Indian Cricket Team Updates

Kings XI Punjab coach Sanjay Bangar exuded confidence that his team will continue the rich form from last season where they finished as the runners-up in Pepsi IPL 2014. Bangar believed that the balance of the team is the key.  ( Also See:  Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) Squad IPL 8 - 2015 ) “Last year was a good season for us and we would want to carry on the winning spree this season as well,” Bangar said on the sidelines of KXIP’s pre-season camp in Pune. “We have a well balanced team and the entire coaching staff is positive about the team’s performance. "As a part of this camp, we will focus towards working on the strengths and improvement areas of the players and look forward to a great tournament.” KXIP will start their preparations for the eighth edition of the tournament with a camp at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) International Stadium in Pune. The players likely to join the camp are Beuren Hendricks, Parvinder Awana, Wriddhiman Saha, Anureet Singh, Shardul T...

IPL 8: Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) Players List 2015 Total 19 Players has been retained by Kings XI Punjab before Auction process of IPL 2015. Twelve Indian Players: Virender Sehwag, Axar Patel, Anureet Singh, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Karanveer Singh, Manan Vora, Parvinder Awana, Rishi Dhawan, Sandeep Sharma, Shardul Thakur, Shivam Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha and Seven Overseas player: Beuran Hendricks (SA), David Miller (SA), George Bailey (Aus), Glenn Maxwell (Aus), Mitchell Johnson (Aus), Shaun Marsh (Aus) and Thisara Perera (SL) has been already selected for IPL 8 Kings XI Punjab Squad before Auction process. Remaining Squad has been completed by Auction process. KXIP Released Players for 2015: Cheteshwar Pujara, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Murali Kartik. City:  Mohali, Punjab Founded:  2008 Home ground:  PCA Stadium, Mohali (Capacity: 28,000) Secondary home ground:  HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala (Capacity: 25,000) Owner(s):  KPH Dream Cricket ...

138 Number of matches played by Chennai Super Kings – second most by any side. Now only Somerset (144) have played more T20 matches than them.  (Also Read:  MATCH REPORT: SF2 - KINGS XI PUNJAB V CHENNAI SUPER KINGS ) 117 Kings XI Punjab’s total – their second lowest all-out total. The lowest remains 116 against Deccan Chargers at Dharamsala in 2011. 6 Number of ducks in the match (two for Chennai Super Kings and four for Kings XI Punjab) – most in a CLT20 match. 3 Number of an all Indian CLT20 final: 2011 (Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore), 2013 (Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals) and now  2014  (Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders). 2 Number of hat-tricks in CLT20. Parvinder Awana joined Wayamba’s Isuru Udana who did so against Central Districts in 2010. 1 Number of times Chennai Super Kings have beaten Kings XI Punjab this year – out of four games. Kings XI Punjab had won all three matches in IPL 2014. source: clt20.com

The Chennai Super Kings fixed their date with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the Oppo CLT20 2014 Final after they defeated Kings XI Punjab by 65 runs in the second semi-final played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. Neither team was ready to concede an inch in the first half, but CSK forced their way to a competitive 182 for 7 and then imposed themselves all over their opponents, bundling them out for 117.  (Also Read:  QUICK STATS: SF2 - KINGS XI PUNJAB V CHENNAI SUPER KINGS ) If Kings XI Punjab were found wanting on the field, CSK pouched everything that came their way, and that played a huge role in them decimating their opponents. Brendon McCullum pulled off a stunner to send back opener Virender Sehwag, MS Dhoni took a tumbling catch down the leg side to dismiss Glenn Maxwell, Faf du Plessis took a good catch running backwards to see the back of Manan Vohra and McCullum clung on to a sharp chance of George Bailey at short cover. Scoring run...

100 Percent – Kings XI Punjab’s win-percentage in this edition – four out of four. They became fifth side to win all league matches in a single edition after Trinidad & Tobago in 2009 (3 matches), South Australia in 2010 (4 matches), Sydney Sixers in 2012 (4 matches) and Rajasthan Royals in 2013 (4 matches).  (Also Read:  MATCH REPORT: M17 - KINGS XI PUNJAB V CAPE COBRAS ) 90 Percent – Kings XI Punjab’s win-percentage this year while chasing a target – only one loss in 10 chases. 8 Number of wickets lost by Cape Cobras in 34 balls while adding a mere 30 runs – from 105 for two in 13th over to 135 all out in 19th over! 7 Number of boundaries Thisara Perera conceded in 8 balls during his spell. 4 Number of wide balls sent down by Kings XI Punjab’s bowlers in the four games- least for any side in this edition of CLT20. source: clt20.com

The Kings XI Punjab maintained their hundred percent win record in the Oppo CLT20 2014 after they defeated Cape Cobras by seven wickets in their final group stage match at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali. After their bowlers did a very good job of dismissing the Cape Cobras for 135, the KXIP batsmen went about their job of knocking off the required runs without too much fuss, taking the team past the finish line in the 19th over. (Also Read:  QUICK STATS: M17 - KINGS XI PUNJAB V CAPE COBRAS ) Facing an asking rate of 6.80, Kings XI Punjab needed just one good partnership to push themselves in the driver’s seat. And that partnership came upfront as openers Manan Vohra and Virender Sehwag added 41 in 5.2 overs. Just like he did against the Northern Knights on Friday, Vohra was once again the aggressor in the partnershi p, scoring 23 runs off 15 balls, which included four boundaries. Though Vohra was dismissed in the sixth over, the platform had already been set f...

200 Scott Styris was playing his 200th Twenty20 match – he became first New Zealander and 13th player overall to do so.    (Also Read:  MATCH REPORT: M13 – KINGS XI PUNJAB V NORTHERN KNIGHTS ) 120 Margin of win for Kings XI Punjab – largest for any side in CLT20 history. Kolkata Knight Riders had beaten Titans by 99 runs at Cape Town in 2012. The win was also the largest for Kings XI Punjab in 109 matches. They had beaten Royal Challengers Bangalore by 111 runs at Dharamsala in 2011 IPL. 8.2 Number of overs taken by Kings XI Punjab to reach their hundred – fastest team hundred in CLT20 history. Royal Challengers Bangalore (in 2011) and Chennai Super Kings (in 2014) reached 100 in 8.4 overs. 2 Number of times Northern Knights have been dismissed for a below-100 total in this edition (they were dismissed for 92 against Hobart Hurricanes at Raipur). Knights thus became only the second side to be dismissed for a below-100 total twice in same edition. Incidentally the ...

Kings XI Punjab, true to their reputation of being a very dangerous batting side, lit up the evening skies at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali as they posted 215 runs on the board and then dismissed opponents Northern Knights for 95 to register their third win in the Oppo CLT20 2014. The resounding 120-run victory means Kings XI Punjab have returned to the top of the Group B standings and have secured their semi-final berth.  (Also Read:  QUICK STATS: M13 - KINGS XI PUNJAB V NORTHERN KNIGHTS ) Put in to bat, KXIP were off to a blazing start. And it wasn’t Virender Sehwag who caused the early damage. His opening partner Manan Vohra set things rolling in the first over with a crisp straight drive off Trent Boult and followed it up with a tuck of the pads, picking up boundaries on both occasions. He top-edged Tim Southee for a six in the following over and picked up three boundaries in the bowler’s second over as Kings XI Punjab brought up 50 on the board in 4...

255.55 Akshar Patel’s strike-rate in the match. His previous best in an IPL / CLT20 match was 120.00 (vs Delhi Daredevils at Delhi in IPL 2014).  ( Also Read:  MATCH REPORT :M5 - KINGS XI PUNJAB V BARBADOS TRIDENTS ) 100 Franklin’s wicket gave Thisara Perera his 100th wicket in T20 format. Glenn Maxwell was playing his 100th match. 61 Runs scored by Barbados Tridents in powerplay overs – most by any side in this edition of CLT20. 12 Number of times Kings XI Punjab have won a match while chasing a target of 175 or more.  9 Out of last 10 matches Kings XI Punjab have won while chasing a target. source: clt20.com

The PCA Stadium in Mohali witnessed its second thrilling match of the day when Kings XI Punjab outclassed the Barbados Tridents in a high-scoring contest. After Barbados Tridents had set a daunting target of 175, hosts Kings XI Punjab knocked off the required runs in the final over, registering a 4-wicket victory – their second win in the Oppo CLT20 2014. ( Also Read:  QUICK STATS: M5 - KINGS XI PUNJAB V BARBADOS TRIDENTS )   Partnerships were the key to KXIP’s success. Openers Virender Sehwag and Manan Vohra (27) added 41 before they were separated. Wriddhiman Saha then added 35 runs in the company of Sehwag, before Glenn Maxwell entertained briefly. The Australian, who pulled off the reverse sweep successfully the first ball he faced, scored three boundaries, before a crisply timed flick off the pads landed in the hands of fine-leg; he made 16 from eight balls. Sehwag made 31 before he couldn’t make contact while attempting to sweep Jeevan Mendis, and was ruled leg befo...

86 Kings XI Punjab’s win percentage while chasing a sub-150 target. They have won 12 out of 14 such games.   ( Also Read:  MATCH REPORT: M2 – KINGS XI PUNJAB V HOBART HURRICANES ) 14 Number of times Virender Sehwag has been dismissed in the first over of an innings- most for any batsman in T20 cricket, along with David Warner. 7 Number of times Glenn Maxwell has managed a strike-rate of 150 or more in an innings of 40+ for Kings XI Punjab. Only Shaun Marsh has done so more often for Kings- 8 times. 5 Number 5, 6 and 7 all scored 30+ in King XI Punjab’s innings- only the fifth such instance in T20 history. 3 Number of batsmen to aggregate 1,000 runs in T20 cricket this year. Glenn Maxwell joined Lendl Simmons and Dwayne Smith. source: clt20.com

In a match where the pendulum did a see-saw on a few occasions, Kings XI Punjab held their nerve to outclass the Hobart Hurricanes by five wickets at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali. After restricting the visitors to a modest 144 for 6, KXIP recovered from a poor start to eventually surpass the target in the 18th over.  ( Also Read:  QUICK STATS: M2 - KINGS XI PUNJAB V HOBART HURRICANES ) A target of 145 should have been a straightforward affair for Kings XI Punjab, given the riches in their lineup. However, Doug Bollinger rocked the chase very early when he had Virender Sehwag caught at thirdman off the first ball of the chase and dismissed Wriddhiman Saha in the third over. Ben Hilfenhaus joined in the act when he picked up the dangerous David Miller first ball. And when Ben Laughlin accounted for the wicket of Manan Vohra in the eighth over, KXIP were in a dire situation at 51 for 4. In a low-scoring match, on a surface that didn’t have too many demons,...