Indian Premier League playoff race still wide open
The playoffs for the Indian Premier League are fast approaching, and there is still everything to play for. Two of the league's nine clubs will not be participating in this year's postseason, but the remaining seven are separated by just four points.
Delhi Daredevils split its last two matches, but that was good enough to put the team back in the drivers seat with three matches remaining. Delhi posted a 193/1 against Deccan, which was more than enough to overwhelm the Chargers' 187/4. However, the team received a reality check against Chennai Super Kings. Delhi was held to a 114/5, which was easily overcome by Chennai's 115/1 after only 15.2 overs.
The Super Kings kept the late-season run going, as the team scored 127/6, which was enough to defeat Rajasthan Royals' 126/6 after 18.1 overs. Chennai again won against Kolkata Knight Riders, posting a score of 160/5, which was just enough to squeak by Kolkata's 158/6.
Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore each won once in their two recent matchups. In the first fixture, Mumbai was beaten after 18 overs, as its 141/6 was not enough to hold off Bangalore's powerful bats. However, the team got its revenge in the second match, as its 173/5 was enough to get past Royal Challengers' score of 171/6.
Currently, Delhi and Mumbai are level on 18 points, with the former leading on net run rate. Kolkata and Chennai currently hold the final two playoff spots with 17 points apiece. However, Royal Challengers is within striking distance, as it is two points adrift with two matches to go. Both Rajasthan and Kings XI Punjab have everything still to play for, as both teams have 14 points. Both Deccan and PWI are mathematically eliminated from making the playoffs, as both have experienced a dreadful run of form.
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Kolkata takes slender lead in Indian Premier League table
With three-quarters of the regular season gone in the Indian Premier League, Kolkata was able to knock Delhi Daredevils off of its perch, but the playoff race is still tighter than ever.
The Knight Riders won two crucial matches this week to catapult the side into first place. Kolkata defeated Pune Warriors India's 143/8 by scoring a 150/5. After that, the Knight Riders comfortably posted a 154/4, defeating Delhi, as the Daredevils could only manage a 153/9. While Delhi still has a game in hand, Kolkata holds a one-point lead in the table.
Mumbai Indians also remained on pace in the race for first, as the team scored a 174/8, which was enough to defeat Chennai Super Kings' 173/8. Chennai picked up a win earlier in the week, as the Super Kings posted a 160/6, which was comfortably enough to take down Deccan Chargers. That team was only able to score 150/5 in the loss.
Deccan's struggles continued, as the team was only able to score 181/2, which was easily overcome by Royal Challengers Bangalore's 185/5 in 18.5 overs. Problems persisted for Deccan, as Kings XI Punjab scored 170/5, which the Chargers had absolutely no chance to come back from, as the team only put up a total of 145/8.
Kings XI struggled to a 134/8 in an earlier match against Rajasthan Royals. The Royals initially scored a 177/6, which was easily enough to overcome the competition. Rajasthan continued its winning ways by absolutely destroying PWI. After only giving up 125/6, the Royals cruised to a 126/3, after only 16.2 overs.
With Kolkata in the IPL lead, it is still closely chased by Delhi and Mumbai. Rajasthan is in fourth place with 12 points, only leading Kings XI on net run rate. Chennai currently sits in sixth with 11 points from 12 matches, and Royal Challengers is in seventh with the same number of points. PWI is reeling – having lost its last five matches – and sits in eighth with eight points. Deccan still remains at the bottom of the table with five points.
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Remittances to India topped $60 billion last year
A considerable number of Indians went out of their way to send money home to their families last year, a new report from the World Bank has discovered.
According to World Bank data, total remittance flows to India hit $64 billion last year. That represents 3 percent of India’s gross domestic product, which is the total value of goods and services produced in a year.
Prior to this most recent report, the World Bank had reported in November of last year that India received about $58 billion in 2011. However, due to the rupee weakening, new estimates pushed the value of remittances northward to just under $64 billion.
Another reason for the revision, according to the World Bank, had to do with more economic activity occurring in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, which include Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Morocco. While many Indians send money to India from the United States, the agency says Indian migrants have been relocating to the gulf countries frequently in recent months due to heightened economic activity.
As for what explains the increased pace in which natives are sending money to their homeland, it may have something to do with rising interest rates, according to industry expert Avijit Nanda. Nanda told The Times of India that interest rates for non-resident Indian have increased 125 basis points since November of last year, prompting more people to send money.
“We estimate that the remittance flows into India have gone up 20 to 25 percent as compared to the same period last year,” added Nanda.
Consistently, India ranks among the leading countries for total remittances, along with the Philippines, Mexico and China, where remittances represent approximately 1 percent of the Asian nation’s GDP.
The World Bank report also projected that remittances to the developing world increased last year, rising in virtually all nations with the exception of the Middle East and North Africa. As for what to expect in the years ahead, the agency says remittance flows to developing countries should increase by as much as 7 to 8 percent, potentially reaching $467 billion overall by 2014.
Delhi in command as Indian Premier League season hits halfway mark
The India Premier League season is moving quickly, and while the playoff picture may still be wide open, there is one team that is making a good case to be the regular season champion. That team is Delhi Daredevils.
Delhi won its past two matches, though one was a bit easier than the other. The first match was against Mumbai Indians, and Delhi rolled to a score of 207/5, which was more than enough to take care of Mumbai's 170/9. However, the second match was much tighter. The team held off Rajasthan Royals, scoring a 152/6 – just enough to overcome Rajasthan's 151/3. The two wins put Delhi squarely at the top of the table, with 14 points from nine matches.
The biggest competition to Delhi at the moment – Kolkata Night Riders – kept up its chase by posting a 190/4 against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Kolkata was not phased and forced Bangalore to have a disappointing 143/6 in the match. The previous match for Royal Challengers was almost as disappointing, as the team was forced to abandon the match against Chennai Super Kings without a ball being bowled.
Chennai's woes continued, as it was only able to earn a 149/8 against Kings XI Punjab. The latter scored a 156/8, nullifying Chennai's home field advantage.
Deccan Chargers earned its first win of the season, as the team split its last two matches. The first was a victory against Pune Warriors India, as Deccan posted an impressive 177/4, easily enough to defeat PWI's 159/7. However, Deccan fell on wickets to Mumbai, as the Chargers scored 100, just short of Mumbai's 101/5.
The results leave Delhi in first place with Kolkata three points behind in second. Mumbai currently has 10 points, only four adrift of first. Chennai and Royal Challengers are both tied with nine points for the final playoff spot, with the former leading on net run rate. Rajasthan, PWI and Kings XI all have eight points, and are very much in the playoff race. Deccan has three points, and if the team is going to make a late push, it will need to start soon.
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Delhi leads but IPL table is still tight
There really is no favorite for the IPL playoffs as of yet, as the top eight teams are separated by four points. The continued dogfight only makes the league more exciting, and the race is not even at the halfway point.
Delhi Devils split their past two matches, as the team's 172/7 was not enough to defeat Pune Warriors India's 192/3. However, a win on Tuesday in the return fixture evened things out. Delhi posted a 148/2, which was easily enough to overcome PWI's 146/2.
In addition, Delhi actually benefitted from some bad weather, and this wasn't even at their own match. The Kolkata Knight Riders and Deccan Chargers were unable to bowl even once on Tuesday, ending the match as a draw. This prevented Kolkata from getting a win and sitting atop the table with Delhi, and it also gave Deccan its first point of the season. The result gave Kolkata a total of three points from two matches against Deccan over the weekend, as the Knight Riders posted a 127/5, which was comfortably able to defeat Deccan's 126/7.
Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians split their two matches over the past week. In the first fixture – which took place on Sunday – Kings XI edged out its rivals by scoring a 164/4, enough to defeat Mumbai's 163/6. However, in the next match, Mumbai posted a 171/6, which just overcame Kings XI's 168/3.
Rajasthan Royals dropped two crucial fixtures, and was unable to make real progress in the table. The first fixture was against Chennai Super Kings, where Rajasthan posted a 146/4 – not enough to overcome Chennai's 147/3. In the second match, Rajasthan gave up 189/3 to Royal Challengers Bangalore, and had absolutely no chance of coming back. The Royals only scored a 143/7.
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Delhi Daredevils overtake Rajasthan in race for first
The Indian Premier League just past the quarter mark of the season, and there's a new leader, as Delhi Daredevils have rocketed into first place following three straight wins.
Delhi most recently posted a 162/5 to overcome Deccan Chargers. The Chargers were only able to manage a score of 157/8, which keeps the side rooted to the floor of the IPL table. Luckily for the side, it only has played four matches, so there is still hope to make the climb back into the playoff race.
For Delhi, the win puts them above Rajasthan Royals, as they have a superior net run rate (+1.018 to +0.646) despite being level on eight points a piece. In addition, Delhi has a match in hand, which could prove valuable as the race continues.
Pune Warriors India missed two opportunities to make a splash in the league this week, as the side lost two matches, dropping it to six points from as many contests. First, PWI scored a 182/6 against Royal Challengers Bangalore, but it was not enough to defeat the latter's 186/4. In the next match, PWI came up short again, as its 151/7 was outdone by Chennai Super Kings' 164/5.
Kings XI Punjab also missed two opportunities this week, as it posted a 124/7, which was easily overcome by Kolkata Knight Riders' 127/2. A meeting with Royal Challengers was much of the same, as Kings XI scored a 163/6. Royal Challengers continued its impressive form by winning with a score of 166/5.
There is a logjam in the middle of the table after this week's results. While Deccan and Rajasthan continue to battle it out at the top of the table, Kolkata, PWI, Chennai, Mumbai and Royal Challengers are all level on six points. Kings XI is immediately behind the pack with four, with Deccan at the bottom.
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Rajasthan rebounds, Delhi close behind
After Rajasthan Royals slipped up last week against Kolkata Knight Riders, the team rebounded nicely to take two important matches over the course of a busy weekend in the Indian Premier League.
The Royals were victorious against Royal Challengers Bangalore, slamming the team for 195/2 in Bengaluru. Royal Challengers was only able to muster a 136. In addition, Rajasthan kept its solid play going with a 197/5, upending Deccan Chargers, who put up a still impressive 196/2.
Rajasthan has an impressive eight points, but with two more matches played than its closest rivals, there is a chance for another team to take charge. Both Delhi Daredevils and Mumbai Indians are trying to make their presence known, but a very poor showing by Mumbai gave the team a huge setback. The Indians were only able to register a 92, allowing Delhi to cruise to a 93/3 victory.
Another club in the thick of the playoff race – Pune Warriors India – took advantage of an opportunity against Chennai Super Kings this weekend. After Chennai posted a 155/5, PWI was able to clip the strugglers with a 156/3. This puts PWI in a three-way tie for second place, with two fewer matches played than Rajasthan.
Kings XI Punjab recorded an important 134/9, which was enough to upend Kolkata Knight Riders. The win gave Kings XI four points after four matches, which is right where the team wants to be with a match in hand, as well as only two points from the playoffs.
There’s still plenty more exciting action this week. First, Royal Challengers face-off against PWI in Bengaluru on Tuesday, while Kings XI takes on Kolkata in Mohali. Then, on Thursday, a doubleheader of action begins with Delhi hosting Deccan Chargers and Chennai welcoming PWI. The week will likely shake up the table quite a lot, and Rajasthan may be dealing with some significant pressure from its rivals, as the team doesn’t take the field until Saturday.
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Mumbai has slender lead after four matches
The Indian Premier League is just starting to heat up, and Mumbai Indians has gotten off to a flying start.
The team has six points after four matches, as it recently overcame Rajasthan Royals by posting a 197/6. The Royals gave up their final wicket at 19.4 overs, only managing to score a 170. The win has Mumbai sitting in first, but not comfortably by any stretch. Both Delhi Devils and Pune Warriors India are both only two points behind, each with a match in hand.
Rajasthan’s troubles continued, as it tripped up against Kolkata Knight Riders, who scored a 137/5. Rajasthan batted first, but were only able to post a 131/5. This knocks them down to four points from four matches, and level with Kolkata.
Pune Warriors had a golden opportunity to keep pace with Mumbai, as they played Kings XI Punjab on Thursday, as the latter have had a slow start. However, it was Kings XI’s day, was they easily scored 116/3 after only 17.4 overs, destroying Pune Warriors and its disappointing 115. The win takes Kings XI out of the IPL basement, with two points from three matches.
Chennai Super Kings did its part to get to the middle of the pack this week, as the side defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore. Chennai powered through to overcome Royal Challengers’ strong 205/8 to reach 208/5.
More exciting fixtures are set for this weekend, as Pune Warriors take on Chennai in Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium on Saturday. In addition, two matches will occur on Sunday, with Kings XI Punjab heading to Eden Gardens to play Kolkata and Royal Challengers set to take on Rajasthan Royals in Bengaluru. The action doesn’t stop there, as later next week has a plethora of important matches, as league play picks up steam.
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Pune Warriors, Rajasthan Royals take early lead in IPL season
The Indian Premier League’s 2012 campaign is underway, and both Pune Warriors India and Rajasthan Royals have both started off their schedules strongly.
Rajasthan began the season with a win against Kings XI Punjab, as the Jaipur side hit for 191/4, and were able to outlast Kings XI’s 160/9. In the team’s second match, it scored a 164/5 and stopped Kolkata Knight Riders at 142. The only other club to start off with a perfect record from two matches was Pune Warriors, as it came back to score 129/9 against Mumbai Indians’ 101/9. The Warriors followed up the victory with another impressive showing against Kings XI, scoring 166/6 to the Mohali team’s 144/8.
Both Mumbai and Delhi Daredevils are not far behind, as both teams are level on points, with one more match completed. Mumbai overcame Chennai Super Kings’ score of 112 by an impressive 115/2, taking the match by eight wickets. The West Indian team rebounded from its loss against Pune Warriors to score 142/5 against Deccan Chargers, giving it a five-wicket victory.
Delhi started off its season with an easy victory against Kolkata, as it rolled to a win by eight wickets after posting a 100/2. After a tough loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore, the side rebounded by posting a 111/2 against Chennai, giving the Delhi another eight-wicket victory.
The results leave Deccan Chargers and Kings XI at the bottom of the table after two matches each. Both teams are dealing with net run rates of less than -1.
Mumbai takes on Rajasthan this week, in what will be very important for placement in this early part of the season. In addition, Pune Warriors also will have an opportunity to keep pace with the top of the table when the team faces Kings XI at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium.
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Enjoy the India Tour of Australia tournament and the Triseries with Xoom and Willow.tv
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