Indian Cricket Team Updates

Pravin Tambe’s is story that showcases perseverance and a dedicated pursuit of one’s craft. Although he ended up on the losing side in the final, Rajasthan Royals’ leg-spinner, who turns 42 on October 8, received the Golden Wicket in the Karbonn Smart Champions League Twenty20 2013. He claimed 12 wickets form five matches to finish as the highest wicket-taker of the tournament. (Also Read:  Ajinkya Rahane: Sorry Couldn't Win The Game ) Tambe, who was playing a tournament of this stature for the first time in his long career, foxed and asked questions of some of the best players of spin bowling. In the nurturing environment of the Rahul Dravid-led Royals, he grew from strength to strength and displayed his art in full flow.  (Also Read:  Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians, Final - Report: CLT20-2013 ) Disappointed about the loss, Tambe said that had RR won the match, they would have had something to give Rahul Dravid, who played his last match against the Mum...

Anil Kumble shares a special relationship with the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium. Many of his bowling exploits for India were architected there, including the historic 10-wicket haul against Pakistan in 1999. It was on this very ground where the former India captain played his final international match, in 2008. (Also Read:  Sachin Tendulkar: All My Dreams Have Come True ) India’s highest wicket-taker in Test cricket now has another reason to remember his favourite cricket ground fondly. This time, however, it is not for his own performance but that of his wards at the Mumbai Indians. The mentor of the team was brimming with pride after MI drubbed the Rajasthan Royals by 33 runs in the final to lift the Champions League Twenty20 2013 trophy. (Also Read:  Rohit Sharma: My Team Stuck By Me Through Thick and Thin ) In a chat with clt20.com, Kumble spoke about the jittery start his team made to the tournament and how they fought back to take the title. He paid a loving tr...

Prolific run-scorer and a delight to watch when he is on song, Rohit Sharma has also impressed with his leadership skills as he lead the mighty Mumbai Indians to the Karbonn Smart Champions League Twenty20 2013 title after lifting the IPL trophy earlier this year. The youngster from Mumbai has been at his best while marshalling his troops after a slow start to the tournament. (Also Read:  Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians, Final - Report: CLT20-2013 ) A brilliant performer with the bat, he amassed 173 runs from five matches at a strike-rate of 151.75, leaving the audiences mesmerized with his impeccable timing. He made crucial contributions with the bat and led the team proactively, which gained him high praise from various quarters. (Also Read:  Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians, Final - Stats Highlights: CLT20-2013 ) While speaking to clt20.com after the finals win over the Rajasthan Royals, Sharma said that although captaincy wasn’t an easy task, the support...

142 Runs added by the Mumbai Indians batsmen in the last 10 overs, after being 60 for one in the first 10. 63 Runs scored by the Mumbai Indians in their last four overs. The Rajasthan Royals could manage only 14 while losing 7 wickets. (Also Read:  Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians, Final - Report: CLT20-2013 ) 23 Number of balls taken by Sanju Samson to score his fifty – the fastest by any player in a CLT20 final. Sydney Sixers’ Michael Lumb had taken 33 balls against the Lions at Johannesburg in the last edition. (Also Read:  Rohit Sharma: My Team Stuck By Me Through Thick and Thin ) 8 All 8 Mumbai Indians batsmen had a strike-rate of more than 100. Each one of them also hit a boundary four or six. (Also Read:  Ajinkya Rahane: Sorry Couldn't Win The Game ) 4.3 Overs taken by the Rajasthan Royals to race to 50 – their joint second-fastest 50 ever. 4 Ajnikya Rahane scored his fourth consecutive 50 in the tournament. He became the first player to...

In a match befitting of a tournament decider, the Mumbai Indians defeated the Rajasthan Royals in a thrilling final played at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium to be crowned champions of the Karbonn Smart CLT20 2013. After posting a daunting 202 runs on the board, MI dismissed their opponents for 169 to win by 33 runs. (Also Read:  Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians, Final - Stats Highlights: CLT20-2013 ) The Rajasthan Royals’ run-chase was a reflection of true grit, determination and a never-say-die attitude one has come to associate with the team. Set to chase a mammoth 203, the Royals innings began on a disastrous note as opener Kushal Perera was run-out in the very first over. But that set the stage for young Sanju Samson, who was promoted to bat at No.3. The 18-year-old showed no nerves despite the huge task in front of him. He played some outrageous shots – mostly through the leg-side – en route to his fourth half-century in Twenty20 cricket, which gave his team a seriou...

With 10 wickets from four matches, one of the senior-most – when it comes to age – players in the Rajasthan Royals’ squad, Pravin Tambe, has been instrumental in the team’s fortunes. In fact, the 41-year-old is currently the leading wicket-taker in the Karbonn Smart Champions League Twenty20 2013.  (Also Read:  Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings, SF 1 - Report: CLT20-2013 ) After taking the key wickets of S Badrinath, Dwayne Bravo and Suresh Raina and posing a few questions to the dangerous MS Dhoni in the semi-final, the leg-spinner is hoping to claim the prized wicket of Sachin Tendulkar in the final if the Mumbai Indians make it to the title clash on October 6.  (Also Read:  Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings, SF 1 - Stats Highlights: CLT20-2013 ) A few days shy of his 42nd birthday, Tambe has made his presence felt while playing for RR by delivering when required. While speaking to clt20.com after his match-winning performance of 4-0-10-3,...

13 Number of consecutive matches won by Rajasthan Royals at home this year – all 8 IPL games and all 5 CLT20 games. (Also Read:  Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings, SF 1 - Report: CLT20-2013 ) 28 Number of wickets taken by Dwayne Bravo in CLT20 – most by any bowler. He was earlier at level with CSK teammate R Ashwin, with 25 wickets. (Also Read:  Pravin Tambe: I Hope To Take Sachin Tendulkar's Wicket ) 46 R Ashwin’s score – highest by a No.9 batsman in CLT20. Lasith Malinga held the previous record with an unbeaten 37 against Chennai Super Kings at Chennai in 2011. 73 Runs added by Chris Morris and R Ashwin – highest partnership for eighth wicket in a CLT20 match. The previous best was 53 (unbeaten) between Harbhajan Singh and Lasith Malinga for Mumbai Indians against Chennai Super Kings at Chennai in 2011. 90 Number of balls Pravin Tambe has bowled in the tournament without getting hit for a six – most by any bowler in this edition of CLT20. 100...

On a day when the Afghanistan cricket team wrote a fairytale script to clinch their berth in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, the Rajasthan Royals – underdogs in the first semi-final of the Karbonn Smart CLT20 2013 – scripted one of their own as they overcame the formidable Chennai Super Kings by 14 runs to march to the title clash on October 6. After posting a competitive 159 runs, RR restricted CSK to 145/8.(Also Read:  Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings, SF 1 - Stats Highlights: CLT20-2013 ) The Royals needed an out-of-the-world performance from their bowlers and fielders to humble the mighty Super Kings. And that is exactly what Rahul Dravid’s men brought to the ground on the day. They were led by their 41-year-old leg-spinner Pravin Tambe, who broke the backbone of the CSK innings with sensational figures of 4-0-10-3. (Also Read:  Pravin Tambe: I Hope To Take Sachin Tendulkar's Wicket ) Royals’ bowlers and fielders ensured they made it difficult for the ...

226.08  Brad Hodge’s strike-rate in the match. In terms of strike-rate, there have been only three better performances for Rajasthan Royals in an innings of 50 or more. ( Also Read:  Rajasthan Royals vs Otago Volts, M18 - Report: CLT20-2013 ) 200  Number of T20 matches played by Brad Hodge. He became fourth player to reach the 200-game mark, after Albie Morkel (242), David Hussey (221) and Kieron Pollard (214). (Also Read:  Ajinkya Rahane: I Wanted To Stay Till The End ) 66  Number of balls bowled by Pravin Tambe in the tournament without conceding a six. 23  Number of balls taken by Brad Hodge to race to his 50 – fastest by a Rajasthan Royals batsman in CLT20. Sanju Samson held the previous record with his 41-ball 50 against Mumbai Indians at Jaipur on Sep 21. 12  out of 12 – Rajasthan Royals’ win record at home this year. They won all 8 IPL games and all 4 CLT20 games held in Jaipur in 2013. 4  Number of wickets lost by...

71.42 Rajasthan Royals’ win-percentage at home. They have now won 25 out of the 35 T20 games they have played at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. (Also Read:  Rajasthan Royals vs Highveld Lions, M9 - Report: CLT20-2013 ) 50 Quinton de Kock’s wicket was Shane Watson’s 50th for the Rajasthan Royals. He became the third player to do so, after Siddharth Trivedi (65) and Shane Warne (58). Incidentally, Watson also holds the record of aggregating most runs (1845) for the Rajasthan Royals. 41 years 352 days – Pravin Tambe’s age. He became the oldest player to take a four-wicket haul in a CLT20 match. 10 Number of consecutive matches won by the Rajasthan Royals at Jaipur. They have, in fact, not lost a single match played here in 2013. 5 Number of Indian players to captain in 50 or more T20 games. Rahul Dravid joined MS Dhoni (152), Gautam Gambhir (75), Virender Sehwag (58) and Sachin Tendulkar (55). 4 for 15 – Pravin Tambe’s figures – best for an Indian bowler on CLT2...

A spirited bowling performance helped the Rajasthan Royals register their second win in as many matches in the Karbonn Smart CLT20 2013 and displace the Otago Volts from the top of the table in Group A. After posting a competitive 183 runs on the board, the Royals bowled and fielded well to restrict the Highveld Lions to 153 and registered a 30-run win. (Also Read:  Rajasthan Royals vs Highveld Lions, M9 - Stats Highlights: CLT20-2013 ) Needing to score at 9.20 runs an over, the Lions were off to a flier with Quinton de Kock picking up two boundaries and a six early on. His opening partner, Rassie van der Dussen, struggled to get the ball off the square in the face of some disciplined bowling from Vikramjeet Malik and James Faulkner. Shane Watson, introduced into the attack in the fourth over, struck with his third delivery when he had de Kock (18) caught at cover. van der Dussen (14) took the aggressive way to break the shackles and hit Malik for a four and a six, bu...

For 41-year-old Pravin Tambe, the last couple of months have been unlike any other he has ever experienced, seeing as how he was an unlikely inclusion in the Rajasthan Royals’ squad. Since then, the Mumbai-based spinner has been one a talking point among the cricketing faithful across the country. (Also Read:  MI vs RR - M66 Report & Stats: IPL 2013 ) However, Tambe’s journey has stretched many years prior to IPL 2013, when as a club cricketer he toiled in virtual anonymity. During all those years – and even post 40 – Tambe was driven by his love and passion towards a sport that has now afforded him the opportunity to rub shoulders with the best in the world. In only his second IPL outing, Tambe got to bowl against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. While the leggie has plied his trade at this ground before, it has always been at the club level. Showcasing his skills in front of a packed house at the home of Indian cricket was undoubtedly a dream come true fo...