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By K.R. Nayar Three things stood out in the Rajasthan Royals versus Royal Challengers Bangalore match at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday (September 29, 2021).  A collapse from 100 for 1 to just 149, Harshal Patel misses a second successive hat-trick, and another wicketkeeper-batsman in Srikar Bharat rises. Harsh Patel in action watched by Umpire Anantha Padmanabhan and non striker Evin Lewis. Photo:IPL/BCCI It was a Royal collapse. From a strong 100 for 1, Rajasthan Royals could muster only 149 runs and gave the match on a platter to Royal Challengers Bangalore. Bangalore deserved to win by seven wickets for the Royal Challenge they displayed to get back into the game. Funny things happen in the IPL Rajasthan’s captain Sanju Samson, after the match, said: “Funny things can happen in IPL. We need to keep believing till the last match we play.” It was indeed funny the way his team’s innings ended. What was also funny was the fact that in all the other matches, it was...

 By K.R. Nayar We always have the Man of the match and star performers speak about their show after every match. Listening to them can be a learning curve since their remarks are based on the effort they have put in to be successful. A careful observation of their remarks reveals there is a lot to learn from them not only for every player in the IPL but also for cricket fans and budding cricketers. Sunil Narine with the Man of the Match award in front of the Sharjah Cricket Stadium dressing room. Photo: KKR Twitter  In the Indian Premier League matches at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium and Abu Dhabi Zayed Cricket Stadium on Tuesday (September 28, 2021), there were two star performers.  At Sharjah, in the Kolkata Knight Riders versus Delhi Capitals match, it was Kolkata’s Sunil Narine who emerged as the Man of the match through an all-round show while in Abu Dhabi it was Mumbai Indians Kieron Pollard who bagged the honour. In both these matches, it was the ...

  By K.R. Nayar After Sunrisers Hyderabad crashed out of the race for the play off, they produced a good show against Rajasthan Royals. Their approach of ‘nothing to lose and everything to gain’ spoiled Rajasthan’s hopes of a victory. Meanwhile, Sanju Samson has been waging a lone battle for Rajasthan often scoring half his team’s total. His knocks are now referred as the ‘Sanju Show.’ When Kane Williamson was in full flow. Photo: SRH Twitter  Strange things keep happening in the Indian Premier League. It is these unexpected turn around what makes IPL one of the exciting franchise leagues in the world.  He Kane do it Let’s have a look at what happened at the Dubai International Stadium on Monday (September 28, 2021). Sunrisers Hyderabad, a team that failed to rise to their potential, rose to the challenge from Rajasthan Royals to pull off a seven-wicket victory. They played the match with nothing to lose and everything to gain and earned more than what they expect...

  By K.R. Nayar Toby Lumsden, Head Curator of the Dubai International Stadium and the ICC Academy, literally monitors the playing area even after he returns home through the latest technology. The POGO stick that keeps track of the pitch and outfield  Dubai International Stadium has always been proactive in introducing the most modern methods to maintain its high standards as one among the best cricket stadiums in the world today.   The unique Ring of Fire lighting system, without floodlight poles, has been a special experience for the fans. Even when it come to the pitch and outfield, the best methods are followed for their upkeep. Toby Lumsden, Head Curator of the Dubai International Stadium and the ICC Academy, ensures that the wicket and outfield  remain intact to enable players to give their best. He now has a method to monitor the playing area even after he returns home. Lumsden, literally, thus watches the pitch and the outfield day in and day o...

 By K.R. Nayar The lowering of ticket rates at Sharjah is set to excite fans. Hat-trick boy Harshal Patel achieves his dream, and who is Srikar Bharat who came out to bat in the No.1 slot ahead of even AB De Villiers and Glenn Maxwell for Royal Challengers Bangalore? New ticket rates for the IPL matches at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium  There is happy news for cricket fans wanting to watch the Indian Premier League matches from the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Ticket rates have been slashed for the oncoming matches to be held at this ground. Speaking to cricketlovers.com Mazhar Khan, General Manager of the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, said: “Ticket prices for matches to be held at the Sharjah stadium have been reduced by 40 to 50 percent from the original rates. However, PCR would be required for entry to these stands.” Hospitality ticket pricing This should be a relief for all fans since it was turning out to be an expensive affair if they would have had to pay the original ticke...

By K.R. Nayar Anyone who appreciates exciting cricket must watch Glen Maxwell in action. While reporting on Bangalore’s match against Mumbai Indians at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday, I considered myself fortunate, like all those who were watching the match yesterday, to have been able to see the amazing skills in players like Glenn Maxwell. Glenn Maxwell shapes for a switch hit. Photo: RCB Twitter  One can never predict the shots that Glenn Maxwell would produce. Very often, neither the bowler nor the fielding captain has any clue of the kind of shot he may play.  Those who get to watch him live can proudly claim that they have watched closely one of the most innovative stroke players in the history of the game. On Sunday (September 26, 2021) Maxwell was in his elements displaying his switch hits with brilliance. It now strikes me how correctly he has been named 'Maxwell'. He really lives up to his name. ‘Max-imising well’ his abilities has always b...

  By K.R. Nayar Blaming the pitch for a team's defeat is always an easy way out.  When a team is unable to adapt to the pitch and score, this is a common excuse they resort to. If a pitch holds the key to victories, then there would hardly be any excitement in watching a batsman’s skill or a bowler’s technique.  Be it setting a small total or a batsman thrashing the bowler for sixes, pitches have always been the punching bag. Jason Holder in full flow. Photo BCCI/IPL There have been numerous comments floating around saying pitches for the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) in the UAE aren’t lively. When teams fail to rise to their potential, very often we blame it on the pitches. If pitches are made so that teams are able to score comfortably, how would we then enjoy the battle between the bat and ball?   One of the common predictions has been that teams must score over 200 runs in Sharjah to win matches. On Saturday (September 25, 2021) Pu...

By K.R. Nayar The new press box at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium is amidst the spectators. That gave me the opportunity to listen to the comments from the spectators clearly. Some of these comments were really funny and the pulse of the match could be felt very closely.   Mahendra Singh Dhoni with Suresh Raina steered Chennai to the target. Photo: CSK Twitter  The new press box at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium is very close to where the action happens in the stands. In the 80’s, the press box used to be close to the team dressing rooms, and used to be tucked in. But this new box is positioned in such a way that a straight lofted shot could well land in the press box and hence it’s better to take a good look at the batsman after every delivery before getting engrossed in keying in the report. So before I type, I tell myself "Watch out for a six!" A heavy sandstorm engulfed the whole stadium just as the match was about to start on Friday. Twenty-three years ago, when a sand...

  By K.R. Nayar There are many whose life revolves around cricket. They wait for big matches to be a part of it and contribute in some way and derive immense joy out of the whole experience. Umesh Lagad, a scorer at the Dubai International Stadium is one such character. He wears other hats as a coach and an umpire too. Umesh Lagad If you want to know the score when Mahendra Singh Dhoni got out, all you need to do is to ask Umesh Lagad. Umesh will not only give you the score but he will also tell you how many minutes Dhoni stayed at the wicket, how many runs he'd scored, out of which how many were boundaries, and how many dot balls he'd played.  Umesh, as everyone addresses him, can give you details more than what you asked for about any player that he neatly fills up for every match in the score-sheet.  He has been the scorer at the Dubai International Stadium since 2013. Umesh Lagad busy at work  It's difficult to forget Umesh once you've met him. Short in stature...

 By K.R. Nayar The revamped Sharjah Cricket Stadium is literally glowing after having dressed up in the Indian Premier League (IPL) colours. A walk through the new facilities at the stadium before the first match of the second leg of the IPL here was exciting. This historic stadium, which figures in the Guinness Book of World Records for hosting the maximum number of One Day International matches, looks set for more landmarks and is expected to carry on the tradition of producing thrillers. Sharjah Cricket Stadium ... it all started here  The revamped Sharjah Cricket Stadium has dressed up to host the second leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. This historic venue, which figures in the Guinness Book of World Records for having hosted the maximum One Day International matches in world cricket, is literally soaked in IPL’s colours. It was from here that international cricket took its first steps in UAE, and hence, right at the entrance to the stadium are the words “Sharj...

By K.R. Nayar   Kartik Tyagi, the hero of the Rajasthan Royals' victory, was said to have been laughed at by friends and relatives as a youngster when he'd revealed that he would be pursuing a career in cricket. On Tuesday he produced one of the finest last overs in an Indian Premier League match, giving away just one run and taking two wickets, to help Rajasthan pull off a two-run win over Punjab Kings. Kartik Tyagi. Photo: Rajasthan Royals Twitter   Rajasthan Royals' 20-year-old  Kartik Tyagi is said to be a stubborn youngster. Once he makes up his mind to do something, he goes full out for it and achieves it. He has done this all through his cricketing career. On Tuesday, by producing one of the greatest last overs in an Indian Premier League match, he bowled Rajasthan Royals to a stunning victory. Punjab Kings needed only four runs to win off the last over but Tyagi was determined not to give away those runs. He gave away just one run and took two wickets to crus...