Sachin out of Champions League T20

Mumbai Indians skipper, Sachin Tendulkar will reportedly miss out on playing for his team in the Champions League as he has not fully recovered from the toe injury.

News site, NDTV reported that the Master Blaster will miss out on the multi-starrer tournament as he has not recovered from the toe injury in time to feature in the last year’s finalists squad.

India's Sachin Tendulkar (R) talks with India's Coach Duncan Fletcher

The Mumbai Indians are already struggling to deal with injuries to their key players, Rohit Sharma and Munaf Patel and the loss of their captain will come as a huge blow for the side.

Harbhajan Singh, who said he has completely recovered from the abdominal tear he suffered during the Tests againstEngland, is expected to lead the Mumbai side in Sachin’s absence.

Mumbai coach Robin Singh had earlier said that Sachin’s absence would not hurt the team much and it may be an opportunity for others to prove their mettle shoulld the batting maestro fail to regain full fitness in time.

                    

Yuvraj doubtful for Rajkot ODI

India batsman Yuvraj Singh is likely to miss the first one-day international of the series against Sri Lanka here Tuesday with a finger injury.

India's Yuvraj Singh's injured finger is seen as he talks to Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, right, during a practice session in Rajkot, India, Monday, Dec. 14, 2009. India will play the first one day international cricket match against Sri Lanka on Tuesday.

Yuvraj fractured a finger on his left hand while fielding in the second Twenty20 international in Mohali, Saturday night. Yuvraj was the star of the match with his 25 ball 60 and also picked up three wickets to help India win.

Team sources told IANS that the injury could even rule out Yuvraj from the rest of the series.

An MRI scan was conducted Sunday at the team hotel here Sunday. And reports suggested that Yuvraj would need at least three weeks to recover.

England in line to host IPL

England is most likely to host the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) 2009 edition after South African Chief Gerald Majola revealed that his country is not the first choice for organizers.

Convenor of IPL Lalit Modi is likely to arrive in London on Monday to hold further discussions with England and Wales Cricket Board to draft out ways which will fit twenty20 tournament around the county season.

Indian Premier League (IPL) Chairman Lalit Modi,Shilpa Shetty and Priety Zinta

England and South Africa are the primary two venues where IPL is likely to be played, but it seems BCCI prefers former for its huge Asian crowd.

“England is a very attractive venue,” Modi told The Daily Telegraph.

Board of Control for Cricket in India, contacted ECB and insisted for a decision to be made as soon as possible to check the practicability of hosting IPL on such short notice.

ECB, chief executive David Collier will fly back to England to meet IPL officials on Wednesday or Thursday.

Speaking to British media giant, Sky Collier clarified, “We have opened up discussions with the BCCI and IPL with the last 36 hours and we’ll be continuing those discussions in the middle of this week-and then we’ll be reporting to our board at the back end of the week.

“Clearly with only three weeks to go to the start of the competition, I think all parties recognize an early decision has to be made.”

For Complete news Visit :www.octansports.com/cricket/cricket-news/2383/England-Most-Likely-To-Host-IPL.htm

India in Command

Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid both helped themselves to half-centuries on Thursday as India closed in on New Zealand’s first innings total on the second day of the opening test in Hamilton.

Gambhir struck a patient 72 while a composed Dravid made 66 to guide the tourists to 197 for three at tea in reply to New Zealand’s first day total of 279.

When the second session ended, India were just 82 runs behind with Sachin Tendulkar unbeaten on 25 and Vangipurappu Laxman not out four.

Yuvraj Singh and Sachin Tendulkar

New Zealand had made a bright start to the day when they dismissed dangerous opener Virender Sehwag at the start of the morning session, which was delayed by 15 minutes because of overnight rain.

Sehwag had added just two runs to his overnight score of 22 when he was run out at the non-striker’s end by a direct hit from James Franklin.

But India, who had resumed on 29-0, dominated the rest of the morning on a placid Seddon Park pitch offering little assistance to the bowlers.

For complete news visit:www.octansports.com/cricket/cricket-news/2218/India-in-Command-at-Seddon-Park.htm

India Win by 53 Runs in McLean Park

India won the rain curtailed first ODI in Napier against New Zealand on Tuesday, after racing to 4-273 in their allotted 38 overs – thanks to blistering half centuries by Virender Sehwag, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Suresh Raina.

virender-sehwag

New Zealand scored 9-169 in reply after a second rain halt reduced their innings to 28 overs and they finally fell 53-runs short of the revised target.

Loosing both openers cheaply, 58-run partnership between Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor returned some hope to the Kiwi camp, but when Yousuf Pathan got rid of Taylor (34), and Elliot Grant becoming victim of Yuvraj Singh’s superb fielding, last hopes of recovery became more grim as weather over the McLean Park. 

Dhoni top scored for India with a well crafted 84 not out from 89 balls.

For complete News Visit:www.octansports.com/cricket/cricket-news/1749/India-Win-by-53-Runs-in-McLean-Park.htm

Dhoni guides India to victory over Sri Lanka

Team India Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni hit an unbeaten 61 in 65 balls to lead India to a six-wicket victory in the opening one-dayer against Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

Chasing 247 to win, opener Gautam Gambhir laid the foundations with 62 and added 113 for the second wicket with Suresh Raina (54).

Dhoni won the toss and chose to bowl first in the hope of exploiting early seam movement.

Sanath Jayasuriya scored 107 for the home side, the 39-year-old became the oldest centurion in one-day internationals and went past the 13,000-run mark after cracking 10 fours and one six.

Tillakaratne Dilshan was run out for a duck in the first over but Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara negotiated the initial threat of the new ball with intelligent batting.

Jayasuriya put on 118 for the second wicket with fellow left-hander Sangakkara (44).

Sri Lanka looked poised for a large total but India pegged them back in the latter stages of the innings.

India’s reply started badly when Sachin Tendulkar (5) was unfortunate to be judged lbw to an in swinger from Thilina Thushara that pitched outside leg-stump.

That was counter-balanced by a reprieve for Gambhir who was lucky to get the benefit of the doubt after a caught and bowled decision was referred to the TV umpire.

Sri Lanka was also guilty of poor fielding as Dilshan grassed a simple chance at backward point when Raina had made six.

The home side clawed their way back into the game when Gambhir was caught in the deep and Raina was run out, leaving India 137 for three.

Dhoni, however, took command by adding 44 with Yuvraj Singh (23) and an unbroken 66-run stand with Rohit Sharma (25 not out).

The second game of the five-match series is in Colombo on Saturday.