McCullum's one-man assault - 158 not out - T20 record
Bangalore, India - April 18, 2008
McCullum justified his hefty $7,00,000 price tag with 10 fours and 13 sixes.
Brendon McCullum added substance to the hype surrounding the inaugural Indian Premier League tournament as he struck the highest-ever individual Twenty20 score to lead the Kolkata Knight Riders to a 140-run opening match victory against the Bangalore Royal Challengers.
The New Zealand opener went some way to fulfilling his £350,000 price tag as he smashed 10 fours and 13 sixes to finish unbeaten on 158 from just 73 balls. It was an innings unlikely to be matched for the remainder of this 59-game tournament and one to delight the Knight Riders' Bollywood actor owner, Shah Rukh Khan, who watched on as McCullum's one-man assault led his franchise to 222 for three.
In reply the home side never threatened to haul in their victory target as their top eight batsman failed to reach double figures before they were eventually bowled out for 82. But it was McCullum who stole all the headlines on the opening night of this eagerly-anticipated tournament.
Following a 45-minute opening ceremony Bangalore captain Rahul Dravid won the toss and elected to field in front of a capacity crowd at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Praveen Kumar's opening over proved anti-climactic with only one run coming from the bat, a mis-timed pull by McCullum from the final ball. But the New Zealander was quickly into his stride belting four consecutive boundaries from Zaheer Khan's next over, including a fortuitous top edge over third man.
Subdued performances from Sourav Ganguly (10 from 12 balls) and Ricky Ponting (20 from 20) failed to slow McCullum. The 26-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman breezed past Cameron White's previous highest Twenty20 mark of 141 with a contrived lap-sweep over the wicketkeeper's head, before finishing the innings with three sixes from the final over.
The home reply began poorly as they lost the early wickets of Rahul Dravid (two) and Virat Kohli (one) before Jacques Kallis struck the first boundary of the innings in the fourth over, planting Ajit Agarkar over mid-off. But the South Africa all-rounder fell next ball, mis-timing a drive to Murali Kartik at mid-on, to usher a steady stream of wickets. Tailender Kumar (18 not out) was the only Bangalore batsman to reach double figures, but he was left unbeaten when Sunil Joshi was the last man to fall, befittingly caught by McCullum at deep point to complete the comfortable win.
 
Source - News Desk-
Top ^
|
|
| |
English County Cricket vs Indian Premier League
Bangalore, India - April 18, 2008
Key differences between the county game and India's cash-rich Premier League. |
| |
The real premier league: India's billion-dollar cricket revolution
India - April 17, 2008
From Bollywood stars in their corporate boxes to the children playing on every street corner – they're all going cricket crazy. |
| |
Cheerleaders for Indian Premier League?
Bangalore, India - April 17, 2008
Washington Redskins cheerleaders, usually found urging on the American football side of the same name, will make their subcontinental debut when they take to the field for the Bangalore Royal Challengers, the newly created cricket team. |
| |
IPL Countdown Begins
By News Desk, Bangalore, India - April 15, 2008
The countdown to the biggest extravaganza cricket has ever known starts now. The fixtures are advertised, the teams are assembled, the prize money's ready ($3m), the adverts are airing, the public are salivating. |
| |
Bollywood IPL fever
By CW - Adithya Ramesh, Bangalore, India - April 12, 2008
With barely 6 days left for the biggest cricketing extravaganza - IPL, the franchisees are leaving no stone unturned to create maximum awareness for their respective teams. |
| |
BCCI - A Cricket World Dictator
By CW - Adithya Ramesh, Bangalore, India - April 09, 2008
There is a new dictator born in the world of cricket. It is BCCI or Board of Control Cricket in India. It is the richest board in the cricket world. Do you remember the Sydney test in January when India toured Australia in 2007-2008. |
| |
Hrithik Roshan may be brand ambassador for Mumbai Indians
The cine stars play an important role in the Indian Premier League (IPL) starting from April 18. There are rumours that Bollywood actor Hrithik Roshan is likely to be the brand ambassador of Mumbai Indians. |
| |
Is IPL money affected Indian Test performance
By CW - Adithya Ramesh, Bangalore, India - April 07, 2008
Everybody heard about Indian test team's poor performence against South Africa at Ahemadabad in just 3 days of play.The performence of India at Australian turf was very good.But after IPL auctions what has happened to the players? |
| |
Indian Premier League confirm Shoaib Akhtar arrival
Mumbai, India - April 04, 2008
Lalit Modi, the Indian Premier League chairman, has confirmed banned fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar will play in the Twenty20 competition later this month. |
| |
Shahrukh Khan and Kolkata Knight Riders loses Shoaib Akhtar
Mumbai, India - April 03, 2008
Shoaib Akhtar received a double-dose of bad news today. Shoaib sued by PCB and sacked by IPL. Pakistan star struck off IPL roster and handed £1.6m lawsuit. |
| |
The new serial killer
Mumbai, India - April 03, 2008
IPL matches with the irresistible combo of cricketing icons and Bollywood superstars threatens to lure viewers of primetime soaps |
| |
Missing stars leave India's IPL cold
India - April 02, 2008
"Why would I pay money to watch our own cricketers play against each other?" asked Shaumik Bose, 16. "This is just a glorified domestic tournament with lots of money." |
|
|
