Posts

Showing posts from July, 2020

What changes did Virender Sehwag bring in cricket

Image
Batting on 295 and reaching the milestone with a six! We haven’t heard that before. Batting at 183 and hitting four 4s to reach there ASAP. First over, 3 balls - 3 sixes Starting the innings with a boundary on 25+ occasions India 58/1, Sehwag 50 Not out Team 131/4, Sehwag 100 Not out India 328/9 and there’s this guy completing 200 at a strike-rate of 88! Virender Sehwag is the one who changed the face of Test cricket with his destructive and fearless batting!

The only bowler to deliver a Super-Over Maiden

Image
Taking a maiden in a T20 match is a great achievement. But, imagine taking a maiden in a Super-over! Yes, there has been just one bowler in the history of international cricket who have achieved the sensational feat. Sunil Narine . It happened during the game between Red Steels and Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Caribbean Premier League. Let us look at how the over went by. Ball one: Sunil Narine to Nicholas Pooran - ball pitches outside leg stump and spins a foot away from the off stump. The batsman swings and misses DOT BALL Ball two: This one skid and doesn't bounce much. Full and wide. Another play and a miss. DOT BALL Ball three: Three in a row of the same line and length, Narine is firing them in. Tossed up on the off stump and spins away. Dwayne Bravo shakes his head in the pavilion DOT BALL Ball four: Fourth time. Same hoick, same play and a miss DOT BALL Ball five: OUT, Pooran finally connects but holes out at long-off in the hands of Martin Guptill. DOT

Analysing the three 175 scored by Indian batsmen in ODIs

Image
Let us look at the three 175s scored by Indian batsmen. 1.Virender Sehwag vs Bangladesh in 2011 It was the group-stage match against Bangladesh and Virender Sehwag went all guns blazing against the poor bowlers. He scored handy partnerships with Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli, which helped India post 370 runs onboard. Sehwag blasted 175 runs from 140 balls, with 14 fours and 5 sixes. Tamim Iqbal (70) and Shakib Al Hasan (55) fought back well, but their innings ended at 283. 2. Sachin Tendulkar vs Australia in 2009 The 5th ODI of Australia’s tour of India in 2009 saw an absolute run-feast at Hyderabad. Batting first, Australia posted a mammoth 350 with the help of Shaun Marsh (112) and Shane Watson (93). In reply, Sachin Tendulkar made a wonderful 175 which almost helped India cross the shores. At the end of 47th over, the equation was just 19 off 18 balls. But Tendulkar fell for Mckay in the next ball and India eventually fell short by 3 runs. Tendulkar cr

The biggest allegation in the career of Sachin Tendulkar

Image
During the 2001 India-South Africa series, Sachin Tendulkar was booked for ball-tampering in the second Test match at Port Elizabeth by umpire Mike Denness. BCCI launched a massive protest even threatening to pull out of the series if Denness continued to be the match referee in the next match. ICC was forced to remove Denness and the ban on Tendulkar was also overturned. “I was shocked because I had always played cricket with integrity and honesty and would never do such a thing”. “My mistake, which I have no hesitation in owning up to was that I should have informed the on-field umpires under Law 42.3 when I was cleaning the seam, but I’m afraid it did not enter my mind in the intensity of the moment.” were his words regarding the incident.

Ranking the 8 Double-centuries in ODI history

Image
Rank 8: Fakhar Zaman 210* vs Zimbabwe Against a demoralized Zimbabwe side, the Pakistani batsman was unstoppable as he thrashed the Zimbabwean bowlers mercilessly, especially their medium pacers and spinners. While Zaman’s innings was brilliant, the fact that it came against a very poor attack prevents it from being placed higher in these rankings. Rank 7: Rohit Sharma 208* vs Sri Lanka As usual, Rohit started slowly and went into the Hitman mode after the first 100. He took on the Lankan bowlers to cleaners as the next 100 came in just 36 balls. This was his third double century and was arguably the least impressive among the lot as he conquered a comparatively poor Sri Lankan bowling attack. Rank 6: Virender Sehwag 219 vs West Indies Sehwag demolished the West Indian bowlers with a sensational 219, which was the highest ODI score ever at that time. If Sehwag would not have gotten out in the 47th over, he could have crossed the 250-run mark on that day. He faced 149 balls an

3 bowlers who have taken a wicket off their first ball in World Cup

Image
Taking a wicket with your first ball in a World Cup match is a sensational achievement for any bowler. Let us look at the three players who have taken a wicket off their first delivery in the World Cup. #1 Ian Harvey (Australia) - against Pakistan in 2003 World Cup During the group stage match between Australia and Pakistan, Ian Harvey took the wicket of a well-set Salim Elahi with his first ball of the World Cup. Batting first, Australia scored 310 runs from 50 overs courtesy a brilliant century from Andrew Symonds. Coming to bat at No. 6, he scored 143 runs from 125 balls including 18 fours and 2 sixes. Chasing 311 for victory, Pakistan lost 3 wickets before registering 50 runs on the board. Just when it seemed like Salim Elahi and Mohammad Yousuf were building a partnership, Ilahi nicked the first ball of Harvey straight into the hands of Brett Lee. Australia went on to win the game by 82 runs and Harvey finished his spell with a magnificent 4/58. #2 Malachi Jones (Bermu

Three Sensational Test innings by Virender Sehwag

Image
Virender Sehwag is widely regarded as one of the most destructive opening batsmen of all time. He holds multiple records including the highest score made by an Indian in Test cricket which was also the fastest triple century in the history of international cricket (reached 300 off only 278 balls) as well as the fastest 250 by any batsman. Let us look at his 3 best Test innings. 309(375) vs Pakistan- 1st test, Multan 2004 Virender Sehwag became the first Indian to score 300 runs in a test match. Sehwag smashed the Pakistani bowlers all around the park. He hit 39 fours and 6 sixes and scored at a strike rate of 82, which was something rare in Tests at those times. 319(304) vs South Africa- 1st Test 2008 Sehwag became the first Indian to score two 300's in test cricket during the 1st test against South Africa. India answered back to a huge total of 540, with the help of Sehwag who scored 319 runs from just 304 balls. He smashed 42 fours and 5 sixes. 293(254) vs Sri Lanka- 3rd

Comparing the 183s of Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli

Image
Sourav Ganguly rewrote history during the 1999 World Cup match against Sri Lanka at Taunton. Many records fumbled during his 318-run partnership with Rahul Dravid (145). The Lankan bowlers seemed clueless against the onslaught done by the pair. India won the game by 157 runs and Ganguly was awarded the Man of the Match for his 183 off 158 balls, 17*4, 7*6. It was no less than a masterpiece. Mahendra Singh Dhoni came to the crease in the first over itself, following the early departure of Sachin Tendulkar while chasing a 299 against Sri Lanka in 2005. But he single-handedly changed the course of the game with a majestic 183 off 145 balls. It included 15 fours and 10 sixes. This was the first instance of a wicket-keeper scoring 183 in ODI cricket. India chased down the target comfortably in 46.1 overs. The third one is my favourite among the lot- Virat Kohli against Pakistan in the 2012 Asia Cup. Batting first, Pakistan scored a good total of 329 with the help of centuries from Nasir