Asia Cup 2008

[Sita_SRK]

Asia Cup: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, SL, HK, UAE
June 2008
Tue 24
16:00 local, Group A - Bangladesh v United Arab Emirates

Tue 24
17:00 local, Group B - Pakistan v Hong Kong

Wed 25
16:00 local, Group A - Bangladesh v Sri Lanka

Wed 25
17:00 local, Group B - Hong Kong v India

Thu 26
16:00 local, Group A - Sri Lanka v United Arab Emirates

Thu 26
17:00 local, Group B - India v Pakistan

Sat 28
16:00 local, 7th Match, Super Four - Bangladesh v India

Sun 29
16:00 local, 8th Match, Super Four - Pakistan v Sri Lanka

Mon 30
16:00 local, 9th Match, Super Four - Bangladesh v Sri Lanka

July 2008

Wed 2
16:00 local, 10th Match, Super Four - Pakistan v India

Thu 3
16:00 local, 11th Match, Super Four - India v Sri Lanka

Fri 4
16:00 local, 12th Match, Super Four - Pakistan v Bangladesh

Sun 6
16:00 local, Final - India v Sri Lanka
National Stadium, Karachi

Green=WIN

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/asiacup/content/series/298014.html?template=schedule

[Sita_SRK]

Bangladesh won by 96 runs in the match against UAE

Pakistan won by 155 runs in the match against HK...
Pak made 288
HK made only 133.....

[RaniLover]

India vs Pakistan on Thursday. I don't know where to watch it though :(.

[Sita_SRK]

^^You can watch it on this site live, but I think you need sopcast player.
http://www.brightcricket.com/

[pokeye]

India 374/4 in 50 overs. A bit less :P

[Sita_SRK]

^haha.. you call that a bit less yaar..LoL
Dhoni made 109 not out
Raina made 101
:clap2: :yahoo:

HK have 49/2.. haha....boo....

[pokeye]

lol, I wanted 400. :P


Heard Dhoni has hit some six that went out of the Karachi stadium. Wasim Akram said it was one of the biggest he has ever seen, and the biggest in this stadium.


EDIT: And what Hong Kong team is this? I couldn't find one Chinese player :P

[Sita_SRK]

India won by 256 runs!!! :yahoo:
man...india beat these guy like nothing...haha...
Heard Dhoni has hit some six that went out of the Karachi stadium. Wasim Akram said it was one of the biggest he has ever seen, and the biggest in this stadium.
reallyy!! :clap2:

And what Hong Kong team is this? I couldn't find one Chinese player I was just looking at the players... WTH.. I wonder where they got the 'Hong Kong' name from..:haha:

[Sita_SRK]

Sri Lanka won by 131 runs in the match against Bangladesh....
SL also did very well!

[Gangsta]

Pakistan tearing India into shreds here. I'd have expected runs in the end of the innings from Afridi, but it is Yousuf doing all the scoring now. Pakistan might post somewhere around 280, but given their good position, they should have scored at least 300.

[pokeye]

300 to win...

oh well

[Sita_SRK]

Pakistan ended up with a strong score...
so we need 300 to win....
GO InDiA!

[RaniLover]

Nice Ghambir is out already. We need Sehwag now.

[Sita_SRK]

46/1
Sehwag hit 2 fours and Raina 4 fours... going steady....

[pokeye]

54/1 in 8 overs @ 6.75/over

[RaniLover]

300 feels like nothing...

[Sita_SRK]

75/1 RR is 6.71
Sehwag and Raina--good partnership going...

[pokeye]

Free hit ... and.... SIX!!! :wink: me likes

[Sita_SRK]

woohoo...16 runs in the last over...
98/1
3 sixes!!

[pokeye]

oye chak de phatte.... 100 up @ 7.34 runs / over. another 5 overs of field restriction.


--

req. run rate down to 5.5

[Sita_SRK]

116/1 RR 7.17

Raina fellow is in top form.. last match he made 101! and Sehwag giving them stick.....Go India!! :yipee:

edit: 120/1 another 4 by Raina....

[pokeye]

Raina is playing some gorgeous cricket. Pull, cut, drive... everything from the middle of the bat. He has completely overshadowed Sehwag, no less.

[Gangsta]

Umar Gul injured too?? Big blow for Pakistan, given that they will miss Malik's bowling as well. Younis Khan will have to bowl a few here, looks like.

[pokeye]

50 for Sehwag. of 46 balls. Quiet one, by his standards. lol

[Sita_SRK]

139/1 a six by Sehwag!!:banana: India need another 161 to win!
Sehwag--quite but dangerous... i'm glad India's bringing in some new, fresh players...serves the team great!

edit..146/1

[pokeye]

150 up in 20 overs. 150 more to go in 30 overs lol

[Sita_SRK]

18 runs in last over... RR is 7.88
ahaha.....go Sehwag! really pushing the score.. another SIX by Raina!!

[Sita_SRK]

Sehwag on 91
Raina on 81.....since when is Sehwag 10 runs ahead of Raina...lol..
need 108 to win....

[Gangsta]

This is massacre. Sensational hitting by Sehwag and Raina.

[pokeye]

Lol almost 200 in 25 overs. They were more cautious with Hong Kong :D

[Sita_SRK]

^Lol true..
210/1
Sehwag made his 9th hundred in ODIs!! :yipee: superb batting


Edit: aww...shoot.. Raina out..

[PrettY_WoMaN]

I missed most of it :groan: Sehwaaaaaaaaaaaag :yourock:

[pokeye]

80 to win in 21 overs :D less than 4 per over needed. :clap2:

Boy, who would say they are chasing 300 seeing this.

[Sita_SRK]

India need another 52 runs to win...
Dhoni and Yuvi batting..

[Gangsta]

I miss T20. This 50-over thing is extremely borging. If it is going to favor the batsmen by such a margin, then it is better to watch just an hour of this nonsense. Malik, Raina et al are poor poor players, and such tracks do the bowlers no justice whatsoever. T20 and test cricket - rest can go.......

[Sita_SRK]

^ what are you talking about... ODIs are awesome!!

[pokeye]

Quickest 300 chase by India ever. In 42 overs.

More reason to believe that with the current and upcoming crop of players, led by Dhoni, India might be on its way to become the top limited overs side in the world. In all conditions.

[Sita_SRK]

yayy!! Dhoni finished it off with a SIX!! :yahoo:
high scoring match....:clap2:

[Gangsta]

^ what are you talking about... ODIs are awesome!!

Would you want to bowl in an ODI like this? Not me. If people like Malik and Raina are going to hit me around with disdain, I'd prefer I bowled only 4 overs instead of 10. We are killing bowlers by doing them no good.

[RaniLover]

Congratulations India on the win but seems like Pakistan likes losing to India in the group stages and winning in the final :P.

[pokeye]

Man of the match Suresh Raina!

Qualitywise, deserved. He hit some amazing, beautiful shots. But still Sehwag...

[RaniLover]

Could have been either both played really well.

By the way it is India's first win against Pakistan in Asia Cup since 1983. Though I'm not sure how often they've played the tournament.

[Sita_SRK]

Yea.. India is really improving! You can definitely see that.
Pakistan made a great score... however, their bowling attack was weak..and also Gul got injured..

At the end, Raina really deserved to be man of the match!

[pokeye]

Getting to finals could prove to be tough for Pakistan.

Srilanka and India have gone to the next round with 2 bonus points each by topping their groups. Assuming (may not be a cakewalk though) that Srilanka, India and Pakistan all win against Bangaldesh, then Pakistan has to beat both India and Srilanka to make it to the finals. So basically if India and SL beat Bangaladesh, Pak has to win all their games in the next round.

[Sita_SRK]

I just posted up the remaining matches....:wink:

[RaniLover]

Getting to finals could prove to be tough for Pakistan.

Srilanka and India have gone to the next round with 2 bonus points each by topping their groups. Assuming (may not be a cakewalk though) that Srilanka, India and Pakistan all win against Bangaldesh, then Pakistan has to beat both India and Srilanka to make it to the finals. So basically if India and SL beat Bangaladesh, Pak has to win all their games in the next round.

Isnt it semi-final format? Im guessing India would play Bangladesh in that and Sri Lanka will play Pakistan. So we only have to beat Sri Lanka to get into the finals :hmm:.

[pokeye]

No its Super Fours. Check the first post/schedule

[pokeye]

Ganguly adjudged best Asian cricketer and batsman

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2008/jun/27castrol.htm

[Sita_SRK]

tfs poki! :clap2:

[RaniLover]

Wow Kapali with a smashing hundred, India could be in some trouble chasing a target of 280+. Bangladesh are 274/5 with one over left.

What a knock from Kapali.

[RaniLover]

Uthappa is bowled. India are 14/1.

[RaniLover]

India well on their way to winning easily now but good display from Bangladesh today as well.

[Sudipta]

we are winning :).bangladesh put up a good effort

[pokeye]

Blah! No match...

This Indian team knows what it is like to be champions. Not saying they can't lose, but it will need a real bad day from them or something very special from the opponents. They'll no longer crumble under little pressure.

[RaniLover]

Blah! No match...


Dead pitches give you the false hope that 280 is a competitive score lol. Wait I should say REALLY dead pitches, because just dead pitches is an understatement for Pakistani pitches.

[Sita_SRK]

India won in the match against Bangladesh! Raina made 116 :clap2:

[pokeye]

If Pakistan lose to Srilanka today, a Ind-SL final is very very likely

[RaniLover]

I think Pakistan will beat SL...it is 35/1 right now for Pakistan.

[RaniLover]

Nevermind I pick Pakistan to lose :D. Poor batting display how can you bat this poor in Pakistan?!

[RaniLover]

ROFL that was expected of Afridi. World's dumbest cricket player.

[Sita_SRK]

SL won by 158 runs..... they're in the final....
they made 332/8
Jayasuriya made 130 from 88 balls.. also.. it's his bday...:clap2:

[pokeye]

If India win one more game, they'll be in as well. But they play Pakistan and SL now

SL seem to be in awesome form. Jayasurya started going crazy in IPL itself lol

[Sita_SRK]

^yea.. SL has been top scoring all the way....
also... Muralitharan picked up 5 wickets...

[pokeye]

yesterday Mendis picked up 4 wickets. Deadly SL spin attack with these two. India have to play them well. And get solid strategies in place for Jayasurya and Sangakarra. India's bowling hasn't been good in this series. Where the hell is Irfan Pathan? He is injured from the start of the series... why did they bring him then and not some other bowler!

[pokeye]

Super Fours

..................P...W..L.......Pts...Net RR
Sri Lanka......3...3...0........6...+2.353
India............2...2...0........4...+1.022
Pakistan.......1...0...1........0...-1.280
Bangladesh...2...0...2........0...-2.030

http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/asiacup/engine/series/298014.html?view=pointstable

[Sita_SRK]

oh yes..SL bowlers and batsmen are in top form. Jayasuriya and Sangakkara are in dangerous form...I really hope India put up a fight in the upcoming match..
I was reading somewhere that Pathan will be okay by the 2nd game but he's not playing?

thanks for posting the points table yaar :D

[Sita_SRK]

Dhoni unhappy with back-to-back games

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/asiacup/content/story/358593.html

[Sita_SRK]

India made 308/7
good score...now it's up to the bowlers to bowl Pak out..

[Sita_SRK]

man.... Pak is scoring pretty fast... 31/0
RR 7.24

65/1
yess.. Butt run out! :out:

[Gangsta]

Another run-fest !! :rolleyes:

[pokeye]

What happens if India lose both games and Pak win both? both will be at 4 points... net run rate or something else?

[Sita_SRK]

^Don't they look at the net RR.
It doesn't look good for India.... I hate when India does this, they're always on a high and then next minute, they're letting the other team beat them.

[Gangsta]

Nasir off the field due to cramps. HUGE blow for Pakistan and India are in the driver's seat now. All said and done, this is where fitness plays such a big part in the game. Look at Dhoni, he scores a brilliant 71, keeps wickets, captains the game and is ON full-time. That is extremely good fitness levels, both physical and mental. If you can get your physical fitness right, the mental part of it will come along.

Edit: Younis Khan seems to be in such ridiculously good form these days. But then, he has always dominated India in all forms of the game. And he has borrowed a lot of his batting from the Aussies seemingly. As soon as Nasir retired hurt, he immediately counter-attacks the two spinners for boundaries. Good fight from Pakistan this, but India still favorites to win here. If only this was a 220-ish wicket, it would have been a lot more interesting.

[pokeye]

Chawla has got a wicket.

Yea it has been a mammoth effort from Dhoni. He was really struggling for breath towards the end of his innings. Was probably even getting cramped but is still keeping and using his brain all the time. I hope India can pull this one off and Dhoni can take a day off tomorrow.

[Sita_SRK]

poor India has got back to back matches...

Pak has 168/2

[Gangsta]

Yea it has been a mammoth effort from Dhoni. He was really struggling for breath towards the end of his innings. Was probably even getting cramped but is still keeping and using his brain all the time. I hope India can pull this one off and Dhoni can take a day off tomorrow.

Wow, good effort indeed. He is probably just one of two cricketers in the world that are probably liked by pretty much everyone, the other being Brett Lee. They just go about doing their job and give it their all every single time. A ball might miss the edge of Dhoni's bat, but once the umpire raises that finger, he is off immediately. And same with Lee. He will produce a HUGE appeal, but once the umpire says not out, he immediately starts treading back to his bowling mark. True sportsmen indeed.

Back to the cricket, Misbah swings Sehwag over cow-corner for a SIX. And Younis pulls YET another sweep to square leg for four. Poor poor bowlers, what a farce this is, batsmen dominating start to finish.

Pakistan 205/2, needing 104 off 19 overs at less than a run-a-ball with 8 wickets in hand.

[Sita_SRK]

This is def going to be a Pak win.. they just need 62 runs again. Pak put up a great fight!

[Gangsta]

Viewers in the US can watch a FREE live feed here (http://www.cricinfo.tv/asiacup2008/)

Edit: Younis Khan hits YET another hundred against India. Take a bow YK. Or even better, get to the other end and do some push-ups. He should patent that sweep shot, he plays is as well as Aravinda and Lara, the two best exponents I have seen. But those two could sweep off just about any length, even fast full-tosses. Not sure YK can do that, but Chawla might beg to differ.

[Sita_SRK]

^tfs Bala! :D

[Sita_SRK]

Pak won!
I really hope India win the match against SL tomorrow :fingerscr...but by just looking at Jayasuriya's form and Muralitharan's bowling...it looks like a difficult task..:wall:

[pokeye]

But what happens if India nd Pak end up with same points? Pak goes to the final coz they beat India in super fours or NRR is seen? :hmm:

[pokeye]

He is probably just one of two cricketers in the world that are probably liked by pretty much everyone

I know countless hopeless Ganguly worshipers who believe Dhoni is the worst thing to happen to cricket. lol Earlier it was Chappel-Dravid, now Dhoni :D

[PrettY_WoMaN]

:haha: by 8 wickets?!?! LoL look what T-20 has done to ODIs.

[RaniLover]

Easy win for Pakistan in the end by 8 wickets but I think India will probably still beat SL, my gut feeling that SL might rest some players?

But ya if Pakistan beat Bangladesh and SL beat India then automatically Pakistan make it to finals and India will be out.

Therefore really, if India beat SL then India vs SL final if India lose to SL then Pak vs SL final. It is all dependent on the match tomorrow.

[Sita_SRK]

my gut feeling that SL might rest some players?
:fingerscr I hope so!

[Gangsta]

I know countless hopeless Ganguly worshipers who believe Dhoni is the worst thing to happen to cricket. lol Earlier it was Chappel-Dravid, now Dhoni :D

Ah yes, of course. :haha: Know one such guy myself, how did that not hit me. Ok, qualification: "sane cricket followers, not fanatics". :D

[RaniLover]

:fingerscr I hope so!

I hope not :P.

[Gangsta]

Hmmm, target over 300 against an attack that has Murali might be a little too tough. But there is no Mendis, no Vaas, no Fernando, no Malinga. The rest of the bowlers - Weeraratne, Thushara, Kulasekara are just newbies and can be hit around for runs easy.

[pokeye]

Hmm.. the target looks stiff. Though Veeru-Gambhir are playing fearlessly as usual. But Murali... let's see


LoL the bowlers of all the teams should come together and threaten resignation

EDIT: Sehwag out :(

[Sita_SRK]

India has 121/1 so far
RR is 7.1
we just need another 188! Ind will make this!!
however Murali hasn't come in to bowl yet.....

[Sita_SRK]

136/2 RR 6.47
Muralitharan to the attack.....arghhhh
Gambhir got an lbw..
well, there's no rush, the batsman should take their time

[Sita_SRK]

188/2
I'm really liking how Raina and Dhoni are batting... they're keeping the RR above 6.00
Raina on 45
Dhoni on 25

edit: Ind on 200!! we just need another 100 more runs. Dhoni just hit 2 fours. Keep it up India

[Sita_SRK]

287/4 we need another 22 runs to win!
Finish them off India! :yipee:
Yuvi just hit a SIX!!

[Sita_SRK]

Yuvi finished it off with a four!! India Won!!!!:dance:

It's an India/SL Final!! :clap2:

[RaniLover]

Congratulations all of you :).

[Sita_SRK]

Dhoni is man of the match :clap2:

[pokeye]

Fantastic! I :bow: to the captain courageous...

Dhoni handled Murali brilliantly. Firstly, India played a bowler more today by dropping Yousuf Pathan... so that could have been a worry chasing 300+. Dhoni came out before Yuvraj and actually shielded him from Murali... we know how fantastic Yuvraj is but we also know he can struggle against quality off-spin. Mind you, it is Yuvraj, and not Dhoni, who is more experienced in international cricket. Not just the shielding, Dhoni played off Murali's overs very well too. That's it, Murali out of the way, wickets in hand, and the rest was as smooth as a baby's bottom :P

[RaniLover]

I don't think it's fair to judge any batsman on these kind of pitches.

[Sita_SRK]

Cricinfo final match preview

Batting giants prepare for final onslaught

http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/asiacup/content/current/story/359837.html

[pokeye]

Murali-Mendis! :escape:

[Sita_SRK]

^don't forget to add Jayasuriya...:groan:

[pokeye]

Jayasurya's batting you mean? Well ofcourse he can kill the opposition, but then so can Sehwag.

But SL's bowling with the two spinners is definitely stronger. Fast bowlers of both team are likely to struggle.

[Sita_SRK]

yea..Jayasuriya's batting of course. Sehwag-Gambhir partnership will kill'em.
I have full faith in India... I know they can beat SL and win the cup! Go India! :yipee:

[pokeye]

Ishant has regained some form. FINALLY. He's suddenly on fire.

But then Jayasurya is also on fire.

SL: 66/4 in 12 overs

[pokeye]

Woah Jayasurya is sensational. :bow: he's got 87 in 58 balls. doesnt care what the situation is



113/4 in 16 ovs :groan:

[PrettY_WoMaN]

Jayasuryaaaaaaaa LoL such a pain in our a-- get out fast. Please.:D


This is the first game I'm watching of this series LoL please don't lose India :korbo:

[pokeye]

:help: Get Jayasurya out.... He'll get 200 if he goes on like this. Dhoni think of something pleeeeeease

[pokeye]

72 balls since last boundary with Jayasuyra in the crease.


Well done spinners.

[pokeye]

India 58/1 and Sehwag is 50 not out LMAO

[Sita_SRK]

SL made 273
Jayasuriya made 125...but the good thing is that only he and Dilshan (56 runs) made most of the runs..the rest of the players didn't really make runs.
Well done bowlers!! Sharma got 3 wickets and Singh got 3!

Ind: 58/1 Gambhir out...
haha..Sehwag has 50 from 27 balls...he hit 10 fours..

keep up the runrate!! I'm sure India will beat out these runs

[Sita_SRK]

76/2
arrghhh
Mendis just came to bowl this over and got Sehwag out :groan:

[pokeye]

exactly what i was scared of

[Sita_SRK]

79/3
Yuvi out for a duck....Now.. i'm beginning to feel scared :sad:

[RaniLover]

SL on top.

[Sita_SRK]

Mendis got another wicket :bonk:
Mendis already got 3 wickets....just imagine...Murali didn't even come in to bowl yet:groan:
i like how the RR is above 6.00 but still, wickets are going

[Gangsta]

Be happy Sita. Mendis will play for KKR next season. :wink:

[pokeye]

Mendis is special. Sigh.

[Sita_SRK]

Be happy Sita. Mendis will play for KKR next season. :wink:
Yea.. that's great! great spinner added to KKR! :D

[pokeye]

I better switch to Wimbledon. I'll feel a little less bad to see Federer lose, than India lose. :P

[RaniLover]

I better switch to Wimbledon. I'll feel a little less bad to see Federer lose, than India lose. :P

Federer will come back inshallah.

[RaniLover]

SL win, great bowling by them. Seems like they do very well against in India in finals.

[Sita_SRK]

There's a WI-Aussie match going on.. I could switch but that'll make me more angry lol :groan:

ChAk dE InDiA!

[pokeye]

Srilankan offspin department should be regulated by ICC. They shouldn't be allowed to play both Murali and Mendis. This is just damn unfair on rest of the teams. :P

[RaniLover]

From today you would think India have never played spin before even though they are the best team in the world against playing spin.

[Sita_SRK]

They shouldn't be allowed to play both Murali and Mendis. This is just damn unfair on rest of the teams.
you can say that again..lol :yes:

Dhoni is still in there though...but we're def going lose the final. :sad:

Mendis fellow bowled us over--picked up 6 wickets wow