Continuing with its trailblazing trend of bringing the best of cricket to the small screen across the region, Pehla - Premium Asian Entertainment and Firstnet – Premium International Entertainment yet again brings live and exclusive coverage of the seven ODIs cricket series and an exciting Twenty20 match between India and Australia. Catch the battle of nerves live on NEO Sports of the Pehla and Firstnet bouquet as ICC World Twenty20 champions take on the world champions. The inaugural match will be played on 29th September at M. Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore.
The Indian team fresh from its dazzling performance in the ICC World Twenty20 Championship would certainly be looking forward to yet another triumphant series. India goes into the series with a psychological edge after having beaten Australia in the semi-finals of the recently concluded ICC Twenty20. Australia enters the series smarting from the humiliation of its failure to secure a berth in the final of a major world tournament, for the first time since 2004.
The Indian cricket team led by the flamboyant new skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni would be counting on the competitive flair of its young guns like Yuvaraj Singh, Irfan Pathan and Sreeshant while also heavily relying on the experience of Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble.
Australia has enjoyed an absolute supremacy in the one day format of the game with two successive world cup triumphs to their credit. Famed for their professional approach and clinical precision on the field, the Australians will fight hard to safeguard their reputation as an ‘invincible’ team. Australia’s injury concerns may have worsened with Michael Hussey and Shane Watson being ruled out of the trip. Although, the absence of Australian captain, Ricky Ponting in the inaugural match would be a big blow to the Aussies, nevertheless, the presence of match winners like Adam Gilchrist and Mathew Hayden is enough to unnerve any opposition. James Hopes will join the squad in Watsons place while Brad Haddin, joins in as Husseys replacement.
Historically, Australia enjoys a better record; having won 51 matches against India out of the 83 ODI’s played between the two teams from 1980-2006. Five of the matches were either tied or went undecided. India, however after the ICC Twenty20 triumph has emerged as a formidable team, very much capable of challenging the Australian might. History or no history, one thing is for sure that Pehla and Firstnet subscribers across the region can once again look forward to the excitement, drama and all the action that makes cricket such a fascinating game. |