India won against West Indies in their 6th World Cup group match with sheer brilliance

Again it's another clinical performance by India. After Rohit got out by a controversial decision, Rahul and Virat took charge of the Indian batting. A bit slow but steady partnership was building between them. But just when Rahul was looking for another 50 under his belt he got trapped by Windies captain Jason Holder. Fall just 2 short of his 50, Rahul departed. But it may cause headache in the knockouts for India. As an opener when you are well set then you should look for something big, if not hundred then minimum 80 odd is what the team expects from you. Hope Rahul and team management will take a look at it. After Rahul's departure captain Kohli looked more determined. He kept continuing. But Vijay Shankar and Kedar Jadhav, both disappointed again. One thing to say in Shankar's favour that the delivery got him was too good for any batsman. But it's must be a big concern for the thinktank. The middle order has been exposed by the Afghans and Caribbeans. They showed and pointed out that if you can get India's top three early then you can run a bulldozer over India's middle order. It's not a very positive sign for the world's no. 1 ODI side.

Virat kept continuing after Shankar and Jadhav failed. MS Dhoni came to join him. When it was looking that Virat is might getting his 42nd ODI ton, a poor shot to the catching mid wicket's hands made him fall well short of his hundred. Hardik came and started blowing his willow while Dhoni was standing still to play a second fiddle to Hardik and make sure that he can keep continuing till the very end. After Hardik's departure Dhoni took the responsibility on his shoulders and by guarding tail ender Kuldeep he smashed 16 runs in the last over and took India's total to a competitive 268. After seeing Dhoni's responsible knock of 56*(61) on a slow track like that with uneven bounce, his critics will use tapes to keep their mouth shut.

What to say about this Indian bowling line up! They are mesmerising the world every day. It was a bit scary that Bhuvi got injured, but the way Shami took his role, is just a treat to watch. And that man, Bumrah, is economical as always. The wrist spin duo Kuldeep-Chahal again as clinical as always. And lastly Hardik, not with the bat but also as the 5th bowler he is becoming more and more reliable to the captain that the captain doesn't need to hesitate to give him full 10 overs. But MS had one of the worst days of his career behind the wickets, in spite of taking a stunner to get Brathwaite out.

Virat Kohli's captaincy will get letter marks again. Kept pressing the Windies batsmen with attacking field, used the angles of the field to set the fielders very well. Rotation of bowlers is absolutely super hit. He is growing better and better as a captain every single day.

Just two concerns to look at,
1. Rahul should take his starts to at least 80 odd
2. Middle order should take more responsibility, the top 3 will not make it every day, they will have a off day as well and if that comes in the semis or in final then it can be horrible. Hope team management is well aware of it and will find out the best possible solution very soon.

And a personal record book of Indian skipper:
1. Only 3rd captain to score 4 back to back world cup 50s (after Grame Smith and Aaron Finch)

2. 1st captain to win his team's first 5 world cup games

3. The only unbeaten captain in CWC19 till date

4. Fastest to score 20,000 international runs by taking just 417 innings!

This is the iconic picture of Indian cricket. Hope this duo will keep shining and Team India will lift the trophy at Lord's on 14th of July!

#CWC19 #IndvWI #ViratKohli #MSDhoni

©Soham

A preview on the new signing of Real Madrid, Ferland Mendy.

Real Madrid have recently completed the signing of French sensation Ferland Mendy, a 24-year-old left-back from Lyon.

He had to come through a long and hard way to be presented at the Estadio Santiágo Bernabéu.

Born in Meulan-en-Yvelines, France, Mendy is of Senegalese descent. The town was with a population of just 4,000, in the north-east of Paris and he started his footballing journey there, playing as a striker.

It's clear that the full-back had joy and passion for football, but a serious hip injury when he was 14 left him in a wheelchair for six months and told that he might never play football again! While he also had to overcome a setback aged 11 with the death of his father.

Also difficult for the youngster was his passage through the PSG academy, the club where he started playing at left-back and where learned to play with both feet but the club he left to join Mantois in the fourth division.

That eventually led to a move to Le Havre, a club known for producing young talent.

From there, after being named the best full-back in Ligue 2 he went to Lyon in 2017 for a fee of five million euros, incredible considering he has just been sold for 48m euros, plus a potential 5m euros in add-ons.

He has improved even further at Lyon and has even been called up by France, this despite never featuring for any of the other French youth categories.

Now he is a Real Madrid player, despite some interest from Barca as well. He is a supreme talent who is still needed to be polished and we all know, Zinedine Zidane is a master at it.

©Soham

A little tribute to Leo Messi on his birthday.

If I've to throw my own opinion about him, I'm always gonna say that he's one of those greatest poets or artists whatever you say, in the game of Football. Sorry, those few cliche clips can't make any sense what he used to produce on the fields where even the opponents had to applaud him.

Still we judge him and question his ability just because his inefficiency to put the final nail on the coffin.

But we know this Knight of football. His swords are his left foot and a ball. His unpredictable yet monotonous moves and ticking like a well oiled watch are absolute fascinations! He has shown that a warrior can be an artist as well. Sometimes it feels like, he is really from another planet.

Complete footballer? Greatest ever?
I don't want to go in any further debate about it. Personally I feel, he just flirts with the statisticians, his fellow fans and haters (like me), depicting there is more to the game by portraying it in it's art form.

Leo Messi is the one, I scare most from any rival clan. Today, on the special eve, which is of his 32nd birthday, he has to go out for toughest of the battles, where he has to flourish to the brightest! He has to keep his nation in the competition tonight by winning today.

All the best to the only ray of hope of Argentina, the Messiah of Argentina!

And a very happy birthday to you, little magician, Leo Messi! The day belongs to you, Legacy. Keep on running! Keep on shinning! And most importantly, go and win it tonight just for yourself!
                           
 - From one of your haters, who admires you.

©Soham

Happy Birthday, Leo.