IPL is back...

The IPL is back and that too with a bang, more so because it's happening in India this time. So, whats new in this edition of IPL? First, two strategic timeouts instead of one; second, mid over advertisements which features Akshay Kumar, laughing like a donkey and Gibbs, with a cell phone on his ears from Karbonn and third, defending champions, the Deccan Chargers, despite the IPL taking place in India, are not playing in front of their home crowd. Lets see whether Gilchrist's boys will be able to defend their title or will it be the Daredevils, who lost in the semifinal in both the previous editions?

Three matches have taken place till now and there was no clear winner in any of those matches. But needless to say, in just two days, we have seen a hundred from an Indian and that too the fastest of the IPL; two totals beyond 200; more than 30 sixes. And yes, IPL 3 is just 2 days old. There is surely gonna be a lot of entertainment and thrill as we move ahead.

Ami tomake Bhalo bashi Dada...

Dada is back as the captian and so is his team. After making a modest total of 161 on a flat batting pitch, defending it was a tough task, but with Dada as the captian, nothing seems to be tough. Although he dint score a single run in the match, he dint took a single wicket in the match, it was just his presence on the field and his way of leading the team, which made the day for the riders yesterday. Who would have thought that after being 99 for 1 after 10 overs, the Chargers will go down as the losers. But hats off to Dada and his team for not succumbing to pressure and emerging as the winners of the very first game of the tournament. I hope they do well and make a mark in this edition.

Pathan is the man for Royals...

Sidhu and Warne consider it the best of the knocks they have seen in their entire career. No, it isnt Sachin's 200, its Yusuf Pathan's 100 off just 37 balls against the Mumbai Indians and this time Sachin was at the receiving end. Royals needed 213 for victory and they were down and dusted by the Mumbai bowlers and were struggling at 66 for 4 in the 10th over. Then a storm came, stayed until the 18th over and completely shifted the momentum of the game from the Indians to the Royals. During his short 9 over stay at the crease, he hit 9 fours and 8 sixes, with his 6 fours and 5 sixes coming off 11 consecutive balls. As soon as he left, Dogra took charge and hit a couple of sixes and a four off Satish's over, after which the Royals required just 19 off the last 2 overs. But, Zaheer and Malinga spoiled the party for Warne's men and took Mumbai Indians home in front off their home crowd.

Australia finally got a competitor this season...

With two back to back clean sweeps against Pakistan and WI in the test, ODIs as well as the T20s, Australia was looking like the best team in all forms of the game, until they faced New Zealand, who beat them in the T20s but went down 2-3 in the ODIs but it could have been 3-2 in NZ's favor easily. The first two games were very close and the team which held its nerve won it in the end. But to say the least, there are teams in the international arena which can beat the mighty Aussies.

NZ won the one sided match today by 50 odd runs, helped by Bond and Southee, both of whom took 4 wickets a piece. The first two games of the series were close encounters as I mentioned earlier and both the teams came out with flying colors once. The 3rd and 4th games were gifted to the Aussies by the Kiwis.

In 5 days time, they will test each other in the longer format of the game and I would be more than happy to see NZ giving Aussies the taste of their own medicine.