3rd T20 World Cup

28 more Twenty20 internationals? From the point of view of the viewer , it's both an overkill after the recent conclusion of 56 matches in IPL plus a bit of yawn too. For the cricketers who joined their respective teams from the IPL, it must be tiring to reach the end of a long year of international cricket and risky too in terms of freak injuries. Bret Lee injured his bowling arm in a warm up match and promptly quit the Australian team thereafter. The weather in the scenic Caribbeans is hot and humid promising to sap the extra energy from the players. The pitches are slow, the grounds bigger. Only the teams that stay completely focused & energetic during the three hour duration on a consistent basis will make it to the last four stage.
MS Dhoni appeared jet lagged during his press conference. As a captain of the only team that did not play any warm up matches , Dhoni tried to sound confident of taking on the hardworking Afghanistan in the first match as a regular international. However, his confused statements indicate that India is going into the first match on first May with zero preparation. Hopefully, the conditions & pitch here will be similar to that at home enabling Dhoni's men to quickly adapt & win the first match before playing the bigger battle with the Proteans a day later.
The opening match between New Zealand & Sri Lanka should be a good contest between Mcculum & Malinga & hopefully Mahela will not disappoint his fans after playing a classic century knock against KKR at Eden gardens in the IPL But New Zealand look to be the more focused & energetic side for a win.

Picture : Fort James Beach, Antigua from Decagon.com

Honey, money is so funny: (A poem on the IPL 3 saga)

A sultry kashmiri drops her pallu,
(to) Get the attention of a snooty mallu;
Blood starts throbbing in the mallu's vein,
He pulls a piece of paper & a pen;

"It swells my heart with pride, dear Lallu,"
Wrote the suave & articulate Mallu
"(to) Know of your beta in the team nai dilli
(Though he seems to be there only as a maali;)
But I have plans for a team in Kochi
Where all are welcome from mollah to mochi;
Remember to support me in the people's house,
While I prepare to call this haughty Mouse."

Snooty dials M to get his 'sweat' heart some money,
And talks in a voice dripping with diplomatic honey;

"Kochi must win the bid
Let us all now plant the seed.
Ask not who owns what shares
Lest it be hard to hold on to your chairs.."

M, the sleazy gujju, in a fit of cunning
Kept his secret recorder running
Then tweeted it all out on the Internet
And that's how the first fish got nabbed in the net.

Other fishes scampered to the left and the right
The mighty sarkar slipped in, for a fight,
(into) This world of yachts & tycoons
While the blogger laughs & lampoons
At the actors in this sizzling story
Of sleaze & all other things monetary.