Coca Cola to be the associate sponsor of IPL!!!

Coca Cola used to be the official sponsor for almost all cricket matches in India. It had just stopped sponsoring. After about 7 years of complete isolation from cricket, Coca Cola is now back with a bang. It has signed as the on-air associate sponsor for the Indian premier League(IPL).
Being one of the four associate sponsors, Coke will pay between Rs. 16-20 Crores for the series which is at a much lower rate than other individual slot payers.

Main sponsors, Vodafone and Hyundai are paying between 22-26 Crore each. Coke's rival Pepsi will not be able to secure any commercial time during the IPL matches since Coke is the exclusive beverage partner as well.

China's woes!!!

China have their worries regarding the Beijing Olympic Torch being carried to various countries. The torch which was lit on Monday will be next passed on to Thailand. China has asked Thailand to tighten up its security for the safety of the torch. Due to the anti-Beijing protests in various parts of the world, China are worried regarding the safety of the torch. One of the torch bearers in Thailand has already backed out from carrying the torch due to the violence in Tibet. The torch is expected to reach Thailand by 18th of April. When it comes to India it has been urged that the torch should travel through Mumbai and not Delhi as the chances of violence in Delhi is greater.

Demonstrators wearing "Free Tibet" shirts also held up the start of the relay Monday by lying in front of cars, preventing runners from passing with the torch. Reports said at least another six people, including a Swiss national, were detained.

The torch relay is occurring as China faces criticism for its handling of protests by Tibetans against Chinese rule in the Himalayan region.

Sensex closes at 131 points down

Markets closed 131 points down finishing at 16086.Nifty closed 49 points down at 4828.Rupee declines by four paise against dollar.The other Asian markets are trading mixed on Wednesday. While South Korea's Kospi and Hong Kong's Hang Seng are in the green by over 0.3 per cent each, Japan's Nikkei is trading in the red by 0.3 per cent.
The BSE banking index shedding one per cent or 82 points is the biggest loser among the sectoral indices. ICICI Bank, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank and Union Bank of India are the major losers in this pack.

Tata to takeover jaguar landrover

Tata motors are set to take over jaguar landover for an estimated value of 2.25 billion dollors.This deal will make the company global.Tata will now count amongst world's major carmakers. Tata brand to encompass entry level at Nano, top end with JLR. JLR portfolio is the strongest in last 5 years.Tata benefits from this deal on technology and design fronts. SUV strength at Land Rover, a big asset to Tata. this has given TATA a great boost in both Engineering and development. JLR has 3 manufacturing plants. So deal with JLR will prove to be a great advantage for TATA.

Rio is the new England captain

England manager Fabio Capello has named Manchester United Defender Rio Ferdinand as the England Captain for the Game against France.
Many had expected Chelsea skipper John Terry to be given the nod for the Stade de France friendly, but an FA statement confirmed Ferdinand will lead the side instead. Fabio Capello will explain his decision at a press conference on Tuesday night.
Ferdinand has played 65 times for Englnad but this is his first game as skipper.Rio Ferdinand told in a press conference that it was an honour to be the England captain and he also said that he wanted to emulate his former team mate and now Sunderland manager Roy Keane.

England clinches series

England won the Test match in napier by 121 runs to clinch the series in style.Monty Panesar was the magician behind england's win with match figures of 6 for 126.Ryan Sidebottom was the player of the series for the heroics he performed with the ball.Sidebottom took 24 wickets in 3 Tests with an average of 17.

Resuming on 5-222, still 321 short of an unlikely victory, Taylor and McCullum continued on to a 105-run sixth-wicket stand - their side's only century partnership of the match - before Panesar broke through at 6-276 when he had Taylor caught at first slip by Paul Collingwood for 74.

Taylor again proved he will be a vital asset on the upcoming tour to England, showing both defensive technique and attacking flair in a 117-ball innings including 14 boundaries.

McCullum followed five runs later when he attempted to whip Panesar's quicker ball square and was bowled for 42.


Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel also offered resistance and provided nuisance value in a 48-run partnership, until a stunning catch from paceman Stuart Broad ended Patel's innings on 18.

Patel swept Panesar low and fine to Broad's left at short fine leg and the tall 21-year-old took a fine catch to his left. It showed another string to his bow after impressing with bat and ball in Wellington and most notably in this Test.

That was followed by an umpiring brain melt that accounted for Vettori on 43. The New Zealand captain shuffled to the offside on the last ball of a James Anderson over and missed a short ball on leg stump, but Rudi Koertzen thought he was pulling away and called dead ball.

Just to top it off, Vettori tried the same thing again and was caught off the glove down the legside to become Anderson's first victim.


Tim southee the debutant who played in under 19 world cup for NewZealand came and played a little cameo at the end scoring 77 of just 40 balls which included 4 fours and 9 huge sixes.

ICC asks Gavaskar to step down as chairman!!!

The ICC on tuesday asked Sunil Gavaskar, Chairman of the ICC to give up his post due to a conflict of interest between his chairman post and his commentator job. He was accused of talking against the ICC referee Mike Procter defending Harbhajan in that case. This has proved to be favoritism and members of the ICC have collectively decided in their recent meeting that Gavaskar should resign or he will be sacked.
Gavaskar who as a commentator let out some comments which were against the aussies after the Sydney Test was over. This has cost him his chairman post. Reports even say that Gavaskar had called the Australian team as people who cannot open their eyes and see that India has become a Super Power both on and off the field.

Pakistan's New Prime Minister-Gillani

Yousuf Raza Gillani sworn in as Pakistan's Prime Minister today. He was accompanied by President Parvez Musharraf while many leaders of the ruling party boycotted this ceremony. Gillani who is the member of the Pakistan People's Party became the 25th prime Minister of Pakistan. It is a bit surprising to note that he is the first Prime Minister who is not from the Bhutto Family. President Musharraf administered the oath for his post in Islamabad.
Gillani, 55, was on Monday elected the prime minister by a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly or lower house of Pakistan parliament...