T20I – New Zealand Stun Sri Lanka with a 2-0 Verdict!

Brendon McCullum looks to sweep, Sri Lanka v New Zealand, 2nd Twenty20, Colombo, September 4, 2009

The second T20I between Sri Lanka and New Zealand was again played at the RPS in Colombo, and for the fourth time at this stadium, the Sri Lankan side came out second. This game, as compared to the previous one was a rather one-sided one, with New Zealand piling up 170 in the 20 overs and then restricting the Lankans to only 148. Clearly it was a far cry from the side which had only just finished runners-up in the ICC World T20 and then beaten New Zealand in the test series.

The stars of the match for the Kiwis were Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum, who added an 84 for the first wicket – McCullum also getting his form back – whereas Martin Guptill closed the innings nicely with a 20-ball 32 to propel the score forward. Ajantha Mendis was the pick of the bowlers with 1/21 off four, along with Sanath Jayasuriya who bagged a wicket more and conceded a run more than Mendis.

In reply, Sri Lanka fell Read the rest of this entry...

T20I – Sri Lanka Lose Despite Dilshan’s Brilliance

Jacob Oram celebrates the wicket of Nuwan Kulasekera, Sri Lanka v New Zealand, 1st Twenty20, Colombo, September 2, 2009

With only 142 needed for a win, the Sri Lankan side had raced off to 67/2 in less than seven overs, and needed only 75 runs in 13 overs for a win with eight wickets standing. A walk in the park? Not when you have a middle-order like the Lankans’ in this game. It capitulated like nine pins and there was not a single player who could guide the team to a victory after the Dilshan blitzkrieg (57 off 28 deliveries).

Earlier, the Kiwis had scraped their way up to 141 as well. Again, it was a one-man show, with Ross Taylor taking up the attack to the Lankan spinners. He smashed a 45-ball 60, but there was only Martin Guptill to support him with an innings of 29. Jesse Ryder was the only other batsman to get to double figures with a 13 to his name!

Daniel Vettori who had successfully throttled Read the rest of this entry...

Venues for 2010 World T20 announced

Who will win the 2010 version?

The ICC has announced the venues for the World T20 to be held in West Indies next year. There are four grounds on which the games will be played, namely, Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts and St Lucia, with the final to be played at Kensington Oval in Barbados.

Zimbabwe has returned back to the World T20 after having not been included in the 2009 version because of the political differences between the two governments of Zimbabwe and England.

There are nine other test playing nations, and the remaining two slots will be filled by two qualifiers from the qualifying tournament which will be played in October in the UAE. This will include surprise teams like Afghanistan, UAE and USA.

The world T20 will have Pakistan, Bangladesh and Australia in the first group. India, South Africa and the first qualifier will form the second group, while New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe will be in Group C.

Group D will consist of West Indies, England and the second qualifier.

The women’s world t20 will also be played in concurrence with the men’s tournament, as had happened in 2009.

Pakistan had won the men’s tournament this year, while England had beaten New Zealand in the women’s final.