ChinmayC Blog

A target of 339 is huge one for any team on earth. Team India set that today going all out (literally) for runs against England in a world cup Group B league match today. It was good seeing India making the efforts for amassing maximum possible runs. Sachin Tendulkar gifted a sterling innings with five huge sixes making another record of scoring maximum centuries in world cups. He has now scored 98 international centuries including Tests. But that innings almost or has gone waste. Most of the later Indian batsmen tried to hit only sixes rather than looking for singles and twos. Learn guys learn! Chasing a target of mammoth 339 England was never seen to be under any kind of pressure except for the last ten overs when Zaheer Khan delivered taking three quick wickets. They were going merry taking runs at will, so impotent was the Indian bowling. And, India opted for only four specialist bowlers out of which Chawla and Harbhajan were always suspect. In fact England spinners bowled much bet...

Pakistan win again in World Cup against Sri Lanka, for the seventh time. SL yet to win a WC match against Pak. This is a very significant win as it was achieved in SL with Lankan home crowds and typical Lankan conditions. And the cricket was fantastic, giving the first taste of true genuine cricket of the highest order in this World Cup. SL managed to restrict Pak to a total which was achievable though difficult. Then Pak made sure SL could not win, but again SL fought hard and came very close to win it. Both teams played very intense and hard cricket. Pak showed patches of exceptional fielding too apart from batting and bowling. While Misbah excelled with the bat, Afridi was magical with the ball. SL made to struggle for runs. The crowds could not believe what they witnessed. Now for tomorrow's big match, India Vs England. Team India is still troubled with fitness problems. Somebody said about possibility of rains! The ticket fiasco is threatening to become a scam. If only VVIPs a...

First week of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. And surprisingly nothing much to write home about. Only minnows in abundance so far. Almost all of the matches extremely one-sided with only England allowing Netherlands to come a little closer perhaps. India-Bangladesh opener had some suspense due to Bangladesh's upset win in 2007 packing India out of that World Cup. Only two big matches played so far and both unfortunately were one-sided affairs. South Africa thrashed West Indies on 24th and Australia thumped little brother New Zealand in a listless encounter today. The most absorbing one of the week just got over, Bangladesh defeating Ireland by 27 runs in a low scoring match. But one minnow defeating another minnow--does the result make any difference? On the positive side, South Africa made a good impact. Pakistan came strong with good showing in both batting and bowling. Australia growing stronger with two easy wins and somebody must stop them before they run away with the fifth title...

For ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Player Review Decisions are allowed meaning the captain of the fielding side or the batsman at the crease can appeal to the TV or third umpire for a review of 'out' or 'not out' decisions by making a T sign to the on-field umpire. A team is allowed two unsuccessful review appeals per innings. A review is considered unsuccessful if the third umpire does not reverse the on-field umpire's decision and the decision stands. If a player succeeds in getting the umpire's decision reversed then this will be a successful review and will not count for the limit of two decisions. We have seen today a Canadian batsman successfully reversing his 'out' decision to 'not out' by the third umpire. We have also seen two unsuccessful reviews by Canada against Sri Lanka while fielding. This facility introduced earlier on a trial basis is most welcome considering the nowadays frequent umpiring mistakes. The rules are also practical. You ...

***At 12 noon, if the Indian ruling coalition announces it’s noon time, the Indian opposition would cry hoarse, ‘ Too little too late! It’s midnight! We demand an enquiry and leave the responsibility of doing so to us!’ So committed to oppose! ***One senior executive has three cars for all the three members of his family. But he has to walk miles everyday for health! ***Online money making sites (so called) tell you how they made millions in minutes or days or maximum one month. But if they are already rolling with millions why they ask you to pay a heavily discounted pittance to join and pitifully offer you nearly a hundred percent discount the moment you try to leave the site! A riddle I cannot solve.  Coming Up Next: More! 

ICC World Cup 2011 is about to begin. The inaugural ceremony is taking place at Dacca tonight. The first match is between Team India and Bangladesh on Feb 19. Cricket is set to climax in full glorious uncertainly. All the best to Team India! They have already beaten Australia and thumped NZ in practice matches. Team India has a balanced side with several players vying for a place in the final eleven. Healthy competition will enable them to play the best. Sachin Tendulkar is playing, but Team is not dependent on him. Recent experience show that Team India now has a will to win despite the odds like even after losing nine wickets! No TV viewer can afford to switch off on them any more! They are well equipped to win it! But the beauty of this world cup is that almost any team can win it! You can hardly write off any. Beaten down Aussies have come again by routing England recently. Sri Lanka can do it sitting strong in its home grounds. Pakistan is Pakistan, always unpredictabl...

Tahrir Square has become Liberation Square! Egypt creates history! Celebrations! Congratulations! Finally Hosni Mubarak had to quit bowing to people's will. The 82 year old President fled Cairo and then resigned as disclosed by the Vice President after 30 years of 'rule'. Greatest victory for a true committed and non-political revolution. Hey politicians, learn the lesson again! When people decide you must oblige. We need such a revolution in India! Corruption has almost eaten out this great country. While the poor masses still subsist, the shameless politicians and bureaucrats are making such dirty money that they cannot even deposit inside the country! Time to decide between Scam India and Team India! The army has taken over Egypt for now, but democracy must prevail. The Egyptians must safeguard their most sacred and precious victory forever. Congratulations once more!

Bravo Egyptians! You have proved again what a revolution can do. We have seen it quite a few times in world history. When the masses come out in the streets demanding govt should go, options for the govt get extremely limited. As in Egypt case the govt did throw up their supporters to counter. Only that led to some violence in an otherwise peaceful opposition. Hosni Mubarak and his govt had no choice when millions of citizens thronged Tahrir square giving him a deadline to resign. After the expiry of deadline the govt had to relent. There were resignations and for the first time main opposition parties were invited for talks with the government. Strategic considerations apart President Obama too recognized the mass upsurge and asked for inevitable change. After thirteen days of unrest things are coming back to almost normal with revolutionaries observing martyrs day in honor of those dead. Now, follow up events are most important so that democratic values are kept high and the great pe...