Why There Are No Big Scores Now In IPL?

Indian Premier League

Indian Premier League

Indian Premier League, Cricket saw bowlers treated like anything in the opening stages of the series. They were smashed all over the park. It was raining sixes and boundaries every time. Everyday you would see a score of 200 plus, in just 20 overs! It was the period when 20-20 was at it’s very best :)

But now, you will see occasional sixes, usually in last 5 overs of an inning. Scores are round about 150-175 and not much excitement, apart from matches still being competitive as both the batting teams struggle to make runs freely!

So ever wondered why there are no big scores in the match, anymore?

Well our public survey reveals the facts straight forward:

1. The big guns are all gone. Who were they? Brendon McCullum, who alone scored 158 in his innings, usually more than what is being scored in present matches. Then there were likes of Michael Hayden, Andrew Symmonds, Michael Hussey and others. They really started IPL in the fashion which no one could. There departure certainly brought a sigh of relief in the camp.

2. Some people feel that the bowlers have become smarter. And Desibaba agrees to this point. Bowlers have suffered a lot. And it was time to take revenge. They are doing much more things, trying all kind of deliveries and have now adapted to the game. They now know which balls are difficult to get away with, which bowl can be safe to bowl, etc etc. Good to see Balaji and Ashish Nehra coming back! Also, with the likes of Shoaib Akhtar, the dashing speedster, 20-20 is never going to be same!

3. Deteriorating pitches :P robably the biggest of all causes. The nature of all pitches are changing. They are becoming slower. Less batsmen friendly. Of course that’s a big factor in any ground or even any country. Too much cricket is terrible for the pitches!

4. Closing stages of the game? Some of the people suggested that IPL is half over! Now it’s all about stats and the wins. It’s days about serious cricket now. Pressure is high up. Ranking is the thing players worry about! So everybody is playing seriously and not just throwing their bats around. Sanath Jayasuriya and Virendra Sehwag are some exceptions. There batting remains same whatever the condition be!

So these are the four points that came out in Desibaba’s survey. What do you think of the survey and the answers? Do you one of your own, then do let us know! :)

Eat Cricket, Sleep Cricket….arggghhh What the hell, just enjoy cricket my dear Desibaba fans!

Hrithik Roshan Joins IPL Buzz Too

Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan is likely to be the brand ambassador for industrialist Mukesh Ambani’s Mumbai Indians cricket team in the inaugural Indian Premier League (IPL) starting April 18.

Speculation is rife that Hrithik will soon be shooting for an ad campaign and even an album – the music for which has been composed by Anu Malik – for Mumbai Indians.

Bollywood actors are making their presence felt in the IPL. It all started with Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta buying IPL teams and then Akshay Kumar being roped in as brand ambassador for Delhi Daredevils.

Shahrukh Khan Will Bowl If Shoaib Doesn’t

Shoaib Akhtar n Shahrukh KhanStrongly supporting Shoaib Akhtar who was debarred from taking part in cash-rich Indian Premier League, Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan on Thursday said he would ask the Indian Cricket Board to review the decision.

“If Shoaib is out then I have only one other option, I will bowl myself!” told King Khan to the press outside his Bandra bungalow, Mannat.

Khan’s support comes in the wake of BCCI’s decision to disallow Shoaib from playing in the IPL tournament in view of Pakistan Cricket Board’s decision to ban him for five years.

Khan’s comments could come as a relief to Akhtar, considering it’s the only vote of confidence he has received after the PCB banned him for five years two days ago.

“We planned the team keeping him in mind. He is the team’s pillar of strength. We will take the matter to the officials and hopefully it will work out in our favour,” said SRK, who is owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders team, for which Shoaib has been roped in to play.

He said the charges against the fast bowler are not so serious that his presence could create a negative impression in the minds of young crickters.

“It is a ban related to his behaviour and I hope things get sorted out in our favour,” Shahrukh said.

India Ranked Number 2 In Test Cricket After Australia’s Defeat

With the fourth and final Test in Adelaide ending in a draw on Monday, India has climbed to second place in the LG ICC Test Championship table despite losing the four-match series with Australia 2-1.

India had entered the series in fourth place, just behind South Africa and Sri Lanka but South Africa‘s 2-1 series win over eighth-placed West Indies earlier this month relegated it to fourth position and put Sri Lanka second, a fraction of a ratings point ahead of India in third spot.

Following its historic 72-run victory in the third Test in Perth and the drawn match just finished in Adelaide, India has moved ahead of Sri Lanka and now sits in second place on 111 ratings points, two ahead of its south Asia rival and three in front of the Proteas.

Australia, which started the series on 143 ratings points, is still out in front by a distance despite losing two ratings points over the course of the series. Ricky Ponting’s side won in Melbourne by 337 runs and in Sydney by 122 runs before the Perth defeat.

With just four ratings points separating second-placed India from fifth-placed England  and plenty of Test cricket to be played over the next few months, reshuffling of the positions in the Test Championship table is very much on cards.

Cricket World Is Too Long, Needs To Be Reformed: Ponting

Australia captain Ricky Ponting said the seven-week Cricket World Cup is too long and challenged organizers to come up with a better format in 2011.

“It is a long event,” Ponting told reporters in Barbados. “In the future I think it can be condensed a little bit. We’ll learn lessons from this time around and hopefully make it a better World Cup next time.”

Ponting is the latest critic of a competition where grounds in the Caribbean have frequently been less than half full amid claims from former players such as ex-West Indies captain Viv Richards that the ticketing structure priced out local fans.

Tournament Chief Executive Chris Dehring said the length of the tournament was dictated by the decision to allow a reserve day for every match in case it was washed out, after weather disruptions at the 2003 tournament in South Africa. In the event, only the March 27 match between Australia and the Windies was pushed into a second day by adverse weather.

The 2011 World Cup will be held across India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.