Earlier today, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Nokia launched three new handsets- 2690, 1800, and the 7230. The company also launched Ovi Chat for Bangladesh users.
I just received a press release and I can find that the price of Nokia 2690 is BDT 4,995 while Nokia 1,800 will cost you BDT 2,500. On the other hand, Nokia 7230 is BDT 9,900.
I think that Nokia 1800 will become immensely popular because of its price. The price is around $35 and this price range is very popular among Bangladeshi consumers.
Nokia also launched Ovi Chat that will allow users to chat with each other through Instant Messaging (IM). Ovi Chat will be free for Nokia series 40 and series 60 handsets. This is a very cool feature and I am very happy that Nokia has launched this chat facility. It will make life much easier for busy people like me. Ovi Chat will give you the freedom of IM and it will help to keep you connected with others.
Today in the launching ceremony, General Manager Nokia Emerging Asia Mr. Prem Chand promised that some more features will come for Bangladeshi users and Bangladesh is now one of the top countries in terms of Ovi mail users.
To know more about Ovi mail in Bangladesh, read this entry from South Asia Blog:
Entertainment just got a whole lot more interesting and affordable with the introduction of the new range of Nokia phones, the 2690, the 1800 and the 7230. Nokia unveiled this series of full blown communications and entertainment devices in a launching event in the capital on the 13th of April, where Ovi Chat, a free application to address Instant Messaging (IM) needs of consumers, was also launched.
Ovi Chat brings computer like chatting experience into mobile handsets. In Ovi Chat, once a user signs in, their buddy list or Ovi Mail contact list is automatically uploaded onto the phone. Ovi Chat streamlines ease of use of mobile Instant Messaging clients, including features such as quickly setting status and availability, or privacy settings. Users can express their emotions through a wide range of emoticons and stay connected with their loved ones through continuous conversation. Ovi chat is available for free in all Nokia Series 40 and Series 60 handsets.
Instant Messaging (IM) is a form of real-time communication between two or more people based on the exchange of short messages. You can easily see which of your contacts are available to participate in an IM conversation. To start chatting, select an available contact, and send a message. Mobile instant messaging allows you to communicate with your contacts no matter where you are. With instant messaging enabled on your mobile device, you can chat with your contacts as you would do from your PC.
“We know Bangladeshis love to get together with friends and family and adda! Ovi Chat will connect and inspire hundreds and thousands of Ovi Mail users in Bangladesh to carry on continuous online “adda” or conversation.” Mr. Prem Chand, General Manager, Nokia Emerging Asia commented. “We launched Ovi Mail, free bangle email identity which can be created directly from mobile phones in June 2009 and the response has been phenomenal. Bangladesh is now one of the top countries globally for Ovi Mail users and launching Ovi Chat is Nokia’s next step to connect the Ovi Mail users and create a vibrant instant messaging community. Nokia has always been about connecting people. We are all about enabling everyone to keep in touch and make the most of every moment. Ovi Chat will hopefully do its part in bringing people closer” he added.
Ovi Chat is part of Nokia’s overall Instant Messaging offer available for Series60 handsets at the moment. Through Nokia’s Instant Messaging solution, it is possible to have several conversations simultaneously in multiple communities, such as Windows Live, Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk etc. “Soon we will make the overall Instant Messaging solution available in Series 40 handsets as well” Mr. Chand added.
Nokia 2690
Nokia 2690, with its curved rounded edges and textured black surface is a modern-looking, stylish and comfortable little device designed to keep all of the user’s mobile content in one place. Available in a wide range of colours, it is designed to compliment the style and character of each individual user.
The 2690 has an integrated music player so one can stay entertained on-the-go, with a memory expandable up to 8 GB. With OVI Mail, one can easily set up a personal, free email account from the device, and stay connected with friends and family from anywhere.
The Nokia 2690 will be available in hot pink, graphite, blue and white silver for BDT 4995.
Nokia 1800
Nokia 1800, with its 1.8” TFT display, metal trimming and high-gloss finish, is a compact and trendy design. It comes with a simple colored user interface, long battery life and large memory for contacts and messages. The 1800 is designed for practicality.
With a tentative launch date of 25th May, the Nokia 1800 will be available in black, grey, blue and orchid red for BDT 2500.
Nokia 7230
Nokia 7230 with its stylish and compact design is optimized for brilliant imaging on the go and staying updated with social applications. It supports an easy access to Facebook and other social networking sites. The 3.2 megapixel camera makes it possible to capture enduring moments and share them instantly on favorite photo-sharing sites.
It has a contemporary look with a sleek design with smooth rounded corner design and shiny metallic finishing. With a slide keypad, it is compact and easy to carry around.
Nokia 7230 is a compact slider that comes in vibrant colors to suit individual personality. The 7230 makes it possible to email and chat whenever desired with Nokia Messaging and access to social networking sites. It makes downloads possible with its 3G connectivity and access to Ovi Store. Nokia 7230 lets one share and socialize 24/7.
Famous Malayalam actor, Santhosh Jogi had been found dead in Thrissur. His deadbody was found in his apartment. Santhosh Jogi acted in blockbuster movies like Keeethichakra, and Big B. His other major movies include: Mayavi, Rajamanickyam, Kurukshetra, Malabar Wedding, Alibhai, Balram v/s Tharadas. The actor is survived by his wife and two children. Here is a videoclip from Keeethichakra
Malabar Wedding is another hit film. Released in 2008, Santhosh Jogi played the character of ‘Choonda’ in the movie. Malabar Wedding also features Indrajith, Gopika, Suraj Venjaramood and Janardhanan. South Indian magazine, Metro Matinee said:
“Malayalam actor Santhosh Jogi found dead. The dead body found in his flat at Thrissur. Santhosh jogi Acted in Blockbusters like Keeethichakra (Gudha Se Mannat ) and Big B.”
Santhosh Jogi also appeared in Chotta Mumbai directed by Anwar Rasheed. Produced by Vishakha, the Chotta Mumbai also stars Mohanlal, Bhavana, Siddique, Kalabhavan Mani, Jagathy Sreekumar, Saikumar, Rajan P Dev, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Ramu, Narayanankutty, Kochupreman, Indrajith, Manikuttan, Bheeman Raghu, and Vinayakan.
Reading the title, some of you might have already reached the conclusion of an affair between Arjun Rampal and Katrina Kaif but that is not the case. On April 10, 2010, there was press conference where the entire cast of Rajneeti was present. Katrina was wearing a short sleeveless dress but the air conditioner was so cold that she was shivering. Katrina Kaif asked both Ranbir Kapoor and Arjun Rampal for help but Ranbir Kapoor could not do anything except nodding his head. It was Arjun Rampal who came to help Katrina Kaif. He lent Katrina Kaif his coat and without wasting a single second she covered her legs with it. Later, Nana Patekar requested hotel authorities to reset the air conditioner.
In the press conference, Ranbir Kapoor spoke highly of Arjun Rampal. He said that he has found his brother for life in him. Both Ranbir Kapoor and Arjun Rampal and director of the movie, Prakash Jha, praised Katrina Kaif for her dedication and hard work. Rajneeti is a political drama which stars Katrina Kaif, Arjun Rampal and Ranbir Kapoor. Scheduled to be released in mid-2010, the movie shows Katrina Kaif playing the role of a female politician. Till now, Katrina Kaif has been doing glamorous roles in movies. For the first time, she is doing a character that requires less glamour and lots of acting talent. Now, the million dollar question is- Can Katrina Kaif successfully play the character of a female politician? Let’s wait and see.
Syndicate bank recruitment 2010 is has started from today. Syndicate Bank is a reputed government bank in India. The bank is inviting online application from Indian citizens. It is going to recruit of 1000 probationary clerks. Here are the dates:
Opening Date for Online Registration 13.04.2010
Last Date for Online Applications 12.05.2010
Date of Written Test 27.06.2010
Educational Qualifications:
Minimum 12th standard (10+2) pass or equivalent qualification with a minimum of aggregate 60% marks
OR
A degree from a recognized university (graduation level)
OR
Matriculate Ex-servicemen candidates, who have obtained the Indian Army Special Certificate of Education or corresponding certificate in the Navy or the Air Force, after having completed not less than 15 years of service in Armed Forces of the Union are also eligible for the post.
(1) Should be able to write and speak English fluently.
(2) Knowledge of Official/Regional Language of the State/UT to which the candidate applies is essential.
(3) Computer Proficiency is essential.
Note:
1. The candidates should have studied as regular students.
2. In addition to the qualification, the Candidates should have working knowledge in Computers.
a) The educational qualification prescribed for the post is the minimum. Candidates must possess the educational qualifications as on 01.03.2010 (inclusive).
b) Candidates must specifically indicate the class/division and percentage of marks obtained calculated to the nearest two decimals in the relevant field of the online application. Where no percentage of marks is awarded by the University, but only CGPA/OGPA is awarded, the same should be converted into percentage, besides indicating the CGPA/OGPA in the online application.
c) Candidates who are awaiting their results of the qualifying examination OR who have not passed the qualifying examination on or before 01.03.2010 are not eligible. In other words, the result of the qualifying examination, i.e., 12th standard (10+2) or equivalent qualification/graduation, as the case may be, should have been announced by the Board/University on or before 01.03.2010.
AGE LIMIT (AS ON 01.03.2010)
Minimum 18 Years
Maximum 28 Years
Selection Procedure:
Selection for the post of `Probationary Clerk’ will be made on the basis of performance in written test and Interview.
Interview: Candidates who qualify in the Written Test shall be called for interview in the order of their ranking as per the marks obtained by them in the objective test.
Ambedkar Jayanti 2010 is going to be celebrated in all over India on 14 April.
Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was a great man. Yes, he was a controversial figure during his life time because of his uncompressing stands on the rights of Dalit people. He fought against untouchablity and Hindu caste system and towards the end of his life converted to Buddhism. He is still a very respectable figure among the Dalit community and that is why, some political parties want to make the best out of his name.
I personally do not agree with all ideas of Ambedkar but there is no doubt in my mind that he was a great leader for his people. The bad luck for the Dalit people in India is that after Ambedkar, no leader of his caliber rose among them. So, things are still not good for these people.
The followers of Ambedkar in Ambedkar Jayanti 2010 should try to understand that Mr. Ambedkar became successful with education and hard work. They must do the same thing and become successful in life and in society.
Shashi Tharoor, Minister of State for External Affairs of India, is now in the headlines of Indian newspaper for his relationship with Sunanda Pushkar and involvement in IPL Kochi Team. It is believed that Sunanda Pushkar is going to be the third wife of Shashi Tharoor. Sunanda is the daughter of an army officer in Jammu. She currently runs a spa business in Dubai. She had been married twice before. Her first husband was a Kashmiri working in Delhi. Her second husband died in an accident.
Shashi Tharoor had been married twice. His first marriage was with Tilottama Mukherji, an academician based in Kolkata. His second wife, Christa Giles, is a Canadian civil servant. Sunanda Pushkar and Shashi Tharoor were seen together two months ago at Congress minister, Jitin Prasada’s wedding party. On that day, Sunanda was wearing a red sari and a low-neck blouse. If everything goes according to plan, then Sunanda Pushkar will be the next wife of Shashi Tharoor.
Sunanda got media’s attention when her name came up as owner of IPL Kochi team. Sunanda Pushkar is part of a consortium Rendezvous Sports Pvt. Ltd. which owns 25% of the Indian IPL Kochi team. Out of thi,s 18% belongs to Sunanda Pushkar.
Lalit Modi revealed the names of the owners of the new IPL Kochi Team in a Twitter message. He also wrote that he was told not to get into too much details about the owners of Rendezvous Sports World Pvt. Ltd. especially, Sunanda Pushkar. The value of Pushkar’s stake is worth $15.82 million (about Rs. 70 crore). This led to curiosity about Sunanda Pushkar.
Since, Shashi Tharoor played a big role in mentoring Rendezvous Sports Pvt. Ltd. many believe that Shashi Tharoor has some financial interest. If this proves to be true then Shashi Tharoor will be in a big trouble.
If you are an Arsenal fan then tomorrow night is perhaps a big night for you because Arsenal is going to play against Tottenham Hotspur. The two clubs are arch rivals and it is one of the most intense rivalries in English football. It is also called as North London derby because both of the clubs are situated at North London. This time, both of the clubs have too much at stake. Arsenal is fighting for the title while Tottenham Hotspur is hopeful that they can become the forth team in the league table and qualify for Europe next season. So, too much is at stake for both the clubs.
The match will start at 20:00 England time and remember that it is summer time now. So, if you want to know the GMT then it will be 19:00 GMT. It will take place in the home stadium of Tottenham Hotspur White Hart Lane.
Many TV channels around the world will broadcast the match live. If you live in South Asia then ESPN is the TV channel for you. You can watch the match live in ESPN TV channel.
Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur is always a very crucial match and this time Arsenal will be without Fabregas and some other key players. However, there is some hope for the supporters as Van Persie may make a come back after many months of the absence due to injury.
BSNL JAO result 2010 had been declared. Earlier this year, BSNL invited application for 1000 posts of Junior Accountant Officers (JAO). On March 14, 2010, an competitive exam for JAO was held.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited popular known as BSNL is a government run telecom company. It is the oldest and largest communication service provider in India. Currently, it is the sixth largest mobile phone operator in India with more than 57.22 million subscribers as of December 2009. It is also the largest land line provider in India with footprints all over the country except New Delhi and Mumbai which are managed by MTNL. The headquarter of the company is located at Bharat Sanchar Bhawan, Harish Chandra Mathur Lane, Janpath, New Delhi. As one of the top public sector companies, BSNL was conferred upon Mini Ratna by the Indian government.
On April 13, 2010, Infosys, the second largest software services export firm in India, released its financial results for the fourth quarter for FY 2010. Compared to the same quarter in 2009, there was a 1.14% rise in net profit to Rs. 1,600 crore against Rs. 1,582 crore. Revenue increased 3.54% to Rs. 5,944 crore against Rs.5,741 crore on quarter-over-quarter basis. Net sales stood at Rs. 22,742 crore for FY 2010 ending on March 31, 2010 against Rs. 21,693 in the same time previous year.
In terms of dollar, Infosys predicts 16-18% growth in revenues between $5.57 billion and $5.67 billion and a 4.3-8.6% growth in earnings per share for FY 2011.
In terms of Rupee, Infosys lowered its prediction for FY2011 due to rise in Rupee value, increased wages and intense competition from other players in the sector. It expects earnings per share at Rs.106.82 -111.28which disappointed the investors. The company management said that clients are not ready for long term spending.
It is time for new year in many parts of South Asia. It is the time of Baisakhi Festival 2010. It is perhaps the biggest festival for Sikh people in India and also in Pakistan. Of course, at the same time, people of other religions and other states observe the day as new year in different names.
In my own country Bangladesh, we will celebrate Naba Barsha or Pohela Boishakh tomorrow (14 April 2010). For Sikhs, it is a religious festival but for Bengalis, the day is considered to be a festival that binds people of all religions. The same can be said about the Bengali people in West Bengal, Assam and Tripura. In the last few years, people of Bengali origin celebrate Baishakhi Mela in London.
This time, even in Pakistan, the Sikhs are celebrating Baisakhaki in a grand manner.
In Indian state of Assam, it is time of Rongali Bihu while in Nepal, it marks the beginning of the new year. People in Sri Lanka celebrate the time as new year and also in Thailand.
Thus, Baisakhi festival has a huge potential to become a Pan-Asian festival if the decision makers of India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand could sit together and decide to celebrate it in really a grand way.
KFC double down chicken sandwich is generating a lot of media buzz today in Internet. It is understandable as many people are searching about it. Some people are saying that this sandwich really isn't bad. I don’t simply care because from my own personal experience, I have realized that I must omit fast food totally. I was a very big fan of fast food for many years and then I got obesity which is not sweet.
So, yes, the picture of KFC double down chicken sandwich looks very attractive to me but I really wish that I never eat this.
I know that many people would like to point out that this sandwich is better than many other fast food items. Still, in the end, to me, it is a fast food item and I really wish to avoid it if I have enough will power. I really miss my childhood days when my eating habit was much better. Today, I ate rice, lentil soup, smashed potato, smashed eggplant and smashed egg. There were some onion and green chilies in them and there was tomato too. It was home made lunch and I enjoyed it with all my heart.
Sunanda Pushkar, the mysterious owner of the new IPL Kochi team, is believed to be the third would be wife of Shashi Tharoor. Shashi Tharoor had been married twice before. His first marriage was with Tilottama Mukherji, an academician based in Kolkata. Tharoor used to know her back in her school days in Kolkata. His second marriage was with Christa Giles, a Canadian civil servant. Christa Giles currently works with the United States on disarmament issues. Sunanda Pushkar has her own spa business in Dubai.
It was IPL Chairman, Lalit Modi, who broke out this confidential piece of information by giving out the names of the stake holders in the new IPL franchise. In a Tweeter message, Lalit Modi said,
“I was told not to get into who owns Rendezvous, specially Sunanda Pushkar. Why?”
The new IPL Kochi team has seven owners, they are-
Rendezvous Sports World (25% free)
Rendezvous Sports World (1% purchased)
Anchor (27%)
Parinee (26%)
Film Waves (12%)
Anand Shyam (8%)
Vivek Venugopal (1%).
The Rendezvous Sports World is a consortium which consists of eight members- Kisan, Shailender and Pushpa Gaikwad, Sunanda Pushkar, Puja Gulathi, Jayant Kotalwar, Vishnu Prasad, Sundip Agarwal. Out of the 25% free equity, Sunanda Pushkar holds 18%.
The signing of the franchise agreement took place on April 10, 2010. News reports say that, a union minister called up an IPL official and told not to look for details about Sunanda Pushkar. Later, it was revealed that Sunanda Pushkar is close with Shashi Tharoor and the two were seen together in New Delhi’s social circles for quite some times.
Interestingly, the idea of creating a “five member consortium” to have an IPL team for Kochi was spearheaded by Tharoor himself. Though he mentioned that he has no financial interest, it is now clear that Tharoor had other intentions. The sale price of Kochi IPL team was Rs.1,530 crores and 18% of that amount is a big amount and if it comes out that Tharoor is some how related in the matter will pose a big threat for his political career.
I am an Aktel user and I think that I am using a prepaid connection of Aktel since January 2004. So, it is 6 years. I did not have any major problem with the company in the last 6 years and I am not an unhappy customer. So, I really could not understand the sudden change of name from Aktel to Robi. I have no problem with name Robi but instead of any change in name, I would have loved to see the company introduces some new offers to attract the consumers.
For example, in 2005, the company launched Internet through mobile phone in Internet Fair 2005. However, it never took this service seriously and Grameenphone and Citycell benefited. Right now, many people use Internet through Grameenphone and Citycell but not through Robi. So, I would like the company to become aggressive on it.
As for myself, I really have not seen any change in anything. As a customer of 6 years, I expected that they would give some kind of new offer to us. I am not sad for it either as I am not a mobile phone addict. All I am saying is that where is the change except in name?
Sania Mirza marriage photos with Shoaib Malik is the buzz topic on Internet now. Many people are now searching for Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik’s marriage photo.
Here is a video clip of Sania Mirza leaving her residence wearing bride’s dress.
Famous Indian female tennis player, Sania Mirza and Pakistan cricket team ex-captain Shoaib Malik is getting married today. The wedding ceremony was held at Taj Krishna hotel at 1:00 pm. Here is a photo of Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik.
You can also see marriage photos of Sania Mirza in these links:
A small number of people were present at the ceremony. Most of them were close friends and relatives of Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik’s family. Hundreds of people gathered in front of Sania Mirza’s posh residence at Jubilee Hills to get a glimpse of Sania dressed as a bride. Photo journalists from various newspapers and TV channels also gathered in front of the house. Sania Mirza, wearing a red saree, came out of the house and then went to the hotel. She was accompanied by her parents, Imran Mirza and Naseema Mirza and sister Anam Mirza. A close relative described the ceremony as a very simple affair.
This announcement has come from Former Finance Minister Dr Ram Saran Mahat. So, when someone like him says this kind of thing then we have to take it seriously. Mr. Mahat has stated some facts about the economy:
Remittance is down
FDI has decreased around one third
There is a serious liquidity crisis
Export revenue has fallen
All these are serious problems and if they continue then Nepalese economy will surely head for a major crisis. Now, the economy needs some bold initiatives from the government and this is not possible because of the ongoing political instability.
I personally think that political fighting is the major problem for the country. If political stability does not come then the economy will only continue to suffer.
The West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) Result for the post of Assistant teachers under 10TH REGIONAL LEVEL SELECTION TEST (AT), 2009 is out. To know about your result, log on to:
http://www.westbengalssc.com/ssc/pages/result.jsp
The West Bengal School Service Commission was created under the West Bengal School Service Commission Act, 1997 which came into effect from January 11, 1997. The commission overlooks the recruitment of assistant teacher and headmaster/headmistress for the non-government schools of West Bengal. At present, the recruitment process is overlooked by the West Bengal School Service Commission.The State Government later on decided that the recruitment of non-teaching staff such as librarian, clerk and group-D staff including laboratory attendant, peon, night guard, matron in recognized non-government schools in West Bengal will also be overlooked by the West Bengal School Service Commission.
Right now, I am suffering from obesity and the first thing that I want to totally leave is drinking Coke or Pepsi. I wish that most people would follow my example in South Asia. Anyway, I am happy to hear that PepsiCo and Tata Tea are forming a joint venture for making some money from wellness beverage segment. The basic idea is to make some healthy drinks for ordinary people. The price will not be much and the drinks will not be bad for health.
Its likely focus on the lower end of the market will ensure that PepsiCo’s existing global alliance with Unilever to sell Lipton ice tea, which focuses on the mid- to-premium segment, will not be impacted. The new tieup will give PepsiCo the opportunity to be perceived as a wholesome beverages company, not just as a company making fizzy drinks. Tata Tea will get a larger foothold in the wellness beverages segment after an earlier attempt to foray in the category had to be aborted within a year.
The market for both soft drinks and wellness beverage is increasing rapidly in India. Because of the high GDP growth, this market will only expand for many years to come.
This year England cricket team has the best possibility to win the ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2010. Ahead of the shortest version of cricket game, England selectors named a strong 15-man squad where Andy Flower will stay as a coach. Here are the players:
England squad for T20 World Cup 2010: Paul Collingwood (captain), Kevin Pietersen, Michael Lumb, Ravi Bopara, Eoin Morgan, Craig Kieswetter, Michael Yardy, Ajmal Shahzad, Tim Bresnan, Luke Wright, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell.
This team has been put in Group D with West Indies and Ireland. England will start their campaign against Ireland on May 1, 2010 in group stage.
Since the birth of shorter and shortest version of cricket format, England cricket team has not won any cricket world cup. It is shocking because they invented cricket. They will try their best to get one world cup trophy and it can be possible in the third edition of the twenty20 world cup. England cricket team looks very strong compare to other cricket teams. England players’ performances in all forms of cricket game are good enough in recent times. They defeated mighty South Africa and then weak team Bangladesh. England also regained their Ashes trophy at home. Despite their good performance, they failed to hold any good position in any form of cricket ranking.
England hosted the second edition of Twenty20 world cup. Despite being the host team, England could not do well. They went up to the super eight round. It was their best performance in previous two t20 tournaments. It will be interesting to see if they can move further in the upcoming tournament.
Paul Collingwood was named captain of England cricket team. He is a good all rounder. He is an effective right handed middle order batsman and right arm medium pace bowler. It is expected that he will play an important role for his team. Now, millions of fans will eagerly wait to see if he can lead his team to get a world cup trophy for the first time in the history of England cricket.
Michael Lumb is the new inclusion of England squad. This 30-year-old right handed batsman is likely to make his debut in the shortest format of cricket game. He has averaged 34.08 in first class cricket and 32.32 in List A cricket. However, he is also an important player in one of the IPL franchises, Rajasthan Royals.
England has a strong batting line up. Kevin Pietersen is one of the most important batsmen in the squad. He has the experience to play for England in all forms of cricket game. No doubt, he is a big asset for his team. Now, fans will be watching if he can lead the national cricket team successfully.
Ravi Bopara and Michael Yardy have been re-called in the final squad. Their good performance in the county cricket forced the selectors to select them. It is a big challenge for these two players if they can secure their places in the national squad. Ravi Bopara last played against Australia in 2009. On the other hand, Michael Yardy last played against West Indies in 2007. Ravi Bopara is known as a hard hitter batsman. It is important for the shortest version of cricket game.
Craig Kieswetter is another player who has been included in the squad. However, he has already played 3 ODI matches. Now, he is perhaps going to make his T20 debut with this tournament. He has been included as the wicketkeeper ahead of the Matt Prior. The exclusion of Matt Prior shocked me. He is considered as an experienced and important wicketkeeper-batsman in modern times. There is no confusion that Craig Kieswetter will have to struggle a lot to show that his inclusion was not wrong decision. If Craig Kieswetter is injured, then Eoin Morgan will be keeping wicket.
I cannot see any good bowler in England cricket team. It seems that selectors did not give much importance about selecting quality bowlers. However, Graeme Swann is a good bowler in this squad. He is a leading wicket taker. This Offspinner will keep an important role in his team’s victory. Both Stuart Broad and James Anderson are good bowlers. They are the permanent members of England squad.
Let’s see if England cricket team can win this T20 World Cup. I don’t see any possibility for them to win this tournament.
A 15-man squad of Bangladesh cricket team, for the upcoming ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2010, was announced by the Bangladesh Cricket Board. In this squad, only two new players have been included.
Bangladesh Squad for T20 World Cup 2010: Shakib Al Hasan (Captain), Mushfiqur Rahim (Vice-Captain/WK), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Mohammad Ashraful, Aftab Ahmed, Mahmudullah, Naeem Islam, Masrafe Bin Mortaza, Abdur Razzak, Shafiul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Syed Rasel, Md. Sohrawordi, Jahirul Islam.
Shakib Al Hasan was named captain and Mushfiqur Rahim vice-captain. All rounder, Shakib Al Hasan, is one of the key players in Bangladesh cricket team. This world number one all rounder in Test cricket will have to carry a big burden this year. For the first time, he is going to lead his national team in any big tournament. Let us see how he performs as captain.
Mushfiqur Rahim is a very young but talented player in Bangladesh cricket team. He has a lot of potential. He is a wicketkeeper and good batsman in the middle order position. No doubt, he will have to play very important role if he wants to take his country in a top position.
The two new players in this squad are Jahirul Islam and Md. Sohrawardi Shuvo. Top-order batsman Jahirul Islam made his Test debut against England earlier this month. He was the highest run scorer in the first class cricket. He is capable of playing big shots. He has made his place in the squad after showing his consistent performance over the years at first-class, academy and club level of cricket game. He has been placed as an alternative opener and wicketkeeper.
Md. Sohrawardi Shuvo is an all rounder. He made his international debut against England in the recently concluded home series. It is expected that he will be an effective all rounder with the bat and ball. He was named captain of the Bangladesh U19 squad.
Fast bowler, Masrafe Bin Mortaza, and hard hitter batsman, Mohammad Ashraful, have been recalled in the national squad. Masrafe Bin Mortaza is the main bowler in Bangladesh cricket team. He is also a good batsman in the lower order position. He was out of the squad for a long time because of his injury. Since returning from injury, he played the opening ODI match against England. He is now totally fit. We will see him again in the field. His inclusion in the main squad will boost Bangladesh cricket team’s confidence.
Mohammad Ashraful is one of the most experienced players in this 15 players list. He has the experience to play the last two versions of T20 World Cup. Thinking about his experience and skill, selectors selects him. It is expected that he will regain his form in this shortest version of cricket game. You should know that Mohammad Ashraful is facing a tough time. He is not in his prime form. Because of his bad performance, he had been excluded from both Test and ODI squad against England. No doubt, he is the big hope for Bangladesh cricket fans. It will be interesting to see if he can bring some momentum in the game.
Aftab Ahmed is the only rebel player who has been selected for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Aftab Ahmed is well known for his hard hitting batting style. However, he was banned by the BCB after joining unauthorized Indian Cricket League (ICL). However, he finished his contract with ICL and return to the national cricket.
Another rebel player, Alok Kapali, could not find his place in the final squad. His exclusion from the squad made me surprise. He is very talented batsman. He played well in ICL and scored a hundred.
Bowling line up in Bangladesh cricket team looks neither good nor bad. Four pace bowlers have been chosen for this tournament. They are: Masrafe Bin Mortaza, Shafiul Islam, Rubel Hossain, Syed Rasel. Shafiul Islam played only one T20 match against New Zealand. Abdur Razzak is the only spinner in the players list. They are not good bowler but they can make strong protest against the opponent teams.
Bangladesh cricket team has been put in Group A with the defending Champion, Pakistan, and Australia. It is obviously a strong group. Fans will be waiting to see if Bangladesh cricket team can make upset against any of the two teams in group round. Bangladesh will first face Pakistan on May 1, 2010. This match will be played at the Beausejour Stadium in St Lucia.
As I am a professional blogger, I have to write about several topics in several blogs. For example, yesterday, I wrote 5 entries in 5 blogs. Today, I am going to write only in this blog: South Asia Blog. Right now, in my city, load shedding (power cut) is at its worst. Yesterday, there was no electricity for 8 hours. I have a laptop but it works only for 30 minutes. I made a very big mistake when I bought the laptop one year ago. I should have gone for a laptop that works for at least 3 hours.
Anyway, I am going to write only in this blog today. So, if you are by any chance reading this entry and visiting this blog now, try to come back later in the day to get some more entries. Hopefully, we can update it a lot today.
By the way, I was listening to this song now in YouTube: Tere Bina Zindagi Se Koi
If you have time then listen to it. It is very beautiful.
Fixture and schedule of ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2010 have already been announced. Now, fans around the world are searching about it. This twenty20 cricket tournament, which is organized by ICC, is scheduled to start from 30th April and it will finish on May 16, 2010. West Indies will host the competition this year. This is going to be the third edition of this tournament.
After beginning in 2007, ICC Twenty20 World Cup takes place after every two years. This year, it is going to be held only 10 months after the last one. The scheduled ICC Champions Trophy, which is the one-day international tournament, was supposed to be held in the West Indies in 2010. However, it has been revised to a Twenty20 format. This decision was taken so that the ICC Champions Trophy couldn’t mix up with the same format tournament in the following year. Champions Trophy has been rescheduled for September next year. You should know that 2008 Champions Trophy tournament in Pakistan was postponed due to security concerns and there was a need to correct the international cricketing tournament calendar. 2008 Champions Trophy tournament was arranged in South Africa later of the last year because of this problem.
In the ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2010, we can see the similar schedule for both men’s and women’s tournament. Both men’s and women’s semi-final and final will take place on the same day at the same venue.
The inaugural T20 World Cup was played in South Africa in 2007. India became the first team to have won the champions trophy. Just after two years, the second edition of T20 World Cup took place in England. That time, Pakistan won the trophy. It is expected that any South Asian country will win the trophy this year.
This year, twelve countries will be taking part in the Twenty20 World Cup 2010. They will be divided into four groups. Each group consists of three teams.
Group A-
This is perhaps one of the strongest groups in this tournament. Defending champion Pakistan has been put in this group along with world’s best team, Australia, and daring Bangladesh. It will be tough to predict that which two teams will be qualified for the Super Eight round as two top ranked teams from each group can play in the next round. Bangladeshi cricket fans are expecting that Bangladesh will make its place in this prestigious round.
Pakistan:Pakistan cricket team is the current champion. They won the T20 champions trophy in 2009 after defeating Sri Lanka in the final match. This strong South Asian team is interested to hold their trophy for the second time. It will not be an easy task as they will have to face both Australia and Bangladesh in group stage. They will have to struggle hard to save their position in group round.
Australia: Australia is one of the strongest teams in this tournament. They are keen to get the trophy this year. It is very sad that they could not win the world cup trophy of the shortest version cricket game despite sending the strongest squad. This year, they have the possibility to win the trophy in the Caribbean. Let us see if they can fulfill their dream.
Bangladesh: Bangladesh is not a strong team either but they can make upset against any strong teams. Because of their good performance against strong teams, they are called giant killer. Bangladesh cricket team has developed a lot within a short time. I hope that they will go to the semi-final round in this tournament.
Group B-
Runners-up team Sri Lanka has been placed in this group. Their opponent teams are New Zealand and Zimbabwe. Fans are expecting that less competition will be held in this group. May be, Sri Lanka and New Zealand will go to the next round easily but Zimbabwe is not less stronger compare with other two teams. No doubt, we also can see a tough competition in this round also.
Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka failed to get their first T20 champions trophy after being beaten by Pakistan in the second edition of ICC T20 world cup. However, they will not leave any stone unturned to get the title this year. Ahead of the tournament, they have picked a strong squad. Now, it is the time to fulfill their desire. Do you think they can do it?
New Zealand: Despite being strong team in all forms of cricket game, New Zealand has not yet won any big tournament. Even this team could not reach to the final round in any World Cup tournament. However, they look much stronger this year. All of their players are also in good form. I will not be surprised if they win the trophy this year.
Zimbabwe:Zimbabwe is not in the list of strong teams but they are not inferior to other participants. In the inaugural T20 World Cup, they shook the world after defeating Australia in group round. It was sad to see that they were eliminated from first round.
Group C-
Inaugural champion team India has been placed in group C. They will compete against South Africa and Afghanistan. The main competition will be held between India and South Africa. Between them, one will be group champion and another team will be runners-up in group round.
India: Indian cricket team is confident about their performance forthcoming T20 World Cup in West Indies. They are eyeing to regain their trophy which they won in the inaugural season. However, their performance in second edition was not good. They were eliminated early from the tournament.
South Africa: If any team has the possibility to win the title this year then it will be South Africa. They are very balanced team in both batting and bowling line up. Let us see what they bring for their fans.
Afghanistan: Afghanistan is the new member in T20 World Cup 2010. They have been qualified via the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier. They secured their qualification to the forthcoming 2010 ICC World Twenty20.
Group D-
Host country West Indies has been included in this group with other two countries- England and Ireland.
West Indies: As West Indies is the host country, they will be in buoyant form. They will take the home advantage. It will be interesting to see if they can keep the trophy in their home. However, they are not in good form. So, it will be very tough for them to keep the trophy.
England: England is the only strong team who can compete with West Indies. This team is not in their good form. They hosted the last T20 World Cup but they could not play well in their home ground. This time, they are much stronger and confident about their performance in this upcoming tournament.
Ireland: Ireland is another weak team in this tournament. Despite being a weak team, they are hoping to make upset which they did in their first T20 world cup in 2009. Ireland defeated Bangladesh in group stage and secured their place in Super Eight round. I hope that they will repeat their history again.
Unseeded Teams:
Three teams in this schedule have been placed without any seed or rank. They are Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Ireland. Another important thing is that 8th seeded is missing. Ireland performed well in the second edition of T20 World Cup. They reached to the Super Eight round. So, they were destined to be ranked 8th seeded. As they are not test nation team, they have been placed without any ranked.
What about Zimbabwe and Afghanistan? Zimbabwe withdrew from 2009 competition that is why they failed to achieve any seed for the upcoming tournament. Afghanistan is a new member in this shortest version of cricket game. They have been qualified via the 2010 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier. That is why, they have not got any seed.
ICC T20 World Cup qualifiers:
Afghanistan and Ireland have been qualified via The 2010 ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier. Afghanistan became the tournament winner where Ireland was the runners-up team. According to the rules, winner team has been placed in Group C and runners-up team put into Group D.
Venues:
Four venues in West Indies have been selected to host all the matches of this tournament. The venues are- Barbados, Guyana, St.Lucia and St.Kitts & Nevis.
The whole tournament has been divided into four parts. These are- Group Stages, Super Eight round, Semi-Final round and Final round.
Group Stage: With this round, eight teams from four groups will be selected for the next round. Two top ranked teams from each group will be selected given them a number 1 and 2 respectively. Group round will be played in round robin format where each of the teams will play against other two teams.
Super Eight round: Eight teams from four groups will be selected for this round. These eight teams will be divided into two groups- Group E and Group F. Each group consists of four teams. Group E will consist of A1, B2, C1, D2 and Group E will consist of A2, B1, C2, D1.
Semi-Final round: Two top ranked teams from two each group will be selected in this round. In this round only two matches will be played. Winners of the two matches will play in the final round.
Final round: In this round, champion team of this tournament will be selected. Winners of the two semi-finalist matches will compete for the championship trophy.
Division of points:
Winner of the match will get 2 points. On the other hand, losing team will not get any point. If any case the match is finished without any result or tie then the match result will be decided in a super-over.
Date
Group
Teams
Time
Venue
30th April 2010 (Friday)
B
New Zealand vs Sri Lanka-1st Match
GMT 17:00
Local Time 13:00
Indian Standard Time 22:30
ProvidenceStadium, Guyana
30th April 2010 (Friday) D/N
D
West Indies vs Ireland- 2nd Match- 2nd Match
GMT 21:00
Local Time17:00
Indian Standard Time +1d 02:30
ProvidenceStadium, Guyana
1st May 2010 (Saturday)
C
Afghanistan vs India- 3rd Match
GMT 13:30
Local Time 09:30
Indian Standard Time 19:00
Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia
1st May 2010 (Saturday)
A
Bangladesh vs Pakistan- 4th Match
GMT 17:30
Local Time 13:30
Indian Standard Time 23:00
Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia
2nd May 2010 (Sunday)
C
India vs South Africa- 5th Match
GMT 13:30
Local Time 09:30
Indian Standard Time 19:00
Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia
2nd May 2010 (Sunday)
A
Australia vs Pakistan- 6th Match
GMT 17:30
Local Time 13:30
Indian Standard Time 23:00
Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia
3rd May 2010 (Monday)
B
Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe- 7th Match
GMT 13:30
Local Time 09:30
Indian Standard Time 19:00
ProvidenceStadium, Guyana
3rd May 2010 (Monday)
D
West Indies vs England- 8th Match
GMT 17:30
Local Time 13:30
Indian Standard Time 23:00
ProvidenceStadium, Guyana
4th May 2010 (Tuesday)
B
New Zealand vs Zimbabwe- 9th Match
GMT 13:30
Local Time 09:30
Indian Standard Time 19:00
ProvidenceStadium, Guyana
4th May 2010 (Tuesday)
D
England vs Ireland- 10th Match
GMT 17:30
Local Time 13:30
Indian Standard Time 23:00
ProvidenceStadium, Guyana
5th May 2010 (Wednesday)
A
Australia vs Bangladesh- 11th Match
GMT 13:30
Local Time 09:30
Indian Standard Time 19:00
Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
5th May 2010 (Wednesday)
C
Afghanistan vs South Africa- 12th Match
GMT 17:30
Local Time 13:30
Indian Standard Time 23:00
Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
6th May 2010 (Thursday)
Super Eight Round
A1 vs D2- 13th Match
GMT 13:30
Local Time 09:30
Indian Standard Time 19:00
Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
6th May 2010 (Thursday)
C1 vs B2- 14th Match
GMT 17:30
Local Time 13:30
Indian Standard Time 23:00
Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
7th May 2010 (Friday)
A2 vs C2- 15th Match
GMT 13:30
Local Time 09:30
Indian Standard Time 19:00
Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
7th May 2010 (Friday)
B1 vs D1- 16th Match
GMT 17:30
Local Time 13:30
Indian Standard Time 23:00
Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
8th May 2010 (Saturday)
A1 vs B2- 17th Match
GMT 13:30
Local Time 09:30
Indian Standard Time 19:00
Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
8th May 2010 (Saturday)
D2 vs C1- 18th Match
GMT 17:30
Local Time 13:30
Indian Standard Time 23:00
Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
9th May 2010 (Sunday)
C2 vs D1- 19th Match
GMT 13:30
Local Time 09:30
Indian Standard Time 19:00
Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
9th May 2010 (Sunday)
B1 vs A2- 20th Match
GMT 17:30
Local Time 13:30
Indian Standard Time 23:00
Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
10th May 2010 (Monday)
A1 vs C1- 21st Match
GMT 13:30
Local Time 09:30
Indian Standard Time 19:00
Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia
10th May 2010 (Monday)
B2 vs D2- 22nd Match
GMT 17:30
Local Time 13:30
Indian Standard Time 23:00
Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia
11th May 2010 (Tuesday)
B1 vs C2- 23rd Match
GMT 17:00
Local Time 13:00
Indian Standard Time 22:30
Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia
11th May 2010 (Tuesday) D/N
D1 vs A2- 24th Match
GMT21:00
Local Time 17:00
Indian Standard Time +1d 02:30
Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia
13th May 2010 (Thursday)
Semi-Final
To be determined (TBD) vs To be determined (TBD)- 1st semi-final
GMT 15:30
Local Time 11:30
Indian Standard Time 21:00
Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia
14th May 2010 (Friday)
TBD vs TBD- 2nd semi-final
GMT 15:30
Local Time 11:30
Indian Standard Time 21:00
Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia
16th May 2010 (Sunday)
Final Match
TBC vs TBC
GMT 15:30
Local Time 11:30
Indian Standard Time 21:00
Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
In this tournament, 27 numbers of matches will be played in total. The duration of this tournament is just 17 days. First and second semi-final matches of ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2010 will be played on 13th and 14th May. This tournament will be end with the final match on 16th May at Kensington Oval in Barbados.
ICC T20 World Cup 2010 will start with the match between New Zealand and Sri Lanka. On the same day and same venue, Host team West Indies will take on weak foe Ireland. Only two matches will be played in day/night.
South Asian people can enjoy all of the matches as most of the matches will be played at night in this region.
