Asia Cup Cricket: Pakistan-Bangladesh Final Tomorrow!

Even the historic feat of Sachin Tendulkar failed to inspire the Indian cricket team. Instead of celebrating the glorious moment with a win Team India gave away the match to Bangladesh after posting an imposing total of 289. Aiming for the perfect yorkers Indian bowlers were only raining full tosses which helped Bangladesh tremendously in the death overs. This loss became India's costliest mistake finally leading to the team’s ouster from Asia Cup-2012. In fact losing to Bangladesh, still termed as ‘minnows’, has a legacy. In World Cup Cricket-2007 India lost to them in a group match which led eventually to India’s elimination from the Super Eight stage.

Virat Kohli’s heroics add to the ironies. He played like someone possessed on two occasions. First in the CB Series played recently in Australia when faced with a do or die situation Team India had to win against Sri Lanka with a bonus point which they did thanks to Virat Kohli, Gambhir and Raina. Same situation arose in Asia Cup when Team India had to win against Pakistan to stay alive in the competition which they did thanks to Virat Kohli, Tendulkar, Sharma and Raina. On the first occasion India hoped Australia would beat Sri Lanka and on the second India hoped Sri Lanka would beat Bangladesh. In both cased the desired did not happen and India got ousted. Such ironies happen when a team is not playing with consistency and dedication.

Bangladesh is going to figure in an Asia Cup Final for the first time ever or so to say in any kind of major tournament finals. Normally they are prone to causing upsets in the preliminary stage and then surrendering meekly in the higher stage—like in World Cup Cricket-2007 they lost all their Super matches by convincing margins. But in this Asia Cup-2012 Bangladesh has been the most consistent and resurgent team beating giants India and Sri Lanka and nearly beating Pakistan. Tomorrow they must capitalize on this huge opportunity at home environs and try to shake off the ‘minnows’ tag forever.

Pakistan would also like to capitalize on India’s absence and play freely and positively to win the Asia Cup which they have won only once so far. And, this is the first time Sri Lanka will not be featuring in the Asia Cup finals and also the first time they have lost all their league games.

While defending Asia Cup Champions Team India must try to learn from their mistakes we should hope for a good contest tomorrow though Indian cricket fans will sorely miss the most sought after India-Pakistan final.

Cricket: Yuvraj Singh Wins Battle Against Cancer!

Dashing Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh has just won the most challenging match of his life—his battle against cancer. He had been suffering from mediastinal seminoma--a rare germ cell cancer in his left lung maybe from the time of the World Cup-2011 when he had bouts of coughing and vomiting even while in action. The brave soldier never showed his pain but went ahead fighting for his nation. His exemplary efforts contributed significantly towards India becoming the World Champions and him being crowned with the Man of the Series award.

Yuvraj had been officially discharged from a hospital in Indianapolis, USA where he successfully completed the three cycles of chemotherapy. Doctors said that he had earned the ‘I will never return’ tag and could come back to normalcy within the next two months. Chemotherapy did not affect his liver and kidney adversely and these organs remained robust which was so important for a normal cricketing life, the doctors added.

Yuvraj tweeted his thanks to all his fans and expressed happiness at the great prospect of coming back home soon. After a few weeks of rest and rehabilitation he is likely to run to the cricket field by the first week of May, 2012. He also conveyed his greetings to the living legend of India, Sachin Tendulkar for achieving the historic Century of hundred international centuries.

For his countless cricket fans across India and the world this is a tremendous piece of good news. Fans are eager to see him back in the cricket arena. They want him to play on for India and go on being a match winner for his nation.

Yuvraj Singh had been undergoing treatment in the US for the last three months. In fact his proper treatment was delayed due to a wrong diagnosis by an Indian hospital when his tumor was described as benign. But after a series of tests under the supervision of US doctors the right diagnosis was made and it was described as a first-stage cancer which was curable. Yuvraj and his family accepted the truth and fought on bravely.

Yuvraj Singh will continue to be in USA for a few weeks and he is likely to return to India in April. His fans cannot wait to see their hero back in action.

His tremendous willpower and good spirit combined with the prayers of billions of fans helped him win this crucial match with distinction.  No doubt why he is always called a match winner!

Asia Cup Cricket: 'Virat' Victory Over Pakistan!

Prior to the Blockbuster there was a downpour last night followed a mild earthquake today morning in Dhaka! Maybe Nature too could not help getting agitated for the titanic clash between the eternal rivals! 

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first. Right from the start openers Hafeez and Jamshed looked confident and went on with clinical execution. They scored runs at will maintaining a high run-rate throughout. The first hundred run partnership was achieved in over no.18 and then double-hundred partnership in as early as the 33rd over. Both them helped themselves with worthy tons--Jamshed making his maiden hundred (112) and Hafeez made 105. Their getting out in quick succession hardly made any difference to the scoring momentum and a total in excess of 350 looked imminently possible. Finally a target of 330 was set for Team India as Pakistan made 229/6 in fifty overs. 

Lack of depth in Indian bowling was sorely visible one more time. Pravin Kumar became the most expensive with absolutely no control and the rest of the pack made no impact at all for the rampaging Pakistan batsmen. Even history-maker Tendulkar had to try his hand midway. Wickets came India's way, maybe almost too late. But nobody could make the cardinal of trying to predict a match featuring the classic rivals. Any of them is capable of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory or vice versa. Only that in Australia CB Series match against Sri Lanka Team India overhauled a mammoth total in less than forty overs winning a bonus point! 

The Indian reply started with a huge jolt. Opener Hafeez who scored a brilliant century earlier opened the Pakistan bowling too capturing the prized wicket of in-form Gambhir in the very second ball of the innings. But from then onwards it was an exhilarating display of stupendous batting prowess.

Sachin Tendulkar, now a big burden off his shoulders, batted freely and notched up another half-century completing a 133 run partnership with Virat Kohli. Kohli stroking the ball magnificently went from strength to strength achieving his third century in four appearances (he scored 66 runs in the last match against Bangladesh). Rohit Sharma joined him and raced to his half-century too. They had a rollicking match-winning partnership of over 172 runs filled with fours and sixes. The much talked about superiority of the Pakistan bowling attack was razed to the ground by the mastery of much talked about Indian batsmen. But, of course, this fact cannot write off the obvious inferiority of Indian bowling.

Virat (this word signifies huge or bigness) Kohli and Rohit Sharma kept company till the 46^th over when Rohit got out for 68 with the team score at 305/3. Kohli made a terrific 183 runs off just 148 balls filled with 24 fours and 1 six. When he got out victory was only a formality which Raina and Skipper Dhoni accomplished with 13 balls to spare. India won by 6 wickets.

It was India’s one of the most fantastic wins over their arch rival Pakistan. They have thus increased their chances of reaching the final and meeting Pakistan again on 22^nd March. If Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh India would be through and if Bangladesh win the second finalist will be decided on the best net run-rate between the two.

Virat was the spontaneous choice for the Man of the Match award.

Postscript:
It seems Asia Cup-2012 is following CB Series rules regarding teams tied with points. This means if India is locked with Bangladesh with the same number of points head-to-head record, not net run-rate, is to be counted. So, if Bangladesh win against Sri Lanka they will sail into the final due to the fact that India got beaten by them in the league stage. The only way for India's entry would be that of Sri Lanka's win--plain and simple win over the hosts.