T20 gives me freedom to play my shots: Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir was a sensation in the Twenty20 World Cup last year. He was among runs and played his shots all over the park. The southpaw, who scored a half-century in the first game played by the Delhi Daredevils in the IPL, is hopeful that he can play a crucial role for team in this tournament.

Have you set any personal targets for the IPL?

My target is to make sure that I win the match for my team. It was a tremendous feeling when I scored some runs in the T20 World Cup last year. But now, that is in the past. As an opener, my job is to give some good starts to my team. For me, it's important that my runs come handy for the team and that I stand up and be counted when it matters the most. Individual records really do not make much impact if your team does not win.

Batsmen get less time to settle down in the T20 format. Is this a problem?

If you are playing a Twenty20 match, it gives you that extra liberty to play your shots. But when you are an opener, the perfect way to bat is to get used to the pace and bounce of the wicket and then shift gears according to the situation. For me, this format works because it gives me freedom to play my shots. At the same time, you can get enough time to settle down.

After six matches, which team looks the best?

It's too early to comment. This is an unpredictable format and that is why you cannot single out any one team and say that they will win the IPL championship. If you have five bad overs in a game, you can end up on the losing side. From the last couple of matches, one thing is quite clear: any team is capable of winning and so you cannot really take it easy. It's exciting and I am sure that the spectators are going to love every moment of it.

What is your impression of the foreign recruits?

It's a completely different experience. This is the perfect platform to know each other. During international matches, we don't have this kind of interaction. A tournament like IPL will help us make friends with all cricketers from South Africa, Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, West Indies or Pakistan.

How effective is Virender Sehwag as a captain?

Viru is a thinking captain and can rotate his bowlers very intelligently. Even when I am batting with him, I have a great understanding. As a cricketer, he is top class, and even as a teammate off the field, he is very helpful. Under his leadership, Delhi Daredevils are looking good.

Is money a distraction?

Not at all. We are professional cricketers and we know one thing: as long as we are playing well for our city, state or country, money is something which will take care of itself. If tomorrow, we stop performing, money will stop flowing. So, money is not an issue with a cricketer. It's only the outside world which talks about it.

Is it quality cricket or the Bollywood stars which is attracting fans to the stadium?

If you ask this question to a cricketer, he will obviously say it is the cricket. But the presence of Bollywood stars is certainly adding to the excitement. With time, I am sure more and more cricket fans will get involved.

Is it exciting for cricketers to have Bollywood stars around?

Once you are on the field, nothing really matters. It's only how we can win the match that counts

I love winning, says Shah Rukh Khan

After defeating Hyderabad's Deccan Chargers on Sunday at the Eden Gardens, the Kolkata Knight Riders and team owner Shah Rukh Khan was at the peak of their confidence about winning the Indian Premier League (IPL). "I love winning - whether it's IPL matches or films or a game of carom with my kids or the entire world. I believe my victory is God's assurance that I really worked hard," the superstar said. "We are the toughest competition for the other seven teams. Why one team at a time-put all the seven teams on one side and see how the Knight Riders battle it out against them," Shah Rukh said on the sidelines of a press conference after Sunday's match. Does he not get nervous while his Knights are in action? "Kolkata Knight Riders is my dream personified. I always wanted to be a cricketer. Now it's through my team that I am fulfilling my dream. I am possessive about my team. When my boys are playing I am worried throughout about their comfort. It's like seeing Aryan (son) take part in a race and praying that he wins unhurt." Did he spend Rs. 2 billion on the team just to fulfil his dream, or has he already started calculating his profits? "Do I look so intelligent as to count my profit instead of shouting and cheering for my team?" he said with a smile. "The team is divided into three sections - the cricket part is looked after by my Knights, I look after the entertainment section and my business partner Juhi Chawla and her husband Jay Mehta look after the administrative part. The latter will be the right people to comment on the profit." How was the experience of playing the first match at Eden Gardens? "It's fantastic. Only Kolkatans can feel the true spirit of cricket. It's their overwhelming support that no tough pitch and power failure could come in the way of the victory of the Knight Riders." What is beyond the team motto - "Korbo, Lorbo, Jeetbo" (Do, Fight, Win)? "The Kolkata Knight Riders are here to teach the world how to believe and win a dream that no one else dares to do. Discipline, dedication and dignity are the three powers that are combined at every stroke of our bat and every throw of our ball," he said

Warne And Watson Power Royals

Australian duo Shane Warne and Shane Watson inspired the Rajasthan Royals to a six-wicket win over the Kings XI Punjab in Jaipur.
Captain/Coach Warne showed his value with the ball by picking up 3-19 as the Kings XI were held to 165-8 after choosing to bat first.
Yuvraj Singh top-scored with 57 before falling to the leg spinner, who then watched his batsmen bring his side home.
Watson led the assault with an innings of 76 not out that included five fours and the same number of sixes, much to the delight of the crowd at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium.
After Darren Lehmann had contributed 17 Ravindra Jadeja came out to provide the all-rounder with excellent support.
The 19-year-old contributed 36 in an unbroken partnership of 69 that saw the hosts to their target with 11 balls to spare.
A firm four through mid-wicket from Watson finished the game and gave the Royals their first win of the competition, while the Kings XI have now lost both their matches.
Warne had earlier shown he had lost none of his skills with the ball in his four overs, while Siddharth Trivedi provided excellent support with 2-25.
He quickly slowed down the momentum of the Kings XI innings by picking up the key wicket of Kumar Sangakkara (20) with just his third ball.
The leg spinner followed that up by having fellow Australian James Hopes trapped lbw for 16, leaving the Punjab innings faltering on 72-4.
It needed a captain's knock from Yuvraj to get up to a challenging total on a good pitch, the left-hander top-scoring with a 34-ball half century that had owed to two large slices of luck.
Darren Lehmann dropped a steepling catch at cover when he had made just 15 and then again 14 runs later the normally reliable Mohammad Kaif was unable to cling on at backward point.
Yuvraj made the most of the let-offs to smash six fours and three sixes before Warne returned to claim his third scalp.
Piyush Chawla provided some late fireworks with 24 off just 11 balls but the Kings XI's final total proved not to be enough, the Royals rushing home with plenty of time to spare.