10:50: Warne's Warriors have prevailed here at the Minute Maid Park Stadium in Houston. The crowd here were treated with a spectacular exhibition of power hitting. Warne's Warriors have defeated Sachin's Blasters by 57 runs in the second T20 match of the Cricket All Stars series. Warne's Warriors will lift the Cricket All Stars trophy after the final T20 match in Los Angeles.
Initially it looked like Blasters will never even get close to that huge total but a late flourish from Pollock and Graeme Swann helped them cross the 200 run-mark as well.
The batsmen struggled against the spin bowling of Saqlain and Warne. Mushtaq bowled an oustanding spell where he bowled 12 dot balls which is incredible in this format of the game.
Andrew Symonds picked up 4 wickets but at the cost of 70 runs in his spell of four overs. In two matches, Symonds now have seven wickets in his kitty.
We will have to wait and watch whether Sachin's Blasters can get the better of Warne's Warriors in the final T20 match on Sunday.
Till then, good bye ladies and gentlemen! That is all from from IBTimes and Rajarshi Majumdar. Will see you soon. Have a great day ahead!
Murali hits one out of the park from the last ball. Blasters 205/8 in 20 overs. Warriors beat Blasters by 57 runs.
Murali tries to hit one! But just 2 runs.
GONE! Symonds picks up his fourth wicket in the form of Shoaib Akhtar. Blasters 197/8.
Almost knocked Shoaib over with a bouncer! Now he has got a helmet to protect his head.
Oh Pollock is dismissed! Hayden has a safe pair of hands.
Six from the first ball from Pollock and with that he brings up his half century.
10:41: It is not a good sight to see Akram getting hit for three sixes in a row and that too for Shaun Pollock. These two have added 56 runs from just 20 balls. One must be thinking why did not Sachin deploy these two earlier. Blasters 186/6 (Pollock 49*, Swann 23*).
10:37: Swann and Pollock is going hammer and tongs here. 21 runs came off that over from Symonds. Blaster still need 98 runs from 12 balls. Blasters 165/6 Overs 18 (Pollock 30*, Swann 21*).
Pollock has gone down! Oh boy! That is not great sight. I think he has twisted his ankle.
10:31: Late entertainment from Swann here at the Minute Maid Park Stadium. But it is so nice and wonderful to see Akram bowling an impeccable line and length. What a legend, what a bowler he is! Still he has successfully kept the batsmen quiet with his deliveries. Blasters 144/6 Overs 16 (Pollock 19*, Swann 11*). Blasters need 119 runs from the last three overs.
10:30: Pollock here trying to go bonkers. He hit Symonds for 2 huge sixes. Sachin's Blasters still need 124 runs from 24 balls. Swann hit the first ball for a six. Blasters 139/6 Overs 16 (Pollock 17*, Swann 6*).
Terriffic catch from Warne to remove Klusener!
10:25: It looks certainly over now for the Blasters. The run rate has reached the 30-per-over mark. Surely, Warne will be a happy one to win that Cricket All Stars trophy. Blasters 117/5 (Klusener 21*, Pollock 3*). Blasters need 146 runs from 30 balls.
10:20: Shaun Pollock and Lance Klusener are tyring hard. Warriors' bowlers are slowing things down here. The off-cutters have come out of their kitties. Blasters 110/5 Overs 14 (Klusener 16* Pollock 1*) Blaster need 153 runs from 36 balls.
Symonds removes Lara! The West Indian was struggling at the crease. Lara's gone for 19. Blasters 102/5.
10:15: Klusener is trying to cut lose here. He hit one out of the park off Mustaq. This is what is required at the moment for the Blasters. They need more sixes. One will not do for them. Blasters 100/4 Overs 13 (Lara 18*, Klusener 9*). Blasters need 163 runs from 42 balls.
10:13: The game is swaying towards the Warriors now. It is more or less evident now who is going to win this battle. Klusener and Lara are trying too hard to find boundaries which has dried up after Sachin was dismissed. Blasters 92/4 Overs 12 (Lara 18*, Klusener 2*). Blasters need 171 from 48 balls.
A wicket-maiden from Saqlain! Nothing gets better than that in T20 cricket.
Dear-o-Dear! Saqlain has dismissed Mahela Jayawardene now! Trapped him in front of the stumps. Umpire had no problem whatsoever to give that out. Jayawardene dismissed for 5. Blasters 88/4.
10:02: Halfway through the innings now and the Blasters are struggling against Warne and Mushtaq. Things are not looking good for Sachin & co. Warne has bowled a tidy over now. Just 5 runs came off that over. Blasters 88/3 Overs 10 (Lara 15*, Jayawardene 5*). Blasters need 175 runs from 60 balls.
9:59: What an outstanding over from the verteran former Pakistani off-spinner. He removed Tendulkar which was really an important wicket for the Warriors. Mahela Jayawardene has come out to bat now. Blasters 83/3 Overs 9 (Lara 13*, Jayawardene 2*). Blasters need 180 runs from 66 balls.
Oh Boy! Saqlain Mushtaq dismisses Tendulkar.
9:54: Lara and Tendulkar are batting well in tandem here. They need more boundaries for sure. Warriors will have to find a way to break this partnership because if these two stick around they can hit the ball a mile. Warriors 79/2 Overs 8 (Tendulkar 33* Lara 12*). Blasters need 183 runs from 12 overs.
Shane Warne has arrived to bowl to Lara and Tendulkar now! And Lara welcomed him with a boundary.
9:48: Tendulkar has decided here that he is not going to stop no matter what happens. That was a big over for Blasters. Quite rightly, he has launched himself in this game as he knows there is a lot runs to be scored yet. 20 runs came off that Agarkar over. Warriors 69/2 Overs 7 (Tendulkar 32*, Lara 3*).
9:44: The required run rate is crawling upwards. Has already touched the 15 per over mark. The Blasters need something extra-ordinary from their skipper Sachin Tendulkar and also from the other batsmen who are yet to come. Warriors 49/2 Overs 6 (Tendulkar 16*, Lara 1*). Still need 214 runs.
Tendulkar and Lara at the crease now! What a pair! I am sure the crowd have paid a lot of money to watch these two bat together.
9:40: Ganguly dismissed by Kallis! Important breakthrough. Ganguly is out for a dozen. Blasters 43/2 Overs 5.1.
9:36: Ganguly is struggling here against Kallis and other bowlers as well. But he successfully hit one over the long off for a six. That will not do for Blasters. They need more boundaries in order to chase that total down. Blasters 37/1 Overs 4 (Ganguly 7*, Tendulkar 10*).
9:30: Tendulkar and Ganguly will have to score at a healthy run rate. Ganguly is cleary not at his very best now but the his partner at the other end still looks in tremendous touch. Blasters 29/1 Overs 3 (Sachin 9*, Ganguly 0*).
Tendulkar and Ganguly is in the middle now. The pair that the world has been itching to watch.
9:28: Oh Dear! Sehwag dismissed. He dragged the ball onto his stumps. Agarkar strikes early. Sehwag gone for 16. Warriors 20/1 Overs 2 (Sachin 2*, Ganguly 0*).
Ajit Agrakar is sharing the new ball with Akram here. The Warriors will have to sweat it out to stop Sehwag. He is got the locomotive busy again. And Sehwag was singing while he is batting.
9:23: Sehwag is trying to cut lose here. Akram has bowled a brilliant over here. 13 runs came off that over. They need boundaries in every over. Not one, but more than one. Blasters 13/0 Overs 1 (Sehwag 10*, Tendulkar 1*).
Akram to bowl to Tendulkar now.
Here's the first ball, Sehwag scored 2 runs of it!
Wasim Akram will bowl the first over!
9:17: Tendulkar and Sehwag are walking into the middle. Loud roar from the crowd!
9:01: Sachin's Blasters need 263 runs in 20 overs to win this game!
This was an oustanding exhibition of power hitting from Warne's Warriors. Almost all their batsmen contributed to go past the 250-run mark. None of the bowlers could make an impact in this game for Sachin's Blasters.
Sangakkara especially played a brilliabt knock of 70 runs. Kallis too scored a quick-fire 45. Rhodes and Symonds finished things off in style as they helped the Warriors to post a huge total of 262 on the scoreboard.
Shoaib Akhtar, Graeme Swann, Murali, Klusener, McGrath and others went for a plenty of runs. None of them were on the money and as a result it allowed the Warriors to score a lot of runs and that too with ease.
Last over will be bowled by Klusener!
8:58: Symonds is going hammer and tongs. 19 sixes have been hit in the first innings so far. Shoaib Akhtar looked helpless. Warriors 247/5, Overs 19 (Symonds 13*, Rhodes 4*).
Blasters have something to cheer about. Sangakkara played a superb knock here in Houston and got the crowd on their feet. Warriors 228/5 Overs 18 (Symonds 5*, Rhodes 0*).
KLUSENER dismisses Sangakkara now!
8:48: Ponting is OUT! Klusener tricked the former Australian captain. Ponting is gone for 41 from just 16 balls. Warriors 223/4.
8:47: Sangakkara is spotting the ball like a football here. Can he score a century? For the time being its rain in boundaries here at the Minute Maid Park. Warriors have gone past the 200 run mark rather easily. Ponting has moved into the 30's in just 12 balls. 16 run came from that Murali over. Warriors 215/3 Overs 17 (Ponting 33*, Sangakkara 70*).
8:44: Ponting has joined the party now. This is incredible batting from the Warriors here. This is absolute carnage here in Houston. Still four overs left here and the Warriors have already moved closer to that 200 run mark. Warriors 199/3 Overs 16 (Ponting 22*, Sangakkara 65*).
15 overs have been bowled. Sangakkara is slaughtering the Blasters bowlere here. Warriors 175/3 Overs 15 (Ponting 3*, Sangakkara 65*).
8:37: Is this that much-awaited shift in momentum for the Blasters? Kallis did his part though. Before getting out he hit two huge sixes over the mid-wicket region. Sangakkara meanwhile has scored a lightning half-century here at the minute maid park in Houston.19 runs came off that Viru over. Warriors 161/3 Overs 14 (Ponting 1*,Sangakkara 50*).
8:35: Sehwag has dismissed Kallis here! Warriors 154/3 Kallis gone for 45 from 23 balls.
8:29: Get someone stop these two batsmen. Both the batsmen are going bonkers here. Nothing less than 10 runs an over are coming here for the Warriors. Murali leaked 14 runs in that over. Warriors 142/2, Overs 13 (Kallis 34*, Sangakkara 44*).
8:26: Huge over that for Warriors. Kallis is sending the ball into the orbit. Lance Klusener gave away 17 runs in that over. Kallis and Sangakkara have put together 65 runs from 34 balls now. A big score is brewing here in Houston. Warriors 128/2 Overs 12 (Kallis 33*, Sangakkara 31*).
8:22: There is none who can stop Sangakkara and Kallis at the moment. The runs are coming way too easily for these two legends. Shoaib did get Kallis close to a dismissal as the ball straight up in the air but Ganguly pulled up and could not reach the ball in time. Warriors 111/2 Overs 11 (Kallis 18*, Sangakkara 30*).
Halfway through the innings now. Warriors are right on top at this moment. Kallis and Sangakkara are doing it in a similar fashion as Vaughan and Hayden was doing it while they opened the batting. Warriors are scoring at a run rate of 10 runs an over. 15 runs came off that Graeme Swann over. Warriors 100/2 Overs 10 (Kallis 15*, Sangakkara 21*).
8:12: Murali was taken for 13 runs in that over. Sangakkara still looks in good shape and touch just like he was in the first T20 match at the Citi Field. This is not good sign for the Blasters as they will have to find a way to stop this flow of runs. Warriors 85/2 Overs 9 (Kallis 8*, Sangakkara 14*).
8:09: The spinners are surely causing some trouble here. Especially, Swann is getting that much needed turn and bounce which is making the life of Sangakkara and Kallis a little more difficult here in Houston. Yet another economical over from Graeme Swann. Just four runs came off that. Warriors 72/2 Overs 8 (Sangakkara 3*, Kallis 6*).
8:06: Kallis is in trouble here. Tendulkar with the direct hit this time. Oh Dear! The replay showed Tendulkar got the stumps first. But the third umpire thinks otherwise and gave not out. Warriors 68/2, Overs 7(Kallis 4*, Sangakkara 1*).
8:00: Blasters are back in the game now. Two back-to-back wickets. McGrath this time who knocks the stumps of Hayden. Hayden was going bonkers. He already hit two sixes from the forst two balls of his over but Haydos dragged one into the stumps. Hayden scored 32 from 15 balls.
Hayden GONE!
7:57: Spin from both ends now. Swann struck in his first over itself. It could not be more plum. Vaughan was dismissed for 30. The former England captain did his job. Swann almost got the wicket of Hayden as well but he was lucky to get away with that. Warriors 51/1 Overs 6 (Hayden 21*, Kallis 0*).
7:55: GONE! Vaughan LBW by Swann. Warriors 51/1 Overs 5.4
7:53: Muttiah Muralitharan is into the attack. Blasters are desperate need for a wicket. For the time being the spin seems to be the right option for Tendulkar to keep these two batsmen quiet. Only four runs came from that Murali over. Warriors 46/0 Overs 5 (Vaughan 30* Hayden 15*).
7:49: Nothing seems to go in Blasters way at this moment. Both the batsmen have decided to go hammer and tongs in tandem. Vaughan looks more dangerous though. 12 runs came off that over again. Sachin Tendulkar will have to do the thinking here. May be he can try a spinner out! Warriors 42/0 Overs 4 (Vaughan 28* Hayden 12*).
Pollock with the ball now and Hayden welcomes him with a humongous six over the long on boundary!
7:45: We all saw how Shoaib bowled in the first T20 match at the CIti Field. He is trying to do the same here but Vaughan seems to be in a punishing mood here in Houston Minute Maid Park. Vaughan is in terrific shape here.Shoaib also seems to feeling a little uncomforatble with a hamstring. Warriors 30/0 Overs 3 (Vaughan 24* Hayden 6*).
7:40: Vaughan is looking good here with the willow. He has hit a couple of boundaries already. The Blasters' bowlers are leaking a lot of runs here. McGrath has given away 11 runs from his first over. Hayden too has hit a boundary from the last ball of the over. Warriors 18/1 Overs 2 (Vaughan 12* Hayden 6*).
Glenn Mcgrath with the ball now and he dropped Vaughan in his very first ball!
7:36: The first over the ball was doing quite a bit. Akhtar got the ball to move. Vaughan was lucky enough to get that ball to fly over the second slip. Warriors 7/0 Overs 1 (Vaughan 6* Hayden 1*).
First boundary of the game. vaughan goes for a wild slash and gets the edge and flies over the second slip for a boundary!
Hayden too gets a single from the second ball!
Here's the first ball Vaughan nicely nudges it away for a single!
Shoaib Akhtar will begin the proceedings for Blasters and on the other hand Matthew Hayden and Michael Vaughan will be opening the batting for Warriors.
The atmosphere is electric here in Houston. The crowd is making a lot of noise here. The players are already on the field.
Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen! This is Rajarshi Majumdar and I will be bringing you the live updates from the second T20 between Sachin's Blasters and Warne's Warriors which is being played at the Minute Maid Park Stadium in Houston.
The toss has already happened and Sachin Tendulkar have won the toss and he has asked Warn'es Warriors to bat first.
The match will start in few minutes from now! This is pure entertainment in the United States of America (USA). The fans all over the world will be treated with some great cricket again!
I know it is pretty early here in India but we can hold on to our seats with a cup of coffee and watch these legends play together in Houston.
