthew Hayden contributed 75. Australia made a feast on the wayward Indian bowling and fielding.

Indian batsmen never looked in shape and meekly surrendered before a well-organized Australia team. India bowled out for 222 in 47.3 overs. Dhoni scored 58, while Utthapa made 41. Dravid contributed 31. Brad Haddin was declared "Man of the Match".