World Cup Format

World Cup 2019 in England, only the rain is the most consistent performer. Out of 24 matches played in the tournament, four have already gone without any play and in equal number, density of clouds keep travelling over and above the stadium, which means broken mojo of the teams on the field. 

Everybody went back the memory lane, of how Pakistan (the underdogs) qualified in 1992 for the semi-finals by virtue of rain. Pakistan only had three games to be played in the Group Stage and two were washed out due to rain. Pakistan’s, underdog team, qualified for the semi finals and ultimately went on to win the World Cup in 1992. South Africa was strong contender for 1992, but lost out to D/L method in knockout stage.

In a strange sense of events in 1996 World Cup, South African team was again the favourites for the World Cup. South Africa thrashed out the teams, they played in Group stage. In Quarter Finals, South Africa was going strong and the worst West Indies, West Indies as team has gone to its worst today, compared to their heydays of winning first three editions of World Cup, 1996 team was the worst till the time; and then in a strange chain of events, West Indies took three wickets in one over, only to end South Africa’s dream run, without giving them a chance to play Semi-Finals. But it was still Quarter Final. 

South Africa as country had joined international cricket after decades of hiatus in 1991, due to apartheid. Post which, ICC has been working around the world to ensure more and more countries start playing cricket and trying to bring more countries in the main stream. Cricket is the least adopted sports in the world in terms of number of nations. Of course, we can compare some of the snow related sports, due to weather and mountains.

ICC tried to increase teams for the World Cup, and in one such edition, they brought 14 teams. And the realization dawned that bottom six teams, do not even deserve to be in World Cup. World Cup as the tournament, which comes every 4 years should only be played by the best teams. We are also living in an era of T20 cricket with the immensely popular IPL edition; when players like Gayle are becoming specialists in the format.

IPL (Indian Premier League) has 8 teams and all teams play with each other, twice in the tournament, which ensures, only the most consistent teams in performance get the chance to reach the Qualifier (more like semi-finals) rounds. 

For the first time in World Cup, every team is playing all the other teams in the tournament with 10 countries playing World Cup 2019, to ensure there are no stroke of luck editions like Pakistan in 1992. It was not about the best, it was only about getting lucky on that day, when fortunately you get to play a match.

In World Cup, 2019, rain can wash up 3 matches for every team, still every team has at least 6 matches to be played and perform, which requires consistency and persistence to qualify for the Semi-Final stage. Six matches to be played by every team in World Cup has never happened before. 

The four teams which qualify for semi-final, now need luck only for two matches on two days, definitely the consistent ones, who carry performance throughout the 9 matches (or 6 matches, due to rain), would rely more on performance and less on luck. Four teams at the top will be crème de la crème.

Now after 39 out of 45 matches, we are still not clear which teams qualify for the semi-finals, except for Australia making the cut. Rain didn’t play the spoilsport post the 4 – 5 matches in the initial phase. 

Which World Cup format is better or has more merits to gauge the reflexes that which team is more consistent in its performance, which can perform over longer duration against everybody to be truly anointed the Champion of the World Cup. 

My bets are all hedged on Cricket World Cup 2019 - #CWC2019.

Dhoni and the World of Cricket T20

I stopped watching the Final of Cricket World Cup T20 between England and West Indies after 12 over of second innings by Windies as they had just scored 66 in 12 overs and required 90 from 48 balls. A mobile beep at 11 in the night tells me West Indies won after hitting four sixes of last over with two balls to spare. Now Darren Sammy tells the world about the delirious conditions with which their Board treats them, hence they are bigger heroes than just winning the World Cup. Probably England is the best team to hit sixes against, Yuvraj hit six sixes in one over against them.

My mind races back to the India-Bangladesh match and what a match it was, no match  of any sport in any country in the world can make as many people their heartbeats than a thriller by an Indian cricket team. A friend of mine quoted on Facebook, “Dhoni does not believe in Winning, Winning believes in Dhoni”. We had won three straight games against Bangladesh prior to the series and won all the matches in Asia Cup in Dhaka. In this match as well, we were expected to take leap in terms of average in case India, Pakistan and Australia get stuck at 2 won matches each. Only the luck (luck is an important factor in T20 cricket) saved the match. But as the team with Number 1 ranking, we are never up to the mark.

Radio, television channels, music, entertainment channels everybody was playing the last over of the match by Hardik Pandya for the next 24 hours. In the past few months, their is a movement amongst the cricket intellectuals and greats to elevate the position of Dhoni from cricketer and skipper to the Cricket Hall of Fame. Certainly people were reminded of the last over bowled by Joinder Sharma in the first ever T20 cricket wherein Dhoni was made Captain and sent with the team of rookies (underdogs) as the heavy weights refused to play T20 cricket. 

Dhoni certainly deserves a place. We won a match against Pakistan and also Australia to which Kohli guided us to a comfortable win. If Sachin is God of Cricket, then Dhoni is certainly the mentor of T20 cricket. He is a mentor not only to players or the team but the whole concept of T20.

Like his coach said that he was recommending to some senior retired players in the cricket arena and they asked, what type of batsmen he is and what is his batting style? His coach said, he plays excellent shots and he has his own style and not anybody he can think of. Dhoni's style of picking good length, low pitched deliveries from the ground and swinging it past boundary on the long on/off is called Helicopter Shot. 

For the semi-final, we booked a table at an upmarket pub in South Delhi. Somehow watching the matches in a crowded place adds to the fun, much better than an experience in stadium. Plus they are playing all the heart pumping patriotic music during commercial breaks or whenever India hits a six or takes a wicket, free shots (tequila) are provided. 

We lost the match to the Windies and our chances of winning the World Cup were grounded. In the upmarket bar which was crowded was suddenly empty and dull after we lost and one group of Indian fans lashed out at other group for they were still laughing and argued India lost and you are smiling. Not to mention, glasses and plates few across and broken and littered at the place, so much so, that the bar authorities had to call the security and Police was also on the way, during which we also decided to  gulp our beer and head towards exit.

Apparently there were few reports in the media as well of violence on the streets as India lost. Such is the passion and enthusiasm of cricket. T20 is not about technique or the patience or the sense of character, it is all about entertainment. With the increasing mix of Bollywood and the corporate world and the models and cheer leaders, it is as glamorous as a fashion week but with much high drama and emotions at play.

Dhoni’s style of shots are perfectly attuned to this style of cricket. In more than 6 out of 10 matches, he is playing the winning shot. In the T20 matches, India’s matches were the ones which provided with the maximum thrill and entertainment for any cricket fan as all matches were close and could swing to any side, any moment. 

It’s true he and the team that he is built has given immense range of emotions to the cricket fans and more percolate on the thrilling and happy side and less of sadness and moreover Indian side put their everything in T20 match, even if they have lost, they play a competitive game with no easy chances for their opponent.

Dhoni is an entertainer as T20 is all about entertainment. Let’s take a look at the press conference after they lost to West Indies in the Semi Final on 31st March, 2016. 

The question asked by Samuel Ferris of cricket.com.au was about whether after the Indian team's exit from the ICC World Twenty20 semi-finals, Dhoni, at 34, was keen to play on. At first Dhoni responded by asking Ferris to repeat the question, and when he did, the following played out. 

“Come here, let's have some fun”, said Dhoni, beckoning to Ferris to join him. Ferris blinked and looked taken aback. Dhoni pushed aside one of the chairs next to him and said: “I am serious, come here”.

The Australian sat down and Dhoni put an arm around him. “Do you want me to retire?”

“Not that I want. That's what I want to ask you,” replied Ferris.

“I was hoping it was an Indian media guy because I can't really ask you if you have a son or a brother who is a wicketkeeper. Do you think I am unfit, looking at my running?” asked Dhoni as giggles rippled around the room.

“No. You're very fast.”

“Do you think I can survive till the 2019 World Cup?”

“You should, yes, sure.”

“Then you have answered the question.” With that, Dhoni patted Ferris' back and the Australian got up and walked back to his seat.

Dhoni wasn't finished, though.

“I wish it was an Indian media person,” he added, clearly in reference to the number of times his place has been questioned after a defeat and the times journalists have asked him questions about his future. “Then I would have asked if he has a son who is a wicketkeeper and ready to play. He would have said no, then I would have said maybe a brother who is a wicketkeeper and who is ready to play. You fired the right ammunition at the wrong time.”

Brief on LIFE

I love Shah Rukh Khan (SRK), the King Khan of Bollywood, there cannot be an entertainer like him. When I am referring to his entertainment credentials, it’s off screen and not on screen. Here I am not referring to the latest hype created around his Wankhede row. SRK, truly is a man who is democratic, who can charm his way to people’s hearts. A man who made it on his own, this big in life and in an industry where decade is considered to be a career and a lifetime. But SRK is and continues to remain strong for last 25 years. He is best performer, entertainer, media grabbing of his team, Kolkata Knight Riders and the most profitable as well. In a country where Cricket is Religion and Sachin is God, there the owner of the team is the HERO.

 

The most amazing part about his personality is his charm and his sense of humour. Whatever he says is a QUOTE, it’s a CLICHÉ. “SRK said it”. The way he can make fun of himself, always. Couple of years back, Pakistan’s cricket team was visiting India after a long hiatus and SRK is hosting the show for welcoming both the teams. What better man to represent both India and Pakistan. He says, I don’t feel anything whether India wins or Pakistan wins. My mother came from Pakistan and father from India. So if Pakistan wins, I say Ammi jeet gyi and if India wins, I say walid sahib jeet gaye.

 

Anyway this post has nothing to do with SRK, Cricket or Bollywood. A couple of quotes/words have come out of SRK’s stable after his team won the IPL-5 title that actually touch your soul and the way he has put it, we all feel something like this, not many times in our life. It is not fun from the funny man. Rather when funny people talk serious, it showers rains. Like Charlie Chaplin said, “I enjoy walking in rain coz nobody can see my crying”.

 

Follow the news story as it appeared:

Shah Rukh Khan is not elated, thrilled or vindicated by his team's victory over Chennai at IPL 5 this year. He even penned a quiet soliloquy to himself at 5 am the next day, after the post-match party on May 28.

He reveals his pre-match frame of mind, saying, "I have never been in a zone where I have prayed so much. I pray a lot, but on that day I was praying a lot more. I had to make this happen in my head and heart. I write whenever I am alone, and don't know what else to do..."

But post the victory, it was a different feeling for Shah Rukh. "I didn't feel anything after the win, so I tried to put across what I was feeling on paper. I was feeling empty inside. Any of the things I thought I would feel after winning the IPL were missing. I've realised I have never been able to learn cold-blooded objectivity. I'm extremely subjective — good, bad, selfish, self-centered. I don't behave how people think I should — a role model."

He says he's also realised that people exist in very small boxes of judgement and limitation. And they hurt him. "For years they have hurt me, though they have no power over me. Whenever I see those people, I react because I am honest and they symbolise my hurt. Why? I am a middle-class guy and I have wanted nothing more than to be accepted and seen as a good actor. I have always wanted to be universally loved. That's an issue. I have always given and they have always taken. Then they have asked for more and again I have given... When they asked as an entitlement, I gave them again. In the last six months, a few people close to me have hurt and betrayed me by their actions... I am not scared of anyone, but I have given because I have felt that I will be liked by them all the time. And yet they don't see it because I remind them of the things that they didn't have the capacity to do themselves. And now my anger has passed..."

After the win, he was going to jump off the balcony of the VIP section and he genuinely felt he could fly! "People will think I am narcissistic to talk like this, but it's not that. I am one of the few people in the world who has been made to believe that I can do this!"

He goes on to add that while he has the influence to make people happy, he is anything but a role model. "I don't tell my children to be what I am. A role model is someone who can take on the onslaught of being in the public eye and still stand for correctness. He plays a role. Sachin Tendulkar is what a role model should be,.. He's the perfect human being and I am not. I don't want to be. I will never be a God of reality... I only sell dreams. I will do a cartwheel or tear off my clothes when I am happy if I feel like it."

Everyday, when some news comes out about him (like the Wankhede stadium fracas), he has to make a joke out of it. "My kids need to know that it's not serious. I have to reassure Suhana and it's very difficult. I get angry and disturbed then... but why do I feel empty now? Winning the IPL is perhaps the greatest thing, it is my victory but this is not the happiness I worked for. I don't feel vindicated, or like a champion or winner!"

Man, do read it over and over again.

(One of the rare photographs when SRK looks down and out, always smiling and smoking)

MS Dhoni is on the verge of losing his status in his job. Being part of Indian cricket team and leading the Indian cricket team are the most sought after and toughest jobs to hold in India. Everybody thought its difficult for Dhoni to lost the job considering his stature and the maturity he possessed and depicted on and off the field. In india, its more important to control things off the field than managing the game on the field. This is where Dhoni faltered. Dhoni should have given a better reason for losing the game. Its not bad to lose, but the way Indian team does not even fight or make the other team struggle to win. To top it all, we have our media, it deviates us from the whole issue. It was over the dismal Indian team performance. But the stretched the Dhoni remark on IPL parties. I seriously doubt if IPL is good for cricket.

Getting back to the IPL parties, Mehr Jesia, wife of Arjun Rampal, who is good friend (offering all the services) of Shah Rukh Khan, franchise owner of IPL, a strong ally of Lalit Modi. Mehr Jesia organized IPL post match parties. She defends the IPL parties by saying, nobody forced them to attend the parties. Anybody put in the cricketer shoes, cannot say NO to such party. Such party not because of free booze, smokes, butt shaking, breast ogling babes and last of all the music.

Lets say its just a normal office party, your boss invites you for it, who does one say for it. Just a normal business networking session over a couple of drinks, what do you tell your boss? I’ll be there, even if you hate drinks and socializing, you try to be part of the party wholesome to score some brownie points with your boss and develop some contacts for your job, business or perhaps be offered a new job. On top of it, your colleagues tell you that the most beautiful and sexy Cindrella is gorging on you, that party may be the place to hit the SIX. No matter how screwed you are during the day.

I am sure, the glamour and the itsy-bitsy cheerleaders, so called glam dolls hanging as a trophy in the arms of the cricketer, who would say NO to such a party. Just in case, you don’t show any interest to Cindrella, you are questioned about your sexuality (in the legalized homosexual world) or whatever.

Now comes, the most silly or stupid reason from Ms. Jesia. She could have consulted Shah Rukh Khan for his maturity and wittiness. These parties help cricketers get close to their fans. If she means fans are the glam dolls and they want to sleep with their favorite cricketer and that too of dozen different nationalities. I’d surely say, yes, fans really got close to their stars. But otherwise, how many of the fans were invited or allowed to mingle with the cricketers from the stands ticket costing Rs. 100 or Rs. 500 or even Rs. 1000. Cricket is not Bollywood, where you spend a night with your director/producer and you can take a day off or get hold off your day. A sportsperson mind and body requires a certain level of discipline. They don’t have second or ‘n’ number of chances like actors.

Anybody, who is not related to cricket, has the right to say anything he or she wishes to say about cricket, except the playing team. Its even worse than America talking terrorism. But if Dhoni or Tendulkar, wishes to say something, it’s a crime.

Cricket is no longer a sport but a tamasha run by buffoons. Its not your on field performance that matters, whether you hit a SIX or bold out on DUCK. Just watch your tongue and that too, off the field.

And Dhoni did teach us a lesson, no matter how good or bad you are, whether you are performing or not. Never/ever question the antics/methodologies of your boss/organization.

Its certainly not about Cricket

Lalit Modi has proved that he is the best player in the cricketing world post the success of IPL-2 in South Africa. But the IPL-3 made us realize is that it is the most dangerous sports/business to be in and how shady the character of Lalit Modi is. Comparisons are being drawn between Lalit Modi and Shashi Tharoor. There cannot be any comparisons between the two. Shashi Tharoor has been clean bowled or perhaps retired hurt by Lalit Modi, when he was just supporting a spectator. Lalit Modi was also not found on the field. So you know Lalu Parekh (Lalit Modi’s name in the book, The GameChangers by Fake IBL Player) decides even who can support which team.

Personally I am in awe of Lalit Modi, he can hit sixes at any ball or clean bowl any batsman as and when he wants. Last year, he was in virtual fist fight with our Hon’ble Home Minister, Mr. P. Chidambaran. Jaipur ground could not host its fair share of matches as Modi was not appointed on Rajasthan cricket board. One of the friends wrote on his facebook status, “Conveniently, Low intensity blasts outside Bangalore cricket grounds to shift the venue to Mumbai”, inspite of Lalubhai claiming water tight security measures for the tourney. Now he has clean-bowled Shashi Tharoor. It’s difficult to manage bollywood stars, cricketers (the most spoilt breed of humans in India), not only from India but across the nations and last but not the least, the politicians (of course, Mr. Pawar would have helped him in taking care of this aspect).

Everybody is talking about money Modi’s is making. I believe he is getting peanuts for his job and the money which changes hands during the tourney. A rough palpable figure may be close to a $ 1 billion every year without taking into account the money involved in match fixing and betting. In India, you are never paid for your job. You have to make your own ways to make money. I know, it sounds illegal.

Most of the sports/casino (gambling related) businesses are run through Cayman Islands, Bahamas. In India, Mauritius is famous as majority of the times Mauritius is the first place for cash outflows and last place for cash inflows and from there on, it travels to other tax havens. Nobody can get the identity of the persons owning the businesses in these tax havens.

Lalit Modi is a very illustrious and powerful person. He has a very healthy, wealthy and colourful lifestyle. I ask, why it shouldn’t be? He belongs to the Modi family, one of the most influential business families in post independent era of India. He had his share of college masti and was arrested for possession of cocaine and assaulting charges. The difference between criminal and non-criminal is a criminal is caught with his wrong doings. Modi seems to be suffering from his old college days. He has again been caught. Proving the theories will be little difficult. Personally, we shoudn’t, that’s his personal choice. Allegedly he has married his mum’s friend. He (age 47) is already a grandfather. I don’t know whether you should call it step or not. His wife’s child from first marriage has a daughter. His issues with Mr. Tharoor started due to Gabreilla. Gabreilla is seen at IPL parties. Lalubhai was soon to be immortalized by the cricket fraternity.

Mr. Shashi Tharoor was once contesting for the top post of Secretary General, UN. He is widely acclaimed for his works and thoughts across the world. For years, he had been representing India at the UN. He was the voice and the image of India. His recent designation was an understatement of his accolades and achievements. With all his knowledge and wisdom, how he got involved is a mystery? The New Age Politician, the unofficial ambassador of Twitter or to some extent of the digital medium is spending less time digitizing and more time for apologizing for his love for the digital world. Had he or not, perhaps or maybe he may now get closer to Sunanda Pushkar.

Mr. Tharoor has lost his job. Lalit Modi is pipped to lose his job.
What is the whole issue about?
Who is responsible for how much?
Had Rendezvous given sweat equity to Salman Khan instead of Sunanda Pushkar, would have been better?
Is it relationship of Shashi Tharoor with Sunanda Pushkar?
Is it about betting?
Is it about money laundering?
Is it about Lalit Modi having stake in three different IPL teams?
Is it some other power strife among our Hon’ble Congress men?
Is it about cricket?

I believed sports are a peace and good will maker. But this IPL is nothing about cricket/sports. It is not even about the game. It’s all about the controversies. Who grabs the maximum headlines or photo-ops? We are witnessing a test match in T20 format.

BCCI is mum over the whole issue. They want to take over ICC and be the authority of cricket globally. It’s like Americans bombing Iraq for no reason or plan.
So many questions, yet there are no answers. Except for the fact, it is certainly not about CRICKET.

Future of IPL

Just a forward - too hilarious

As Napoleon Nayudu prepared to face another ball, several thoughts raced through his mind. After being bought by the Gummidipoondi Gumboils for an astronomical $5 million in the 2015 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction, he knew he had a reputation to keep up. Should he try a straightforward Toyota Front Foot Drive this time, or should he aim for a Bombay Dyeing Cover Drive ? Or perhaps an ITC Square Cut (Statutory warning: Smoking is Injurious to Health) would be a better idea? He realised he needed to hit an IBM boundary soon. Ever since IBM had announced they would pay Rs 1 lakh per boundary and Rs 5 lakh for a six, he had been trying to run less and hit more. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been doing either in this match, because the Begusarai Bandits had some very good bowlers. The next ball, he played a Pepsi Inside Edge onto his Maggi middle stump and trudged wearily off the field to the accompaniment of boos from the Vodafone Zoozoo stand at the Kellogg’s Special K-Cereal stadium in Gummidipoondi.

Relaxing in the Parle Glucose commentary box, Saurav Ganguly ruminated on the momentous changes in the game that had occurred since the IPL came into being. In 2010, he remembered, the game started to really grow, with huge sums of money being paid for the Pune and Kochi teams. Teams soon started springing up like frogs in the monsoon. And when the Gorakhpur Gorillas won the IPL in 2012, every district town in the country wanted its own side.

The IPL season was extended to six months in the year, then to 12 months and soon, once the villages started having their own sides, you had matches on all 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. Industrialists sold off their old companies and bought IPL teams. Twenty five of the 30 Sensex stocks were of cricketing companies. Advertisers fought with each other to sponsor matches, stadiums, sixes, fours, shots, balls, wickets and what not. Every patch of the players’ clothing, his arm guard, helmet, and pads was covered in advertisements. Tendulkar Itch Guard Crotch Guards started a new trend in merchandising, selling like hot cakes.

As the money flowed in, players’ salaries zoomed. Everybody wanted to be a cricketer. Engineering and medical colleges were deserted and Indian Institutes of Management converted themselves into institutes of cricketing management. C.K. Prahalad lectured on the pot of gold at the bottom of the leg stump.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Lalit Modi mooted a radical proposal in the Lok Sabha for nationalising the Board of Control for Cricket in India , pointing out that its profits would wipe out the government’s fiscal deficit. Food production had suffered, he said, as villagers refused to till their fields and spent their time playing cricket instead. A law prohibiting the transformation of arable land into cricket pitches was swiftly passed. A resolution to install a statue of Lalit Modi in Parliament was also adopted unanimously.

Back in the commentary box, Ganguly did a rapid mental calculation and told his listeners that Napoleon was now being paid the equivalent of Rs 10 lakh per run. A twinge of regret passed through him — during the IPL season in 2010, he recalled, he had been paid only about Rs 1.8 lakh per run. He needed to make more money, he thought. Maybe he would join Navjot Sidhu in The Great Indian Laughter Challenge and be paid lakhs for laughing. For the rest of the match, he practised laughing hysterically at each ball.

Royalty still has chance

To be successful in Indian television broadcasting market and make oodles of money, design or copy a reality show. But the Manoranjan ka baap or Enterntainment ki saas, IPL beats everything when it is compared to any other show on television. Ekta Kapoor made us believe that we are a bunch of sadists, schadenfreudes who just love tears. Inspite of all the drama, brouhaha and the bullshit enveloping IPL, there are no tears in IPL. We don’t need a bag of tissue box, just a beer and some munchies.

Lalit Modi blames, Shah Rukh will dance naked, Shilpa will kiss, Preity will hug, cheers will glow, it is undisputed mother of all reality shows. External Affairs Minister is on the verge of losing his job. Agriculture Minister was briefing for Ms. Pushkar, some model, owner, who danced, ramp walked, marketed, owned, God knows what; during the harvesting season (Baisakhi). The only difference between IPL and all other reality shows is the choice of winner is not demanded (shown, fabricated – without getting into the specifics) by an SMS.

Is IPL also a scripted story like reality shows to add more drama and action for the viewers to watch? Well I know I am staring at the Yorkers and batting without the Gaurd. To say a little about T-20 format, its just the matter of how many sixes you can hit or wickets you can pluck in 15th to 18th over for any team who wishes to win, especially when playing second innings. This year, it seems the matches results have been designed keeping in mind the egos or the deep pockets of the team owners.

But then after 50 odd matches (yeah 49 to be precise) and only seven games left for the Semi-Finals, we are still working out the probabilities about who may stand a chance to enter the SEMIs. Only Mumbai Indians will certainly play in SEMIs and Kings XI is playing only for deriving the valuation figures for its owners and for the semis, they can dream about IPL-4.

The other six teams are still hanging whether they will or will not qualify for the SEMIs. I’d say the same even for Bangalore, although they are on No. 2 in the points tally, with only one game left and if Deepika and Katrina don’t come to cheer and clap for the team together, they might be shaking their heads at No. 6 position. Bangalore has better chances for SEMIs, compared to other probabilities. RCB will be facing MI for its final league match. Still five teams end up hoarding up for 2nd, 3rd and 4th position.

Rajasthan Royals, I am pretty bored of Royalty people around me. They have bored me to death, analysis, permutations, combinations, cheers, facebook, twitter, everywhere everything revolves around Royalty. As if Shilpa will dance for each one of them, if they win. Still I’d suggest them not to lose hopes, if Royalty pays off in their last match and other teams lose and win in the right manner (averages matter), they may see Yusuf Pathan (after hitting two sixes) getting out once more. They will be praying for better performance from Kings XI.

Delhi Daredevils has both matches against teams who are also vouching for a position in the SEMIs, so those will be nail biting matches.

Shah Rukh Khan has accepted his team’s failure, which means the team has been instructed not to play well for the upcoming matches. But if they wish to reach SEMIs and win both the matches, SRK may have to dance naked.

CSK and Deccan have both, two matches against Delhi and Kings XI. Lets see how much charge devils can dare to or super kings swipe the devils who dare or Kings XI continues with its Pawn XI strategy.

Hope rajasthan proves their royalty sums. Knight Riders truly shows that they know how to ride like Knights even when royalty is deducted and Indians don’t cheer. Until then just watch how royal is the challenge to the Indians.

Whether the permutations/combinations work or don’t will be sorted out in a week’s time, until then the Creative Producer/Writer/Director (Lalit Modi) is the only person enjoying his time on the show.

Shoania

Sania is getting married to Shoaib Malik. The media persons went into a tizzy to find out how the relationship started. But they have little time to dig the story, especially with short notice for marriage. They are busy covering the plethora of issues surrounding the wedding, cricket, tennis, Indo-Pak, visa, Dubai, who will become what, dance, song, mehndi. Everybody is joining, Pakistan Govt., tennis authorities from two nations, moral issues, societal issues, Bal Thackeray. For the first time in Sania’s career, tennis, mini-skirts and her pranky Tee quotes have taken a backseat. Just perception theories whether it’s a clean bowled or an ace, nobody can get a clue.

I believe they have taken a huge step for mankind. India and Pakistan talking politically in the garb of Afghanistan and United States of America, cannot achieve anything. It’s the people from two nations who can bring the change. India should continue to revisit its formalities for the so-called PEACE talks with Pakistan till the next generation arrives. The current generation carries the images of Partition, 1971 War, burnt houses of Hindus in Kashmir, against which it’s difficult to talk peace with anguish in the eyes. Either Pakistan will reach the fate of Afghanistan esp. with the complete access given to United States of America. The moment you give access to Americans, the story is over. In Pakistan, HOPE is despair.

Pakistani tennis authority stated, looking at the moral and societal values of Asians, Sania should play for Pakistan since her husband is from Pakistan. Perhaps for the first time, Pakistan is backing an Indian, fighting for and encouraging an Indian to be called a Pakistani. They would have responded the same had it been the case of Shoaib Malik marrying a Hindu. No …… No….. No……. I will not tread on the religious issues, right now its only about Indo-Pak, superstars and the sports.

Sania did hit the Ace when asked whom she would support India or Pakistan. Would always be cheering for India and supporting my husband for the hard work that he puts in. answered definitely in context to cricket, no political statements from sportpersons. Ayesha angle perhaps has been brought in to deviate the media, consulates and diplomats away from the main point of contention. It’s like American rugby player marrying a Russian gymnast in the Cold War period, read one of my friend’s status messages on Facebook.

The masterstroke is settling in Dubai. After all neutral venue has always been chosen for hosting matches between India and Pakistan. I wish the two LUCK and future ahead. Hope India and Pakistan can take a lesson from the love of two sportsperson. Or perhaps neutral venue will be the solution for India and Pakistan. Till then, we wish to explore the possibility of deriving something like Shoania for India and Pakistan.

I am living my dream

How many of us get to say, “I am living my dream” in our lifetime. Sachin Tendulkar quoted in one of his recent numerous press meets, after hitting the score of 200 in an ODI. This IPL season is further adding to his already impeccable and unachievable records. There are hardly any records left in international Cricket which he has not scaled, when it comes to batting. Nobody talks about his 150 odd wickets, which are not a mean achievement. There are hardly any bowlers in our current Indian cricket team with 150 wickets under their cap (may be Bhajji or Zaheer).

“I wanted to play cricket whole-heartedly for the country. I am living my dream and have played with two-three generations. I wanted to be a special member of the team and I have done it,” Sachin.

Its no mean achievement to scale the heights which Tendulkar has reached. ICC has announced World Cricket Day as the day when Sachin Tendulkar was born. This is one thing, I wish to achieve in my lifetime, some road, gully, nukkad, street, award to be named after my name. I hope, I wish, I am able to. Every road, street, gully, nukkad, nullah is named after some person or perhaps the characteristic of the place. But most of them are named after the dead, Sachin has achieved it, when he is alive and kicking.

Now he is waiting for his triple century in Test cricket or perhaps may hit 100 in 20-20 even, looking at his current form. The best part of Sachin and the irony of his profession, as you grow old, gain experience, you ability to deliver starts declining after a particular stage. But he is perpetually in growth stage. A decade in International cricket means you have lived your lifetime. But this man, he has already crossed two.

In the past two months, he has been compared to every possible conceivable cricketing great or legend in the world history. But comparisons are frivolous, every era has its own heroes with its own style and achievements. Earlier they were fiery bowlers like Marshall, Walsh, Ambrose, who were always looking for prey. Now, cricket is more of a batsman’s game with little meat for bowlers. No harm to Sachin, Sachin would have been exceptional under other circumstances too.

Every other person, appealed in the press for Bharat Ratna Award for Sachin Tendulkar. Whether he gets the award or not, he is truly the Bharat Ratna. But most of all, a man who is living his dream.

F1 - do watch - IPL

“Manoranjan Ka Baap” is back in town! The carnival of cricket begins today. So get ready to drench in streams of fours and sixes for next 44 days. Such grand openings are generally observed for World Cup’s (any sport) but not on annual events. Akon, UB 40, Lionel Richie, Deepika Padukone will be performing for the event. No event ever (be it any other sport, politics, green earth, rape, murder, Bollywood, even other forms of cricket – ODI, Test Cricket) in India has been showered with such publicity or broadcasted across such wide range of medium.

Everybody knows that cricket’s most popular event is as much about entertainment and marketing as the sport itself, if not more. The eight IPL team captains will take an oath to respect their opponents, their teams and their umpires and sign a globe made of recyclable material to demonstrate their commitment to reduce the tournament's carbon footprint as a part of IPL’s association with the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). UN will also cover IPL. And there will be brands, more than a hundred, fighting for consumer’s attention through different media, from television to the Internet to even live streaming in multiplexes.

Official IPL broadcaster SET Max is expected to take away more than 30% of the total TV ad spends in March and April when advertisers are estimated to spend around Rs 1,600 crore. SET Max will be laughing its way to the bank with all their costs and expenditure for the entire year will be recovered in 44 days, beginning March 12^th till April 25^th 2010.

“The kind of innovation in branding and sponsorship deals that have taken place this season has almost doubled the brand equity of IPL,” says Indranil Das Blah, former vice-president, Globosport India. The Google deal for live streaming of matches on YouTube, Indiagames as IPL gaming partner, Karbonn Mobiles' association as official mobile phone & title sponsor for parties post matches, ‘IPL Nights’ on MTV, special IPL shows on Colors and merchandising deal with Swiss watchmaker Bandelier are a few examples of the new branding initiatives.

In addition all the franchises are jumping in with their merchandise, t-shirts, caps, bandanas, head bands, bracelets, cricket merchandise, logos, broaches, chains, lockets and what not. The clubs are being built and soon there will be restaurant’s and pubs from franchise owners. In Europe, the organizers ran the promotional campaign. Don’t buy things manufactured during the season. They are all faulty as everybody is busy watching football. The same level of phenomena, will perhaps be witnessed. Bollywood celebrities are generally without work in IPL season and will be seen waving flags for different franchises. There are hardly any movie releases during the season. I guess, there’ll be more Bollywood celebrities than players on the venue. This time, even multiplexes will be showcasing matches, who would presume a movie.

Yes, it’s a bonanza for cricket lovers. Vijay Mallya is the happiest, the consumption of beer shoots during the IPL season. All said and done, I’d say skip the IPL match on Sunday and do watch the Bahrain GP, one of the challenging races in F1 circuit since past 15 years. Perhaps till next year or may be a year after that, F1 remains one of the costliest sports on this planet.

There have been rare or none occasions in the past when there were four teams neck to neck fighting for the title. With each posing the equal risk to the other. Closing 90’s and opening 2000’s, all the walls were painted with red colour by one name, “Michael Schumacher”. Even if somebody did succeed in posing some challenge to Schumi (as Michael is dotingly referred to), there would be a race between two.

Now after renouncing his world, Michael Schumacher is back after three year long hiatus on racing circuit under Mercedes with silver dress shedding his trademark red colour of Ferrari. Ferrari is pitching Massa and Alonso (thought to be best F1 driver these days), who had posed some serious challenge to Schumacher in his recent races. Hamilton is the man to watch from McLaren and the dashing duo of Red Bulls will be vouching for the title.

To add to the excitement, the change in rules forbid the fuel refilling for pole position holders. To add to the persistence, patience, technique, knowledge, understanding, cool head, the restraint of resources has been brought in this race. The diversity of their experience, of their age groups adds to the adrenaline rush. Alonso and Hamilton have worked as teamed together in their earlier races. But now the roles, the sides, the conditions have changed. Lets see who holds the forte on 14^th of March 2010. Do hold your seatbelts and drop your bats?

Tendulkar @ 200

New Businesses, New Concepts, New Sports……. Why not a new SECURITY FORCE?

A invests Rs. 1,00,000 in a new yet to be tried and tested business concept. A invests on the notion of its attractiveness but believes it to be a high risk business. One year down the line, B wishes to enter the same business as A, but there are entry/regulatory barriers or no licenses available for starting the same business. B talks to A and invests Rs. 20,000 for 10% stake in A’s business. One year after B invests in A, B’s holding value increases to Rs. 40,000.

Do we know about any other businesses better than the one mentioned above?

Such business is known as Indian Premier League (IPL) or IPL can also be termed as “Industrialists & Performers (Players) Lounge” (Cricketers are also performers, more so in 20-20 Cricket).

The case used above is that of Rajasthan Royals team owned by consortium of Emerging Media and Mr. Rupert Murdoch’s son, wherein they bought the team rights for $67 million in 2008 and sold 12% stake for $ 16.8 million to Shilpa Shetty and her beau Raj Kundra.

The entry barriers are high, esp. due to the regulatory barriers and licenses, in addition to the limited availability of seats/shops/slots. To acquire one license, we need to possess political clout, money at all times is important for any business plus the profile of the person who will run the business. Your employees are your brand managers, who possess more attitude than the owner and carry the status of demi-God. In addition you are always in media limelight, questioned on your business for which you possess little knowledge or perhaps have little control. There’s only a season or less than two months to harvest and sell and recover/make money. Yet there are so many contenders for two more licenses. Nobody imagined there would be such a fight for starting a business in liberalized era of Indian economy.

We have a wonderful business built over here, with ‘n’ number of brands and ‘n3’ number of human brands in the contest. The marketing and the buzz created around the event leaves everyone touched. The organizer leaves no stone unturned to hype the event with good news and all the controversies. Lifestyle, business and Sports section of the media are all busy covering the event. If the owner hugs or shakes hand with a participant (player) or makes a statement, it serves at least two sections of the media. Politics somehow happens and stays in the backyard. Politics can indeed break the space for all the other three.

Yet the most teething issue is the security.

Lalit Modi clearly know his work, I know he will pull it off. But for our country, are we better than this or much worse than this?

Australians have already been threatened by Bala Saheb due to the racial incidents on Indians in Australia. Its sad, ironical and satirical, that a political party, not in power, holds the rights to threaten foreigners visiting India for goodwill mission (I strongly believe sports is indeed a goodwill gesture) when they are targeting, bullying and killing North Indians living in Western part of India.

Now some pseudo terror Outfit or a specialist arm of Al-Qaeda is threatening to disrupt the ongoing Hockey World Cup and the hyped, glitzy and most glamorous event of cricketing world of 20-20, the IPL. The scare or threat is taken seriously in wake of the Pune blasts. Especially when America is pushing India to name Al-Qaeda behind the terror outfits operating in India for Pakistan purposes.

PC, our Hon’ble Home Minister is trying his best to convince the participants, that India is a safe country. Ricky Ponting is thinking, Shane Warne is ready to skip the event in lieu of the terrorist threats. America and Terror are the only two destructive elements left in this world. Terror, the word itself is enough, we need not define who, why, what, when and where?

IPL organizers are talking about base price of $225 million for obtaining Team Rights. Sharing of revenue from match collections, broadcasters and other ‘n’ number of modes of income. They perhaps need to create a terror pool for security, by reducing a small amount of proportion of sharing of the teams. Team owners are little jittery about providing security to their employees (players). Pakistan players are missing due to security reasons. SRK can tell better as even Pakistani players were appealing at the end of the day, it’s fine if we don’t play but stop bullying SRK.

Indian Govt. lost last year’s revenues from IPL due to security reasons. Providing security to useless politicians over players due to Elections. We had little forces available for promoting the event. I was saddened not because IPL was shifted or politicians were provided security over the event. But why our country was projected as such a vulnerable nation, which is unable to handle terror and envelop us with a blanket of security, even if it may not be by action but by words. A wise said, “If you cannot find peace at home, then peace does not exist for you and you cannot find it anywhere”.

Now the IPL, Home Ministry are trying and running to move every police personnel to protect the players. Perhaps that also seems to be pretty big a price for promoting sports or the event. We witnessed a sample at Jaipur match, there were hundreds of police personnel on ground for protection of 13 players on field at the end of the match. By the sheer number, we could comprehend how many were deputed at the stadium, hotel, airport; those places must have been enveloped by police security like fortresses. We manage to evade the terrorists of any attempts, but does it serve the purpose.

India has around two dozen Central Police and Central Paramilitary Forces besides Police and Army, Navy and Air Forces employing around 2.5 million. Each of them was created for a purpose over a period of time as demanded by the requirements of the country like Railway Protection Force (RPF) for Railways, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) for protection of PSU’s. Delhi Metro stations under surveillance by CISF. Now the question arises whether the time has come for creation of another Police/Paramilitary Force for sports.

Last year bore the testament the current forces are not sufficient for protecting our nation. A Nation as the idea behind India is under attack. It’s not about cricket or IPL.

Lalit Modi may walk out of the event on March 10th 2010, if he so chooses.

But IPL has created something which makes India stand out and say to the world. After all, Pakistan always frowns upon all the statements India makes/states. A match between India and Pakistan is seen as a day in war. When Indian team visits Pakistan or vice-versa, it’s bigger than the heads of the State entering into a dialogue. But still Pakistani players snub their differences with India and don the hat of Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders or any other franchise of IPL for the love of the game as they say.