IPL 2012 Playoffs and Finals

It is the final week of the DLF IPL 2012 season. After a marathon run of 72 matches played across the length and breadth of India(9 teams playing each other twice), the playoff line up is decided. The last match is under progress as I write this piece.

It promises to be an exciting play off week, especially after lots of off-field action. Nonetheless, it has been a super tournament, loaded with cliff hangers and heart breakers.

Let us look at the teams who are in fray in the final week (and who couldn't make it to the last week).

The Also Rans

Pune Warriors finished last in the table. Under the leadership of Ganguly, and in the absence of Yuvraj, the team could not do much - winning just 4 matches. 

Deccan Chargers also finished with 4 wins, and 9 points. The stand out point for DC in this year's tournament was Dayle Styen. He bowled like a champion and affirmed his place as the best fast bowler in the world today.

Dale Steyn Dalai Lama

Rajasthan Royals, under Rahul Dravid and Kings XI Punjab, under Adam Gilchrist did a respectable job by finishing in the middle of the table. They were in the fray to go into the playoffs but couldn't give the final push. RR didn't miss Shane Warne this year, and did well under Rahul.

RCB, whose fortunes were guided by Vettori and Virat Kohli fell at the final hurdle. They couldn't score 130 odd runs against DC in their last group match and failed to progress into the playoffs. It would be a huge disappointment for Chris Gayle, who played like a champion all season.

The Potential Champions

4 teams across India hold the key to be the champions of IPL 2012. They are - Delhi Daredevils (DD), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

It has been an extremely sucessful tournament for DD and KKR. Under the leadership of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, both of them have excelled from the moment go. 

They do not have any star player akin Chris Gayle of RCB. Yet, they have gelled well as a team and come out with flying colors. If there were any teams who were sure to be in the playoffs based on the results of the initial matches, it was DD and KKR.

Virender Sehwag Gautam Gambhir

Mumbai Indian has also made its way into the playoffs at the number 3 spot. Led by Harbhajan Singh, backed by Sachin Tendulkar, and with the likes of Keiron Pollard and Dwayne Smith in their team, they have chugged into the final 4.

One thing that unites RCB, KKR and MI is that they are led by players who were not considered worthwhile for the post of vice-captain of the Indian cricket team. 

Virat Kohli was chosen over Sehwag and Gambhir, and both these players have proved a point with this IPL. Harbhajan was even dropped from the team, and here he is leading a million $ team in the playoffs.

Last but not the least is Chennai Super King. Under the leadership of the Indian captain, Mahender Singh Dhoni, CSK got a back door entry into the playoffs when RCB lost to DC in the penultimate match of the group stage today.

The Playoff Schedule

The first qualifier is scheduled in Pune between DD and KKR on 22nd May 2012. The winner of this match goes directly into the finals.

MI and CSK play the eliminator on 23rd May 2012 in Bangalore. The winner of this match plays the loser of the first qualifier, on 25th May 2012, in Chennai, for a shot in the finals.

The final is scheduled in Chennai on 27th May 2012. Let the best team win. 

The Off Field Antics

The IPL 2012 was loaded with lots of off-field antics. 

It started with Pune Warriors pulling out of the IPL, only to join the party later. Disappointingly, they finished last.

A week or so earlier, 5 players were caught on camera willing to accept a bribe for spot fixing. The players were not known names. However, spot fixing had cast its shadow and threatened to open a Pandora's box.

Just a few days later, Shahrukh Khan (SRK), owner of KKR, had a fracas with the security after the match against MI. This story became a national headline, and almost become a battle against a super star, who claimed just to be a proud parent preventing his kids from being man handled.

SRK Scuffle at MCA

SRK Off Field Antics

If this was not enough, a RCB player - Aussie Luke Pomersbach - was accused by a lady of molesting her and hitting her boyfriend. This incident snowballed when Siddarth Mallya was served a legal notice for questioning the lady's character with some loose comments on Twitter. 

Summary

All in all, it has been an exciting IPL. I couldn't follow much it. However, it has been an intense topic of discussions during tea and lunch breaks. The off-field antics notwithstanding, it is cricket that promises to come up as a winner in the next week.

It has been a heady mix of Politics, Religion, Entertainment, Business and Sports. 

Going by the form book, I think KKR would win the DLF IPL 2012.

Who is your choice for the IPL 2012 Champions Tag??

Super Moon 5th May 2012

Today is Super Moon day.

It's the closest the moon will get to the earth in year 2012. It would be shining bright at a distance of 221802 miles (356955 KMs) from the earth, which is approximately 15300 miles (24623 KMs) closer than the average distance.

Super Moon 5th May 2012

This would make the moon look 14% larger - although the naked eye would find it difficult to spot the difference.

~~~~

The super moon shines,

Our thoughts align.

To your company divine,

My future I consign.

Like the moon large,

My life you enlarge.

Stay alike every single day,

And make my life gay.

~~~~

Look out of the window and cherish the moment.

Super Moon

Catch some beautiful super moon pictures here.

Super Moon 5 May 2012 California

Luck and Fate

Interesting movies create interesting moments. Such instances reflect a reality of life which we often fail to notice in our fast paced lives. Or moments which makes the thought behind it all the more profound.

For a very long time now, I have been wondering and pondering about Fortune. Her thoughts have occupied my mind in my most disturbing as well as most solemn moments. 

Where does fortune stem from? Luck? Destiny? Hard work? God's Blessings?

Fortune Luck and Fate

Well, the answer is still an enigma. However, a scene in a movie I watched yesterday - 007 James Bond Golden Eye - shed some light on my question. 

The scene was as below.

---

Scene:-

James Bond, Agent 007 and Alec, Agent 006 are on a joint mission. The simplicity of solving the situational problem strikes on 007's mind, and he makes the remark below starting the conversation flow.

James Bond 007 : lt's too easy.

Agent Alec 006 : Half of everything is luck, James.

James Bond 007 : And the other half?

Agent Alec 006 : Fate.

---

In a very simple situation, spanning less than 10 seconds, they solved half the puzzle.

After all, isn't luck and fate two sides of the same coin - a coin named Fortune?

P.S. Yes, they are. However, Fortune isn't a two sided coin. It is multi sided facet. And I am still hunting for the answer. Maybe its a multi colored umbrella, like the one below?

Fortune - A multi colored Umbrella?

Persistence Is The Key

There are moments when the desire to let go is overwhelming. There are instances when the desire to quit is relentless. And all such thoughts can swirl into a tornado that rips through your mind.

In such moments, we need to calm our mind and recollect a few thoughts about Persistence. And seek blessings from God Almighty.

Check out a few quotes on persistence right below.

~~~~

The pain of discipline is much lesser than the pain of disappointment.

~~ Justin Langer

The real glory is being knocked to your knees & then coming back. 

~~ Unknown.

When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

~~ Unknown

He who struggles is better than he who never attempts.

~~ Swami Vivekanand

No one can really guarantee the future. The best thing we can do is calculate the risks involved, size up our chances, estimate our ability to deal with them, and then make our plans with confidence.

~~ Henry Ford

Obstacles are frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal.

~~ Henry Ford

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.

~~ Albert Einstein

Luck is not chance, it’s toil; fortune’s expensive smile is earned. 

~~ Emily Dickinson

The most important part of the story is the ending. No one reads a book to get to the middle.

~~ Mickey Spillane

Persistence trumps talent and looks every time.

~~ Aaron Brown

Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.

~~ Bill Eardley

Persistence is the horse before the cart. Let it take control, and it will take you past the winning post.

~~ Yours Truly

If you want to see the results of persistence, just remind yourself of those mountains.

~~ Yours Truly

~~~~

Persistent Mountains

Summer Dreams

It's summer time.

And is there anything better than relaxing on cool blue beaches, or around serene blue lakes?

Mauritius 

Dubai

Nainital

Hope you all get a nice summer break - away from work, school, college, classes, and from all your daily activities - to replenish your mind and thoughts, and enjoy the calm and warm summer air. 

Set your summer dreams alight.

A Plethora of Thoughts

They say, an idle mind is a devil's workshop. Well, it's true to some extent. 

An idle mind also offers an interesting opportunity to introspect. The realisations that a mind has in these simple moments are often deep and usually real. And we, in our busy lives, fail to identify with them.

I would like to make a note of few thoughts which crossed my mind - either at work, or before I slept, or in moments I was alone.

~~~~

• Common Sense is a misnomer.

• An unanswered question is an hydrogen balloon on the loose. The mind is your sky.

• Ignorance is not bliss. Never. In fact, it's a time bomb.

• Confidence is when I can look at you, into your eye.

• Nothing is more comforting than a friend who knows you well and understands you well. Be thankful to God for such friends.

~~~~

A Plethora of Thoughts

P.S. The sky is the limit for such intriguing thoughts.

Green Earth

Whatever I say would not be enough to extol nature's beauty.

Let me go straight to the pictures.

Mountains in Mauritius 

Jim Corbett National Park

On We Trudge - Jim Corbett

Oasis in a Desert - Dubai

Jungle Trail - Kanha National Park

An Ideal Backyard - Kanha National Park 

Miles to Walk - Kanha National Park

Such idyllic settings and infinite vastness make me ask one question - I am a speck in this tiny, beautiful universe. What  is the purpose of my life? 

Sachin Tendulkar Scores 100th Century

Sachin Tendulkar (God for Cricket Lovers in India and across the world) scored his 100th century in International Cricket in style today, silencing all his critics forever. 

In a One Day International match against Bangladesh, played in Mirpur, Dhaka, pregnant with heavy expectations, Sachin finally took the burden off his shoulders and reached a milestone that will stand the test of time.

Sachin Tendulkar scored Century of Centuries

No man - ever - has scored a century of centuries. Sachin is the man.

People break records. Sachin Tendulkar creates records.

I was lucky enough to watch Sachin scored his century in style. As he progressed slowly in the tricky 90s, the entire nation held its breath and prayed that Sachin did not falter on the final steps.

Sachin Tendulkar conquered his mind and did not let the nation down. Taking a single of Shakib Al Hasan, Sachin became the first man (and maybe the only man ever) to score 100 100s. He looked up to God Almighty to thank Him for this stupendous success. 

Sachin was modest in his celebrations. Yet, he would have been immensely happy on reaching his milestone. Most importantly, he told the world that the milestone was for his country. 

Sachin Tendulkar 100th Century

To look back, Sachin has been playing international cricket for the last two decades. 

Sachin made a classical debut against Pakistan way back in 1989. At a young age of 16, Sachin faced the battery of Imran Khan and co, and showed a promise to reach great heights.

Sachin made excellent progress over the years and became the most feared batsmen for bowlers around the world. You can recollect the Desert Storm innings by Sachin, where he knocked the steam out of Shane Warne in Sharjah in the mid 90s.

Sachin has always been hungry for more success. He echoed one thought - Yeh Dil Maange More.

Sachin Tendulkar Yeh Dil Maange More

Sachin launched a thousand cricket careers. Sachin gave many a bowlers sleepless nights. This video says it all.

Sachin's commitment to cricket has been exemplary. During the 1999 World Cup in England, Sachin lost his father. Sachin came back to India to complete his responsibilities, and flew back to England in a few days. In the next immediate match, he scored a century, blessed by God and his father. Need we say more.

In the 2003 World Cup, Sachin powered India into the finals, right from the doorstep of being knocked out in the first round. India lost in the finals, and Sachin's dream of winning the Cup for India was still unfulfilled.

India was knocked out of the 2007 World Cup in the early stages. The entire nation feared that a player as illustrious as Sachin would have to retire without a World Cup win under his belt. Sachin had other things in mind.

And in 2010, Sachin became the first man in the world to score a double century in One Days. He had achieved a feat which was unheard of.

And come 2011, the hopes of the entire nation rested on Sachin and Dhoni's men to win the Cricket World Cup 2011. Dhoni's men won the World Cup in style, sending the nation into a state of delirium. 

The players did it for one man - Sachin Tendulkar.

Sachin Tendulkar World Cup 2011

And as Sachin Tendulkar pursued his century of century for the last 1 year, the chatter for his retirement kept on growing. Sachin, however, persisted. Dhoni kept his faith in the master blaster. 

And today, Sachin achieved the impossible. Sachin scored his hundredth century. He achieved a mind boggling record.

Sachin Tendulkar has created a name for himself in the annals of history. A name that can never be erased.

Let's have a look at Sachin talking about his mega achievement.

It is not without reason that people say in India - Cricket is a religion, Sachin is the God.

Sachin has knocked the antics of the shameless Mamata Banerjee from the first page of the news papers. Sachin has taken of the glam (or disappointment) from today's Union Budget.

And tonight as he sleeps, he can sleep peacefully with the hope that he has realized peoples expectations from him, if not anything else.

Finally, it would be worthwhile to recollect this quote.

==

"When Sachin Tendulkar travelled to Pakistan to face one of the finest bowling attacks ever assembled in cricket, Michael Schumacher was yet to race a F1 car, Lance Armstrong had never been to the Tour De France, Diego Maradona was still the captain of a world champion Argentina team, Pete Sampras had never won a Grand Slam.

When Tendulkar embarked on a glorious Career taming Imran and company, Roger Frederer was a name unheard of, Lionel Messi was in his nappies, Usain Bolt was an unknown kid in the Jamaican backwaters. 

The Berlin Wall was still intact, USSR was one big, big country, Dr Manmohan Singh was yet to "open" the Nehruvian economy.

It seems while Time was having his toll on every individual on the face of this planet, he excused one man. Time stands frozen in front of Sachin Tendulkar. We have had champions, we have had legends, but we have never had another Sachin Tendulkar and we never will."

- Author Unknown

==

P.S. It has come to notice that Pakistan bowlers have ordered several packets of Huggies from the local pharmacy. Believe me, it won't help. The hotel staff would have to deal with wet beds for the next two mornings.

Flying Elephants

A friend told me something yesterday, and it goes as below :-

"If you want 'quality', 'low cost', and 'shorter time to deliver'... I can give you only Two".

I would like to add the below.

The person who made the demand (which prompted the above response) can be sometimes (or many a times) unreasonable. Maybe, the person is bound by his internal unreasonable compulsions. 

In such a case, you can reply back to him, "Tell me a way to make a baby in less than 9 months, and I will give you Quality, and Low Cost, all in a Short Time".

If a stunned silence doesn't follow, then the sun will not rise in the east tomorrow morning.

Unreasonable Demands - Flying Elephants

P.S. Flying Elephants exist only in cartoons.

All That I Need

She asked me, "What do I need today, tomorrow and forever?"

~~~~

Specks of white, waiting to be colored,

Eager to be erased, dark flecks rife.

All that I have is words,

To solve the crossword of life.

Myriad thoughts, varying themes,

Every night sets them alight.

All that I have is dreams,

To paint a canvas called life.

Miles to go before you sleep,

All that you have is courage deep.

I wish to be your companion forever,

In this life, our endeavor.

Brimming with aspirations much.

Seeking for a finishing touch.

All that you have in me is trust,

I'l gladly oblige, my lady august.

With blessings from God above,

You are my essence.

All that I have is love,

To fulfill our existence.

Lots to do in this journey small,

Keeping me afloat, avoiding my fall.

Someone gives me strength anew,

All that I need is You.

~~~~

All That I Need is You

P.S. Unknown You, Unknown Me.

Waiting

Human beings (you and me) experience a mixed bag of emotions in our life. There are different circumstances which provoke these emotions. There are varying experiences which elicit these emotions. 

And if there is one situation or context which educe a plethora of emotions, it is Waiting. 

Yes, Waiting in Anticipation.

I am Waiting

Think about the time when God Almighty would have created Adam and Eve, and waited for a moment, before releasing his creations on this very earth. He would have been supremely Delighted. 

Think about the time when you are creating something. As you see your creation take shape, and await its completion, you experience intense Joy. 

Think about the time when the baby is growing, and the parents are waiting for him or her to take the first baby steps. This wait would be characterized by Affection and Love for the baby.

Hope

Such emotions are indeed precious, and would be definitely better that the way I have projected. Let me delve into my own mind and look at some emotions I would have experienced.

Let me go back to school time. Back in school, waiting for the examination results would sometimes evoke Fear. What if I scored poorly in a subject? What if I didn't pass? And so on.

In those days, no one had heard about the internet. Snail mail was the in thing. E-Mail was an unknown commodity. People used to learn DOS.

The students had to give a self addressed envelope to the school folks. They would dispatch the results on 30th of April. And from the time the exams ended, till the results actually arrived by post, days and nights would be filled with Anxiety. And even Hope. And fervent prayers to God.

Anxiety

And after the results having actually arrived, and the burden being put off the heart, the care free bird (that I was) would play his heart out in the summer.

To add, such feelings of Anxiety, sometimes on the higher side, were cyclic and were repeated every year.

During the Engineering days, the exams were held every 6 months. The silly thing was that the results for a particular semester didn't turn up until the last month of the next semester. Such a long wait was often characterized by Frustration, and a deep sense of Anger for the evaluation mechanism.

And if I have to flashback to my placement exam, the wait of 8 hours -  between the exam and the selection announcement - caused intense Stress and Tension. 

Stress

I completely understand that a wait of 8 hours is very short as compared to the days and months which some people go though before landing up with a job. But the fact that it was a short wait itself added to the anxiety. It was like a T20 match, where before you know, the result is out.

There have been moments, where waiting for an acquaintance to turn up, resulted in Annoyance. Friends, however, are exempted from this feeling. There have been times, where the wait for a lonely weekend to pass away quickly, caused extreme Despair.

The wait before MSD cracked the last sixer in the World Cup finals had been filled with Excitement. The wait, before God Himself did the rescue act in the difficult times, were characterized by intense Fear and Helplessness.

Agony

The wait to ask a question, while the mind still being made up, caused relentless Agony. And if the question itself was not to be asked, or the point itself was not to be stated, the wait was followed by deep Regret and Remorse.

The wait for a dear friend to return a call was sometimes heart wrenching, causing Anguish. It was filled with moments of self doubt, and utterly low self confidence.

Envy

Lonely moments of waiting, in a public place, have often invited Envy and Jealousy in the mind. These are usually followed by pangs of guilt for having such disturbing thoughts. And sometimes, with feelings of Hope for a brighter future.

The wait for a friend evokes a mixed bag of emotions. I am yet to give a name to it.

The wait before sleep takes me over is sometimes characterized by Pride on the good work done though the day, or with Happiness resulting from help being extended to someone. Sometimes it is filled with Worry, and many a times with Gratitude and Contentment.

Contentment

A friend recently told me that she gets nervous while she gets ready to do her  work. She added that she gets excited too. Isn't it surprising that these two emotions coexist? Yes, they do and they manage to get the best out of her.

Nervous but Excited

I wonder why does a mind experience these myriad emotions while waiting. 

Is it because the future is unknown? Is it that we expect a particular picture of the future, and use these emotions as tools to realize the future as we want it? 

Well, questions are many, answers are few. I'm waiting for the answers. I don't think they would come out of some copybook. It would have to be a realization, provoked by Time and God Almighty.

Ultimately, waiting is a pause in our busy life, a pause to gather our thoughts, to appreciate life, to be thankful for the past and to shape up our mind and put the best foot forward in the future.

Of Symbolism

We humans believe in Symbolism. And our netas (read leaders) are the biggest proponents of symbolism. Come some occasion or an event, our leaders go gaga and indulge in blatant trumpet blowing.

It was Dr. MMS's turn a few days back. During the opening ceremony of the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas in Jaipur, he made an announcement stating that NRIs would be given a right to vote in India.

Manmohan Singh at The Pravasi Bhartiya Divas

Well done MMS. 

I have a few questions for Manmohan Singh. Did you get the idea of giving voting rights to NRI's one day before the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas? If not, why did you wait till that occasion to make this statement.? 

Do not blame me for thinking that you aim to play to the gallery and derive maximum political mileage from such basic administrative activities.

And if we are discussing about symbolism, then elephants are the topic of discussions across the country.

Mayawati

Behan (Sister) Mayawati, who is also the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh (the most populous state in India), built some 300 odd elephants across the entire state in her last five years in power. Not that she has a liking to the pachyderm. Incidentally, the elephant is the symbol of her party.

Now that elections are due across the state starting 8th Feb 2011, the Election Commission (EC) has ordered that all such elephants are to be draped.

Mayawati And Her Elephants

What do we have here? Once again, Symbolism. Mayawati squandered a lot of public money in building these statues, just for the sake of symbolization and for the benefit of her party. And the EC will be spending another "few" crores in draping these jumbos. And some more crores in lifting the drapes.

Isn't this a sheer waste of money?

Mayawati should be billed the entire amount expended and should be made to pay the money out of her own or her party's pocket. However, our gutless politicians are not capable of making such laws, which provide a mechanism to punish politicians who engage in wasteful expenditure.

The worst part is that a very severe winter is sweeping across the northern plains and mountains of the country. Homeless people are dying due to the lack of shelter. These people need clothes to keep them warm. And it's the  stone elephants who are getting draped.

Indian Democracy - A Sad State

Believe me, if Mayawati comes to power again, she would very well be inclined to do what Virat Kohli did to the Aussie crowd a couple of weeks ago. However, in my opinion, she would retain her dignity and not indulge in this kind of symbolism. After all, Mayawati is not Sonam Kapoor.

Virat is a young gun and must have been tormented a lot by the verbal insults being hurled by the Sydney crowd. He did what his mind told him to do. At the end of the day, he may have been fined half his match fees. But at least he made peace with his mind.

Virat Kohli

Why did the  Aussies get offended by Virat's antics? Aren't they the ones who provoked him? Symonds provoked Harbhajan and Harbhajan reacted. The Sydney Test Crowd provoked Kohli and Kohli reacted. 

Why are the odds always stacked up against the person who reacts instead of the person who provokes? Is provocation a lesser offense than reaction? 

For the world, it is. And in a situation, a lesser offense is always absolved and the greater offender is hanged.

Sonam Kapoor

As for Sonam Kapoor, her symbolism didn't work. Her movie - Players - didn't fly.

Just yesterday, there was a undeserved hue and cry about Salman Rushdie not being let into the country to attend the Jaipur Literary Fest. To protest against Rushdie being denied entry, two authors read The Satanic Verses at the Fest.

Symbolism once again. Come on guys, Rushdie is a no-hoper in India and The Satanic Verses is more than decades old. Stale stuff doesn't sell.

Well, if there is point which Dr. MMS, Mayawati, Virat or Sonam can learn, it is this quote by John Schlesinger - "Symbolism perhaps is a bit in your face, and I've tried my best to control that as best I can as I've grown older and thought that one could approach something with a little more subtlety."

P.S. I could carry some flyer's with this quote in my bag. And if I meet any of the above, I would hand them a copy of it. And hope that it brings about some improvements.

P.S.2. My strongest hopes of improvements lies on Virat's and Sonam's shoulders. The other two are seem beyond improvement. पर आपने सुना ही होगा, उम्मीद पे ही दुनिया कायम है !!