Pakistan vs Kenya: Chasing 318, Kenya lose six wickets against Pakistan

Pakistan opened their World Cup campaign with a thumping 205 run win over an unimpressive Kenya in a group A match at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota on Wednesday.

For Kenya it is their second consecutive defeat in the mega-event after being demolished by New Zealand by 10 wickets in their tournament-opener on Sunday. Score

Pakistan will next play Sri Lanka in Colombo on Saturday.

Against Kenya, Pakistan produced an all-round display as after piling up a mammoth 317 for seven on the board, they dismissed the minnows for a paltry 112 in 33.1 overs.

Even though he failed with the bat, skipper Shahid Afridi (5/16) led from the front while defending the target and returned with a five-wicket haul to notch up the comprehensive victory for the former champions.

For Kenya only four batsmen reached double figures with Collins Obuya top-scoring with a gutsy 47 off 58 balls.

Apart from Afridi, pacer Umar Gul picked up two Kenyan wickets giving away just 12 runs.

Earlier, Pakistan's middle-order came up with a splendid batting display to steer the team to a massive 317 for seven after opting to bat.'

Shrugging off a poor start, Kamran Akmal (55), Younis Khan (50), Misbah-ul-Haq (65) and Umar Akmal (71) chipped in with valuable half-centuries each to post a challenging total.

While it was the experienced duo of Younis and Kamran, who helped the team recover from an early stutter, Misbah and Umar capitalised on it to pile up huge runs.

From 12 for two in 6.5 overs, Younis-Kamran lifted Pakistan to 110 for three, sharing a crucial 98-run third-wicket stand before quickfire knocks from Misbah and Umar turned the tide completely in Pakistan's favour.

Misbah scored 65 off 69 balls with the help of one four and two sixes, while Umar hit 71 off 52 balls, including eight fours and a six as they put up 118 runs for fifth wicket.

Source:-http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/130694/sports/pak-vs-kenya-match-report.html

Malaysia Keen On India's Wind Power Technology

Malaysia is in talks with Indian wind turbines scientists and is likely to link up with the Centre for Wind Energy Technology (C-WET) for technical expertise to harness the alternative energy.

Visiting Malaysian Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili said India has a world standard advanced wind energy development programme which Malaysia could tap into.

"It's a new field for us and we are exploring this field. I see the technology coming out from India is as good as anywhere in the world.

"We are going to tap this technology and link up with C-WET," he told Bernama. Dr Maximus is leading a delegation to India and Bangladesh to seek possible technical tie-ups with local institutions in the renewable energy, communications and telecommunication technology fields.

C-Wet, under India's New and Renewable Energy Ministry, is a major centre for wind energy development to enable India achieve self-reliance in the power sector.

Currently, India is ranked world's fifth largest wind energy producer, with nearly 13,000 megawatts installed capacity and generates about 1.6 per cent of the nation's power capacity.

On Saturday, the Malaysian delegation visited Villgro Innovations Foundation, an innovative technology provider at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Madras Research Park.

They also visited the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, another prominent centre that promotes sustainable agriculture and rural development.

Source:-http://www.evwind.es/noticias.php?id_not=10337

Sri Lanka vs Canada: Jayawardene scores ton as Sri Lanka win by 210 runs

Sri Lanka beat Canada by 210 runs in their opening match of the World Cup at the Mahinda Rajapaksha International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota on Sunday. 

Sri Lanka opener Mahela Jayawardene scored the fastest century for Sri Lanka in a World Cup match reaching the figure in 81 balls and even forged a 179-run third wicket partnership with captain Kumar Sangakkara as the hosts put 332/7 on board.

As was expected the 333-run target proved too much for the Canadians, a minnows in the tournament, who got out for 122.

In fact they lost their opener John Davison on the first ball of their innings with Thisara Perera claiming his wicket, clean bowled. Four overs the Canadians were 12/3.

Canada skipper Ashish Bagai tried hard to salvage but failed and could only manage to score 22 before Perera claimed him as well. Canada score at this stage was 53-5.

Post his dismissal, Rizwan Cheema too waged a lone battle putting a hard-fought 37 before the veteran offie Muttiah Muralitharan struck to send him back even as the Canadians were reeling on 103/8.

Cheema's 37, the individual highest score for Canada, came of 35 balls and included four boundaries and one over the fence shot. 

Sri Lanka innings

Sri Lanka opener Mahela Jayawardene and skipper Kumar Sangakkara put on 179 runs for the third wicket as the hosts scored 332/7.

Earlier, in a repeat of what happened during the India versus Bangladesh match, a horrible mix-up saw Sri Lanka opener Upul Tharanga walk back on 19. On Saturday it was Sachin Tendulkar and today it was Upul Tharanga who got run out on 19 when the Sri Lanka score was 63.

Then it was the turn of the second opener Tillakaratne Dilshan to take a walk. Dilshan holed out to deep cover off Rizwan Cheema and paid the price as John Davison claimed a fine catch. He fell for 50 and Sri Lanka fell to 88/2 in 20th over.

Post Dilshan's fall, Lankan opener Mahela Jayawardene and skipper Kumar Sangakkara got on to build a major partnership. The two played easily putting on 179 runs for the third wicket before Sangakkara fell to John Davison on 92. He missed his ton by eight runs as Davison took a fine catch off his own bowling.

However, Jayawardene managed to complete his ton. And no sooner did he complete it that he too fell. He got across the line and went for a big hit off Davison, but ended up giving a catch to Balaji Rao at shot fine leg. He got out for a 100 as Sri Lanka score read 276/4 in 44 overs.

Post Jayawardene's dismissal the Sri Lankans lost more wickets but kept the scoreboard ticking and finally they put on 332/7 in 50 overs.

Source:-http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/130419/sports/sri-lanka-vs-canada-match-report.html

Was IPL auction fair? Mumbai Indians raise questions

MUMBAI: Until now, there were just rumours. Now, it seems that the IPL players' auction on January 8 and 9 could well have been rigged. Or so it would seem if you look at the angry letter that Mumbai Indians have shot off to every member of the IPL's governing council, demanding an explanation for the last-minute changes to the auction process. They have categorically stated that the changes were not only unjustified but also unacceptable.

The three-page letter, a copy of which is with TOI, points out that most franchises were taken by surprise when they were told about a change in the rules in the January 6 briefings, a day before the auction.

In the first briefing on December 17, the franchises were told that the players would be arranged in pre-defined sets. The plan, they were informed, would be to start with the marquee players and then move to sets of same specialization (meaning: batsmen, bowlers, allrounders etc).

Critically, they were told that "the order of all these sets will be determined by (a) random draw that will take place in the auction room."

At 5 pm on the eve of the auctions, though, the franchises received another email - just two hours before the GC was to take them through another briefing. It said: "An updated version of the auction briefing (has been sent). The only changes are in paragraphs 37 and 38. Please read as paragraph 38 will impact your strategy."

The MI letter says "the so called updated version of the auction briefing reads as follows: The final sentence of paragraph 18 is to be deleted. The sets will be presented to the Auction in order of the auction list (which need not have same speciality players in the same set)".

MI claim that the 'amended' rule resulted in a fundamental change to the auction process as "selection of sets at random" was substituted by a 'pre-decided order of the auction list'."

The primary purpose of deciding the order of auction (whether for subsequent sets or players within sets) through a random draw in the auction room in presence of bidders was to ensure transparency and a level-playing field. In the changed scenario, certain individuals or franchises could have been privy to the exact sequence of the auction which would have allowed them to plan better. More significantly, if they got this information earlier, they could have waited for the right moment to bid for the right player.

Therefore, MI says "Any last-minute change can have justification if, and only if, strong justifiable and emergent reasons can be demonstrated to be present" and adds further "we see a complete absence of such reason or justification. Kindly let us know how and whose instance these changes were introduced."

It should be mentioned here that Chennai Super Kings owner N Srinivasan sat as a member of the GC at the auctions even as his team bid for players and, as TOI had reported on January 10, franchises had already started murmuring that they were unhappy about last-minute changes.

Srinivasan's family owns the franchise even as he happens to be a GC member, BCCI secretary, its president-elect and president of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA). Interestingly, CSK successfully managed to bid for all premier Tamil Nadu cricketers.

TOI had also questioned GC chairman Chirayu Amin about the same on January 10, to which the answer was a meek one: "We always ensure complete transparency. If any franchise feels otherwise, they are free to mention it."

The agenda of the meetings were approved, the quorum and minutes were recorded, the basis - if any - on which order of sets in auction list was determined. Then, MI's question to the GC is "Who authorized to amend these rules and what was the source of such authority?"

If Amin says there was complete transparency, then why are these questions coming out of the closet now?

Source:-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/was-ipl-auction-fair-mumbai-indians-raises-questions/iplarticleshow/7375330.cms