Fantain’s Take : India Vs SL

321 on the board. That sounded like a definite win for the Men In Blue. Until the opponents came in. The Clash of the Titans of the Subcontinent turned out to be more than what one bargained for. It was a good match from the word go. It was a stunning victory for Sri Lanka, the presumed underdogs. The seven-wicket win has made everyone sit up and take notice. When you do not defend a total of 321, you have to get back to the drawing board and give it a real good look. The high after defeating Pakistan is now a thing of the past.

It was a good chase from the beginning. It is hard not to be confident when you put up a total of 321 on the board. Guess the Sri Lankans decided they had nothing to lose and came in all guns blazing. The Indian Bowlers struggled to get the much-needed breakthrough. Breaking up a partnership was what was required. Kusal’s 89, and Gunathilaka’s 76 kept them right on top. The team showed great depth in their batting despite Captain Upul Tharanga serving a two-match suspension because of slow over rate. With an amazing knock of 52 from 45, Mathews, the stand-in captain, led the team to their victory. With eight deliveries to spare at that.

The Indians were left shocked. Wondering what hit them. It was a closely contested game that turned into a one-sided match towards the end. The Indian Bowlers need a pick-me-up to regain their morale. This is a match they should not forget in a hurry.

Earlier in the day, Shikhar Dhawan showed what he was made up of when he hit 125, taking the Indian Total to a whopping 321. Rohit Sharma and Dhoni added 78 and 63 respectively. The top batsmen clicked and it seemed like a shoo-in.

Sri Lanka outclassed India. That is the take away from the match. SL winning this match has given them hopes. They live to fight another day. Now, the next match that India and Sri Lanka play become the deciding game for their future in this tournament.

Having said that, it was a good day for cricket. Group B is still alive.

Indu

Comments

Editor’s Pick (PKL)

The first match - UP - Bengaluru

UP Yoddha - Squad strength: 18 (16 Indian, 2 Overseas) Defenders – Jeeva Kumar, Hadi Tajik, Nitesh Kumar, Gurvinder Singh, Santosh BS, Rohit Kumar, Sanoj Kumar Raiders – Rishank Devadiga, Sulieman Kabir, Nitin Tomar, Surendra Singh, Mahesh Goud, Ajvender Singh, Gulveer Singh All Rounders – Rajesh Narwal, Pankaj, Sunil, Sagar B Krishna Bengaluru Bulls - Squad strength: 18 (16 Indian, 2 Overseas) Defenders – Ravinder Pahal, Sachin Kumar, Navjot Singh, Pradeep Narwal, Kuldeep Singh, Mahender Singh Raiders – Rohit Kumar, Ajay Kumar, Sumit Singh, Harish Naik, Sinotharan Kanesharajah, Gurvinder Singh, Rohit, Sunil Jaipal All Rounders – Sanjay Shrestha, Ashish Kumar, Ankit Sangwan, Amit, Preetam Chhillar

My Lineup AR: Pankaj DF: Ravinder Pahal , Mahender Singh RA: Ajay Kumar, Nitin Tomar, Rishank Devadiga, Rohit Kumar

The points of some players go right through the roof. Nitin Tomar with a score of 654 and Rohit Kumar with 1018. I have seen Rohit Kumar play. He is r…

TNPL - A Brief Rundown

Based on the stupendously successful Indian Premier League is the Tamil Nadu Premier League. This Indian T20 cricket league has been established by the Tamil Nadu State Cricket Association to bring out more and more Natarajans and Washingtons who otherwise do not get a chance to showcase their skill and talent in the world of Cricket. The inaugural edition of the TNPL took place in 2016 and received unexpected and unprecedented success and love. There was a brilliant batch of young men who came forward and made an event out of the first season of TNPL.

Venues

India Cements Ground, Thirunelveli
NPR College Ground, Dindigul
MA Chitambaram Stadium, Chennai

Changes
The purpose of every organization is to make it bigger and better. TNPL is no exception. At the inaugural TNPL 2016, there were the traditional two semifinals and one final. This year will see a format similar to IPL. The finalists are decided by two qualifiers along with one eliminator. This format has proven to be more exciting.…

Editor’s Pick (Nidahas T20): India - Bangladesh

The tournament has reached a point that we all love. An exciting point where we still do not know who the finalists are. With just two matches to go and berth still wide open; the rest of the Nidahas tournament looks to be just as thrilling.
If India wins, India books a seat in the finals. If Bangladesh wins, the team takes the second place on the points table (or the first depending on the NRR) So while India should aim to win, an eye should be kept on the run rate at all times. Weather looks dicey as well. It might rain. D&L are prepared as well. Let’s also be. Picking a lineup at a rainy time is crucial. I would pick five batsmen to support a good score and a high run rate. With the batsmen of both teams playing rather well, you will have to pick carefully. Pick the more consistent ones. Bangladesh The team is on a high after the wins. The top five batsmen have clicked taking the team to a whole new level. The bowlers need to keep up with a more consistent line and length. India W…

Game on...

Search This Blog