IPL- INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE

Fake player of IPL

2009-04-26T19:45:00.001-07:00

This person is the talk of the country right now. Almost all the newspapers are talking about him. He is revealing the information of inside about the IPL teams and specially Kolkata Knight Riders.

I went through all the posts that he has posted till now and from the looks of it, its definitely someone from inside the team. It maybe a player or maybe a non playing staff but someone for real is writing all that. He is giving everyone, on the ground and off the ground, a nickname that will definitely stick with them for a really long time. He has mentioned places and names and some really nasty details about the people there.

If you read the blog closely, you will realize that he has become a lot more cautious now. The posts have very less information and all the information is indirect. Now he has even started reporting about the fact that the management is on a serious hunt to find out who this person is.

He started the blog to express his anger and never expected it to be a such a big hit. But he did make a mistake. He let out the fact that he uses a Macbook Pro in his first post, something I am pretty sure not more than 5 people would have on that team.

Dravid on paternity leave

2009-04-26T19:44:00.001-07:00

Dravid has been the best batsman this season for Bangalore, leading the team charts with 144 runs at a strike-rate of 135.84. His absence will affect Bangalore,as they are struggling. His side have lost three of their four matches so far, and have a tough game against the in-form Delhi Daredevils on Sunday.
Dravid had been expected to miss a part of the IPL on paternity leave, and it was one of the reasons franchise owner Vijay Mallya gave for replacing him with Kevin Pietersen as captain for the second season.

IPL-2:KINGS ELEVEN PUNJAB VS BANGLORE ROYAL CHALLENGERS

2009-04-24T21:20:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS,CLICK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/ipl-2kings-xi-punjab-vs-banglore-royal.html

IPL-2:RAJASTHAN ROYALS VS KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS:YUSUF PATHAN STEALS THE SUPER OVER SHOW TO REGISER THE FIRST WIN FOR RAJASTHAN

2009-04-24T03:43:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS,CLICK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/ipl-2rajasthan-royals-vs-kolkata-knight.html

IPL-2:DELHI DAREDEVILS VS CHENNAI SUPERKINGS:AB DE VILLIERS’S TON HELPED TO WIN THE MATCH FOR DELHI

2009-04-24T03:41:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS,JUST CLICK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/ipl-2delhi-daredevils-vs-chennai.html

IPL-2:DECCAN CHARGERS VS BANGLORE ROYAL CHALLENGERS:Aggressive knocks by Gilchrist and Rohit Sharma won the second match for Hyderabad in IPL

2009-04-22T22:42:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS,CLICK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/ipl-2deccan-chargers-vs-banglore-royal.html

IPL-2:KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS VS KINGS XI PUNJAB:Chris Gayle helped the Knight Riders to register first win in IPL 2009

2009-04-22T02:24:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS,JUST CLICK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/chris-gayle-helped-knight-riders-to.html

IPL-2:MATCH 5:CHENNAI SUPERKINGS VS BANGLORE ROYAL CHALLENGERS:MURALI’S MAGIC OF SPIN AND HAYDEN’S HEAVY STROKEPLAY PROVIDES CHENNAI THEIR FIRST WIN IN IPL 2009

2009-04-20T20:27:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS,JUST CLICK THE LINK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/ipl-2match-5chennai-superkings-vs.html

preview:match 5:Chennai superkings vs Banglore royal challangers

2009-04-20T05:06:00.001-07:00

for details,click the link below:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/ipl-2009-match-5preview-chennai-super.html

IPL-2:MATCH 4:KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS VS DECCAN CHARGERS

2009-04-19T20:48:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS,CLICK THE LINK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/ipl-2match-4kolkata-knight-riders-vs.html

IPL-2:MATCH 3:DELHI DAREDEVILS VS KINGS XI PUNJAB

2009-04-19T20:46:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS ,CLICK THE LINK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/ipl-2match-3delhi-daredevils-vs-kings.html

SONG OF MUMBAI INDIANS FOR IPL 2009

2009-04-18T22:30:00.001-07:00

SONG OF CHENNAI SUPERKINGS FOR IPL 2009

2009-04-18T22:25:00.001-07:00

SONG OF RAJASTHAN ROYALS FOR IPL 2009

2009-04-18T22:15:00.001-07:00

KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS NEW SONG FOR IPL 2009

2009-04-18T22:10:00.001-07:00

MATCH 2:BANGLORE ROYAL CHALLENGERS VS RAJASTHAN ROYALS

2009-04-18T21:42:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS:CLICK THE LINK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/ipl-2match-2banglore-royal-challengers.html

MATCH-1:MUMBAI INDIANS VS CHENNAI SUPERKINGS

2009-04-18T21:35:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS,CLICK THE LINK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/sachin-tendulkar-played-captain-knock.html

FOR VIDEOES OF THE MATCH,CLICK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/ipl-21st-match-highlightsmumbai-indians.html

Preview:1st match,IPL 2009:Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings:

2009-04-18T00:05:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS,CLICK THE LINK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/preview1st-matchipl-2009mumbai-indians.html

PREVIEW OF BANGLORE ROYAL CHALLENGERS FOR IPL 2009

2009-04-18T00:03:00.001-07:00

Strengths
No other team has as much local knowledge and experience. With a former South Africa coach, no fewer than four current South African limited-overs internationals plus Dillon du Preez and the SA-born Pietersen, they have benefitted most from the decision to shift the tournament across the Indian Ocean.

Their spin bowling stocks are also handy, with the up-and-coming Roelof van der Merwe complemented by the old warrior Anil Kumble. Cameron White, a respectable T20 player if nothing else, provides the back-up.

Weaknesses
With Nathan Bracken included in the Australia squad to play Pakistan in Dubai, Dale Steyn is the only international fast bowler available for the opening three weeks. Du Preez may well be asked to step and fill the void, but how will he fare against international stars in front of the big crowds?

The other concern is whether Jacques Kallis can step up to the intensity of Twenty20 cricket as a skipper once KP departs. It's all well and good standing in the slips looking disinterested during slow-paced Test matches; leading a side in a T20 match requires oodles of pro-active thinking.

Likely hit
Jesse Ryder is in fantastic form after a magnificent Test series at home to India, and the South African wickets should suit his style of going after the ball. His efforts at the top of the order will be crucial to getting Bangalore off to a solid start with Pietersen and swing-out-your-boots van der Merwe to follow.

Likely Flop
Just how much does Kallis really care about all of this? He made a fuss after being left out of South Africa's 2007 World Twenty20 squad and has been included in the original 30 for this year's shindig. A good showing in the IPL will secure a ticket to England, but whether he'll put his heart into it after a long 18 months with the Proteas remains to be seen.

Prediction
The addition of Pietersen and Ryder should make them more competitive, but they still won't quite make the semis.

PREVIEW OF KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS FOR IPL 2009

2009-04-18T00:02:00.001-07:00

Strengths
Buchanan's tactical prowess, years of international experience and subsequent wisdom sees him stand head and shoulders above the rest of any other coach on display in the IPL.

Somehow allowed a handy four-day interval between their 5 May and 10 May clashes against the Daredevils before enjoying a relatively slow end to their group clashes, the Knight Riders' schedule thus reads a lot better than some of their rivals' rosters.

Weaknesses
Shoaib Akhtar isn't around this year so he can't be labeled the weakness but a host of unknowns do. And therein lies the woe. While Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum and the like will be keen to do their job, grab their cash and to an extent keep to themselves and their international ambitions after the tourney, Ganguly, Sharma and Ajit Agarkar will have to rally around the youngsters and shepherd them through what could end up being a quite overwhelming experience for their Indian rookies vast and varied.

Likely hit
Charl Langeveldt - a late signing as cover for Kolkata's depleted fast-bowling resources, the South African player of the year in 2007 should prove the perfect foil to Ishant Sharma and Mashrafe Mortaza's aggression with his renowned, metronomic line and length at the 'death'.

Likely Flop
Brad Hodge - the least aggressive of the three Aussie batsman included in the Knight Rider's squad, Hodge hardly holds a candle to David Hussey and Moises Henriques. Add to that the presence of Brendon McCullum, Chris Gayle and Sourav Ganguly and it's pretty obvious hackneyed Hodge is destined to live in his contemporaries' shadows.

Prediction
In a dramatic turn up for last years' books, Kolkata fans can look forward to following their glitzy posse all the way to the final.

PREVIEW OF DELHI DAREDEVILS FOR IPL 2009

2009-04-18T00:01:00.003-07:00

Strengths
Packed to the brim with batsmen, one can't imagine that the Daredevils are going to struggle scoring big totals. Their bowling attack isn't too shabby either, ensuring the Delhi unit are a well-balanced outfit.

Weaknesses
Pace bowling will be one area of concern. After spending a busy year out of the game, Glenn McGrath's ability to hit the right line and length with great consistency may not be what it once was, and if that is the case, Dirk Nannes, Yo Mahesh and Farveez Maharoof will fall under considerable pressure.

Likely hit
Daniel Vettori - Spin has become an integral part of the Twenty20 game, with the ability to take the pace off the ball. Vettori is one of the best in the business when it comes to the turning trade, and his success will be key to the Daredevils.

Likely Flop
Owais Shah - Coming off a tough tour of the Caribbean, the Englishman will be under pressure to perform, and with competition for spots in the batting order sure to be fierce, Shah may find the going a bit too much.

Prediction
They should, at least, make it through to the semi-finals.

PREVIEW OF DECCAN CHARGERS FOR IPL 2009

2009-04-18T00:01:00.001-07:00

Strengths
Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds, Herchelle Gibbs, Rohit Sharma - the Chargers have a fierce batting line-up that will surely fancy bettering their abject collective performance last year.

Weaknesses
Amidst a bowling attack littered with inexperience, lies a trio laden in international experience. Fidel Edwards, Chaminda Vaas and Rudra Pratap Singh will be key to the Chargers' cause, particularly the latter's economy rate late innings.

Likely hit
Fans can expect VVS Laxman to convert his rich form in Test cricket to more runs in the shorter format.

Likely Flop
Sri Lankan middle-order man Chamara Silva will struggle to get a game with a four-player limit on internationals per starting XI.

Prediction
They'll finish a couple positions higher than last year's wooden spoon, but hopes of a semi-final berth are a tad farfetched.

PREVIEW OF MUMBAI INDIANS FOR IPL 2009

2009-04-18T00:00:00.001-07:00

Strengths
Well for one, Shantha Sreesanth's sidelining due to injury leaves little opportunity for a repeat of 2008's face-slap incident so discipline should be on the up this time around.

Dwayne Bravo could be a veritable one-man show should the fit-again all-rounder's recent stint against the English be anything to go buy. His middle-order hitting and ability to mix his pace frequently are well worth his fetching price, even if he does depart from South African shores prematurely to join the Windies in England.

Weaknesses
The purchase of JP Duminy and Graham Napier's services show that the Mumbai powers-that-be are acutely aware of the need for support for Tendulkar and Jayasuriya. Should any two of the aforementioned quartet fail, domestic stars - Shikhar Dhawan, Saurabh Tiwary, Ajinkya Rahane, Jaydev Shah, etc - will need to come to the party for a pittance of what their big-gun compatriots failed to deliver for.

Likely hit
Zaheer Khan does it for India time and time again and his accuracy when the slog is on will prove key. Able to churn out yorkers and swing it away from the left-hander on cue, for his four-over allotment at least he'll defy the evidence that Twenty20 cricket is a batsmen-friendly game.

Likely Flop
Sri Lankan duo Lasith Malinga and Dilhara Fernando are of concern. The former's fitness (or lack thereof) and the latter's no-ball and four-ball woes don't bode well for an attack in need of an able second fiddle to Zaheer.

Prediction
The return of Tendulkar, the arrival of Zaheer and JP Duminy and the welcome departure of 2008 passengers Dominic Thornely, Ashwell Prince and Dwayne Smith will surely see Mumbai finish a couple of places higher than last year's standing of fifth and thus pip them into the semi-finals, but not beyond.

PREVIEW OF CHENNAI SUPERKINGS FOR IPL 2009

2009-04-17T23:59:00.003-07:00

Strengths
Chennai sport three of the best all-rounders in world cricket. Andrew Flintoff, Albie Morkel and Jacob Oram are made for Twenty20 cricket.

Weaknesseses
Their top order seems a bit thin, especially after the withdrawal of Michael Hussey and Matthew Hayden is sure to be a bit rusty after a lengthy stint away from topflight competition.

Likely hit
The maiden IPL was really the first time people started taking notice of Mahendra Dhoni's leadership capabilities. He led from the front and his contributions with the bat were invaluable. Expect more of the same in April and May.

Likely Flop
Unlikley to falter out in the middle, but injury-prone duo Jacob Oram and Andrew Flintoff's recent history suggest they'll be sitting out more than their fair share of encounters.

Prediction
The Super Kings' weak top order is a bit of concern, but their all-rounders will most likely bail them out. They should make the top four once again, but it is unlikely that they will play in the final.

PREVIEW OF KINGS XI PUNJAB FOR IPL 2009

2009-04-17T23:59:00.001-07:00

Strengths
With a batting line-up comprising of Yuvraj Singh, Kumar Sangakkara, Simon Katich, Mahela Jayawardene and Shaun Marsh amongst others, the Mohali franchise shouldn't struggle to score runs.

Weaknesses
With Shantha Sreesanth and Jerome Taylor out injured, the bowling attack looks more than a touch light. Added to a shear lack of numbers, Brett Lee is returning from a long injury break and will be with the Australian national team for much of the competition, while Burt Cockley is untested in this format (or level). Emergency signing Yusuf Abdulla should add some weight to the attack.

Likely hit

Yuvraj Singh - With key man Marsh and the experienced Lee set to miss a large chunk of the series, Yuvraj will need to be at his peak with bat, ball and tactical prowess.

Likely Flop
Shaun Marsh - Perhaps a bit harsh, but in comparison to his contribution in the inaugural IPL, anything this time around is going to seem like a failure, and as the Australian will be away on national duty for much of the tournament his impact will be limited.

Prediction
The loss of James Hopes, Lee and Marsh will come as a big blow to the set-up, one that they probably won't be able to recover from sufficiently to make the semi-finals.

COACH OF DECCAN CHARGERS

2009-04-17T23:58:00.001-07:00

Darren Lehmann

- In and out the national unit for a number of years, the South Australia and Yorkshire star called it quits in 2007 before taking up the post with the Hyderabad set-up.

COACH OF MUMBAI INDIANS

2009-04-17T23:51:00.003-07:00

Pravin Amre

- the former Indian batsman takes over from Lalchand Rajput - who walked out of his three-year contract due to personal reasons - and will assisted by player mentor Shaun Pollock and fielding coach Jonty Rhodes.

COACH OF RAJASTHAN ROYALS

2009-04-17T23:51:00.001-07:00

It's a testament to Shane Warne's love of both the game and the spotlight that he took on the role of team coach in addition to his customary responsibilities. In hindsight, it probably was the team management's only option, given Warne's much publicised opinion of full-time coaches. He is ably assisted by fellow Victorian Darren Berry and English dibbly-dobbler turned high-performance guru, Jeremy Snape.

COACH OF DELHI DAREDEVILS

2009-04-17T23:50:00.001-07:00

Greg Shipperd -

Australian native Shipperd began his coaching career in the 1991/92 season with Tasmania, having enjoyed a distinguished career in the playing ranks of the Australian domestic scene.Coach DD

COACH OF KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS

2009-04-17T23:49:00.003-07:00

John Buchanan

- the erstwhile Australian coach enjoyed an epic eight-year stint with the national team, during which he conquered all, including a couple of Ashes and World Cup

COACH OF BANGLORE ROYAL CHALLENGERS

2009-04-17T23:49:00.001-07:00

Tough man Ray Jennings has lived up to his reputation already, insisting on his arrival that "the team lacked energy, commitment and skills" last year and sending the blame in the direction of the senior players. His relationship with Pietersen will provide a constant source of intrigue and, no doubt, entertainment.

COACH OF KINGS ELEVEN PUNJAB

2009-04-17T23:48:00.001-07:00

Tom Moody

- Nicknamed 'Long' due to his massive 1.98 metre frame, the former Australian all-rounder has proved to be a shrewd operator as a coach. As the man responsible for bringing previously unknown gem Shaun Marsh to the fore last year, who would bet against the Aussie's latest homegrown pick Burt Cockley being a success?

COACH OF CHENNAI SUPERKINGS

2009-04-17T23:45:00.001-07:00

Stephen Fleming

- The fact that he got the coaching gig barely 15 months after retiring from international competition is testament to how highly the erstwhile New Zealand skipper is rated in world cricket. If he succeeds with the Super Kings, it could be the first of many coaching jobs for Fleming.

PREVIEW:RAJASTHAN ROYALS FOR IPL 2009

2009-04-17T23:16:00.001-07:00

Strengths
It's impossible to get away from Warne's influence on the team. The continuity resulting from having a player of his stature in charge of all on-field affairs will, once again, be a massive advantage for the Royals.

Additionally, the money spent on 20-over specialist Tyron Henderson should go a long way towards them retaining the trophy.

Weaknesses
Moving the competition from the sub-continent to South Africa may be somewhat of a concern for the Royals' Indian batsmen. In South Africa's Graeme Smith and Australian Robert Quiney, the franchise has only two specialist batsmen with significant experience on the type of fast, bouncy wickets typical to South Africa. Whether the likes of Yusuf Pathan and Mohammad Kaif will come to terms with conditions will be an important factor in the success of their team's 2009 campaign.

Likely hit
On the South African wickets where he plied his trade for so many years, Henderson is bound to impress. The 34-year-old all-rounder has become one of the 20-over game's most successful players and has been dominating batsmen and bowlers alike on the county scene for a number of seasons. His fee of a mere US$650 000 could prove to be the bargain of the tournament.

Likely Flop
It is somewhat of and understatement to say that Morne Morkel has not had a great summer. His inability to hit the areas where he is usually most effective has seen him lose his place in his country's Test and ODI teams. Unless the lanky speedster improves his control dramatically he is almost assured to have a very short stint in the Royals' first XI.

Prediction
Despite Warne's admirably pragmatic approach to the game and the addition of the potentially talismanic Henderson to a squad that already includes the likes of Graeme Smith, the South African conditions will probably be too much for the predominantly Indian middle order to cope with and predict a significantly poorer performance from the reigning champions. Also, the absence of 2008 star performers Watson and Sohail Tanvir doesn't help.

McCullum replaces Ganguly as Kolkata Knight Riders’ captain

2009-04-17T22:10:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS,CLICK THE LINK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/mccullum-replaces-ganguly-as-kolkata.html

‘Time out’ will harm IPL

2009-04-17T22:07:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS,CLICK THE LINK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/time-out-will-harm-ipl.html

IPL games introduce 'strategy breaks' of 15 minutes

2009-04-17T22:04:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS,CLICK THE LINK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/ipl-games-to-take-15-minutes-more.html

SRK steals the show in the parade

2009-04-16T22:43:00.001-07:00

Cricket fans in this lovely South African city went delirious with joy as the carnival arrived here on Thursday. Most of the world’s best cricketers – gathered here for the second edition of the DLF-Indian Premier League – went on a colourful parade, the first of its kind in cricket history.

At about 2.40 pm, the parade of 11 floats set off from just outside the city centre. The best players, coaches and trainers, franchise owners and officials and DLF-IPL officials were taken around on a 2.5km route with people lining up on either side of the streets. Employees from banks and other commercial offices poured out to the road or to the balconies of their offices.

IPL officials Chairman Lalit Modi, vice-chairman Niranjan Shah and IPL Governing Council member Ravi Shastri were on the first float. The crowds warmed up to the fact that their favourite stars were not too far behind.

The defending champions Rajasthan Royals, with their players sporting their trademark handlebar moustaches, were up next. The team’s co-owner Shilpa Shetty shouted out `Halla Bol', the team’s clarion call, as the fans cried out for her. Skipper Shane Warne looked on and waved out while the younger lot joined in the fun.

Chennai Super Kings was next up with its key supporter, drummer Sivamani, making merry even as the rest of the squad waved out in joy. The Chennai team looked small in numbers, with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni not seen on the float.

Of the others, Kings XI Punjab was the most populated as co-owners Ness Wadia and Preity Zinta joined in with the players as the team song played out loud. Skipper Yuvraj Singh was subdued while the injured pace duo of S Sreesanth and Brett Lee looked cheerful enough.

Delhi Daredevils' new recruits Paul Collingwood and Owais Shah coupled with old hands like Glenn McGrath stole the show but skipper Virender Sehwag was not spotted as the younger lot in the team took centrestage for a bit.

The major interest then centred around Shah Rukh Khan's Kolkata Knight Riders. King Khan did not disappoint as he was the star attraction, teaching Chris Gayle a few dance moves. Sourav Ganguly was not that conspicuous at first but later looked on from the sidelines. The star though was undoubtedly Shah Rukh Khan.

The Mumbai Indians seemed to be without their skipper Sachin Tendulkar but others like Zaheer Khan drew loud cheers from the female fans. The strong Indian origin community working around the area had clear favourites and some Indian cricketers along with the filmstars were top of that list.

Finally, after a 15-minute halt the cavalcade entered the final stretch of the parade. Royal Challengers Bangalore’s main attraction was new skipper Kevin Pietersen, he waved with interest. Legendary Anil Kumble waved out at times, but was busy clicking photographs for posterity. Robin Uthappa and Virat Kohli soaked in the atmosphere.

Deccan Chargers were more low key than Chennai Super Kings as they seemed to lack the star power at least in the parade. Pragyan Ojha tried his bit at pushing the quotient up but did not catch the attention. Finally as the team floats lined up one by one to get into the buses, Shah Rukh Khan it was who charmed the crowds.

The team floats went under a bridge and it was here that the King Khan showed his charm and danced to the team song. The crowds went rapturous and it was clear who the Cape Town fans were rooting for. That was the total of the nearly 90-minute parade which certainly showed that the DLF-IPL2 will have a great following just like the helicopter patrol which tracked the teams from above.

FIXTURES OF DELHI DAREDEVILS

2009-04-16T22:07:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS,CLICK THE LINK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/fixtures-of-delhi-daredevils.html

FIXTURES OF BANGLORE ROYAL CHALLENGERS

2009-04-16T22:05:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS,CLICK THE LINK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/fixtures-of-banglore-royal-challengers.html

Fixtures of Kolkata Knight Riders

2009-04-16T22:03:00.001-07:00

for details,click the link below:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/fixtures-of-kolkata-knight-riders.html

IPL cricket teams parade in the streets of Cape Town

2009-04-16T22:00:00.001-07:00

Bollywood and cricket Superstars combined in a colourful, star-studded parade through Cape Town on Thursday as the 2009 Indian Premier League made its high-profile brash entrance.
Nine floats, one for each of the eight teams plus one for the IPL, made their way along one of the main streets, accompanied by energetic Indian dancers and brass bands drawn from the local community.
More than 150 cricketers were in attendance, as were Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty, part-owners of the Kolkata Knight Riders, Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals respectively.

Hundreds of people lined the streets to watch the parade, which launched festivities that will run until the grand final in Johannesburg on May 24.
One of the tournament's initiatives aimed at maintaining the flame-buoyant atmosphere is the introduction of a Miss Bollywood South Africa competition with contestants drawn from fans attending matches.
The idea came from IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, who has employed the help of the three Bollywood idols associated with the tournament.
"We're looking for someone who has the star quality to stand out in a crowd, probably without even trying that hard," Modi explained at the launch of the concept in Cape Town.
"It's that special, almost indefinable, quality that makes someone a star more than a beauty queen that we are looking for.
"One Miss Bollywood of the Day will be found at each of the 56 round-robin matches and stands a chance of winning a trip to India, a role in a Bollywood film and 5,590 dollars.
"Star searches like this are a really great way to find people who may never even have thought that they have what it takes to really make it big," said Khan, the so-called 'King of Bollywood'.
"The heart of our idea is to search the crowd at IPL matches for someone who has the attitude and appearance that automatically draws the eye.
"It will be the kind of person who is not necessarily showing off for the camera, but who can mesmerise even total strangers.
"The announcement of the winner will be shown during a 'strategy break' and will be declared Miss Bollywood o

"White Mischief Girls" will Cheer for Bangalore Royal Challengers

2009-04-14T09:43:00.000-07:00

England star Kevin Pietersen will have a bunch of "naughty' and "hottie" cheerleaders rooting from the sidelines when he makes his Indian Premier League debut on Saturday.

Pietersen, bought by the Bangalore Royal Challengers for a record 1.55 million dollars, will clash with good friend Shane Warne's Rajasthan Royals on the opening night in Cape Town, South Africa.

The Royal Challengers, owned by flamboyant liquor and airline tycoon Vijay Mallya, had hired the Washington Redskins cheerleaders for the inaugural IPL season last year in India.

The scantily-clad girls obviously failed to inspire as the Royal Challengers finished seventh out of eight teams in the glitzy Twenty20 tournament.

So Mallya dropped the Redskins and hired 24 members of the US-based Varsity cheerleader group for the second season, renaming them the "White Mischief Gals".

"A little bit naughty, a little more hottie and a lot more mischievous," a Mallya company release said of the group, named after his 'White Mischief' brand of vodka.

The cheerleaders, have been specially trained in flirty acrobatic skills for a scintillating on-field performance.

FIXTURES OF RAJASTHAN ROYALS IN IPL

2009-04-14T06:24:00.000-07:00

FOR DETAIL,JUST CLICK THE LINK BELOW:
http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/fixtures-of-rajasthan-royals-in-ipl.html

FIXTURES OF DECCAN CHARGERS IN IPL

2009-04-14T06:22:00.000-07:00

FOR DETAIL,CLICK THE LINK BELOW:
http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/fixtures-of-deccan-chargers-in-ipl.html

FIXTURES OF KINGS XI PUNJAB

2009-04-14T06:19:00.000-07:00

FOR DETAILS,CLICK THE LINK BELOW:
http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/fixtures-of-kings-xi-punjab-in-ipl.html

FIXTURES OF CHENNAI SUPERKINGS IN IPL

2009-04-14T00:50:00.000-07:00

FOR DETAILS,JUST CLICK THE LINK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/fixtures-of-chennai-super-kings-in-ipl.html

FIXTURES OF MUMBAI INDIANS IN IPL

2009-04-14T00:47:00.000-07:00

FOR DETAILS,JUST CLICK THE LINK BELOW:
http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/fixtures-of-mumbai-indians-in-ipl.html

Buchanan clarifies multiple captains policy

2009-04-14T00:45:00.000-07:00

FOR DETAILS CLICK THE LINK BELOW:
http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/buchanan-clarifies-multiple-captains.html

RAJASTHAN ROYALS LOSE THE WARM-UP MATCH

2009-04-12T03:35:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS,JUST CLICK THE LINK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/04/rajasthan-royals-lose-warm-up-match.html

GANGULY RETAINS AS THE CAPTAIN OF KOLKATTA KNIGHT RIDERS

2009-04-03T08:53:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS,JUST CLICK THE LINK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/03/ganguly-retains-as-captain-of-kolkatta.html

IPL-INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE 2009-NEW SCHEDULE

2009-03-30T22:52:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS,JUST CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/03/indian-premier-league-2009-schedule_30.html

NO GANGULY,NO KNIGHT RIDERS

2009-03-27T05:26:00.001-07:00

Fans from across the country have expressed their solidarity with Sourav Ganguly after the Kolkata Knight Riders Wednesday announced that they will have multiple captains for this edition of the Indian Premier League.

The CricketNext mailbox was flooded with reactions with most calling it a "ridiculous" move and demanding for reinstating Ganguly as the "permanent captain" of the team.

CAPTAINCY CHANGES IN THE IPL

2009-03-26T00:04:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS,JUST CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/03/captaincy-changes-in-ipl.html

IPL signs Rs. 8200-cr deal with MSM

2009-03-25T23:49:00.001-07:00

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) promoted Indian Premier League on Wednesday signed a whopping Rs. 8,200-crore Official Broadcast Partner agreement for nine years (up to 2017) with Multi Screen Media (MSM, formerly Sony) and World Sport Group (WSG).

MSM will now bring the 59 matches live from South Africa on SET Max with the DLF-IPL Season II set to start in South Africa on April 18, a day after the fifth and final One-Day International between South Africa and Australia.

Last year IPL had signed a contract with WSG-Sony for $1.026 billion for 10 years which included a sum of $108 million for marketing and promotion.

After announcing that the DLF-IPL would hold the second edition in South Africa, the IPL has achieved a major breakthrough, managing to renew the contract with MSM for a sum that can be regarded as a windfall because last year the agreement for a 10-year period was for a sum close to Rs. 4,700 crore.

Under the agreement between the IPL and franchises, the latter would share 80 per cent of the revenue from the media rights in the first five years and 60 per cent from sixth to 10th year.

The increased revenue from the media rights should mitigate the assumed fall in revenue for the IPL in the second year because the event was being moved overseas.

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE WILL NOW BECOME SOUTH AFRICAN SAFARI

2009-03-24T13:26:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS ,JUST CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/

ICC surprised at IPL shift

2009-03-23T21:37:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS,JUST CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/03/icc-surprised-at-ipl-shift.html

IPL OR NRIPL? MASTER BLASTER IS ALSO NOT HAPPY WITH IPL SHIFT

2009-03-23T21:31:00.001-07:00

FOR DETAILS JUST CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:

http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/03/ipl-or-nriplmaster-blaster-is-also-not.html

DRESS CODES OF THE TEAMS

2009-03-23T09:48:00.001-07:00

1.Bangalore Royal Challengers

2.Chennai SuperKings :

3.Delhi Daredevils:

4.Deccan Chargers: (NEW)

5. Mumbai Indians:

6.Kolkata Knight Riders:

7.Kings XI Punjab:

8.Rajasthan Royals:(NEW)

PLAYERS WERE SWAPPED BY THE FRANCHISES

2009-03-23T09:25:00.001-07:00

In the 2008-2009 transfer window, Mumbai Indians conducted two straight swap deals, with no money exchanged. Ashish Nehra was swapped with Shikhar Dhawan of Delhi Daredevils and on the last day of the transfer window, Robin Uthappa was swapped with Zaheer Khan of Royal Challengers Bangalore, who plays for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy.

AUCTION,TRANSFER AND RELEASE OF PLAYERS BY FRANCHISES

2009-03-23T09:24:00.003-07:00

Jaydev Shah and Shikhar Dhawan were also added to the roster and Dwayne Smith, Dominic Thornely and Ashwell Prince were released from their contracts. Shaun Pollock decided not to return for the second season of IPL, however he kept an association with the franchise (most likely taking on a coaching or consultant role). At the player auction on February 6, 2009, the Mumbai Indians purchased J P Duminy for $950,000, Kyle Mills for $150,000 and Mohammad Ashraful for $75,000.Batsman Gaurav Dhiman of the Mumbai Indians will turn out for the Bangalore Royal Challengers and lanky Rajasthan Ranji Trophy team pacer Pankaj Singh, of the Rajasthan Royals, will don the colours of the Bangalore Royal Challengers in the coming IPL season.

IPL AUCTION 2009-RESULTS

2009-03-23T09:24:00.001-07:00

DLF Indian Premier League - Player Auction Set A
Sr. NO Player Name Nationality Speciality Reserve Price US$ Winning Bid US$ Winning Franchise
1 Shaun Tait Australia/SA Bowler 250,000 375,000 Rajasthan Royals
2 Kevin Pieterson England Batsman 1,350,000 1,550,000 Royal Challengers
3 Andrew Flintoff England All rounder 950,000 1,550,000 Super Kings
4 J P Duminy South Africa Batsman 300,000 950,000 Mumbai Indians

DLF Indian Premier League - Player Auction Set B
Sr. NO Player Name Nationality Speciality Reserve Price US$ Winning Bid US$ Winning Franchise
1 Paul Collingwood England All rounder 250,000 275,000 Delhi Daredevils
2 Owais Shah England Batsman 150,000 275,000 Delhi Daredevils
3 Fidel Edwards West Indies Bowler 150,000 150,000 Deccan Chargers
4 C Kapugedera Sri Lanka Batsman 150,000 UNSOLD -
5 Stuart Clark Australia / NSW Bowler 250,000 UNSOLD -
6 Brad Haddin Australia / NSW Wicketkeeper 250,000 UNSOLD -

DLF Indian Premier League - Player Auction Set C
Sr. NO Player Name Nationality Speciality Reserve Price US$ Winning Bid US$ Winning Franchise
1 Thilan Thushara Sri Lanka All rounder 125,000 140,000 Super Kings
2 Phil Jaques Australia / NSW Batsman 100,000 UNSOLD -
3 Jesse Ryder New Zealand Batsman 100,000 160,000 Royal Challengers
4 Ravi Bopara England All Rounder 150,000 450,000 Kings XI Punjab
5 Luke Wright England All rounder 150,000 UNSOLD -
6 Kyle Mills New Zealand Bowler 150,000 150,000 Mumbai Indians
7 Tyron Henderson South Africa All rounder 100,000 650,000 Rajasthan Royals
8 Nuwan Kulasekera Sri Lanka Batsman 150,000 UNSOLD -
9 Ashwell Prince South Africa Batsman 150,000 UNSOLD -
10 Andre Nel South Africa Bowler 120,000 UNSOLD -

DLF Indian Premier League - Player Auction Set D
Sr. NO Player Name Nationality Speciality Reserve Price US$ Winning Bid US$ Winning Franchise
1 Samit Patel England All Rounder 100,000 UNSOLD -
2 Morne Van Wyk South Africa Wicketkeeper 100,000 UNSOLD -
3 Gulam Bodi South Africa Batsman 100,000 UNSOLD -
4 Dwayne Smith West Indies All rounder 100,000 100,000 Deccan Chargers
5 Jerome Taylor West Indies Bowler 150,000 150,000 Kings XI Punjab
6 Steven Smith NSW All rounder 75,000 UNSOLD -
7 M. Ashraful Bangladesh Batsman 75,000 75,000 Mumbai Indians
8 Shakib Al Hasan Bangladesh All rounder 75,000 UNSOLD -
9 Ashley Noffke Australia Bowler 100,000 UNSOLD -
10 Daren Powell West Indies Bowler 150,000 UNSOLD -

DLF Indian Premier League - Player Auction Set E
Sr. NO Player Name Nationality Speciality Reserve Price US$ Winning Bid US$ Winning Franchise
1 Bryce McGain Victoria Bowler 50,000 UNSOLD -
2 James Franklin New Zealand Bowler 50,000 UNSOLD -
3 K. Weeraratne Sri Lanka All Rounder 50,000 UNSOLD -
4 R. N. Sarwan West Indies Batsman 100,000 UNSOLD -
5 Jonathan Moss Victoria All Rounder 50,000 UNSOLD -
6 Dominic Thornely NSW All Rounder 50,000 UNSOLD -
7 Tamim Iqbal Bangladesh Batsman 50,000 UNSOLD -
8 Michael Klinger South Australia Batsman 75,000 UNSOLD -
9 P. Jayawardene Sri Lanka Wicketkeeper 50,000 UNSOLD -
10 Aiden Blizzard Victoria Batsman 75,000 UNSOLD -

DLF Indian Premier League - Player Auction Set F
Sr. NO Player Name Nationality Speciality Reserve Price US$ Winning Bid US$ Winning Franchise
1 Kemar Roach West Indies Bowler 50,000 UNSOLD -
2 Michael Dighton Tasmania Batsman 50,000 UNSOLD -
3 Aaron Bird NSW Bowler 45,000 UNSOLD -
4 Brett Geeves Tasmania Bowler 45,000 UNSOLD -
5 M. B. Mortaza Bangladesh Bowler 50,000 600,000 Knight Riders
6 Daniel Harris South Australia Batsman 50,000 UNSOLD -
7 George Bailey Tasmania Batsman 50,000 50,000 Super Kings
8 Michael Hill Victoria Batsman 50,000 UNSOLD -
9 Yusuf Abdulla South Africa Bowler 25,000 UNSOLD

The official rules for IPL

2009-03-23T09:23:00.001-07:00

There are five ways that a franchise can acquire a player. In the annual auction, buying domestic players, signing uncapped players through trading and buying replacements.In the trading window the player can only be traded with his consent. The franchise will have to pay the difference between the old contract price and the new contract price. If the new contract is worth more than the older one then the difference will be shared between the player and the franchise selling the player.

Some of the Team composition rules are:

Minimum squad strength of 16 players plus one physio and a coach.
No more than 8 foreign players in the squad and at most 4 in the playing XI.For the 2009 edition franchises are allowed 10 foreign players in the squad. The number allowed in the playing XI remains unchanged at 4.
A minimum of 8 local players must be included in each team.
A minimum of 2 players from the BCCI under-22 pool in each team.

The players accorded "icon" status are: Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag . The total spending cap for a franchisee in the first player auction was US $5m. Under-22 players are to be remunerated with a minimum annual salary of US $20,000 while for others it is US $50,000. Icon players are to be paid 15% more than the highest paid player in their respective teams.

IPL 2009-SCHEDULE

2009-03-22T23:54:00.000-07:00

FOR DETAILS,JUST CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:
http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/03/indian-premier-league-2009-schedule.html

IPL TO BE PLAYED OUTSIDE INDIA

2009-03-22T23:47:00.000-07:00

FOR DETAILS,JUST CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:
http://cricketworldchampions.blogspot.com/2009/03/ipl-to-be-played-outside-india.html

2008 IPL Season:Performance of Chennai SuperKings

2009-03-22T22:07:00.000-07:00

A Chennai vs Kolkata match in progress at the M.A. Chidambaram Cricket Stadium
The Super Kings had a solid start to their 2008 IPL Season, winning their first 4 matches. However, their top order and bowling attack took a hit after Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey and Jacob Oram left the team for international duty. The team's performance reflected this, as they proceeded to lose their next 3 matches. The batting, although inconsistent, eventually adjusted to the losses of Hayden and Hussey with contributions from Dhoni, Suresh Raina and Albie Morkel. The gap in the team’s bowling left by Oram’s departure was eventually filled by the arrival of Makhaya Ntini and Morkel (both of whom were playing the Pro20 domestic tournament in South Africa during the start of the tournament) and the emergence of Manpreet Gony. A win in the final league match against the Deccan Chargers ensured their progress into the semi-finals.
The team defeated the Kings XI Punjab in the semifinal by 9 wickets. They lost the final to Rajasthan Royals by three wickets off the last ball.

Cheer Leaders of Bangalore Royal Challengers

2009-03-22T21:57:00.000-07:00

2008 IPL Season:Performance of Bangalore Royal Challengers

2009-03-22T21:54:00.000-07:00

The team won only 4 matches in this season, losing 10 matches and managed to secure only the last but one position in the points table. Only one of their batsman, Rahul Dravid managed to score more than 300 runs in the tournament and they had to even bench their costliest foreign player, Jacques Kallis for few of the matches due to his poor form. The string of failures mid-way through the season led to the sacking of the CEO, Charu Sharma who was replaced with Brijesh Patel.Even coach Venkatesh Prasad was about to be sacked, but he saved his job by publicly apologising for the team's failure.

Vijay Mallya went on to publicly criticise Dravid and Sharma for the failures by saying that they had not selected the right team. He regretted that he had made a mistake by not getting involved in the selection of the team.They were the only team in the IPL to try out 11 opening combinations in 14 games. Eventually the chief cricketing officer, Martin Crowe resigned. From 2009 IPL session onwards the team will be coached by former South Africa Coach Ray Jennings and Venkatesh Prasad will assist him as team's Bowling Coach.

Bangalore Royal Challengers Team:Players

2009-03-22T21:50:00.000-07:00

International players:
Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher, Dale Steyn, Roelof van der Merwe and Dillon du Preez (South Africa), Cameroon White and Nathan Bracken (Australia), Kevin Pietersen (England), Ross Taylor and Jesse Ryder (New Zealand)

Indian players:
Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Robin Uthappa, Praveen Kumar, Virat Kohli, Wasim Jaffer, Manish Pandey, Sreevats Goswami, Suteesh R, Pankaj Singh, Vinay Kumar, Bhuvanesh Kumar, Karan Sharma, Saurav Bandekar, Tinu Yohanan, Bharat Chipli, B Akhil, Devraj Patil, J Arun Kumar, KP Appana, Sunil Joshi, Gauvar Dhiman, Jitendra Patil, Udit Patel, Mithun A. Aravind, S. Kedar Jadhav, Gautam CM, Raju Bhatkal, Rajesh Bishnoi, Ishank Jaggi and Rohit Sabharwal

Most Expensive Player of Bangalore Royal Challengers

2009-03-22T21:48:00.000-07:00

Kevin Pietersen made his way into RCB as one of the costliest players in IPL history. Kevin Pietersen was valued at $1.55m over a base price of $1.35m.

Captain of Bangalore Royal Challengers:Kevin Peterson

2009-03-22T21:44:00.000-07:00

Full name Kevin Peter Pietersen
Born 27 June 1980 (1980-06-27) (age 28)
Pietermaritzburg, Natal, South Africa
Nickname KP, Kapes, KP nuts, Kapers
Height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Batting style Right-hand
Bowling style Right-arm off break
Role Middle order batsman, occasional off spinner
International information
National side England
Test debut (cap 626) 21 July 2005 v Australia
Last Test 6 March 2009 v West Indies
ODI debut (cap 185) 28 November 2004 v Zimbabwe
Last ODI 20 March 2009 v West Indies

Team of IPL:Bangalore Royal Challengers

Franchises of Bangalore Royal Challengers

2009-03-22T21:38:00.000-07:00

Bangalore team was won by Vijay Mallya, who paid US$111.6 million for it. This was the second highest bid for a team in the IPL.
Administration
Owner - Vijay Mallya UB Group
CEO - Brijesh Patel
Ambassadors -Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif, Ramya, Upendra

Bangalore Royal Challengers:Introduction

2009-03-22T21:35:00.000-07:00

Royal Challengers Bangalore (also referred to as RCB) is the team representing the city of Bangalore in the Indian Premier League. The team is owned by the liquor magnate Vijay Mallya, through his flagship firm UB Group. Ray Jennings, the former South African coach, is the coach of the team and Venkatesh Prasad is the bowling coach. Red and golden yellow are the team colours.

Cheer Leaders of Kings XI Punjab

2009-03-22T21:25:00.000-07:00

Most Expensive Player of Kings XI Punjab

2009-03-22T21:23:00.000-07:00

Most expensive player: Yuvraj Singh - $1,063,750

Captain of Kings XI Punjab:Yuvraj Singh

2009-03-22T21:12:00.000-07:00

Full name: Yuvraj Singh
Born : December 12, 1981, Chandigarh, India
Current age: 27 years
Test Debut: October 16, 2003 v New Zealand at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali - Chandigarh
ODI Debut: October 3, 2000 v Kenya at Nairobi Gymkhana Club Ground, Nairobi
Team: Kings XI Punjab
Country: India
Batting style: Left Handed
Bowling style: Left Arm Medium, Slow Left Arm Orthodox

Player Statistics
Batting

Avg 23

SR 162.5

Bowling

Wickets 3

Econ 9.22

Kings XI Punjab Team:Players

2009-03-22T15:14:00.001-07:00

International players:

Brett Lee, James Hopes, Shaun Marsh, Luke Pomersbach, Simon Katich and Burt Cockely (Australia), Jerome Taylor (West Indies), Ravi Bopara (England) and Mahela Jayawardene and Kumara Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)

Indian players:

Yuvraj Singh, Irfan Pathan, S Sreesanth, Romesh Powar, VRV Singh, Karen Goel, Uday Kaul, Ryan Ninan, Wilkin Mota, Ajitesh Agral, Tanmay Srivastava, Sunny Sohal and Yash Gandhi.

2008 IPL Season:Performance of Kings XI Punjab

2009-03-22T15:12:00.001-07:00

The 2008 season started on a disatrous note for the Kings XI team as it lost its opening matches two matches, but then it recovered lost ground and went on to play the semi finals against Chennai Super Kings.

The tournament got off to a slow start for the Kings XI, with the team losing their first two games. However, despite losing Australians Brett Lee and Simon Katich (who were committed to tour the West Indies with Australia), the team found its groove. Powered by their balanced bowling lineup and effective top order, the team won 9 of its next 10 matches, clinching a birth in the semi-final. In the semi-final, their run in the tournament came to an end with a comprehensive 9 wicket loss to the Chennai Super Kings.

Many credit the team for unearthing arguably the biggest find of the tournament in Shaun Marsh.The opener from Western Australia was looked over in both IPL player auctions and was signed by the franchise on 9 April. He finished the tournament the highest run scorer with an average of 68.44 and a strike rate of 139.68 in 11 innings. His innings included 1 century and 5 half-centuries

Franchises of Kings XI Punjab:

2009-03-22T15:08:00.001-07:00

The owners of the franchise include Preity Zinta, Ness Wadia (Bombay Dyeing), Karan Paul (Apeejay Surendera Group) and Mohit Burman (Dabur). The group paid a total of $76 million to acquire the franchise.

Owners - Preity Zinta, Ness Wadia, Karan Paul & Mohit Burman

CEO - Neil Maxwell ^[10]

President -

Ambassador - Daler Mehndi

Kings XI Punjab:Introduction

2009-03-22T15:00:00.001-07:00

Kings XI Punjab is a cricket franchise based in Mohali in the eight team Indian Premier League. The team is led by Yuvraj Singh who is also the Icon Player. The team is coached by Tom Moody, the former Australian all rounder.Lion-hearted, spirited, passionate, hospitable, entertaining and brave - these are the words that the Kings XI Punjab team use to describe themselves. The team has made its mission clear "To be the most successful and entertaining franchise in the league".

2008 IPL Season:Performance of Delhi Daredevils:

2009-03-22T14:55:00.001-07:00

The Daredevils were well poised from the onset of the first IPL season, having most of their core players—with the exception of Daniel Vettori—available for the whole tournament. The team built their batting lineup around Delhi openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir and used the majority of their foreign player quota on their bowling attack lead by Glenn McGrath and Mohammed Asif.

The team started the tournament well, winning 4 of their first 5 games. However, they were unable to sustain this and finished the round-robin portion of the tournament with a record of 7-6. Their performance was good enough to make the semi-finals, where they lost by 105 runs against the Rajasthan Royals. Royals, who had lost to the Daredevils in their first encounter, went on to win the title

Most expensive player of Delhi Daredevils:

2009-03-22T14:52:00.001-07:00

Most expensive player: Virender Sehwag - $833,750

Captain of Delhi Daredevils:Virender Sehwag

2009-03-22T14:46:00.001-07:00

Full name: Virender Sehwag
Born : October 20, 1978, Delhi, India
Current age: 30 years
Test Debut: November 3, 2001 v South Africa at Goodyear Park (Springbok), Bloemfontein
ODI Debut: April 1, 1999 v Pakistan at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali - Chandigarh

Team: Delhi Daredevils
Country: India
Batting style: Right Handed
Bowling style: Right arm off break

Player Statistics

Batting Avg 33.83
SR 184.55
Bowling Wickets 3
Econ 12.09

Delhi Daredevils Team:Players

2009-03-22T14:43:00.001-07:00

International players:

Owais Shah and Paul Collingwood (England), David Warner, Andrew McDonald, Dirk Nannes and Glen McGrath (Australia), AB de Villiers (South Africa), Farvez Mahroof and Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka) and Daniel Vettori (New Zealand)

Indian players:

Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Dinesh Karthik, Manoj Tiwary, Rajat Bhatia, Mithun Manhas, Avishkar Salvi, Ashish Nehra, Yo Mahesh, Pradeep Sangwan, Amit Mishra, Umesh Yadav, Yogesh Nagar and Tejashwi Yadav

Franchises of Delhi Daredevils:

2009-03-22T14:33:00.001-07:00

During the franchise auction for the Indian Premier League teams, the GMR group acquired the rights for the Delhi franchise for $84 million.

Owners - GMR group

Vice President - Amrit Mathur

Vice President - T. A. Sekhar

Selector - Adhishwar

Delhi Daredevils-Introduction

2009-03-22T14:26:00.001-07:00

Delhi Daredevils is the Delhi franchise for the Indian Premier League. The franchise is owned by the GMR Group. The team is captained by Virender Sehwag, who is also the designated Icon Player for the franchise.

Its home ground is the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium at Delhi. Greg Shipperd will don the mantle of the coach while Bollywood star Akshay Kumar is the brand ambassador of the Daredevils.

Cheerleaders of Delhi Daredevils:

2009-03-22T14:09:00.001-07:00

Cheerleaders of Deccan Chargers:

2009-03-22T14:02:00.001-07:00

Captain of Deccan Chargers:Adam Gilchrist

2009-03-22T13:53:00.001-07:00

Full name: Adam Gilchrist
Born : November 14, 1971, Bellingen, Australia
Current age: 37 years
Test Debut: November 5, 1999 v Pakistan at Brisbane Cricket Ground (Woolloongabba), Brisbane - Queensland
ODI Debut: October 25, 1996 v South Africa at Nahar Singh Stadium (Mayur Stadium), Faridabad
Team: Deccan Chargers
Country: Australia
Batting style: Left Handed
Bowling style: Right Arm Off Break Bowler

Player Statistics

Batting Avg 33.54
SR 136.68
Bowling Wickets
Econ

Most expensive player of Deccan Chargers:

2009-03-22T13:49:00.001-07:00

Most expensive player: Andrew Symonds - $1,350,000

New Team Jersey and New Logo of Deccan Chargers:

2009-03-22T13:45:00.001-07:00

It is announced that from 2009 season onwards the team will change its jersey(from beige-black to sparkling silver-blue).Team jersey is being sponsored by Sports brand Puma.

Deccan Chargers Team:Players

2009-03-22T13:40:00.001-07:00

International players:

Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds and Ryan Harris (Australia), Dwayne Smith and Fidel Edwards (West Indies), Chamara Silva, Chaminda Vaas and Nuwan Zoysa (Sri Lanka), Herschelle Gibbs (South Africa) and Scott Styris (New Zealand)

Indian players:

VVS Laxman, Rohit Sharma, RP Singh, Pragyan Ojha, Venugopal Rao, Dwaraka Ravi Teja, Tirumalatti Suman, Arjun Yadav, Doddapaneni Kalyankrishnan, Abhinav Kumar, Manvinder Bisla, Jaskaran Deep Singh, Harmeet Singh, Sarvesh Kumar, Halhadar Das, Syed Mohammed and Shoaib Ahmed

Franchises of Deccan Chargers:

2009-03-22T13:38:00.001-07:00

The Deccan Chargers franchise is owned by Deccan Chronicle. The media group acquired the franchise from IPL for $107 million.

2008 IPL Season:Performance of Deccan Chargers:

2009-03-22T13:30:00.001-07:00

Despite the fact that the team was one of the favourites to win the inauguaral edition of the IPL, the team failed to reach the semi-finals. In addition, Andrew Symonds (Deccan's most expensive player) batted only 3 innings before leaving to play for the Australian national team, and team captain Laxman had his season ended by an injury after 6 games. Only 3 Deccan bowlers, R. P. Singh, Pragyan Ojha and Shahid Afridi, took more than 4 wickets in the competition. In this 14 match period, the team went winless at home and only managed 2 wins overall, one against the Mumbai Indians and one against the Chennai Super Kings. They finished at the bottom of the table.

Deccan Chargers:Introduction

2009-03-22T13:26:00.001-07:00

Deccan Chargers is the franchise that represents the city of Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League. The Deccan Chargers of Hyderabad is owned by media house Deccan Chronicle.The Deccan Chargers mascot represents a charging bull signifying strength, power and aggression while the red and gold bands on the flag stand for dominance and victory.From 2009, the team will be led by Adam Gilchrist and coached by Darren Lehmann, both former Australian Test cricketers. There is no Icon Player for the team.

Cheer Leaders of Rajasthan Royals:

2009-03-22T13:19:00.001-07:00

Cheerleaders Mumbai Indians:

2009-03-22T13:14:00.001-07:00

Cheerleaders of Kolkata Knight Riders:

2009-03-22T13:10:00.001-07:00

Cheer Leaders of Chennai SuperKings

2009-03-22T13:03:00.001-07:00

Most expensive player of Chennai SuperKings

2009-03-22T12:57:00.001-07:00

Most expensive player: Mahendra Singh Dhoni - $1.5 million