Sports News

Mumbai takes on wounded KKR

Wednesday, 16 May 2012 10:28

Winning ugly or winning in style, as Mumbai Indians has done in its previous two games, counts for little when teams are jostling for places in the DLF IPL-V playoffs. The two points gained from victory is critical as the event approaches its business end.

MI's earlier away win over Kolkata Knight Riders was marked by an ovation from the Eden Gardens crowd for Rohit Sharma, unbeaten on 109 from 60 balls, in a collective score of 182. Its bowlers Lasith Malinga, Kieren Pollard, Dwayne Smith and Munaf Patel defended in style.

Rayudu, Rohit and to a certain extent, Dinesh Karthik continue to be vital links in the batting chain as MI faces off against KKR on Wednesday night. All three have the strokes, can improvise in any situation and revel under pressure T20 puts its performers under.

Sachin Tendulkar's partnerships with Herschelle Gibbs in the previous two games appear to have calmed the dressing room anxiety about starting trouble, so the team management can now concentrate on putting other pieces of the puzzle together in the two league ties remaining.

Can Kings XI Punjab deliver again?

Tuesday, 15 May 2012 09:35

If there is one team that fits the bill of being a dangerous ‘floater', Kings XI Punjab is the one!

Not taken as a serious prospect for a place in the playoffs, Kings XI has had its glorious moments to stay in contention in the last week of the league phase. No in-form team has been able to intimidate the ‘underdog'. Having won four of the last five matches, Punjab now faces off with table-toppers Delhi Daredevils on Tuesday.

Two defeats in the last three games have not hurt Delhi much. As things stand, only complacency can slow down the host when it plays Kings XI and Royal Challengers Bangalore over the next three days.

Punjab is obviously upbeat after pulling off a sensational last-ball victory over last-placed Deccan Chargers on Sunday. As in the past victories, it found a new hero Gurkeerat Singh Mann. The Mohali-boy complimented skipper David Hussey's game-changing knock with a 12-ball 29 and put the finishing touches with a boundary.

Serena, Federer triumph

Monday, 14 May 2012 10:29

A fired-up Serena Williams sent out a warning to the young pretenders of women's tennis when she powered to a crushing 6-1, 6-3 victory over world No.1 Victoria Azarenka to win the Madrid Open on Sunday.

The 30-year-old former No. 1 made the most of Azarenka's nervous start on the blue dirt of the Manolo Santana show court to race into a 4-0 lead.

After breaking the Belarussian's serve for a third time to clinch the first set, Williams turned the screw with another break early in the second and clinched victory on her first match point. Roger Federer matched Rafael Nadal's record of 20 Masters titles when he fought back from a set down to beat Tomas Berdych 3-6, 7-5, 7-5 in a gripping singles final.