My Science School

Chelsea have won the 2009-10 Premier League in some style following a thumping 8-0 home win over Wigan Athletic on the final day of the season.

Thus Carlo Ancelotti's men lift their first league title since Jose Mourinho's second and last Premier League conquest in 2006, while the Italian boss himself becomes one of the very few managers to have won the Premier League at the first time of asking.

For all but eight rounds Chelsea have led the English standings, last regaining it from Manchester United in week 33.

Despite nervy moments off the top spot, though, the early season favourites were always able to steer themselves back to the summit, largely thanks to a superb attacking record that saw the Blues finish the 38-game campaign with an amazing 103 goals - a new Premier League record.

Both Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard had banner seasons in this regard, with a supporting cast including Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka also chipping in.

This was especially true on the final day: Anelka gave Chelsea a 1-0 lead over Wigan just six minutes in and the Blues did not look back from there, eventually running out eight-nil victors over their 10-man visitors.

But for all their goalscoring flair, Chelsea's two biggest wins of the campaign were also among the narrowest.

In early November, with the Blues newly re-topping the table, Manchester United came to Stamford Bridge aiming for at least a draw. However, John Terry - a figure for whom off-pitch problems would soon loom large - netted a late goal to give Chelsea an all-important psychological advantage.

The return match at Old Trafford was Sir Alex Ferguson's chance to put Chelsea to the sword, but again the Blues came up trumps.

It was a less-than-convincing performance from the visitors, but despite some weak links Joe Cole and (controversially) Didier Drogba produced the goods. Florent Malouda, for so long a figure of derision in London, also came of age with a splendid individual showing.

With wins like this Chelsea atoned for avoidable defeats at the hands of lesser teams. Giving away soft goals and cheap points has not been a Chelsea hallmark in past years - certainly not in the days of Mourinho - but winning vital domestic games generally has. This did not change despite the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti, nor the ever-present spectre of off-field scandal. Indeed, Didier Drogba noted this week that "Terrygate", perversely, was a source of inspiration for the Blues squad - a clear throwback to the bunker mentality of Mourinho's squad that seldom fails to produce team spirit.

But how stressful those preventable point losses were at the time. Everton proved to be formidable opponents, coming from behind at the Bridge to grab a draw before once again fighting back at home, this time for the win.

Card-happy Chelsea also had problems with discipline, best shown by the 4-2 home loss to Manchester City back in February - a result that threatened to end their season as Craig Bellamy ran rampant against his nine-man hosts.

But recovery followed with 5-0 and 7-1 wins before that trip to Old Trafford. Indeed, it was this kind of goalscoring form that ultimately saw Chelsea safe - a habit of netting early on is vital for preserving nerves late in the season.

Sadly for Chelsea the same could not take place in Europe. Former coach Jose Mourinho bested his old side both at the San Siro and Stamford Bridge as Inter progressed through the first knockout stage at the Blues' expense - not a massive surprise, but disappointing for the Blues faithful nonetheless.

Other cup competitions may bring more succour. The FA Cup final is fast approaching, and in it Chelsea need to defeat financially-stricken Portsmouth at Wembley. This is surely not too tall an order given an aggregate scoreline of 7-1 against the Fratton Park men so far this season.

But such a competition lacks prestige these days: it is the league, and then the Champions League, that captures the imagination. Chelsea have well and truly succeeded on one of these fronts this season, but what about next time? The current squad is aging, with the key players generally on the wrong side of thirty. How long they can continue to challenge at a top level is open to debate.

For now, though, Carlo Ancelotti can celebrate mission accomplished in his first season in London, adding his name to the Chelsea history books as a result. Didier Drogba, too, has ensured beyond doubt that he will be forever mentioned as one of the top Premier League strikers. Frank Lampard, ahead of the 2010 World Cup finals, has had perhaps his best campaign to date. As for the fans, they will demand more of the same next time.

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Here, we will sharpen our sports quotient by taking a look at one iconic moment from sporting history. With the last week of league phase action of IPL 2022 ahead of us, here's a look at the last league match from 2014 which saw Mumbai Indians sneak through into the play-offs...

The odds were stacked against Mumbai Indians (MI) when they took the field against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the last league game of the 2014 season. Playing at home, MI decided to chase, aware that they not only had to win, but reach the target in 14.3 overs to edge ahead of RR in net run rate as well and dinch the fourth and final play-off spot.

Sanju Samson scored a 47-ball 74. Karun Nair hit a 27-ball 50 and RR posted a mammoth first innings total of 189 for four. The target of 190 was huge and getting there in 14.3 overs seemed impossible.

MI, however, came out all guns blazing. Corey Anderson, brought into the playing 11 for his hitting prowess, was central to MI's chase. He was unbeaten on 95 from 44 deliveries when he found himself in the non-strikers end with MI needing eight off two balls to reach the target in 14.3 overs.

Ambati  Rayudu hit a six to bring the equation down to two from a ball, but was run out running the second run, leaving MI on 189 in 14.3 overs. Just when it seemed they had fallen just short, it was conveyed that a boundary off the next ball would still see MI through.

Aditya Tare hit a six off the only ball he faced in the match and MI reached 195 for five in 14.4 overs in their chase of 190, winning in spectacular fashion and progressing to the IPL 2014 play-offs.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Corey Anderson's 44-ball 95 included nine 4s and six 6s.
• Despite making it to the play-offs in stunning fashion, Mumbai Indians failed at the first hurdle thereafter, losing to Chennai Super Kings in the Eliminator.
• Kolkata Knight Riders won the title in 2014, lifting the trophy for a second time.

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The Indian Premier League was played for the first time in 2008 and saw three hat-tricks in the first season itself. The first of those was taken by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Lakshmipathy Balaji.

In the match between CSK and Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) on May 10, 2008 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Punjab won the toss and elected to field first. Even though CSK were in a spot of bother at 64 for three, fifties from S Badrinath and MS Dhoni helped them post 181 for four in their 20 overs. Punjab were on track at the end of 12 overs, as they were 95 for 2 in their chase of 182. In the space of five balls, however, Balaji dismissed both their set batsmen - Ramnaresh Sarwan (20) off the first ball of the 13th over and opener Shaun Marsh (38-ball 58) off the fifth ball.

Having derailed Punjab's chase, Balaji added more gloss to his figures with the first ever IPL hat-trick.

Bowling the final over of the match, Balaji dismissed Irfan Pathan, Piyush Chawla and Vikram Singh of the third, fourth and fifth deliveries for his hat-trick. CSK won the match by 18 runs.

DID YOU KNOW?

L Balaji, who finished with figures of 5 for 24 from his four overs, was declared the player of the match.

Including Yuzvendra Chahal's hat-trick in the ongoing season, there have been 21 hat-tricks in the IPL so far, taken by 18 bowlers.

Amit Mishra is the only bowler to have taken three hat-tricks in the IPL Yuvraj Singh comes second with two hat-tricks. The remaining 16 bowlers have taken one hat-trick each in the IPL.

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She is a social entrepreneur youth changemaker author and young ambassador for Football for Friendship programme She is also the founder of Sports to Lead, an organisation working towards empowering girls and women.

Tell us about your journey, and how you got into football.

My journey began in 2017 when India hosted the FIFA Under-17 World Cup. It included an essay writing competition organised by Mission XI Million. I had written an article about how football fosters friendship and global relationships, and my essay was selected to represent India as a young journalist at the Football for Friendship programme in St. Petersburg, Russia. That programme changed me from a shy girl to a confident one. During the programme, we became united by a desire for a safer world with equal prosperity in all fields. We were also united by a passion for writing, communication, and curiosity. It reinforced my idea that you have to fight for honest and free journalism. I had both specialised as well as general training for various aspects of reporting and covering the major events during the programme. It taught me how to look at what makes a good human-interest story, and how to tell it in an informative and entertaining way. And when to look back for more background details, and why accuracy and fairness remain the cornerstones of reporting.

Describe your book "My Journey from Mohali to St. Petersburg".

This book is an anthology of 21 short stories about my experience and learnings from the Football for Friendship programme. The book focusses on the nine basic values promoted by the programme - fairness, equality, health, friendship, peace, devotion, victory, traditions, and honour. The book aims to present a holistic picture of what constitutes a good life, which transcends the prevalent, narrow understandings of success, fulfilment, and unhappiness in life.

What does your organisation Sports to Lead work for?

Through a series of workshops and awareness sessions, Sports to Lead will help empower young girls to fight discrimination and gender inequality. It also aims to bring to light several challenges faced by women sportspersons in India, which includes sexism and the lack of infrastructure, contracts, and popularity.

Why do you think Sustainable Development Goals are important?

It's very important to implement SDGS at the ground level. For instance, one can provide football pitches for government school students so they can have an opportunity to play and improve their mental as well as physical abilities. It's very important to have sessions regarding SDGS in schools to raise awareness among children so that they can take actions at their level to help this world become a safer, more peaceful and beautiful place for everyone.

What are your career plans?

I would like to become a journalist. I would also like to pursue the FIFA master programme, an international sports management course. I would like to pen down stories of inspirational sportspersons for FIFA and the Olympics.

What are your hobbies?

 I like to write in my free time, and read novels and other books. This has been my habit since I was in Class III or IV. I play sports such as football or basketball in the evening. I also cycle regularly with my younger sister.

Do you think having many achievements makes one a successful person?

I feel having many achievements doesn't make us a successful person, it is important to have values.

How do you manage your time between studies and sports?

 I follow a schedule. I have time slots for the activities I have been involved in. I guess maintaining a proper schedule or a timetable is the key for balancing all the activities we are involved in.

Who is your inspiration?

The biggest inspirations are my grandfather and father. My grandfather motivated me to read newspapers, and towards public speaking. He was involved in various social causes. He would take me along with him and ask me to speak there about social causes and so on. That helped build my confidence. My father is a journalist, and from him I understood how to develop the skills for journalism.

What is something about society that you wish to change?

There are two things I would like to change in society. The first one is to change people's mindsets - they should treat everyone equally. The second thing is that I would like to have sport as a main subject for the curriculum. Skills such as leadership and learning to differentiate between winning and losing, etc. can be learnt through sports.

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For all Indian cricket lovers, one name would be under a perpetual scanner during this year's Indian Premier League - Yash Vijay Dhull. The 19-year-old cricketer from Delhi has announced his entry into senior cricket with a big bang.

Having led the India Under-19 team to a World Cup victory, Yash made his Ranji Trophy debut for Delhi on 17 February 2022 against Tamil Nadu at Guwahati and scored 113 runs in the very first innings. What was more remarkable about the innings was that he came to the crease with Delhi having lost two wickets with the total at just seven runs. Yash played a matured innings which was quite in keeping with the maturity of an experienced cricketer. He came back in the second innings as an opening batsman to score yet another century in the second innings, 113 not out to be precise. Consequently, he became only the third player in the history of the Ranji Trophy to score a century in each innings on debut. In the process, he also had an unbroken partnership of 228 runs with Dhruv Shorey who remained unbeaten on 107.

Yash joined a select band which has only Nari Jamshedji Contractor of Gujarat and Virag Sripad Awate of Maharashtra on the list. Nari Contractor had scores of 152 and 102 in 1952-53 while Virag Awate had scored 126 and 11, in 2012-13. However, cricket is a great leveller, as they say. In the next Ranji match, Yash could muster just 24 runs in two completed innings but Yash Dhull being Yash Dhull came back into his own in the second innings of his third Ranji match. He scored a modest 29 runs in the first innings but in the second he scored an unbeaten double hundred to save the Delhi team from defeat.

So at the time of this article going to press, in four completed Ranji Trophy innings Yash has scored 479 as an average of 119.75. What more can one expect from a 19-year old? In 2021, Yash led the Under-19 Indian team to a title victory in the Asia Cricket Championship and again this year in the World Cricket Championship, played in the West Indies. Consequently, when the International Cricket Council announced its Under-19 team, it named Yash as its skipper.

In the West Indies, the Under-19 Indian team suffered a severe drawback when five of the team members tested positive for Covid. The five included the team's captain and vice-captain. Despite this, the Indian boys made it to the semi-final without losing a single match. When Yash joined the team, he celebrated it with a century against Australia and then the final title victory against England. In the World Cup Yash scored a total of 229 runs at an average of 76.33 per innings. Apart from exhibiting his batting talent, Yash exhibited the coolness of a Dhoni in leading the team. It only augurs well for the future of Indian cricket.

In eight Under-19 ODIS in which Yash has played, he has scored a total of 281 runs with a century and a half century to maintain a healthy average of 46.83. With such credentials, Yash Dhull's purchase in the 2022 version of the Indian Premier League was a foregone conclusion and Delhi Capitals was quick to include Yash in its team at a purchase price of Rs 50 lakh.

Yash was born to Neelam and Vijay Dhull on 11 November 2002 in New Delhi. He had his schooling in Bal Bhawan Public School and started playing cricket from the age of six. He was coached at the Bal Bhawan Cricket Academy by Pradeep Koachar.

Yash has a remarkable patience for his age. While Delhi coach, Raj Kumar Sharma, feels that Yash should get a quick inclusion in the Indian senior team, Yash, himself, is of the opinion that he would be playing in the Indian senior team in another 18 to 24 months with a lot of runs scored behind him to put forth his claim.

Nari Contractor's career had a sad end when a ball from West Indian fast bowler, Charlie Griffith, hit him on the head. Contractor averaged just about 32 runs in Test matches and less than 40 in First Class matches. Virag Awate made his Ranji debut at the ripe age of 31 years and his career ended after playing just seven First Class matches, scoring at an average of just above 32. However, Yash makes his First Class entry under totally different conditions. He will have a helmet to protect his head and he starts at the young age of just 19.

Playing in the IPL, Yash will have another advantage over Contractor and Awate. He would be facing quality international bowlers that would help him fine tune his batting. It is only a matter of time before Yash Dhull would be playing alongside the likes of Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant, but in him also lies the potential to lead the Indian senior team someday.

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The 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was completed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after the tournament had been suspended abruptly due to the pandemic situation in India.

The last time a part of the IPL was played in the UAE (the entire 2020 edition was played in the UAE) was in 2014. The first 20 matches of the 2014 edition were played in UAE as the tournament took place at the same time as the 2014 Indian general elections. At the end of the group stages of the 2014 tournament. Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) finished on top with 11 wins and 22 points. Both Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) finished with 18 points, but KKR had a better net run rate and hence finished second.

Mumbai Indians (MI) took the final play-off position with 14 points and a superior run rate than Rajasthan Royals. KKR defeated KXIP in the first qualifier by 28 runs to progress to the final. CSK defeated MI by seven wickets in the eliminator to make it to the Qualifer 2 against KXIP. The high-scoring thriller in Qualifier 2 finished in KXIP'S favour, who won the match by 24 runs to earn a place in the final.

Chasing 200 against KXIP to win the final, KKR did the unthinkable, winning by three wickets and just three balls remaining. KKR won the 2014 title to win the IPL for a second time.

DID YOU KNOW?

Losing finalist Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) produced the player of the tournament. Glenn Maxwell won the award for his batting fireworks through the tournament.

The Orange Cap went to a player from the champions Kolkata Knight Riders. KKR'S Robin Uthappa took the honour with 660 runs from 16 matches.

 The Purple Cap went to Chennai Super Kings' Mohit Sharma. Mohit finished with 23 wickets from 16 matches.

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