Well, some two years down the lane, the West Indies had been whitewashed by the Bangladesh with most of the big names missing from the West Indies squad. Now, a team deceived from its key players is found to thrash the same country on its home ground. Recently, the case was the same when they had Pakistan in the delivering end in the only T20 game they played. India were without the services of Virender Sehwag, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh etc who have pulled out of the tournament citing one or the other reasons. The team was captained by Suresh Raina.
The necessary action that a T20 game is expected to give happened to come towards the fag end of the innings with Yousuf Pathan blasting two sixes and Harbhajan Singh hitting one. Of course, even Rohith Sharma had two hits out of the ground but that was preceded by a series of ducking the ball.Rohith Sharma took 23 balls to score his 26 at a rate of 113.04 runs for every 100 balls he faced. However, neither of the teams were found to show any sort of experimenting with their bowling with India sticking to 5 bowler theory and West indies using 4 bowlers to bowl their full quota.
Being the home team, the West Indies showed all sorts of confidence when they started their run chase with a 66 run third wicket partnership between Marlon Samuels and Dwayne Bravo. This though couldn't fetch them a victory could however save some face for the hosts. The match was of little or of no consequence with hardly any takers irrespective of who wins or who loses. The target should have been chased down by the West Indies with players like Christopher Barnwell's late show with the bat that saw 3 sixes which was more than anybody else's in the game.
I was just wondering when Samuels was mentioned in the team. Samuels' last game for the West Indies was against Sri Lanka in 2008. After that, we hear Samuels was suspended by the ICC for having a suspect bowling action. If one can go through the scorecard, you can see Darren Sammy with four wickets at a rate of 4.00 runs an over. That was a match figure one of its kind with a bowler bowling 4 overs, taking 4 wickets and giving away runs at a rate of 4.00 runs an over. But, destiny was too harsh upon him when he missed the man of the match award for being in the side that lost the match.
Showing posts with label India vs West Indies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label India vs West Indies. Show all posts
Sunday, 5 June 2011
Saturday, 4 June 2011
A game just for the sake of it
Well I just cannot understand the reason behind conducting one off games, be it the test match or the one dayer or a T20 international. This is referring to the one off T20 game played between India and West Indies at Port of Spain yesterday. There should have been a minimum of at least three games for a tournament to have a moment. Or else, who would be interested in watching the game no matter what it offers? This has happened many times with there being a similar one off game between Pakistan and West Indies last month which Pakistan won.
Moving ahead, there would be a one off T20 match between Sri Lanka and England to be played later in this month. With T20 cricket being the shortest version of the game, there can be a schedule of at least 3 such games where deciding a winner would be more appropriate. Moreover, a T20 game can be held back to back without any breaks in between. Fans today do not bother who wins or loses the match as long as it can provide the necessary entertainment that is promises. Every match is cheered in the same excitement irrespective of whether their favorite team wins or loses the same.
In their current tour to the Caribbean, India are scheduled to play 1 T20 game followed by 5 one day internationals and 3 test matches. With so many days reserved for the remaining versions of the game, one has to wonder why is there so little consideration given to the shortest format of the game. This is not anything new in cricket. This has been the case since its start somewhere in 2005. Recently, even Pakistan, like India played 1 T20 + 5 ODIs and 2 test matches. Instead of conducting one off games like this, it would be better not to include the T20 game at all.
The ICC has not left even that stone unturned. There have been tournaments that included only a test and an ODI with the T20 missing. Of course, there are few other tournaments as well having only T20 games with the remaining two formats missing. However, the idea behind conducting such games is still a mystery. There are few players who are found playing just the T20 game with their style or skills still not acceptable to the remaining two formats. This would ean that player touring just to play that one off game. In case that player is dropped, he loses a chance to show his skills at an international level.
Moving ahead, there would be a one off T20 match between Sri Lanka and England to be played later in this month. With T20 cricket being the shortest version of the game, there can be a schedule of at least 3 such games where deciding a winner would be more appropriate. Moreover, a T20 game can be held back to back without any breaks in between. Fans today do not bother who wins or loses the match as long as it can provide the necessary entertainment that is promises. Every match is cheered in the same excitement irrespective of whether their favorite team wins or loses the same.
In their current tour to the Caribbean, India are scheduled to play 1 T20 game followed by 5 one day internationals and 3 test matches. With so many days reserved for the remaining versions of the game, one has to wonder why is there so little consideration given to the shortest format of the game. This is not anything new in cricket. This has been the case since its start somewhere in 2005. Recently, even Pakistan, like India played 1 T20 + 5 ODIs and 2 test matches. Instead of conducting one off games like this, it would be better not to include the T20 game at all.
The ICC has not left even that stone unturned. There have been tournaments that included only a test and an ODI with the T20 missing. Of course, there are few other tournaments as well having only T20 games with the remaining two formats missing. However, the idea behind conducting such games is still a mystery. There are few players who are found playing just the T20 game with their style or skills still not acceptable to the remaining two formats. This would ean that player touring just to play that one off game. In case that player is dropped, he loses a chance to show his skills at an international level.
Monday, 10 May 2010
Gates not yet closed for India
It is confusing as to how come it happens only against India that a batsman can hit sixes at will. In their last game against Australia as well, there were 13 sixes scored by Shane Watson and David Warner between them. That was not the case for Australia against either Pakistan or Bangladesh. Yesterday, even against the West Indies, Chris Gayle had 6 hits out of the ground. Had it not been for Gayle, West Indies would not have won or even come close to winning the match. On can go through the scorecard to see no other score other than Gayle's being a highlight.The series of scores from West Indies were 23 from Chandrapaul, 19 from Darren Sammy and 17 from Pollard. If Gayle's knock is removed from the list, the total would drop down to 71 from 9 overs at a rate of close to 8.00 runs an over. One thing that made the difference between the two teams was the way both the captains handled their bowlers. The Indian captain used only 6 bowlers with four of them bowling their complete quota with the remaining two bowling half of that. Of course, one had to Ashish Nehra 4 overs when he took three wickets.
On the other hand, the West Indian captain bought in 7 of his bowlers to bowl with every change accompanying a reduction in run rate and an increase in the run rate required to secure a win. One fascinating aspect was that every bowler from the West Indies had a wicket against his name. There was almost every Indian batsman who contributed with the bat but that was simply just not enough. Except Murali Vijay and Rohith Sharma, there were similar scores until Harbhajan Singh. Putting it simple, the Indian innings saw more of their batsmen making it to the crease with limited bowlers taking the ball.
Whatever, though India have lost both their games in the super eights, they still have a freak chance to make it to the semi-finals of the world cup with a match yet to go against Sri Lanka. In case India manage to win against Sri Lanka and both West Indies and Sri Lanka lose to Australia (which has a greater probability) then India's run-rate might be the qualifying factor to enter the semis. But, as mentioned, that would be a tough fight for India with both Sri Lanka and West Indies also being in the same phase that India are in.
Saturday, 27 June 2009
A Wake Up Call For Indians
Well after their T20 world cup debacle, Mahendra Singh Dhoni's words seemed to be too tough on the players for, they had to perform or else perish in the coming one day series against the West Indies. And adding to this was the fact that the services of fellow players like Zaheer Khan, Sachin Tendulkar and Suresh Raina would be missed would just add fuel to fire and nothing less. One can remember the last two tours by team India-the previous one being the world cup 2007 where there is nothing to say about team India and prior to that was in 2006 where India lost the ODI series 1-4. However, the test series was won by a margin 1-0.
And in the first ODI of the series, no doubt that a complete batting team effort by the Indian batsmen at Kingston needs some applause. Yuvraj Singh has become a popular name in most of India's victories in ODIs and T20s and also in many close encounters. And the other batsmen were also not too far behind. There was Mahendra Singh Dhoni himself who came back after a series of flops in the IPL and the T20 world cup, in addition with Yousuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh and Dinesh Karthik. However, the point that is to be noticed is that dsespite scoring a mammoth 339, the team won by just 20 runs as against the expected margin of some 100 runs.
If this was the case, either the pitch is supposed to be a batsman's paradise or else it was a below par performance by the Indian bowlers who let the batsmen score at will. The scoreboard suggests that there was a 44 run eighth wicket partnership between Ramdin and Bernard meaning even the tail end batsmen could score runs freely. If not for Harbhajan Singh, none of remaining 6 of the Indian bowlers had the courage to bowl all their 10 overs. So, it wouldn't be wrong to say that India needs to improve a lot. If this is the bowling what India would be having, another 1-3 loss can said to be on the cards.
For, the West Indies team is packed with batsmen than bowlers. The West Indies team has eight batsmen and any sort of loose bowling from the Indian side would be nothing other than "asking for trouble". Of course..India have an upper hand in winning the series compared to the West Indies' poor run in the last decade. However, keeping all the factors in hand, a decent move by Dhoni would make things easier for India I suppose. An initial loss is not the only wake up call that one can expect. Such close encounters also are referred to wake up calls for, not everytime are the teams so lucky to survive a close call.
And in the first ODI of the series, no doubt that a complete batting team effort by the Indian batsmen at Kingston needs some applause. Yuvraj Singh has become a popular name in most of India's victories in ODIs and T20s and also in many close encounters. And the other batsmen were also not too far behind. There was Mahendra Singh Dhoni himself who came back after a series of flops in the IPL and the T20 world cup, in addition with Yousuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh and Dinesh Karthik. However, the point that is to be noticed is that dsespite scoring a mammoth 339, the team won by just 20 runs as against the expected margin of some 100 runs.
If this was the case, either the pitch is supposed to be a batsman's paradise or else it was a below par performance by the Indian bowlers who let the batsmen score at will. The scoreboard suggests that there was a 44 run eighth wicket partnership between Ramdin and Bernard meaning even the tail end batsmen could score runs freely. If not for Harbhajan Singh, none of remaining 6 of the Indian bowlers had the courage to bowl all their 10 overs. So, it wouldn't be wrong to say that India needs to improve a lot. If this is the bowling what India would be having, another 1-3 loss can said to be on the cards.
For, the West Indies team is packed with batsmen than bowlers. The West Indies team has eight batsmen and any sort of loose bowling from the Indian side would be nothing other than "asking for trouble". Of course..India have an upper hand in winning the series compared to the West Indies' poor run in the last decade. However, keeping all the factors in hand, a decent move by Dhoni would make things easier for India I suppose. An initial loss is not the only wake up call that one can expect. Such close encounters also are referred to wake up calls for, not everytime are the teams so lucky to survive a close call.
Friday, 12 June 2009
A Tough Task For India
Until yesterday, I never knew that the bond between India and Pakistan was so strong indeed. If Pakistan lost to Sri Lanka earlier in the day yesterday, later the same night, its rival India also lost their first match of the super eight of the ICC T20 world cup against the West Indies. If the previous edition of the ICC T20 world cup is to be taken, both the teams entered the finals of the same by losing just one game in the series until India snatched a 5 run win over Pakistan in the finals. India had lot a match against by 5 runs in their super eight opener and Pakistan to India in a bowl out which is needless to be said.
In the 2007 world cup in the West Indies, Pakistan was eliminated from the world cup after their loss to West Indies and then to Ireland. This was followed by the exit of team India who on the other hand lost to Bangladesh and then to Sri Lanka. In 1987, both India and Pakistan lost in the semis of the Reliance world cup. Pakistan lost their match against Australia and India to England. Anyway let us chuck this topic for the moment. Coming to the game between India and the West Indies, I could rather say that it was a good show put up by team India but it fell short of luck that Sri Lanka had earlier in the day in their match against Pakistan.
If not for the initial hiccups, the Indian team did well to contain the West Indian bowlers by scoring a decent 153 on the board. May be if the trio viz Gautam Gambhir, Rohith Sharma and Suresh Raina had gone in for some matured thinking, the total could have had a 20-30 extra runs. This showed the reckless shots that the so called stars of the Indian batting line up displayed the last night. Of course, the catch of Suresh Raina by the wicket keeper-DineshRamdin was just superb and so was the catch of Gautam Gambhir by Simmons in the deep. Perhaps! Had the stunning catch of Yuvraj been taken, there would have been a different mindset in the camp if not for a different result.
And at last, the three consecutive fours by Harbhajan in the last 3 balls showed that India were no less of batting talent. Even last time, India started their super eight campaign with a loss to New Zealand and were eventually termed the world champions of the T20. Perhaps! This time the task is a little bit more difficult especially for India after their loss to West Indies. This was the first major encounter for India this season after they had beaten minnows-Ireland and Bangladesh thanks to the bad scheduling of the event. This time as well, South Africa are on a roll after having been unbeaten so far. Oh! Yes..how can one forget the way Indians tamed the Proteas last season when the odds were against them?
This time England cannot be taken for granted despite being the underdogs for, they host the tournament and have a home team advantage. However, it would not be a wrong guess to call the shots favoring India. But, there are West Indies who are in no mood to compromise either. Unlike the other pool that has Ireland, this pool has a contest between three teams viz India, South Africa & West Indies and a little bit of England. The other pool has a contest between only Pakistan & New Zealand.
In the 2007 world cup in the West Indies, Pakistan was eliminated from the world cup after their loss to West Indies and then to Ireland. This was followed by the exit of team India who on the other hand lost to Bangladesh and then to Sri Lanka. In 1987, both India and Pakistan lost in the semis of the Reliance world cup. Pakistan lost their match against Australia and India to England. Anyway let us chuck this topic for the moment. Coming to the game between India and the West Indies, I could rather say that it was a good show put up by team India but it fell short of luck that Sri Lanka had earlier in the day in their match against Pakistan.
If not for the initial hiccups, the Indian team did well to contain the West Indian bowlers by scoring a decent 153 on the board. May be if the trio viz Gautam Gambhir, Rohith Sharma and Suresh Raina had gone in for some matured thinking, the total could have had a 20-30 extra runs. This showed the reckless shots that the so called stars of the Indian batting line up displayed the last night. Of course, the catch of Suresh Raina by the wicket keeper-DineshRamdin was just superb and so was the catch of Gautam Gambhir by Simmons in the deep. Perhaps! Had the stunning catch of Yuvraj been taken, there would have been a different mindset in the camp if not for a different result.
And at last, the three consecutive fours by Harbhajan in the last 3 balls showed that India were no less of batting talent. Even last time, India started their super eight campaign with a loss to New Zealand and were eventually termed the world champions of the T20. Perhaps! This time the task is a little bit more difficult especially for India after their loss to West Indies. This was the first major encounter for India this season after they had beaten minnows-Ireland and Bangladesh thanks to the bad scheduling of the event. This time as well, South Africa are on a roll after having been unbeaten so far. Oh! Yes..how can one forget the way Indians tamed the Proteas last season when the odds were against them?
This time England cannot be taken for granted despite being the underdogs for, they host the tournament and have a home team advantage. However, it would not be a wrong guess to call the shots favoring India. But, there are West Indies who are in no mood to compromise either. Unlike the other pool that has Ireland, this pool has a contest between three teams viz India, South Africa & West Indies and a little bit of England. The other pool has a contest between only Pakistan & New Zealand.
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