wankhade

Man of the Match, Hat-Trick Super King Balaji!!

The world seemed to have forgotten him, there were questions asked as to where has he disappeared, up he comes and answers to all his fans with his smile and the Hat-Trick.
Yes Lakshmipathy Balaji, the first to get a Hat-Trick in the IPL fixtures. His spell was a turning point. The Punjab kings were going great guns. In comes Balaji, takes 2 wickets in his first over. It was a pulsating moment .Pathan was on the verge to get his side to
a victory. Balaji bowling the final 20th over, first ball, off it goes for a six by Pathan.
The Chennai Super Kings were on the gas. Second ball of the over, Pathan goes for a biggie, but his effort going in vein as he gets caught. Chennai crowd celebrates. He would have not yet thought about the Hat-Trick. Third ball, Chawla gets out.
It was at that time when he would have thought of a Hat-Trick He goes to his bowling mark and comes up pacing towards towards the stump. VRV Singh gives a wild swing and up goes the ball in the air and captain Dhoni grabbed it with two hands.


This was the first Hat-Tick of the IPL. Every one were so joyed that they forgot that there was one more all to be bowled and the match was not yet over completed the spell and Victory for Chennai Super Kings was the result. He ended up with figures of 5 for 24 which by any means show up as a good effort on the score card.
Man of the Match- Lakshmipathy Balaji.

Injury can do anything to the fate of the players. He was back with fame while he returned from the Pakistan and the tour down under( 2004). He was the most popular man amongst the Indian players in Pakistan. He has won the heart of people with his simplicity, modesty and his sweet killer smile. Balaji Jara Dhire Chalo is what I can recollect that was the popular song being chanted in the tour to Pakistan. Post that tour he got injured and since then there was no coming back for balaji. People had almost forgotten him.

Bouncing back is the name of the game. And that was exactly what balaji did.
There are some players with their very own charm. He won accolades with his charm in the days where he played for Indian national team before he got injured.

There are so many bowlers in the IPL in the peak of their form yet they could not achieve in the IPL what Balaji did. No wevery single time balaji comes to bowl, he will get all the attention for sure.

Looking back for your come back Balaji!!

Mumbai’s New Rocking Stadium- D Y Patil .

Day 27th of April 2008, all roads lead to this new stadium which was waiting to host first match of international reckoning for itself. I was on my way to watch this debacle. Even before I could go to the stadium my day was made. We were on the road while suddenly I could listen to the siren of the security jeep. Some thing passed whistling besides us.
My eye caught the glimpse of this bus and this bus was none other than Team Mumbai Indian Team Bus.

I had already gone mad even as I saw this bus, chasing it was the only thing in my mind. There I caught the glimpse of some players, but the thing that mattered most and that made my day was to get a sight of Swash Buckling Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar himself. He was seated in the front seat of the bus and there my eyes like an x-ray from the dark glass spotted him. I went berserk and started chanting his name. Soon I waived at him and the biggest reward I got was that he waived back to me. Soon the team bus passed whistling into the stadium and then we had to give up the chase as we were not allowed to enter from there.

Enter the stadium after lots of chaos regarding the entry gate; there I see the absolute treat. Lush green outfield and absolutely good seating arrangement. The entire look of the stadium was mind blowing and with the crowd of Mumbai filling in, it was absolutely amazing. As usual the chanting off ‘Sachin Sachin’ was going on top of the voice even though Sachin was not playing in this match. The crowd was enjoying every bit of it, but only point of loosing interest was that the home team was loosing the match.

The match was very well organized at the DY Patil stadium wherein you could find less of police man, but more of security guards and the college volunteers guiding the spectators.

Even Adam Gilchrist who hit a superb ton was amazed of this stadium and crowd that he went on records saying that DY Patil stadium is at par with any other International Stadium. The Mexican waive was amazing as usual and the pitch was also good.

Only point of worry that after 3 matches, rest of the matches are shifted from DY Patil to the Wankhede Stadium. There’s nothing wrong with the ground or stadium only point of consideration is that it’s far away from the players hotel. Its some 40 km away from the hotel. The players had to travel a lots and there is no single ground close to their hotel.

But what ever DY Patil Ground had to offer, it was awesome and the people are going to cherish the memories.