MNS men attack N Indian paani puri vendors in city

Activists of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) attacked several paani puri vendors across Mumbai and Thane on Thursday evening, a day after it was reported that a vendor in Thane appeared to be urinating into a jug kept on his handcart. The video had been captured with a hidden camera by a Thane resident.
Reigniting their agitation against North Indians, the MNS men attacked bhelpuri and paani puri vendors, who are mostly migrants from UP and Bihar, across areas including Fort, Colaba, Malad, Kandivli and Thane. While police patrolling was stepped up in these areas, no formal complaint was registered until Thursday evening.
At Bora Bazaar Street in Fort, known to be a haunt for street food, a group vandalised some of the most popular stalls. Dharamraj Yadav (30) was serving bhelpuri to his regular clients when he saw 20 men walking “violently” towards the stall. “I have been serving food here for over a decade and this stall is the most popular as it was started by my grandfather. We have a goodwill here. These men walked straight towards my stall, pushed my clients and started throwing my utensils and the food on the ground,” he said, adding, “One of them, who looked like their leader, yelled loudly asking who the owner of the stall is. Some of my clients pushed me away to safety. They waited for some time and then went ahead to attack other stalls.”

Suraj aka Nagesh episode spoilers

Observation that led me to think Suraj aka Nagesh is faking it, and why a reality show is scripted.

• The eyebrow piercing is visible in the interview.
• The contestant doesn’t speak Hindi, the way a Maharashtran would speak, especially if you’re from a small village, where the local dialect is prevalent, and Hindi is almost an alien language.
• The contestant is using a smart phone.
• Contestant started going to a gym while being a street cleaner, and at a time he earned 80 rupees a day.
• Contestant has a gelled hairstyle, and is particularly healthy for an impoverished lifestyle as stated by him.
• Jack of all trades…farmer, rickshaw driver, sweeper, dishwasher…drunk father, sick mother, pregnant sister in law, brother being beaten by father, mother being beaten by father, ill health as a child….sleeping at the station…..sleeping at marine drive….etc etc. Have you ever met anyone who has been so unlucky?
• Judges never once questioned anything, so the interview can span out in a manner wherein their audience sympathizes with the contestant, and obviously follows up on his progress in the show.
• Check the expression of all 3 judges through the interview. They have that already stunned and shocked into silence look from the beginning.
• Questions posed to him are all pointed towards making us learn more about his sad life.
• Raghu, Rajiv, and Ranvijay are I’m sure well acquainted with Maharashtra, and as such would be aware of the fact that cycle rickshaws mostly operate in WB, Bihar and UP. Raghu saying cycle rickshaw is just a cue for the contestant, so his dialog delivery doesn’t suffer. The very next sentence has the contestant talk about his work at a cycle stand. It’s a technique used in interviews too. The reporter says something, and the person on the other side takes cue and continues.
• Not a word is said when he’s about the reveal his mother’s death though he’s taking so much time because it makes way for buildup, and will have the audience wait, like I wonder what happened.
• Considering that the selectors always boast about how they want real people and can see through the situation, they are uncannily relaxed here.
• He says he never had friends and was just hanging around his mom all life, and the judges don’t think that’s not normal behavior.
• He says his dad is responsible for his mother’s death, so why don’t they question him about taking his dad to prison.
• His dad beats his brother in front of his pregnant sister in law, and this guy just abuses his father, and the judges are okay with it.
• He then tries to commit suicide, and then too, the judges are okay with it. How come they never say to him, dude you’re such a loser, you just sat through, and then went to die.
• He has a BSC degree and no job, and the judges say nothing? People who are undergraduates working in call centers are called losers by the judges. So, why the silence here?
• If you had a BSC degree, why would you clean the pavement, wash dishes, and the floor? At the very least, you’d be a lab assistant, but the judges have no problem that he doesn’t work despite a degree.
• Just before the 4th minute, Raghu abruptly talks about Hyderabad, and Mumbai, so that the contestant doesn’t falter, and forget what he’s to mention.
• He’s asked for the phone code so that we become aware of his simplicity. They’re feeling so bad he broke his phone. We’re being made aware of how he has no one, so he doesn’t need a phone.
• If another contestant said I’ll make lots of money one way or the other, the judges would invariably say you’re building air castles.
• Not once do you find the contestant or judges talking at the same time. It’s more like I talk, you talk. No interruption, only cues.
• The questions asked to him at the end result in answers that are an attempt to make him sound level headed, simple, honest, and inspired.
• The judges obviously know why they want to select him. It appears he’s unique, and the simple village lad will be astounded by events during the show around him, and that will be interesting to watch. That’s the way they’re trying to project him but we already uncovered his truth with the MTV Roadies 8 fake truth of Suraj aka Nagesh blog.

MTV Roadies 8 fake truth of Suraj aka Nagesh

You’ve got to be blind to not want to look beyond what you see on Roadies 8, and if you’re not curious, then Nagesh P. Mithun aka Suraj will make you so senti awwwwww. Okay to start with. Snapshot of the real Suraj from MTV Roadies 8.

Suraj aka Nagesh of MTV Roadies 8 has been a student of the Indian Institute of Bartending. If this listing of Nagesh from MTV Roadies 8 in the students profile isn’t enough, then nothing will be. We’ve just resized the image but please feel free to check http://www.iibtindia.com/placement.html

Suraj from MTV Roadies 8 boasts of the 9th student profile that’s featured on the institute website. If you look closely, Nagesh from MTV Roadies 8 has his eyebrow pierced and is quite a happening dude from Jalna, and quite hep for being broke.

That’s not all. Appears Suraj of MTV Roadies 8 is successful at bartending. Suraj of MTV Roadies 8. successfully enthralled students at the Bartending Seminar & Workshop held on Tuesday 27th July, 2010 for students of Merit Swiss Asian School of Hotel Management.

Common sense in the Suraj aka Nagesh P. Mithun from MTV Roadies 8 scenario: In 2010, Suraj from MTV Roadies 8 should have been working in Mumbai as claimed by him. It was the time Suraj aka Nagesh  took a train from Jalna to Mumbai and worked as a sweeper. His student profile at http://www.iibtindia.com/placement.html clearly mentions Suraj was working at a call center in Mumbai.

The workshop details we have attained reveal the workshop was held in July 2010. As such, Nagesh obviously did the course before that or during that period, so, Suraj was in Mumbai working at some call center even before 2010.

The most elaborate IIBT course lasts a year and costs Rs. 55, 000 and the shortest one lasts 6 weeks and costs Rs. 9,000. Obviously he wouldn’t be heading a workshop after just 6 weeks, so, we assume Suraj aka Nagesh P. Mithun from MTV Roadies 8. was at IIBT for a year.

Roadies 8 is going to do brilliantly because this guy is so smart. What I would really like to know is whether the bald Raghu and Rajiv, and now seemingly silly Ranvijay, sit together and practice such a dumb script. MTV Roadies must do some homework because your show credibility suffers a blow if contestants are going t fool you so easily, or, I’m guessing all reality shows are scripted. This is your winning card this year but we have unearthed the truth about Suraj aka Nagesh P. Mithun from MTV Roadies 8. For everyone who was taken aback by Suraj’s heart wrenching truth, don’t always believe reality tv, it’s reality tv for a certain reason.

So much for a Hero Honda.

MTV Roadies 8 fake truth of Suraj aka Nagesh

Shaadi.com - Find Your Life Partner

There's no issue regarding Bhajji-Symonds controversy: Pollock

NEW DELHI: Mumbai Indians mentor-cum-bowling coach Shaun Pollock feels that there's "absolutely no issue" in the team ranks as far as the relationship between old foes Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds is concerned.


The off-spinner and the star Australian batsman were involved in the infamous 'Monkeygate' scandal during a Test match at Sydney in 2007-08 series Down Under.


Symonds alleged that Harbhajan called him a "monkey" during the match. In Australia that is considered a racist remark. However, the allegations against the 'Turbanator' couldn't be proved. The popular notion in the cricket fraternity about that incident is that Symonds was never the same player again after that incident.

The feuding duo never called truce and after Symonds was picked up by Mumbai Indians at the IPL auction this year, there has been intense speculation about how their relationship would be.

If the opening day is an indicator, then it will really take some time for the duo to forget the past and move on.

"I have been a part of many teams over the years. Trust me, not everyone is best of friends with the other. It doesn't happen like that. These two (Harbhajan and Symonds) are professional cricketers. They know their job is to perform for the team," Pollock tried to set the record straight when media inquired about whether the duo have been gelling well or not.

"As far as we are concerned, there is absolutely no issue in the team. Harbhajan has only joined yesterday and today we have had a good day's practice," the former South African speedster said.

From the time Mumbai Indians team entered the Ferozeshah premises, the lensmen were keen on getting Symonds and Harbhajan in the same frame which was a rarity. Both had a knock at the nets and Harbhajan, who was seen chatting with Delhi skipper Virender Sehwag and pacers Umesh Yadav and Ashok Dinda, left earlier.

Symonds finished his batting only after Harbhajan had left the practice nets for the dressing room.

On a different note, Pollock was asked about the fatigue factor for the Indian players, especially Sachin Tendulkar, who along with some of the others had a strenuous month and half during the World Cup.

"I have spoken to Sachin. He hasn't told me anything about playing selectively. As of now, he is raring to go and do well for Mumbai Indians after doing wonderfully for India at the World Cup. Also this is only Twenty20 version."

Asked about the slow nature of the Kotla track which could be a concern as Twenty20 cricket is all about entertainment, Pollock replied, "I think the Kotla strip is a decent one. Here AB de Villiers scored a fantastic century against West Indies in the World Cup. So I am hopeful that one can put up a decent score."

Hazare ends his fast, warns of more struggle

Gandhian Anna Hazare on Saturday called off his hunger strike bringing to an end his 98-hour protest after government issued a gazette notification constituting a 10-member Joint Committee of ministers and civil society activists, including him, to draft an effective Lokpal Bill. 

Curtains were drawn on the anti-corruption campaign that drew instant nationwide support with a little girl giving the 73-year-old activist a glass of water at 10.45 am at Jantar Mantar, the nerve-centre of the agitation for a strong legislation to combat political and administrative graft.

Earlier, Hazare offered water to some women, among the over 300 activists who had joined the fast.

A little girl offers a glass of water to Anna Hazare at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Saturday.

Social activists Swami Agnivesh, Medha Patkar and Kiran Bedi hailed Hazare's campaign as the Gandhian said he would to continue the fight for the "second struggle for independence".

In the morning, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh issued a statement saying the government intends to introduce the "historic legislation" in the Monsoon session of Parliament.

He described the coming together of civil society and government on the Lokpal Bill issue as a step that augurs well for democracy, saying it signifies the mutual resolve to combat corruption.

"I am pleased that Anna Hazare has agreed to give up his fast," he said after his ministers worked out a deal with Hazare's emissaries last night to bring to end the protest at Jantar Mantar.

Shouts of 'Vande Mataram' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' rent the air as Hazare's followers and admirers gathered in hundreds, just a stone's throw from Parliament, celebrated the notification that was proudly displayed at the fast site.

Making a brief speech after he broke his fast, the veteran Gandhian said it was just the beginning of a long struggle ahead and he would not rest content with the Lokpal Bill but also fight for reforms of the electoral system, including the 'right to recall' from gram panchayat level.

The notification by the Ministry of Law and Justice said the Joint Drafting Committee to prepare a draft of the Lokpal Bill will have five ministers from the government and five nominees of Hazare, including himself.

The five ministers are Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Chairperson, Home Minister P Chidamabaram, Law Minister Veerappa Moily (Convenor), HRD Minister Kapil Sibal and Water Resources Minister Salman Khurshid.

Govt agrees to Anna Hazare's demands on Lokpal Bill: Reports

NEW DELHI: Anna Hazare's crusade against corruption is believed to have won the battle on Friday with the government relenting to the demands made by the veteran social activist, TV reports said.

However, Hazare on Friday night announced that his fast has not ended and further added that he will take a final decision on Saturday and that the deadlock over the anti-corruption bill is likely to end after that.

Hazare's announcement came following his emissaries' (Arvind Kejriwal and Swami Agnivesh) meeting with Union HRD minister Kapil Sibal, law minister Veerappa Moily and minority affairs minister Salman Khurshid. The government is believed to have relented to Anna Hazare's demands.

According to reports, Pranab Mukherjee is likely to be the chairman and Shanti Bhushan to be the co-chairman of the proposed joint committee to draft an effective Lokpal Bill. The draft of the Lokpal Bill will reportedly be formally notified.

Anna Hazare had demanded the appointment of a chairman and a co-chairman for the proposed joint committee to draft the Lokpal Bill and rejected the government's offer of setting up of the committee by a letter of the law ministry.

He also said there should be no "tainted" ministers in the joint committee comprising civil society members and ministers.

The government had sent a draft on Friday afternoon, following which Hazare sent his draft. "We replied to it and spoke to the three ministers about it," Swami Agnivesh had said.

Hazare demands co-chairman for the committee on Lokpal

New Delhi, Apr 8 Anna Hazare today demanded appointment of a chairman and a co-chairman for the proposed joint committee to draft an effective Lokpal Bill and rejected the government's offer of setting up of the committee by a letter of the Law Ministry. He also said there should be no "tainted" ministers in the joint committee comprising civil society members and ministers.
Addressing his supporters at the Jantar Mantar here, even as three of his emissaries were engaged in discussions with Union Ministers, the 73-year old Gandhian said his anti-corruption movement has achieved considerable success and will not cow down before the government.
"We have not accepted the government''s offer of constitution of the committee through a letter from the Law Minister. There should be a government order on behalf of the government," he said adding this has been made clear to the emissaries for discussion with the ministers.
He said his campaign has also demanded from the government that the committee should have a chairman and a co-chairman. "If there is a chairman from the government side then the Cabinet will have to accept the recommendations of the committee on the Bill".
Claiming that his anti-graft movement has achieved quite a lot of success, he said the government has accepted the proposal for a joint committee and it will have five members from each side.
To the cheers of the assembled gathering, he said, there should be no tainted ministers in the committee.
Asked if there were five untainted ministers in the government, Hazare said "they should be least tainted".
He said he has accepted to be a member of the committee to keep pressure on the government.
To a question he said, "we have not reached nay compromise. If our chairman is there then it will be difficult for them. But if a minister is the chairman, then the Cabinet will have to accept the recommendations. There will be no difference in powers of the chairman and the co-chairman."
He rejected a charge that he was blackmailing the government through hunger strike and said his approach was that if the government does not listen to people, they will throw it out.

Full text of Anna Hazare's letter to the PM

Veteran social activist and Gandhian Anna Hazare has written an open letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. In the letter dated April 6, 2011, Hazare has raised many questions and sought the Prime Minister's reply.

The 72-year-old social activist, supported by eminent persons including Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal, has been demanding that the drafting committee for the Lokpal Bill to tackle corruption should include members of civil society.

He started his fast-unto-death at New Delhi's Jantar Mantar on Tuesday to demand a stricter anti-corruption law that that is being proposed by the Government.

Below is the full text of Hazare's letter to the Prime Minister:

India Against Corruption

A-119, Kaushambi, Ghaziabad . 201010. UP Ph: 09868069953

www.indiaagainstcorruption.org

Date: April 6, 2011

To,

Dr. Manmohan Singh,

Hon'ble Prime Minister of India

New Delhi Dear

Dr. Singh,

I have started my indefinite fast at Jantar mantar. I had invited you also to fast and pray for a corruption free India on 5th April. Though I did not receive any reply from you, I am hopeful that you must have done that.

I am pained to read and hear about government's reaction to my fast. I consider it my duty to clarify the points raised on behalf of Congress party and the government by their spokespersons, as they appear in media:

1. It is being alleged that I am being instigated by some people to sit on this fast. Dear Manmohan Singh ji, this is an insult to my sense of wisdom and intelligence. I am not a kid that I could be "instigated" into going on an indefinite fast. I am a fiercely independent person. I take advice from many friends and critics, but do what my conscience directs me to do. It is my experience that when cornered, governments resort to such malicious slandering. I am pained that the government, rather than addressing the issue of corruption, is trying to allege conspiracies, when there are none.

2. It is being said that I have shown impatience. Dear Prime Minister, so far, every government has shown complete insensitivity and lack of political commitment to tackling corruption. 62 years after independence, we still do not have independent and effective anti-corruption systems. Very weak versions of Lokpal Bill were presented in Parliament eight times in last 42 years. Even these weak versions were not passed by Parliament. This means, left to themselves, the politicians and bureaucrats will never pass any law which subjects them to any kind of objective scrutiny. At a time, when the country has witnessed scams of unprecedented scale, the impatience of the entire country is justified. And we call upon you, not to look for precedents, but show courage to take unprecedented steps.

3. It is being said that I have shown impatience when the government has "initiated" the process. I would urge you to tell me - exactly what processes are underway?

a. You say that your Group of Ministers are drafting the anti-corruption law. Many of the members of this Group of Ministers have such a shady past that if effective anticorruption systems had been in place, some of them would have been behind bars. Do you want us to have faith in a process in which some of the most corrupt people of this country should draft the anti-corruption law?

b. NAC sub-committee has discussed Jan Lokpal Bill. But what does that actually mean? Will the government accept the recommendations of NAC sub-committee? So far, UPA II has shown complete contempt for even the most innocuous issues raised by NAC.

c. I and many other friends from India Against Corruption movement wrote several letters to you after 1st December. I also sent you a copy of Jan Lokpal Bill on 1st December. We did not get any response. It is only when I wrote to you that I will sit on an indefinite fast, we were promptly invited for discussions on 7th March. I wonder whether the government responds only to threats of indefinite fast. Before that, representatives of India Against Corruption had been meeting various Ministers seeking their support for the Jan Lokpal Bill. They met Mr Moily also and personally handed over copy of Jan Lokpal to him. A few hours before our meeting with you, we received a phone call from Mr Moily's office that the copy of Jan Lokpal Bill had been misplaced by his office and they wanted another copy. This is the seriousness with which the government has dealt with Jan Lokpal Bill.

d. Dear Dr Manmohan Singh ji, if you were in my place, would you have any faith in the aforesaid processes? Kindly let me know if there are any other processes underway. If you still feel that I am impatient, I am happy that I am because the whole nation is feeling impatient at the lack of credible efforts from your government against corruption.

4. What are we asking for? We are not saying that you should accept the Bill drafted by us. But kindly create a credible platform for discussions . a joint committee with at least half members from civil society suggested by us. Your spokespersons are misleading the nation when they say that there is no precedent for setting up a joint committee. At least seven laws in Maharashtra were drafted by similar joint committees and presented in Maharashtra Assembly. Maharashtra RTI Act, one of the best laws of those times, was drafted by a joint committee. Even at the centre, when 25,000 tribals came to Delhi two years ago, your government set up a joint committee on land issues within 48 hours. You yourself are the Chairperson of that committee. This means that the government is willing to set up joint committees on all other issues, but not on corruption. Why?

5. It is being said that the government wants to talk to us and we are not talking to them. This is utterly false. Tell me a single meeting when you called us and we did not come. We strongly believe in dialogue and engagement. Kindly do not mislead the country by saying that we are shunning dialogue. We request you to take some credible steps at stemming corruption. Kindly stop finding faults and suspecting conspiracies in our movement. There are none. Even if there were, it does not absolve you of your responsibilities to stop corruption.

With warm regards,

(K B Hazare)

Quick-check IPL guide

Mumbai: Want to follow the fourth edition of Indian Premier League which kicks off tomorrow? This is just for you...
Live on TV
Matches will be telecast at 4 pm and 8 pm on Set Max
New teams
Two news franchises, Sahara Pune Warriors and Kochi Tuskers will join the existing eight teams in the fourth edition of the IPL.
Venues
Matches will be played across 12 venues: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai; Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad; Nehru Stadium, Kochi; Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi; Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai; Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai; Eden Gardens, Kolkata; Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur; M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore; Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh; Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore; Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala.
Lesser matches
Compared to 94 matches played in the last three editions, this time there will be only 74 games over 51 days.

Past winners
Chennai Super Kings (2010 champions), Deccan Chargers (2009 champions) and Rajasthan Royals (2008 champions).
Format
There will be two groups of five teams each and they will play 70 league matches plus four play-off games. Each team will now play seven matches at home and seven away.
Most expensive player
Gautam Gambhir was purchased by Kolkata Knight Riders at the player auction for a whopping Rs. 11.4 crore.
Captains
Royal Challengers (Daniel Vettori)
Kolkata Knight Riders (Gautam Gambhir)
Delhi Daredevils (Virender Sehwag)
Mumbai Indians (Sachin Tendulkar)
Deccan Chargers (Kumar Sangakkara)
Kings XI Punjab ( Adam Gilchrist)
Rajasthan Royals (Shane Warne)
Chennai Super Kings (M S Dhoni)
Kochi Tuskers (Mahela Jayawardene)
Pune Warriors (Yuvraj Singh)

No Ganguly
One of India's greatest captains, Sourav Ganguly, who captained KKR in three editions, will not be a part of the IPL IV after he went unsold in the auction. There was a glimmer of hope when Kochi Tuskers showed interest in signing up Ganguly at his base price of $400,000, but other franchises objected to Kochi's
belated move.
No Lalit Modi
He was the face of the tournament. His revolutionary decisions changed the way cricket was viewed. However, allegations of corruption and financial irregularities resulted in Modi's removal as IPL commissioner's post. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) appointed Chirayu Amin as the new IPL boss.

Players retained
Only 12 players were retained by the five franchises for the fourth edition of the IPL. Champions Chennai Super Kings retained World Cup winning captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Suresh Raina, local boy Murali Vijay and South African all-rounder Albie Morkel. Mumbai Indians, who finished runners-up, retained batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, feisty off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard and Sri Lankan pacer Lasith Malinga. Rajasthan Royals stuck to Shane Warne and Shane Watson while Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli were retained by Delhi Daredevils and RCB respectively.
Missing stars
Paul Collingwood, who was signed up by Rajasthan Royals, has been ruled out due to a knee injury. Australian seamer Ben Hilfenhaus, who was slated to play for Chennai, is also ruled out with injury. NZ's Tim Southee will take his spot in the side. Sri Lanka's Angela Matthews will miss out on playing for Sahara Pune Warriors due to a pulled muscle. Aussie stars Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Mitchell Johnson have pulled out despite the riches on offer. Pakistani cricketers were again ignored.

Dhoni's Super Kings all fired up to face Gambhir's Knights

CHENNAI: It will be a classic case of 'friends turning into foes' when Mahendra Singh Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings (CSK) clash with Gautam Gambhir led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the opening match of the IPL on Friday, less than a week after the duo guided India to their historic World Cup triumph in Mumbai.

As the cash-rich Twenty20 cricketing extravaganza gets underway at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, it will be the beginning of new era sans Lalit Modi, who was the face of the event during the first three editions.

Also this will be the first time that the league will feature 10 teams with the inclusion of Pune Warriors and Kochi Tuskers Kerala.

It will be there for all to see how the BCCI organises an event where Modi used to have a final say in every aspect. The former IPL commissioner and vice-president of BCCI has since then been suspended and now has taken refuge in London after the cricket board pressed numerous charges of corruption against him.

After a hugely successful Players' Auction which saw some of the young Indian players commanding astronomical prices, the Chirayu Amin-led IPL governing council will now look to capitalise on India's World Cup triumph which has definitely upped the stakes by manifold.

Coming back to tournament, defending champions CSK will certainly start as the overwhelming favourites against a team that hasn't been able to cash in on its enormous fan following across India, thanks to its principal owner Shah Rukh Khan.

After having failed to make it to the semifinals during the last three editions, the KKR management led SRK and co-owner Jay Mehta have gone for a revamped side with Gautam Gambhir at the helm and T20 specialist Yusuf Pathan as one of the marquee players.
With Kolkata's favourite son Sourav Ganguly no longer a part of the team, it will be a big challenge for Gambhir and his boys to start winning and get the cricket crazy Kolkatans rooting for them.

The bigger challenge will be to get past CSK who have inarguably been the most consistent team during the last three editions with one championship, one runners-up and a last four finish. The biggest strength for CSK has been their ability to retain the most of their core players save Muttiah Muralitharan who will don the Kochi jersey.

Having retained Dhoni, Suresh Raina, local hero Murali Vijay and South African all-rounder Albie Morkel, the home team bid successfully to retain spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, prolific run-machine Subramanium Badrinath, Australian Michael Hussey which gives their batting a formidable look.

The Indian captain is, however, the one who believes that it's more about the on-field exploits than the reputation on-paper.

"Our team is quite good. Like I always say, it is about what we don-field is more important than how the team looks on paper. Fitness is the key during a long tournament like IPL. If all the players are fit and available for selection, it is a very good side," Dhoni said.

The skipper was all praise for his team's batting line-up.

"The batting line-up is as good as last year. Badri, Raina is there and South African Faf du Plessis has come in. We have all-rounders and Hussey will also join in. Overall it's a very good batting line-up," he said.

Dhoni however played down the pressure factor although there is a lot at stake.

"IPL is not about less pressure. Batting slots are decided according to situation. When all are shuffled up and down the order, it's according to the situation. Batting slots from 1-3 is fixed. Then it's me or Badri. Anuruddh is batting very well for us. If we have to change the batting order, everyone has to be comfortable about doing it."

For KKR, it will be a make-or-break year. Gambhir, who hadn't exactly fired with the bat after the first edition of IPL will like to carry the confidence of his World Cup success into IPL. Also, he would like to showcase leadership skills and justify his USD 2.4 million price which was the highest during the auctions.

With the likes Brett Lee, Shakib al Hasan set to join after the Australia vs Bangladesh, KKR will depend on a lot on veteran all-rounder Jacques Kallis, explosive English batsman Eoin Morgan to put up a solid show.

Apart from Gambhir and Yusuf, some of the domestic players to watch out for in the KKR squad will be Bengal captain Manoj Tiwary, former captain Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Delhi all-rounder Rajat Bhatia, left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdullah, seamers L Balaji and Pradeep Sangwan.

Hope to come back through IPL: Ishant

Hyderabad: After having been ignored from the Indian limited-overs' side in recent times, Ishant Sharma is looking forward to making an impact in the IPL to launch his comeback.
"Cricket is my passion and the hunger to be part of the best possible action is natural," Ishant was quoted in the website of Deccan Chargers, who he will represent in the IPL this year. "There comes a time in every sportsperson's life when one has to prove to oneself. I am probably going through that phase and would like to challenge myself in the upcoming IPL to win back my place in the Indian side."

Though he has been a regular member of the Test team, Ishant has not played an ODI since August 2009 and has proved to be expensive in the format, losing out to the likes of Praveen Kumar, Sreesanth and Munaf Patel. But Ishant has taken the setbacks in his stride.

"Being in and out of sides is part and parcel of a sportsperson's life and I'd like to take it on the chin," he said. "I am just trying to forget the past and start afresh. Right now, the focus is on IPL and I want to give it my 100%. I will do my best for Hyderabad."

Despite having a Twenty20 economy rate close to eight runs an over, Ishant feels that the format is as much a challenge for the batsmen as it is for the bowlers. "You've got to go with your instincts, believe in your strong points and bowl to your strength rather than think about the batsmen's plus points.

"I have worked on and added variations to my bowling armoury and will hopefully execute them to good effect in the IPL. The slower ones, the yorkers are all key deliveries in this format and you have to use them judiciously. You've got to change your line and length constantly and plan every ball.

"The margin of error for a fast bowler is minimal but I feel the key is to keep it simple. One has to be on top of the game and not complicate things. Zaheer Khan's approach at the recently concluded World Cup is a case in point."

Deccan play their first game against Rajasthan Royals in Hyderabad on April 9.

Now Sehwag bats for Bharat Ratna for Sachin

Daredevils reached the semifinals twice in the first two editions but couldn't go the distance, and Sehwag said it was a bit of concern for the team. "Yes, it is a concern. We reached twice to the semifinals but couldn't finish on top. Hopefully this time results will favour us and we will go all the way. I can promise our fans that we will give our 100 per cent," said Sehwag, who regained captaincy for this edition after relinquishing the position to Gautam Gambhir in 2009 and 2010. Asked to recollect his thoughts after India won the World Cup in 1983, Sehwag said, "Frankly, I did not realise the importance of the victory. I was only four year old then. Now I am 32-year-old and I understand how big the achievement was at that time." "When my son grows up, I will show him the photos and videos of the World Cup that we have won and at that time he would definitely understand the achievement," he said. Asked if it will take some time for the new team members to gel in the IPL, Sehwag said it was the same with other teams as well. "There are a few new faces but they are all professionals. All of them know how to play their parts in a game. Moreover, besides Mumbai and Chennai, none of the teams have been able to retain too many players so it is ok," he said. Asked about his India team-mate Gambhir, who will turn up for Kolkata Knight riders after playing for the Daredevils in the last three editions, Sehwag said he has some plans against the left-hander. "Gautam is a good player but I know his strengths and weakness and in the IPL, when we come across him we will not allow him to score runs," he said. The event was also attended by all-rounder Irfan Pathan, Umesh Yadav, Naman Ojha, Morne Morkel and Aaron Finch besides coach Greg Shipperd. Irfan said it was a very important tournament for him and he would look to revive his international career by performing well for the Daredevils. "It is a right time and high time for me. I have been out for a long time now but here I am and I will look to perform well in the tournament and get noticed and get picked into the Indian team once again," he said. Asked what did he say to his brother, Yusuf Pathan, after India won the World Cup, Irfan said he congratulated him for the victory and patted for his wonderful gesture of lifting Tendulkar on his shoulders. "It was an emotional moment for the Pathan family and I was happy to see him carry Sachin on his shoulders. I congratulated him for the victory as well as for lifting Sachin. It was a wonderful gesture."

Following Sachin’s footsteps

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Wednesday said it was a pleasure to hear words of praise from Sachin Tendulkar who had said that he was the best captain he has played under. Dhoni said he was trying to serve the nation like Tendulkar has been doing for years. “I’ve tried to be honest throughout my career. Whatever responsibility is given on my shoulders, I try to fulfil it to the fullest extent. It’s just my pleasure that he enjoys playing with me. I am also serving the nation like him,” he said.
Dhoni also joined the growing calls to award Tendulkar the Bharat Ratna, saying no cricketer deserves it more than him. “Yes, 200 per cent, because he is an ideal candidate, he has served the country for 21 years with a few more to come. As a cricketer, you know, if he doesn't get it, then I don't think there's anyone who'll get the Bharat Ratna ever,” Dhoni said. “He's known even in places where they don't know about the game, so I think it's a very big achievement. 

 

Dhoni paid tribute to outgoing coach Gary Kirsten, saying he has set high benchmarks for the team. “What Gary has done to Indian cricket, I think the benchmark set is really high. When I say really high, (I mean) really high. We will miss him for sure but I assure you, Gary will miss us more. Someday when he decides to come back and coach a new team, he’ll miss the Indian cricket team even more. There was a bond between him and the team and we’ll definitely miss him,” said Dhoni. “Whoever wants to come in or comes in, those (Gary’s) are big shoes to fill.” 

4 held for selling WC tickets in black

Mumbai:  A minor was among four men arrested by the Bandra Kurla Complex Cyber Crime police recently for blackmarketing of World Cup tickets. Taking note of the last-minute clamour for tickets, the cyber crime police kept an eye on websites to crack down on blackmarket deals. On March 29, the officers came across a post on www.quickr.com with the subject ‘Final Match Passes of the World Cup 2011’. It read: “Hey, I have the passes of the World Cup 2011 of the lower east at the best price, you can contact me on...... Churchgate dealer Rs 10,500/-, Chembur dealer Rs 30,000?/-, Marine Lines dealers Rs 35,000/-, and Final match of World Cup passes available for east stand Rs 28,000/- and Sunil Gavaskar stand Rs 31,000/- price is fixed, do not call for bargaining or any negotiation, call me on......Do not SMS. But if you buy only above 5 passes it gives best price ( sic ).”
The suspects have been identified as Aman Ashok Jain (18), Surojit Maji (19), Jinkesh Godani (18) and a 17-year-old boy. 


“Our officers called up on the mobile number posing as people looking for tickets. On March 30, they fixed a meeting in Mahim. Jain, Maji and two others met our officers. Maji told the team that the person with tickets will not come and asked them to meet him in the Churchgate area the following afternoon,” said a Crime Branch officer who did not wish to be named.
“The police team met Maji the next day. They went to Lalbaug Industrial Estate area for the tickets. Another accomplice handed two tickets to Maji, following which he was arrested. Probe revealed that the advertisement on the website was posted by a 17-year-old, and the tickets being sold were bought online by Godani. The accused were planning to sell Rs-1,500 tickets for Rs 31,000 each,” said the officer.

ICC considers 12-team World Cup for 2015

Mumbai: Twelve teams may contest the 2015 World Cup as the ICC is considering a compromise between the 14 teams of 2011 and a tight 10-team model currently on the table for the tournament's next edition.

The ICC's executive council is meeting in Mumbai on Monday and on the agenda is the format for the next World Cup, to be hosted by Australia and New Zealand, following the rousing success of this year's edition, which was won by India.

Following much discussion of the 10-team tournament favored by organizers, and an outcry by Associate nations given their likely exclusion, the ICC may now be leaning towards a 12-team event, possibly with two pools of six teams followed by quarter-finals, semis and the final.

"At the moment it is still 10 teams but we are discussing the 12-team option," an ICC official told ESPNcricinfo.

The same format was used in the 1996 tournament, co-hosted by India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and won by the Sri Lankans. Another path is to choose a round-robin model where each team plays each other once before the semi-finals, as was the case when Australia and New Zealand hosted in 1992.

Prior to his team's departure for Bangladesh, new Australian captain Michael Clarke reiterated the desire of most international players to see Associate nations given their chance on the limited-overs game's biggest stage.

"I really enjoy seeing the minnow teams getting an opportunity to be honest, I guess it's up to the ICC to work out whatever they think is for the betterment of the game, that's obviously their priority," Clarke said in Sydney.

"For me I think the two World Cups I've been involved in have been fantastic, it certainly does feel between games like you have a long period, when you've got six and seven days between games, but I've enjoyed seeing some of the minnow teams or all of the minnow teams play.

"I think we've seen throughout this World Cup that there were a few upsets and some great cricket played, so I just hope and am certain that the ICC are looking to improve the game of cricket."

Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, said the executive council meeting would finalize much of the discussions surrounding the next event, plans for which are already being mapped out by the Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket."The length of 50 overs will find certain teams out but I think there are 10 teams that can seriously compete in that format," Lorgat told Sky Sports News. "That's a debate we are still finalizing; in fact the board meeting over the next two days will consider that and will determine which teams will play in the 2015 World Cup."

Ireland were the best Associate nation at each of the past two tournaments, and their chief executive Warren Deutrom had said the deferral of a decision on the tournament format until after the 2011 event was a sensible one.

"I think that is the right decision," Deutrom said. "What it does is allow the ICC board to make a decision based on all the evidence, rather than no evidence whatsoever. We are pleased because if two or three teams do perform well during the group stages, that does provide an option to look favorably on qualification, and to see if the number of teams is quite right."

Team India do not have real World Cup trophy

Mumbai: The Indian cricket players can`t seem to put it down but the World Cup trophy they have with them is actually just a replica as the original is still lying with the customs.

"The original is lying with the Customs," said a BCCI sources without elaborating.

When contacted Customs sources, however, said the Cup was with them for non-payment of duty of 35 per cent of the original value.


"We will release it after payment of 35 per cent customs duty after its valuation," they said.

The Cup, meanwhile, has been in the forefront of the celebrations by the entire Indian nation with players even posing with it along with President Pratibha Patil at the Raj Bhavan yesterday.

The captain of the winning team, Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been photographed and caught on television cameras carrying the replica to the iconic Gateway of India opposite the team hotel yesterday.


Man of the Tournament, Yuvraj Singh, has been kissing the replica repeatedly in delight.

However, an official statement issued by the ICC has claimed that the trophy is real and not a replica.

Even crime took a break for WC final

Not one non-cognisable complaint, let alone an FIR, was lodged at 16 police stations in the northern suburbs, which are notorious for criminal activity
AS the India-Sri Lanka face-off brought the country to a halt, even crime, it seems, took a break in deference to the adopted national religion.
Police officials in the northern suburbs were in for a shock when not one non-cognisable (NC) complaint, let alone an FIR, was lodged in the 16 police stations in the region, including Kurar, Malvani and Dindoshi (see box), on Saturday.


Residents were so caught up watching the nail biting finals that police officials were surprised that not a single FIR was lodged

This, against an average of 75 cases, including those of kidnapping and murder, being registered in these stations every day.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone XI) Dr Mahesh Patil  attributed the absence of reported crime to the World Cup final and said it was an encouraging sign.

"This sends out a positive signal that living in peace and harmony is possible and people can do so at all times," he said.
The absence of complaints was welcomed by the policemen for more reasons than one.
 The most important, however, was that it allowed those at the police stations to watch the nail-biting finale in peace.

"The bandobast was heavy throughout the day.

The celebrations were peaceful even after India won the trophy. We had fears of the situation getting out of hand, but everybody was too engrossed in revelling," said senior inspector Bhawgan Chate of the Borivli police station.

Crime-proneNo NCs were lodged even in the following areas of the northern suburbs notorious for criminal activity:
>> Malvani: The area is known for communal violence. On an average, 10 cases of serious offences are registered each day.
>> Kurar: Crime is order of the day in this slum area, with several cases of kidnapping and murders being reported in the past few months.
>> Samta Nagar: Known as a breeding ground for hardcore criminals, chain-snatching and rape cases are common in the area.
>> Dindoshi: Stabbing is common in Kali Basti, which is under the jurisdiction of the Dindoshi police station. It is heavily patrolled due to the internecine rivalry between slumlords.

Courtesy - www.mid-day.com

IPL 2011 Teams , Players

In 2011 IPL , there will be a total of 10 teams with 5 teams in each pool. Its going to be a different game altogether this year.
List of Players in Teams:
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli (retained), Zaheer Khan, Saurabh Tiwary, Cheteshwar Pujara, Abhimanyu Mithun, Mohammed Kaif, T Dilshan, A B De Viliers, Daniel Vettori, Dirk Nannes, Charl Langeveldt, Luke Pomersbach, Johan van der Wath, Rile Rossouw, Nuwan Pradeep and Jonathan Vandlar.
Team Kochi: V V S Laxman, S Sreesanth, R P Singh, Parthiv Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Ramesh Powar, R Vinay Kumar, Mahela Jayawardene, Brendon McCullum, Steven Smith, M Muralidharan, Brad Hodge, Tisara Perera, Stephen O’Keefe, Owais Shah, Michael Klinger and John Hastings.
Team Pune: Yuvraj Singh, Robin Uthappa, Ashish Nehra, Murali Kartik, Graeme Smith, Tim Paine, Agelo Mathews, Nathan McCullum, Callum Ferguson, Wayne Parnell, Mitchell Marsh, Jerome Taylor, Alfonson Thomas and Jesse Ryder.
King XI Punjab: Dinesh Karthik, Abhishek Nayar, Praveen Kumar, Piyush Chawla, Adam Gilchrist, Shaun Marsh, David Hussey, Stuart Broad, Ryan Harris, Dimitri Mascarenhas and Nathan Rimmington.

Kolkara Knight Riders: Gautam Gambhir, Yusuf Pathan, Manoj Tiwari, L Balaji, Jaidev Unadkat, Jacques Kallis, Brad Haddin, Shakib Al Hasasn, Brett Lee, Eoin Morgan, Ryan ten Doeschate and James Pattinson
Chennai Super Kings: M S Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Murali Vijay, Albie Morkel (all retained), Wriddhiman Saha, R Ashwin, S Badrinath, Joginder sharma, Sudeep Tyagi, Michael Hussey, Dwayne Bravo, Doug Bollinger, scott Styris, Ben Hilfenhaus, Nuwan Kulasekara, Suraj Randiv, George Bailey and Francois Du Plessis.
Deccan Chargers: Shikhar Dhawan, Ishant sharma, Pragyan Ojha, Amit Mishra, Manpreet Gony, Kevin Pietersen, Cameron White, Kumar Sangakkara, JP Duminy, Dale Steyn, Daniel Christian, Chris Lynn, Juan Theron and Michael Lumb.
Delhi Daredevils: Virender Sehwag (retained), Irfan Pathan, Naman Ojha, Ajit Agarkar, Ashok Dinda, Umesh Yadav, Venugopal Rao, David Warner, James Hopes, Morne Morke l, Aaron Finch, Matthew Wade, Roelof van der Merve, Andrew McDonand, Travis Birt, Colin Ingram and Robert Frylinck.
Mumbai Indians: Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, Kieron Pollard, Lasith Malinga (all retained), Rohit Sharma, Munaf Patel, Andrew Symonds, David Jacobs, James Franklin, Clint McKay, Moises Henriques and Aiden Bllzzard.
Rajasthan Royals: Shane Warne, Shane Watson (both retained), Rahul Dravid, Pankaj Singh, Ross Taylor, Johan Botha, Paul Collingwood and Shaun Tait.

India worthy world champions, Dhoni the hero: Oz media

MELBOURNE: The Australian media raised a toast to Mahendra Singh Dhoni's "bold" leadership as it declared India the worthy world champions who defied history and intense pressure to come out triumphant in the summit showdown against Sri Lanka. 

The newspapers here said Dhoni's leadership and his performance in the final match in Mumbai stole the limelight from iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar who was playing in his sixth World Cup.

With its headline reading 'India defies history to win its first World Cup in 28 years', 'The Australian' said though it was not a fairytale finish but nonetheless India were the deserved world champions.

"It was about two great South Asian teams giving fans a thrilling, edge-of-the-seat one day final and a deserved triumph for a cricketing nation which felt its time had come. It wasn't a fairytale finish but for Mumbai and a nation still licking its wounds, it was more than enough," the newspaper said.

It said the current Indian team showed that it was no longer solely dependent on Tendulkar to win matches.

"Tendulkar might have been the name on everyone's lips but if ever there was a sign that the Indian team has moved beyond its one-man juggernaut, Saturday night's gritty victory was it.

"The team showed determination and discipline that surprised even the most nationalist fans to snatch a victory every man in the team then dedicated to their diminutive teammate playing in his sixth and final World Cup," it said.

"The win bore little resemblance to the fairytale finish the Mumbai crowd had been hoping for; one in which Sachin Tendulkar saw out his final World Cup by hitting his hundredth century before his home town crowd."

The newspaper described Dhoni as an "all-conquering captain" who now rivals Tendulkar in popularity.

"The 29-year-old is already cricket's top earner after signing a record two-year, $42 million contract last year to endorse whatever product comes his way, and after Saturday night's remarkable home-ground win against Sri Lanka, his marketability knows no bounds.

Tendulkar not ready to retire

Sachin Tendulkar insists he has no plans to retire after finally tasting World Cup success at the sixth attempt.

There was no 100th international century for the Little Master on Saturday but he walked away with the only medal that had so far eluded him, as India beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final in Mumbai.
With so many records to his name and his trophy collection now complete, the 37-year-old could not be blamed for calling time on his illustrious 20-year international career.
But Tendulkar told CricketWorld.com: "No. This is a moment to enjoy and celebrate. It's not about what I'm going to do in the future. This is a special moment which I really want to enjoy and live it to its fullest.
"This was the reason why I started playing cricket. I wanted to achieve something, do something for the country. The process has been a long one and I've continued to enjoy my game. I don't see any reason why I need to change anything right now."

Dream

The 37-year-old says he is still "speechless" after India's success.
"I started playing cricket dreaming of lifting the trophy one day and that is where it all started," he said.
"I am speechless to be honest, to express how I feel. This is by far the best moment. This is the moment I have been waiting for, for such a long time, 21 or 22 years. It is really worth every bit of it. It is really, really special."
The Indian team are yet to parade the World Cup in front of their legions of fans and Tendulkar admits he is looking forward to that.
"I haven't faced the general crowd outside," he said. "We've just been mingling with our family and friends. We haven't been able to experience and share our joy with the outsiders.
"That's the reaction I am really looking forward to. I can imagine what the reaction will be. All I've seen is the reaction on the news channels and it's absolutely fascinating."

Dhoni is a levelheaded captain: Pawar

ICC president Sharad Pawar on Sunday heaped praise on India's World Cup winning captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, describing him as an excellent and levelheaded cricketer who leads the team from the front in a crisis.

Dhoni cracked an unbeaten 91 under pressure to guide India to the World Cup title after 28 years at the Wankhade stadium last night and Pawar hailed the teamwork and Dhoni's crisis management skills.

"India and the Indian cricket team has performed a miracle.

India has got an excellent captain, person like Dhoni who is a levelheaded cricketer and especially when there is a crisis, the captain has to react to come forward and he has shown how the captain should behave in the time of a crisis," Pawar said.

"Yesterday, after losing two very very important wickets, he (Dhoni) and Gautam had practically restored the innings and practically succeeded in winning the World Cup .

"Sachin and Yuvraj were exceptional and their contribution in the World Cup and the team work was brilliant," he added.

Pawar said the International Cricket Council would be extremely happy to resume the India-Pakistan bilateral ties the way the two teams conducted themselves in the high-voltage semi-final of the World Cup in Mohali on March 30.

"We would be extremely happy, in fact, it is a desire of the ICC that India-Pakistan series have to be revived. When there would be normalcy in the truest sense and confidence, all the players, not only from India but also from different countries will happily go to Pakistan," he said.

"For the time being there is some problem. We are seriously considering and thinking to organise such series and tournament in other places."

The ICC chief also congratulated the host nations - India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh - for pulling off a successful World Cup.

"This World Cup was organised by three countries, Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh, all these countries have established one thing: Indian sub-continent can organize any international event in a dignified manner," Pawar said.

"So my greetings and congratulations to the people from the sub-continent who have supported and to their government officials, media and cannot forget the contribution of the players. The quality of the game was excellent.

"It is an absolute success from every angle, from participation by public, from quality of the game, from improvement in venues and lastly in terms of revenue," Pawar added.

Sanga knew he lost the toss: Vaughan

London: Former England captain Michael Vaughan has accused Kumar Sangakkara of cheating during the coin toss of the cricket World Cup final against India, saying it was the Sri Lankan skipper's "skulduggery" which prompted a re-toss.

There was confusion during toss of the ICC Cricket World Cup final, which India won by six wickets to reclaim the World Cup after 28 years.

The start to the match was marred by confusion when the coin toss had to be performed twice after match referee Jeff Crowe failed to hear what Sangakkara had called.

But Vaughan wrote on his Twitter page that Sangakkara conned his Indian counterpart Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

"Sangakkara has stuffed Dhoni. He shouted tails in the first toss and lost it. You can hear it on air."

He later tweeted: "I hear tails shout at the toss..

Others hear heads... Inconclusive on the replays."

Vaughan went on to insist that the Sri Lankan skipper knew he had lost the toss the first time around.

"I think there was a bit of skulduggery at the toss.

Kumar Sangakkara knew he'd lost that first toss, but he saw Dhoni hadn't really heard him!"

Bollywood celebrities tweets about india’s WC 2011 Champion

“Jai Ho”, “Jai Hind” and “Vande Mataram” was the response of Bollywood celebrities like Madhuri Dixit, Shilpa Shetty, Sushmita Sen and Anupam Kher as India beat Sri Lanka to win the cricket World Cup after 28 years. The film fraternity saluted Indian captain M.S. Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar, apart from congratulating Sri Lanka for a tough match.

The celebrities took to micro-blogging site Twitter to congratulate team India soon after the match ended. Here’s what they had to say:

Madhuri Dixit: Congrats Team India!!! We did it!!!! Great job bringing the cup back!!! Strong work Dhoni, Tendulkar and company! What an awesome match. Both sides played well!

Anupam Kher: THANK YOU Team India for giving us this GLORIOUS and PROUD moment. JAI HO

Shilpa Shetty: And History is Made! A timeless moment which will b etched n r minds forevr.Wel dne Team India,tk a bow.U made us cry n made r dream come true

Diya Mirza: Thank you Sri lanka for making it tough! YOU played so well! Made our win so much sweeter!

Vivek Oberoi: Yayyyyyyy!!!! What a historic moment! I’m so lucky to be here and see this happen live in front of my eyes! I’ve never experienced this kind of mass hysteria!!! India is proud of our team : jai hind!

Sushmita Sen: Yipppeeeeee!!!! We are world champions again after 28 yrs! I can’t stop crying…MS DHONI n our men in blue…take a bow!!! I love u guys!! What an honor it is to represent one’s country…and to do it with your very best..SRI LANKA well played!! We salute your spirit!! God bless

Madhur Bhandarkar: India creates history, winning the World Cup. Such proud moments for every Indian. Congrats Team India. Jai Hind & Vande Mataram. In Mohali it was Dussera and in Mumbai it is Diwali.

Bipasha Basu: Mahi n our entire team made us so proud! What a historical moment! The excitement was unimaginable!

Lara Dutta: Chak De India!!! Congratulations to the team and thankyou!!! That’s 28yrs in the coming! Unbelievable stuff!!

Arbaaz Khan: Congrats India!!! Awesome win :) We are the CHAMPIONS. Jai ho!!!

Sonakshi Sinha: We WONNNNNNNNNNN!!!!! :D woooooooo hoooooooo!!!!! Mubaraarakan badhaaiyaan pathaaaaaakeeee!!!!

Celina Jaitley: TEARS FLOW … LIGHT BLUE .. FOR U INDIA ….

Mandira Bedi: Sachin will finally be able to hold that one piece of Silverware that has evaded him his whole career…A WC trophy!!! AWESOME win! So proud of our team. So proud to be Indian!

Pooja Bhatt: CONGRATULATIONS INDIA! VERY WELL PLAYED SRI LANKA – Your dignity and spirit is inspiring! Salutations!

Vishal Dadlani: For 28 years, since I watched ‘em win as a 10 year-old, I’ve waited for today!! Each disappointment took me further away from cricket. Today, I’m a ten year old fan again.

Shruti Haasan: Hell yeahhhh!! That was awesome!!! Even a non cricket fan like me was sucked in!!! Good on india!!!!!!!!!!!!woooohoo!

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