IPL 2009 Schedule

Date	Match	Venue	Time (IST)
April 10	Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Daredevils	Jaipur	8pm
April 11	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Deccan Chargers	Kolkata	4pm
April 11	Chennai Super Kings vs Bangalore Royal Challengers	Chennai	8pm
April 12	Delhi Daredevils vs Kings XI Punjab	Delhi	4pm
April 12	Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals	Mumbai	8pm
April 13	Deccan Chargers vs Chennai Super Kings	Hyderabad	8pm
April 14	Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Kolkata Knight Riders	Bangalore	8pm
April 15	Kings XI Punjab vs Mumbai Indians	Mohali	8pm
April 16	Deccan Chargers vs Delhi Daredevils	Hyderabad	4pm
April 16	Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals	Chennai	8pm
April 17	Mumbai Indians vs Bangalore Royal Challengers	Mumbai	8pm
April 18	Kings XI Punjab vs Deccan Chargers	Mohali	4pm
April 18	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Daredevils	Kolkata	8pm
April 19	Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Rajasthan Royals	Bangalore	4pm
April 19	Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings	Mumbai	8pm
April 20	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Kings XI Punjab	Kolkata	8pm
April 21	Delhi Daredevils vs Mumbai Indians	Delhi	8pm
April 22	Rajasthan Royals vs Deccan Chargers	Jaipur	8pm
April 23	Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Kings XI Punjab	Bangalore	8pm
April 24	Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders	Mumbai	8pm
April 25	Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab	Chennai	4pm
April 25	Delhi Daredevils vs Bangalore Royal Challengers	Delhi	8pm
April 26	Deccan Chargers vs Mumbai Indians	Vizag	4pm
April 26	Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders	Jaipur	8pm
April 27	Kings XI Punjab vs Bangalore Royal Challengers	Mohali	8pm
April 28	Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Daredevils	Mumbai	8pm
April 29	Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders	Chennai	4pm
April 29	Kings XI Punjab vs Rajasthan Royals	Mohali	8pm
April 30	Deccan Chargers vs Bangalore Royal Challengers	Vizag	8pm
May 1	Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Daredevils	Chennai	8pm
May 2	Mumbai Indians vs Deccan Chargers	Mumbai	4pm
May 2	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals	Kolkata	8pm
May 3	Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Delhi Daredevils	Bangalore	4pm
May 3	Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings	Mohali	8pm
May 4	Deccan Chargers vs Rajasthan Royals	Hyderabad	8pm
May 5	Delhi Daredevils vs Chennai Super Kings	Delhi	8pm
May 6	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians	Kolkata	4pm
May 6	Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab	Jaipur	8pm
May 7	Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Deccan Chargers	Bangalore	8pm
May 8	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings	Kolkata	8pm
May 9	Kings XI Punjab vs Delhi Daredevils	Mohali	4pm
May 9	Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians	Jaipur	8pm
May 10	Deccan Chargers vs Kolkata Knight Riders	Hyderabad	8pm
May 11	Delhi Daredevils vs Rajasthan Royals	Delhi	8pm
May 12	Mumbai Indians vs Kings XI Punjab	Mumbai	4pm
May 12	Chennai Super Kings vs Deccan Chargers	Chennai	8pm
May 13	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Bangalore Royal Challengers	Kolkata	8pm
May 14	Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings	Jaipur	4pm
May 14	Delhi Daredevils vs Deccan Chargers	Delhi	8pm
May 15	Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Mumbai Indians	Bangalore	8pm
May 16	Delhi Daredevils vs Kolkata Knight Riders	Delhi	4pm
May 16	Deccan Chargers vs Kings XI Punjab	Hyderabad	8pm
May 17	Rajasthan Royals vs Bangalore Royal Challengers	Jaipur	4pm
May 17	Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians	Chennai	8pm
May 18	Kings XI Punjab vs Kolkata Knight Riders	Mohali	8pm
May 19	Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Chennai Super Kings	Bangalore	8pm
May 21	Semi-Final 1	Chennai	8pm
May 22	Semi-Final 2	Chennai	8pm
May 24	FINAL	Mumbai	8pm
This is a tentative schedule, and subject to change

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Quiz on Kapil Dev

Since I am reading his autobiography and getting insight into his life so here are few questions about him for cricket fans.

Q1. What is Kapil Dev's Nick Name?

Q2. Kapil played for very famous club in India to promote a sport other then cricket. Name the club?

Q3. Kapil made his debut against which team and under whose captaincy?

Q4. Kapil used to practice with a cricketer in Chandigarh whose son is now playing for India. Name the cricketer and his son also?

Try these :-)

I will write about his autobiography 'Straight from the heart' in a day or two.

The Curious Case of Virendra Sehwag

I have been following cricket (religiously) now for around 18 years. I guess Hero Cup was my first tryst with this beautiful game (sorry football). Now there are hell lot of guys whose careers have gone through a lot during this period , but one person who continues to baffle me today as it used to do about 10 years ago is Virendra Sehwag.
First of all few facts, he is the only Indian to make 2 triple hundreds, boast of 50+ average in test cricket ( 50 is usually the thin line used to differentiate between good and greats batsmen) , scores run at strike rate of above 75% in Test Cricket (read Sir Geoffery Boycott , and SMG ) and above 100 in both ODI and T-20 Cricket and many more things.

“Virender Sehwag is a primal talent whose rough edges make him all the more appealing.”

This is what Cricinfo says about Sehwag. But doesn’t u think the time has come to sharpen up these rough edges a bit. No I m not saying this because today we lost a pretty close match and I m feeling damm frustrated about that ( ya I bunked FM class for that, albeit how much how much I would have understand in case I would have attended it is altogether a different matter). But still I just don’t understand what the problem with him is. Last match he smacked 4 sixes in 10 balls and then got bowled of a perfectly normal ball. Today 24 of 10 balls and then holing out to mid-off . Now by no mean any disrespect to NZ bowlers, but I feel that for a batsmen a wicket is a holy grail , it should be earned , not to be thrown away , be it any form of cricket Test , ODI , T-20 , Hong Kong super Sixes or whatever . But why the hell in the world he can’t realize that simple thing , especially so when you open the inning and the whole world knows that if Viru stays for 15 overs he guarantees himself a nice chance to get his average up and India a wonderful opportunity to win. Simply speaking there should be a method in madness, he should be made to realize that bhai you are not a normal person , you have an extraordinary talent , you are damm important to Indian Cricket, all the opposition captains in the world know that, why don’t u try to bring a bit of rationality into your batting , and yes trying never kills.
Ohh I am feeling a bit relieved now , (old Gandhian principal of taking out your frustration ) anyway I still feel that India will win the ODI and the Test Series pretty comfortably , they have got too much talent and skill to lose out on that .

Lt Col Kapil Dev

There are very few cricketers who have admirers across all the age group.  Kapil Dev and Sachin I know only. I was born after India had lifted their world cup at Lords in 1983,  sadly I was not born at the auspicious time when Kapil Dev lifted the cup, I am not that lucky as Zoya (Zoya Factor) . I have hazy memories of Kapil playing, he was more of a hard hitting batsman and loved the back side of the wicket in scoring runs.  He has brought laurels to the country and still some morons in BCCI who I think will not be even aware of all the rules of cricket have stopped his pension and tried to malign his image in the world.

Kapil is one cricketer who goes on his own path and sticks to it. He doesn't follow the easy path which other retired cricketers have followed. He choose ICL and he has got decent success in just two years taking into point the opposition ICL has received.  BCCI stopped pensions of Kapil Dev and other cricketers who joined the ICL which is very shameful as they have given much more then what they received back. These cricketers (organisers) who have joined ICL are not from the rich states of India like Mumbai , Delhi etc, most are from small cities who have struggled and faced hardships.  India is a big country if England have 2-3 football leagues with huge fan following why can't one billions plus india have 2 cricket leagues. 

Other cricketers should be thankful to ICL as its because of Kapil Dev and company they are getting higher salaries now , ranji and national level both. Pioneers always have to struggle but they make the path for coming generations easy. This is what Kapil Dev and Zee has done for other cricketers.

Kapil has taken another bold step in October last year when he joined territorial army. There couldn't be any better person to join the army, he has inspired and motivated others always through his work. Last week he was involved in the training camp of the army.
When you see 50 year old training, trying to do something for the country you really feel motivated. 

During training he said :

I am feeling a complete Indian now. It is emotional to wear this uniform. I like to serve my country and that`s the focus point.

In 1983 after lifting the cricket world cup Kapil inspired millions towards cricket and now at the age of 50 he is inspiring millions to join army which is already facing shortage. I feel he should do one more thankless job by joining the politics. Such credentials of a political leader would be envy of all. He is  a true leader and India needs leaders like Kapil.

Paaji tussi great ho :)

 I have ordered his autobiography: Straight from the Heart.  Will read it and write about it.

New ODI Team Jersey

Should have posted it earlier but its never late. I liked the new one