CHAMPIONS LEAGUE T-20

Between the so popular environment of T-20,another giant enters i.e. champions league T-20..champioship with 12 teams including the participation of 7 nations and lots of international palyers....all are champions...all have dynamic potential....all have future giants in the team...


And with the excitement of rolling around the 1st match played today between runner up of IPL 'RCB' and the domestic giant of South Africa 'cape cobras'...before the match a astounding presentation ceremony happen...which added more sugar on this giant league...


So in this 1st dramatic encounter the team come up with the winner is Cape Cobras...fantastic unbeaten 99 scored by JP Duminy...don't even have words for his innings...keep the cool..hit the ball well...take the responsibility positively and at last took the CC to the victory...outstanding performer...

Now wait and watch the next proceedings....enjoy to fullest....

WOMENS T-20

India bounced back into contention as they defeated arch-rival Pakistan by five wickets in a ICC World Women's Twenty20 in the Pool B match on Saturday,earlier they lost their match against england.So today's victory is quite satisfactory for India.

India skittled out Pakistan for a paltry 75 in 19.5 overs, thanks to some clinical display by Roy and pace-woman Rumeli Dhar (3/13), and then overhauled the target with 14 balls to spare.

Priyanka roy took 5 wics.

Chasing the target, India got off to a disastrous start as they lost three wickets in first five overs, but Chopra who cracked five fours, cashed on her experience to help the team romp home.

pakistan wallop new zealand

Pakistan today come with a fantastic performance which help them to register a victory against New zealand.

Umer Gul destoy the New zealand innings by taking 5 wics.He was on a hat-trick twice and also become the first bowler to take 5 wics in T-20 international.

Afridi was good in all the departments.He conceed just 17 runs in 4 overs and took 1 wicket and top of that he take a fabulous catch of styris by running some meters to his back..astounding...

Pakistan fielding had come a long way from being the laughing stocks of the tournament.

And at last S.Hasan played a good blazing inning which help the pakistan the chase the score in just

13.1 overs.

New Zealand

99 (Gul 5-6, Razzaq 2-17)

Pakistan

100 for 4 (Shahzaib 35, Afridi 29*, Vettori 2-20)

MAN OF THE MATCH:

UMER GUL

S.A enter into semi final

South Africa became the first team to enter into the semifinal beating West Indies by 20 runs.

W.Parnell shines in S.A victory,he take 4 wics and only conceding 13 runs.

Dwayne Bravo and Lendl Simmons, however went on to do the repair work and tried to consolidate the innings. But after a brief innings Bravo got out.

Simmons, though, held on to his wicket, but at the other end Shivnarine Chanderpaul failed to sustain. That made West Indies' job tougher.

Simmons then fell after playing a brilliant knock but till the time he was there he kept alive West Indies chances.

West Indies task became tougher when Ramnaresh Sarwan also followed his teammate back in the paviilion.

South Africa

183 for 7 (Gibbs 55, Kallis 45, Taylor 3-30)

West Indies

163 for 9 (Simmons 77, Parnell 4-13)

Man of the match:

W.Parnell

India in T-20 WC

The matches of second stage starts and,not only started even india lost their match against west indies.They fail in every departments,not able to capitalised the thing in the batting,fielding is worse and bowling except some good overs it is also not upto mark.

An under-tested India ran into a red-hot West Indies, who didn't even need a significant contribution from Chris Gayle during a tense chase. Dwayne Bravo was his usual top-dawg self today, taking four wickets to keep India down and then resurrecting the chase after a subdued Gayle had got out early, with an innings that was both aesthetic and cruel.

By the time Bravo came out to bat, India had made a smart start to their defence of a fighting 151. After Zaheer Khan went for two boundaries in the first over, MS Dhoni chose to give Gayle no pace. Three of the Powerplay overs were bowled by spinners, and two by Irfan Pathan who didn't come on to the bat either. Harbhajan Singh, especially, fast-tracked Gayle's downfall, bowling a maiden to him to finish the Powerplays. Gayle had reached 20 off 23, after which frustration got the better of him, and he top-edged Yusuf Pathan, who had done well to keep him quiet in his first two overs.

Quietly, though, No. 3 Lendl Simmons, who had earlier taken a blinder, had quietly played himself in. And just when it seemed West Indies were out of it, having got off to a slow start, Bravo changed the pace of the game. With Bravo came more intent in the running and odd boundaries that kept West Indies with the rate. His batting was a treat for the eye. He often went inside-out to the spinners, stepping out and clearing extra cover in one fluid motion.

Pragyan Ojha, who was kept back until Gayle got out, got the treatment in the ninth over, and Yusuf was late-cut just as effectively in the 10th. There was nothing frenetic about this partnership, no undue risks or big hitting, even as the required run-rate stayed around nine and 10. It was almost as if they knew something that others didn't. When Bravo drove Harbhajan over extra cover in the 12th over, followed by more good running, West Indies had reached 80, and the target looked within reach.

When Dhoni brought back his fast bowlers, it was Simmons' turn to pick up the pace, as boundaries in the next two overs kept West Indies abreast. With the second four, a vicious pull off Ishant Sharma, Simmons moved into the 40s, almost unnoticed. When Ojha got Simmons for 43 in the next over, West Indies still needed 54 off 33. But it was also the time Bravo found another gear. The next ball he lofted for a six down the ground, ensuring there was no break in the momentum. Harbhajan bowled a tight next over, after which West Indies were left needing 39 off 24.

Even that couldn't get anything rash out of Bravo, who kept hitting straight, or over extra cover. With Shivnarine Chanderpaul joining in and hitting unorthodox shots like only he can, it became a stroll towards the end. Quite fittingly, Bravo ended it with a six off Zaheer Khan, over extra cover, elbow high for the pose.

West Indies shouldn't have been chasing 154 in the first place. Like the one against Australia, even this win was originally set up by fast bowlers relishing the lively conditions. But unlike then, their bowling was backed up by solid fielding today, but for just one lapse. It was that dropped chance off Yuvraj Singh, when he was 32 off 27, that made the game close.

This time it was Jerome Taylor's opening partner, Edwards, who put West Indies ahead. The tone, though, was set by Taylor in the first over, troubling Gautam Gambhir with the bouncers. Edwards took the cue, and removed his Deccan Chargers team-mate, Rohit Sharma, with a bouncer. He troubled Suresh Raina too with the short-pitched stuff until the latter played back to a full delivery and edged it to Denesh Ramdin.

It was now time for the fielders to stand up, as Simmons took a superb running-back-and-diving catch to send Gambhir back. It was a short delivery again, the first Gambhir faced from Bravo - 29 for 3 in the fifth over.

Yuvraj and Dhoni had no choice but to consolidate. Gayle and Kieron Pollard slipped in five overs for just 20 runs. Under pressure to get going, Dhoni cut Bravo straight to sweeper-cover. Two balls later, Yuvraj picked the same fielder out, but was dropped by Andre Fletcher. India would have been 71 for 5, but for the drop. Whereupon, Yuvraj played a little gem to pull India out of all sorts of trouble, but it would stay the second-best effort of the night.

His hitting was clean, there was no need to be cute as he and Yusuf threatened to run away with the game. But Edwards finished off what he started, taking Yuvraj with a bouncer in the 18th over, after which India got only 23 off the last 14 balls.

India's 1st centurian in IPL

Manish Pandey became the first batsman to hit the century in IPL.

On 21st May,he smashed unbeaten 114 of 73 balls with 10 fours and 4 sixes.His ton help Royal challenger Bangalore to beat Deccan Chargers by 12 runs and they enter into semis.

MANISH PANDEY
Right handed batsman
Right hand off spinner
AGE: 19 year 253 days
RANJI TEAM: Karnataka

He is also the member of U-19 world cup winning team in 2008,which was held in Malaysia.

Mumbai out of IPL

Riding on yet another superb innings by Matthew Hayden (60), Chennai Super Kings assured themselves of a semifinal berth while ending Mumbai Indians' hopes with a seven-wicket triumph in their Indian Premier League match here on Saturday.

As their semifinals hopes went up in smoke, a distraught Mumbai Indians captain Sachin Tendulkar on Saturday held his batsmen responsible for the debacle as well as the inability to handle crunch situations.

MUMBAI INDIANS :
147/5 (20.0)
CHENNAI SUPER KINGS :
151/3 (19.1)

Man of the match:Matthew Hayden

Set a target of 148 by Mumbai built largely on JP Duminy's knock of 62, Chennai once again relied heavily on Hayden to romp home with five balls to spare.

Australian batsman Matthew Hayden of the Chennai Super Kings plays a shot during the IPL Twenty20 league match against Mumbai Indians at St. George's stadium in Port Elizabeth. Hayden made a controlled half-century as Chennai Super Kings beat Mumbai Indians by seven wickets in the Indian Premier League at St George's Park.
The Australian opener, who is currently the leading run-scorer of the tournament, hit his fifth fifty of the event in the process. Hayden also shared a match-winning 87-run partnership with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (23).
Of the bowlers, Muttiah Muralidaran was not among the wickets but bowled a miserly spell, giving away just 19 runs in his four overs.

IPL POINTS TABLE

Team Played-Won-Loss-N/R-Point
Delhi Daredevils 7 5 2 0 10
Deccan Chargers 8 5 3 0 10
Super Kings 8 4 3 1 9
Rajasthan Royals 8 4 3 1 9
Royal Challengers 8 4 4 0 8
Kings XI Punjab 8 4 4 0 8
Mumbai Indians 8 3 4 1 7
Knight Riders 9 1 7 1 3

Match #8, Deccan chargers v/s Royall bangalore

Deccan Chargers having won the toss, decide to bat first. They went bang and bang, right from the word go. Gibbs and Glchrist made the bowling attack of Bangalore look small, as they played some extra-ordinary cricket shots. Though, Gibbs exited early with a score of 13 from 7 balls, when Laxman replaced him. Laxman tried more aerial shots! and got himself out. I think he can place much better than aerial shots. Anyway all was not over for Deccan, as in came Rohit Sharma who joined hands with Glchrist and went after the bowlers. One can't mention this innings without mentionning Rohit's three superb sixes of Kumble in a single over. Rohit scored 52 in 30 balls which includes 5 sixes and Deccan ended their innings with 184 runs for the loss of 6 wickets.

Deccan striked the very first ball, sending Jesse Ryder for a golden duck back to the stands. Kallis shorlived for 15 runs and Bangalore's batting is deadly out of form. Uthappa was out to Styris, caught at deep midwicket by Ravi Teja covering a large distance in a quick time. Rahul Dravid leading scorer for Bangalore,both last season and this, was attacking right from the word go. He seems to be the only man optimistic, aggressive and man in form for Bangalore. He and Virat Kohli, tried their level best to win the game for Bangalore, but it was too late. Dravid went down fighting for 48 from 27 balls, whereas Virat Kohli got on to 50 in 32 balls. There were last minute fireworks from Praveen Kumar as well, but the total was too competitive for Bangalore in the end.

Deccan's Innings - 184 for 6 in 20 overs
Adam Gilchrist - 71(45) ,Rohit Sharma - 52(30)
Bangalore's Innings - 160 for 8 in 2o overs
Virat Kohli - 50(32),Rahul Dravid - 48(27)
Man of the match - Adam Gilchrist
Orange cap - Rahul Dravid
Purple cap - Rudra Pratap Singh

IPL-2 SCHEDULE

April 18: (RR) v RCB) (4 pm) at Cape Town; (MI) v (CSK) (8 pm) at Cape Town

April 19: (KKR) v (DC) (4 pm) at Cape Town; (DD) v (KXIP) (8 pm) at Cape Town

April 20: RCB V CSK (4 pm) at Port Elizabeth

April 21: RR v MI (4 pm) at Durban; KKR v KXIP (8 pm) at Durban

April 22: DD v CSK (4 pm) at Durban; RCB v DC (8 pm) at Cape Town

April 23: KKR v RR (4 pm) at Port Elizabeth

April 24: KXIP v RCB (4 pm) at Johannesburg

April 25: KKR v CSK (4 pm) at Cape Town; DC v MI (8 pm) at Durban

April 26: RR v KXIP (4 pm) at Cape Town; RCB v DD (8 pm) Port Elizabeth

April 27: KKR v MI (4 pm) at Cape Town; CSK v DC (8 pm) at Durban

April 28: DD v RR (4 pm) at Pretoria

April 29: MI v KXIP (4 pm) at Durban; KKR v RCB (8 pm) at Durban

April 30: DD v DC (4 pm) at Pretoria; RR v CSK (8 pm) at Pretoria

May 1: RCB v KXIP (4 pm) at East London; MI v KKR (8 pm) at Durban

May 2: RR v DC (4 pm) at Johannesburg; CSK v DD (8 pm) at Port Elizabeth

May 3: MI v RCB (4 pm) at Durban; KXIP v KKR (8 pm) at East London

May 4: DC v CSK (4 pm) at Port Elizabeth

May 5: DD v KKR (4 pm) at Durban; KXIP v RR (8 pm) at Durban

May 6: MI v DC (4 pm) at Pretoria

May 7: KXIP v CSK (4 pm) at Pretoria; RCB v RR (8 pm) at Pretoria

May 8: DD v MI (4 pm) at East London

May 9: DC v KXIP (4 pm) at Bloemfontein; CSK v RR (8 pm) at Port Elizabeth

May 10: KKR v DD (4 pm) at East London; RCB v MI (8 pm) at Johannesburg

May 11: DC v RR (4 pm) at Bloemfontein

May 12: RCB v KKR (4 pm) at Pretoria; KXIP v MI (8 pm) at Pretoria

May 13: DC v DD (4 pm) at Durban

May 14: MI v RR (4 pm) at Durban; CSK v RCB (8 pm) at Durban

May 15: KXIP v DD (4 pm) at Kimberley

May 16: CSK v MI (4 pm) at Johannesburg; DC v KKR (8 pm) at Port Elizabeth

May 17: RR v DD (4 pm) at Kimberley; KXIP v DC (8 pm) at Johannesburg

May 18: CSK v KKR (4 pm) at Pretoria

May 19: DD v RCB (4 pm) at Johannesburg

May 20: CSK v KXIP (4 pm) at Durban; RR v KKR (8 pm) at Durban

May 21: DC v RCB (4 pm) at Pretoria; MI v DD (8 pm) at Pretoria

May 22: Semi Final 1 at Pretoria

May 23: Semi Final 2 at Johannesburg

May 24: Final at Johannesburg

IPL-2 TEAMS

Owner: Deccan Chronicle
Coach:Darren Lehman ,Captain:Adam Gilchrist
Owner: Reliance Industries Ltd
Coach :Shaun Pollock,Captain: Sachin Tendulkar

Owner: Emerging Media Group

Coach & captain: Shane Warne

Owner: GMR Holdings

Coach:Greg Shipperd ,Captain:V.Sehwag

Owner: India Cements

Coach:Stephen Fleming,captain:MS Dhoni

Owner: Preity Zinta, Ness Wadia (Bombay Dyeing), Karan Paul (Apeejay Surendra Group) and Mohit Burman (Dabur)

Coach:Tom Moody ,Captain:Yuvraj Singh

Owner: Shahrukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, Jai Mehta

Coach:John Buchanan,Captain:Sourav Ganguly

Owner: UB Group

Coach:Ray Jennings , Captain:Kevin Pietersen

India claim historic series win

3rd Test - Wellington, April 3-7, 2009
1st Innings:
IND 379 (92.1)
2nd Innings:
IND 434/7 dec (116.0)
1st Innings:
NZL 197 (65.0)
2nd Innings:
NZL 281/8 (94.3)
New Zealand drew with India
Man of the match: Gautam Gambhir
Series status: India wins the 3-Test series 1-0

India are celebrating their first series win in New Zealand since 1968 after the third Test against the hosts ended in a draw.
The final day of the last Test of the series at the Basin Reserve in Wellington was disrupted by bad weather allowing the hosts to salvage a draw after being set an impossible target of 617 runs for victory.
Rain plays spoilsport
The rain forced the teams off 30 minutes into the afternoon session with New Zealand 281 for eight, still 336 runs short, and play was finally called off two hours 20 minutes later at 4.31pm local time with 57.3 overs remaining.
Daniel Vettori was 15 not out and Iain O'Brien unbeaten on 19.
India win the series 1-0 following their comprehensive 10-wicket win in Hamilton and the draw in Napier.
They were on course for another emphatic victory in Wellington after making 379 in their first innings then bowling the Black Caps out for 197.
Skipper MS Dhoni declared their second innings at 434 for seven midway through the morning session on day four, leaving the New Zealanders a mammoth run chase they never looked likely to achieve.

Ross Taylor was again the top scorer for the Black Caps with 107 following on from his first innings of 42.
Martin Guptill and James Franklin both scored 49 for the only other scores of note in the second innings.
Indian bowlers Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh were New Zealand's chief tormentors, although Sachin Tendulkar's introduction was lucrative with the little master taking two wickets for 26 runs in his six-over spell before lunch.
Khan finished with match figures of seven for 122 off 37.3 overs after taking five for 65 in the first innings. Harbhajan ended with seven for 102 off 56 overs after taking four for 59 in New Zealand's second innings.
Taylor (69) and Franklin (26) resumed in windy, overcast conditions when play began half-an-hour early following Monday's early finish.

The pair added a further 59 runs to the overnight score of 167 for four before Taylor was bowled by Harbhajan for 107.
The pair put on 142 runs in total, the highest fifth-wicket partnership by New Zealanders against India.
Taylor brought up his fourth Test century with a four down fine leg - his fourth boundary of the morning and 15th in total.
But two overs later he was cleaned bowled by the off-spinner to leave New Zealand on 226 for five, still needing 391 to win.
Brendon McCullum (six) went shortly afterwards, caught by Rahul Dravid via the gloves of Dhoni off the bowling of Sachin Tendulkar, although TV replays appeared to show the ball missing the edge of the bat.

The part-time spinner would have had the Black Caps vice-captain out without scoring had Munaf Patel made the catch at mid-off a few overs earlier.
Tendulkar bowled a good six-over spell, snaring two wickets for 26 runs, and caused Franklin, who survived an lbw shout by Khan early in the day, some problems before he finally got the all-rounder leg before wicket one run shy of his third half-century.
By lunch the hosts had reached 254 for seven, still requiring 363 to win.
Tim Southee (three) lasted 13 balls before being given out caught behind by Dhoni off Harbhajan, although the tail-ender seemed to hit his pad, not the ball, with his bat.
It was the last meaningful act of the Test as the rain arrived to spare New Zealand's blushes.

TODAY'S GOOGLY-Sachin: This Kiwi tour has been special

After such a great performnace against the current series in New zealand,the great batsman Sachin Tendulkar looks overjoyed.Comments shows his overjoyness-

Q. You got your 42nd Test century at Hamilton and won the Man of the Match award. You looked overjoyed. Any particular reason?

A. One does enjoy the moment of receiving the 'Man of the Match' award if his team can manage to win. We won a Test match in New Zealand after 33 years and I played a small role to win the match for India. Not only me,but whole of our dressing room enjoyed like anything.

Q. Any special comment on the current Indian team?

A. No doubt, it's a special team. The most important factor of the team is that we are winning matches regularly in foreign countries. Previously we won only at home. Now we have started winning in Australia, West Indies, England, South Africa, Pakistan, almost in every country. We did not win a Test series in New Zealand in the last 41 yearsThe whole team had one ambition before coming here. We are happy that we are going back as winners.

Q. What did you tell the younger boys of the team after winning the Hamilton Test?

A. They are really lucky. I told them what we faced on our earlier tours. I tried narrating them the obstacles of those tours. It took seven tours to New Zealand win a Test match. In other words, 20 years. I am really elated for this victory.

Q.Is it the most memorable win?

A. Not really. But I am enjoying every moment of it. One gets special pleasure for anything he would get for the first time. I would be able to say proudly for the next generation that I was also a part of a team which won a Test in New Zealand.

Q. Sir Richard Hadlee is of the opinion that you are the greatest ever?

A. Nobody has ever said like that before. I am happy and satisfied. This comes as a pleasant surprise and it comes from a personality whose credentials cannot be questioned. I am happy that I played with him on my first tour to New Zealand in 1989.

Q. Hadlee remembers your innings of 88 at Napier on that tour.

A. I also cherish that memory. I still remember one moment after the Napier Test . He was giving an interview in a television in which I found he made his debut in 1973. I was born in the same year, which means when he made his debut in Tests when i was just born. Yet I got the opportunity to play against him. This is really a memorable tour for me. We won the series and got an excellent accolade from Sir Richard Hadlee.

Gambhir takes India closer to history

Opener Gautam Gambhir scored a magnificent 167 to close the door on New Zealand's faint hopes of saving the series in the third and deciding cricket Test here Sunday.
India put a target of 601 runs and they reached 167 for four in their second innings on the fourth day at the Basin Reserve.
The tourists lead the series 1-0 and need only a draw from this final Test to ensure their first series win in New Zealand since 1968, with only weather likely to save New Zealand from a heavy loss.

TODAY'S GOOGLY

• The first ODI was played on 5 January 1971 between Australia and England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Australia won the game by 5 wickets.Opening batsman John Hugh Edrich of England for his brilliant 82 were chosen Man of the match.

• Wasim Akram and Mohammad Sami,of Pakistan, are the only cricketers to have taken a hat-trick in Test cricket and ODIs.

• Uniquely, Wasim Akram has taken four international hat-tricks(two in test and two in one dayers) in all.

India just need a draw

With an unassailable lead in hand, India only have to guard against complacency and notoriously seaming track of the Basin Reserve.
If they amange to win they will notch their first Test win in New Zealand in 34 years when they take on New Zealand in the third and final match of the series.
Having won Tests at Adelaide, Perth, Trinidad, The Oval, Multan, Galle, Johannesburg and Hamilton, they are now faced with their biggest challenge of scoring a win at a venue where their last triumph came in 1975.
Having established a 1-0 lead at Seddon Park, they need to only draw the third and final Test here to achieve a historic series triumph, last accomplished by Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi's team in 1967-68.
But their task wouldn't be a stroll in the park as, unlike at Hamilton and and Napier, they will be tested on a sporting deck, which is expected to have a lot of carry and assist lateral movement off the seam.
If India can exorcise their fear against the moving ball, it would help to raise their bar in international cricket as a team which has won Test matches in all conditions and wickets, irrespective of it assisting pace, bounce, swing, seam and cut.
Somehow their inadequate skill or technique in combating the moving ball, has stuck out like a sore pimple on an otherwise good Test profile.
Lets see what will happen.

TODAY'S GOOGLY...

• The first officially recognized Test match commenced on the 15 March 1877, contested by England and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, where Australia won by 45 runs.

• India played their First Test match v England at Lord's, London on 25-28 June 1932 under the captaincy of CK Nayudu.

Mar 23, 2009 to Mar 29, 2009

Indian in New Zealand-2009:
Hamilton Test(1st match):
1st Innings:
NZL 279 (78.2)
2nd Innings:
NZL 279 (102.3)
1st Innings:
IND 520 (152.4)
2nd Innings:
IND 39/0 (5.2)

India beat New Zealand by 10 wickets
Man of the match: Sachin Tendulkar

Defiant innings’ from Daniel Flynn, battling injury, and Brendon McCullum, and a frustrating 100-minute ninth wicket partnership only delayed the inevitable. Harbhajan Singh registered his best figures in overseas Tests – 6 for 63 – to help bowl out New Zealand for 279 – just as many as they had got in the first innings, and India were given a eagre fourth innings target of 39 which Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid, who surprised one and all by opening the innings, scored off in 5.2 overs to register a convincing 10-wicket win – their first win in New Zealand in 33 years.

• Sachin scored 160 in the first innings.
• Ryder(102) and vettori(118) scored a century in first innings for New zealand.

Napier 2nd test:
1st Innings:
NZL 619/9 dec (154.4)
1st Innings:
IND 305 (93.5)
2nd Innings:
IND 476/4 (180.0)

New Zealand drew with India
Man of the match: Jesse Ryder

The Indian batting line-up, considered one of the best batting line-ups in world cricket, on Monday showed they were not only about elegance and flamboyance. When the situation demanded, like it did on Monday, they showed they were prepared to drop anchor, dig in there and call in all their resolve not to do anything fancy. As a result of the Indian batsmen bringing to the fore all the above mentioned qualities, India – in arrears by 62 runs at the start of the day – managed to comfortably save the Napier Test match and head to Wellington with a 1-0 lead.

• Taylor(151),Ryder(201) and B. McCullam(115) scored centuries in the 1st innings for New zealand.
• Gambhir(137) and Laxman(124) scored centuries in the 2nd innings for India.
• Sachin scored 49 and 64 for India.

IPL-

South Africa to host IPL 2 :

South Africa will play host to the second edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 extravaganza which will start from April 18. The tournament was originally due to get underway on April 10.

The 59 matches will be played in six stadiums across the country at prime time of 4 pm and 8 pm IST and will be telecast live by SuperSport of South Africa where the tournament was shifted in view of security concerns in the wake of Lahore terror attack and IPL dates coinciding with general elections.