The 'true' champions...

Splendid performance yet again by the team that has become invincible in the game of cricket. Not a single loss in any games in the WC, and not only defeating the other side but beating them comprehensively each time they have played.

What is it in them that led them to play like this team in this WC? Especially in today's era, when there are so many good teams playing, every team has been just falling apart like a pack of cards when it comes to playing them.

Another thing I want to highlight, is that they are very vocal about their strategy. This was said by Ricky Ponting prior to the finals.

"If you lose early wickets, then you allow Murali and those sort of guys to come into the game and that's when you are at your most vulnerable,"

"Our whole plan this week will be to get through the new ball as well as we can and keep wickets in hand for the middle period when Murali, Dilshan and Jayasuriya and those guys are going to be bowling.

"We can be a bit more aggressive and a bit more positive against them and try and put their slow-down sort of guys through the middle, put them under a bit pressure."

Probably this is not a statement that involves rocket science. But this is a team that WALKS their TALK. This is exactly what happened in the finals. They played the first few overs cautiously, kept wickets in hand, and then launched an attack - all bowlers going over 6 runs in an over esp. Murali. Now Sri Lanka knew the game plan but couldnt make any difference to the game, mere spectators to what the Aussies had in mind.

I am in awe for this great team! Well Done Aussies - you deserved every bit of this.

Last leg of visit...

The last leg of my trips begin on Tuesday!

Sweden for the WENA X meeting (1st - 6th). Definitely looking forward to meeting a few people and close friends.

After this, a couple of days (7-8th) in Norway for meetings and then 9 - 10th in London for a conference - Responsible Business Summit - Looks extremely exciting!

Just over 3 months to end an incredible experience...still hasnt hit me, but well once the new team starts to come, it for sure will!

Feels kind of weird with sorting out next steps - its the first time in my life where you do not know what you are going to do and what part of the world you will end up in about 4 months to go. I am sure a lot of people have a similar feeling going on...

Semifinals will begin - WC 2007

After an exciting super 8 league, we have the semi finalists (not so surprising though)

1st)


(Lankans looking deadly, great form, Malinga will be back in semis, Batting looking strong with Jayasuriya - the old horse running faster than he could ever have)




V/S



(The Kiwis - Have been playing brilliantly this series, definitely deserve a birth in the finals. Acco. to me, brilliant bowling attack with Bond, Oram, Vettori - though the only team that have beaten them - apart from Aussies are the Lankans)




2nd)


(Aussies - well bow down to the greatest team since a very long time. They have been comprehensively beating any side they have played against. Not even a slightest weak point seen in this WC. SA have a tough job ahead. Unless they have something going horribly wrong, they are set to win this WC. Though my hunch saying they wont, and they will be vincible)


V/S

(Def. the team that is at the bottom amongst the 4 semi finalists. Unless its their day, they are bowing out of the semis. Though you can never say. To win, I feel, SA needs to bat first and Smith, Gibbs need to pile up a huge score to put the Aussies under pressure.)





Cannot wait for an exciting finish! BETS for the finalists and the winners?

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Complaint against Tendulkar for dishonouring flag

This is what I read in the Indian news site. And I was surprised that people with such thinking and IQ exist in the world...

READ:
A complaint has been filed with the Delhi police against Sachin Tendulkar for allegedly dishonouring the tri-colour during the Indian team's stay in the West Indies last month by Subodh Jain, a social activist based in east Delhi.

And the reason?

The controversy erupted as AajTak showed a photograph of Tendulkar with a knife about to cut the cake in the presence of the Indian High Commissioner to Jamaica, K L Agrawal, at a function there. Jain has also named Team India and officials of the Indian High Commission in Jamaica where Sachin allegedly cut a cake in the colours of the national flag.

"I am disturbed that a person of Tendulkar's stature is dishonouring the tricolour. He should be a role model and by cutting a cake with tri-colour he disgraced both the nation and the national flag," Jain said.

I would not advise to read more of this article - but anyone interested - click here

I cannot believe this...heights of stupidity! The comments on this article are fun to read though...

Now the deal is I posted this so that other people can see how NOT to make use of their free time. Oh man, there are so many things to deal to improve the world and make it a better society than lodging such moronic complaints.

Dude, Subodh Jain if you manage to bump into this blog - do get a life man and seriously if you are so passionate about stopping people to dishonour India, I would advise you to keep your mouth zipped up for the rest of your life to further dishonour India!

Last 2 weeks...

I was out of action for a couple of weeks, because I was in trauma after India's disappointing exit from the WC and lack of proper internet in S. Africa!

I am back from AFRO XPRO in Joburg, which was an intense facilitator experience. A challenging experience with no electricity for the last 48 hrs of the conference got the grey cells of the faci team churning, but if it wasnt for the faci team the conference would not have been the same!

Thanks to Frances for being such a sweetheart of a chair. Kudos to the faci team - Gaspar, Rishabh, Betty, Stephanie, Moyo, Piero, Patrick, Habib! I had some of the funniest times getting to know these people and had so much fun chilling with these folks.


Overall the experience Africa was unique and overwhelming - to experience Africa and to see some similarities amongst people of that region, how they behave, act, think and have fun was extremely interesting to observe.

One thing I definitely was not even a quarter close to them was their dancing and hip-shaking abilities. But I had a blast with them, getting to know some really cool, passionate people who will shape the future of Africa!

Thank you everyone for making my time in South Africa memorable.

Pictures are on the flickr account...

I am back now in Rotterdam, and I cannot wait to start interviews for my potential successors... the coolest people on AI :) - if you havent guessed, I was talking about the AI ER Team!

With regards to the cricket WC, I am now over the loss and am supporting New Zealand to win this world cup! They are playing exceptionally well and they have some of the killer players who can give big surprises and might have a closer chance to win the cup! Go Kiwis!