Tears flood alert issued after Tendulkar announces retirement

Delhi road flooded with tears after Sachin’s announcement.

Soon after the God of cricket announced his retirement, taking precautionary measure, meteorological department has issued flood alert as people are unstoppably crying all over the country.

“It’s not only people who are crying, even cats, dogs, birds, and almost every other being capable of crying are shedding tears, faster than Mumbai torrential rains,” said Indra Sharma, head of Indian meteorological department.

“This whole mourning activity may continue till Sunday, so tears level can see a sudden upsurge as people are quite free on weekends. So a possibility of flood couldn’t be ignored,” he added.

Sensing the gravity of situation, central government has asked Army to be ready to rescue Sachin fans from getting drowned in depression.

Government has also made a special request to Rajnikanth and Sir Ravindra Jadeja to avoid crying, as then it might be impossible even for army to control the situation.
As of now reports of waterlogging is coming from some part of Delhi and Mumbai and people have been asked to stay in their home.

However, ignoring warning, at Sher-E-Punjab colony in Andheri area of Mumbai, Sachin fans gathered at a park in the neighborhood for a group mourning session. There we spotted many people carrying swimming tubes.

“Sachin fans are so upset that after running out of tears, they are drinking more and more water to produce more tears. In last few hours, I have sold 200 bottles of mineral water,” said a shopkeeper from Paharganj while wiping off tears from his eyes and taking a sip of water.

ICC's new playing conditions start, Details about new playing condition

Dubai, Oct 9 (IANS) The new playing conditions put in place by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for all the three formats of the game begin with the series between Bangladesh and New Zealand that started in Chittagong with the first Test Wednesday.
Bangladesh are hosting New Zealand for two Tests, three ODIs and one Twenty20 International.
The ICC said that the playing conditions are applicable to international cricket and must be read together with the ‘Laws of Cricket’. Whilst a playing condition may affect the ‘Laws of Cricket’ as they may apply to international cricket, these changes are not amendments to the Laws of Cricket themselves.
According to the new rules, if a team has changed the condition of the ball and no player has been witnessed changing the condition of the ball, then the ball will be changed, and the captain issued a first and final warning.
Such a warning will apply for the remainder of a Test match, or for the remainder of an ODI or T20I series.
If there is a further incident of the condition of the ball being changed, a five-run penalty will be awarded, the ball changed again and the captain will be held responsible and reported.
If the condition of the ball has been changed and the player responsible can be identified, then the ball will be changed, a five-run penalty will be awarded, and the player responsible will be reported.
The Decision Review System has been included in Tests as a part of the six-month trial that will end April 30.
Each team will have a maximum of two unsuccessful player review requests in the first 80 overs of the innings, and a maximum of two unsuccessful player review requests after 80 overs for the remainder of the innings.
At the end of the 80th over, a team with two remaining reviews receives no additional reviews, a team with one remaining review receives one additional review, and a team with zero remaining reviews receives two additional reviews.

In a match reduced to 25 overs or less per side before the first innings commences, each team shall have only one new ball for its innings.

Inspiring the inspirational: 5 things MS Dhoni is yet to achieve in his cricketing career

MS Dhoni: What more can this man achieve?

Having won every single multi-national trophy on offer, there’s hardly any CV in cricket better than MS Dhoni‘s in the world.
India’s most successful captain, and the most successful leader in world cricket currently, is just 32 years of age. At a time when his seniors have played on till the end of thirties, it’s not an exaggeration to say that Dhoni has a good 6-7 years of cricket left in him.
Dhoni is not a man known for planning for far ahead. His plans are in place only till the next over, the next match, and the next series. After that, it’s hard to say where Dhoni may end a couple of years down the line.
In 2011, he created a furore by hinting at his retirement from Test cricket two years down the line.  On being asked about defending the World Cup 2015, he said,

“It is series by series. If you see 2015, you know, still three, three and a half years to go. I don’t really know where I will stand. Everything needs to go off well, and then by close to 2013, I will have to take a call whether I can really 100% be available for the 2015 World Cup, because you don’t want a wicketkeeper in the side who has not played at least 100-odd games, at least close to 80-100 games, going into the World Cup.”

2013 is more than half-way done and Dhoni is looking unstoppable in his current form. With series against South Africa (possibly), New Zealand, England and Australia lined up away from home, it’s extremely unlikely that there’s any question over Dhoni’s future in Test cricket.
In Tests, Cheteshwar Pujara has started finding his place in the team and will need a couple of more seasons to really step up to the mantle which seems to have been marked for him. In limited overs, Virat Kohli has created his own legacy of sorts, but at the helm, he’s only just begun.
Dhoni definitely has the 2015 World Cup in his mind. It’s a line which would be crossed under Dhoni’s leadership, but on the other end, a new face is bound to emerge, possibly two or three if India is open to the concept of multiple captains in the future.
So, in this period of 5-6 years, what does Dhoni have in mind for the Indian team of the future? What more can he give to Indian cricket before his departure and what can inspire him enough to carry on playing post the 2015 World Cup?
A list of speculations does have its drawbacks. After all, it’s full of speculations. But these are 5 things that can keep Dhoni on his feet and provide the push to the inspirational captain:

ICC का नया नियम लागू, गेंद बदलने पर कटेंगे 5 रन!

दुबई। चटगांव में बांग्लादेश और न्यूजीलैंड क्रिकेट टीमों के बीच बुधवार को शुरू हुए श्रृंखला के पहले टेस्ट मैच के साथ ही अंतर्राष्ट्रीय क्रिकेट परिषद (आईसीसी) द्वारा क्रिकेट की तीनों श्रेणियों के लिए बनाए गए नए नियम लागू हो गए। बांग्लादेश दो टेस्ट मैच और तीन अंतर्राष्ट्रीय एकदिवसीय मैच और एक अंतर्राष्ट्रीय ट्वेंटी-20 मैच की श्रृंखला में न्यूजीलैंड की मेजबानी कर रहा है।

आईसीसी ने कहा है कि अंतर्राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर खेल के नए नियम लागू हो गए हैं और इन्हें पहले से निर्धारित नियमों का ही हिस्सा समझा जाए। नए नियमों के कारण पहले से लागू 'क्रिकेट के कानून' में कोई परिवर्तन नहीं हुआ है।

आईसीसी के नए नियमों के अनुसार, यदि कोई टीम गेंद बदलती है और बल्लेबाजी कर रहे किसी खिलाड़ी को गेंद बदलने के बारे में नहीं पता है तो गेंद को फिर से बदल दिया जाएगा, और क्षेत्ररक्षण करने वाली टीम के कप्तान को अंतिम चेतावनी दी जाएगी। यह चेतावनी मैच की तीनों श्रेणियों में मैच के पूरा होने तक लागू रहेगी।

इसके बाद भी यदि गेंद बदलने की ऐसी घटना घटती है तो पांच रन का जुर्माना लगाया जाएगा, और गेंद को फिर से बदल दिया जाएगा। इसके लिए कप्तान को जिम्मेदार माना जाएगा और उससे इस पर स्पष्टीकरण मांगा जाएगा। अगर गेंद बदले जाने वाले खिलाड़ी की पहचान कर ली गई हो तो जिम्मेदारी उसकी होगी।

टेस्ट मैच में डीआरएस प्रणाली को छह महीने के प्रायोगिक तौर पर लागू किया गया है, जो अगले वर्ष 30 अप्रैल को समाप्त होगी। नए डीआरएस प्रणाली के अंतर्गत प्रत्येक टीम को पहले 80 ओवरों के लिए अधिकतम दो असफल समीक्षा का मौका मिलेगा, और बाकी मैच के लिए दो अतिरिक्त समीक्षा का अवसर दिया जाएगा।

क्या क्रिकेट के जरिए बदलेगी अफगानिस्तान की पहचान

अफगानिस्तान की सड़कों पर जश्न का माहौल खत्म ही नहीं हो रहा है. जश्न मनाने की तमाम तस्वीरें इंटरनेट और अखबारों में हैं. ये जश्न अफगानिस्तान की टीम के 2015 विश्व कप में क्वालीफाई करने का है.

अफगानिस्तान ने कीनिया को हराकर 2015 विश्व कप के लिए क्वालीफाई कर लिया है. वैसे तो अफगानिस्तान की टीम टी-20 विश्व कप में पहले भी दो बार खेल चुकी है, लेकिन 50 ओवर के विश्व कप में खेलने की बात ही अलग है. ये मुख्य धारा का क्रिकेट है.

अफगानिस्तान की टीम को 2015 विश्व कप के लिए ग्रुप ए में जगह मिली है. जिसमें ऑस्ट्रेलिया, इंग्लैंड, श्रीलंका, न्यूजीलैंड और बांग्लादेश जैसी टीमें हैं. अफगानिस्तान के लोगो में ये खुशी तब है जब अफगानिस्तान के ज्यादातर खिलाड़ी वहां रहते तक नहीं हैं.

अफगानिस्तान के ज्यादातर खिलाड़ी वहां प्रैक्टिस तक नहीं करते. अफगानिस्तान के लोगों में एक तबका ऐसा है जो क्रिकेट के खेल के नियम कानून तक नहीं जानता. फिर भी जश्न में हर कोई शरीक है. दरअसल ये राष्ट्रीय जश्न है. ये जश्न इस बात का है कि इन खिलाड़ियों ने देश को एक नई पहचान देने का काम किया है. ये ज्यादातर मौकों पर गलत वजहों से अखबारों की हेडलाइंस बनने वाले अफगानिस्तान की तस्वीर नहीं हैं. ये आतंकवाद, तालिबान और बम विस्फोटों का अफगानिस्तान नहीं है. ये अफगानिस्तान की ऐसी नई तस्वीर है जिस पर उन्हें गर्व है.

अफगानिस्तान की टीम का क्रिकेट से रिश्ता ज्यादा पुराना नहीं है. 2001 में अफगानिस्तान क्रिकेट फेडरेशन बनाया गया था. अफगानिस्तान की टीम ने पहला दौरा पाकिस्तान का किया था. 2004 में अफगानिस्तान की टीम ने एशियन क्रिकेट काउंसिल के एक टूर्नामेंट में बहरीन को हराया. 2007 में टी-20 का एक टूर्नामेंट जीता. यहीं से अफगानिस्तान की टीम के मुख्यधारा में आने के संघर्ष की शुरूआत हुई थी.

चुनौती और भी हैं

साल 2011 विश्व कप के लिए क्वालीफाई करने वाली टीमों की दौड़ में अफगानिस्तान की टीम छठे नंबर पर रही. उसे विश्व कप में जगह तो नहीं मिल पाई, लेकिन 4 साल के लिए वनडे का आईसीसी स्टेटस जरूर मिल गया. 2010 में अफगानिस्तान ने आयरलैंड को हराकर वेस्टइंडीज में खेले गए टी-20 विश्व कप में जगह बनाई. 2012 टी-20 विश्व कप में भी अफगानिस्तान की टीम ने शिरकत की. इसके बाद इसी साल जून में अफगानिस्तान की टीम को आईसीसी की एसोसिएट मेंमरशिप मिल गई.

एसोसिएट मेंबरशिप मिलने का सीधा मतलब था आईसीसी से मिलने वाली मदद में इजाफा. आईसीसी से अफगानिस्तान को मिलने वाली सालाना मदद 7 लाख डॉलर से बढ़ाकर साढ़े आठ लाख हो गई. जिसका नतीजा अब सभी के सामने है.

हालांकि अफगानिस्तान के सामने चुनौतियां अभी खत्म नहीं हुई हैं. वहां के हालात किसी से छिपे नहीं है. अफगानिस्तान के खिलाड़ियों को अब भी बड़े खिलाड़ियों के खिलाफ या साथ खेलने के इक्का दुक्का मौके ही मिलते हैं.

अफगानिस्तान के कोच कबीर खान की फिलहाल सबसे बड़ी प्राथमिकता ये है कि उनके खिलाड़ियों को किसी भी तरह पूरे साल क्रिकेट खेलने का मौका मिलता रहे. कबीर खान खुद पाकिस्तान के लिए खेल चुके हैं. उनकी बड़ी चाहतों में ये भी शुमार है कि इंडियन प्रीमियर लीग जैसे बड़े टूर्नामेंट में भी अफगानिस्तान के खिलाड़ियों को खेलने का मौका मिले.

उनका ये भी मानना है कि भारत, श्रीलंका और पाकिस्तान जैसी एशिया की बड़ी क्रिकेट टीमों को भी अफगानिस्तान की टीम को बढ़ावा देना चाहिए.

कबीर खान अपनी टीम की खासियत ये बताते हैं कि बाकी टीमें बड़े टूर्नामेंट के लिए क्वालीफाई करने पर ही खुश हो जाती है, लेकिन अफगानिस्तान की टीम क्वालीफाई करने के बाद वहां जीतना भी चाहती है. यकीनन इस चाहत में कोई तकलीफ नहीं है बशर्ते अफगानिस्तान के खिलाड़ी बड़े स्तर पर अच्छा प्रदर्शन भी करें.

अफगानिस्तान की टीम के सामने अभी पहली चुनौती अगले टी-20 विश्व कप में जगह बनाने की है और उसके बाद अच्छे प्रदर्शन की. 2015 में ऑस्ट्रेलिया और न्यूजीलैंड के मौसम और वहां की पिचों के लिए खुद को ढालने की शुरूआत भी करनी होगी. रास्ता आसान नहीं है लेकिन जिन रास्तों से गुजरकर ये टीम इस मुकाम तक पहुंची है ये कहा जा सकता है कि इनके इरादे भी कमजोर नहीं हैं.

N. Srinivasan's return as BCCI chief on hold; Supreme Court proposes panel to probe IPL betting

Hearing a petition filed by the Cricket Association of Bihar seeking an injunction on N. Srinivasan performing his duties as president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the apex court has proposed a three-member panel comprising a former High Court judge to probe Indian Premier League betting issue.

The Supreme Court has put off N. Srinivasan's return as the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Deliberating on a petition filed by the Cricket Association of Bihar, the apex court has now suggested a three-member panel, headed by former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court Mukul Mudgal to probe the Indian Premier League betting scandal. The case will come up for hearing again on Tuesday.

The Supreme Court has asked both the BCCI and the Bihar association to give their views on the proposed committee. Apart from Mudgal, the other members of the three-member panel are senior advocate Niloy Dutta and Additional Solicitor General L. Nageswara Rao. Interestingly, Rao is also a cricketer.

It may be recalled that Bihar had appealed to the Supreme Court to form an independent committee to investigate corruption in IPL after the Bombay High Court on July 30 had declared as "illegal and unconstitutional" a BCCI-appointed panel consisting of two former judges. A Bombay High Court Division Bench of Justices S.J. Vazifdar and M.S. Sonak had given its ruling after hearing a public interest litigation filed by Bihar's Aditya Verma, who challenged the constitution of the commission by the BCCI and the IPL governing council, especially as it was formed when Srinivasan was still active president of the BCCI. Needless to say, the BCCI panel gave a clean chit to Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals owners who faced charges of betting during IPL games.

On Monday, the Bihar association expressed its opposition to Arun Jaitley as a member of the probe committee. Jaitley is a former vice-president of the BCCI and reckoned as the 'brain' behind Srinivasan, who was forced to step aside as the Board president in June when the IPL scandal rocked the cricket fraternity.  Last week, the BCCI proposed the names of Jaitley and Dutta as part of a panel to probe afresh the corruption charges against team owners of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. Bihar did not agree to this panel.

Supreme Court judges Justice A.K. Patnaik and Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar on Monday said it wanted an "independent" panel that will not only investigate the IPL scandal but also give "recommendations" to the BCCI. After Bihar suggested the names of former Supreme Court judges B.N. Srikrishna or S.H. Kapadia, Justice Patnaik and Justice Khehar proposed the committee to be headed by Mudgal. The apex court is now expected to ratify the panel on Tuesday.

It is still not clear when Srinivasan can assume his office as BCCI president. However, the Supreme Court has said: "(Srinivasan) having been elected, he has to function and cricket has to go on". The same mood prevailed in the hearing on September 30 when the Supreme Court criticized the way the BCCI was functioning. "There is something wrong," the judges said, even asking why the Board "had lost its credibility."

Justice Patnaik and Justive Khehar felt Srinivasan was elected "democratically" and an organization like the BCCI cannot work without a head. Bihar lawyers also said the president had to work since Srinivasan had to take major decisions on behalf of the richest cricket body in the world. At the BCCI Annual General Meeting in Chennai on September 29, Srinivasan unanimously won a year's extension but could not assume office till the Supreme Court disposed of a petition that restrained him from taking charge.

Since August, the Supreme Court has been deliberating on a Special Leave Petition filed by the Bihar association that wanted the court to restrain Srinivasan from contesting the BCCI elections because his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was charge-sheeted by the Mumbai Police for corruption during Indian Premier League matches earlier this year. Although the Bihar body said Srinivasan had "no moral right" to lead the BCCI, the court allowed Srinivasan to take part in the elections, but only just.

Like a Test match, the Srinivasan camp is surely facing the test of patience. While indications of Srinivasan's return as BCCI president is quite apparent, the judges are in no mood to rush. BCCI's lawyers have already told the Supreme Court that Srinivasan will not participate in IPL-related affairs. Once the court approves the panel, the heat and dust over Srinivasan "officially" taking charge as BCCI boss should settle.