Vicissitudes or changes in fortunes are part of Life.
Life is cyclical and we find that fortunes fluctuate.
In Astrology, this is symbolised by the Transits of Jupiter.
In the First House, he brings problems galore ( nana dukham)
In the Second, he brings prosperity ( vitha samriddhi)
In the Third, he brings loss ( thritheeye brahmatho sira )
In the Fourth, he brings loss of kingdom ( chathurthe pandava bhrishta )
In the Fifth, he brings wealth ( putra dhanaptim )
In the Sixth, he brings problems from the jealous. ( ripu badham )
In the Seventh, he gives enjoyments ( bhogan )
In the Eighth, he gives health hazards ( rogan )
In the Ninth, he brings fortune ( dhanaptim)
In the Tenth, he brings loss of position and wandering about ( dasame darika vadham )
In the Eleventh, he brings gain
In the Twelth, he brings loss ( Dwadase ravano hanti ).
Whatever he has taken away when in the 12th and the 1st, he redeems and restores when he is in the 2nd. Similarly whatever he has taken away when in the 8th, is restored when he is in the 9th.
So He is a redeemer and His transits are actually a blessing to mankind.
RCB's Gayle said " Back in Kolkota, looking to make my debut for RCB and yes against KKR, what a world, lol ! Interesting but I am so Royal ! Now sweet azz India !
Rohit Sharma of MI became the became the sixth player to complete 1200 runs in the IPL. The right hander has scored 1217 at an average of 32.02 in 49 matches.
The Sri Lankan Board had allowed their players to play in IPL till May 18th.
There was a brother sister combine at the IPL, as Punjab's Aussie recruit, Nathan Rimmington, and his reporting sister Ricki-Lee were conspicous by their presence. Said Nathan " Rikki sort of followed in my footsteps. She would bowl to me when we were playing cricket in the backyard of our house as kids. And like any other young sibling, who looks upto my older sibling, she followed me into the game". The brother and sister represent Queensland. While the brother has not yet tasted high level cricket, Rikki has played for Australia U19 team. " As kids I used to double whatever runs she got just to be fair to her" says Nathan " But she won more games than I did. she is quite competitive".
Jupiter will move over to Aries on May 8th, and in Sachin's horoscope, he will move to the favourable 5th. ( LA means the Lunar Ascendant or the Moon Sign, as Sachin's birth star is Poorvashada or Pooradam ).
Now Sachin has added more trophies. A century in IPL , in T20 and being a member of the WC winning team !
Now he is eyeing another laurel, the IPL Trophy. Can MI, the no 1 favourites, pull it off ?
He has an average of 236 ! He was only out once, for 35 in the last match. His other scores are 46 no, 55 no, and 100 no !
The Heavens favour Sachin and may he go on creating records !
Gayle said he joined the IPL because WI board ignored him.
He was forced to accept an offer by RC Bangalore, as he was not sure about a place in WI team. He was injured during the World Cup. He paid for all medical treatment in Britain, before returning home to Jamaica, where he started a rehabilitation programme with his personal trainer.
"Some players were selected for a training camp in Barbados, but I never got a call" said the dashing West Indian southpaw, who is capable of winning a T20 match singlehandedly. "Nobody spoke to me, so I decided to leave it alone"
Punjab posted the highest score in IPL 2011, 195/7.
Valthaty and Shaun Marsh hit 3 sixes each and Valthaty became the wearer of the orange cap, overtaking Sachin. He has now scored 247 runs against Sachin's 236 !
In 15 overs, Punjab were 169/2, but then Rajastan came back into the game. In the first five overs, Punjab blasted 71/1 !
Praveen Kumar shot out Watson for 24 and Asnodkar for 9. Dravid was bowled by Harris for 8.
Gilchrist was bowled by a no ball from Siddharth Trivedi and Valthaty was caught in the slips off a no ball from Tait ! These two reprieves cost the Royals dear as both Gilchrist and Valthaty exploded and punished their bowlers to all parts of the field.
Valthaty blasted Trivedi for three fours and two mighty sixes. In that over, Trivedi yielded 25 runs and suddenly Punjab had posted 50 on the board in fastish time. When Gilchrist fell, Valthaty slowed down but Shaun Marsh, in superb form , continued to make the scoreboard moving at a fantastic pace.
Warne thought when he commenced the 14th over that he could bring the Roylas back into the game, but Marsh smote him for three magnificent sixes. In the 16th over, Punjab was 175 and Pretty, pretty, Preity was beaming. But then Royals came back into the game with some restrictive bowling and Punjab could only score 20 runs more in the last four overs !
Warne managed to dismiss Valthaty, but not before the 28 year old had run bersek, smashing 46 off 31 balls. Shane Warne, who conceded 50 runs off 4 overs, did lose his cool. He sledged Shaun Marsh ( who hit him for three consecutive sixes ) and then gave a bit of his mind to D Karthik, who refused to walk, after being given out. Warne's girlfriend Liz Hurley was watching the match and her presence could not cool the genius Aussie leggie !
RR could only muster 147/7, against some good bowling by Praveen Kumar and Bhatt. Rahul Dravid, after hitting two excellent fours, was yorked by Ryan Harris ( Astrologically, his 8th & 3rd lord's period is troubling him and as such he should be excused). Praveen Kumar nailed Asnodkar with a full toss. Watson hit 4 elegant fours, but then Praveen Kumar induced him to top edge a pull. Then Chawla struck with a superb beauty to trap Ross Taylor and the match was almost over !
Shaun Marsh was exuberant that his side had defeated Warne's team. "It's nice feeling. We had a great win. All the boys played well, and good feeling at the moment. First time I have got a few off him (Warne), usually he gets me out pretty early," said the elegant left hander. "I do enjoy playing here, great place to play cricket. Having a lot of fun at the moment."
Gilchrist was enthused that his side, Punjab had scored its third consecutive win and jumped to third place in the IPL Points Table.
"Three in a row after a poor start. Been a bit of a stop-start tournament, seems like the tournament is just beginning. Fine line, but 2 for 5 is a fair distance from being 0 for 40. Paul backed himself, and Shaun was brilliant," said the flashy Aussie. "Not too bad [his own form]. It's all helter skelter, don''t know much about form in this form of the game.
Warne said that if his bowlers had not bowled the no balls, it would have been a totally different story.
"Not the ideal start. Two no-balls could have been two wickets. After that we lost our way. Gilchrist and Valthaty played really well. We pulled them back a bit, but we got off to an ordinary start ourselves," Warne said.
He said he lost his cool when both Trivedi and Tait bowled no balls. "I was trying to stay calm [when the no-balls happened], but it's not easy. Something you can't do in Twenty20 cricket." "We got outplayed, we didn't do a lot of basic stuff well." said the formidable Aussie leggie !
But today they are batting first and Mahela said he is confident that his team will put up a decent score.
Let us see what will happen.
Tuskers could only get 132, as the Kolkotta spinners, Pathan and Shakib restricted them to a low total. Pathan reduced Kochi from 45/0 to 65/4, taking six Kochi wickets for 48 runs. But Kochi's spinners struck back - Powar, Murali and Jadeja - and restricted them to 126/9 !
Kochi won by 6 runs and moved to No 3 position of the IPL Table.
The Kochi formidable opening pair scored 26 in the first three overs. In comparison, Kolkota was unimpressive, scoring only 20 runs in the first four overs and losing Kallis and Gambhir in the process. Kallis fell for the hook for the second consecutive time and Gambhir played inside the line and had his stumps uprooted by R P Singh.
In the next over, Jadeja removed the off stump of Bisla. Tiwari and Morgan found the going tough against some accurate spin bowling by Kochi. Murali varied his angle and flight superbly, Jadeja fired the ball in and Powar flighted the ball well to stife Kolkotta !
The climibing asking rate saw Morgan charging down for a single which was not there and Mahela, with a direct hit, threw down the stumps. Tiwary blasted RP for back to back boundaries, but Shakib, while trying to hit a full toss, was bowled comprehensively.
47 runs were removed off five overs and then Mahela, like Dhoni, took a risky decision. He brought in Pawar, the offspinner. Pathan hit him to wide long on for four, but got a top edge to a well flighted ball from Pawar. It was brave on the part of Pawar to flight, but fortune favoured him this time.
All eyes were riveted on Tiwari. He had batted intelligently for 45, but Jadeja had him stumped with a superb ball. Bhatia and Abdullah refused to give up, blasting 12 runs off an RP Singh over, the 19 th over. 14 runs were needed off the ultimate over, but Vinay Kumar stifled them with slow deliveries and game the match to Kochi.
Despite the hype of Kolkotta's formidable batting line up, none of the other batsmen, apart from Tiwari, shone.
Look at Sachin's scores. He was 46 not out, 55 no and 100 no in all the three matches he played. So one thought that he will be undefeated today. That was not to be as he got out at 35.
Now Mumbai needs only 7 runs to win off 8 balls !
Rayudu played a swashbuckling innings of 37. One run was needed and Rohit Sharma smashed one into the crowds and MI won !
Symonds, out of touch with cricket for seven months, smashed some fours and came back into form.
It was a mediocre performance from Pune against highly rated favourites, Mumbai.
The Pune batsmen were foxed by the spin of Murtaza. With Murtaza at one end and Nechim on the other, J Ryder fell. M Patel returned with the superb figures of 3/8 and MI's performance delighted Shaun Pollock, the bowling coach.
Nechim gets some skid off the surface and this trapped Ryder, whose pull ended in the hands of Sachin.
Jesse Ryder is now facing Murtaza. There is now a confident appeal against Ryder, but then his feet was in.
Yuvraj opted for batting, even though almost all captains are taking fielding first, to know the target.
Shastri opined that 194/9 is a far better score than 164/3 ! He is advising both Maharashtra sides to go in for 200, rather than solidly for 160 odd !
Jessie Ryder lofts one into the hands of Sachin and Pune are 16/1. Next ball Manhas flashes and is caught behind and Nechim strikes two tremendous blows !
Munaf Patel started the next over and clean bowls T Paine and Pune ( who made Punjab 9/4 and Kochi 13/3 ) are 17/3 ! The Pune captain is out next ball and Pune are 17/4 !
That is why most of the captains take fielding, with the possible exception of Dhoni. But then Dhoni is an intellectual captain who knows how to rotate the bowlers and win by bowling and fielding.
Uthappa, not deterred by the situation, lofts one for four. But he is another pinch hitter and let us see whether he will save Pune !
Monish Mishra lofted one for six and then perished trying to repeat the shot, caught in the deep by Rohit Sharma and Pune are 57/5 !
Jonty Rhodes, the Mumbai coach, said that he is satisfied by the performance of the Mumbaikars !
Murali Karthik, playing well so far, lofts Malinga into the hands of Symonds and Pune are 88/6, off 14 overs !
Wayne Parnell is bowled by Franklin for 11 and Pune are 111/8 !
Pune are all out for 118 and Mumbai needs 119 runs to win. Mumbai pulled off some fantastic catches. No wonder as Jonty Rhodes is their coach.
KKR is a new resurgent team, under an innovative captain, Gambhir. Kolkotta is now respected, after some great wins. The Kolkotta crowd may be back at the Eden Gardens. Now they face a team which is reputed for creating upsets and are giant killers at the Eden today.
Three great wins have brought momentum to KKR and they are looking for their fourth win. Both KKR and KTK started the competition with losses and were struggling in the bottom of the IPL Table. Both have turned around magnificently. The Knights have not committed mistakes in the last three matches. Also the Tuskers, who have beaten both Mumbai and Chennai. Both have momentum on their favour and this makes today's match thrilling to the core.
Both depend on batting. The bowling of both cannot be compared to the bowling of Mumbai or Chennai. Both seem to be equal with strengths and weaknesses.
Meanwhile, Mahela said that the DL system should be reviewed. " To my limited knowledge, they take the average scores and work it backwards., which I believe is not good enough in the shorter version of the game. Perhaps they should introduce a new system in such cases".
He is thrilled at the way the games are going for the IPL debutants. "It is tough to get things right after two losses. We are still not there but we are definitely heading in the right direction". said the great SL batsman, implying that there was still space for improvement in all the three departments of the game. Wiinning the toss is crucial and his partnership with Brendon was the turning point of the last game.
"I guess we are just helping the middle order as much as we can and Brendon is working really hard. He is consistent in his performance' said the professional batsman about his explosive opening partner. "We bowled well under the given conditions but we can still improve especially when the fielding side is put under pressure. We have to make sure we are not complacent and keep going".
Incidentally, Stephen Fleming, the CSK coach, lambasted the D/L method in T20. He said that it is not an excuse for the CSK defeat to Kochi. "No place for D/L in T20 matches" said the former Kiwi skipper.
"There is no no place for D/L in this format. How can one explain an addition of only three runs to the target? We had three full overs in hand and more importantly had six wickets in hand' said the formdidable coach after CSK' s seven wicket defeat at the hands of the giant killers, Kochi. The Kochi pitch offered good bounce and in spite of playing three quality seamers, runs flowed. A matter for alarm and despondency, but Fleming said " We bowled well. If you look at the stats, they scored about five sixes and played out nearly 25 dot balls in the first six overs. They swung at everything and a few came off".
Geoff Marsh, the Pune coach, feels that a total of 150 plus is OK on the Wankhede track.
"It looks like a very good wicket. We have to score at least 150 plus. But we will have to see how it plays in the first six overs and then reassess the target." said the former Aussie btasmen, whose son Stuart Marsh is playing for Punjab.
Though Mumbai is a great side, hailed as the No 1 favourites to win IPL 2011, they are not unbeatable.
"In their last four games, counting last year's final, they have won two and lost two. They are a very good side and have the advantage of retaining four players. But they showed they could be beaten in the last game." the formidable Aussie said.
He said he is ready to take on the redoubtable Sachin on his home ground. "Every cricketer in the world wants to play against him.
"It would be a sad day when he's not playing. It would be good to remind ourselves when he's not playing."
The former opener said that following Pune' loss to DDD in their previous outing, Pune's aim was to not to commit small mistakes. "We had a chat after the game and yesterday. While we scored 180 we could have rotated the strike and scored 210. We definitely have to get better all the time," he said.
Murali Karthik, the left arm spinner, who bowls occasional chinamans, said "The typical Wankhede wicket had a slope. This one is flat. The bounce on practice pitches is not the same as that of a typical Wankhede wicket. We'll have to see how it plays,"he said. Karthik had done well at the Wankhede in Tests.
Said the left armer, who also appears as a commentator on TVs. "It was a different day, different game. That day was surreal. This Wankhede looks like an amphitheater. I have done well here in Tests, ODIs and first-class cricket. But this is T20 cricket and I have to bowl four overs and put each ball on the spot."
The new entrants, Kochi and Pune had made IPL more interesting, triggering off intense competition and fuelling more interest.
"We have got two new teams. Two new teams coming into fray has made it more competitive. People have done their homework and managed to put up a good side. The quality of international players as well as domestic we have is very good."
Geoff Marsh echoed the same sentiment. "Definitely, the way the point structure is at the moment, all teams are equal. The auction has balanced things out."
Shaun Marsh opined that Paul Valthaty' aggressive batting is something worth going miles to see.
Marsh may have lost the opening slot to him, but he is an admirer of Paul and is not complaining.
"Paul is batting really well in this season and he is a fantastic player. He has done well for the Punjab team in the last two games which helped us secure two subsequent wins. He put us in a winning position in the last two games. I am looking forward towards watching him bat again." said the classic Australian.
Marsh was the wearer of the Orange Cap in IPL 2008.
He said he is happy with his batting slot and wants to be in the Aussie side. . "I had a great first IPL and had a lot of fun. I had few injuries which somewhat made my ride a little bumpy one. I am confident that I can find the same rhythm and body right this time.
"I am feeling pretty good at the moment. It was a bit frustating (getting injured) but you can't do much with the injury situation. Obviously, if I perform well in the IPL, then it will help me win back my place in the Australian team. If I score few runs, then I will be in their scheme of things." said the southpaw, whose aim is to play for Australia in Tests.
It's my dream to play Test cricket for Australia. Wearing the baggy green is an ultimate for any Australian cricketer. My aim is to keep working hard and keep scoring runs and I am sure I will make it to the Test squad." Hailing Michael Clarke as a great leader, Shaun said he will transform Australia.
"Michael Clarke is a great player and a great leader. He is going to be a fantastic captain for Australia for a long period of time. I am sure he is going to re-build the side." he said.
In the Bangalore match, between RCB and RR, the rain gods stopped play and incessant rain made both teams take each points.
Both RCB and RR are struggling and is trying to come out to the top of the IPL Table. Now KKR, Mumbai, Pune, DC and Kochi are on top of the list with some stellar performances.
Helped by a blisteing 62 by Sunny Sohail, a sedate 49 by Sanga and a hard hitting 31 not out by Cameroon White, DC posted a good 168 batting first.
DDD will have to chase and get 169 for victory. Everything depends on Sehwag and Warner, even though there are others who can redeem Delhi.
DC uplifted themselves to the fourth position of the IPL with some disciplined bowling and fielding. DDD went back to their old form, as they lost Sehwag for 12.
Dave Warner continued his good form and scored a brilliant 51. None of the other batsmen impressed.
It was Harmeet Singh who struck some lethal blows, removing the dangerous Sehwag and Aaron Finch. V Rao could not repeat his magic and was out for 21. The bowling of Ojha, MIshtra, Steyn, Christian and Harmeet did create problems for DDD.
For his brilliant 62, Sunny Sohail was adjudged Man of the Match.
The Man of the Match said " I thought I had to play through the full T20 overs, I have played here before, but could not score much, so I decided I have to score today. Our captain tells us to go out and have fun in the middle so that makes my job a lot easier".
Said an enthused Sanga, after the match. "I feel a lot better now that we have won. Everyone chipped in today. Delhi came back us especially in the last five overs and we were lucky to get Viru. I have been batting OK for a few months now - that is my job here, keep well and bat well. I think youngsters like Sohal have to enjoy themselves when they go out to the middle, at the same time they have to keep learning. "
The DC think tank of Lehman and Sanga clearly read the conditions of the Kotla better than Viru's Devils ! While DDD packed their side with pacers, DC went the other way.
Ishant, Gony and Duminy were rested and Ojha, Cameroon White and Harmeet Singh came in.
Meanwhile, IPL ex commissioner, Lalit Modi said " Yes, the 3rc Anniversary for IPL today. I am glad we made it to here. Thanks for all your messages. Best wishes". It was unfortunate that such an efficient man had to exit from IPL !
Delhiites had turned in large numbers to cheer their heroes, after their win against Pune. The two massive stands were full and Delhi Police did show a polite face !
The IPL cannot be called a revolution, but must be credited for creating great content for the masses, something which football or hockey in India cannot provide. The Kochi stadium refurbished can compare with any other in India and the crores which went in for the renovation does indeed display splendour. Sony did show the beautiful boat rides on the magnificent Vembanad Lake. The beautiful islands of Kochi does display a splendour which can enchant all. Many Kochiites are happy that big time cricket is here to stay, but there are concerns that corporation tax levied is a bit high and Ahmedabad may be the alternative venue planned for IPL V. But rain tainted yesterday's play and the match was reduced to 17 overs.
It was a good toss to win and Mahela elected to bowl. This has become a fashion for the captains to take fielding, as you can know the target in advance. Since all teams have excellent Test batsmen playing in their sides, a target of 180 or above will not pose much of a problem and we are seeing the majority of sides batting second winning. The dew factor ? The Dew Factor did come to India's assistance in the final, an opinion seconded by Imran, Murali and Dhoni.
So Kochi got their target, well 132 to win and it was imperative for Kochi to win, to grab the attention of the world, that they are no pushovers. The other debutant, Pune started well winning the first two matches, but lost their way in the third.
This is Kochi's second consecutive win. KTK has just defeated mighty Chennai !
At the moment, CSK are 109/3, with Raina just crossing his 50.MSD has just come in.
Earlier RP Singh got rid of the dangerous Mike Hussey for 8.
Heavy rains lashed Kochi and the match was reduced to 17 overs by the D/L method. Chennai scored 131/4, with Raina top scoring with 50. Raina was run out by Thissara Pereira for 50. Gomez trapped Badrinath lbw for 19. Dhoni was not out 14 when the 17th over finished, leaving Kochi to score 132 for victory.
The great duo of Mahela and Brendon started their glorious campaign and put on 39 for the first wicket. Mahela was out for 16, having hit a six and two fours. Parthiv Patel seems to be in good nick and he and Brendon took the score to 90. McCullum was out for 47 off Ashwin. He had blasted 4 fours and three sixes. Patel was out when the score was 110. Then again the Saviours of the Kochi last game, Jadeja and Hogde stroked Kochi to victory, as they did in the last match against Mumbai. Like in the last match, Jadeja blasted two sixes in this magnificent 16 not out !
Kochi got good star support as actresses Riya Sen and Lakshmi Rai were seen hanging around. The actor Mohan Lal and Film Director Priyadarshan were conspicous by their presence. The Kochi fanbase will improve, as Kochi has already grabbed the attention of the world by beating strong teams like Chennai and Mumbai, the top favourites to win this IPL trophy. If Chennai is the
No 1 favourite, Mumbai is the second favourite to win this 10 cr INR Trophy !
CSK captain Dhoni said the rain interruption took away crucial three overs against Kochi, which proved to be crucial in the end.
Chennai looks the most balanced side in the IPL. Hussey and Vijay are in great form. So is Dhoni. Add Suresh Raina, Albie Morkel and Badrinath. Amongst bowlers Ranadiv is now back in form. Ashwin, Jakati, Albie and Southee are effective bowlers. Chennai has scored more than 180 runs in the last two matches. And minnows Kochi is taking on such a formidable side.
Still the Tuskers are trumpeting against the roar of the Super Kings at their home venue, the Kochi Stadium.
But the Tuskers are not a side to be dismissed lightly. Did they not defeat the formidable MI? Now they have momentum and their fanbase is increasing. You must have seen the great reception they got at the Kochi Airport after defeating Mumbai !
John Hastings, the giant all rounder, is ready to don the garb for Kochi. McCullum and Mahela are in great nick. Also Jadeja and Hodge. But then their bowling gives scope for alarm and despondency.
Murali, Sreeshant, V Kumar, RP - these bowlers have not been at their best. Only Jadeja with his spinners have been restrictive. Also Powar, the offspinner, has been off target.
So a great match is in the offing and a cracker of a game is expected.
He pole vaulted into stardom. His 120 off 63 balls left the experts gasping for breath. The opposition looked devastated. And when he shone with the ball in taking 4/29, the IPL fans were stunned. He scored 75 in the same match, powering Punjab to victory. Paul Chandrasekhar Valthaty.
Adam Gilchrist, the Punjab captain said that batting with the new sensation is great fun. " He worked hard in our camp and pre-tournament practice matches. I was trying to hang in with Paul. It was nice to get that partnership. The way Paul was going the total wasnt enough. He has had a very busy couple of days with messages and all, but he has dealt with it very well. We complemented each other very well through phases. I was giving him the strike early on, but later he did the same. It was a tough chase. If you play as well as Paul did, you end up winning easier. They had a very experienced bowling line-up, very pleasing for our batsmen to come through".
Meanwhile, Valthaty said he was inspired by Gilchrist. " Batting with Gilly is obviously inspirational as he is one of my heroes when I started my cricket. Gilly always tells me to watch the ball hard and bat to your strengths. In T20 cricket, it is obviously important to have a clear mind". said the new star who has zoomed to the IPL firmament.
Valthaty said that his friends and family had advised him to be cool and not to succumb to match pressure.
Yuvraj continued his brilliant all round form with a blistering 66 not out, with five sixes and took four Delhi wickets, but his all round excellence went in vain,as Delhi coasted to their maiden win.
Jesse Ryder, another impact player, was also at his best as he blasted 60 with five sixes and Pune piled up a mammoth 187/5!
Delhi wanted 188 to win and it seemed that Sehwag alone would do it. But then Sehwag fell, clean bowled by Ryder for 37. David Warner scored a brilliant 46 with two sixes. And then Delhi was in dire straits at 120/5, when Venugopal Rao took over the reins.
Venugopal Rao blasted 3 sixes and one four in a scintillating innings of 31. Finch scored 25 and Delhi won by 3 wickets.
"We did not bowl well in the death overs", said Yuvraj.
"You have to give it to Delhi. They played really well under pressure. We did not take wickets in the first six and did not bowl well in the end overs. I was thinking of spinners in the death overs but in the end your main bowlers have to bowl well. You have to give them confidence," a disappointed Yuvraj said after the match.
Yuvraj,Man of the Match because of his all round performance, said that Pune was in the game when he got rid of Aaron Finch in the 19th over, with Delhi still needing 21 off 11 balls.
"We were there in the game when Finch got out but Venugopal and Hopes batted really well. After Sehwag and David Warner gave Delhi a good start, their middle-order came out good."
It was Delhi's shrewdness which paid off. DDD reserved a couple of their big hitters back and V Rao and A Finch blasted the Pune bowlers to all parts of the field, in the death overs, to register their first IPL victory.
In the 39th over, Yuvraj had Finche caught and bowled with his first ball and removed V Rao with his last, sending shivers in the Delhi camp. Then Delhi only wanted 8 runs off six balls. Then James Hopes, hit the third ball of Ryder's over for six and then hit the next one through backward point to send DDD fans into ecstasy.
"Our batsmen played responsibly and we won a thriller" said Sehwag.
"Our batting didn't click in the first two games in which we batted first. I thought with a target to chase the batsmen would take some responsibility. It was a fine victory and was a team effort by the Delhi Daredevils," said the swashbuckling opener after his team defeated the home side by three wickets in a high-scoring game.
He said DDD has resigned to defeat when they needed 41 off the last three overs.
"When we needed 41 off three overs we thought we would lose the game. But twenty runs came off the 18th over. I think that was the turning point," said the formidable swashbuckling opener, who scored 37 in 23 balls , sharing an opening stand of 75 with Dave Warner.
"The wicket was good. The kind of batting line-up we have, we knew if we could get a good start we could do it. But we were confident of chasing 160-170. But Yuvraj Singh played a fantastic knock. We lost quick wickets, but Venu (gopal Rao) and Aaron (Finch) played splendidly." the Delhi bomber said.
"He was the only bowler who gave (only) 26 runs in four overs. He later hit a four and a six to win the game and has made it difficult for us whom to select for the next match."
Sehwag said it is difficult to build a team and make it jell.
"It's difficult to build a new team with only one man in it originally. We are coming there, getting better as a unit. We are practicing hard, sharing information and experience. We need a couple of more weeks. "Greg Shipperd, the coach, has done a fantastic job. We had a camp from March 30. He has helped me with his knowledge about the players."
He paid glowing tributes to the all round magnificence of Yuvraj Singh, who excelled with both bat and ball.
"It happens even in One-dayers. Yuvraj Singh batted well and bowled well but ended on the losing side. I am happy with that. It was a great effort by our team. We had bowled really well before the last over, by Ashok Dinda." he said. Dinda was hit by Yuvra for three towering sixes and gave away 26 runs in the final over.
Sehwag said Morkel missed yesterday's match because of a digestive tract disorder. "Morkel had an upset stomach. I don't know what he ate, but hopefully he will be fit for the next game."
Yuvraj continued his brilliant all round form with a blistering 66 not out, with five sixes and took four Delhi wickets, but his all round excellence went in vain,as Delhi coasted to their maiden win.
Jesse Ryder, another impact player, was also at his best as he blasted 60 with five sixes and Pune piled up a mammoth 187/5!
Delhi wanted 188 to win and it seemed that Sehwag alone would do it. But then Sehwag fell, clean bowled by Ryder for 37. David Warner scored a brilliant 46 with two sixes. And then Delhi was in dire straits at 120/5, when Venugopal Rao took over the reins.
Venugopal Rao blasted 3 sixes and one four in a scintillating innings of 31. Finch scored 25 and Delhi won by 3 wickets.
"We did not bowl well in the death overs", said Yuvraj.
"You have to give it to Delhi. They played really well under pressure. We did not take wickets in the first six and did not bowl well in the end overs. I was thinking of spinners in the death overs but in the end your main bowlers have to bowl well. You have to give them confidence," a disappointed Yuvraj said after the match.
Yuvraj,Man of the Match because of his all round performance, said that Pune was in the game when he got rid of Aaron Finch in the 19th over, with Delhi still needing 21 off 11 balls.
"We were there in the game when Finch got out but Venugopal and Hopes batted really well. After Sehwag and David Warner gave Delhi a good start, their middle-order came out good."
It was Delhi's shrewdness which paid off. DDD reserved a couple of their big hitters back and V Rao and A Finch blasted the Pune bowlers to all parts of the field, in the death overs, to register their first IPL victory.
In the 39th over, Yuvraj had Finche caught and bowled with his first ball and removed V Rao with his last, sending shivers in the Delhi camp. Then Delhi only wanted 8 runs off six balls. Then James Hopes, hit the third ball of Ryder's over for six and then hit the next one through backward point to send DDD fans into ecstasy.
"Our batsmen played responsibly and we won a thriller" said Sehwag.
"Our batting didn't click in the first two games in which we batted first. I thought with a target to chase the batsmen would take some responsibility. It was a fine victory and was a team effort by the Delhi Daredevils," said the swashbuckling opener after his team defeated the home side by three wickets in a high-scoring game.
He said DDD has resigned to defeat when they needed 41 off the last three overs.
"When we needed 41 off three overs we thought we would lose the game. But twenty runs came off the 18th over. I think that was the turning point," said the formidable swashbuckling opener, who scored 37 in 23 balls , sharing an opening stand of 75 with Dave Warner.
"The wicket was good. The kind of batting line-up we have, we knew if we could get a good start we could do it. But we were confident of chasing 160-170. But Yuvraj Singh played a fantastic knock. We lost quick wickets, but Venu (gopal Rao) and Aaron (Finch) played splendidly." the Delhi bomber said.
"He was the only bowler who gave (only) 26 runs in four overs. He later hit a four and a six to win the game and has made it difficult for us whom to select for the next match."
Sehwag said it is difficult to build a team and make it jell.
"It's difficult to build a new team with only one man in it originally. We are coming there, getting better as a unit. We are practicing hard, sharing information and experience. We need a couple of more weeks. "Greg Shipperd, the coach, has done a fantastic job. We had a camp from March 30. He has helped me with his knowledge about the players."
He paid glowing tributes to the all round magnificence of Yuvraj Singh, who excelled with both bat and ball.
"It happens even in One-dayers. Yuvraj Singh batted well and bowled well but ended on the losing side. I am happy with that. It was a great effort by our team. We had bowled really well before the last over, by Ashok Dinda." he said. Dinda was hit by Yuvra for three towering sixes and gave away 26 runs in the final over.
Sehwag said Morkel missed yesterday's match because of a digestive tract disorder. "Morkel had an upset stomach. I don't know what he ate, but hopefully he will be fit for the next game."
Rajastan Royals were bowled out by Kolkotta for 81. It was the ex Indian pacer Balaji's day, as he grabbed 3/15 !
Dravid did not play and Shane Watson opened the innings. He was bowled by Balaji and the first wicket fell at 24. Paunikar was stumped by Bisla off Iqbal Abdulla for 15. Two run outs saw RR plunge to 43/4 !
Ross Taylor fell to Pathan, stumped again by Bisla and RR were in dire straits at 67/5. Balaji shattered the stumps of Rahane. While Shane Warne remained unconquered, Shakil Al Hasan shattered the stumps of Amit Singh and Shaun Tait. And Lee uprooted the stumps of Siddharth Trivedi and RR were all out for 81 ! Kolkotta crowd back to their feet and cheering !
Kolkotta won comfortably with Gambhir on 35 not out and M Tiwari on 30 not out.
Balaji took 3/15 and became Man of the Match. He produced a super delivery to clean bowl Shane Watson, the formidable all rounder in his first over and then he cleaned up the lower order later. It was great bowling on the part of the KKRs and no wonder the Kolkotta crowd will be back in droves, after this resounding win ! The delivery which sent back Watson was a dream ball. It pitched on the middle, swerved away and hit the off stump. This is the best ball bowled in the IPL so far.
Gilchrist won the toss and took fielding and restricted DC to 165. We have seen chase of 183 yesterday, a successful chase, by Kochi. So 166 is not a great score by any means.
Now Punjab are 96/0, with Valthaty going strong and Gilchrist giving him admirable support. Vlathaty is 45 not out and Gilchrist is 44 not out.
Earlier Paul Valthaty took 4/29, bowling military medium stuff. So he may get Man of the Match Award.
Gilchrist smashes a six to bring up his fifty and Punjab's score crosses 100. They are now 103/0.
The Punjab coach,Michael Bevan said that there is tremendous talent in India. He was commenting on Paul Valthaty's performance.
This is the second time he had done it ! Paul Valthaty, powered Punjab to yet another win with a superb all round performance. He took 4/29 and then scored 75 blistering runs and powered Punjab to victory.
The Deccans, with the best bowling combination in the tournament - Steyn, Sharma, Gony & Mishra, if not Ojha - could do nothing against the onslaught of Valthaty and Gilchrist, who put on 136 runs for the first wicket, when Gilchrist got out for 61. When Valthaty was out, it was 151/2 and the match was more or less over.
For the Deccans, Dhawan scored 45 and Sanga 35. Christian scored 30 off 14 balls, but then 165 proved to be not a defendable score. Not against the in form Valthaty.
The formidable bowling of the Deccans was blunted by the Gilchrist Valthaty duo, whose century partnership, the highest in IPL 2011, brought joy to pretty, pretty Preity !
Punjab has reasons to be proud. Valthaty is a great find and let him prove himself in the matches to come. We hope he plays for India !
Earlier, Christian threatened to take the game away from Punjab, when he clubbed Valthaty for a mighty six, but then Valthaty had his revenge when he clean bowled Christian.
Valthaty, in the same over, sent back Mishra, the leg spinner and took the dream figures of 4/29. He was adjudged the Man of the Match !
