T20 World Cup- match schedules, tournament itenerary and ticket prices.

T20 World Cup- Schedule and Ticket Prices…

Here’s the schedule and ticket prices for the upcoming T20 World Cup, starting from 5^th June.

Group A	Group B	Group C	Group D
India	Pakistan	Australia	New Zealand
Bangladesh	England	Sri Lanka	South Africa
Ireland	Netherlands	West Indies	Scotland
Group E	A1, B2, C1, D2	Group F	B1, A2, C2, D1

Date	Lord’s	Trent Bridge	The Oval
Fri, 5 June	Opening ceremony England v Netherlands 22:00 IST
Sat, 6 June		India v Bangladesh 22:00 IST	New Zealand v Scotland 14:30 IST Australia v West Indies 18:00 IST
Sun, 7 June			South Africa v Scotland 18:00 IST England v Pakistan 22:00 IST
Mon, 8 June		Ireland v Bangladesh 18:00 IST Australia v Sri Lanka 22:00 IST
Tues, 9 June	Pakistan v Netherlands 18:00 IST New Zealand v South Africa 22:00 IST
Wed, 10 June		Sri Lanka v West Indies 18:00 IST India v Ireland 22:00 IST

Placement for the Super Eight stage is determined as follows:
The first two teams in each group are placed 1 or 2. They will retain this position for the Super Eight stage, irrespective of whether they finish first or second in their group, unless they are knocked out by the team 3 in their group. In this instance, team 3 replaces the position of the team they knock out.

Date	Lord’s	Trent Bridge	The Oval
Thu, 11 June		D1 v A2 (18:00 IST) B2 v D2 (22:00 IST)
Fri, 12 June	B1 v C2 (18:00 IST) A1 v C1 (22:00 IST)
Sat, 13 June			C1 v D2 (18:00 IST) D1 v B1 (22:00 IST)
Sun, 14 June	A2 v C2 (18:00 IST) A1 v B2 (22:00 IST)
Mon, 15 June			B1 v A2 (18:00 IST) B2 v C1 (22:00 IST)
Tues, 16 June		D1 v C2 (18:00 IST) D2 v A1 (22:00 IST)

The teams finishing first and second in groups E and F, based on points obtained in the Super Eight stage will compete in the semi-finals

Date	Lord’s	Trent Bridge	The Oval
Wed, 17 June	REST DAY	REST DAY	REST DAY
Thu, 18 June		Women’s semi-final A1 v B2 (18:00 IST) Men’s semi-final E1 v F2 (22:00 IST)
Fri, 19 June			Women’s semi-final B1 v A2 (18:00 IST) Men’s semi-final F1 v E2 (22:00 IST)
Sat, 20 June	REST DAY	REST DAY	REST DAY
Sun, 21 June	Women’s final 14:30 IST Men’s final 19:30 IST Closing ceremony

Ticket prices

Lord’s and The Oval	Gold		Silver		Family Stand
Men’s Prices (inc. VAT)	Adult	U16	Adult	U16	Adult	U16
Opening game and ceremony	£60	£15	£40	£12	£30	£10
Group game – double header	£60	£15	£40	£12	£30	£10
Super 8 game – double header	£70	£15	£50	£12	£40	£10
Semi-finals day (women/men)	£90	£15	£60	£12	£50	£10
Finals day (women/men)	£90	£15	£60	£12	£50	£10

Trent Bridge	Gold		Silver		Family Stand
Men’s Prices (inc. VAT)	Adult	U16	Adult	U16	Adult	U16
Group game and single header	£30	£12	£25	£10	£20	£8
Group game – double header	£50	£12	£35	£10	£30	£8
Super 8 game – double header	£60	£12	£45	£10	£40	£8
Semi-finals day (women/men)	£75	£12	£60	£10	£40	£8

Done with Vegas… Over to Maldives Holidays…!

Hullo folks,

In my last post, I told you all about my trip to Las Vegas. Well guess what, I’m off again. Next month, I’ll be going for Maldives Holidays. Though this is going to be a work trip, I have no intentions of missing out on the fun quotient of it. This is like a double whammy! Two outdoor holidays, both splendid locations, in space of just two months. God has never been so kind! And this time too, I’m making sure I book my package through ZipHolidays.co.uk. These guys are really good and I can safely vouch for their credibility based on my first hand experience. Right now, I’m on a researching spree for my holidays to Maldives. I’ve been browsing all over the internet, trying to get myself acquainted with all the essentialities for the trip. From whatever little I’ve gathered, I understand Maldives is a conglomeration of various islands and islets. It is an Islamic country and has its own special conducts. Though, sadly, most my time would be wasted in unending meetings and baseless discussions, I do hope to squeeze in some time for my share of beach merriment. Though, the company of one’s near and dear ones is always sorely missed, I’ll try to overcome all that (with some outside help, of course!). I’ve already made a list of do’s and don’ts and all the beautiful places to visit. For instance, I’ve always wanted to do snorkelling but was always hesitant. Lying by the beachside, sipping some cool drinks with nothing to do (sure sounds fun!) is my idea of an ideal weekend. I’ve also read quite a lot about Male’s beautiful mosques and their supreme architecture. I may also tell you all that, contrary to popular perception, Maldives’ nightlife is quite exciting, with all the numerous nightclubs that have sprung up all over the country. So work permitting, I will really be in for a good time. Shall keep you guys posted!

And yes any other insights or suggestions relevant to the trip are most welcome!

Las Vegas holidays- my own travelog!

Hullo folks,

Ah! It’s been quite hectic, this whole month, largely due to my trip to Las Vegas. Work was quite taxing. I just felt like I had to break away. So I rang up a few friends, planned an itinerary, searched for last-minute cheap holidays which led me to Zip Holidays. I browsed over their various packages and zeroed on Las Vegas. So we got ourselves a group package for Las Vegas holidays. And boy, did we have some fun!!! A week of utter bliss, I must say. Though planned in an absolute scurry, everything turned out just fine and I had a whale of a time during my holidays to Las Vegas .

Since, this was only my second foreign trip, I was still getting used to the nuances of the formalities involved in international travel. Getting the US VISA was not that big a deal as I had thought. Finally, our group of eight friends was all set to unravel what is the fuss over Las Vegas all about.

As we landed, we went through the routine checks and came out of the McCarran International Airport. We were duly escorted to our cabs and transferred to our hotel. Since this was supposed to be a budget trip, we stayed at The Carriage House. The House is a lovely hotel located in the vicinity of the Strip. We had booked two double bedroom suites; extremely spacious, well kept and very comfortable. In fact, we were spoiled for choice by the hotel’s amenities. We were provided the services of our own Butler, Jeremy, who pampered us all through our stay. Parking was not a problem at all and the efficient valet service only helped matters further. The hotel’s indoor pools were huge and well-maintained. The bathrooms were quite clean and well facilitated with modern bath fittings. In fact, what befuddled me the most were the luxuries that we were enjoying on our shoe string budget. I mean the tariff, the taxes and all additional charges were all in compliance with our extremely modest budget which, definitely added to the sense of fulfilment.

It never really sleeps, this city! As a matter of fact, I often wondered where did all this energy come from. The nightlife is just pulsating. There was never a dull moment throughout our entire stay. The MGM was its usual grand self, the exotic looking Flamingo dancers only adding to its appeal. Yeah, we did gamble a bit and made some money as well. In fact, when we pooled all our winnings, we realised we were richer by 3 grands and a half (P.S.- almost half of the entire winning amount was splurged on endless rounds of drinks and the rest was mindfully utilised in buying a round of lap dances for each one of us!).

Besides the rocking nightlife, there are several other facets to a holiday in Vegas. We also visited the Graceland Chapel (and none of us got married), took a chopper tour around the Grand Canyons and watched, in awe, the beautiful Bellagio Fountains (that thing’s actually for free!). We also visited the famous Madame Tussaud’s and the Liberace Museum. All in all, a truly memorable trip, just what Las Vegas Holidays are supposed to be!

Susan Boyle VS 12 year old Shaheen Jafargholi: Here’s my choice!

The past week has been quite a tide for popular television show, Britain’s Got Talent. It seems that Susan Boyle, who until late was running away with all the accolades and pity votes, has finally found a roadblock in 12 year old Shaheen Jafargholi, a sweet Welch boy who has stormed his way into the show and is tipped to be the only competition(and a lethal one at that!!!) to Boyle.

Though punters have tipped the two to compete in the final showdown, inside sources have let out that an unexpected twist is on the cards, suggesting a premature exit for either of the two, who rank quite high on the popularity charts.

Coming back to Shaheen Jafargholi, the 12 year old wonder had won umpteen hearts over when he presented his rendition of Michael Jackson’s legendary ‘Who’s Loving You’. And that’s when Simon Cowell, the show’s prima-facie judge, mentor and Producer quoted, “This is how one song can change your life”. The kid’s gaining a lot of mileage riding on his last week’s performance and is a serious contender for the top position on the show, given how his popularity is spiralling upwards. By the way, around 3 million hits have been registered on his You-Tube video.

While Boyle, on the other hand, has been the forerunner in the title race since the start. With her mesmerising performances, coupled with self-empathising comments, thus capturing millions of pity votes, she sure caught everyone’s fancy.

Besides being gifted with excellent vocal skills, the two also share terrific affinity to Cowell. Viewers may actually relish a face-off between the perennial virgin and the young ‘Stevie Wonder’, what with the drama that surrounds their performances. Cowell has sure played his cards right.

Well, personally, i believe that Boyle’s fanclub lacks the very knack of spotting a genius of 12 year old Shaheen’s calibre, and ridden in a wave of pity and empathy,shall to stick the norms of supporting the underdog (who, right now, should be Shaheen anyways!!). So while you fools chant Boyle’s name over and over again,,, for me,the 12 year old Shaheen Jafargholi is a hero all the way. C’mon guys, give the child a chance!!!

Ray J and cocktail, Megan McAllister Philip Markoff, Reza Aslan: Netizens’ choice…

Hullo folks,

I was just going through Google Trends the other day when I realised how quaint were the search patterns that people actually searched. After some laborious slogging and detailed researching, I postulated that netizens had a queer flair for looking things up. And the strangest part is that it is people like you and me who populate the cyber generation, and actually look this s#!t up. So here’s a brief insight delving into what’s going on our cluttered minds:

Ray J and Cocktail:

Apparently, this is about some Pop hotshot Ray J (whose claim to fame is his acquaintance with Beyonce and Jay Z) who’s looking for his love interest from a faction of wannabe gold-diggers. The show, tentatively titled “For the love of Ray J”, is garnering decent credibility amongst the viewers. And apparently, this ‘Cocktail’ chick has won the show, listing high on priority and prominence. The other two in the Top Three were Monica Leon (nicknamed Danger) and a chick named Unique (????!!!!????).

Megan McAllister Philip Markoff:

Phil Markoff with fiancee Megan McAllister

He is an enigma of sorts, a Boston University medical student who is charged with a robbery bid and killing Julissa Brisman, a masseuse. And what else,,,??? He is reportedly engaged to be married to his log time sweetheart, Megan McAllister. Phil Markoff is believed to have a thing for sex-workers, which has been vehemently denied by his fiancée, Megan McAllister. If proved guilty, this guy is sure to give seasoned criminals a run for their money.

Julissa Brisman

Reza Aslan: Islam Guru

The man himself, Reza Aslan.

He is probably an internationally known writer and scholar of comparative religions who holds degrees in religion from Harvard University, Santa Clara University and the University of California, Santa Barbara. He also has a Master’s in fine arts from the University of Iowa. His views and beliefs over the religion of Bahai are much-admired amongst religious gurus and the man is believed to command an enormous following, with all his lectures boasting of packed houses.

Reza Aslan

Yeah, I know you don’t believe it either,,,, all this is what you and me look out for. What happened to the good ol’ days where internet porn ruled the roost, when all we searched for, were hot pics of our dream celebrities, or a gorgeous set of wheels, or the latest gadgets. Have we totally lost it? M already bogged down by all this and am off browsing for some hot pics of Kim Kardashian(btw, she’s delicious!!!) you guys, too,think before you click and pleeeeeeezze,, Get A LIFE…!!!

Slumdog Millionaire Childstar Rubina Ali consents to trafficking bid by father…

Hullo Folks,

Rubina Ali, the famous child star from the Oscar-winning movie SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, escaped a major human-trafficking bid when her father, Rafiq Qureshi offered to sell her for about $300,000 to British reporters, posing undercover as Sheikhs based in Dubai. The incident has sparked a frenzy of sorts in the international media. The report comes right after Rubina,9, had been approached by a major US magazine for a photoshoot, offering her a major sum.

Qureshi had been, reportedly, contemplating this move since the movie’s unanticipated success and was entertaining similar offers from other parties as well.He even raised his asking price post the film’s stupendous success. Though having denied all allegations about the incident initially, Qureshi later confessed to fielding numerous lucrative deals pertaining to the sale of his star-daughter.

The father of three says the move was planned for the betterment of his darling daughter’s future prospects. It may, however, be noted that Danny Boyle, the movie’s director, had provided apartments to Ali and her co-star, Azharuddin in the Mumbai suburbs; besides setting up a trust fund to sponsor their future education.

The incident comes as a total shocker to the entertainment industry that dismissed the story as ‘completely fabricated’. Ali, who played the younger avatar of Latika, the female protagonist in the movie, was completely unaware of the whole fiasco as she cheerfully chatted and joked with the undercover reporters. Though a case has been filed against Qureshi on charges of human trafficking, what remains to be seen is the nature of punishment awarded to him, providing he is the sole caretaker of his daughter. In wake of the incident, several protest campaigns have been launched throughout the country. But, the question that remains to be answered is- are thy really worth it? Watch this space for the next update

Miss USA 2009.

Hullo folks….

The Miss USA 2009 shall be telecast today on NBC Television, live from the Theatre for the Performing Arts located at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Now we all know what the pageant is all about- superhot chicks strutting their stuff around. I know the purists may argue that besides their smoking-hot looks, the contestants in the Pageant are also some of the most brilliant minds all across the US, but who the hell gives a tiny rat’s arse to what those guys think. Meanwhile, if the swimwear round pics are anything to go by, these beauties are sure to set the stage ablaze this year as well…

As is every year’s tradition, I’ve picked a few of my personal favorites; one of who I believe, shall wear the coveted crown tonight… Watch out for Miss Alabama, Miss Louisiana, Miss Utah, Miss California, and Miss Hawaii (BTW, Utah’s my personal favorite). The new queen shall be crowned by last year’s winner Chrystle Stewart.

And yes,,, about the judges. This year’s event has a host of multi-faceted personalities from all walks of life. The judges are Robert Earl, Shandi Finnessey, Willie Geist, Brian Graden, Shelley Hennig, Perez Hilton, Alicia Jacobs, Claudia Jordan, John Miller, Kelly Monaco, Kenan Thompson and Eric Trump. Phew,,, it seems the Pageant has indeed pulled off a major coup with this line-up. And while many are gaga about the event returning to the city of Indulge, Las Vegas, sponsors and financiers are laughing away to the banks as well.

So let’s keep our fingers crossed (like we really care!!!) to unravel the next American sweetheart….

IPL- CRICKET AND ENTERTAINMENT

The phenomenon that IPL is…..

Hi there…

Well since today is the inception of the most awaited sporting spectacle of the entire calendar year, I thought I’d myself give it a tribute of sorts through this modest medium of mine.

Yes, IPL is here as you know, as I know,,, hell, as everybody knows. And, akin to last year, it is expected to be a cracker of a tournament. Lalit Modi has sure pulled just the right cards for bringing about this fiesta which has transcended cricketing borders and has taken a toll on everything else, be it the households, offices,,, even the elections. Amidst this frenzy, while all other businesses have come to a standstill, the entertainment industry is anticipated to score ahead due to the relationship it enjoys with the game…

Entertainment… ah!! This brings to my mind the thought of the angelic cheerleaders who satiate every hot-bloodied Indian’s optically virile desires courtesy their mind-numbing shakes and moves. Though IPL itself scores quite high on the glamour front featuring the perky Priety Zinta,the ooh-la-la Shilpa Shetty as team owners, or the petite Riya Sen as the brand ambassador, this baby has got it all. Being the most exciting version of the most revered sport of the entire country, it is bound to attract people from all walks of life who’d be following every ball-action in the electrifying atmosphere of the stadium or within a similar ambience in the confines of their living rooms. But, IPL has arrived and is here to stay…

the scheduled itinerary of IPL 2009is as follows:

April 18: Opening ceremony followed by Rajasthan Royals v Royal Challengers and Mumbai
Indians v Chennai Super Kings (Newlands, Cape Town )

April 19: Kolkata Knight Riders v Deccan Chargers (Newlands, Cape Town); Delhi Daredevils vs Kings XI Punjab (Newlands, Cape Town)

April 20: Royal Challengers v Chennai Super Kings ( St. George’s Park , Port Elizabeth )

April 21: Rajasthan Royals v Mumbai Indians (Kingsmead, Durban ); Kolkata Knight Riders v Kings XI Punjab (Kingsmead, Durban )

April 22: Delhi Daredevils v Chennai Super Kings (Kingsmead, Durban ); Royal Challengers v Deccan Chargers (Newlands, Cape Town )

April 23: Kolkata Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals ( St. George’s Park , Port Elizabeth )

April 24: Kings XI Punjab v Royal Challengers (Wanderers, Johannesburg )

April 25: Kolkata Knight Riders v Chennai Super Kings (Newlands, Cape Town ); Deccan Chargers v Mumbai Indians (Kingsmead, Durban )

April 26: Rajasthan Royals v Kings XI Punjab (Newlands, Cape Town); Royal Challengers v Delhi Daredevils (St. George’s Park, Port Elizabeth)

April 27: Kolkata Knight Riders v Mumbai Indians (Newlands, Cape Town ); Chennai Super Kings v Deccan Chargers (Kingsmead, Durban )

April 28: Delhi Daredevils v Rajasthan Royals ( Supersport Park , Centurion, Pretoria )

April 29: Mumbai Indians v Kings XI Punjab (Kingsmead, Durban ); Kolkata Knight Riders v Royal Challengers (Kingsmead, Durban )

April 30: Delhi Daredevils v Deccan Chargers (Supersport Park, Centurion, Pretoria); Rajasthan Royals v Chennai Super Kings (Supersport Park, Centurion, Pretoria)

May 1: Royal Challengers v Kings XI Punjab ( Buffalo Park , East London); Mumbai Indians v Kolkata Knight Riders (Kingsmead, Durban )

May 2: Rajasthan Royals v Deccan Chargers (Wanderers, Johannesburg ); Chennai Super Kings v Delhi Daredevils ( St. George’s Park , Port Elizabeth )

May 3: Mumbai Indians v Royal Challengers (Kingsmead, Durban ); Kings XI Punjab v Kolkata Knight Riders ( Buffalo Park , East London )

May 4: Deccan Chargers v Chennai Super Kings ( St. George’s Park , Port Elizabeth )

May 5: Delhi Daredevils v Kolkata Knight Riders (Kingsmead, Durban ); Kings XI Punjab v Rajasthan Royals (Kingsmead, Durban )

May 6: Mumbai Indians v Deccan Chargers ( Supersport Park , Centurion, Pretoria )

May 7: Kings XI Punjab v Chennai Super Kings ( Supersport Park , Centurion, Pretoria ); Royal Challengers v Rajasthan Royals ( Supersport Park , Centurion, Pretoria )

May 8: Delhi Daredevils v Mumbai Indians ( Buffalo Park , East London )

May 9: Deccan Chargers v Kings XI Punjab ( Outsurance Park , Bloemfontein ); Chennai Super Kings v Rajasthan Royals ( St. George’s Park , Port Elizabeth )

May 10: Kolkata Knight Riders v Delhi Daredevils ( Buffalo Park , East London); Royal Challengers v Mumbai Indians (Wanderers, Johannesburg )

May 11: Deccan Chargers vs Rajasthan Royals ( Outsurance Park , Bloemfontein )

May 12: Royal Challengers vs Kolkata Knight Riders ( Supersport Park , Centurion, Pretoria ); Kings XI Punjab v Mumbai Indians ( Supersport Park , Centurion, Pretoria )

May 13: Deccan Chargers v Delhi Daredevils (Kingsmead, Durban )

May 14: Mumbai Indians v Rajasthan Royals (Kingsmead, Durban ); Chennai Super Kings v Royal Challengers (Kingsmead, Durban )

May 15: Kings XI Punjab v Delhi Daredevils (De Beers Diamond, Oval, Kimberley )

May 16: Chennai Super Kings v Mumbai Indians (Wanderers, Johannesburg ); Deccan Chargers v Kolkata Knight Riders ( St. George’s Park , Port Elizabeth )

May 17: Rajasthan Royals v Delhi Daredevils (De Beers Diamond Oval, Kimberley ); Kings XI Punjab v Deccan Chargers (Wanderers, Johannesburg )

May 18: Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders ( Supersport Park , Centurion, Pretoria )

May 19: Delhi Daredevils v Royal Challengers (Wanderers, Johannesburg )

May 20: Chennai Super Kings v Kings XI Punjab (Kingsmead, Durban ); Rajasthan Royals v Kolkata Knight Riders (Kingsmead, Durban )

May 21: Deccan Chargers v Royal Challengers ( Supersport Park , Centurion, Pretoria ); Mumbai Indians v Delhi Daredevils ( Supersport Park , Centurion, Pretoria )

May 22: Semifinal 1 at Supersport Park , Centurion, Pretoria

May 23: Semifinal 2 at Wanderers, Johannesburg

May 24: Closing ceremony followed by final (Wanderers, Johannesburg ).

HAPPY WATCHING……

By the way, here’s a compilation of few of the most striking sites of last year’s edition. I hope u guys’d appreciate it…

Bye for now..

Splayfoot UFO sighted, US Authorities worried…

UFO – sightings…. A myth or sheer reality….

HULLO, FOLKS…

We all have grown up nursing our very own notions about the paranormal. And herein, UFO’s have so taken the cake for the sheer interest and hysteria they evoke every time any news pertaining to them is flashed out. So what exactly is the issue with mankind with these UFOs (unbelievingly freaky objects). Why are we still so stuck up with this weird concept? Are ET’s actually for real???!!!???

Till now I personally used to doubt the very existence of such a horrendous perception. But recent internet reports seem to have made a dent on my mind’s so logic-oriented workings. Coz now, I have really started to ponder and question mankind’s stance on the existence of life beyond our homely planet. A remarkable observation I came across while researching for the umpteen UFO sightings is that the bulk of these sightings were in the United States of America or any of her allied or rather subordinate nations… like Poland, Iraq, Argentina, Brazil, etc. etc.

It might actually be quite interesting to note that the latest dope doing the cyber rounds is the latest ‘splay foot’ shaped E.T. vessel that’s been sighted somewhere around Warsaw. While witnesses have remarked about the peculiarity of the shape and design of this one (which has always been the case, anyways!), official authorities have tried to cover up the entire episode by questioning the credibility of the source.

All in all, the perennially unanswered question still holds fort… are ET’s for real?,?,?,?

And for that matter, is MIB a real organization. Well if it is, it might not be long before we say goodbye to Michael Jackson, coz he’d be going to his home then!!!

Watch this space for the next big dope on life beyond earth!

Cheerleader Coach,Carlie Christine, sacked post nude Playboy photoshoot….

Carlie Christine, a cheerleading coach has been fired after parents and authorities came to know about a sexy photoshoot Carlie shot for adult magazine Playboy’s February issue. And the best part of it all— she was the ‘Siren of the Week’ in that issue.

The news had been doing many rounds as a rumour in the school corridors for quite some time… Hence; it didn’t come as a surprise when the actual photographs came out. An immediate complaint was forwarded to school authorities at the Casa Robles High School who took no time in dislodging Christine from her job as the coach for the school’s cheerleading team.

Inside sources have remarked that the primary reason that really undid it for Carlie is when a few girls didn’t make it to the cheerleading team due to some unsanctioned leaves from school. Frustrated at being left out, angry girls made copies of the Playboy photographs and submitted them at the Principal’s desk.

According to the faculty and staff, the most amazing thing about the whole episode was the fact that the students had seen and knew all about the photographs but hadn’t bothered to make any formal complaint prior to this. Though Carlie herself could not be contacted for a direct quote, close friends have assured she’s unperturbed by the whole fiasco. She, probably, even intends to take up modelling full-time in the near future allaying doubts over her future course of action. This gal, surely, has got some way to go…