Sports Astrology The Inclusive Methodology of Game Analysis Dr. Ravi Rao 1 First published in 2017 by Star Publication House Copyright © Dr. Ravi Rao All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the author. Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. Editor: Madhuri Y Design: Mayank Patel & Vibha Raval ISBN: 978-81-929358-0-5 Printed by: Rakesh Chokshi and Published by Star Publication House B-302, Balleshwar Square, Opp. ISKCON Temple, S.G. Highway, Ahmedabad– 380015, Gujarat, India. Images: Courtesy Photographer Name/ SOLARIS IMAGES Email: books@starpublicationhouse.com Phone: +91-79-26862808 Fax: +91-79-26862771 www.starpublicationhouse.com 2 Dedication To my father who had been a sports enthusiast and had introduced me to sports. To my mother who has been my guide through life. To Gurudev Late Sri PVK Punneswara Rao who opened my eyes to the great expansions that can be made in astrology through research. To all the other gurujis whose blessings have always been with me. My Parents Gurudev 3 Acknowledgements To the Universal College of Astrology and Occult Sciences, Hyderabad. My thanks to Professor C. Sambasiva Rao for his encouragement and support. To dear friends and BCCI Level C coaches, Mr. Mukund Parmar and Mr. J. Krishna Rao. To my wife Komal Rao who supports me through all my endeavours. To Veteran Wing Commander Arun Kaul for his encouragement and support. 4 Foreword By Shri Sanjay Lalbhai Astrology has largely been in the private domain and my own deeper awareness of this domain has been due to my interaction with Dr. Ravi Rao. I found that being part of the launch of his book on mundane astrology was a fascinating experience. Dr. Rao has now extended the concept of mundane astrology to other domains as well. In building a methodology for sports astrology, he has created a foundation for astrological predictions related to sports. The proof of astrology lies in its ability to deliver accurate results. Dr. Rao, in fact, shows the methodology at work, predicting past matches of the World Cup, T20 and IPL, and proves that it gives accurate results. If I had been asked what I thought of astrology before his book of mundane astrology was written, I would have answered that astrology is probably a static subject which follows rules that had been set centuries ago. It comes as welcome learning to me that astrology is dynamic in nature which, in this case, allows itself to be modelled on the principles of the sport it tries to predict. As a cricket enthusiast, I am familiar with the many nuances of the game – the players, their form, the captain and his decisions, the coach, the team owners and the cheering fans, and their enthusiasm which pushes the teams to give their best. The strength of the methodology rests on the fact that Dr. Ravi Rao takes into account each of these factors. Dr. Rao’s enthusiasm for the subject is contagious and I can easily see why the subject of astrology has thrived across centuries. In attempt- 5 ing to bring new events within its ambit, the subject, as I understand, is undergoing continued experiments and research. Due to his efforts, the subject is getting reintroduced and extended to other domains of current interest. He is, thus, creating a wider interest regarding the subject of astrology. This is particularly significant in our country since the effort can recreate an interest in our ancient scriptures and wisdom. In making itself relevant to today’s world and events, the subject of sports astrology retains a contemporary relevance and is in synchrony with ancient wisdom. Dr. Rao’s work presents answers to the question of why one team wins and the other loses in a closely contested match. I can see the wisdom that the subject brings, showing to players, owners and cheering fans a different perspective with reference to what is played on the field. I congratulate Dr. Rao on bringing out this book on sports astrology. I believe it will be of interest both to astrologers and to the cricketing world, the former to expand their knowledge of the subject and the latter for the wisdom that it can impart. I wish Dr. Rao the very best and hope that he extends himself to many more current domains and thereby expand our understanding of events. Sanjay Lalbhai Chairman & Managing Director - Arvind Limited 13 April 2017 6 Foreword By Shri Kiran More Subject of astrology was looked upon as private and esoteric. As an international cricketer, I had once wondered if it is superstition or scientific. Yet people who believe in astrology are now growing in numbers and the misconception of the past is slowly giving way. Astrology today is no more a subject only for the initiated. Nor is one supposed to pass out from a gurukul. And whether it is superstition or science hardly matters. People like Dr Ravi Rao have been working tirelessly to shape astrology into new formats that made divining planets and planetary influence affecting a mundane game like cricket easy to understand. For Dr Ravi Rao, astrology has not been a mere predictive science in his nearly three decades of sadhana. For this man from Visakhapatnam, astrology is as definitive as say economics or physics. He also believes in the intrinsic spirituality of astrology when he connects the predictive part to the spiritual in creating an astrological bridge that makes the subject more appealing. That is the reason why such efforts have led astrology to be seen even in medical world, called medical astrology. Many doctors use astro-medical diagnosis to warn patients of impending disease and how to tackle depression arising out of the diagnosis. Astro guidance - not astro prediction - has become the summum bonum of predictive astrology. Dr Ravi Rao in this exhaustive book “Sports Astrology: The Inclusive Methodology” has grappled with new parameters by including the number on a player’s jersey, 7 its colour, nation’s birth chart of the two opposing teams and collating these data with the likely planetary influence it will have on overall outcome of the game. His conclusion is surprisingly accurate. When the match was to begin what one saw was a fight between two fiercely independent and closely contesting teams. As a layman, this book seems lucid enough. I have never seen a book like this one which uses Mundane Astrology (studying nation’s horoscopes) and numerology combined with practical astrology to analyze cricket matches be it World Cup, T20 and IPL. I hope this book will be a forerunner not only in the study of astrology but in inspiring many more such books from the realm of astrology reaching our drawing rooms. Once again, I congratulate Dr Rao for bringing out this book soon after his incredible work of bringing out “A Nation’s Prophecy” that deals with 200 plus birth charts of countries. Sports astrology is a new domain and attempting it in such an exhaustive manner will surely inspire budding and trained astrologers. Wishing all the best to Dr Ravi Rao and hope more such researched books from his stable keep coming. What was once esoteric and uncommon will be welcomed by the common man. Jai Hind Kiran More 11-03-2017 8 Foreword By Shri Arya Bhushan Shukla It gives me immense pleasure to write something about Sri Ravi Rao and his book “Sports astrology”. Earlier I had an occasion to see Sri Ravi Rao’s book “Nations Prophecy”. I was quite impressed by his approach. The present book “Sports Astrology” is another milestone in Sri Rao’s astrological journey (I am sure that he shall be establishing many many more such milestones for budding astrologers to follow). Sri Rao stands on a different platform as compared to other writers on astrological subjects. He uses classical texts and principles in modern context in a beautiful manner. The need of the hour is that we should use the ancient wisdom of our Rishis while keeping ‘Desh Kaal and Patra’ of present time in our mind. If that is done, we can astrologically understand and predict any game whether played by our ancestors or being played by present day youths. All modern day sports viz. cricket, football, baseball, basketball, volleyball, etc. would come under its ambit. Basically, we have to master the technique through which the competitive spirit of the two teams can be assessed. Thereafter this can be applied to any game whether cricket or football, etc. Sri Rao has elaborated this concept beautifully. He has studied the modern games in astrological parlance. What I like is that, this concept can be used in any modern game. 9 Astrology is a spiritual science, I wish its principles would be used by the readers for their entertainment or satiating their academic thirst only. I wish Sri Ravi Rao all success, not only for this book but for many, many more books to follow. A.B. Shukla President Indian Council of Astrological Sciences 10 Foreword By Mrs. Gayatri Devi Vasudev The author Dr. Ravi Rao opens up a new dimension in astrology with this volume on sports astrology, incidentally establishing the fact once again that Jyotisha, though one of the oldest sciences known to mankind, has been able to keep pace with the changing trends of modern times. He explores the sport of cricket and identifies astrological factors that can help anticipate the winning team in a cricket match. The present volume is a first of its kind on the subject of sports coming from a new generation astrologer. Sports astrology which term the author coins to describe this branch of the science, has received practically no treatment by modern day scholars. There have been one or two books on sports by earlier authors such as the late Satyanarayana Rao’s on horse racing and Donald Bradley’s on sports in a more general sense. Otherwise, this area of activity which today charges whole nations emotionally has been by and large left untouched. It goes to the credit of Dr. Ravi Rao for filling in this lacuna with this volume and which may be described as a benchmark work on sports astrology. Sports astrology involves teams and their countries and can be broadly brought under the Samhita branch of Jyotisha as it has a bearing on collective destinies. The author’s earlier work has dealt with the astrology of nations. The present work covers one more area of what may be described as of national interest and national pride. The classical works too are also woefully silent on this topic though it cannot be said they never had tournaments and competitions even in ancient times. Dr. Ravi Rao’s work is therefore a bold and unprecedented step in the world of astrology. 11 The author takes the time of the toss as the basic data for anticipating the results of the match. This may be open to debate as usually, the time of the start of an event, the match in this context, would be the ideal basic data to build up the astrological arguments. Dr. Ravi Rao’s approach may be therefore, deemed to be experimental. However, the 21 case-studies he presents of the World Cup, TwentyTwenty and Premier League matches prove beyond doubt that his hypothesis of the toss-time as the basic data cannot be dismissed and merits serious attention. The analysis proceeds from different angles and draws into its ambit not only the horoscopes of the countries represented by the teams but also lesser factors such as the captain’s and the team’s jersey numbers. The detailed analysis presented against each case-study is both innovative and at the same time also in accordance with time-tested principles of Jyotisha. Very honestly Dr. Ravi Rao concedes he has drawn clues from Bradley’s work. These case-studies incidentally prove yet again the effectiveness of astrological principles and techniques and can also be relied upon as answering the Test of Replication which qualifies Jyotisha as a science. It is hoped Dr. Ravi Rao will investigate astrologically other sports too – both outdoor and indoor – to establish his inclusive methodology as a standard procedure in astrological analysis and share his findings with all astrology enthusiasts. I wish the author greater success in his exploration of Jyotisha. Gayatri Devi Vasudev Editor: MODERN ASTROLOGY March 15, 2017 12 Contents Author’s Note......................................................................................................18 Section 1: Inclusive Methodology of Sports Astrology................................21 1. Introduction.....................................................................................................23 2. Sports Astrology..............................................................................................27 3. Inclusive Methodology of Sports Astrology.................................................29 Section 2: World Cup 2015...............................................................................43 1. Finals: Australia vs New Zealand...................................................................45 2. Semi-Final 1: New Zealand vs South Africa.................................................54 3. Semi-Final 2: Australia vs India......................................................................61 4. Quarter Final 1: South Africa vs Sri Lanka....................................................68 5. Quarter Final 2: Bangladesh vs India............................................................76 6. Quarter Final 3: Australia vs Pakistan...........................................................84 7. Quarter Final 4: New Zealand vs West Indies..............................................91 Section 3: Twenty-Twenty (T20).....................................................................101 1. Finals 2014: India vs Sri Lanka.....................................................................103 2. Semi-Final 2: 2014: India vs South Africa...................................................112 3. 2016: India vs Australia................................................................................120 4. 2016: India vs Pakistan.................................................................................127 5. Finals 2016: England vs West Indies...........................................................134 6. 2016: Afghanistan vs West Indies...............................................................140 7. 2016: Australia vs New Zealand..................................................................148 13 Contents Section 4: Indian Premier League (IPL).........................................................157 1. Finals 2016: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad........159 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 2016: Rising Pune Supergiants vs Kings XI Punjab....................................168 2016: Delhi Daredevils vs Sunrisers Hyderabad........................................177 2016: Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Lions.....................................................184 2015: Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders......................................191 2015: Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore...................198 2015: Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders.......................................205 14 About the Author Dr. Ravi Rao is an astrologer and vaastu practitioner of international repute with over 20 years of experience. With an intuitive problem-solving approach, he offers guidance in political, corporate, professional and personal matters. He is based in Ahmedabad, India. Consultant in Mundane Astrology Dr. Rao is an active proponent of mundane astrology and is known for his accurate predictions in the domain, including election results and the future of nations. Dr. Rao advises functionaries on matters related to national and state events. He is known for his research and experiments in political, corporate and sports astrology. Corporate Consultant Dr. Rao’s services are sought by companies from a wide range of industries, including, plastics, textile, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, real estate and infrastructure, manufacturing, solar power, retail and printing, among others. He has a track record of helping companies achieve turnarounds and accelerated growth through his astro-vaastu advice and business logos. He offers industrial vaastu guidance to new and existing units as well as for the revival of sick units, guiding them through projects that involve heavy investments. He has also worked with townships and award-winning architects and projects. Some of the companies that Dr. Rao advises belong to the Fortune 500 list and extend across Africa, Australia, UK, USA, Canada, UAE and South-East Asia. 15 Dr. Ravi Rao also offers home vaastu and personal advice, including the setting up of muhurat, which can be checked by visitors at www.ravirao.com. Vaastu App Check Vaastu has been launched on Google Play Store by Dr. Ravi Rao to help buyers of factories, offices and homes evaluate for themselves if the property is vaastu-compliant. The app can be used to assess plots, buildings, apartments and bungalows. With Check Vaastu, Dr. Rao has brought vaastu expertise to everyone’s doorstep. To access Check Vaastu, please scan the QR code. Android Apple www.ravirao.com Academics & Publications Dr. Ravi Rao is the Founder-Chairman of the Ahmedabad Chapter of the Indian Council of Astrological Studies (ICAS) which conducts courses in astrology and vaastu in addition to holding monthly workshops and seminars on the subjects. He is a regular speaker on mundane astrology at national and international seminars. He is also the founder of magazines focussing on urbanization and vaastu. 16 The complete detail of Dr. Ravi Rao’s services and offerings is available at www.ravirao.com. Other Books by Dr. Ravi Rao A Nation’s Prophecy: Inclusive Methodology of Mundane Astrology 17 Author’s Note The year was 1997. I was watching a football match with friends when they wanted me to predict the outcome. Until then, I had not made predictions related to sports events. That day, I did and I continued to make predictions related to that series. About four out of five of my predictions came true. My friends of course were excited, but I became deeply interested in the subject. I knew then that it was not simply a matter of applying known astrological parameters. Sports astrology required something more. I began experimenting and building the inclusive methodology to predict sports events. My predictions extended beyond football although the game continued to dominate my research. I was travelling extensively and I had the chance to predict the different games that are popular in each country. One day, I came across Picking Winners by Donald Bradley. There has been little recognition for Bradley’s work and I found his method of assigning houses and labelling the teams similar to my own. I began incorporating his method into Vedic astrology and particularly into cricket. The result is the inclusive methodology of sports astrology. I continued testing the methodology and my predictions came true with the World Cup cricket of 2011. Australia was playing against India in the quarter final at Motera, Ahmedabad. It was a closely fought match and the key point that drove sentiments was the fact that no host country had ever won the World Cup. Hence, Australia was the favoured winner and the odds were against India. However, my prediction said it would be a win for India and it came true. 18 I had, in fact, watched the semi-finals and the finals of World Cup 2011 live from within the stadium. That was the point at which I conceived the idea of sharing my inclusive methodology of sports astrology and made me write this book. One factor stopped me though. I felt that I should first share the inclusive methodology of mundane astrology. The reason was that mundane astrology is the larger domain which encompasses sports astrology. I published A Nation’s Prophecy: An Inclusive Methodology of Mundane Astrology in 2014. The book explains the methodology behind predicting nations’ futures. It also gives examples of nations, taking the reader through the key events that a nation had undergone and explaining the astrological causes that help predict these events. Subsequent to its release, I began work on this book. The inclusive methodology of sports astrology is based on my research over the past 20 years and I am writing the book in the hope that astrologers will expand it to other sports events too and take the methodology forward. This is just the starting point for sports methodology. Learned researchers and astrologers can take it as the starting point of their own research as well as to improve their predictions and astrological techniques in other areas. The nations’ charts of the playing teams are necessary components in sports astrology. Researchers who wish to work with this methodology will find the required nations’ charts in A Nation’s Prophecy: An Inclusive Methodology of Mundane Astrology. Some of you might question the absence of reference to the dasha, sub-dasha systems or to methods like the KP system. I would say that you can apply any method of astrology to data related to the sports event, and the results would be the same. That is the test of a scientific domain, which astrology is. 19 It is not necessary for me to build a methodology that encompasses all methods. I would be happy to see other astrologers take this inclusive methodology forward and build deeper insights into what I have built. The idea is that whichever root method you follow to make a prediction, each should lead to the same prediction. This establishes the sanctity of the science that is jyotisha. It is my request that you experiment with different methods, choose one based on your learning and experience, and undertake further research and contribute to astrology so that the science is widely disseminated and practiced. The one caution I give is that the methodology must not be used for betting. The purpose of building the methodology and sharing it is that it is another branch of astrology and the more extensively we work in each branch, the stronger our understanding of astrology becomes and the better we can advance the science in the form that this branch of vedanga deserves. My best wishes to each of you in your endeavours. 20 Section 1 Inclusive Methodology of Sports Astrology 21 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue The need of the hour is that we should use the ancient wisdom of our Rishis while keeping ‘Desh Kaal and Patra’ of present time in our mind. If that is done, we can astrologically understand and predict any game whether played by our ancestors or being played by present day youths. All modern day sports viz. cricket, football, baseball, basketball, volleyball, etc. would come under its ambit. Basically we have to master the technique through which the competitive spirit of the two teams can be assessed. Thereafter this can be applied to any game whether cricket or football, etc. Sri Rao has elaborated this concept beautifully, he has studied the modern games in astrological parlance. What I like is that, this concept can be used in any modern game. - Shri A.B.Shukla (President) Indian Council of Astrological Sciences The author Dr. Ravi Rao opens up a new dimension in astrology with this volume on sports astrology … The present volume is a first of its kind on the subject of sports coming from a new generation astrologer. Sports astrology which term the author coins to describe this branch of the science, has received practically no treatment by modern day scholars … It goes to the credit of Dr. Ravi Rao for filling in this lacuna with this volume and which may be described as a benchmark work on sports astrology. Smt. Gayatri Devi Vasudev 22 Inclusive Methodology of Sports Astrology 1. Introduction The earliest instances of sports astrology can be traced back to the Roman chariot races 2000 years ago. Although it was the Greeks who had introduced chariot racing to the ancient Olympics a few hundred years earlier, it was the Romans who made it famous. Roman chariot races were the stuff of danger and high adrenaline. Driver and horse alike faced the threat of serious injury and death. Circus Maximus, the stadium in which the races were held could seat 150,000 to 250,000 people. Spectator enthusiasm was high with fervent support to one of the four stables – Red, White, Blue and Green – involved in chariot races. Although women were barred from watching other sports, they were allowed to watch these races. Meanwhile, Greek slaves brought astrology to Rome. They were sometimes known as ‘astrologers of the circus’. Given the intense and widespread support that chariot racing enjoyed and the Roman penchant for betting heavily on the races, they turned to astrology to predict the winners, according to Joanna Martine Woolfolk in The Only Astrology Book You’ll Ever Need. According to Tamsyn Barton’s Ancient Astrology, a simple predictive rule is stated in a Byzantine text, “You must know that the Moon aids the Greens, the Sun the Reds, Saturn and Venus the Blues. So, when the Sun meets Venus, if at that moment, the Blues are launching out on the course, then they will win. When it meets Mars, it is the Greens who win, for Mars is their ally, and when Jupiter is found on a cardine (angles or angular houses), then infallibly the Blues will win, above all if the Moon is deprived of light.” By this method, there was a one-in-three chance that the prediction could come true. Sports astrology has come a long way since then. Mundane Astrology Of the socio-politico-economic domains of mundane astrology, sports astrology comes within the social sphere. With increasing comprehensiveness and sophistication in technique, it has established itself over the years. The other astrologically popular social domains include medical astrology, natural events like rainfall, floods and earthquakes, among others. The political domain of astrology deals with political strategy and future, elections, Governments, type of rule and political stability 23 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue of nations and states; the economic domain deals with the economy, the future of individual companies, finance and business, including trading, banking, public and private spending and investments. These three domains of mundane astrology are interlinked. Political stability influences financial stability which in turn enhances the social aspects – sports are encouraged, quality of medical care improves, tourism rises and so on. As such, the basic principle of mundane astrology remains the same: it must be inclusive and hence must consider all the factors that impact an event. Wins & Losses: A Perspective When predicting sports events, we must take into account the nature of sports in order to understand astrology’s association with it. Sports represent a nation’s prestige. Although nations generally excel in a wide range of sports, most follow a specific sport with fervour. Citizens’ enjoy the perception of elevated prestige when the nation’s team or players rank high. In the same vein, hosting the Olympics and World Games is a matter of prestige. Nations try to make a political statement when they bid for and when they win the right to host such an event. The Beijing Olympics, for example, was meant to showcase China’s power of organisation and the fact that it can spend the billions required to host the event. Or it could be to kick start local economy, or to put a stagnating city on a quick growth path with the immense spend that comes with hosting the event, or simply to enhance a Government’s image. For the people, it is a time of fun and happiness in addition to the prestige involved. Further, history shows that the super powers of a certain period are the leading sporting nations of that period too. As such, the impact of sports is widespread, encompassing social, economic and political benefits. With such importance being accorded to sports, at times, tempers rise and disturbances take place. During the 1960s, Honduras and El Salvador had long-pending issues related to the migration of Salvadorans to the less-populated Honduras and the imposition of restrictions by the latter. There were trade issues and border disputes too. It was during this period that the two nations began playing against each other in the 1970 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Fighting broke out among fans after the first match. The nations were to play three matches and the fighting grew progressively more violent. El Salvador’s qualifier win brought matters to a head and the Football War erupted between the two nations. 24 Inclusive Methodology of Sports Astrology The outcome need not take a violent turn though. Astrology can show that we can take a different perspective to matches. Its real value emerges from its Sanskrit name, jyotisha, meaning light. By casting light on the event, astrology has the capacity to bring about greater knowledge and wisdom within us. The same applies to sports astrology too. If viewed in the right perspective, it can reveal to a person that when contestants are of comparable strength, wins and losses are a matter of the day and time. It can thereby temper the emotional highs and lows associated with a sporting event. While some turn to astrology to maximise material stability in life, others take a more philosophical view, using it to understand that which cannot be circumvented. They choose to go through those events and allow the hardship to bring greater wisdom to themselves. A person with immense capabilities does not always prove successful in life. Obstacles hamper progress, setting the person back at each stage. Rather than rue the difficult destiny, a more appropriate approach would be to accept the defeats and disappointments while continuing to make efforts to move forward. When it comes to political events, many nations gained independence in the 20th century. Each stepped into a new independent era with noble intentions, excellent principles and frameworks. Of these nations, some have experienced a sharp rise, others experience slow growth, yet others lag behind in wealth, safety and happiness. Nations like Japan, which have meagre natural resources, rose like the proverbial Phoenix from the ashes of World War-II to become part of the handful of wealthy nations to reckon with. Yet others like India, with rich natural resources, grow at a pace which could have been far healthier, while some of its neighbouring nations with similar richness in natural resources lag far behind. The same is true for sports personalities and teams too. Some teams with great strength fail consistently to finish at the top. Others fizzle out after initial promise. Yet others are the underdogs, turning the tables to emerge winners. While natural talent plays its role in elevating the individual’s position – be it of a person, team or of a nation – hard work, focus and determination take them far ahead. This too does not give the full picture of the outcome. To these two elements, we add another, that of the intended winner. In a contest between equals, that is, teams with similar talent and strengths, one team must win and the other must lose. In general parlance, the team that is in better form on the day wins the match. 25 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue This is best explained through sports astrology. It explains the planetary factors that throw light not just on the team’s performance, but also on the emotions and support of fans in the stadium as well as back home, based on which it predicts the winner. A person following the match can only see this in action as the match progresses, not before. In fact, in matches which involve a tight finish, the outcome cannot be known until the last point. This can be the last minute in time-bound games, or the last ball or move in other matches. Astrology, on the other hand, tells us who the winner can be at the time of the toss or kick-off itself. Although disappointed fans may be furious with their team for losing a match, blaming it on lethargy, lack of confidence or team spirit or on weak strategy, it could be one or a combination of all factors and it is less in the hands of the team on that particular day. By showing this clearly, astrology can temper the emotions of fans, the nation and of the team itself, steadying the sway of emotions and taming the aftermath. 26 Inclusive Methodology of Sports Astrology 2. Sports Astrology Ancient Rome’s chariot races were quite similar to today’s sports extravaganzas. The Roman teams were Blues, Greens, Reds and Whites. Experienced scouts chose the drivers with care. The drivers became celebrities and enjoyed special treatment. They took part in the deadly sport in a packed stadium with passionate fans cheering the home teams and cursing the opposing teams with equal fervour. The elites may have disliked the mob behaviour, but the stadium was the place in which citizens came in contact with the Roman Emperor. Hopes and fortunes rested on the extravaganza. After its decline during the later Christian era, things have come full circle in the modern world. Millions ride on the outcome of matches and races. With reference to high-value sponsorships and the extraordinary amounts spent on purchasing individual players, notably in football and cricket, and the immense popularity and celebrity status of players, careers are made and unmade on the sports field. Emotions run high, so much so that effigies are burnt when the team loses, while players’ stock rises sky high when they win. Given the high emotions and the immediate nature of results, astrology needs to be highly accurate in predicting sports events. Methods of Prediction Unlike natal astrology in which the predicted events can take days to years to show their outcome, sports astrology outcomes are immediate, verifiable and with little room for misinterpretation. This makes it easier to analyse the methods of sports astrology and to refine them with immediate effect for greater accuracy. Given the number of variables involved, predicting the match winner is a complicated affair. Some astrologers apply the principles of natal astrology. While this forms a sound basis, it is still only the foundation on which a comprehensive methodology must be built. Some astrologers study the 6th house to analyse competitions, and turn to the 5th house when it comes to outdoor sports. Others study the effect of Mars, the planet of aggressive energy, and of competitive sport. Yet others make their predictions based on the position of Moon and the aspects and conjunctions related to it. These methods are small parts that must be integrated into a comprehensive methodology. 27 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Some analyse the captains’ natal horoscopes. This method falls short when making predictions for team games, since team effort is involved. Then again, doubts remain as to what the time of the chart should be. Some use the time of the match beginning to cast the horoscope. This may not be the right approach for all types of games. The key difference between sports astrology and natal astrology is that sports, by its very nature, involves two or more competing entities. The key factor is that the two entities should be of similar competency. While team strength is the human factor, the other is related to nature’s role. In case of cricket, it is related to the wind direction and velocity, moisture, condition of the pitch, to name a few. The toss-winning captain takes the decision to bat or bowl at the toss time based on the pitch and other factors of nature. Astrology encompasses these factors, both human and of nature, and hence is in a position to predict the outcome. While one team or captain may seem to be favourably placed for the particular match, it is possible that the other team is more favourably placed. Then again, there are many types of sports, ranging from indoor to outdoor games. Some are individual events like athletics in which a single individual is pitted against multiple individuals. Other events involve matches between two individuals, like tennis, badminton, fencing, wrestling, boxing. Yet others are team games like cricket, football, basketball. Due to the intricacies of each game, the methodology used to predict the outcome of each can differ. It can even differ across each format of a game. Further, we must keep in mind the fact that in team games like cricket, the focus is on the game and not on an individual. Hence, existing methods of natal astrology cannot be applied blindly to sports astrology to predict the winner. Such application does not produce consistently accurate predictions. The redeeming factor is that match results allow for quick verification of predictions against the actual outcomes. It helps the astrologer refine and enhance the methodology of sports astrology to suit the game it is being applied to. 28 Inclusive Methodology of Sports Astrology 3. Inclusive Methodology of Sports Astrology Given the immediate nature of results and the intense emotions involved, astrology has a particularly complex relationship with sports. The presence of multiple team members, decisions taken by the captain and the coach, the presence of a large audience, the run of high emotions, the need for vitality and aggression, all these factors require specific sport-related parameters to be taken into consideration in sports astrology even as it rests on the strong foundation of traditional astrology. As in other areas of mundane astrology which I have explained in detail in my book, A Nation’s Prophecy: Inclusive Methodology of Mundane Astrology, a single chart or parameter is not sufficient to predict the outcome. Multiple impacting factors must be taken into account. I have analysed hundreds of matches, with different parameters and have arrived at the Inclusive Methodology of Sports Astrology. This is applicable to a range of games, football and cricket to name a few, in which a nation, a club or a franchisee is involved. After studying Donald Bradley’s method in Picking Winners, I am certain that Vedic and Western astrology work on similar principles, although Western astrology is sayana-based as against Vedic astrology’s nirayana-based calculations. The common factor is that Western and Vedic sports astrology rely on the Moon while the latter can also rely on stellar positions. Bradley’s method works since it treats the match as the action point, as it must in team games. The captain or the key player are not the sole entities in team games, hence they cannot be treated as the focal point. While this method in itself can be a good indicator, an experienced astrologer can draw accurate predictions when it is accompanied by analysis of the nations’ charts and by planetary influences based on certain facets of the team. Additional strength to the sports event is brought about by the nation’s chart, leading us to the inclusive methodology. It has its own story to tell with the entire country being emotionally attached to the event. Hence, predicting solely based on the event can lead to erroneous predictions. In short, the nation’s charts give the missing picture. Alan Leo, who is considered the father of modern western astrology, allocates a geographical location to each team. It was one of the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) seasons during 1996-98 and it was Michael Jordan’s second innings. I analysed the season’s matches by mapping match venues with the assigned locations. To this, I added another component. I began taking into account the captain’s 29 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue jersey number and the team’s jersey colour. When I added these elements, my predictions turned accurate and I predicted that Chicago Bulls would lift the NBA trophy. Exception to the Methodology I have been making mundane astrology predictions since my foray into the domain in the mid-90s. The one exception that I have found in sports astrology is that when the contest is interrupted, the inclusive methodology must be set aside. For example, in cricket, when the Duckworth-Lewis method comes into effect to decide the overs and runs in a rain-interrupted match, one must no longer rely on the methodology. Rather, the astrologer must look from a different perspective and assess the astrological causes of the obstruction, whether it is caused by a natural or a human calamity. Answers to these questions rest on the astrology of the nation, the state or of the city. In such cases, the matter is no longer limited to the match. It enters the domain of the higher mundane astrology. For example, when we refer to manmade disasters in the form of power failures, curfews or terrorist attacks, and natural disasters like earthquakes, rain or thunder storms, the interruption itself is a phenomenon that astrology must take into account. Even when a good muhurat is set for an event, a large-scale disaster can bring the event to nought. This then, becomes the domain of mundane astrology and an astrologer must analyse the chart of the city or of a higher collective. Even when the muhurta is good, if the terrain is wrong, it can result in a disaster like an earthquake, a curfew or any of the interrupting factors. In these cases, the higher law rules over the lower law. The astrology of the collective supersedes the astrology of the individual. A weak element in the individual’s horoscope causes the individual to be affected when higher astrology comes into play. Inclusive Methodology With that as a key precaution, I shall place before you the Inclusive Methodology of Sports Astrology. I shall then apply the methodology to cricket matches across different tournaments and formats of the game to prove its efficacy. The inclusive methodology comprises three components: Part I: Game Analysis Part II: Nations’ Charts Part III: Planetary Influence 30 Inclusive Methodology of Sports Astrology We shall apply the methodology to key international matches of cricket and predict the outcomes. The matches that I have considered here are from the Cricket World Cup, Twenty-Twenty, popularly called T20, and the Indian Premier League (IPL). While the World Cup is held every four years, T20 is held every two years, and IPL, every year. Based on the analysis, points are assigned to both teams, showing the clear winner at the end of the astrological analysis. Part I: Game Analysis As part of the game analysis, we analyse the chart of the match. The critical elements within the analysis are the time of the match, the choice of ascendants and the signification of each house. In traditional astrology, each chart carries a single ascendant. The interesting part in sports astrology is the need for two ascendants since two teams are playing against each other. We shall deal with each of these in turn. 1. Time of Match The general perception is that the time at which the match begins should be the basis for casting the match chart. In cricket matches though, the time of the coin toss must be used to cast the horoscope. The reason is clear, the toss determines the progress of the game and the birth of the contest is with the toss. Names of team members are submitted before the toss and no changes are allowed thereafter. The toss itself is the point that determines who decides to bat or bowl first. Every event has a cycle and everything that is born has a logical end at the end of the cycle. The journey can be seen throughout this cycle, the ups and downs and whether it is a one-sided match or ends in a close finish. The cycle of a cricket match begins with the toss. To look for parallels in political astrology, it is the time and date of announcement of the election results that is used to cast the new Government’s horoscope although the ruler is yet to take oath and yet to begin governing the nation, state or other collective. This is because the announcement of results marks the birth of the journey for the new rulership. Similarly, it is the toss time that must be taken to cast the match chart. As a general practice, we can take a half hour prior to the match time as toss time for cricket. In football though, we must consider the kick-off time, that is, the time at which the ball is touched for the first time by one of the teams. 31 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue 2. Allocating the Ascendants Native Ascendant Rival Score Native Score Native Game Rival Ascendant 3 2 12 Native Ascendant 11 1 Rival 4 Score 10 Native Score 7 5 Rival Ascendant 6 11 Native Score 10 8 9 8 12 Rival Ascendant 7 Native 1 Ascendant 6 2 3 32 9 4 Rival Score 5 The second factor is the question of whom to allocate the ascendant to since there are two contestants to a match. Once the ascendant is allocated to a team, the second question arises as to the ascendant of the other team. Opinion is divided on this count and some of the methods are given below: Home Team: Some believe that the ascendant of the match must be allocated to the home team. In the absence of a home team, the team to which the ground is allocated becomes the home team and the chart’s ascendant is to be allocated to this team. Defending Champions: In some games, there is no ground allocation to a particular team. To circumvent this problem, it has been suggested that the ascendant be allocated to the defending champion. The lacuna in this method is that not every match has a defending champion. Toss Winner: In matches like cricket, which are based on the toss that signifies the birth of the contest, the team that wins the toss is allocated the ascendant. The certainty that one method is more accurate than the others can come only with experience and with ongoing research. This involves applying the principles to many matches and comparing the predictions with the outcomes. Inclusive Methodology of Sports Astrology I have tried the three methods in predicting cricket matches and have been able to make accurate predictions when I chose the toss winner method. As such, we allocate the ascendant to the toss-winning team and call it the Native team. The 7th house is treated as the ascendant for the opposing team. We shall call it the Rival team. 3. Signification of Houses Native Coach & Captain Native Fans & Odds Native Ascendant Native Penalties Rival Game Rival Score Native Score Native Game Rival Coach & Captain Rival Fans & Odds Rival Ascendant Native Penalties Native Fans & Odds 2 Native Coach & 3 Captain Rival Score Native Game 5 6 Native Ascendant 1 10 4 7 Rival Ascendant 12 11 Rival Game Native Score Rival 9 Coach & 8 Captain Rival Fans & Odds Rival Penalties Rival Game Rival Penalties Native Score Rival Coach & Captain The third factor in the game analysis is the signification of each house. Based on Donald Bradley’s Picking Winners, the twelve houses are divided between the two teams. Each team is allotted six houses to represent six factors, Ascendant, Fans & Odds, Coach & Captain, Game, Score and Penalties. The charts show the signification of each house. The charts with Aries ascendant show the signification of each house. This is a representative depiction and actual ascendants are based on the ascendants at toss time. Houses & Significations Ascendants: The basic principles of how to read the chart remain similar to that of traditional Vedic astrology. The ascendant, as in the natal chart, shows the strength of the team it represents and holds great importance. So does the ascendant lord. The ascendants indicate the level of confidence of the contestants. It is seen that teams have lost more than twice as many matches as they have won when playing 33 Native Game 5 Rival Ascendant 6 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Rival Native Score Native Penalties 11 10 Rival Coach & Captain 8 1 7 3 Native Coach & Captain Rival Ascendant 6 2 Native Fans & Odds Rival Fans & Odds 9 12 Native Ascendant 9 Coach & Captain Rival Fans & Odds Penalties Rival Game 8 4 Rival Score 5 Rival Penalties Native Game overseas. This holds true for the Indian team while playing away from home, having lost 15 out of 25 Tests before the series win in Sri Lanka. India won the three-match series 2-1, and this was the first series win by India in Sri Lanka since 1993. This series win also gave India their first overseas Test series victory since the 2011 tour of West Indies. Hence, by helping us predict the team strength on a given day, the ascendant and the ascendant lord hold significance in assessing the chart. Fans & Odds (2nd house): The 2nd house stands for Fans & Odds. In natal astrology, it stands for family and hence for emotions. It is also about hope and aspirations. As such it stands for the mood and sentiment of fans as well as the odds in favour of the team. Matches are not played in isolation. A combination of factors, on and off field, impacts them. Fans both in the stadium as well as back home are an important factor that affect the match outcome. As a supportive house to other houses, the 2nd house also describes the supportive role of fans. The entire nation is attached by their emotions to the 2nd house. While a win brings euphoria, a loss brings disappointment to fans in the stadium and back in the country too, sometimes erupting in violent backlash. There have been instances when Pakistan lost to India on the latter’s grounds and the team had to be practically smuggled through back routes from the airport to their homes. Hence, it is with reason that players at times fear the 2nd house, that is, the fans. What happens on the 22-yard pitch affects millions, creating a law and order situation. Further, 8th house being the house of defeat and 2nd house being 7th from the 8th house, directly impacts the Fans & Odds. Coach & Captain (3rd house): The 3rd house stands for Coach & Captain. The house signifies courage, will power and the potential to take risks. It also signifies com- 34 Inclusive Methodology of Sports Astrology munication and the intelligence that drives the communication, including internal communication among players as well as with the coach and captain. The strength of communication can raise the team’s game significantly. As such, coach and captain occupy this house. It allows the entire match to move forward. Further, teams may comprise strong individual players, but they need a strong coach and captain to help them work together. As such, communication and team spirit which are enforced by the coach and captain bring the entire set of elements together to strengthen the team and give it direction. Further, the house signifies the strategy mapped by the captain. Strong teams not only have a well-mapped strategy based on the opposing team’s and their own strengths and weaknesses, the strategy is also based on the pitch and match conditions. Second, they are in a position to make quick changes to their strategy when conditions demand. In fact, the mark of a great captain is the ability to make quick decisions to take advantage of the opposing team’s weaknesses or to leverage the strengths of their own team. Game (5th house): The 5th house is the house of momentum, clearly indicating that it stands for the Game. It is how the game is played on the field, the vitality of the team, their readiness, morale and fitness. It represents the execution of the coach and captain’s strategy and the response of individual members. Teams with strong strategy but with limited team strengths fail to execute the strategy and vice versa. At other times, a team with strong skills is unable to execute a wellcrafted strategy on a particular day. Given the Game house dependence on the house of Coach & Captain, we shall analyse these two houses together. Score (10th house): The 10th house is the house of social status and profession, among other things. A win, and the resultant prestige and status, depends on the score. Hence, the Score house is signified by the 10th house, which being the midheaven, has a strong influence on the outcome. As such, it has the capacity to become the deciding factor and the team with a particularly strong 10th house can emerge the winner. Penalties (12th house): The 12th house stands for losses and hence stands for Penalties, indicating the extras given by a team to the opposing team and can at times be the influencing factor in turning the course of a match. One must go beyond the traditional definition of penalties in a cricket match, byes, leg byes, wides, no balls. When a batsman is saved by a dropped catch or when the umpires give an erroneous ruling in his favour, the subsequent runs that the batsman makes must be considered as free runs and hence as penalties. 35 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue The significations of the houses are based on the traditional principles of astrology, modified to meet the requirements of sports astrology. But, one must be careful not to map the significations of the individual astrological houses with the actual performance of that particular element on ground. For example, the strength of the Score house may not relate to the actual score on the ground. It is to be used only to add to the astrological point system. Further, each of these elements cannot individually influence the match outcome. The significator of execution of strategy is Venus. Let us suppose a strong Venus is posited in relation to the Score house or to the house lord, it then has the capacity to turn the score in favour of the team. But, in the absence of a strong Coach & Captain, strategy falls short, communication and team spirit are weakened and Venus’ execution will be unable to bring great benefits to the team. Or Fans & Odds could be strongly placed, but when it lacks support from other key houses, it does not meet fans’ expectations. Hence, one must carefully assess the other parameters to judge whether a particularly strong house can in fact save the match. Order of Priority As in natal astrology, with experience, one can at a glance assess whether the chart favours the native or the rival team. But, I would discourage that practice. The ideal practice is to assess the houses and the parameters in an orderly fashion and assign points to each before going on to the next component of the methodology. One must remember that the game analysis is a single component of the full methodology. Unless the points are overwhelmingly in favour of one team, one must go about the assessment methodically and to the end. It is only after assigning points and totalling them that one must make the prediction. To take the important parameters first, one must judge the strength of the ascendant, placement of the ascendant lord and the strength of the house of Score. These are the key parameters with a strong influence on the match. Subsequently, assess the Game, Coach & Captain, Fans & Odds, and Penalties in that order. The Game closely follows the Coach & Captain and the steps they take, hence I have shown the two together in the points table. Part II: Nations’ Charts The second component of the inclusive methodology is the analysis of the nations’ charts of the participating teams. These play a vital role in determining each team’s chances of winning or losing. Many times, the teams belong not to nations, but to 36 Inclusive Methodology of Sports Astrology clubs, franchisees and governing bodies. In such cases, it is the club, franchise or governing body’s chart that must be taken into consideration. Let me refer to it as the nation’s chart for easy reference. For the purpose of sports astrology, the nation’s chart is to be treated as the birth chart and the match chart as the transit chart. Two elements in the nation’s chart must be analysed to move towards the prediction of the match outcome - Moon and nation’s ascendant. First, transpose Moon from the nation’s chart onto the transit match chart and study the placement and strength of Moon from the point of view of the transit ascendant and the planetary positions, aspects and conjunctions. Matches are played on the pitch, but contrary to popular thinking, that isn’t all that affects the match outcome. Matches are mind games first and only then are they physical games. Fans, their emotions, the nation’s sentiment as well as the team’s state of mind affect the match and it is Moon that signifies these factors. As such, it connects the team, sports enthusiasts and their nation. It denotes sentiments and disappointments, which are particularly important in sports. Even when matches are played in far off nations, the millions of fans back home drive the excitement. Moon indicates this emotion and the position of Moon guides us towards the upswing or downswing of a match. Hence, in sports astrology as in other domains of astrology, Moon is to be accorded special importance. Second, we must transpose the ascendants of each team from their respective nation’s charts onto the transit chart and study the comparative merits of each. Similar to the transposing of the ascendant of the natal birth chart on the transits, the strength of the nation’s ascendant with respect to the transit match chart is a factor influencing the match. It is important to analyse the influence of transit Moon too on the nation’s ascendant. It is also important to study the effect of the larger planets, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars, with respect to the nation’s Moon and ascendant. This becomes particularly important in case of a tie in the astrological points. Part III: Planetary Influence Among the many factors that influence outcomes in sports astrology is the planetary influence which is different from the planetary positions in the match and nation’s charts. The captain’s jersey number and its relation to the date of the match and to the day of week, in addition to the team’s jersey colour and its relation to the day of week play their role in the match outcome. 37 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue As I continued my analysis, my predictions took on a certainty when I added these factors. The reason was clear. For a team to emerge the winner, every factor must be in consonance. Numbers, days and their ruling planets must be favourable to the captain and the team on the match day. In some matches, you will find that planetary influence is simply an additional tool for you to confirm the predictions. But, in matches with a close astrological score, it makes the picture clear since numerology and astrology are simply two different paths through which we arrive at the same prediction. Captains’ Jersey Numbers: With respect to the captain’s jersey number, we analyse the strength of the jersey number and relationship of the jersey number with the match date. First, we must recognise that the captain is the identity and the point of recognition for the winning or losing team. Further, the captain plays the strongest role in determining the way the match is played by virtue of the decisions taken and by the manner in which the team responds to the captain. Hence, the captain’s jersey number must be viewed for its ability to carry the team to victory. For beginners of numerology, if the captain’s jersey number is in double digits, each digit must be added to arrive at a single digit number. The planet representing that number is the one to be analysed. To elaborate further, certain planets have greater influence on specific games. Mars being the planet that rules outdoor sports, it is the significator of such games and sports. So is Jupiter. Football is a game played with the legs, hence Mars again is the influencing planet. In case of indoor games, the significators are Saturn and Mercury. Venus is the planet to look for in individual games and sports. Boxing and wrestling too being physical games, Mars is the relevant planet. In case of billiards, look for the placement and strength of Venus. For chess, Saturn and Mercury are the planets to look for since chess is an analytical, thinking game. The caution is that the influencing planet does not remain the same for every form of a particular game. For example, one-day cricket matches involve planning and strategising to a greater extent than some other forms of the game, hence Jupiter and Mars are the influencers. In case of Twenty-Twenty, that is T20 form of cricket, the significators are Mars, Moon and Mercury – Mars standing for aggression and energy that rules this form of cricket, Moon for the rapid shift of emotions and 38 Inclusive Methodology of Sports Astrology Mercury signifying the mercurial nature of this short and quick form of the game. Test cricket, on the other hand, is influenced by Jupiter and Saturn since it is a mind game in which players must hold the fort for a long time, retaining the wickets in the face of the ever-present danger of an unexpected loss of wicket. Lucky captains are those who carry sports-friendly jersey numbers. To be a successful captain, the favourable numbers are 9 and 7 followed by 3, 5 and 1 in that order. On the unfavourable side are captain’s jersey numbers which total to 8, 4 or 2. When we consider the success rate of captains in an individual capacity, their jersey number must have a good relationship with their personal date of birth too, but this factor is more relevant in predicting a captain’s overall success. Further, it is not relevant to our current methodology since we are analysing a team game and a specific match. Second, the relationship of the planet representing the captain’s jersey number with the date of the match is a crucial factor. Analysis and assignment of points are based on this relationship. It is important to consider only the date and not the month and the year. Here too, the date must be totalled and the resultant single digit number must be considered for the purpose of prediction. Numbers and Signifying Planets Planet Number Colour Day of Week Sun 1 Maroon Sunday Moon 2 White Monday Mars 9 Red Tuesday Mercury 5 Green Wednesday Jupiter 3 Gold Thursday Venus 6 Yellow Friday Saturn 8 Black, Blue Saturday Rahu, North Node 4 Brown - Ketu, South Node 7 Grey - 39 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Planets and Relationships Day of Week: Astrology has given birth to the seven days of week, represented by the seven planets. The North and South Nodes being shadow planets with no physical presence, are not included in the days of the week. The characteristics of the planet representing the particular day of the week rule the day. Hence, just as the captain’s jersey number must have a positive relationship with the date of the match, it must have such a relationship with the day of the week too. Planets Friends Neutral Enemies Sun Moon, Mars, Jupiter Mercury Venus, Saturn, North Node Moon Sun, Mercury Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn North Node Mars Sun, Moon, Jupiter Venus, Saturn Mercury, North Node Mercury Sun, Venus, North Node Mars, Jupiter, Saturn Moon Jupiter Sun, Moon, Mars Saturn, North Node, South Node Mercury, Venus Venus Mercury, Saturn, North Node Jupiter, Mars Sun, Moon Saturn Mercury, Venus, North Node Jupiter Sun, Moon, Mars North Node Mercury, Venus, Saturn Jupiter Sun, Moon, Mars North Node Mercury, Venus, North Node, Saturn Jupiter Sun, Moon, Mars Jersey Colours: The colour of the team’s jersey too plays a role in the match outcome. It indicates the planet influencing the team. Hence, the resulting planet’s relationship with the day of the week must be taken into consideration when assigning points to each team. 40 Inclusive Methodology of Sports Astrology How to Assign Points The inclusive methodology of sports astrology requires the astrologer to analyse the match in a step-wise manner. The astrological score system allows such an analysis and gives unambiguous results. In the game analysis and analysis of the nations’ charts, when malefics occupy a house or are aspected by one, zero points are to be assigned. The same applies within planetary influence when the relationship is of an enemy. When a house is free of aspect or if no planets occupy the house, it is considered neutral and is assigned one point. Similarly, within planetary influence, when the relationship between two planets is neutral, one point is assigned. When the house is occupied or is aspected by benefics, it is to be assigned two points. The same applies when two planets are friendly in case of planetary influence. When a conjunction or aspect is particularly strong with a powerful benefic, one may consider assigning three points. System of Astrological Score Relationship Points Malefic / Enemies 0 Neutral 1 In this manner, one must assign points based on the astrological analysis. The sum total of the points will lead you to the conclusive outcome. It is necessary to remember that a lead in points at any of the intermediate Powerful Benefics 3 stages does not give an indication of the match outcome. We must complete the assessment of the entire set of parameters before we make the prediction. Benefic / Friends 2 Also, remain cautious against being partial towards one team based on the nonastrological perception of a certain team’s strength and the assumption that it will win. The best of teams is sometimes felled by the weakest of teams. I now leave the inclusive methodology of sports astrology with you. This is just the beginning of sports astrology. 41 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue I suggest that you take this research forward and enhance its scope and bring deeper insights into the methodology. You may wish to experiment with the dasha system, KP system, or other components or streams of astrology in order to make the subject deeper. I must give a caution at this stage. I would go as far as to say that the method will not work for persons involved in betting. I would like to call it astrology’s curse. If you place a bet and make the prediction, again it will not work. This entire methodology is meant only for the purpose of research. With that caution, I wish you the best in implementing the inclusive methodology of sports astrology. 42 World Cup 2015 Section 2 World Cup 2015 43 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue 1. Australia vs New Zealand: http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricket- worldcup-2015/engine/match/656495.html 2. New Zealand vs South Africa: http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricketworld-cup-2015/engine/match/656491.html 3. Australia vs India: http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricket- world-cup-2015/ engine/match/656493.html 4. South Africa vs Sri Lanka: http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricket- worldcup-2015/engine/match/656483.html 5. Bangladesh vs India: http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricket- worldcup-2015/engine/match/656485.html 6. Australia vs Pakistan: http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricket- worldcup-2015/engine/series/509587.html 7. New Zealand vs West Indies: http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricket- worldcup-2015/engine/match/656489.html 44 World Cup 2015 1. Finals Australia vs New Zealand Toss Win: New Zealand The match was scheduled to begin at 2.30 PM and I have taken the toss time as half hour ahead of the match time. Hence, the time of the chart is 2 PM, Melbourne time. As discussed in the inclusive methodology, it is not possible to allocate the ascendant either to the defending champion or to the home team in this match. Defending World Cup champion, India had lost in the semi-finals. Further, both Australia and New Zealand are local teams since the World Cup was co-hosted by the two nations. Hence, it becomes imperative to take the toss winner as the native team. Chart 1hart Date: 29 March, 2015 | Time: 14:00:00 | Day: Sunday | Place: Melbourne NZL Score Ve Ma Su Ke Me Australia Game NZL Penalties Australia Coach & Captain NZL Ascendant NZL Fans & Odds Ju Mo Australia Score NZL Coach & Captain Australia Fans & Odds Ra Sa Australia Ascendant Australia Penalties Asc-02 46' 53" Sun-14o 02' 12" o NZL Game Australia Score Mon-04 31' 06" Mar-04o 01' 45" o NZL Fans & Odds Ju Mo 4 NZL NZL Coach & 5 Ascendant Captain NZL Game 7 3 Ra 6 8 12 9 NZL Penalties 2 1 Australia Game 12 NZL Ascendant Australia 11 Coach & 10 Captain Mer-C-02 19' 55" Jup-R-18o 41' 46" Australia Coach & Captain 11 NZL Fans & Odds Ju Mo Australia Ascendant 9 8 4 5 6 7 Sa Australia Penalties Ra Ven-19 57' 56" Sat-R-10o 40' 58" o 3 NZL Coach & Captain Australia Fans & Odds 10 2 Su NZL Ke Score Me Australia Fans & Odds o Ve Ma NZL Penalties 1 Australia Ascendant Sa Australia Penalties NZL Score Su Ke Me Australia Game Ve Ma Australia Score NZL Game Rah-R-15 55' 54" Ket-R-15o 55' 54" o Game Analysis New Zealand had won the toss and becomes the native team, occupying the Gemini ascendant. The 7th house becomes the opposing team’s ascendant. Hence, Australia becomes the rival team with Sagittarius as its ascendant. New Zealand elected to bat. 45 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Based on the game analysis, New Zealand’s Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Cancer), Coach & Captain the 3rd house (Leo), New Zealand’s Game can be seen from the 5th house (Libra), Score from the 10th house (Pisces) and Penalties from the 12th house (Taurus). With respect to Australia, reading from its Sagittarius ascendant, Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Capricorn). Australia’s Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Aquarius), its Game occupies the 5th house (Aries), Score is seen from the 10th house (Virgo) and Penalties from the 12th house (Scorpio). According to the inclusive methodology, the three primary factors are the strength of the ascendant, placement of ascendant lord and strength of the house of Score. We shall assess these factors first. The ascendants remain unaspected for both teams, hence we treat them as balanced in this respect. The placement of the ascendant lords brings clarity to the situation. New Zealand’s ascendant lord Mercury is debilitated and the strength it derives is from its conjunction with Sun and from Jupiter’s aspect. Australia’s ascendant lord Jupiter is exalted and in conjunction with Moon, lending great strength to the team. Mars’ 4th aspect is not enough to diminish Jupiter’s strength. Hence, Australia leads with respect to the ascendant lord. New Zealand’s Score house has Sun and debilitated Mercury posited within under Jupiter’s 9th aspect, lending strength to the team. Australia’s house of Score is aspected by Sun and house lord Mercury which strengthens the team’s ability to build a good score. Hence, the two teams remain balanced in this matter. New Zealand’s Game house is aspected by house lord Venus as well as by Mars, the latter deriving strength from being posited in its own house. While the team will be strong in execution, Mars’ aspect exerts pressure on the team and drives them towards some rash decisions. Australia’s Game house, with Venus and house lord Mars posited within, shows greater strength since Mars is a significator of outdoor sports. They will play an aggressive game coupled with strong implementation. Hence, they take a lead in this parameter. But, let us view it along with the Coach & Captain, since the Game house implements the strategy and decisions taken by the coach and the captain. New Zealand’s Coach & Captain comes under Saturn’s 10th aspect whereas Australia’s house is unaspected, leaving New Zealand weaker in this respect. Under Saturn’s aspect, New Zealand plans a cautious game and will not be quick in changing tactics on the field. Further, house lord Sun is posited in the 8th house from the 46 World Cup 2015 house of Coach & Captain. Despite Jupiter’s 9th aspect, Sun’s placement indicates difficulties in the team accomplishing their task. On the other hand, in case of Australia, house lord Saturn is posited in the 10th house from the house of Coach & Captain and is under Jupiter’s 5th aspect, giving strength to Australia. When we view the house of Coach & Captain along with the Game house strengths, we find that New Zealand will be slow to respond on the field and will in fact come under Mars’ aggression on the one hand and Saturn’s caution on the other hand which is not conducive to a match. New Zealand’s Fans & Odds has Moon posited in Cancer in conjunction with exalted Jupiter. Despite Mars’ aspect, the team derives strength from the two benefics, elevating the mood of the fans and strengthening the odds in the team’s favour. Australian Fans & Odds is under house lord Saturn’s aspect, turning it weaker in this parameter. Yet, being the house lord, Saturn does not harm the prospects of the house and only works to minimise extreme highs and lows. Further, Jupiter’s direct aspect lends strength. In the matter of Penalties, New Zealand comes under Saturn’s aspect, forcing them to give away penalties unless they play with a certain amount of caution. On the other hand, Australian house of Penalties is occupied by Saturn. It also comes under Jupiter and Mars aspects. Mars being the house lord does not harm the house while Jupiter strengthens the house. Overall, Australia leads in this parameter. As we can see, Australia takes a consistent lead in the parameters, but let us go further and analyse the nations’ charts. (Nations’ Charts Continued...) 47 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Nation’s Chart – New Zealand Date: 17 January, 1853 | Time: 00:00:00 | Day: Monday Place: Wellington, New Zealand Nation’s Chart – Australia Date: 01 January, 1901 | Time: 00:00:00 | Day: Tuesday | Place: Melbourne 48 World Cup 2015 We now transpose the Moon and the ascendant of each team’s nation’s charts on to the game chart. We treat the latter as the transit chart and see how the nations’ horoscopes support the team. As stated earlier, the nation stands behind the team by virtue of its emotions, thereby offering support and encouragement. New Zealand’s Moon in its nation’s chart is posited in Pisces. Transposing this on the game chart, we find that it occupies the 10th house which is occupied by transit Sun and Mercury under Jupiter’s 9th aspect, lending strength to the team and to fans both within and outside the stadium. This is a significant fact given that Moon holds great importance in determining match outcomes. Australia’s Moon, on the other hand, is posited in Aries in its nation’s chart. Transposing it on the game chart, we find that it occupies the 5th house from Australia’s Sagittarius ascendant. The 5th house being the significator of outdoor games, this is a particularly strong placement for Australia’s Moon. With transit Venus and house lord Mars occupying the sign, Australia stands stronger in the matter of the nation’s Moon. New Zealand carries a Libra ascendant in the nation’s chart. When transposed onto the game chart, we find that it comes under transit Mars and ascendant lord Venus aspect. The latter in its role as the ascendant lord lends strength while Mars brings pressure onto the team. Australia’s ascendant in its nation’s chart is Virgo. Superimposing this on the transit game chart, we find that it comes under Sun and ascendant lord Mercury’s aspects. Further, we find that exalted Jupiter is posited in the 11th house from Australia’s Virgo ascendant. It is also the 4th lord, representing outdoor games and the 7th lord, indicating strength over opposition. By virtue of this standing, Jupiter lends great strength to Australia. In comparison, although Jupiter is posited in the 10th house from New Zealand’s nation’s Libra ascendant, it is the 3rd and 6th lord and is not in a position to offer comparative strength. Hence, Australia takes the lead with respect to the ascendants of the nations’ charts. 49 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers New Zealand’s Captain Brendon McCullum has the jersey number 42 which equates to 6 of Venus. Australia’s Captain Michael Clarke has the jersey number 23 which equates to 5 of Mercury. Of the two, Venus proves stronger. The date of the match was 29 which equates to 2 of Moon. Moon is neutral to Venus although Venus views Moon as enemy. Moon is friendly to Mercury, but Mercury views Moon as an enemy. Hence, Australia is at an advantage in this respect. Day of Week The day of the week was Sunday, the lord being Sun who views New Zealand captain’s 6 as an enemy while being neutral to Australia’s 5. In terms of the day of the week, Australia emerges stronger. Jersey Colour New Zealand’s jersey is the black of Saturn. Australia’s jersey is the yellow of Venus, giving the lead to Australia. Further, Saturn being a particularly strong enemy to Sun, who is the lord of the day of the week, Australia takes the lead in this parameter. (Astrological Summary Table Continued...) 50 World Cup 2015 Astrological Summary Table Parameters New Zealand Australia Remarks 1 1 N: Unaspected A: Unaspected Game Analysis Ascendant Ascendant Lord 1 3 N: Debilitated ascendant lord Mercury conjunct Sun under Jupiter’s aspect A: Exalted ascendant lord Jupiter conjunct Moon, under Mars aspect Score 2 2 N: Sun conjunct debilitated Mercury, under Jupiter aspect A: Sun and house lord Mercury aspects Game, Coach & Captain 1 3 N: Game: Mars and house lord Venus aspects Coach & Captain: Saturn aspect, house lord Sun in 8th from Coach & Captain A: Game: House lord Mars conjunct Venus; Coach & Captain: Unaspected, house lord Saturn in 10th from Coach & Captain, under Jupiter aspect Fans & Odds 2 1 N: House lord Moon conjunct exalted Jupiter under Mars aspect A: House lord Saturn and Jupiter aspects Penalties 0 2 N: Saturn aspect A: Saturn under Jupiter and house lord Mars aspect 1 2 N: Occupies 10th house with transit Sun and debilitated Mercury, under Jupiter aspect A: Occupies 5th house with transit house lord Mars and Venus 1 2 N: Mars and ascendant lord Venus aspect 3rd and 6th lord Jupiter exalted in 10th house A: Sun and ascendant lord Mercury aspect 4th & 7th lord Jupiter exalted in 11th house Jersey Numbers 1 1 N: Venus stronger than Mercury Moon neutral to Venus A: Venus stronger than Mercury Moon friendly to Mercury Day of the Week 0 1 N: Sun views Venus as enemy A: Sun is neutral to Mercury Jersey Colour 0 1 N: Saturn strong enemy to Sun A: Venus enemy to Sun Total 10 19 Nations’ Charts Moon Ascendant Lord Planetary Influence 51 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue How the Match was Played Strong Australian game, weak resistance from New Zealand and a touch of luck is the story of Cricket World Cup 2015 finals. Australia won its fifth cricket World Cup, stamping its authority on this format of the game. New Zealand lost three early wickets to Australia’s searing pace. Ross Taylor and Grant Elliott steadied the innings though, but once Taylor was caught, the rest of the wickets fell in quick succession with the tail order offering little resistance. New Zealand had four ducks, including one from the captain, a feat that a team can ill-afford in any match, least of all the finals, and the team was all out for 183 in the 45th over. Although Australia lost its first wicket during the second over, their batting remained strong. Luck too favoured the team and when Steven Smith’s ball touched the stumps, the bails remained intact. The match ended with Smith hitting the winning boundary and Australia won the match with 101 balls to spare. http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricket-world-cup-2015/engine/match/656495. html Conclusion The astrological score showed a steady gain by Australia. The astrological background of the match is of the strengths of the respective ascendant lords. While New Zealand played through the weakness of a debilitated ascendant lord Mercury, not only did Australia play with the strength of an exalted ascendant lord, Jupiter, it derived further strength from the lord’s conjunction with Moon, making the team particularly strong. Although New Zealand’s Score house was under house lord Jupiter’s aspect, it only served to lower debilitated Mercury’s weakness rather than grant winning strength to the house. Further, with a weaker Game house which came under Mars aspect, and Coach & Captain which came under Saturn’s aspect, New Zealand found that each of its key houses suffered from malefic aspects. As such, malefic influences outweighed the strengths of the benefics for the team. With respect to the nations’ charts, Moon, which determines emotions and the state of the fans, favoured Australia. In the matter of the nation’s ascendant, Jupiter proved more beneficial to Australia. Hence, at each stage of the analysis, we find Australia widening the lead between New Zealand and itself. 52 World Cup 2015 At the start of the World Cup, Australia was considered favourites, along with India and South Africa. As the tournament progressed, New Zealand, by virtue of its strong performance, began gaining momentum as a favourite. While Australia defeated India in the semi-finals, New Zealand defeated the other favourite, South Africa to make its maiden entry into the World Cup finals. Yet, it could not sustain its strong winning streak and fell to Australia by a wide margin with an astrological score of 10:19. Hence, as far as the astrological analysis is concerned, it does not matter who the favourite team is. We can judge the outcome of the match when the toss takes place. The planetary alignments clearly predicted an Australian win. 53 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue 2. Semi-Final 1 New Zealand vs South Africa Toss Win: South Africa The match was scheduled to begin at 2 PM, hence I have taken the toss time as 1.30 PM Auckland time. Chart 2hart Date: 24 March, 2015 | Time: 13:30:00 | Day: Tuesday | Place: Auckland Su Ke NZL Game S Africa Penalties Ve Ma Mo S Africa Ascendant Me Ju Ju S Africa Coach & Captain S Africa Score NZL Coach & Captain NZL Ascendant Asc-22o 11' 55" Sun-08o 58' 52" 3 S Africa Game S Africa Game Mon-28o 29' 54" Mar-00o 13' 28" Ve S Africa Ma Penalties Mo Su Ke 1 S Africa 12 NZL Ascendant Game 2 11 Me 5 8 S Africa Score 6 7 NZL Fans & Odds Mer-C-23 18' 03" Jup-R-18o 54' 25" o Su Ke Mo Ve Ma Me 12 11 S Africa Fans & Odds 1 9 NZL 8 Sa Ascendant 2 4 Ven-13o 51' 50" Sat-R-10o 47' 05" 5 6 7 Ra Ju S Africa Coach & Captain NZL Fans & Odds 10 3 NZL 10 Coach & Captain 9 NZL Ascendant NZL Penalties S Africa Penalties NZL Coach & Captain S Africa Score NZL Game S Africa Ascendant Sa Ra Ra NZL Penalties S Africa Coach & 4 Captain NZL Score NZL Score Sa NZL Fans & Odds S Africa Fans & Odds S Africa Fans & Odds NZL Score NZL Penalties S Africa Game Rah-R-15o 55' 12" Ket-R-15o 55' 12" Game Analysis South Africa had won the toss and becomes the native team, occupying the Taurus ascendant. New Zealand is the rival team, occupying the Scorpio ascendant. South Africa chose to bat in this first semi-final. This match was interrupted by rain and hence the required runs were set based on the Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) method. While conjectures were on if the D/L method turned the match in favour of New Zealand, let us see how the astrological scores stack up for each team. The key point is that once a match is interrupted, the astrological score based on the toss can no longer be relied upon to predict the winner of the match. Natural and manmade disasters are a matter of the collective, and the city or sometimes a higher collective comes into play. The horoscope of the 54 World Cup 2015 collective takes over. The higher rule rules over the lower rule and the astrology of the collective supersedes the astrology of the individual. Still, let us see how it holds for this match. Based on the game analysis, South Africa’s Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Gemini), Coach & Captain the 3rd house (Cancer), South Africa’s Game can be seen from the 5th house (Virgo), Score from the 10th house (Aquarius) and Penalties from the 12th house (Aries). With respect to New Zealand, reading from its Scorpio ascendant, Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Sagittarius). New Zealand’s Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Capricorn), its Game occupies the 5th house (Pisces), its Score is seen from the 10th house (Leo) and Penalties occupies the 12th house (Libra). Assessing the strengths of the ascendants, ascendant lords and the house of Score, we find that South Africa’s ascendant Taurus is under Saturn’s aspect, bringing obstacles to their play. New Zealand’s ascendant on the other hand has Saturn posited within. It also comes under ascendant lord Mars’ 8th aspect as well as Jupiter’s 5th aspect. The team is likely to have a slow start to their game but with Jupiter giving opportunities, they will be able to leverage these well. Further, ascendant lord Mars’ helps them play with its aggression. Although Saturn-Mars conflict brings periodic disturbances to their game, the combined position and aspects places them in a better situation than South Africa in the matter of ascendant. Regarding the ascendant lord, South Africa’s ascendant lord Venus occupies the 12th house leading to losses and penalties and a tendency to gamble. This is accentuated by its conjunction with Mars and Moon. New Zealand’s ascendant lord Mars is posited in the 6th house, allowing them to play as a unit and with aggression. Further, its conjunction with Venus and Moon lead to strong execution and rouses fans’ emotions. Hence, in the matter of the ascendant lord, New Zealand scores better than South Africa. South Africa’s Score house is occupied by 2nd and 5th lord Mercury, allowing the team to build some quick runs. New Zealand’s Score house comes under Saturn’s 10th aspect, slowing their run rate from time to time. Mercury’s direct aspect helps them overcome this to some extent. Overall, South Africa is ahead of New Zealand in the matter of the Score house. South Africa’s Game house comes under Sun’s aspect, allowing them to play with courage, but it also brings undue sensitivity to the twists and turns of the match. 55 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue New Zealand’s Game house is occupied by Sun, bringing balance and resourcefulness. It comes under Game lord Jupiter’s aspect, enhancing their ability to respond intuitively within the match. Further, the Game lord being exalted lends further strength to New Zealand’s Game. Let us take a look at the Coach & Captain to analyse how the decisions of the captain and coach impact the game. South Africa’s Coach & Captain is occupied by exalted Jupiter, enabling them to strategise well. Jupiter being posited in the 4th house from Moon enhances its strength further. But Mars’ 4th aspect leads to some rashness in their decisions. Further, house lord Moon being posited in the 12th house is not in a position to lend strength. New Zealand’s house of Coach & Captain is under house lord Saturn’s 3rd aspect, placing obstacles in their path from time to time. Yet, being the house lord, these obstacles are in the nature of opportunities to the team. Jupiter’s aspect strengthens the team further and holds them as a unit. It also strengthens the communication with the team and the ability to strategise around Saturn’s obstacles. Hence, New Zealand leads in this parameter. Analysing the house of Coach & Captain and Game house, we find that New Zealand’s strong strategy and team spirit drive a strong Game house, helping the team leverage the strengths of these two key houses. South Africa’s house of Coach & Captain is strong but with the Game house not having the strength to leverage the former, they stay behind New Zealand at the end of these two parameters. South Africa’s house of Fans & Odds is unaspected. With house lord Mercury posited in the 10th house, the team can expect elevation to the fans’ emotions and enhance the odds in their favour. New Zealand’s house too is unaspected. House lord Jupiter is exalted in the 9th house. Further, it occupies the 4th house from Moon, enhancing the gains it can offer. As such, it gives consistent and high elevation to fans’ emotions and enhances the odds in New Zealand’s favour, taking it ahead of the opposing team in this parameter. South Africa’s Penalties is occupied by house lord Mars in conjunction with ascendant lord Venus and 3rd lord Moon, controlling the penalties the team gives away. New Zealand, with its house of Penalties under the aspects of Mars and Moon, could have given away many penalties, but house lord Venus comes to their rescue and limits the penalties. Hence, the two teams are balanced in this matter. (Nations’ Charts Continued...) 56 World Cup 2015 Nation’s Chart – South Africa Date: 27 April, 1994 | Time: 00:00:00 | Day: Wednesday | Place: South Africa Nation’s Chart – New Zealand Date: 17 January, 1853 | Time: 00:00:00 | Day: Monday Place: Wellington, New Zealand In South Africa’s national chart, we find Moon in Libra. When we transpose it on the transit game chart, we find that it occupies the 6th house and is under the aspects of Mars, Venus and transit Moon. As such, the team is unable to dominate 57 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue the game and is expected to face a particularly strong opposition, leaving their fans disappointed. New Zealand has its Moon in Pisces in its nation’s chart. Transposing this on the transit game chart, we find that Moon is posited in the 5th house, occupying a friendly sign and is under Jupiter’s aspect. These factors lend clarity of thought and the ability to play effectively against the opposition. Further, the team is able to take strategic risks, lending great strength to New Zealand and elevating their fans’ emotions. South Africa’s national chart has its ascendant in Capricorn. Transposing this on the transit game chart, we find that transit Saturn not only casts its 3rd aspect on the ascendant, it also casts its 10th aspect on the 8th house. Further, transit ascendant lord Saturn itself comes under Mars aspect. New Zealand’s national chart has a Libra ascendant. In the transit chart, Mars casts its direct aspect on the ascendant. Further, Saturn occupies the nation’s 2nd house and casts its aspect on the nation’s 8th house. The key factor here is Saturn casting its aspect on the two nations’ 8th houses. Both ascendants come under either Saturn or Mars aspects – while South Africa’s Capricorn ascendant comes under Saturn’s aspect, New Zealand’s ascendant comes under Mars aspect. Further, Saturn which causes the greatest disturbance in the chart at the time of the toss, comes under Mars’ aspect. These planetary positions, occupancies and aspects at the time of the match relative to the nations’ ascendants give the indication that a higher power is at play. They in fact, indicate disaster which for our purpose means that any predictions we make related to the match can go wrong. Hence, we shall not take the analysis further. (Astrological Summary Table Continued...) 58 World Cup 2015 Astrological Summary Table Parameters South Africa New Zealand Remarks 1 2 S: Saturn’s aspect N: Saturn under ascendant lord Mars and Jupiter aspects Game Analysis Ascendant Ascendant Lord 1 2 S: Ascendant lord Venus in 12th house conjunct Mars, Moon N: Ascendant lord Mars in 6th house conjunct Venus and Moon Score 2 1 S: Mercury N: Saturn-Mercury aspects Game, Coach & Captain 3 4 S: Game: Sun’s aspect Coach & Captain: Exalted Jupiter in 4th house from Moon and under Mars aspect. House lord Moon in 12th house N: Game: Sun under house lord Jupiter’s aspect. Exalted house lord Jupiter Coach & Captain: Saturn-Jupiter aspects Fans & Odds 1 3 S: Unaspected, house lord Mercury in 10th house N: Unaspected, house lord Jupiter exalted and in 9th house, also in 4th house from Moon Penalties 1 1 S: House lord Mars conjunct Moon and ascendant lord Venus N: Aspects from Mars, Moon and house lord Venus Nations’ Charts Moon S: In 6th house under Mars, Venus, Moon aspects N: In 5th house under Jupiter’s aspect Ascendant Lord S: Saturn aspects Capricorn ascendant and 8th house. Mars aspects Saturn. N: 2nd house Saturn from Libra ascendant, aspecting the 8th house. Mars aspects ascendant. How the Match was Played The match was interrupted by rain when the momentum was shifting South Africa’s way and the score stood at 216 for 3 in 38 overs. After winning the toss and electing to bat, South Africa had slowed in the initial overs. New Zealand’s captain Brendon McCullum came in for praise for his captaincy. 59 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue With rain interrupting the match, New Zealand was left to chase the DuckworthLewis target of 298 runs in 43 overs. In a nail-biting finish, Grant Elliott hit six runs off the last ball, taking New Zealand to 299 for the loss of 6 wickets. Once again, South Africa is halted in the semi-finals and New Zealand made its first entry into the World Cup Finals. http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricket-world-cup-2015/engine/match/656491. html Conclusion As I stated earlier, astrological predictions based on the inclusive methodology are likely to go wrong when the D/L method comes into play. Although South Africa played a good game, they lost the match and hence lost the chance of making their first entry into the finals of a World Cup. This is a match in which the nation’s ascendant clearly indicates a calamity to the smooth progression of the match. This came in the form of rain and interrupted the match. The result was that the D/L method came into play. I have tested the impact of such an interruption and of the D/L method determining the number of overs and runs and have found that the methodology must be set aside in these circumstances. It is for future research to analyse the factors that can in fact help us make predictions in such interrupted matches. However, when the interruptions in matches do not lead to curtailing of overs and the D/L method does not come into force, the inclusive methodology stands good and we can make our predictions on its basis. 60 World Cup 2015 3. Semi-Final 2 Australia vs India Toss Win: Australia The match was scheduled to begin at 2.30 PM and I have taken the toss time as half hour ahead of this match time. Hence, the time of the chart is 2 PM, Sydney time. Chart 3hart Date: 26 March, 2015 | Time: 14:00:00 | Day: Thursday | Place: Sydney Ve Ma Su Ke Australia Score Mo Australia Penalties India Game Australia Ascendant Me Ju India Coach & Captain Australia Fans & Odds India Penalties Asc-08o 13' 51" Sun-11o 04' 02" Australia Game 2 1 India Game India Score Mon-26o 54' 51" Mar-01o 47' 44" Australia 7 Game 8 Sa India Penalties Australia Score India Game Ve Ma Su Ke Ve Ma Australia Penalties 1 Mo India Coach & Captain 12 Me 11 10 2 3 Ra 6 Australia Penalties Mo 12 9 Su Australia Ke Score Australia Ascendant Me Ra Sa India Ascendant India Score Australia Coach & Captain India Fans & Odds Australia Fans & Odds Ju 4 Australia Australia Coach & 5 Ascendant Captain India 11 Coach & 10 Captain India Ascendant India Fans & Odds Mer-C-26o 57' 17" Jup-R-18o 48' 37" 3 Ju Ven-16o 23' 02" Sat-R-10o 44' 52" India Ascendant 9 8 4 Australia Fans & Odds Australia Coach & Captain India Fans & Odds 5 6 Ra India Score 7 Sa India Penalties Australia Game Rah-R-15o 56' 27" Ket-R-15o 56' 27" Game Analysis Australia had won the toss and becomes the native team, occupying the Gemini ascendant. Australia chose to bat. India becomes the rival team, occupying the Sagittarius ascendant. According to the game analysis, Australia’s Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Cancer), Coach & Captain the 3rd house (Leo), Australia’s Game can be seen from the 5th house (Libra), Score from the 10th house (Pisces) and Penalties from the 12th house (Taurus). From India’s Sagittarius ascendant, Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Capricorn). India’s Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Aquarius), its Game occupies the 5th house (Aries), Score is seen from the 10th house (Virgo) and Penalties from the 12th house (Scorpio). 61 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Let us take it from the beginning with the ascendant, ascendant lord and Score house. Australia’s Gemini ascendant is unaspected and with ascendant lord Mercury posited in the 9th house, the team is strengthened. India’s ascendant too is unaspected and although ascendant lord Jupiter is exalted, it occupies the 8th house from India’s ascendant and is unable to strengthen the team. Australia’s ascendant lord Mercury occupying the 9th house brings clarity of thought to the team and strengthens the team. India’s ascendant lord Jupiter, on the other hand, is strong by virtue of its exaltation. But, in occupying the 8th house, it is unable to lend strength to the team. Under Mars’ 4th aspect, it drives the team to take some risky decisions. Hence, Australia leads in this parameter. Australia’s Score house is occupied by 3rd lord Sun, driving the team to play an aggressive game and with the team playing as a single unit. Further, with house lord Jupiter aspecting the house, the team plays a strategic and well-thought through game which brings them gains. India’s Score house comes under Sun’s aspect but with occupancy proving stronger than aspect, India lags behind Australia in this parameter. Australia’s Game house is under Mars and house lord Venus’ aspects. It involves a combination of meticulous execution coupled with aggression that can border on rashness. India’s Game house is occupied by house lord Mars and 6th lord and 11th lord Venus, bringing in courage and aggression along with execution to their game, enabling them to play effectively against the opposing team. Further, with Mars being the significator of outdoor games, India leads in this parameter by a slight margin. Let us now analyse whether the house of Coach & Captain carries the strength to leverage the strong Game houses. Australia’s house of Coach & Captain is under Saturn’s 10th aspect and Mercury’s aspect, driving them to take cautious yet strategic decisions. Saturn places obstacles in their path, yet Mercury’s aspect enables them to take quick tactical decisions and convert these into opportunities. House lord Sun occupying the 10th house is in a strong position which can bring them praise for well-timed decisions and a courageous game. India’s Coach & Captain is occupied by 7th and 10th lord Mercury, allowing them to take quick, tactical decisions. Yet, house lord Saturn which occupies the 12th house in Scorpio is not strong enough to give depth and insight to the decisions taken by the captain. Hence, Australia leads in this parameter. 62 World Cup 2015 Viewing both the Coach & Captain and Game houses together, we find that Australia by virtue of a stronger Coach & Captain is able to leverage the strength of their Game house better than India. Australia’s house of Fans & Odds is occupied by exalted Jupiter, elevating fans’ emotions and enhancing the odds in the team’s favour. India’s house comes under Jupiter and house lord Saturn’s aspects leading to a certain amount of ups and downs in their play and in the fans’ emotions. Hence, Australia leads in this parameter. In the matter of Penalties, Australia has exalted Moon posited within, protecting the house from giving away penalties. Saturn’s aspect gives away some penalties though. India’s Penalties is occupied by Saturn. It also comes under Moon and house lord Mars’ aspects, forcing them to give away penalties. Nation’s Chart – India, Republic Day Date: 26 January, 1950 | Time: 10:15:00 | Day: Thursday | Place: New Delhi 63 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Nation’s Chart – Australia Date: 01 January, 1901 | Time: 00:00:00 | Day: Tuesday | Place: Melbourne We transpose Moon and the ascendant of the teams’ nations’ charts on the game chart, treating the latter as the transit chart. Australia’s Moon is posited in Aries in the nation’s chart. Transposing this on the game chart, we find transit house lord Mars as well as Venus posited in this house. While this conjunction strengthens Australia’s Moon, it gains further strength by virtue of its position in the 11th house from Australian team’s transit ascendant, bringing gains to the team. India’s Moon too is posited in Aries, but in the 5th house from India’s transit ascendant, lending them greater strength since the 5th house is the significator of outdoor sports. With transit Mars and Venus occupying the house, the house is strengthened further. The team has the complete support of fans in the stadium and back home. Hence, India leads in this parameter. Australia’s ascendant in its nation’s chart is in Virgo. Transposing this on the game chart, we find transit Jupiter exalted in the 11th house and transit Moon exalted in the 9th house. India with its nation’s ascendant in Pisces, houses transit Sun and is under Jupiter’s 9th aspect. This in addition to exalted Jupiter in the 5th house lends strength to the team. However, India’s 9th house is occupied by transit Saturn and is under Mars’ aspect. Saturn also aspects the 11th house, lowering the team’s chances. Hence, in the matter of the nations’ ascendants, Australia takes the lead. 64 World Cup 2015 Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers Australia’s Captain Michael Clarke has the jersey number 23 which equates to 5 of Mercury, while India’s Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s jersey number is 7 of the South Node. The date of the match is 26, which equates to 8 of Saturn. Saturn is friendly to Mercury and is neutral to the South Node, offering an advantage to Australia. Day of Week The day of the week is Thursday ruled by Jupiter. Jupiter views Australia’s 5 as an enemy and is neutral to India’s 7, these two numbers correspond to the respective captains’ jersey numbers. Hence, India takes the lead. Jersey Colour Australia’s jersey is yellow, corresponding to Venus whereas India’s jersey is Saturn’s blue. Venus takes the lead over Saturn in the matter of games. Further, the day of the week is ruled by Jupiter which is neutral to Saturn, but considers Venus an enemy. Considering both factors, the teams stand evenly balanced. (Astrological Summary Table Continued...) 65 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Astrological Summary Table Parameters Australia India Remarks Ascendant 1 0 A: Unaspected, ascendant lord Mercury in 9th house I: Unaspected, ascendant lord Jupiter is exalted and occupies the 8th house Ascendant Lord 2 1 A: Mercury in 9th house I: Jupiter in 8th house and under Mars’ 4th aspect Score 3 1 A: 3rd lord Sun under house lord Jupiter’s aspect I: Sun’s aspect Game Analysis Game, Coach & Captain 3 2 A: Game: Mars-house lord Venus aspects Coach & Captain: Saturn-Mercury aspects; house lord Sun in 10th house I: Game: Occupied by house lord Mars and Venus Coach & Captain: Occupied by Mercury; house lord Saturn in Scorpio in the 12th house Fans & Odds 2 1 A: Exalted Jupiter I: Jupiter-house lord Saturn’s aspects Penalties 2 1 A: Exalted Moon under Saturn’s aspect I: Saturn under Moon and house lord Mars aspects 2 3 A: Moon in 11th house with house lord Mars and Venus I: Moon in 5th house with house lord Mars and Venus 1 A: Sun’s aspect, exalted Jupiter in 11th house, exalted Moon in 9th house I: Occupied by Sun under Jupiter’s aspect, exalted Jupiter in 5th house, Saturn in 9th house under Mars aspect, Saturn aspects 11th house Nations’ Charts Moon Ascendant Lord 2 Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers 1 1 A: Mercury Mercury viewed as friend by Saturn I: South Node Saturn neutral to South Node Day of the Week 0 1 A: Mercury viewed as enemy by Jupiter I: South Node viewed as neutral by Jupiter A: Venus Jupiter views Venus as enemy I: Saturn Jupiter is neutral to Saturn Jersey Colour 1 1 Total 19 13 66 World Cup 2015 How the Match was Played Australia won the second semi-final against India. Australia didn’t get off to a promising start. Of the opening pair, David Warner was dismissed early and Aaron Finch’s performance was not up to the mark. Steve Smith then walked to the pitch and things changed. He made 105 runs, stabilising Australia’s score. After his dismissal, wickets fell fast, but Australia regrouped, closing at 328 runs for the loss of 7 wickets, becoming the only team to go past the 300-run mark in a knock-out match in this World Cup. India got off to a good start with its openers, but once Shikhar Dhawan was out, the line-up crumbled. Captain Dhoni’s 65 runs off 65 balls was too late to hold up the Indian side and the team fell to the Australian onslaught, losing by 95 runs, the highest margin in a World Cup semi-final. http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricket-world-cup-2015/engine/match/656493. html Conclusion On the surface, matches seem to turn on the strength of a wicket. While cricketing experts speak of the individual team’s strengths, their form on the match day, their strategy and tactics and their consistent performance, astrologically, we view the planets, their conjunctions and their aspects related to different factors of the match. A quick look at the 8th house begins to show us that this would not be an easy match for India. With ascendant lord Jupiter posited in the 8th house, its exalted status and its aspect on India’s Fans & Odds is not enough to strengthen the team. Australia’s ascendant lord posited in the 9th house gives greater strength to the Australian ascendant. With that as the beginning, we find that Australia is strengthened by Jupiter’s aspect on its own house, the Score house as well as its exalted status in the house of Fans & Odds. Hence, in three crucial houses, the ascendant, Score house and Fans & Odds, Australia stands stronger by virtue of its well-placed ascendant lord, Jupiter being strong for the team and by Jupiter’s inability to lend strength to the opposing team. The other planets play their role in strengthening or weakening each team, but it is the play of Jupiter that is notable in this match. Australia won over India with an astrological score of 19:13. 67 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue 4. Quarter Final 1 South Africa vs Sri Lanka Toss Win: Sri Lanka The match was scheduled to begin at 2.30 PM and I have taken the toss time as half hour ahead of this match time. Hence, the time of the chart is 2 PM, Sydney time. Chart 4hart Date: 18 March, 2015 | Time: 14:00:00 | Day: Wednesday | Place: Sydney Sri Lanka Score S Africa Coach & Captain Su Ma Ke Ve S Africa Game Sri Lanka Ju Fans & Odds Sri Lanka Penalties Me Mo Sri Lanka Ascendant Ju Sri Lanka Fans & Odds Ra Sa S Africa Ascendant S Africa Score Sri Lanka Coach & Captain S Africa Fans & Odds S Africa Penalties Asc-01o 02' 51" Sun-03o 07' 17" Sri Lanka Game Sri Lanka 4 Coach & 5 Captain S Africa Score Mon-00o 56' 40" Mar-25o 48' 15" Sri Lanka Game 7 8 Sri Lanka Penalties 2 Sri Lanka Ascendant 3 Ra 6 12 9 Sa S Africa Game Su Sri Lanka Ma Score Ke S Africa Fans & Odds Mer-13o 33' 48" Jup-R-19o 15' 00" S Africa Game Ve Sri Lanka Penalties Sri Lanka Score Su Ma Ke 1 12 S Africa Coach & Captain Mo Me Mo Me 10 3 Ju Ven-06o 46' 20" Sat-R-10o 50' 57" S Africa Ascendant 9 8 4 Sri Lanka Fans & Odds Sri Lanka Coach & Captain S Africa Fans & Odds 11 2 Sri Lanka Ascendant S Africa 11 Coach & 10 Captain S Africa Ascendant S Africa Penalties 1 Ve 5 6 Ra S Africa Score 7 Sa S Africa Penalties Sri Lanka Game Rah-R-15o 55' 49" Ket-R-15o 55' 49" Game Analysis Sri Lanka had won the toss and hence becomes the native team, occupying the Gemini ascendant. South Africa becomes the rival team, occupying the Sagittarius ascendant. Sri Lanka elected to bat. According to the game analysis, it isn’t simply a question of the ascendant and planetary positions of each match’s toss time. External factors like fans and emotions affect the match as much as internal factors like strategy and the way the game is played. Hence, we shall consider Sri Lanka’s Fans & Odds which occupies the 2nd house (Cancer), Coach & Captain represented by the 3rd house (Leo), Sri Lanka’s Game can be seen from the 5th house (Libra), Score from the 10th house (Pisces) and Penalties from the 12th house (Taurus). 68 World Cup 2015 With respect to South Africa, reading from its Sagittarius ascendant, Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Capricorn). South Africa’s Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Aquarius), its Game occupies the 5th house (Aries), its Score is seen from the 10th house (Virgo) and Penalties is viewed from the 12th house (Scorpio). The three primary factors, according to the inclusive methodology, are the strength of the ascendant, placement of the ascendant lord and the strength of the Score house. We shall assess these factors first. Sri Lanka’s ascendant comes under Mars’ 4th aspect, which lowers their morale and confidence. Further, Saturn aspects Sri Lanka’s 8th house, giving a severe setback to the team. South Africa’s ascendant on the other hand stands unaspected giving them the lead in this parameter. When it comes to the ascendant lord, Sri Lanka’s ascendant lord Mercury is in conjunction with Moon, affecting the team’s thought process and weakening their ability to take tactical decisions with steadiness on field. South Africa’s ascendant lord Jupiter on the other hand stands exalted. But, in occupying the 8th house, its ability to strengthen the team is reduced. In comparison, Sri Lanka leads in this parameter. Sri Lanka’s Score house is occupied by Sun and Mars, allowing the team to play with aggression and valour. Mars as 6th and 11th lord negatively affects the house. Score lord Jupiter’s 9th aspect tempers the aggression and allows the team to add to their score. South Africa’s Score house comes under Sun and Mars’ aspects and the resultant aggression can prove detrimental to the team’s ability to add runs to their score board unless they channel their game through strong strategy. Hence, Sri Lanka proves stronger in the matter of the Score house. You may be tempted to match these parameters with the actual score during the match, however it is not always comparable, since other factors like pitch and terrain have their impact. Sri Lanka’s Game house comes under house lord Venus aspect and Mars’ 8th aspect, affecting their ability to execute well and the team struggles to play to their plan. South Africa’s Game house is occupied by Venus, strengthening their on-field execution. Further, house lord Mars occupies the 4th house in conjunction with Sun. It is also under Jupiter’s 9th aspect, bringing satisfaction through aggression in the game. They will also play to a well-orchestrated strategy driven by Jupiter. Hence, South Africa leads in the matter of the Game house. 69 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Viewing the house of Coach & Captain, Sri Lanka’s house comes under Saturn’s 10th aspect placing obstacles in their strategy and communication with the team. Further, Moon and Mercury aspects bring a certain amount of wavering in their thought process, affecting their strategy. South Africa’s house of Coach & Captain is occupied by Moon and Mercury and while the conjunction does affect their thought process, it also aids them in responding well with tactical decisions. Viewing the two houses together, we find that in case of Sri Lanka, the team is unable to cover the gaps in their strategy through on-field execution. South Africa on the other hand may not have a significantly stronger house of Coach & Captain, but a strong Game house allows them to take effective tactical decisions and respond well on the field. They will be quick on their feet and hence overall, they lead in these two parameters. Sri Lanka’s house of Fans & Odds is occupied by exalted Jupiter, elevating fans’ emotions and enhancing the odds in the team’s favour. South Africa’s house of Fans & Odds comes under house lord Saturn and Jupiter’s aspects, strengthening the house further, lending ambition and depth to their play. Hence, the enthusiasm of South Africa’s fans is more consistent and the odds are stronger than those of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka’s house of Penalties comes under Saturn’s aspect and unless they play with insight and precision, they will give away penalties. South Africa’s house of Penalties is occupied by Saturn under Jupiter’s 5th aspect which protects them from giving away too many penalties. (Nations’ Charts Continued...) 70 World Cup 2015 Nation’s Chart – Sri Lanka, Republic Day Date: 22 May, 1972 | Time: 12:43:00 | Day: Monday | Place: Colombo Nation’s Chart – South Africa Date: 27 April, 1994 | Time: 00:00:00 | Day: Wednesday | Place: South Africa We must now analyse the effect of transit planets on the nation’s Moon as well as on the nation’s ascendant. 71 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue We find Moon posited in Virgo in the nation’s chart of Sri Lanka, occupying the 4th house in the transit game chart. Further, it comes under Sun and Mars’ aspects bringing a certain amount of rashness to their game and limiting their ability to think on their feet and play with tactical responses on the field. Indications are that the team and its fans will face extreme disappointment. In the nation’s chart of South Africa, Moon is posited in Libra, the 11th house in the game chart. Although Mars casts its aspect on Libra, house lord Venus too casts its aspect, strengthening the nation’s Moon. South Africa stands stronger in the factor of the nation’s Moon. Matches are played on the pitch, but contrary to popular thinking, that isn’t all that affects the match outcome. Matches are mind games first and only then are they physical games. In addition, fans, emotions, the nation’s sentiment, each of these affect the match and it is Moon that signifies these factors. Hence, in sports astrology, one must never ignore the effect of Moon. Now, let’s look at the nations’ ascendants. The nation’s chart of Sri Lanka has a Leo ascendant which comes under transit Saturn’s 10th aspect as well as Moon and Mercury’s aspects. South Africa’s Capricorn national ascendant has ascendant lord Saturn casting its 3rd aspect. Additionally, transit Jupiter’s 7th aspect places the team in a particularly strong position. While Saturn casts its aspect on the nations’ ascendants of both teams, in aspecting South African ascendant as the house lord, it lends greater strength. Further, in case of Sri Lanka, Mercury is weakened by its conjunction with Moon and is unable to lend its full strength. Planetary Influence Although predictions based on the match chart and the nations’ charts themselves can help us arrive at predictions, sports astrology being what it is, the match can be such a tight finish that additional confirmation can help us ascertain the prediction beyond doubt. Jersey Numbers The captains’ jersey numbers are a relevant parameter in predicting the match outcome on the particular day. Sri Lanka’s captain Angelo D Mathews has the jersey number 69 which equates to 6 of Venus. South Africa’s captain AB De Villiers 72 World Cup 2015 has the jersey number 17 which equates to 8 of Saturn. With Venus being more favourable to games, Sri Lanka leads in this parameter. The match was played on the 18th and the date totals to 9. While 6 is neutral to 9, 8 views 9 as an enemy. Hence, the captains’ jersey numbers favour Sri Lanka. Day of Week The day of the week was Wednesday, ruled by Mercury. Mercury is friendly to the Sri Lankan captain’s 6 and it is neutral to the South African captain’s 8. Hence, Sri Lanka stays marginally ahead. Jersey Colour Sri Lanka’s blue jersey indicates Saturn which is friendly to the day of the week. South African jersey is the green of Mercury, the same as the day of the week. Further, in the matter of sports astrology, Mercury is stronger than Saturn, offering greater strength to South Africa. (Astrological Summary Table Continued...) 73 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Astrological Summary Table Parameters Sri Lanka South Africa Reason Ascendant 0 1 SL: Mars aspect, Saturn aspects the 8th house SA: Unaspected Ascendant Lord 2 1 SL: Ascendant Lord Mercury in conjunction with Moon in 9th house SA: Ascendant lord Jupiter is exalted in 8th house Score 3 1 SL: Sun conjunct Mars under house lord Jupiter’s aspect SA: Sun-Mars aspects Game Analysis SL: Game: Venus’ aspect and Mars’ 8th aspect Coach & Captain: Saturn-Moon-Mercury aspects SA: Game: Occupied by Venus; House lord Mars conjunct Sun under Jupiter’s aspect Coach & Captain: Moon conjunct Mercury Game, Coach & Captain 1 3 Fans & Odds 2 3 SL: Exalted Jupiter SA: House lord Saturn and Jupiter’s aspects Penalties 0 1 SL: Saturn’s aspect SA: Occupied by Saturn under Jupiter’s aspect Moon 1 2 SL: Sun-Mars aspects SA: Venus-Mars aspects Ascendant Lord 1 3 SL: Saturn-Moon-Mercury aspects SA: Ascendant lord Saturn and Jupiter aspects Jersey Numbers 2 0 SL: Venus; Neutral to Mars SA: Saturn; Enemy of Mars Day of the Week 2 1 SL: Mercury friendly to Venus SA: Mercury neutral to Saturn Jersey Colour 0 2 SL: Saturn; Friendly to Mercury SA: Mercury; Same planet Total 14 18 Nations’ Charts Planetary Influence How the Match was Played South Africa lost the toss to Sri Lanka who chose to bat. South Africa was to chase the latter in this first knockout match, which is not considered the most auspicious 74 World Cup 2015 of beginnings for the chasing team. Yet, South Africa turned this belief on its head. The match was one-sided with South Africa knocking Sri Lanka out during the first quarter final by 9 wickets. South African bowlers kept up the pressure on the Sri Lankan batsmen. A brief spell of rain did not bring respite to Sri Lanka and with three ducks, they were all out for 133. South Africa began its batting well, losing Hashim Amla’s wicket in the seventh over which would be their only wicket loss. With Quinton de Kock setting up a crackling run rate – he would end the match with an unbeaten 78 off 57 deliveries – and Faf du Plessis providing strong support, South Africa raced to victory with 32 overs to spare. http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricket-world-cup-2015/engine/match/656483. html Conclusion South Africa entered the semi-finals for the first time in World Cup history. Emotions were high and the underdogs turned out to be one of the best performing teams so far, raising the emotional point higher. This is a match in which Mars and Saturn played their roles. In aspecting Sri Lanka’s ascendant as well as the Game house, Mars played the primary role in lowering the team’s chances. Saturn weakened the team further by aspecting the house of Coach & Captain. Sri Lanka’s ascendant lord Mercury could not come to the rescue since it was affected by its conjunction with Moon. In case of South Africa, Mars aspect is limited to the Score house. Although this is a key house, the team is saved by Saturn’s ability to support the team by virtue of being the house lord when it aspects the house of Fans & Odds. Even in the case of the house of Penalties, while Saturn casts its direct aspect on Sri Lanka’s house, its occupancy of South Africa’s house of Penalties does not cause much harm since Jupiter comes to the rescue with its 5th aspect. As such Jupiter plays a supporting role in this match, saving South Africa’s house of Fans & Odds and the house of Penalties. Further, as the ascendant lord of South Africa, it is strong by itself in its exalted status and although its position in the 8th house does not allow it to lend much strength to the team, it still proves stronger than Mercury, Sri Lanka’s ascendant lord. With an astrological score of 14:18 for Sri Lanka and South Africa, the latter becomes the winner. 75 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue 5. Quarter Final 2 Bangladesh vs India Toss Win: India The match was scheduled to begin at 2.30 PM and I have taken the toss time as half hour ahead of this match time. Hence, the time of the chart is 2 PM, Melbourne time. Chart 5art Date: 19 March, 2015 | Time: 14:00:00 | Day: Thursday | Place: Melbourne India Score Su Ma Ke Ve Ju India Fans & Odds Bangladesh India Penalties Game Me Mo Bangladesh Coach & Captain India Ascendant Ju 4 India Coach & 5 Captain India Fans & Odds Ra Sa Bangladesh Bangladesh India Ascendant Penalties Game Asc-07o 30' 51" Sun-04o 09' 29" India Game Bangladesh Score Mon-16o 39' 43" Mar-26o 35' 14" 7 8 Sa Bangladesh Penalties 2 India Ascendant Bangladesh Ra 6 Score India Coach & Captain Bangladesh Fans & Odds India Penalties 3 9 Ve 1 Bangladesh Game Su 12 Ma Ke Mer-15o 13' 51" Jup-R-19o 10' 55" 1 India Ascendant Bangladesh 11Coach & 10 Captain Bangladesh Fans & Odds Ve India Penalties Bangladesh Coach & Captain Su Ma Ke 12 Mo Me India Fans & Odds Ju 10 3 Bangladesh Ascendant 9 8 4 5 6 Ra 7 India Coach & Bangladesh Captain Score Ven-08o 01' 41" Sat-R-10o 50' 31" Bangladesh Fans & Odds 11 2 India Score Mo Me Bangladesh Ascendant India Score Bangladesh Game Sa Bangladesh Penalties India Game Rah-R-15o 54' 33" Ket-R-15o 54' 33" Game Analysis India had won the toss and hence becomes the native team, occupying the Gemini ascendant. Bangladesh, the rival team, takes the Sagittarius ascendant. India elected to bat. I would like to give a note of caution at this point, particularly since India was considered the favourites against Bangladesh. While it is important to understand the nuances of the game, the playing teams, the venue and the pitch, it is far more important not to allow the relative team strengths to influence one’s predictions. Tables can be turned and the underdog often wins the match. We only have to remember Bangladesh’s win over India in the One-Day International series of 2015 held in Bangladesh to remember that we must delink the mind’s perceptions from astrological predictions. 76 World Cup 2015 Based on the game analysis, India’s Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Cancer), Coach & Captain, the 3rd house (Leo), India’s Game can be seen from the 5th house (Libra), Score from the 10th house (Pisces) and Penalties from the 12th house (Taurus). With respect to Bangladesh, reading from its Sagittarius ascendant, Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Capricorn). Bangladesh’s Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Aquarius), its Game occupies the 5th house (Aries), its Score is seen from the 10th house (Virgo) and Penalties occupies the 12th house (Scorpio). To begin with, we look at the ascendant, the ascendant lord and the strength of the house of Score. India’s ascendant comes under Mars’ aspect, causing aggression and a tendency to take risks. Mars’s aspect will not let India take things easy. They will be under pressure and it will prove to be a challenging time for India. Bangladesh’s ascendant remains unaspected. Hence, in the matter of the ascendants, Bangladesh leads. We find that India’s ascendant lord Mercury occupies the 9th house in conjunction with Moon, causing the team to take decisions under pressure which can affect the steadiness of their game. Bangladesh’s ascendant lord Jupiter is exalted, but given its position in the 8th house from the team’s ascendant, it is not in a position to lend much strength. Hence, India leads in this parameter. India’s house of Score is occupied by Sun and Mars. As 6th and 11th lord, Mars places pressure on the team while Sun being the 3rd lord in the 10th house, helps them play with aggression. Jupiter’s benefic aspect brings finesse to their game and helps them convert opportunities into winning moves. It must also be noted that house lord Jupiter stands exalted, bringing further strength to the team. Bangladesh’s Score house comes under Sun and Mars aspects, leading to excess of aggression that can affect their game negatively. Hence, India stands stronger in the matter of the Score house. India’s Game house is under house lord Venus’ aspect, strengthening their ability to execute. But, Mars’ 8th aspect quickens their pace which can affect methodical execution. Bangladesh’s Game house is occupied by Venus and hence the team is capable of executing well. With house lord Mars posited in the 4th house in conjunction with Sun, it brings satisfaction to the team provided they play with caution and hold the team together. House lord Jupiter’s aspect on the Game lord enables them to work as a team, helping them realise the results of the Game house. Hence, Bangladesh leads in this parameter. 77 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue India’s Coach & Captain comes under Saturn’s 10th aspect which places obstacles in matters of strategy and communication. Although Moon, Mercury aspects make them take quick decisions, it could come at the expense of steadiness in the game. Bangladesh’s house of Coach & Captain is occupied by Moon and Mercury and with the quick adaptability brought in by these two planets, Bangladesh stands ahead in this parameter. When we analyse these two houses in combination, we find that Bangladesh is in a position to implement their strategy effectively, and even though they have some gaps in the Coach & Captain’s strategy, the team is in a position to leverage the strategy itself and takes the lead in these two parameters. India’s Fans & Odds, with exalted Jupiter posited within, rouses fans’ emotions and raises the odds in the team’s favour. Bangladesh’s house is under house lord Saturn and Jupiter’s aspects which gives greater strength. Hence, Bangladesh stands ahead in this parameter. India’s house of Penalties is under Saturn’s aspect while Bangladesh’s house of Penalties is occupied by Saturn and comes under Jupiter’s 5th aspect. Hence, Bangladesh leads in the matter of Penalties. At the end of the game analysis, India falls behind Bangladesh with an astrological score of 6:9. Let us analyse the nations’ charts and the planetary influence before we make the prediction. Nation’s Chart – India, Republic Day Date: 26 January, 1950 | Time: 10:15:00 | Day: Thursday | Place: New Delhi 78 World Cup 2015 Nation’s Chart – Bangladesh Date: 16 December, 1971 | Time: 11:01:00 | Day: Thursday | Place: Dhaka The two parameters we shall consider are Moon and the ascendant from the nations’ charts and the effect of transit planets on them. Moon in India’s nation’s chart is posited in Aries. It occupies the 11th house from the transit ascendant, lending great strength to India. Further, with transit Venus occupying the house, the team is able to execute well, thereby giving a fillip to fans’ emotions and raising the odds in the team’s favour. Additional strength accrues from the fact that transit Jupiter occupies the 4th house from the nation’s Moon, forming a strong combination that is beneficial to the team. In Bangladesh’s nation’s chart, Moon is debilitated. With transit Saturn occupying the house, it weakens the power of the nation’s Moon while placing obstacles in the team’s path. Further, in occupying the 12th house from the transit ascendant, the nation’s Moon indicates some losses to the team. Jupiter’s 5th aspect is not enough to counter the twin effect, hence, Moon which has a strong effect on the match outcome is beneficial to India. As regards India’s Pisces ascendant, house lord, transit Jupiter is exalted in the 5th house. Being powerful in the house that signifies outdoor games, the ascendant lord strengthens the team considerably. Further, by casting its 9th aspect on India’s 79 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Pisces ascendant, it bestows its full strength on the team. Bangladesh’s Aquarius ascendant has transit Saturn in the 10th house under Jupiter’s 5th aspect. India proves far stronger in the matter of the nation’s ascendant. At the end of the game analysis and of the nations’ charts, we find the combined astrological ratio at 12:11 for India to Bangladesh with India taking the lead. Let’s analyse the planetary influence before we draw our conclusion. Even at this point, things can go either way. Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers India’s Captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s jersey number is 7 while Bangladesh Captain, Mashrafe Mortaza’s jersey number is 2. As 7 functions in a manner similar to Mars which stands for sports, India has an inherent strength. The date of match being the 19th, the resultant number is 1. 7 considers 1 as an enemy while 2 is friendly to 1. Hence, the two teams are balanced in this respect. Day of Week The day of the week is Thursday, representing Jupiter which is neutral to 7 ruled by the South Node and is friendly to 2 which is ruled by Moon. But, with the South Node displaying an effect similar to Mars, India will play to win. Jersey Colour India’s jersey is blue, the colour of Saturn which is neutral to Jupiter who represents the day of the week. Bangladesh’s jersey is primarily green, representing Mercury. Jupiter views Mercury as an enemy. Hence the jersey colour favours India. (Astrological Summary Table Continued...) 80 World Cup 2015 Astrological Summary Table Parameters India Bangladesh Reason Ascendant 0 1 I: Mars aspect B: Unaspected Ascendant Lord 2 1 I: Ascendant lord Mercury in 9th house conjunct Moon B: Ascendant lord Jupiter exalted and in 8th house Score 1 0 I: Sun conjunct Mars under house lord Jupiter’s aspect B: Sun-Mars aspects Game Analysis Game, Coach & Captain 1 3 I: Game: Venus’ aspect and Mars’ 8th aspect Coach & Captain: Saturn-Moon-Mercury aspects B: Game: Occupied by Venus; House lord Mars conjunct Sun under Jupiter’s aspect Coach & Captain: Moon conjunct Mercury Fans & Odds 2 3 I: Exalted Jupiter B: House lord Saturn and Jupiter’s aspects Penalties 0 1 I: Saturn’s aspect B: Saturn under Jupiter’s aspect 3 1 I: Occupies 11th house with transit Venus B: Debilitated Moon with transit Saturn in the house under Jupiter’s aspect 1 I: Ascendant lord Jupiter exalted in 5th house from nation’s ascendant, casts 9th aspect on ascendant B: Ascendant lord Saturn in 10th house under Jupiter’s aspect Nations’ Charts Moon Ascendant Lord 3 Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers 1 1 I: South Node functions similar to Mars South node enemy to Sun B: Moon Moon friendly with Sun Day of the Week 2 1 I: South Node functions similar to Mars, Jupiter neutral to South Node B: Moon is friendly to Jupiter I: Saturn Jupiter neutral to Saturn B: Mercury Jupiter views Mercury as enemy Jersey Colour 1 1 Total 16 14 81 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue How the Match was Played With 302 for the loss of 6 wickets, India scored the second highest score in a World Cup knockout match, beating Bangladesh by 109 runs. India opened with a solid start, but Bangladesh defended with intensity, leading to the fall of Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli’s wickets in the 17th and 18th overs. Although Ajinkya Rahane fell with 19 runs, things went India’s way. Rohit Sharma went on to make 137 runs off 126 balls. While Bangladesh tried to get off to a quick start, wickets fell with consistency and the team lost two wickets in the 7th over. They found the chase difficult against India’s strong bowling and the match ended with a win for India, making it MS Dhoni’s 100th One Day International win as captain. http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricket-world-cup-2015/engine/match/656485. html Conclusion As I have stated at the beginning of this chapter, astrologers must not let the nonastrological perception influence their predictions. If influenced in such a manner, it is quite possible that they would be led by their subconscious to allocate higher score to India. It is interesting to note that the game analysis offers a 6:9 score to India:Bangladesh. When we look solely at this part of the methodology, it is easy to be led into a mistaken prediction. When we look at the nations’ charts though, we can see that India steals a march both in the matter of the nation’s Moon and the ascendant, taking the combined score to 12:11. The planetary influence favours India, tilting the final balance firmly in favour of India with a total score of 16:14. When we look at the game analysis, we find that the match was directed by Mars and Saturn with Jupiter playing a supporting role and turning the score in favour of Bangladesh. Mars played the key role by aspecting India’s ascendant and Game house, with Saturn weakening the team by aspecting the house of Coach & Captain. All that Jupiter can do by virtue of its placement and aspects is save India’s Fans & Odds and the house of Penalties. 82 World Cup 2015 Matters turn in the opposite direction when we move to the analysis of the nations’ charts. Jupiter takes on the primary role and Mars and Saturn take on the supportive roles. Being particularly strong by virtue of its exaltation, Jupiter now brings its full power to enable India to move ahead. In the matter of India’s nation’s Moon which occupies Aries, Jupiter aspects house lord Mars. Further, it does not just become the ascendant lord of the nation’s ascendant, it also casts its 9th aspect on the ascendant, strengthening the team greatly. Further, we must note the fact that in the transit match chart, Jupiter occupies India’s 2nd house, that of Fans & Odds and it occupies the 4th house from the nation’s Moon which confers a particularly strong combination of the two planets on the team. These two events themselves show us the strength of the fans by virtue of the 2nd house as well as by Moon, reminding us that we must never limit the match analysis to what happens on field. Spectators both within the stadium as well as back home play a role by virtue of their expectations and enthusiasm. Further, Jupiter occupies the 5th house from the nation’s ascendant strengthening the team in this outdoor sport. Thus, Jupiter plays a dominant role from the point of view of the nation’s chart to help India take the lead. If we look at Jupiter’s role in Bangladesh’s game, we find that even though it is the ascendant lord, it occupies the 8th house and is unable to bring the strength of its exaltation to the team. Further, although it aspects the nation’s Moon in Scorpio, it is merely to minimise the weakness conferred by the 12th house occupancy and of Saturn. Further, it stands in the 6th house from the nation’s Aquarius ascendant and is unable to brings its strength to the team despite being its ascendant lord. 83 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue 6. Quarter Final 3 Australia vs Pakistan Toss Win: Pakistan The match was scheduled to begin at 2 PM, hence I have taken the toss time as 1.30 PM Adelaide time. Chart 6art Date: 20 March, 2015 | Time: 13:30:00 | Day: Friday | Place: Adelaide Ve Mo Su Ma Ke Australia Pakistan Pakistan Game Ascendant Penalties Pakistan Fans & Odds Pakistan Fans & Odds Ju Me Ju Australia Coach & Captain Australia Score Australia Score Ra Sa Australia Fans & Odds 3 Pakistan Coach & 4 Captain Pakistan Coach & Captain Pakistan Score Australia Ascendant Asc-21o 09' 11" Sun-05o 06' 40" Australia Penalties Pakistan Penalties Ve Pakistan Game Mon-01o 12' 44" Mar-27o 18' 24" Ra 1 Pakistan Ascendant 2 5 8 7 Australia Penalties Australia Game Pakistan Score Australia Game Pakistan Penalties Ve Su Mo Ma Ke Australia Coach & Captain Me 12 11 Pakistan 11 Me Score Pakistan Ascendant 9 Australia 8 Sa Ascendant 2 3 Australia 10 Coach & Captain 9 Australia Ascendant Australia Fans & Odds Mer-16o 47' 05" Jup-R-19o 07' 19" Pakistan Fans & Ju Odds Pakistan Coach & Captain Ven-09o 10' 57" Sat-R-10o 50' 02" Australia Fans & Odds 10 1 Sa Pakistan Game 6 12 Su Mo Ma Ke 4 5 6 7 Ra Australia Score Australia Penalties Pakistan Game Rah-R-15o 53' 53" Ket-R-15o 53' 53" Game Analysis Pakistan had won the toss, becoming the native team and occupies the Taurus ascendant. Australia is the rival team, occupying the Scorpio ascendant. Pakistan elected to bat first. Based on the game analysis, Pakistan’s Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Gemini), Coach & Captain the 3rd house (Cancer), Pakistan’s Game can be seen from the 5th house (Virgo), Score from the 10th house (Aquarius) and Penalties from the 12th house (Aries). With respect to Australia, reading from its Scorpio ascendant, Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Sagittarius). Australia’s Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd 84 World Cup 2015 house (Capricorn), its Game occupies the 5th house (Pisces), its Score is seen from the 10th house (Leo) and Penalties occupies the 12th house (Libra). Let’s begin with the ascendant, the ascendant lord and the strength of the house of Score in that order. Pakistan’s Taurus ascendant comes under Saturn’s aspect which weakens the ascendant and places obstacles in their path. Australia’s Scorpio ascendant is occupied by Saturn. But by virtue of coming under Jupiter’s 5th aspect, the team can overcome the obstacles placed by Saturn and convert these into opportunities that strengthen their game. Hence, Australia leads in the matter of the ascendant. Pakistan’s ascendant lord Venus occupies the 12th house from Pakistan’s ascendant and hence is not in a position to lend strength to the team. They tend to take some risky gambles which can only give negative results. Australia’s ascendant lord Mars, on the other hand, is posited in the 5th house, the house that signifies outdoor games and is in a position of strength. This strength is accentuated by its conjunction with Sun and Moon, allowing it to play with courage and balance and giving steady basis for fans’ enthusiasm. In addition, Jupiter’s 9th aspect enables it to enhance all these favourable positions and conjunctions, and is one of the most favourable combinations for the ascendant lord. Pakistan’s Score house is occupied by 2nd and 5th lord Mercury which allows the team to play with quick intelligence and brings gains. But, Score lord Saturn posited in an enemy house stands weakened. Despite Jupiter’s aspect, Saturn is unable to lend full strength to the Score house. Australia’s Score house comes under Saturn’s 10th aspect and hence faces obstacles in building their score. Yet, with house lord Sun posited in the 5th house from Australia’s ascendant, its conjunction with Mars and Moon in addition to coming under Jupiter’s aspect, enable the team to play a strong game against the opposition. Hence, the two teams are balanced in the matter of the Score house. Pakistan’s Game house comes under the combined aspects of Sun, Mars and Moon, forcing them to play a risky game and with undue aggression. Further, their ability to take measured decisions can be impaired too. Yet, Game lord Mercury posited in the 10th house brings strength to the house. Australia’s Game house has Mars, Sun and Moon posited within under house lord Jupiter’s 9th aspect, lending strength, valour and courage to their game, combined with a balanced thought process. Further, Game lord Jupiter stands exalted and lends further power to the game. These positions, aspect and conjunctions enable the team to play a strong game. 85 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Pakistan’s house of Coach & Captain is occupied by exalted Jupiter who allows the captain to take strategic decisions and hold the team together. Australia’s house comes under house lord Saturn’s 3rd aspect as well as Jupiter’s aspect, bringing a combination of insight and foresight to their strategy. Viewing the houses of Game and Coach & Captain together, we find that although Pakistan’s house of Coach & Captain is strong, the weaker Game house does not allow it to leverage the strength of the former. In case of Australia, a steady house of Coach & Captain allows the Game house to play to its full strength. Hence, Australia leads in these two parameters. Mars’ 4th aspect on Pakistan’s house of Fans & Odds brings turmoil to the house, affecting fans’ expectations and the odds of the team winning. Unaspected house lord Mercury in the 10th house brings some gains though. Australia’s house of Fans & Odds is unaspected, and with house lord Jupiter being exalted, it is in a position to rouse fans’ emotions and enhance the odds in the team’s favour. Hence, Australia leads in this parameter. Pakistan’s house of Penalties is occupied by ascendant lord Venus, preventing the team from giving away too many penalties. Australia’s house of Penalties comes under Mars’ 8th aspect, forcing the team to give away penalties. Hence, Pakistan leads in this parameter. Nation’s Chart – Pakistan, Independence Date: 14 August, 1947 | Time: 09:30:00 | Day: Thursday | Place: Karachi Ra Su Ve Me Sa Ke Asc-05o 43' 58" Sun-27o 24' 31" 86 Ju Ke Su Ve Me Sa As Mo Ma Mo Ma Ra As Ra As Mon-24o 53' 51" Mar-07o 03' 31" Su Ve Me Sa Ju Mo Ma Ju Ke Mer-12o 35' 37" Jup-25o 49' 36" Ven-C-21o 48' 55" Sat-C-20o 23' 45" Rah-R-05o 49' 27" Ket-R-05o 49' 27" World Cup 2015 Nation’s Chart – Australia Date: 01 January, 1901 | Time: 00:00:00 | Day: Tuesday | Place: Melbourne Now, we shall assess the match from the Moon and the ascendant in the nations’ charts. Moon in Pakistan’s Independence chart is posited in Gemini and comes under transit Mars’ 4th aspect, disturbing fans’ enthusiasm. In fact, Moon’s presence in Mercury’s sign makes the team speculate without sound basis and with an inclination to act before they think. It also indicates erratic mood and emotions. Australia’s national chart has Moon posited in Aries. With transit Venus occupying the house, the team is expected to execute the match methodically and with balance in thought. Hence, Moon which is a powerful influencer in sports astrology, takes Australia ahead by virtue of its placement in the nation’s chart. Now, when we see the strength of each nation’s ascendant on the day, we find that Pakistan’s Independence chart as well as Australia’s national chart carry a Virgo ascendant under Mars’ direct aspect, leaving the two teams with similar strengths in this respect. Hence, it is the nation’s Moon that swings this component of the inclusive methodology in Australia’s favour. 87 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq’s jersey number is 22, adding to 4, ruled by the North Node. Australia’s captain Michael Clarke’s jersey number is 23, adding to 5 of Mercury. Of the two, 5 carries greater strength than 4 in the matter of thought process and judgement. As such it proves to be a better leader than 4. The date of the match is 20, resulting in 2 which is ruled by Moon. 2 does not view 5 as an enemy while it views 4 as an enemy. These two factors give Australia the lead in the matter of jersey numbers. Day of Week The day of the week is Friday, owned by Venus which is friendlier to Mercury than to the North Node. Considering Mercury’s influence in sports astrology, Australia takes the lead in this parameter. Jersey Colour Pakistan’s jersey is the green of Mercury which is friendly to Venus, represented by the day of the week. Australia’s jersey is yellow, standing for Venus. Hence, Australia takes the lead. (Astrological Summary Table Continued...) 88 World Cup 2015 Astrological Summary Table Parameters Pakistan Australia Reason Ascendant 0 2 P: Saturn’s aspect A: Occupied by Saturn under Jupiter’s 5th aspect Ascendant Lord 1 3 P: Ascendant lord Venus in 12th house A: Ascendant lord Mars in 5th house conjunct Sun-Moon under Jupiter’s 9th aspect 1 P: Occupied by Mercury, house lord Saturn in enemy house and under Jupiter’s 5th aspect A: Saturn’s aspect, Score lord Sun in 5th house conjunct Mars-Moon under Jupiter’s 9th aspect Game Analysis Score 2 Game, Coach & Captain 3 4 P: Game: Sun-Moon-Mars aspects, house lord Mercury in 10th house Coach & Captain: Occupied by exalted Jupiter A: Game: Sun, Moon, Mars under Jupiter’s aspect, Exalted house lord Jupiter Coach & Captain: House lord Saturn and Jupiter’s aspects Fans & Odds 1 2 P: Mars’ 4th aspect, unaspected house lord Mercury in 10th house A: Unaspected, exalted house lord Jupiter Penalties 2 0 P: Occupied by ascendant lord Venus A: Mars’ 8th aspect Moon 0 2 P: Moon in Gemini under Mars’ aspect A: Moon in Aries with transit Venus Ascendant Lord 0 0 P: Virgo ascendant under Mars’ aspect A: Virgo ascendant under Mars’ aspect Nations’ Charts Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers 0 2 P: 4 2 views 4 as enemy A: 5 2 does not view 5 as enemy Day of the Week 0 1 P: Venus friendlier to Mercury than to North Node A: Same as above Jersey Colour 1 1 P: Green, friendly to Venus A: Yellow ruled by Venus Total 10 18 89 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue How the Match was Played Australia scored 216 for 4, winning over Pakistan by 6 wickets with 97 balls remaining. Having won the toss, Pakistan elected to bat on the fast Adelaide wicket, but the openers fell in the 5th and 6th overs, leaving Pakistan at 24 for 2 early in the match. Misbah-ul-Haq and Haris Sohail’s 73-run partnership was the only highlight of Pakistan’s batting and they ended with 213 in the final over. Although Australia lost its openers in the 3rd and 9th overs, followed by Clarke in the 11th over, Shane Watson and Steven Smith stabilised the chase. Pakistan’s fielding left much to be desired with Rahat Ali dropping a simple catch and despite Wahab Riyaz’s strong spell, Australia went on to win the match. http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricket-world-cup-2015/engine/series/509587. html Conclusion This match is directed by exalted Jupiter with Mars supporting it closely. In aspecting three key houses of Australia – ascendant, Coach & Captain and Game houses – Jupiter lends great strength to the team. Further, as the house lord of Australia’s Fans & Odds and the Game house, it stays completely in support of the team. In case of Pakistan, it can only strengthen the house of Coach & Captain. Analysing the role of Mars, we find that in aspecting two key houses of Pakistan, Fans & Odds and Game house, Mars weakens the team. It also weakens the nation’s Moon which is posited in Gemini. On the other hand, it strengthens Australia’s Game house by its occupancy and conjunctions within the house. Hence, it is a match that Australia won by virtue of strong support from Jupiter. It is also a match that Pakistan lost due to its weakening by Mars’ aspects. The result of these positions was played on the field and is clear to see. While Pakistan remains dependant on one or two players, Australia carries broad-based strength. Further, its relative strength is particularly strong in the matter of Coach & Captain. This is visible from the manner in which the captain changes tactics constantly based on the demands of the match. The players wait with patience in the difficult overs and let it loose when things are in their favour, helping the team emerge the winner. In conclusion, with an overall astrological score of Australia’s 18 to Pakistan’s 10, the former gains the lead and wins the match by a wide margin. 90 World Cup 2015 7. Quarter Final 4 New Zealand vs West Indies Toss Win: New Zealand The match was scheduled to begin at 2 PM and I have taken the toss time at 1.30 PM, Wellington time. Chart 7art Date: 21 March, 2015 | Time: 13:30:00 | Day: Saturday | Place: Wellington Ve Mo Su Ma Ke W Indies NZL Game Penalties NZL Ascendant Me 3 NZL Coach & 4 Captain NZL Coach & Captain W Indies Coach & Captain W Indies Score W Indies Ascendant Ra Asc-16o 39' 37" o Sun-06 00' 07" W Indies Penalties Su Ma Mo Ke 1 12 W Indies Game NZL Game NZL Game Mon-14o 45' 50" Mar-27o 58' 43" Ve NZL Ascendant 6 7 W Indies Penalties NZL Score W Indies Game Su Mo Ma Ke NZL Penalties 5 8 NZL 11 Me Score NZL Ascendant W Indies Coach & Captain Me 12 Ve 2 11 W Indies 10 Coach & Captain 9 W Indies Ascendant 1 9 W Indies 8 Sa Ascendant 2 W Indies Fans & Odds Mer-18o 15' 17" o Jup-R-19 04' 07" 4 NZL Fans & Odds 5 6 Ven-10o 15' 39" o Sat-R-10 49' 29" 7 Ra Ju NZL Coach & Captain W Indies Fans & Odds 10 3 Sa Ra W Indies Score Sa NZL Penalties Ju Ju NZL Score W Indies Fans & Odds NZL Fans & Odds NZL Fans & Odds W Indies Score W Indies Penalties NZL Game Rah-R-15o 53' 38" o Ket-R-15 53' 38" Game Analysis New Zealand had won the toss, becoming the native team and occupies the Taurus ascendant. West Indies, the rival team, occupies the Scorpio ascendant. New Zealand elected to bat first. Based on the game analysis, New Zealand’s Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Gemini), Coach & Captain the 3rd house (Cancer), Game can be seen from the 5th house (Virgo), Score from the 10th house (Aquarius) and Penalties from the 12th house (Aries). With respect to West Indies, reading from its Scorpio ascendant, Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Sagittarius). West Indies Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Capricorn), its Game occupies the 5th house (Pisces), its Score is seen from 91 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue the 10th house (Leo) and Penalties occupies the 12th house (Libra). As usual, we shall look up the strengths of the ascendants, ascendant lords and the house of Score for both teams. New Zealand has its ascendant in Taurus which is under Saturn’s direct aspect, placing obstacles in the team’s path. West Indies’ Scorpio ascendant has Saturn posited within, making them deviate from the welltrodden path. Jupiter’s 5th aspect lends strength, helping them overcome Saturn’s hurdles and make good use of opportunities. As such, West Indies leads in the matter of the ascendant. New Zealand’s ascendant lord Venus is posited in the 12th house from the team’s ascendant. Hence, the team is likely to suffer a certain amount of losses and their implementation is affected. West Indies’ ascendant lord Mars is posited in the 5th house, lending strength to the team and its game. Its conjunction with Sun and Moon drives the team to play with courage and aggression. Further, with Jupiter’s 9th aspect elevating their game, West Indies leads in this parameter too. 2nd and 5th lord Mercury occupies New Zealand’s house of Score, bringing gains to the team through its tactical intelligence and quick on-field responses. Score house lord Saturn posited in an enemy house stands weakened, and although Jupiter’s aspect elevates it to some extent, it is not in a position to strengthen the team. West Indies’ Score house is under Saturn’s 10th aspect, impairing their ability to build their score. House lord Sun occupying the 5th house, is in conjunction with Moon and Mars. The conjunction and Jupiter’s aspect on the Score lord enables them to play with courage and valour against the opposing team. These positions, aspects and occupancies make the two teams balanced with respect to the Score house. New Zealand’s Game house is aspected by Sun, Mars and Moon which makes them play with great aggression bordering on risky gambles. It remains to be seen whether these gambles will in fact pay off. Game lord Mercury’s position in the 10th house is a good combination, strengthening the house and allowing the team to bring their tactical intelligence into play. West Indies’ Game house is occupied by Mars in conjunction with Sun and Moon. It also comes under house lord Jupiter’s 9th aspect, allowing the team to play a steady game of courage and balance. With house lord Jupiter being in an exalted state, further strength accrues to the team’s game. In the matter of the Coach & Captain, New Zealand’s house is occupied by exalted Jupiter, allowing the captain to take strategic decisions and communicate well with the team. West Indies’ house of Coach & Captain is under house lord Saturn’s 92 World Cup 2015 3rd aspect. Although being the house lord, Saturn does not hamper the team’s decision-making capability, it does place some obstacles in the team’s path which can force them to enhance their decision-making. Further, Jupiter’s direct aspect brings insight and thoughtfulness to the team’s strategy. One must bear in mind that the analysis points towards a stronger West Indies Coach & Captain as well as a stronger Game house, enabling the team to take the lead in these parameters too. New Zealand’s house of Fans & Odds comes under Mars’ 4th aspect, affecting the gains, fans’ enthusiasm and the odds. House lord Mercury is unaspected and is posited in the 10th house, minimising the loss of gains. West Indies’ house of Fans & Odds remains unaspected. House lord Jupiter being in a strong position due to its exalted state, fans’ emotions are elevated, so are the odds in the team’s favour. Hence, West Indies leads in this parameter too. New Zealand’s house of Penalties finds ascendant lord Venus posited within, coming to its rescue. With strong implementation, it prevents the team from giving away too many penalties. West Indies’ house of Penalties though comes under Mars’ 8th aspect making the team give away too many penalties. Hence, New Zealand leads in this parameter. At the end of the game analysis, we find that West Indies takes the lead over New Zealand with an astrological score of 12:9. We must now look at the nations’ charts to see the relative strengths of the two teams. Nations’ Charts West Indies, as we know, comprises individual cricketing nations and their boards in the region. Representatives of the various territories in West Indies formed the West Indies Cricket Board of Control (WICBC). It is still referred to by this name by some, although it changed its name in 1996 to West Indies Cricket Board (WICB). In November 2015, the board made the resolution to rename itself Cricket West Indies as part of a restructuring exercise that would also see the creation of a separate commercial body. The board has its headquarters in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda. During the WICBC’s preliminary meeting, the informal West Indies Cricket Conference was founded in 1926 whose first official meeting was held on 22 January 1927 in Bridgetown, Barbados. It was at this January meeting that the delegates decided to form the WICBC. Hence, we take this 1927 date as the date of the official formation of the West Indies team. 93 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue The West Indian Cricket Board was elected as Full Member of the Imperial Cricket Conference (ICC) on 31 May 1926, along with the boards of New Zealand and India. This election meant West Indies could play test matches. In this case, we consider the date of formation of the board as the relevant chart under the nations’ charts. Nation’s Chart – New Zealand Date: 17 January, 1853 | Time: 00:00:00 | Day: Monday | Place: Wellington, New Zealand Board’s Chart – West Indies Cricket Board Date: 22 January, 1927 | Time: 12:00:00 | Day: Saturday | Place: St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda 94 World Cup 2015 We find that in New Zealand’s nation’s chart, Moon occupies a friendly sign Pisces. This is the 11th house in the transit match chart, carrying Jupiter’s 9th aspect. Further, transit Mars, Sun and Moon occupy the house, bringing courage and aggression to the game. Hence, Moon, which is the key determinant of a match’s outcome, brings gains to the team which are enhanced by Jupiter’s aspect. Further, transit Jupiter in its exalted state is strong and lends greater strength to Moon’s position. In case of West Indies, we must consider the WICB’s chart. In this chart, Moon is posited in Virgo under transit Mars, Sun and Moon aspects. Hence, it raises risky aggression and courage in the team, lowers the steadiness in their thought process and affects the mood of fans too. Hence, New Zealand leads in the matter of the nations’ Moon. Taking the nation’s ascendants, New Zealand’s nation’s chart has its ascendant in Libra. With ascendant lord Venus casting its direct aspect, it augurs well for the team’s relationship, interest and dedication of team members and the team’s image. This translates into strong team spirit and performance, lending strength to their ability to implement their strategy methodically. The factor that brings disturbance in their game is Saturn’s aspect on the 8th house. WICB’s chart carries an Aries ascendant. Transit Saturn posited in the 8th house indicates a disappointing performance and loss of image. Going back to events prior to the World Cup, with Saturn in the board’s 8th house, West Indies Cricket has been going through a crisis from long-pending contractual disputes between the debt-ridden board and its players. The dispute came to a head during the West Indies tour of India in 2015, with the West Indies team pulling out of the tour. Coming back to the World Cup quarter final, 8th house Saturn brought plenty of unrest within the players. Accentuating this situation is the board’s ascendant lord Mars transiting through the 12th house, which indicates obstacles and losses. As such, the nation’s and board’s charts give a strong lead to New Zealand both from the position of Moon as well as from the ascendant. 95 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers New Zealand’s captain, Brendon McCullum’s jersey number is 42, totalling to 6 while West Indies captain, Jason Omar Holder’s jersey number is 98, and works out to 8. Even before we consider the match date, we see that 6 is more favourable than 8 with respect to match outcomes and captains. The date of match being 21, the resultant number is 3 which views 6 as an enemy while it is neutral to 8, balancing the points on this front. Day of Week The day of the week is Saturday which stands for Saturn who is favourable to Venus, representing the jersey number of New Zealand’s captain. The West Indies captain wears Saturn’s own number. Hence, the day of week is favourable to both teams. Jersey Colour New Zealand’s jersey is the grey of South Node. West Indies’ jersey is maroon, standing for Sun. The South Node fares better than Sun in games. While the South Node is friendly to Saturn who rules the day of the week, Sun is Saturn’s enemy. Hence, in the matter of jersey colour in relation to the day of the match, New Zealand is at an advantage. (Astrological Summary Table Continued...) 96 World Cup 2015 Astrological Summary Table New Zealand West Indies Ascendant 0 2 N: Saturn’s aspect W: Occupied by Saturn under Jupiter’s 5th aspect Ascendant Lord 1 3 N: Ascendant lord Venus in 12th house W: Ascendant lord Mars in 5th house conjunct Sun-Moon under Jupiter’s 9th aspect Score 2 1 N: Occupied by Mercury, house lord Saturn in enemy house under Jupiter’s 5th aspect W: Saturn’s aspect, Score lord Sun in 5th house conjunct Mars-Moon under Jupiter’s 9th aspect Parameters Reason Game Analysis Game, Coach & Captain 3 4 N: Game: Sun-Moon-Mars aspects, house lord Mercury in 10th house Coach & Captain: Occupied by exalted Jupiter W: Game: Sun, Moon, Mars under Jupiter’s aspect, Exalted house lord Jupiter Coach & Captain: House lord Saturn and Jupiter’s aspects Fans & Odds 1 2 N: Mars’ 4th aspect, unaspected house lord Mercury in 10th house W: Unaspected, exalted house lord Jupiter Penalties 2 0 N: Occupied by ascendant lord Venus W: Mars’ 8th aspect 3 0 N: Moon in 11th house with transit Mars, Sun, Moon under transit Jupiter’s 9th aspect W: Transit Mars-Sun-Moon aspects 0 N: Libra ascendant under ascendant lord Venus’ aspect, Saturn’s aspect on 8th house W: Saturn in 8th house from Aries ascendant, ascendant lord Mars in 12th house Nations’ Charts Moon Ascendant 2 Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers 2 1 N: 6 more favourable than 8 3 views 6 as enemy W: 6 more favourable than 8 3 is neutral to 8 Day of Week 1 1 N: Favourable W: Own number Jersey Colour 2 0 N: South Node; Friendly to Saturn W: Sun; Enemy to Saturn Total 19 14 97 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue How the Match was Played With 393 for the loss of 6 wickets, New Zealand beat West Indies by 143 runs. Martin Guptill’s unbeaten double century at 237 is the highest World Cup score and the second highest in all One Day Internationals. With that knock, New Zealand moved into the semi-finals for the seventh time. With West Indies’ Marlon Samuels dropping Guptill’s catch, the latter ended up facing the first as well as the last balls of the match. While his first hundred came off 111 balls, his second hundred came off just 41 deliveries. West Indies put up a listless performance in batting too. Wickets fell with consistency, beginning with Johnson Charles in the 2nd over and they were bowled out for 250, moving barely past Guptill’s score. http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricket-world-cup-2015/engine/match/656489. html Conclusion While the game analysis places West Indies ahead, the nation’s and board’s charts as well as the planetary influence tilt the balance firmly in favour of New Zealand. The reason is clear. Sports astrology is a complex domain. Its predictions do not depend on a single factor. As with political astrology, sports astrology too is dependent on multiple factors for its predictions, from the planetary positions in the game charts themselves to their transit positions relative to the placement of Moon and the ascendant of the nation’s or the club’s charts. In addition, planetary influences by virtue of the captain’s jersey number, the jersey colour, date of the match and the day of the match too impact outcomes. In this match, transit Saturn in the 8th house from the ascendant in WICB’s chart had set the stage for the match. When we view the game chart, it is easy to come to the conclusion that West Indies will be the winner. But, bigger things were at play. The discontent within the team with respect to WICB and the need for correction overshadowed the strong planetary placements in the game chart. This match goes to prove that Saturn has the power to bring about correction despite the strengths of Jupiter and Mars. Saturn’s occupancy of the 8th house in the board’s chart indicates constant correction of unresolved issues and the resultant instability. 98 World Cup 2015 It is interesting to note that not only did West Indies have an 8th house Saturn in transit from its board’s ascendant, it also had Saturn occupying its game chart ascendant. Further, Saturn aspects the house of Coach & Captain as well as the Score house, setting the stage for correction to take place. This match teaches the lesson that Saturn brings its power to play when correction is required and is capable of enhancing the team’s game when no such correction is impending. In conclusion, we must take into account the factors that play outside the stadium too before we arrive at predictions of match outcomes. The result is that with an astrological score of 19:14 to New Zealand:West Indies, the former was predicted to win the match. 99 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue 100 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Section 3 Twenty-Twenty (T20) 101 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue 1. India vs Sri Lanka: http://www.espncricinfo.com/world-t20/engine/ match/682965.html 2. India vs South Africa: http://www.espncricinfo.com/world-t20/engine/ match/682963.html 3. India vs Australia: http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-world-twenty20-2016/ engine/match/951363.html 4. India vs Pakistan: http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-world-twenty20-2016/ engine/match/951341.html 5. England vs West Indies: http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-world-twenty20-2016/engine/match/951373.html 6. Afghanistan vs West Indies: http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-world-twenty20-2016/engine/match/951365.html 7. Australia vs New Zealand: http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-world-twenty20-2016/engine/match/951337.html 102 Twenty-Twenty (T20) 1. Finals 2014 India vs Sri Lanka Toss Win: Sri Lanka The match was scheduled to begin at 19:00 Bangladesh time, hence I have taken the toss time as 18:30. Chart 8rt Date: 06 April, 2014 | Time: 18:30:00 | Day: Sunday | Place: Dhaka Me Su India Ascendant Ju Mo Ke India Fans & Odds India Coach & Captain Sri Lanka Score Ve India Game India Penalties Sri Lanka Game India Score Sri Lanka Fans & Odds Sa Ra Sri Lanka Sri Lanka 7 Ascendant Coach & 8 Captain Ma Sri Lanka Penalties Sri Lanka Coach & Captain Asc-26o 36' 06" Sun-22o 34' 16" Ma Sa Ra Sri Lanka Fans & Sri Lanka Odds Ascendant India Score Sri Lanka 10 Game Mon-13o 24' 37" Mar-R-25o 47' 08" 9 6 Sri Lanka Penalties 5 Ju Sri Lanka Mo Score Me Su India Penalties 4 India Game Sri Lanka Score Ju Mo Sri Lanka Penalties 4 5 3 12 11 Ve India Game India 2 Coach & Captain 1 Ke India Ascendant India Fans & Odds Mer-04o 01' 37" Jup-17o 53' 44" Sri Lanka Ma 6 Ascendant Sa 7 3 India Coach & Captain 2 1 India Fans & Ke Odds 12 Me India Su Ascendant 11 Ve 10 Ra 8 India 9 Sri Lanka Penalties Fans & Odds Sri Lanka Sri Lanka India Game Coach & Score Captain Ven-06o 38' 57" Sat-R-28o 16' 49" Rah-R-04o 23' 53" Ket-R-04o 23' 53" Game Analysis Sri Lanka had won the toss and becomes the native team, occupying the Virgo ascendant. India is the rival team with Pisces ascendant. Toss winner Sri Lanka chose to bowl first. Based on the game analysis, Sri Lanka’s Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Libra), Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Scorpio), Game occupies the 5th house (Capricorn). Sri Lanka’s Score occupies the 10th house (Gemini) and Penalties the 12th house (Leo). Viewing India from its Pisces ascendant, Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Aries). India’s Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Taurus), its Game occupies the 5th house (Cancer), its Score is seen from the 10th house (Sagittarius) and Penalties occupies the 12th house (Aquarius). 103 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Let us analyse in the order of the ascendant, ascendant lord and the house of Score. Sri Lanka’s ascendant carries Mars posited within. Mars being the significator of outdoor games, lends great energy and aggression to the team. It is particularly strengthened by the ascendant lord Mercury, aspecting the ascendant. As for India’s Pisces ascendant, the significant factor is that Saturn occupies the 8th house, indicating a disappointing performance and loss of image. The presence of 6th lord Sun in the ascendant brings an element of conflict and complaint into the team’s movement and performance and thereby into their ability to compete. 4th and 7th lord Mercury is debilitated in the ascendant, affecting India’s chances of gaining satisfaction. It also weakens the team’s competitiveness. Mars aspect on the ascendant too leads to some rash decisions and does not favour the team. We must also consider the fact that Sri Lanka’s 6th lord Saturn exchanges houses with 2nd lord Venus, creating a combination which places obstacles in their path and is detrimental to their game. In case of India, we find that 12th lord Saturn exchanges houses with 8th lord Venus, conferring a beneficial combination on the team. It indicates hard work and the ability to overcome adverse circumstances. Since this is a strengthening factor, for the purpose of the astrological score, we shall consider the additional point with India’s ascendant. Sri Lanka’s ascendant lord Mercury being in debilitation has little strength to offer to the team. India’s ascendant lord Jupiter is posited in the 4th house, enhancing the team’s chances of attaining happiness and consolidation. This is further strengthened by its conjunction with Moon. Hence, in the matter of ascendant lord, India is in a stronger position. For Sri Lanka, the mutual exchange of houses between 7th lord Jupiter and 10th lord Mercury brings good luck to the team. In case of India, the exchange is between the ascendant lord and the 4th lord, delivering fortune and greater strength. Jupiter occupies Sri Lanka’s house of Score in conjunction with Moon. This conjunction has a strong beneficial effect on the team, enhancing their strength. India’s house of Score is aspected by Jupiter and Moon, and the conjunction does give its benefit to them too. But, with occupancy delivering greater strength than an aspect, Sri Lanka stays ahead. Further, Saturn and Mars casting their 3rd and 4th aspects respectively on India’s Score house weaken the team’s prospects in the matter of Score. 104 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Hence, at the end of the three key parameters of ascendant, ascendant lord and Score, Sri Lanka takes the lead. Let us look further at the other positions, aspects and conjunctions to see whether they continue to strengthen Sri Lanka or if India begins to move ahead. While Sri Lanka’s Game house remains unaspected, India’s Game house is under Saturn’s 10th aspect, slowing the latter’s game and creating obstacles to it. Now, let us see how the house of Coach & Captain fares since we analyse these two parameters together. The reason is that the Game is dependent on the strategy charted by the coach and the captain. The Coach & Captain’s houses of both teams remain unaspected. Sri Lanka’s Coach & Captain’s lord Mars is posited in the ascendant, building courage and movement while enhancing communication, all of which are important in strengthening team efforts and in holding the team together. In case of India, house lord Venus is posited in the 12th house. As a result, communication is affected, so is confidence at key junctures. It also indicates losses at key points of the game. Hence, in the matter of Coach & Captain, Sri Lanka stays ahead of India. This in turn will impact how the Game is played by the teams. Sri Lanka’s Fans & Odds is occupied by exalted Saturn. While it makes the team work for their results, its exalted status under the benefic influence of Jupiter’s 5th aspect turns favourable to the team. On the other hand, India’s Fans & Odds is under Saturn’s direct aspect as well as Mars’ 8th aspect, affecting the mood of the fans in the stadium as well as back home. In comparison to Sri Lanka, the odds too are less favourable to India. Let us take a look at the position of Moon which drives the emotions of fans in the stadium as well as in the nation. We find that Moon occupies the 10th house for Sri Lanka and the 4th house for India. Of the two placements, the 10th house placement proves stronger, enhancing the mood of Sri Lankan fans. While Sri Lanka’s house of Penalties is unaspected, India’s Penalties is occupied by Venus under Jupiter’s 9th aspect, giving the latter a lead in this respect. (Nations’ Charts Continued...) 105 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Nation’s Chart – Sri Lanka, Republic Day Date: 22 May, 1972 | Time: 12:43:00 | Day: Monday | Place: Colombo Nation’s Chart – India, Republic Day Date: 26 January, 1950 | Time: 10:15:00 | Day: Thursday | Place: New Delhi 106 Twenty-Twenty (T20) We now transpose the Moon and the ascendant of each team’s nation’s charts on to the game chart. We treat the latter as the transit chart and see how the nations’ horoscopes support the team. As stated earlier, the nation stands behind the team by virtue of its emotions, thereby offering support and encouragement. Moon in Sri Lanka’s nation’s chart is posited in Virgo. Transposing this on to the transit game chart, we find that it occupies Sri Lanka’s transit ascendant in conjunction with Mars, bringing immense support from fans and the nation to the team. The team’s morale too will remain high. In India’s case, Moon in its Republic Day chart is posited in Aries. Transposing this onto the transit game chart, we find that it is under Saturn’s direct aspect as well as Mars’ 8th aspect. This indicates disappointment both to fans as well as to the team. Sri Lanka’s national ascendant is in Leo. Transposing this onto the transit game chart, we find that ascendant lord Sun is transiting through the 8th house, lending no help to the team. This indicates difficulties to Sri Lanka in their goal of winning the T20 World Cup. Yet, Sri Lanka’s ascendant lord in the 8th house proves far less malefic than India’s 8th house Saturn, the latter being a powerful contributor to defeat and disappointment by virtue of its placement. India’s national ascendant is in Pisces which is the same as its transit ascendant. Transposing the Pisces ascendant on the game chart, we find the same results, that of Saturn posited in the 8th house, indicating heavy obstacles and disappointment. If we look further, we find that the ascendant comes under Mars’ direct aspect and the ascendant itself is occupied by debilitated Mercury and the 6th lord, pointing towards further difficulties and losses. Hence, in the matter of the nations’ ascendants, Sri Lanka is stronger than India. Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers Sri Lanka’s captain SL Malinga’s jersey number is 99 which equates to 9. India’s captain MS Dhoni’s jersey number is 7. The number 7 functions in a manner similar to 9 which itself is conducive to outdoor games. Hence, both jersey numbers are equally strong. The date of the match is 6, ruled by Venus. The number 9, represented by Mars is neutral to Venus. Whereas, 7 represented by the South Node views Venus as a friend. Hence, India is stronger in this parameter. 107 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Day of Week The day of the week is Sunday whose lord is Sun. With Sun viewing Malinga’s 9 as friend and Dhoni’s 7 as an enemy, the day of the week favours Sri Lanka. Jersey Colour The Sri Lankan and Indian jerseys are in blue, although in different shades of the colour. As such, both are influenced by Saturn and hence the effect would be similar. (Astrological Summary Table Continued...) 108 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Astrological Summary Table Parameters Sri Lanka India Remarks Game Analysis Ascendant 2 1 SL: Mars in ascendant under ascendant lord Mercury’s aspect and Sun’s aspect, 6th lord Saturn exchanges houses with 2nd lord Venus I: 8th house Saturn, debilitated 4th & 7th lord Mercury and 6th lord Sun in ascendant, Mars aspect, 12th lord Saturn exchanges houses with 8th lord Venus Ascendant Lord 1 3 SL: Debilitated ascendant lord Mercury, 7th lord Jupiter exchanges houses with 10th lord Mercury I: Ascendant Lord Jupiter in conjunction with Moon in 4th house, ascendant lord Jupiter exchanges houses with 4th lord Mercury Score 2 1 SL: Jupiter-Moon conjunction I: Jupiter-Moon aspect, Mars’ 4th aspect and Saturn’s 3rd aspect Game, Coach & Captain 2 0 SL: Game: Unaspected; Coach & Captain: Unaspected, house lord Mars occupies ascendant I: Game: Saturn’s 10th aspect; Coach & Captain: Unaspected, house lord Venus occupies 12th house Fans & Odds 2 0 SL: Exalted Saturn under Jupiter’s aspect I: Saturn-Mars aspects Penalties 1 3 SL: Unaspected I: Occupied by Venus under Jupiter’s aspect Moon 1 0 SL: In Virgo with transit Mars I: Saturn-Mars aspects Ascendant 1 0 SL: Ascendant lord Sun in 8th house I: Saturn in 8th house, Mars aspect on ascendant, occupied by 6th lord Sun and debilitated Mercury Jersey Numbers 1 2 SL: Mars; Neutral to Venus I: South Node; Friendly to Venus Day of Week 1 0 SL: Sun friendly to Mars I: Sun enemy of South Node Jersey Colour 0 0 SL: Saturn; Saturn enemy to Sun I: Saturn; Saturn enemy to Sun Total 14 10 Nations’ Charts Planetary Influence 109 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue How the Match was Played Sri Lanka won the match by 6 wickets with 13 balls to spare. They made 134 runs to India’s 130 for the loss of 4 wickets. These 2014 T20 finals will be remembered for Yuvraj Singh’s slow innings. India had recovered from its slow start to make 95 for 2 at the end of 15 overs and with an aggressive Virat Kohli at the crease, the team was all set to pick up the pace. Then began Yuvraj Singh’s struggle. He made a mere 11 runs off 21 balls which itself is a call for defeat in the fast-paced T20 match. The batsman, known for his courageous innings, couldn’t find his form. The bigger trouble was that he kept the in-form and raring-to-run Kohli off the striker’s end, so much so that Kohli faced just eight balls in the last four overs of their partnership. This sapped India of its momentum and the fall of Yuvraj’s wicket and Dhoni’s entry could not make up for it. The Indian team did have its share of luck. It came in the form of a dropped catch by Malinga for a Kohli hit, but none of that could make up for the lost momentum. The Sri Lankan bowlers did a commendable job, executing their plans well. Kumar Sangakkara with 52 runs off 35 balls was the man of the match. While the defeat ended India’s longest winning streak, it also ended Sri Lanka’s drought in world cup. This was their first win in the final of a world event since the time they held the 1996 World Cup. India’s score was the second lowest in a T20 match and the lowest by a team batting first in a World T20 final. http://www.espncricinfo.com/world-t20/engine/match/682965.html Conclusion This T20 World Cup final is a classic story of obstacles surrounding one team, and great support to the opposing team. For India, it is primarily a story of the 6th, 8th and 12th houses. 8th house Saturn created obstacles and brought their game to a standstill. We witness this during Yuvraj Singh’s slow innings. It came in such a form that this otherwise courageous and aggressive player not only could not find his pace, he also proved to be a hindrance to Kohli who was in form. Saturn’s effect does not end here. With its 3rd aspect, it adversely affected India’s house of Score. 110 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Further, the coach and captain are represented by the 3rd house whose house lord is Venus. Venus posited in the 12th house limited the team’s confidence, courage and communication. Added to this, 6th lord Sun in the ascendant brought conflict and complaint within the team’s performance, hindering their ability to compete. In addition to the effect of the 6-8-12 houses, 4th and 7th lord Mercury is debilitated in the ascendant, affecting India’s chances of gaining satisfaction and weakening the team’s competitiveness. Ascendant lord Jupiter in the 4th house in conjunction with Moon allowed India to play its game around Saturn’s obstacles. On the other hand, three key planets strengthen the Sri Lankan team. Mars in Sri Lanka’s ascendant gave energy and aggression. Jupiter-Moon conjunction in the 10th house lent great strength to the team. Exalted Saturn in the 2nd house, that is, of Fans & Odds enhanced the team’s odds and brought cheer to the fans. Few game charts give as clear an indication as the 2014 T20 final game chart did. In the matter of the nation’s charts too, India’s bad luck continued with 8th house Saturn. Coupled with the nation’s Moon being under transit Saturn and Mars aspects, India fell further behind and lost the match. The astrological score only makes this all too evident, standing 14:10 in favour of Sri Lanka. 111 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue 2. Semi-Final 2: 2014 India vs South Africa Toss Win: South Africa The match was scheduled to begin at 19:00 Bangladesh time, hence I have taken the toss time as 18:30. Chart 9 Date: 04 April, 2014 | Time: 18:30:00 | Day: Friday | Place: Mirpur, Dhaka Me Su India Ascendant Ke India Fans & Odds Ju Mo India Coach & Captain S Africa Score Ve India Game India Penalties S Africa Game India Score S Africa Fans & Odds Sa Ra S Africa S Africa 7 Ascendant Coach & 8 Captain Ma India Score S Africa Penalties S Africa Coach & Captain Asc-24o 48' 56" Sun-20o 36' 06" S Africa Fans & Odds Sa Ra Ma S Africa 10 Game S Africa Ascendant Mon-18o 57' 05" o Mar-R-26 32' 02" 9 6 S Africa Penalties 5 S Africa Score Mo Me Su India Penalties 4 India Game India Coach & Captain Ju S Africa Penalties 4 3 Mo 2 1 5 3 Ju 12 11 Ve S Africa Score India Game India 2 Coach & Captain 1 Ke India Ascendant India Fans & Odds Mer-00o 42' 35" Jup-17o 42' 47" S Africa Ma 6 Ascendant Sa 7 S Africa Fans & Odds Ra S Africa Coach & Captain Ven-04o 31' 48" Sat-R-28o 23' 05" India Fans & Ke Odds 12 11 8 9 India Score 10 Me India Su Ascendant Ve India Penalties S Africa Game Rah-R-04o 22' 28" Ket-R-04o 22' 28" Game Analysis The second semi-final was a clash between India and South Africa. Having won the toss, South Africa becomes the native team, occupying the Virgo ascendant. Consequently, India becomes the rival team with Pisces as its ascendant. South Africa chose to bat. South Africa’s Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Libra), Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Scorpio), Game occupies the 5th house (Capricorn). South Africa’s Score occupies the 10th house (Gemini) and Penalties the 12th house (Leo). Viewing India from its Pisces ascendant, Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Aries). India’s Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Taurus), its Game occupies the 5th house (Cancer), its Score is seen from the 10th house (Sagittarius) and Penalties occupies the 12th house (Aquarius). 112 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Of the three key parameters, the ascendant, the ascendant lord and the house of Score, let us take the ascendant first. Mars occupies South Africa’s ascendant, lending energy to the team and helping them play a courageous game. India’s Pisces ascendant, on the other hand, is occupied by Sun and 4th and 7th lord Mercury who is debilitated. Exalted Saturn in India’s 8th house has the capacity to place great obstacles in the team’s way although Jupiter’s benefic 5th aspect reduces the impact. We must also consider the fact that South Africa’s 6th lord Saturn exchanges houses with 2nd lord Venus, creating a detrimental combination which places obstacles in their path. In case of India, we find that 12th lord Saturn exchanges houses with 8th lord Venus, conferring a benefic combination on the team. It indicates hard work and the ability to overcome adverse circumstances. Since this is a strengthening factor, for the purpose of the astrological score, we shall consider the additional point with India’s ascendant. South Africa’s ascendant lord Mercury being debilitated, the team does not gain much strength in this parameter. Jupiter, who is India’s ascendant lord, is posited in the 4th house from India’s ascendant and is in a position to bring satisfaction to the team. An interesting phenomenon is the mutual exchange of houses between Jupiter and Mercury. In case of South Africa, the exchange is between the 7th and 10th lords, lending good luck to the team. In India’s case, the exchange of houses is between the ascendant lord and the 4th lord, delivering fortune and greater strength to India. In the matter of Score, South Africa finds 4th and 7th lord Jupiter in the Score house, lending strength over opposition. India’s Score house however has a combination of aspects. While Saturn and Mars cast their special 3rd and 4th aspects respectively on India’s Score house, house lord Jupiter casts its direct aspect, reducing their impact. As such, in the matter of Score, the two teams are evenly placed. South Africa’s house of Game remains unaspected while India’s Game house is under Saturn’s 10th aspect, bringing obstacles to their path. Yet, its Game house lord Moon is exalted in Taurus. The combination of Saturn’s aspect on the Game house and Game lord Moon’s exalted status enhances their ability to execute. 113 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue We must assess the strength of the teams’ strategy and planning which in fact confers greater strength to the Game. We analyse the Coach & Captain for this purpose. South Africa’s house of Coach & Captain is aspected by Moon, pointing the way towards success and lending strength to fans’ emotions. In case of India, the house is occupied by exalted Moon, indicating courage, strength of mind and the ability to hold the team together, all of which point towards effective leadership. These factors form the basis for good execution. With occupancy proving stronger than aspect, India leads in this parameter. South Africa’s Fans & Odds is occupied by exalted Saturn. As 5th lord in the 2nd house, Saturn enhances the fans’ emotions and the odds in favour of the team, provided the planning is strong and the team executes it methodically. Jupiter’s 5th aspect lends strength to the house. India’s Fans & Odds is under Saturn’s direct aspect, which can lower fans’ enthusiasm and the odds in their favour. House lord Mars casts its 8th aspect, bringing relief. Now, if we consider the placement of Moon, which is the significator of emotions, in case of South Africa, Moon is the 11th lord posited in the 9th house. For India, Moon is the 5th lord placed in the 3rd house, the house of courage. Although the placement for South Africa is strong in a general capacity, when it comes to sports astrology, 5th house being the house of outdoor games, Moon turns more favourable towards India. South Africa’s house of Penalties comes under Venus aspect whereas Venus occupies India’s house of Penalties and is under Jupiter’s 9th aspect. Venus, which drives execution, enhances India’s strength in this parameter and makes them give very few penalties. (Nations’ Charts Continued...) 114 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Nation’s Chart – South Africa Date: 27 April, 1994 | Time: 00:00:00 | Day: Wednesday | Place: Pretoria Nation’s Chart – India, Republic Day Date: 26 January, 1950 | Time: 10:15:00 | Day: Thursday | Place: New Delhi 115 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue We now analyse the position of Moon and the ascendant of the nations’ charts, transposing these onto the transit game chart. South Africa’s national chart carries Moon in Libra. Transposing it on the transit game chart, we find that it is posited in the house of Fans & Odds with exalted Saturn in transit. Further, Jupiter casts its benefic 5th aspect on the nation’s Moon. This is a position of strength, raising the odds and the emotions of fans. But, Saturn’s presence dictates the need to plan and execute well and work with team spirit. A lone performer cannot come to South Africa’s rescue. If any of these factors is found lacking, Saturn could very well turn the tables. Moon in India’s national chart is posited in Aries, coming under Saturn and house lord Mars’ aspects. Two interesting similarities emerge. The nation’s Moon is posited in the 2nd house for each team. Saturn has its effect on both teams. That is where the similarity ends. In case of South Africa, exalted Saturn occupies the house whereas it casts its direct aspect on India’s Moon. Further, India’s Moon is in a friendly house with the house lord casting its aspect. In balance, transit Jupiter casts its aspect on South Africa’s nation’s Moon, taking South Africa ahead of India in this respect. In the matter of the ascendants in the nations’ charts, South Africa’s ascendant is in Capricorn. Transposing this onto the transit game chart we find that it is unaspected. As ascendant lord occupying the 10th house, exalted Saturn minimizes the natural ups and downs that it places in the team’s path. Further strength arrives in the form of Jupiter’s 5th aspect on the ascendant lord. India’s nation’s chart carries the Pisces ascendant. Mercury’s debilitated status confers little benefit while Mars’ direct aspect has an adverse effect on the team. Undue aggression is a distinct possibility. But, the presence of 6th lord Sun in the ascendant, indicates the team’s ability to overcome their enemies. Further, ascendant lord Jupiter’s position in the 4th house points towards gains and satisfaction, protecting the team. Overall, South Africa fares better in this respect. 116 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers Faf du Plessis is South Africa’s captain and his jersey number is 18 which equates to 9. India’s captain MS Dhoni’s jersey number is 7 whose signification is similar to that of 9 and is conducive to outdoor games. Hence, both teams are balanced in this parameter. The date of the match being 4, it represents the North Node. It is friendly with 7 and views 9 as the enemy. Hence, when we compare the jersey numbers with the date of the match, India takes the lead. Day of Week The day of the week is Friday whose lord is Venus. Venus is neutral to Mars, representing 9 of the South African captain’s jersey. It is friendly to the South Node which stands for the Indian captain’s jersey number 7. Jersey Colour The South African jersey is in the yellow of Venus whereas the Indian team is outfitted in blue represented by Saturn. Hence, South Africa takes the lead in the matter of jersey colour. Analysing this in association with the day of the week which is ruled by Venus, South Africa takes the lead. (Astrological Summary Table Continued...) 117 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Astrological Summary Table Parameters South Africa India Remarks Game Analysis Ascendant 2 1 SA: Mars in ascendant, ascendant lord Mercury’s aspect, Sun’s aspect, 6th lord Saturn exchanges houses with 2nd lord Venus I: Sun conjunct 4th and 7th lord Mercury (debilitated) under Mars’ aspect, exalted Saturn in 8th house under Jupiter’s 5th aspect, 12th lord Saturn exchanges houses with 8th lord Venus Ascendant Lord 1 3 SA: Debilitated ascendant lord Mercury Exchange of 7th and 10th lords I: Ascendant Lord Jupiter in 4th house Exchange of ascendant lord and 4th lord Score 1 1 SA: Occupied by Jupiter I: Saturn-Mars-Jupiter aspects Game, Coach & Captain 2 4 SA: Game: Unaspected Coach & Captain: Moon’s aspect I: Game: Saturn’s 10th aspect, house lord Moon exalted Coach & Captain: Occupied by exalted Moon Fans & Odds 2 3 SA: Exalted Saturn under Jupiter’s aspect Moon: 11th lord in 9th house I: Saturn-Mars aspects; Moon: 5th lord in 3rd house Penalties 1 3 SA: Venus’ aspect I: Occupied by Venus under Jupiter’s aspect 2 SA: Moon in 2nd house with transit exalted Saturn under Jupiter’s 5th aspect I: Moon in 2nd house under Saturn and house lord Mars aspects 2 1 SA: Exalted ascendant lord posited in 10th house under Jupiter’s aspect I: 6th lord Sun conjunct debilitated 4th and 7th lord Mercury under Mars aspect, ascendant lord Jupiter in 4th house Jersey Numbers 1 2 SA: Mars; North Node enemy to Mars I: South Node; North Node friendly to South Node Day of Week 1 2 SA: Venus neutral to Mars I: Venus friendly to South Node Jersey Colour 2 1 SA: Venus; Same as lord of day of week I: Saturn; Friendly to lord of day of week Total 18 23 Nations’ Charts Moon Ascendant 3 Planetary Influence 118 Twenty-Twenty (T20) How the Match was Played India scored 176 runs, winning the match with 6 wickets and 5 balls to spare. Having won the toss, South Africa opted to bat and made a poor start, losing Quinton de Kock’s wicket within the first over. From this unpromising start, Captain Faf du Plessis began the task of rebuilding the runs. He added 35 runs with Hashim Amla and shared a bigger partnership with JP Duminy, adding another 71 runs to the scoreboard. Du Plessis himself scored 58 off 41 balls. AB de Villiers too was in for a quick dismissal while Duminy went on to score 45 not out. The South African bowling strategy of starting with Duminy and Albie Morkel helped the Indian batting side ease into the match. The bowlers could not threaten the Indian batting and Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane were off to a quick start, racing to 33 in three overs. It was an early sign that India was moving past their opponents. Once Rohit Sharma was out, Virat Kohli and Rahane settled down to a steady pace. The fact that they went through the next three overs without boundaries displayed their poise and ability to hold in the aggression when the situation demanded it. And when the required run rate rose, they brought in the power play. Rahane was out having scored 32 runs. Yuvraj Singh walked in and although he made just 18 runs, his partnership with Virat Kohli brought in 53 runs in 6.3 overs. Kohli was 72 not out, helping the team cruise to victory once again. http://www.espncricinfo.com/world-t20/engine/match/682963.html Conclusion At first glance, the fact that India carries 8th house Saturn in the game chart seems to stack up the obstacles in their path. Yet, when we take a second glance, we find three auspicious combinations benefiting India, the presence of 12th lord in 8th house, of 8th lord in 12th house as well as their mutual exchange of houses. Further, 8th house Saturn is exalted and is under Jupiter’s benefic aspect, allowing it come to the aid of the Indian team. By its position as the 5th lord in the 2nd house, Saturn benefits South Africa too, but the benefits it confers on India are far more. We can see this influence in the match. Whether we assess the batting or the bowling, we find South Africa get off to a poor start and then struggle to rebuild their score. India, on the other hand, is quick to dismiss South Africa’s opening batsman and when it is their turn to bat, they are off to a flying start, eventually winning the match. Hence, one must view 8th house Saturn with caution in judging its effect. It can very well be the game changer in the positive sense too. 119 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue 3. 2016 India vs Australia Toss Win: Australia The match was scheduled to begin at 19:30 India time, hence I have taken the toss time as 19:00. Chart 10rt Date: 27 March, 2016 |Time: 19:00:00 | Day: Sunday | Place: Mohali Me Su India Ascendant India Coach & Captain India Fans & Odds Australia Fans & Odds Sa Mo Ma Australia 7 Australia Ascendant Coach & 8 Captain Australia Score Ve Ke India Game India Penalties India Score Ju Ra Australia Game India Score Australia Penalties Australia Coach & Captain Sa Ma Asc-18o 43' 14" Sun-13o 13' 36" Mo Australia Fans & Odds Australia10 Game Australia Ascendant Mon-27o 19' 26" o Mar-12 22' 09" 11 Ve Ke India Penalties 9 6 3 12 Australia Penalties Ju Ra 5 4 India Game Australia Score Australia Penalties Ju Ra 5 Australia Ascendant India 2 Coach & Captain 1 India Ascendant India Fans & Odds Mer-C-17o 03' 51" Jup-R-21o 50' 02" 4 3 Australia Fans & Odds 11 7 8 Sa Ma India Fans & Odds 1 12 Australia Coach & Captain Ven-24o 37' 27" Sat-R-22o 19' 06" India Coach & Captain 2 6 Mo Me Su Australia Score India Game 9 India Score 10 Me India Su Ascendant Ve Ke India Penalties Australia Game Rah-R-27o 38' 02" Ket-R-27o 38' 02" Game Analysis In this much-awaited match, Australia won the toss and became the native team. As such, it occupies the Virgo ascendant. India occupies the Pisces ascendant as the rival team. Australia chose to bat first. At stake here is a berth in the semi-finals. Based on the game analysis, Australia’s Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Libra), Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Scorpio), Game occupies the 5th house (Capricorn). Australia’s Score occupies the 10th house (Gemini) and Penalties the 12th house (Leo). Viewing India from its Pisces ascendant, Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Aries). India’s Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Taurus), its Game occupies the 5th house (Cancer), Score is seen from the 10th house (Sagittarius) and Penalties occupies the 12th house (Aquarius). 120 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Let us begin with the assessment of the three key parameters, the ascendant, ascendant lord and the house of Score. The Australian ascendant is aspected by ascendant lord Mercury and by Sun. India’s Pisces ascendant is occupied by Sun and debilitated Mercury. Although Mercury is not in a position to bring strength, overall India gains from their presence. The interesting fact is that India’s ascendant lord Jupiter and 6th lord Sun are in mutual exchange of their houses. While the exchange reduces the strength of the ascendant to some extent, it also enhances the positive strength of the 6th house and gives the team the capacity to overcome opposition. Australia’s ascendant lord Mercury stands debilitated and hence is not in a position to offer great strength to the team. On the other hand, India’s ascendant lord Jupiter posited within Leo, a friendly house, lends greater strength to the team. It is also under Saturn’s 10th aspect which points towards obstacles. The indication is that, India will have the chance to overcome these obstacles. Whether it will in fact do so, depends on the other planetary strengths. Australia’s Score house, Gemini is aspected by Mars, affecting their performance and the outcome. Further, house lord Mercury is debilitated and hence is of little help. India’s Score house is under Score lord Jupiter’s 5th aspect, enabling the team to build a high score. Australia’s house of Game is under house lord Saturn’s 3rd aspect, slowing their game and creating obstacles. Much depends on Australia’s ability to plan with care. They also need to switch tactics on field in response to unexpected obstacles and this can happen only by remaining in the flow of things. We need to assess two parameters to understand whether they will in fact respond intuitively on the field. First is the placement of the lord of the Game house. Second is the strength of the house of Coach & Captain since it decides the game strategy as well as on-field change of tactics. Game house lord Saturn is posited in enemy house Scorpio which also happens to be the house of Coach & Captain. Further, it is in conjunction with house lord Mars. The resultant weakening of Saturn and its conflict with Mars affects Australia’s play on the field. It also limits their courage and aggression on the field. India’s Game house is unaspected. Its house lord Moon is posited in the neutral house Libra which works in its favour. Further, Moon is posited in the 4th house 121 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue from India’s house of Game and Moon being the significator of emotions, indicates satisfaction regarding the team’s game. India’s house of Coach & Captain is aspected by Saturn and Mars, creating obstacles and setting the team back from time to time, giving Australia the lead in these two parameters. Australia’s house of Fans & Odds is occupied by Moon, lending strength to the team. In India’s case, its house of Fans & Odds carries Jupiter’s 9th aspect, raising the fans’ emotions and enhancing the odds in favour of the team. Since Moon plays an important role given the emotional highs and lows of a match, let us assess the role of Moon further. In case of Australia, Moon is the 11th lord posited in the 2nd house. In this capacity, it raises the emotions of the fans and of the nation itself and gives strength to the team. In case of India, Moon is the 5th lord posited in the 8th house. It diminishes the team’s chances and indicates quick changes in fortunes, leading to particularly strong highs and lows in fans’ emotions. In the matter of Penalties, Australia has Jupiter posited in its 12th house, offering strength to the team and limiting the number of penalties they give away. Saturn’s 10th aspect however creates a certain amount of obstacles. India’s house of Penalties houses Venus under Jupiter’s direct aspect, lending strength to the team. When we take an overall view, we find that in the matter of Penalties, the two teams are balanced. Nation’s Chart – Australia Date: 01 January, 1901 | Time: 00:00:00 | Day: Tuesday | Place: Melbourne 122 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Nation’s Chart – India, Republic Day Date: 26 January, 1950 | Time: 10:15:00 | Day: Thursday | Place: New Delhi The next step in the inclusive methodology is to transpose Moon and the ascendant of the nation’s chart of each team onto the transit game chart. The reason is that the nation stands behind the team by virtue of its emotions and support and has an impact on the outcome of the match. In Australia’s national chart, Moon is posited in Aries. Transposing this on to the transit game chart, we find that it is posited in the 8th house from the team’s transit Virgo ascendant. Despite this placement, being under transit Jupiter’s 9th aspect, it offers strength to the Australian team. In case of India too, Moon is posited in Aries in the nation’s chart. Being placed in the 2nd house from the transit game ascendant, it offers enormous strength to the Fans & Odds, offering greater strength to India. Australia’s national ascendant is in Virgo. Transposing this onto the transit game chart, we find that ascendant lord Mercury is debilitated. As such, it does not lend sufficient strength to the team. Saturn-Mars conjunction in the 3rd house too lowers the team’s competitiveness and confidence. On the other hand, Indian Republic Day’s Pisces ascendant carries the benefits of the transit Pisces ascendant. To recount, ascendant lord Jupiter occupying a friendly house lends strength to the team. Although Saturn-Mars conjunction in the 9th house does not give the 9th house benefits, the team stays a step ahead of Australia. 123 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers Australia’s captain Steve Smith’s jersey number is 49 which equates to 4. India’s captain MS Dhoni’s jersey number is 7. The number 7 functions in a manner similar to 9 which itself is conducive to outdoor games. Hence, India stands ahead of Australia in this parameter. The date of the match is 27 which equates to 9. The number 9 represented by Mars holds the North Node, representing 4 as an enemy. On the other hand, Dhoni’s 7 functions in a manner similar to 9, lending strength once again to the Indian team. Day of Week The day of the week is Sunday whose lord is Sun. With Sun viewing both jersey numbers as enemies, the two teams are balanced in this parameter. Jersey Colour The Australian jersey is in the black of Saturn while the Indian jersey colour is blue which too is represented by Saturn. Hence, neither team is favoured in this parameter. (Astrological Summary Table Continued...) 124 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Astrological Summary Table Parameters Australia India Remarks Ascendant 1 1 A: Sun and ascendant lord Mercury aspecting ascendant I: Sun conjunct debilitated Mercury. Ascendant lord exchanges house with 6th lord Sun Ascendant Lord 0 1 A: Debilitated ascendant lord Mercury I: Ascendant Lord Jupiter in friendly house under Saturn’s aspect Score 0 2 A: Mars’ aspect, debilitated house lord Mercury I: House lord Jupiter’s 5th aspect Game Analysis Game, Coach & Captain 2 4 A: Game: Saturn’s aspect, house lord Saturn in enemy house with Mars Coach & Captain: Saturn conjunct Mars I: Game: Unaspected, Game lord Moon in 4th house from Game house Coach & Captain: Saturn-Mars aspects Fans & Odds 2 3 A: Occupied by Moon; Moon: 11th lord in 2nd house I: Jupiter’s 9th aspect, Moon’s aspect Moon: 5th lord in 8th house Penalties 1 3 A: Occupied by Jupiter under Saturn’s 10th aspect I: Occupied by Venus under Jupiter’s aspect Moon 1 2 A: Moon in 8th house under Jupiter’s aspect I: Moon in 2nd house under Jupiter’s aspect Ascendant 1 2 A: Debilitated ascendant lord Mercury, Saturn-Mars in 3rd house I: Ascendant lord Jupiter in friendly house, Saturn-Mars in 9th house Nations’ Charts Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers 0 2 A: North Node Enemy to Mars I: South Node Functions similar to Mars Day of Week 0 0 A: Sun views North Node as enemy I: Sun views South Node as enemy A: Saturn Sun views Saturn as enemy I: Saturn Sun views Saturn as enemy Jersey Colour 0 0 Total 7 15 125 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue How the Match was Played India won the match with 6 wickets and 5 balls to spare. Having won the toss, Australia had elected to bat. It made a strong start and was on its way to making a big score when Indian bowlers restricted the team to 160 for 6. Ashish Nehra bowled well, mixing the pace effectively and taking Usman Khawaja’s wicket. He, along with Ravindra Jadeja and Yuvraj Singh, slowed the Australian run rate, giving India a chance at the semi-final berth. The match stands out for Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 82 off 51 balls. Once again, Kohli came to India’s rescue, leading them into the semi-finals. India was off to a disappointing start with the top order batsmen, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina, making a total of just 35 runs. With the responsibility falling on his shoulders, Kohli made half the entire winning score, steering India to its semi-final berth. When MS Dhoni walked in, Kohli was in full swing and it didn’t take long for the captain to seal the match with the winning runs. http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-world-twenty20-2016/engine/match/951363. html Conclusion The obstacles placed by Saturn are evident with India getting off to a slow start, both in its bowling and in batting. The astrological prediction that India’s fans will see extreme highs and lows is borne out by the game. Indian fans found little to cheer when Australia got off to a strong start and again when India’s top order batsmen fell in quick succession. Eventually though, Indian bowlers brought the cheer back to the fans while Virat Kohli sent them to an all-time high. Although India’s 9th lord Mars loses strength in conjunction with Saturn, being the house lord, Mars brings its natural aggression into play. Jupiter’s influence as the ascendant lord and on the Score house is evident with India reaching the required winning score of 161 with 6 wickets to spare. With an astrological score of 15 to Australia’s 7, Indian won the match and reached the semi-finals. 126 Twenty-Twenty (T20) 4. 2016 India vs Pakistan Toss Win: India The match was scheduled to begin at 19:30 India time, hence I have taken the toss time as 19:00. Chart 11rt Date: 19 March, 2016 | Time: 19:00:00 | Day: Saturday | Place: Kolkata Me Su Pakistan Ascendant Pakistan Coach & Captain Pakistan Fans & Odds India Score Ve Ke Mo India Fans & Odds Sa Ma India 7 India Ascendant Coach & 8 Captain Pakistan Game Pakistan Penalties Pakistan Score Ju Ra India Game Pakistan Score India Penalties India Coach & Captain Sa Ma Asc-22o 50' 04" Sun-05o 17' 46" India Fans & Odds India Game India Ascendant Mon-21o 26' 59" Mar-10o 20' 21" 9 6 India Penalties Ju Mo Ra 5 4 Pakistan Game India Score 3 12 11 Ve Ke Pakistan Penalties India Penalties India Ascendant Mo Ju Ra 5 Pakistan 2 Coach & Captain 1 Pakistan Ascendant Pakistan Fans & Odds Mer-C-01o 08' 54" Jup-R-22o 47' 34" 12 6 India Coach & Captain Ven-14o 44' 05" Sat-22o 17' 38" Pakistan Fans & Odds 2 1 11 8 Sa Ma India Fans & Odds Pakistan Coach & Captain 3 4 7 Me Su 10 India Score Pakistan Game 9 10 Pakistan Score Me Pakistan Su Ascendant Ve Ke Pakistan Penalties India Game Rah-R-27o 43' 46" Ket-R-27o 43' 46" Game Analysis In this match of the neighbours, India won the toss and became the native team, occupying the Virgo ascendant. Pakistan occupies the Pisces ascendant as the rival team. India chose to bowl, allowing Pakistan to bat first. Based on the game analysis, India’s Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Libra), Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Scorpio), Game occupies the 5th house (Capricorn). India’s Score occupies the 10th house (Gemini) and Penalties the 12th house (Leo). In case of Pakistan, from its Pisces ascendant, Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Aries). Pakistan’s Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Taurus), its Game occupies the 5th house (Cancer), its Score is seen from the 10th house (Sagittarius) and Penalties occupies the 12th house (Aquarius). 127 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue As always, the ascendant, ascendant lord and the house of Score take precedence in the game analysis. India’s ascendant is under ascendant lord Mercury’s aspect, strengthening the team. Pakistan finds its ascendant occupied by 6th lord Sun and debilitated Mercury. Since it is debilitated, Mercury cannot bring satisfaction, while Sun helps them elevate their game to some extent. Interestingly, Jupiter is in exchange of houses with the 6th lord Sun, weakening the ascendant to some extent and indicates obstacles in the Pakistan team’s path. India’s ascendant lord Mercury stands debilitated. Pakistan’s ascendant lord Jupiter occupies a friendly house. Yet, being the 6th house, it loses some strength in the process. Saturn’s 10th aspect further weakens its capacity to give profitable results. Overall, Pakistan is ahead of India in this respect. India’s Score house is under Mars’ aspect which has a negative impact on the team’s energy and aggression. In addition, with house lord Mercury being debilitated, the Score house does not stand strong. Pakistan’s Score house, on the other hand, is under house lord Jupiter’s 5th aspect, lending strength to the team. Hence, in this respect, Pakistan stays ahead of India. India’s house of Game is under house lord Saturn’s 3rd aspect, slowing their game and creating obstacles. But, being the house lord, Saturn does not cause harm to the house. It will in fact give hidden opportunities. It is for India to convert the obstacles into opportunities. Pakistan’s house of Game on the other hand is occupied by house lord Moon, which can make them intense and emotional rather than being cool and measured in their game. They will have their fan support though. Now, let us assess the strength of the Coach & Captain to view their ability to plan the strategy and the tactics. India’s house of Coach & Captain is occupied by Saturn and house lord Mars, leading to a certain amount of conflict. Pakistan’s house comes under Saturn and Mars’ aspects. House lord Venus on the other hand is under Jupiter’s aspect. But, being posited in Pakistan’s 12th house, it stands weakened and Pakistan’s strategy as well as its implementation is expected to suffer obstacles. Viewing the Coach & Captain and the Game houses and their lords, we find that Pakistan will struggle in matters of strategy and communication as well as in implementation. Although India is not offered everything on a platter – conflict and obstacles are indicated – they are in a better position to take advantage of their opportunities. 128 Twenty-Twenty (T20) India’s house of Fans & Odds is unaspected. But, its house lord Venus is posited in the 6th house, weakening the fans’ emotions and tempering the odds. Pakistan’s Fans & Odds is under Jupiter’s 9th aspect, lending strength to it. House lord Mars, occupying its own house is strong, but its conjunction with Saturn brings conflict, dampening the fans’ enthusiasm and tempering the odds in its case too. Yet, with Jupiter’s benefic aspect, Pakistan leads in this parameter. In case of Penalties, Jupiter is posited in India’s house of Penalties. It is under Saturn’s 10th aspect which diminishes its strength. Pakistan’s house of Penalties is occupied by 8th lord Venus who helps them implement effectively. Jupiter’s direct aspect lends further strength to it. As such, the teams are balanced in this respect. Nation’s Chart – India, Republic Day Date: 26 January, 1950 | Time: 10:15:00 | Day: Thursday | Place: New Delhi 129 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Nation’s Chart – Pakistan, Independence Day Date: 14 August, 1947 | Time: 09:30:00 | Day: Thursday | Place: Karachi Ra Su Ve Me Sa Ke Asc-05o 43' 58" Sun-27o 24' 31" Ju Ke Su Ve Me Sa As Mo Ma Mo Ma Ra As Ra As Mon-24o 53' 51" Mar-07o 03' 31" Su Ve Me Sa Ju Mo Ma Ju Ke Mer-12o 35' 37" Jup-25o 49' 36" Ven-C-21o 48' 55" Sat-C-20o 23' 45" Rah-R-05o 49' 27" Ket-R-05o 49' 27" We must now transpose the nations’ Moon and the respective ascendant lords on to the transit game chart and assess the situation. In India’s national chart, Moon is posited in Aries. Transposing it on to the transit chart, we find that it is posited in the 8th house from the Indian team’s Virgo ascendant. As such, Moon is in a weaker position. Yet, Jupiter’s 9th aspect protects it and lends strength to the Indian team and rouses fans’ enthusiasm. Pakistan’s Moon is posited in Gemini under Mars’ 8th aspect. The aspect brings aggression without sufficient caution. Further, house lord Mercury views Moon as an enemy. As such Moon is in discomfort, heightening instability in thought process. Hence, in this parameter, India is ahead of Pakistan. India’s national ascendant is Pisces. Transposing this on the transit chart, we find that the ascendant is occupied by 6th lord Sun which makes them competitive. It also helps them play a professional and adventurous game. Debilitated Mercury lends little strength though. Although house lord Jupiter loses some of its strength, being posited in the 6th house and under Saturn’s 10th aspect, it does protect the team from losses and competitors. Pakistan’s ascendant in the national chart is in Virgo. Transposing this on the transit chart, we find that the ascendant lord Mercury casts its aspect. But, being debilitated, it stands weakened. Hence, it is not in a position to lend much protection and strength to the team. Hence, in this parameter, India is ahead of Pakistan. 130 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers India’s captain MS Dhoni’s jersey number is 7. With 7 holding characteristics similar to 9 and hence providing strength in outdoor games, India is strong in this parameter. Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi’s jersey number is 10 which equates to 1. While strong in itself, it is a step behind Dhoni’s 7. The date of the match is 19 which equates to 1 for our purpose. Dhoni’s 7, the South Node views 1 as an enemy. Hence, Pakistan leads with respect to the date of the match. Considering both these parameters, we find that the teams are balanced. Day of Week The day of the week is Saturday whose lord is Saturn. Given Saturn’s relationship with Sun and the South Node, India leads in this parameter. Jersey Colour The Indian jersey is in the blue of Saturn. Pakistan sports a green jersey, represented by Mercury which is more favourable. Hence, Pakistan is ahead in this parameter. Now, we view it in association with the day of the week’s lord, that is Saturn. Given that Indian jersey is the blue of Saturn, it leads in this parameter. Hence, the two teams are balanced in the matter of jersey colour. (Astrological Summary Table Continued...) 131 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Astrological Summary Table Parameters India Pakistan Remarks Ascendant 1 1 I: Sun and ascendant lord Mercury’s aspects P: 6th lord Sun conjunct debilitated Mercury Ascendant Lord 0 1 I: Debilitated ascendant lord Mercury P: Ascendant Lord Jupiter in friendly house, but in 6th house under Saturn’s aspect Score 0 2 I: Mars’ aspect, debilitated house lord Mercury P: Jupiter’s 5th aspect Game Analysis Game, Coach & Captain 2 1 I: Game: House lord Saturn’s aspect Coach & Captain: House lord Mars conjunct Saturn P: Game: Occupied by house lord Moon Coach & Captain: Saturn-Mars aspects, house lord Venus in 12th house under Jupiter’s aspect Fans & Odds 2 3 I: Unaspected, house lord Venus in 6th house P: Jupiter’s 9th aspect, house lord Mars conjunct Saturn Penalties 1 1 I: Occupied by Jupiter under Saturn’s 10th aspect P: Occupied by Venus under Jupiter’s aspect 1 0 I: Moon in 8th house under Jupiter’s aspect P: Moon in 4th house (Gemini), under Mars’ aspect 3 1 I: Sun conjunct debilitated Mercury, ascendant lord Jupiter under Saturn’s aspect P: Sun and ascendant lord Mercury’s aspects, debilitated ascendant lord Jersey Numbers 1 1 I: South Node; Enemy to match date P: Sun; Same as match date Day of Week 1 0 I: Saturn friendly to South Node P: Saturn enemy to Sun Jersey Colour 1 1 I: Saturn; Same as day of week P: Mercury; Friendly to day of week Total 13 12 Nations’ Charts Moon Ascendant Planetary Influence How the Match was Played India won the match by 6 wickets with 13 balls remaining. Although at the time of the match, India’s win ratio against Pakistan in World Cups was 10-0, Pakistan is a worthy opponent and India needed a win to remain in control of its future in the 132 Twenty-Twenty (T20) 2016 World Cup. Heavy showers turned it into an 18-over match. Ahmed Shehzad and Sharjeel Khan struggled to give a quick pace to Pakistan’s innings in the face of Indian spinners’ ability to keep them under control. With the dismissal of Sharjeel Khan when Hardik Pandya took the catch, India began consolidating their good start. Soon, Shahid Afridi was out too, again to Pandya’s credit, and Pakistan were 60 for 3 in the 12th over. Umar Akmal came to the rescue and later he was joined by Shoaib Malik, taking Pakistan to a final score of 118 for 5. India’s strong beginning with Rohit Sharma slowed when he was caught at cover off. With Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina getting out on consecutive balls, India seemed to teeter on the edge. It is not always the ascendant lord who decides the game, the 3rd, 5th and sometimes, the 7th house which indicate strong implementation, have their say. Virat Kohli walked on to the pitch and remained unbeaten with 55 runs off 37 balls. With Yuvraj Singh at the other end, the pair made 61 runs. In the end, it was Kohli who took India to victory, taking India’s win ratio against Pakistan to 11-0. http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-world-twenty20-2016/engine/match/951341. html Conclusion It is to be noted that the methodology does not work only when the DuckworthLewis method comes into play which was not the case in this match. Although Pakistan had the support of ascendant lord Jupiter with its aspect on the house of Score, and on Fans & Odds, it failed to leverage the opportunities. In a houseto-house comparison, India’s Game house stood stronger with house lord Saturn’s aspect in comparison to Pakistan’s Game house although the latter was occupied by house lord Moon. It is important to note the kind of strength that each house gains. While Saturn strengthened the team’s game by bringing in cool responses and depth to the play, Moon lent emotional support which in the end must be supported by the game played on the field. Second, India’s house of Coach & Captain was occupied by house lord Mars, albeit in conjunction with Saturn. This was visibly stronger than Pakistan’s house of Coach & Captain which came under the combined aspects of Saturn and Mars. Further, with house lord Venus occupying the 12th house, this house too was weak in comparison. It is only in the matter of Score that Pakistan stood stronger. But, this was not enough given that the Game and Coach & Captain which can result in a good Score were in India’s favour. Also, with a strong 3rd house that also denotes strength of the team as a whole, their internal dynamics and individual performance, India stood tall. With an astrological score of 13 to 12, India won the match against Pakistan. 133 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue 5. Finals 2016 England vs West Indies Toss Win: West Indies The match was scheduled to begin at 19:00 India time, hence I have taken the toss time as 18:30. Chart 12 Date: 03 April, 2016 | Time: 18:30:00 | Day: Sunday | Place: Kolkata Ve Su England Ascendant W Indies Fans & Odds Sa Ma W Indies 7 W Indies Ascendant Coach & 8 Captain Me England Coach & Captain England Fans & Odds W Indies Score Ke England Game England Penalties Ju Ra Mo W Indies Game England Score W Indies Penalties W Indies Coach & Captain Sa Ma Asc-29o 28' 12" Sun-20o 07' 04" W Indies Fans & Odds England Score W Indies Ascendant Mon-26o 02' 42" o Mar-13 41' 35" 6 12 3 W Indies Score Ve Su Mo W Indies10 Game 9 W Indies Penalties Ju Ra 5 4 England Game 11 Ke England Penalties W Indies Penalties Ju Ra 5 W Indies Ascendant 4 3 W Indies Fans & Odds 2 1 England Fans & Me Odds 12 8 Sa Ma W Indies Coach & Captain Ven-03o 14' 54" Sat-R-22o 15' 12" England Coach & Captain 6 11 7 England 2 Coach & England Captain Ascendant 1 Me England Fans & Odds Mer-01o 13' 16" Jup-R-21o 04' 55" W Indies Score England Game 9 10 England Score Mo Ve England Su Ascendant Ke England Penalties W Indies Game Rah-R-27o 34' 58" Ket-R-27o 34' 58" Game Analysis The finals of T20 2016 saw England and West Indies battling for the title. West Indies won the toss and became the native team, occupying the Virgo ascendant. The team chose to bowl first. England became the rival team and occupied the Pisces ascendant. Based on the game analysis, West Indies’ Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Libra), Coach & Captain the 3rd house (Scorpio), Game occupies the 5th house (Capricorn). West Indies’ Score occupies the 10th house (Gemini) and Penalties the 12th house (Leo). Viewing England from its Pisces ascendant, Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Aries). England’s Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Taurus), its Game the 5th house (Cancer), its Score is seen from the 10th house (Sagittarius) and Penalties occupies the 12th house (Aquarius). 134 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Once again, we assess the three important parameters first, the ascendant, ascendant lord and the house of Score. West Indies ascendant is aspected by Sun and exalted Venus which is beneficial to the team. In particular, the aspect of 2nd and 9th lord Venus indicates meticulous planning and strong execution, raising the level of their game. England’s Pisces ascendant is occupied by Sun and exalted Venus, indicating comparatively greater strength in this matter. Further, the mutual exchange of houses between England’s 6th lord Sun and ascendant lord Jupiter causes the ascendant to lose some of its strength, while the 6th house gains. Hence, in the matter of ascendant, the two teams carry equivalent strength. West Indies’ ascendant lord, Mercury is posited in the 8th house. Yet, Jupiter’s 9th aspect lends strength to the ascendant lord. In case of England, although ascendant lord Jupiter occupies friendly Leo, it occupies the 6th house and is caught under Saturn’s 10th aspect, indicating delays and disappointment. Given these factors, we find that West Indies stays ahead of England in the matter of the ascendant lord. West Indies’ Score house is under Mars’ 8th aspect. This indicates an edge-ofthe-seat match with Mars driving courageous decisions that border on rashness while Jupiter-aspected Score lord Mercury lends intelligence to these decisions. England’s Score house on the other hand is under house lord Jupiter’s 5th aspect, lending greater strength to them. West Indies’ house of Game is occupied by Moon under house lord Saturn’s aspect, lending strength to their game and bringing about measured thinking in their decisions. In case of England, the house of Game is aspected by house lord Moon, yet it gains comparatively lower strength than that of West Indies. West Indies’ house of Coach & Captain is occupied by Saturn and house lord Mars. The resultant conflict can weaken the house. But, Mars being the significator of outdoor games and occupying its own house, the house retains its strength. Second, Saturn and Mars aspect England’s house of Coach & Captain. With occupancy proving stronger than aspect, West Indies takes the lead in this parameter. In the matter of strategy and execution, West Indies will be able to work as planned while England will lag behind. West Indies’ house of Fans & Odds carries Mercury’s aspect. At the same time, house lord Venus is exalted, giving hope to fans and enhancing the odds in favour of West Indies. In case of England, Mercury occupies Fans & Odds. The house comes under Jupiter’s 9th aspect, strengthening the odds and bringing cheer to the fans. As such, in the matter of Fans & Odds, England takes the lead. 135 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Jupiter occupies West Indies’ house of Penalties. Although it remains under Saturn’s 10th aspect, it lends strength to the team. In case of England, the house comes under Mars and Jupiter’s aspects. The planetary positions indicate that England will give away more free runs than West Indies. Board’s Chart – West Indies Cricket Board Date: 22 January, 1927 | Time: 12:00:00 | Day: Saturday | Place: St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda Nation’s Chart – England (United Kingdom) Date: 07 December, 1922 | Time: 15:28:00 | Day: Thursday | Place: Westminster 136 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Now, we analyse the nations’ charts to see whether these charts lend strength to their respective teams. Since the West Indies team comprises a group of cricketing nations represented by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), we take the chart of the WICB as the relevant chart. We shall now take the Moon and the ascendant from the charts of England and WICB and transpose these onto the transit game chart. This analysis will tell us whether the nation and the citizens are behind the teams in their quest for the winning trophy. In the West Indies’ chart, Moon occupies Virgo. Transposing this onto the transit game chart, we find that it occupies the transit ascendant of the team and is under the aspects of Sun and Venus. This placement gives enormous strength to the West Indies team in the form of support from the nation and all the fans. It enhances the team spirit and implementation while elevating the team’s prestige. Moon in the United Kingdom’s chart occupies Cancer, its own house. As such, it is strong and rouses fans’ enthusiasm. Moon being the significator of emotions and of the fans, it is a key element in determining each team’s fate. Overall, West Indies is ahead of England in this crucial parameter. In the matter of the nation’s ascendant, WICB’s ascendant is in Aries. In the transit game chart, not only is it occupied by Mercury, it also comes under Jupiter’s benefic 9th aspect. While Mercury lends intelligence, Jupiter brings wisdom and strength to its game, allowing the team to strategise and execute effectively. United Kingdom has its ascendant in Taurus which comes under Saturn and Mars’ direct aspects, weakening the team’s strength. Given these placements, transit Saturn occupying the 8th house from the WICB ascendant is not enough to negatively impact the team. Hence, West Indies is stronger in this parameter. Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers West Indies captain, Darren Sammy’s jersey number is 88 which equates to 7. England captain, Eoin Morgan’s jersey number is 16 which too is 7. Hence, both teams are evenly placed in this parameter. Day of Week The day of the week is Sunday whose lord is Sun. With Sun viewing both jersey numbers as the enemy, the two teams stand with equal strength in this parameter. 137 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Jersey Colour The West Indies jersey is maroon which stands for Sun. England’s jersey is the red of Mars. Hence, England leads in this parameter. Although Mars is the significator of outdoor games, the match was played on a Sunday, the lord being Sun. Hence, West Indies leads when we consider the jersey colour with the day of the match. Astrological Summary Table Parameters West Indies England Remarks Ascendant 2 2 WI: Sun-Venus aspects E: Sun conjunct exalted Venus, 6th lord Sun exchanges houses with ascendant lord Jupiter Ascendant Lord 2 1 WI: 8th house Mercury under Jupiter’s 9th aspect E: 6th house Jupiter under Saturn’s aspect Score 1 2 WI: Mars’ aspect, house lord Mercury under Jupiter’s aspect E: Jupiter’s 5th aspect Game Analysis Game, Coach & Captain 3 1 WI: Game: Occupied by Moon under house lord Saturn’s aspect Coach & Captain: Saturn conjunct house lord Mars E: Game: House lord Moon’s aspect, Moon under Saturn’s aspect Coach & Captain: Saturn and Mars aspects Fans & Odds 1 2 WI: Mercury’s aspect, exalted house lord Venus E: Occupied by Mercury under Jupiter’s 9th aspect Penalties 1 0 WI: Occupied by Jupiter under Saturn’s 10th aspect E: Mars and Jupiter’s aspects Moon 2 1 WI: Moon occupies transit ascendant under Sun-Venus aspects E: Moon in own house Ascendant 2 0 WI: Occupied by Mercury under Jupiter’s 9th aspect E: Saturn-Mars aspects Jersey Numbers 1 1 WI: South Node E: South Node Day of Week 0 0 WI: Sun views South Node as enemy E: Sun views South Node as enemy Jersey Colour 2 2 WI: Sun; Same as day of week lord E: Mars; Friendly to day of week lord Total 17 12 Nations’ Charts Planetary Influence 138 Twenty-Twenty (T20) How the Match was Played West Indies won the sixth T20 World Cup by 4 wickets, making 161 runs. After a shaky start in which England lost 3 wickets by the time they made 23 runs, Joe Root and Jos Buttler steadied the innings with a crucial 61-run partnership. It seemed that England was back in the match when the fourth wicket fell. Once again, the batting collapsed and England ended their innings with 155 for the loss of 9 wickets. West Indies fielding was near-perfect and its bowlers were unrelenting and intelligent in their bowling. England bowled well, restricting West Indies to 137 at the end of 19 overs. It looked like the World Cup could be theirs. West Indies had to make 19 runs in the last over. Marlon Samuels who was at 85 off 66 balls was on the non-striker’s end. Carlos Brathwaite did the unthinkable. He swung Stokes’ first ball for a six. Then the second. Now, West Indies needed just seven runs off four balls. He sent the next two balls for another two sixes and the match was theirs. West Indies became the Champion of the T20 2016 World Cup. And West Indies became the first nation to win the T20 World Cup twice. http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-world-twenty20-2016/engine/match/951373. html Conclusion The T20 2016 finals is a matter of planetary strengths and weaknesses working in favour of West Indies. With the WICB’s Aries ascendant, we find that the board’s chart has Saturn in the 8th house. This indicates obstacles and disappointments which will eventually lead to renaissance. It is a well-known fact that the WICB was undergoing difficult times. The board lacks funds and the team was on the verge of not making it to the T20 2016 World Cup. Disobedience and misunderstandings were rife between the team and the officials. This outbreak of trouble is the result of 8th house Saturn. It points towards Saturn at work, indicating renaissance, bringing victory to the truthful and the downtrodden side. It will do the unthinkable and bring about change in the board and bring West Indies back to their times of glory. The indications towards these impending events are already there with both the men and the women’s West Indies teams winning. And hopefully, the saga of a strong West Indies will go on for a long time to come. 139 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue 6. 2016 Afghanistan vs West Indies Toss Win: West Indies The match was scheduled to begin at 15:00 India time, hence I have taken the toss time as 14:30. Chart 13 Date: 27 March, 2016 | Time: 14:30:00 | Day: Sunday | Place: Nagpur, Maharashtra Me Su Afghanistan Coach & W Indies Captain Score W Indies Fans & Odds Ju Ra W Indies Coach & Captain 6 Afghanistan W Indies Game Penalties Ve Ke Afghanistan Fans & Odds W Indies Ascendant Ju Ra W Indies Fans & Odds Afghanistan Ascendant Sa Ma Afghanistan W Indies Penalties Game Asc-19o 33' 33" o Sun-13 02' 28" W Indies Penalties W Indies Ascendant Afghanistan Mo 7 Score Sa Ma W Indies Game Mo W Indies Afghanistan Coach & Captain Score 5 8 o Mon-25 05' 35" o Mar-12 19' 40" 9 Afghanistan Penalties 4 10 3 2 Afghanistan Game Afghanistan Game W Indies Penalties Afghanistan Coach & Captain W Indies Score 2 1 Me Su 12 3 1 W Indies Score W Indies Ascendant Me Su Afghanistan Afghanistan Coach & Ascendant Ve Captain Ke 12 Afghanistan Fans & Odds 11 Mer-C-16o 40' 55" o Jup-R-21 51' 19" Ju W Indies Ra Fans & Odds o Ven-24 23' 33" o Sat-R-22 19' 09" 10 4 Afghanistan Ascendant 9 5 W Indies Coach & Captain Afghanistan Fans & Ve Odds 11 Ke 6 7 8 Mo Afghanistan Score Sa Ma Afghanistan Penalties W Indies Game Rah-R-27o 38' 27" Ket-R-27o 38' 27" Game Analysis West Indies won the toss and became the native team, occupying the Cancer ascendant. The team elected to bowl first. Afghanistan became the rival team, occupying the Capricorn ascendant. Based on the game analysis, West Indies’ Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Leo), Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Virgo), Game occupies the 5th house (Scorpio). West Indies’ Score occupies the 10th house (Aries) and Penalties the 12th house (Gemini). Viewing Afghanistan from its Capricorn ascendant, Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Aquarius). Afghanistan’s Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Pisces), its Game occupies the 5th house (Taurus), its Score is seen from the 10th house (Libra) and Penalties occupies the 12th house (Sagittarius). 140 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Let us take the three key parameters first, ascendant, ascendant lord and the house of Score. While West Indies ascendant remains unaspected, Afghanistan’s ascendant is under ascendant lord Saturn’s 3rd aspect. Hence, Afghanistan proves stronger in this parameter. West Indies’ ascendant lord Moon occupying Libra remains unaspected. Afghanistan’s ascendant lord Saturn is in conjunction with house lord Mars. This planetary placement results in a certain amount of conflict and weakening of the team’s play. West Indies’ house of Score is in Aries. Although house lord Mars is in conjunction with Saturn which weakens their game, Jupiter’s 9th aspect on the Score house comes to the rescue, lending strength to the house. With West Indies being the favourites to win the match, it takes fortitude and mental strength for Afghanistan to play a strong game. This is just what Moon delivers to them. Occupying the Score house, it brings emotional and mental strength to the team while helping them score well. Being the 7th lord in the 10th house, Moon has the capacity to allow the team to take good memories of the tournament back with them. Further, Afghanistan’s Score house lord Venus is under Jupiter’s aspect, strengthening the team’s implementation. West Indies’ Game house is occupied by Saturn in conjunction with Mars, creating obstacles to execution, but house lord Mars continues to drive their game. Afghanistan’s house of Game is under Saturn-Mars aspects and these powerful malefics weaken the house. Let us view the Game along with the house of Coach & Captain, since the former depends heavily on the latter for direction, strategy and tactics. West Indies’ house of Coach & Captain is aspected by Sun and house lord Mercury, allowing the team to play with intelligence. On the other hand, Afghanistan’s house of Coach & Captain is occupied by Sun, indicating a strong display of leadership which provides direction to the team. The team itself will perform with courage. Debilitated Mercury can sap the team of their third house resolve and place them under stress, but the presence of Sun is capable of stabilising them. As such, Afghanistan remains ahead of West Indies in this crucial parameter. When we view the houses of Game and Coach & Captain, we find that Afghanistan leads since its strategy by virtue of a stronger Coach & Captain results in a stronger Game house. West Indies’ Fans & Odds is occupied by Jupiter. But, it comes under Saturn’s 10th aspect, indicating disappointment to fans and lowering West Indies’ odds. In case of Afghanistan, Venus, the planet known for meticulousness and execution occupies the house of Fans & Odds. Being the 5th and 10th lord, Venus’ placement indi141 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue cates that Afghanistan will be strong in execution and gains the support of its fans despite the uphill task it faces against the much stronger opponent. It is not the favourite team and it has no chance of making it to the next round, yet it retains the support of its fans and the nation. Although, the house comes under Mars’ 4th aspect, it also carries Jupiter’s direct aspect, neutralizing Mars-inflicted conflict. As such, Jupiter’s aspect elevates the odds and brings cheer to the fans. West Indies’ house of Penalties comes under Mars’ 8th aspect, forcing the team to give away free runs and penalties. Afghanistan’s house of Penalties on the other hand, comes under Jupiter’s 5th aspect, strengthening them in this regard. The indication is that they will play a tighter game. At the end of the game analysis, we find a surprising turn of events if we considered the individual team’s on-ground strengths. The astrological score stands at 5:9, favouring Afghanistan although West Indies were strong favourites to win. Board’s Chart – West Indies Cricket Board Date: 22 January, 1927 | Time: 12:00:00 | Day: Saturday | Place: St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda 142 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Nation’s Chart – Afghanistan Date: 17 July, 1973 | Time: 00:00:00 | Day: Tuesday | Place: Kabul Now, we shall analyse the nation’s chart of Afghanistan and the West Indies Cricket Board’s chart since the West Indies is a group of cricket-playing Caribbean nations represented by the WICB. It is the Moon and the ascendant of these two charts that are important and can turn the events in favour of one of the teams. Although the match is played by each team of 11 members in the stadium, the nation and the fans within and outside the stadium indicate their support through these charts. This support has great impact on match outcomes. Let us first take the Moon from each team’s nation and board charts. In the WICB chart, Moon occupies Virgo. When we transpose it onto the transit game chart, we find that it occupies the 3rd house from West Indies’ transit ascendant and is under transit Sun and Mercury’s aspects. Moon in Afghanistan’s national chart occupies Capricorn, the team’s ascendant in the transit game chart. In addition, Moon comes under transit ascendant lord Saturn’s 3rd aspect. These facts elevate the mood and emotions of fans while bringing determination and resolve to the team and a measure of cool-headed thinking to their game. 143 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue The WICB and Afghanistan ascendants are in Aries. Transposing this onto the transit game chart, we find that transit Saturn occupies the 8th house. Further, its conjunction with house lord Mars brings great conflict as well as difficulties and disappointment. Jupiter’s 9th aspect on the Aries ascendant comes to the rescue, lowering the negative impact to a certain extent. Both teams will face obstacles and the winner must overcome these. But, one must go deeper to analyse the role of Saturn in case of the two teams. From a cricketing point of view, Saturn gives a win-win situation to both teams. It will give a win or loss that brings correction to the system. Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers West Indies captain, Darren Sammy’s jersey number is 88 which equates to 7. Afghanistan captain, Asghar Stanikzai’s jersey number is 44 which equates to 8. Since 7 signifies outdoor games, the jersey number favours West Indies. The date of the match is 27 which equates to 9 and is represented by Mars. Mars functions similar to the South Node, representing 7. Further, it is viewed as an enemy by Saturn, representing 8. Hence, in this parameter too, West Indies takes the lead. Day of Week The day of the week is Sunday whose lord is Sun. Both the South Node and Saturn view Sun as the enemy. Hence, the two teams are balanced in this parameter. Jersey Colour The West Indies jersey is maroon which stands for Sun. Afghanistan’s jersey is the blue of Saturn, giving the lead to West Indies. Since the lord of the day of week is Sun, West Indies leads in this parameter. (Astrological Summary Table Continued...) 144 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Astrological Summary Table Parameters West Indies Afghanistan Remarks Game Analysis Ascendant 1 2 WI: Unaspected Af: Ascendant lord Saturn’s 3rd aspect Ascendant Lord 1 0 WI: Unaspected Moon Af: Saturn conjunct house lord Mars Score 1 1 WI: Jupiter’s 9th aspect, house lord Mars conjunct Saturn Af: Occupied by 7th lord Moon, house lord Venus under Jupiter’s aspect Game, Coach & Captain 1 2 WI: Game: Saturn conjunct Mars Coach & Captain: Sun and house lord Mercury’s aspects Af: Game: Saturn-Mars aspects Coach & Captain: Sun conjunct debilitated Mercury Fans & Odds 1 2 WI: Jupiter under Saturn’s 10th aspect Af: Venus under Mars-Jupiter aspects Penalties 0 2 WI: Mars’ 8th aspect Af: Jupiter’s 5th aspect Moon 1 3 WI: Moon in 3rd house under Sun and Mercury aspects Af: Moon in transit ascendant under ascendant lord Saturn’s aspect Ascendant 1 1 WI: Jupiter’s 9th aspect, 8th house Saturn Af: Jupiter’s 9th aspect, 8th house Saturn Nations’ Charts Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers 2 0 WI: South Node South Node similar to Mars Af: Saturn Saturn views Mars as enemy Day of Week 0 0 WI: South Node views Sun as enemy Af: Saturn views Sun as enemy WI: Sun Same as lord of day of week Af: Saturn Saturn views Sun as enemy Jersey Colour 2 0 Total 11 13 145 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue How the Match was Played Afghanistan won the match, making 123 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in 20 overs. They didn’t make a promising start and were 5 for 56 in the 12th over. But, their perseverance paid off and Najibullah Zadran remained unbeaten with 48 off 40 balls. His score included five boundaries and a six. The chase for West Indies looked small. But, when it was Afghanistan’s turn to bowl, the bowlers maintained their line and length with discipline. The result was that West Indies was down three wickets for 38 runs. Dwayne Bravo and Denesh Ramdin’s partnership of 41 runs steadied the innings, but Mohammed Nabi soon took Bravo out. The story of West Indies’ batting is one of a steady fall of wickets through their innings. In the final over, West Indies needed 10 runs for a win. Nabi bowled, giving just three runs in this last over, ensuring an Afghan victory. Although West Indies had already qualified for the semi-finals, this match will be remembered for Afghanistan’s spirited game and discipline in the face of great odds. Throughout the tournament, they had put up a courageous display. Their win over West Indies was the culmination of that display. The outcome of the match has its impact far beyond a win or loss in the stadium. Afghanistan is a country in turmoil. Given the situation, cricket can grow into a safe outlet to the youth and a matter of pride for the nation. The citizens’ response to the country’s cricket league tournament and to the national team securing a spot within the 2015 One Day International World Cup is highly encouraging. It is an indication that things are moving in the right direction. As such, the team’s performance and its win over West Indies gives a boost to the nation’s cricket. In case of West Indies, relations between the team and the WICB are at a low and their performance within the tournament is likely to have a strong bearing on the future direction of Caribbean cricket. http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-world-twenty20-2016/engine/match/951365. html Conclusion Afghanistan’s victory over West Indies is the story of Saturn which had scripted the play. Occupying Scorpio, Saturn was particularly potent both for its corrective action as well as for its ability to deliver beyond expectations. 146 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Its action begins with its status as the Afghan ascendant lord. As it aspects Afghanistan’s ascendant, it drove the team to discipline and calm play in the face of great odds. In doing so, it proves once again that this is the only way to seek Saturn’s favour. The other side of Saturn’s play shows in its occupancy of West Indies’ house of Game, affecting the execution of their game. Its conjunction with Mars turns it particularly potent and the difficulties it places came in the form of Afghanistan’s disciplined spin bowling. The result was that West Indies’ wickets fell with steady frequency. In doing so, Saturn did not allow West Indies to score. The interesting factor is that the nation’s as well as the board’s charts have their ascendant in Aries. On the transit chart, they share the common fact of 8th house Saturn. Although the result should have been similar, things differ at this point. Saturn makes each team fight the battle that it must fight and gives the kind of win that each team deserves. Afghanistan had put up a spirited defence throughout the tournament. With Saturn becoming their ascendant lord in the game chart, it was time for Saturn to give back the result of all that hard work and persistence. To the West Indies though, their battle lies elsewhere – with the WICB. As such, it wasn’t yet time for the team to retrieve the benefits. If we analyse the power of Saturn further, we will find that in giving a loss to West Indies at this stage, it could only have made them more determined to emerge winners in the tournament. And win they did in the finals, setting the stage for correction on the WICB front. This proves once again the power of Saturn in correcting the course and allowing the deserving and the persistent to win. Hence, we find that both teams have something to take back with a smile to their respective nations. West Indies lost the match and won their battle. In winning the match, Afghanistan went back as the team that won over the eventual winner of the tournament. In doing so, it took a step forward in their battle to make cricket an emblem within their nation. This paradoxical outcome proves once again that Saturn’s blessings were with both teams. There certainly was disappointment as it does in any win or loss, but each team had gained too. 147 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue 7. 2016 Australia vs New Zealand Toss Win: New Zealand The match was scheduled to begin at 15:00 India time, hence I have taken the toss time as 14:30. Chart 14 Date: 18 March, 2016 | Time: 14:30:00 | Day: Friday | Place: Dharamsala Su Australia Coach & Captain NZL Score Australia Game Me Ve Ke Australia Fans & Odds Mo NZL Ascendant Ju Ra NZL Fans & Odds Australia Ascendant Sa Ma Australia Penalties NZL Penalties NZL Game Asc-13o 22' 35" o Sun-04 06' 56" Australia Score NZL Fans & Odds Ju Ra 5 NZL 6 Coach & Captain Sa Ma NZL Coach & Captain o Mon-06 29' 55" o Mar-09 59' 48" 3 NZL Ascendant Australia Game Australia 2 Game 8 9 Australia Penalties 7 4 NZL Score NZL Penalties 2 Mo Australia Score NZL Game NZL Penalties 1 3 1 10 Australia Ascendant NZL Score NZL Mo 4 Ascendant Su Australia 12 Coach & 11 Captain Ve Me Ke Australia Fans & Odds Mer-C-28o 52' 42" o Jup-R-22 56' 31" Afghanistan Coach & Captain Australia Su Fans & Ve Odds 12 Ke 11 Me NZL Fans & Odds Ju Ra NZL Coach & Captain o Ven-13 15' 59" o Sat-22 16' 52" 10 Australia Ascendant 9 5 6 7 Mo Australia Score 8 Sa Ma Australia Penalties NZL Game Rah-R-27o 42' 49" Ket-R-27o 42' 49" Game Analysis New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat first. It becomes the native team, occupying the Cancer ascendant. Australia becomes the rival team, occupying the Capricorn ascendant. Based on the game analysis, New Zealand’s Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Leo), Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Virgo), Game occupies the 5th house (Scorpio). New Zealand’s Score occupies the 10th house (Aries) and Penalties the 12th house (Gemini). Viewing Australia from its Capricorn ascendant, Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Aquarius). Australia’s Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Pisces), its Game occupies the 5th house (Taurus), its Score is seen from the 10th house (Libra) and Penalties occupies the 12th house (Sagittarius). 148 Twenty-Twenty (T20) We begin with the analysis of the three important parameters – the ascendant, ascendant lord and the house of Score. New Zealand’s ascendant is occupied by ascendant lord Moon, gaining strength from its presence. Although Australia’s ascendant lord Saturn aspecting the Capricorn ascendant strengthens Australia, the twin aspects of Saturn and Moon on its ascendant lead to ups and downs in their emotions, affecting their thinking and game. In the matter of the ascendant lord, as we have seen, New Zealand’s ascendant lord Moon occupies the ascendant, strengthening the team and elevating the spirit of not just the team, but also of the fans watching the match. Australia’s ascendant lord Saturn occupies Scorpio in conjunction with house lord Mars. Hence, it is in a conflicted and weakened position. New Zealand’s Score house, Aries is under Jupiter’s benefic aspect. Although Score house lord Mars is in conjunction with Saturn, it continues to retain its strength by virtue of occupying its own house. These factors strengthen New Zealand’s Score house. Australia’s Score house is unaspected. House lord Venus is in conjunction with Mercury in Australia’s 2nd house which strengthens their planning and execution. Yet, it does not match the strength of New Zealand’s Score house. Hence, in the matter of ascendant, ascendant lord and Score house, New Zealand takes the lead. It remains to be seen whether Australia can overcome this lead through its other significations. Saturn and Mars occupy New Zealand’s house of Game, indicating turbulence caused by conflict between the two planets of opposing nature. Yet, house lord Mars, occupying its own house continues to give support. On the other hand, Australia’s house of Game is under Saturn and Mars’ twin aspects, resulting in great turmoil. New Zealand’s house of Coach & Captain is under Sun’s aspect, bringing a certain amount of conflict in communication and in leading the team. Yet, house lord Mercury being in conjunction with Venus, helps them execute well. In case of Australia, Sun occupies the house of Coach & Captain, allowing them to play a courageous game. But, house lord Jupiter occupies the 8th house, affecting their gains. Taking the significations of the houses of Game and Coach & Captain together, the indication is that although Australia plays with courage, due to weak planning and execution, their on-field game suffers. New Zealand on the other hand, struggles with communication and leadership, but their on-field execution plays out well. The spirit of New Zealand’s fans is elevated with the presence of Jupiter in the house of Fans & Odds. Further, Venus and Mercury aspects strengthen the odds in favour of the team. In case of Australia, the Venus-Mercury conjunction strengthens the 149 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue team’s Fans & Odds. Jupiter’s aspect too brings strength to the house although to a lesser extent in comparison to New Zealand since occupancy gives greater strength than an aspect. Hence, in this respect, New Zealand takes the lead. New Zealand’s house of Penalties is aspected by Mars, forcing them to give away penalties, while Australia’s house of Penalties is aspected by house lord Jupiter, protecting them from giving away too many. It is to be noted that penalties refer not just to the elements that fall under the term’s strict definition, namely, leg byes, no-balls and so on. They also refer to dropped catches and easy runs that are given away. In short, it refers to all the advantages a team gives to the other team due to their own lacklustre performance, rather than due to the opposing team’s strong game. Nation’s Chart – New Zealand Date: 17 January, 1853 | Time: 00:00:00 | Day: Monday | Place: Wellington, New Zealand 150 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Nation’s Chart – Australia Date: 01 January, 1901 | Time: 00:00:00 | Day: Tuesday | Place: Melbourne We now turn to the nations’ charts. We transpose Moon and the ascendant from each team’s national chart on to the transit game chart. This is done to ascertain the strength of the nation’s citizens who back the team, represented by Moon, and the strength of the nation itself, represented by the ascendant. New Zealand’s Moon in the national chart is posited in Pisces. Transposing this on the game chart, we find Sun occupying the house, indicating prestige and recognition. Further, house lord Jupiter occupies a friendly house. In case of Australia, Moon in its national chart is posited in Aries. The house comes under Jupiter’s 9th aspect, elevating the citizens’ emotions in the stadium as well as in the nation. Further, ascendant lord Mars, occupying its own house is strong, although in conflict through its conjunction with Saturn. Hence, in the matter of the nation’s Moon, Australia takes the lead. New Zealand’s national ascendant is Libra. Transposing it on the transit game chart, we find that the house is unaspected. House lord Venus occupies the 5th house from the nation’s ascendant in conjunction with Mercury. Further, they are under Jupiter’s direct aspect. Both these parameters are conducive to the domain of sports. 5th house represents games and sports while benefic Mercury stands for an intelligent game and Venus represents strong execution. Hence, New Zealand stands strong by virtue of its nation’s ascendant. 151 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue In case of Australia, the national ascendant is Virgo. Transposing this ascendant on the game chart, we find that the house is under transit Sun’s aspect. But, house lord Mercury occupies the 6th house which is a point of weakness and cannot bring gains to the team. But, its conjunction with Venus is a positive event for Australia. So is Jupiter’s direct aspect on the ascendant lord. These two events, the conjunction with Venus and Jupiter’s aspect protect Australia from weakening further. Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers New Zealand captain Kane Williamson’s jersey number is 22 which equates to the North Node’s 4. The North Node is not conducive to a victory in the matter of sports. Hence, it is interesting to note that Australian captain Steve Smith’s jersey number is 49 which too equates to 4. Hence, the teams are balanced in this respect. The date of the match is 18 which equates to 9. But, it matters little in terms of which captain brings the advantage since both represent North Node by virtue of their jersey number. Day of Week The day of the week is Friday whose lord is Venus. With Venus viewing both jersey numbers as friends, the two teams stand with equal strength in this parameter. Jersey Colour The New Zealand jersey is in black and beige, the latter being the predominant colour. Beige is a neutral shade, generally with undertones of yellow, green, red or pink and occasionally orange. In New Zealand’s case, the undertones are towards a shade of pink. Hence, we consider it as red. Red being the colour of Mars which gives strength to outdoor sports, New Zealand gains strength from the use of this shade. The Australian jersey is in the black of Saturn. Although they have a shade of green on the sides, represented by Mercury, black is the predominant colour and it weakens their position. Mapping it with the day lord Venus, we find that Venus is friendly to Saturn and Mercury and is neutral towards Mars. Hence, in the matter of jersey colour, New Zealand takes the lead by virtue of the shade of red that went into making its beige jersey. 152 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Astrological Summary Table Parameters New Zealand Australia Remarks Game Analysis Ascendant 2 1 N: Ascendant lord Moon occupies ascendant A: Ascendant lord Saturn and Moon aspect ascendant Ascendant Lord 1 0 N: Ascendant lord Moon occupies own house A: Ascendant Lord Saturn in enemy house in conjunction with Mars 2 N: Jupiter’s aspect, house lord Mars in own house conjunct Saturn A: Unaspected, house lord Venus in 2nd house in conjunction with Mercury Score 3 Game, Coach & Captain 2 1 N: Game: Occupied by Saturn conjunct house lord Mars Coach & Captain: Sun’s aspect, house lord Mercury conjunct Venus A: Game: Saturn-Mars aspects Coach & Captain: Sun occupies the house, house lord Jupiter in 8th house Fans & Odds 3 2 N: Occupied by Jupiter under Venus-Mercury aspects A: Venus-Mercury conjunction under Jupiter’s aspect Penalties 0 2 N: Mars’ aspect A: Jupiter’s aspect on own house 1 2 N: Occupied by transit Sun, Jupiter in friendly house A: Jupiter’s aspect, house lord Mars in own house conjunct Saturn 2 1 N: Unaspected, ascendant lord Venus in 5th house conjunct Mercury under Jupiter’s aspect A: Sun’s aspect, ascendant lord in 6th house conjunct Venus under Jupiter’s aspect Jersey Numbers 0 0 N: North Node; Enemy to Mars A: North Node; Enemy to Mars Day of Week 1 1 N: Venus friendly to North Node A: Venus friendly to North Node Jersey Colour 2 1 N: Mars and Saturn; Venus neutral to Mars A: Saturn and Mercury; Venus friendly to Saturn Total 17 13 Nations’ Charts Moon Ascendant Planetary Influence 153 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue How the Match was Played New Zealand won the match by 8 runs. The team went on to a quick start with Martin Guptill’s rapid 39. Australia’s Ashton Agar’s bowling came under fire with Guptill hitting three 6s in a single over. And Australia’s captain Steven Smith was forced to take Agar out from bowling. Soon Faulkner dismissed Guptill. New Zealand’s captain Kane Williamson and Corey Anderson followed him out in quick succession. Agar redeemed himself by taking the two catches. New Zealand kept losing wickets until Grant Elliott’s 27 before he was run out. At the end of the innings, the team stood at 142. When Australia stepped up to bat, they were about to chase what looked like an attainable score. Usman Khawaja with 38 runs, including six 4s made a promising start. But, soon after opening partner Shane Watson and captain Smith were out, Khawaja was run out too. At this point, Australia were 62. Cricket is a game of unpredictable events and that’s just what things turned into for Australia. They lost another wicket at 66 runs. Leg spinner Ish Sodhi gave good bowling support, helping New Zealand take the lead. Although Australia’s Mitchell Marsh put up a brief fight, New Zealand’s Mitchell McClenaghan took two wickets in the 19th over and New Zealand took an 8-run win. http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-world-twenty20-2016/engine/match/951337. html Conclusion In the final analysis, the key elements did not work in Australia’s favour. It seemed that Saturn’s aspect on Australia’s Game house came into effect in the form of a slow pitch which was expected to turn slower as the match progressed and it came true. In case of New Zealand, each time the batsmen kept making a good start, they kept getting caught. It seemed like Mars was constantly with them, driving them with aggression, while Saturn continued to apply the brakes. But, with Mars constantly on their side, they managed to make enough runs to take them to victory. In the final reckoning, Australia’s weak strategy and the inability to execute due to the positions, conjunctions and aspects of Venus and Jupiter, the house lords of 154 Twenty-Twenty (T20) Score and Coach & Captain respectively affected their play. Further, with an ascendant that stands weaker than that of New Zealand, they were in no position to recover. Although they made efforts intermittently, their game remained in turmoil. Under the combined effects of the planets and the houses, Australia was unable to play a cohesive match. While the selection of spinners left questions regarding their strategy itself, their tactics and execution came into question when they sent in Agar to bat ahead of James Faulkner who has the reputation of being a strong finisher. This proved to be the nail in the coffin. Faulkner finally faced the ball when 21 runs were needed off 10 balls and New Zealand capitalized on these weak moments with McClenaghan taking two wickets and Australia needed 19 runs in the last over. New Zealand gave the responsibility to Corey Anderson to whose bowling Faulkner was out and Australia’s last hope was over. 155 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue 156 Indian Premier League Section 4 Indian Premier League 157 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue 1. Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: http://www.espncricinfo. com/indian-premier-league-2016/engine/match/981019.html 2. Rising Pune Supergiants vs Kings XI Punjab: http://www.espncricinfo.com/ indian-premier-league-2016/engine/match/981005.html 3. Delhi Daredevils vs Sunrisers Hyderabad: http://www.espncricinfo.com/indianpremier-league-2016/engine/match/981003.html 4. Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Lions: http://www.espncricinfo.com/indian-premier-league-2016/content/story/999177.html 5. Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders: http://www.espncricinfo.com/indian-premier-league-2015/engine/match/829811.html 6. Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore: http://www.espncricinfo. com/indian-premier-league-2015/engine/match/829821.html 7. Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders: http://www.espncricinfo.com/indianpremier-league-2015/engine/match/829805.html 158 Indian Premier League 1. Finals 2016 Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad Toss Win: Sunrisers Hyderabad The match was scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM Indian Standard Time, hence I have taken the toss time as 7:30 PM. Chart 15 Date: 29 May, 2016 | Time: 19:30:00 | Day: Sunday | Place: Bengaluru Me SRH Game RCB Penalties Ve Su RCB Ascendant Ke Mo RCB Score Ju Ra SRH Coach & Captain SRH Score SRH SRH Ascendant Penalties Asc-26o 13' 50" Sun-14o 32' 01" RCB Game Mo 11 Ke 12 1 Me RCB Penalties Mon-15 29' 21" Mar-R-05o 13' 07" o 7 Ma Sa 8 6 SRH Score RCB Game RCB Game SRH Penalties RCB Coach & Captain Ju Ra 6 5 4 2 Ju Ra SRH Score Ma SRH 8 Ascendant Sa 9 RCB 4 Coach & Captain 3 RCB Ascendant RCB Fans & Odds Mer-22o 05' 44" Jup-19o 46' 14" SRH Fans & Odds SRH Coach & Captain Ven-C-12o 16' 43" Sat-R-19o 22' 44" RCB Fans & Odds 3 7 5 Su Ve SRH Game Sa Ma SRH Penalties SRH Ascendant SRH 9 Coach &10 Captain RCB Coach & Captain RCB Score SRH Fans & Odds SRH Fans & Odds RCB Fans & Odds 2 10 1 11 Mo Ke RCB Score 12 Su RCB Ve Ascendant Me RCB Penalties SRH Game Rah-R-23o 58' 12" Ket-R-23o 58' 12" Game Analysis Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) won the toss, hence they are the native team and occupy the Scorpio ascendant. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) becomes the rival team with the Taurus ascendant. As toss-winners, SRH chose to bat. According to the game analysis, SRH’s Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Sagittarius), Coach & Captain, the 3rd house (Capricorn), SRH’s Game can be seen from the 5th house (Pisces), Score from the 10th house (Leo) and Penalties from the 12th house (Libra). RCB with its Taurus ascendant has Fans & Odds occupying the 2nd house (Gemini), Coach & Captain the 3rd house (Cancer), its Game occupies the 5th house (Virgo), its Score is seen from the 10th house (Aquarius) and Penalties occupies the 12th house (Aries). 159 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue We shall now analyse the ascendants, ascendant lords and the house of Score. With ascendant lord Mars occupying the ascendant, SRH can expect a fast-paced, aggressive and courageous game. The conjunction with Saturn will result in obstacles and slow the pace intermittently while benefic aspect from Venus indicates perfection in their game and implementation. Sun’s aspect raises their aggression and gives them strength in realising their objectives. In case of RCB, we find that ascendant lord Venus occupies the ascendant, indicating an independent spirit. This is accentuated by its conjunction with Sun and the team will play a courageous game, but the enmity between the two planets results in fewer gains. The critical factor though is that ascendant lord Venus is caught in its own house under the glare of the twin aspects of Mars and Saturn and is helpless in containing the conflict. The result is that the team will be torn in opposite directions. Mars aspect places pressure and brings about certain rash decisions while the Sun-Saturn mutual aspect enhances the conflict. The ascendant is the starting point of the game and it is interesting to note that both teams find their ascendant lords occupying the respective ascendants. But, the malefic aspects that RCB suffers from are harsh in comparison to SRH and hence in the matter of the ascendant, SRH takes the lead. We find that for both teams, the ascendant lords occupy the respective ascendants, bringing an independent spirit and a courageous game. But, while SRH’s Mars is in conjunction with enemy Saturn, it is also under the benefic aspect of Venus. RCB’s Venus is in conjunction with Sun which it views as an enemy, and is also under the twin malefic aspects of Mars and Saturn, leaving SRH stronger in this parameter. The house of Score can be a point of strength with the 10th house being one of the deciding factors in sports astrology. When we view SRH’s house of Score, we see an interesting placement of planets. The presence of 2nd and 5th lord Jupiter in the 10th house brings gains to the team. While 5th lord Jupiter occupies the 10th house, 9th lord Moon occupies the 4th house, which leads to a strong combination involving squares and trines. Further, these benefic 5th and 9th lords are in mutual aspect, which is a key combination that results in gains to the team. These placements and aspects strengthen SRH’s gains immensely. Hence, although Saturn aspects the 10th house, first, the planet is in a weakened state due its conjunction with Mars. Second, its effect is not enough to weaken the house. In case of RCB, we find that the 3rd lord Moon occupies the 10th house. It also comes under Mars’ 4th aspect. These placements and aspects indicate a game 160 Indian Premier League played with a passionate rather than a cool mind. Jupiter’s direct aspect comes to their rescue though and helps them recover from time to time. 10th lord Saturn being weakened in an enemy house in conjunction with the house lord Mars is not in a position of strength. Hence, SRH leads in the matter of Score. In the matter of Game, we find that SRH’s Game house is unaspected. House lord Jupiter occupies friendly Leo. Despite being under Saturn’s aspect, the house lord allows the team to play a game of forethought and wisdom. RCB’s Game house too is unaspected. But, the Game lord is posited in the 12th house, weakening their logic and wisdom. Jupiter’s 9th aspect protects it to some extent. SRH’s Coach & Captain gains strength from house lord Saturn’s 3rd aspect. The captain and coach will find that their strategy and communication do not work at times and they will experience occasional slowness, but viewing the planetary placements of the other key houses, the indication is that these bouts can serve to make them take cautious decisions when these are required. RCB’s house of Coach & Captain is unaspected, but house lord Moon is under Mars’ 4th aspect, leading to passion coupled with aggression which can lead to ill-timed decisions, despite being under Jupiter’s benefic aspect. Hence, when we view the two houses in combination, Game and Coach & Captain, we find that SRH benefits from forethought, good strategy, communication and on-field play. RCB on the other hand, can make some ill-thought through decisions and in fact may not be able to think on their feet at crucial junctures of the match. Turning to Fans & Odds, in case of SRH, the house carries house lord Jupiter’s aspect. This enables the team to function as a single unit and allows them to play an ambitious game. Hence, the emotions of fans will be roused and the odds in favour of SRH are strengthened. RCB on the other hand finds its 2nd house under Mars’ 8th aspect, affecting their ambition and effort. This also leads to disappointment to fans. Further, 2nd lord Mercury occupies the 12th house, leading to penalties and an irregular thought process. These events pour cold water on fans’ emotions and lower RCB’s odds. In the matter of penalties, SRH carries Mercury’s aspect, minimising penalties since Mercury helps the team play an intelligent and quick-witted game. In case of RCB, Mercury as we have seen, is the 2nd lord occupying the 12th house, leading to penalties and losses. (Franchisee Charts Continued...) 161 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Sun TV Network Limited (Sunrisers Hyderabad) Date: 18 December, 1985 | Time: 12:00:00 | Day: Wednesday | Place: Chennai Royal Challengers Sports Private Ltd (Royal Challengers Bangalore) Date: 11 March, 2008 | Time: 12:00:00 | Day: Tuesday | Place: Bengaluru The next stage in the inclusive methodology is to consider the charts of the team owners. In matches where nations’ teams are involved, we consider each team’s national charts. In case of IPL, the teams are owned by companies and hence we consider the charts based on the date of incorporation of these companies. The time considered in casting the horoscope is 12 noon. 162 Indian Premier League We take the Moon and the ascendant of each company’s chart and transpose these onto the transit game chart. Sunrisers Hyderabad is owned by the SUN TV Network Limited. In their chart, both Moon and the ascendant are in Aquarius. Royal Challengers Bangalore is owned by Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited. In their chart, Moon is posited in Aries and the ascendant is in Taurus. It is interesting to note that SUN TV’s Moon occupies the same position as in the transit chart while Royal Challengers Sports’ ascendant is in the same Taurus sign. Let us now see how things play out. Transposing Moon onto the transit chart, we find that in case of SRH, since Moon occupies the same sign as transit Moon, it gives great strength to fans’ emotions and indicates satisfaction, particularly with its position in the 4th house from SRH’s transit Scorpio ascendant. Despite being under transit Mars’ aspect which heightens the aggression, it continues to bring good tidings due to transit Jupiter’s direct aspect. In case of Royal Challengers Sports, Moon is posited in Aries which is the 12th house from the transit chart’s Taurus ascendant. With Mercury, who views Moon as an enemy, transiting through the 12th house, the indications are that their thought process gets affected under stress. Thoughts and emotions become so intertwined that it could become difficult for them to take decisions with a cool head. Jupiter’s 9th aspect alleviates matters to some extent but cannot correct the situation completely. Hence, in this matter, SRH takes the lead. Transposing SUN TV’s Aquarius ascendant on the transit chart, we find that transit Moon occupies the ascendant and it is under the 4th aspect of transit Mars. These factors lead to aggression. Jupiter’s aspect converts the emotions productively and tilts the balance in favour of insightful thinking. When we transpose Royal Challengers Sports’ Taurus ascendant on to the game chart, the predictions remain the same as in the game chart. Sun and ascendant lord Venus, transiting through the Taurus ascendant, are not strong enough to overcome the effect of the direct aspects of malefic Mars and Saturn. Hence, RCB leads in this parameter. Planetary Influence We turn to the captains’ jersey numbers and jersey colours of the teams and we analyse these independently as well as with respect to the date and day of the match. 163 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Jersey Numbers SRH captain David Warner wore the jersey number 31 which equates to 4. This number is represented by the North Node. RCB’s captain Virat Kohli wore the jersey number 18 which equates to 9, represented by Mars. Mars being the significator of games, particularly outdoor games, RCB leads in this parameter. The match date was 29 which equates to 2. The number is represented by Moon which is viewed as an enemy by the North Node, but Mars views it as a friend. Hence, here too RCB takes the lead. Day of Week The match was played on a Sunday, represented by Sun. Sun views SRH’s North Node as an enemy and RCB’s Moon as a friend. Hence, in this parameter too RCB leads. Jersey Colour SRH’s jersey is in shades of orange and red, standing for Mars, with dark grey sleeves. RCB played in red with grey on the top half and for sleeves. Of the two, SRH has a greater component of the red-orange shade, and hence it leads in this parameter. The day of the week is represented by Sun which is friendly to Mars and hence here too, SRH takes the lead. (Astrological Summary Table Continued...) 164 Indian Premier League Astrological Summary Table Parameters SRH RCB Remarks 2 1 SRH: Mars, Saturn in ascendant under Sun-Venus aspects RCB: Venus, Sun in ascendant under Mars-Saturn aspects 1 SRH: Ascendant lord Mars in ascendant conjunct Saturn under Sun-Venus aspects RCB: Ascendant lord Venus in ascendant conjunct Sun under Mars-Saturn aspects 1 SRH: Saturn’s aspect, 2nd and 5th lord Jupiter in 10th house aspecting 9th lord Moon, 9th lord in 4th house RCB: Moon in 10th house under Mars, Jupiter aspects. Weakened house lord Saturn Game Analysis Ascendant Ascendant Lord 2 Score 3 Game, Coach & Captain 3 2 SRH: Game: Unaspected, house lord Jupiter in friendly house under Saturn’s aspect Coach & Captain: House lord Saturn’s aspect RCB: Game: Unaspected, house lord Mercury in 12th house under Jupiter’s aspect Coach & Captain: Unaspected, house lord Moon under Mars-Jupiter aspects Fans & Odds 1 0 SRH: House lord Jupiter’s aspect RCB: Mars’ aspect, house lord Mercury in 12th house Penalties 1 0 SRH: Mercury’s aspect RCB: 2nd lord Mercury in 12th house 1 SRH: Moon in Aquarius with transit Moon under Mars, Jupiter aspects RCB: Moon in 12th house with transit Mercury under Jupiter’s aspect 2 1 SRH: Aquarius ascendant with transit Moon under Mars-Jupiter aspects RCB: Taurus ascendant with transit Venus-Sun conjunction under Mars-Saturn aspects Jersey Numbers 0 2 SRH: 4 of North Node; Views Moon as enemy RCB: 9 of Mars; Views Moon as friend Day of Week 0 1 SRH: Sun views North Node as enemy RCB: Sun views Moon as friend SRH: Orange-red of Mars Sun friendly to Mars RCB: Lesser red of Mars and grey Sun friendly to Mars Franchisee Charts Moon 3 Ascendant Planetary Influence Jersey Colour 2 1 Total 19 11 165 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue How the Match was Played Sunrisers took an eight-run win against Royal Challengers. Captain David Warner chose to bat which was his team’s strength. Warner showed an impressive performance with 69 off 38 balls, including eight fours and three sixes. However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing with Royal Challengers’ bowlers taking wickets at steady intervals, stopping Sunrisers from powering on. Yuvraj Singh pitched in, helping take the score to over 200. Ben Cutting helped Sunrisers take 40 runs off the last two overs with an unbeaten 39 runs off 15 balls, including four sixes and three fours. Sunrisers finished at 208 for the loss of 7 wickets. Chris Gayle came quick and strong for Royal Challengers making 50 runs off 25 balls. Virat Kohli played a steady innings and the team was 100 at the end of nine overs without a loss of wicket. This placed pressure on the Sunrisers’ bowlers. But, Cutting broke the opening partnership at 114 runs, taking Gayle out for 76. And then Kohli began his trademark batting, letting loose and reached his 50 in 32 balls. It wasn’t for long though. Three balls later he was out after making 54 runs. Now, Sunrisers worked methodically and wickets fell in steady succession. Bhuvaneshwar Kumar delivered four consecutive yorkers in the 18th over. Requiring 30 runs off the last two overs, the title was still within grasp for the Royal Challengers. In the final over, Royal Challengers needed 18 runs for a win but with Bhuvaneshwar Kumar giving away only nine runs, the match was sealed. Sunrisers won their first IPL championship title. http://www.espncricinfo.com/indian-premier-league-2016/engine/match/981019. html Conclusion This game is the play of two sets of elements. One is the comparative strengths of the ascendant lords, their positions, conjunctions and aspects, particularly the Mars-Saturn effect. The other is the positive role that squares and trines played in the game chart. Sunrisers took the lead in the matter of the ascendant and ascendant lord. Mars itself is a planet of sports and hence delivers its strength to SRH. The story goes further. Despite Saturn’s presence in the ascendant and Sun’s aspect on this cold planet, the team remains stronger than RCB with the benefic aspect of Venus. RCB too has its ascendant lord in the ascendant and is conjunct with enemy Sun, but it comes under the twin malefic aspects of two powerful planets, leaving it behind SRH. 166 Indian Premier League The second important element that placed the match in SRH’s favour is the combination of squares and trines, 5th lord Jupiter in the 10th house, and 9th lord Moon in the 4th house. This combination produces a highly positive effect and the two planets’ mutual aspect as the 2nd and 9th lords sealed the match in SRH’s favour. We can go a step further and see that with respect to the franchisee’s chart too, Moon and ascendant, by virtue of their placement in Aquarius for SRH, strengthened the team. As such, a rare astrological occurrence takes place with practically every planet favouring the SRH team. Even Saturn which causes some amount of disturbance in the SRH ascendant strengthens their Coach & Captain by aspecting its own house. Mercury too plays its role by minimising their penalties. Hence, every planet plays its role in leading to a winning astrological score of 19:11 with SRH in the lead. Hence, the charts indicate a Sunrisers win over Royal Challengers. 167 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue 2. 2016 Rising Pune Supergiants vs Kings XI Punjab Toss Win: Kings XI Punjab The match was scheduled to begin at 4:00 PM Indian Standard Time, hence I have taken the toss time as 3:30 PM. Chart 16 Date: 21 May, 2016 | Time: 15:30:00 | Day: Saturday | Place: Visakhapatnam Me RPS Ascendant Ke RPS Fans & Odds RPS Coach & Captain Ra Kings XI Ju Kings XI Penalties Ma Fans & Odds Sa Mo 5 7 Kings XI RPS Kings XI 8 4 Game Ascendant Coach & Captain Ve Su Kings XI Score RPS Game RPS Penalties RPS Score Ra Ju Kings XI Game RPS Score Kings XI Penalties Mo Ma Sa Kings XI Kings XI Coach & Fans & Captain Odds Asc-27o 42' 32" Sun-06o 41' 33" Kings XI 10 Game 11 Ke Kings XI Ascendant Mon-01o 29' 41" Mar-R-08o 04' 14" RPS Penalties 9 6 3 12 RPS Ascendant Kings XI Score Ve Su RPS Fans & Odds Mer-R-C-20o 18' 06" o Jup-19 23' 05" Kings XI Penalties 4 Ra Ju Kings XI Ascendant RPS 2 Coach & 1 Captain Me Kings XI Score RPS Game 3 Ve Su 2 1 5 8 9 Ma Mo Sa Kings XI Coach & RPS Captain Score Ven-C-02o 14' 27" Sat-R-19o 58' 17" RPS Fans & Me Odds RPS Ascendant 12 6 7 Kings XI Fans & Odds RPS Coach & Captain 10 11 Ke RPS Penalties Kings XI Game Rah-R-24o 59' 45" Ket-R-24o 59' 45" Game Analysis Kings XI Punjab won the toss, hence they become the native team with Virgo ascendant. They chose to bat. Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS) is the rival team with the Pisces ascendant. Based on the game analysis, Kings XI’s Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Libra), Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Scorpio), their Game can be seen from the 5th house (Capricorn), Score from the 10th house (Gemini) and Penalties from the 12th house (Leo). RPS has its ascendant in Pisces. Hence, its Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Aries), Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Taurus), its Game occupies the 5th house (Cancer), its Score is seen from the 10th house (Sagittarius) and Penalties occupies the 12th house (Aquarius). 168 Indian Premier League Let us take a look at the ascendants, ascendant lords and the house of Score. The ascendants of both teams remain unaspected. Viewing the ascendant lords, we find Kings XI’s Mercury occupying the 8th house which can result in sudden turn of events at any time of the game. RPS’ ascendant lord Jupiter occupies the 6th house, strengthening their competitiveness. Further, Jupiter occupies a friendly house and although Saturn casts its 10th aspect, RPS stays ahead of Kings XI in the matter of the ascendant lord. Viewing the house of Score, Mars casts its 8th aspect on Kings XI’s house of Score, affecting their ability to perform and make runs. In case of RPS, their Score house is under house lord Jupiter’s benefic aspect, strengthening it. When we view the two teams from the point of view of the ascendant, ascendant lord and the Score house, we find that RPS takes the lead. When it comes to the Game house, Kings XI gains strength from house lord Saturn’s aspect. Although the team will face obstacles, Saturn gives them the ability to overcome these. It remains to be seen whether the house of Coach & Captain allows them to leverage these obstacles and turn them into opportunities. RPS’ Game house is unaspected, but house lord Moon stands debilitated. Its conjunction with Mars in the latter’s house can rouse the team’s spirit and emotions, but the Saturn conjunction can dampen their spirit from time to time. The team can lose its equilibrium and fans face ups and downs in their emotions. Hence, Kings XI leads in this parameter. The interesting point is that the same Moon, Mars, Saturn conjunction takes place in Kings XI’s house of Coach & Captain. This conjunction prevents the Coach & Captain from taking balanced decisions. Even as Mars and Saturn pull in different directions, their combined effect on Moon affects the equilibrium and hence the decisions taken. Sun’s aspect flares the situation further. In case of RPS’ Coach & Captain, house lord Venus occupies the house, allowing the coach and captain to take tactful and courageous decisions and bind the team members into a single unit. The presence of 6th lord Sun in the third house enables them to play with courage and fight the opposite team effectively. Further, the coach and captain exhibit leadership qualities in directing the team and are capable of moving the team in the right direction. Saturn, Mars aspects on the house bring a certain amount of disturbance but the strength of the house lord and the presence of the 6th lord in the 3rd house helps them weather these disturbances. 169 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Now, if we view the Game and Coach & Captain together – since the latter impacts the Game – we find that although Kings XI leads in the matter of Game, its house of Coach & Captain does not have the ability to deliver the strength and direction required to allow the Game house to perform. On the other hand, the house of Coach & Captain of RPS is strong enough to take their Game forward. The house of Fans & Odds of Kings XI comes under Mercury’s aspect. Further, house lord Venus is strong, occupying Taurus in the 9th house. These two parameters lend strength to the team’s fans and elevate their emotions. The odds favouring the team too are strengthened. In case of RPS, 4th and 7th lord Mercury occupies the house of Fans & Odds, bringing satisfaction to fans. Combined with the fact that Jupiter aspects the house, the indication is that RPS will play a game of tact and vision, strengthening the odds in their favour. In addition, house lord Mars being posited in Scorpio in the 9th house lends further strength and although its conjunction with Saturn and Moon leads to some disturbance in their thinking, the strength of the rest of the planetary positions helps them overcome these. Kings XI’s house of Penalties is occupied by Jupiter. Yet, it is under Saturn’s 10th aspect and the team will give away a few penalties. RPS’ house of penalties comes under Mars’ 4th aspect and Jupiter’s direct aspect. With Jupiter prevailing, they will give away fewer penalties and losses. KPH Dream Cricket Private Limited (Kings XI Punjab) Date: 10 March, 2008 | Time: 12:00:00 | Day: Monday | Place: Mohali 170 Indian Premier League New Rising Promoters Pvt. Ltd. (Rising Pune Supergiants) Date: 23 December, 2010 | Time: 12:00:00 | Day: Thursday | Place: Kolkata Let us now analyse the charts of the team owners. The IPL teams belong to franchisees, hence we shall analyse the charts of the franchise owners in place of nations’ charts. The date of incorporation of the franchisee company forms the basis of the chart. We transpose the Moon and the ascendant of each company’s chart onto the transit game chart and analyse the resulting transposition. KPH Dream Cricket Private Limited are the owners of Kings XI Punjab. Moon is posited in Aries in their incorporation chart. Transposing it onto the game chart, we find that 11th lord Moon occupies the 8th house from Kings XI’s Virgo ascendant. As the 11th lord, Moon symbolises gains, hence expectations from the team will be high. Yet, in occupying the 8th house, Moon cannot live up to the potential. The team is also likely to take capricious decisions. Mercury’s transit through Aries exacerbates this factor. Jupiter’s 9th aspect brings respite and controls the lack of steadiness in thought process to an extent. Rising Pune Supergiants is owned by New Rising Promoters Private Limited. In the latter’s incorporation chart, Moon is posited in its own house, Cancer. Further, it is the 5th house to RPS’ Pisces lagna, lending poise and balance in addition to enabling the team to make persistent effort. With 5th house standing for outdoor games, the franchisee company’s Moon strengthens the team further. Hence, in the matter of the owner’s chart’s Moon, RPS stands ahead. 171 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Transposing KPH’s Gemini ascendant on the transit chart, we find the ascendant under Mars’ 8th aspect, causing impulsiveness and rashness in decisions. Ascendant lord Mercury is posited in the 11th house, Aries which brings gains. It is also strengthened by transit Jupiter’s 9th aspect, but in KPH’s case, Mercury in a fiery sign is unable to contain the impulsiveness caused by Mars aspect on the ascendant. Transposing New Rising Promoters’ Pisces ascendant on the transit game chart, we find that it occupies the same ascendant as RPS and remains unaspected. Ascendant lord Jupiter in the 6th house helps them face their enemies despite Saturn’s 10th aspect. Jupiter’s aspect on the 10th house, which is its own house, enables them to take decisions with tact and wisdom and perform well on-field. Jupiter’s 9th aspect on the 2nd house enhances the emotions of RPS’ fans. In particular, its aspect on 4th and 7th lord Mercury elevates the fans’ happiness while enhancing the team’s strength over the opposition. In doing so, it strengthens the odds in favour of the team. Hence, in the matter of franchisee owner’s ascendant, RPS stands ahead of Kings XI. Planetary Influence Turning to planetary influences, let’s assess the captain’s jersey numbers and jersey colours of the teams with reference to the date and day of the match. Jersey Numbers Murali Vijay was made Kings XI’s captain, replacing David Fuller after the team lost five of their first six matches. His jersey number was 26, adding to 8 which is represented by Saturn. RPS’ captain MS Dhoni’s jersey number 7 equates to the South Node which functions similar to Mars. Hence, it is conducive to outdoor games. In comparison, Dhoni’s 7 stands ahead of Vijay’s 26. The date of the match was 21, equating to Jupiter’s 3. Both Saturn and the South Node are neutral to Jupiter. Day of Week The day of the match was Saturday, represented by Saturn, hence Kings XI takes the lead although the South Node is friendly to Saturn. 172 Indian Premier League Jersey Colour Kings XI’s jersey is in red with silver bands. While red is represented by Mars, Moon stands for the silver shade. RPS’ jersey has pink, yellow and a predominance of purple. Purple is a mix of red and blue, standing for Mars and Saturn which stand in conflict. Pink is a mix of red and white, hence it is represented by Mars and Moon. Venus represents yellow. Hence, RPS too is dominated by Mars which is in some conflict with Saturn and is supported by Moon and Jupiter. As such, Kings XI with its Mars dominance and lack of conflict takes the lead in this parameter. The day of the week Saturn is not friendly to Mars. In this parameter, RPS takes the lead over Kings XI which has a certain amount of Saturn’s blue on its jersey. (Astrological Summary Table Continued...) 173 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Astrological Summary Table Parameters Kings XI RPS Remarks Ascendant 1 1 KXIP: Unaspected RPS: Unaspected Ascendant Lord 1 2 KXIP: Ascendant lord Mercury in 8th house RPS: Ascendant lord Jupiter in 6th house under Saturn’s aspect Score 1 3 KXIP: Mars’ aspect RPS: House lord Jupiter’s aspect Game Analysis Game, Coach & Captain 2 3 KXIP: Game: House lord Saturn’s aspect Coach & Captain: Mars-Saturn-Moon conjunction RPS: Game: Unaspected, house lord Moon debilitated and in conjunction with Mars, Saturn Coach & Captain: House lord Venus and Sun under Saturn-Mars-Moon aspects Fans & Odds 1 3 KXIP: Mercury’s aspect, house lord Venus in 9th house (own house) RPS: 4th and 7th lord Mercury under Jupiter’s aspect, house lord Mars in 9th house (own house) conjunct Saturn, Moon Penalties 1 2 KXIP: Jupiter under Saturn’s aspect RPS: Mars-Jupiter aspects 1 3 KXIP: Moon (11th lord) in 8th house with transit Mercury under Jupiter aspect RPS: Moon (5th lord) in 5th house in Cancer 1 3 KXIP: Gemini ascendant under transit Mars aspect. Ascendant lord Mercury in 11th house under Jupiter’s aspect RPS: Unaspected Pisces ascendant, ascendant lord Jupiter in 6th house under Saturn’s aspect. Jupiter’s aspect on 10th and 2nd houses and on 4th and 7th lord Mercury Jersey Numbers 1 2 KXIP: 26 jersey number; Neutral to the date’s 3 RPS: 7 Jersey number; Neutral to the date’s 3 Day of the Week 2 1 KXIP: Saturn RPS: South Node friendly to Saturn KXIP: Red (Mars) and Silver (Moon) Saturn views Mars and Moon as enemies RPS: Pink (Mars and Moon), Yellow (Venus), Purple (Mars and Saturn) Saturn inimical to Mars and Moon, friendly to Venus, own shade Franchisee Charts Moon Ascendant Planetary Influence Jersey Colour 1 2 Total 13 25 174 Indian Premier League How the Match was Played RPS won with a score of 173 runs for the loss of 4 wickets. Kings XI had elected to bat and the choice worked in their favour – Hashim Amla with 30 off 27 balls gave them a strong start. This was to be Kings XI’s final match in IPL 2016. Amla was caught midwicket in the eighth over with R Ashwin and George Bailey’s efforts. Although Wriddhiman Saha left early, Gurkeerat Singh and captain Murali Vijay added 58 runs to the third wicket. The captain was the top scorer with 59 runs in 41 balls. Once he fell to Ashwin, wickets fell in quick succession, with 3 wickets falling for just six runs. Kings XI made a final score of 172 for 7. RPS batsmen George Bailey and Saurabh Tiwary scored low and fell early. At one stage, RPS were 80 for the loss of 4 wickets. When captain Dhoni walked in, RPS needed 95 runs off 52 balls. With Thisara Perera supporting him, Dhoni added 58 runs off 29 balls. In the end, RPS were left with a target of 23 runs off the last over. With a four and two sixes off the last three balls, Dhoni took his team to a win. http://www.espncricinfo.com/indian-premier-league-2016/engine/match/981005. html Conclusion This match, which is the last one for the two teams, displays the play of Mars and Saturn against each other and their individual impact on the other houses. Not a single one of the match parameters is free from their play. They may have left the ascendants alone, but in impacting the ascendant lords, they show that they drove this match completely. The ascendants remain unaspected but Kings XI’s ascendant lord, Mercury in the 8th house occupies an enemy house with house lord Mars in conflict with Saturn. RPS’ ascendant lord is posited in the 6th house, occupying a friendly house and under Saturn’s aspect. With Mars aspecting Kings XI’s house of Score and Jupiter aspecting RPS’ house of Score, the astrological score begins to stack up in favour of RPS. Mars also became the deciding factor and the match, which was practically in favour of Kings XI, went to RPS. 175 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Saturn aspects Kings XI’s house of Game, its own house while RPS’ house of Game is unaspected but house lord Moon stands debilitated and in conjunction with Mars and Saturn, giving benefit to Kings XI. Kings XI’s Coach & Captain’s house is occupied by Mars, Saturn and Moon. In case of RPS, the Coach & Captain come to the rescue with Sun and house lord Venus occupying the house, but must struggle under Mars, Saturn, Moon aspects. Kings XI’s house of Fans & Odds is owned by Venus which is under Mars and Saturn aspects. RPS’ house of Fans & Odds is owned by Mars which is weakened by its conjunction with Saturn. Finally, viewing Penalties, Saturn aspects Kings XI’s house of Penalties and the planet also happens to be the lord of RPS’ house of Penalties which is under Mars aspect. Kings XI’s owner’s charts too are not free from the Mars-Saturn effect. The franchisee’s Moon is housed in Aries, the house of Mars and its ascendant in Gemini under Mars’ 8th aspect. RPS though is free from their direct effect. RPS’ owner’s Moon occupying Cancer remains unaffected. RPS’ owner’s ascendant occupies Pisces which too remains free from the Mars-Saturn’s direct effect. Hence, fiery Mars and cold Saturn pull the two teams in the opposite directions. Three factors come to RPS rescue. First, ascendant lord Jupiter retains its strength in the face of Saturn’s aspect. Second, Venus and Sun come to the team’s rescue by occupying the house of Coach & Captain and absorbing the impact of Mars-Saturn conflict. Third, the franchise owner’s Moon and ascendant are free from the two planets’ direct effect. Hence, in analysing matches astrologically, it is helpful to see the pervasiveness of planets’ impact. At the same time, it helps to assess whether the other planets are capable of absorbing some of the malefics’ power and of extending some of their own strength to the team. The extent to which these two elements take place determines the winner. 176 Indian Premier League 3. 2016 Delhi Daredevils vs Sunrisers Hyderabad Toss Win: Delhi Daredevils The match was scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM Indian Standard Time, hence I have taken the toss time as 7:30 PM. Chart 17 Date: 20 May, 2016 | Time: 19:30:00 | Day: Friday | Place: Raipur, Chhattisgarh Me DD Game SRH Penalties Ve Su SRH Ascendant DD Fans & Odds SRH Fans & Odds Ke SRH Coach & Captain SRH Score DD Fans & Odds SRH Score Ju Ra DD Coach & Captain DD Score Sa Ma DD Ascendant Asc-18 32' 20" o Sun-05 53' 28" o Mo DD Penalties DD Ascendant 9 DD Coach &10 Captain DD Game SRH Game Mon-21o 30' 34" Mar-R-08o 21' 28" Sa Ma Ke 12 1 Me SRH Penalties 11 8 DD Penalties Mo 7 SRH 6 Game DD Penalties Mo 5 2 Ju Ra DD Score Ven-C-01 12' 59" o Sat-R-20 01' 49" o SRH Fans & Odds 4 3 7 DD Fans & Odds DD Coach & Captain SRH Fans & Odds Mer-R-C-20o 23' 54" Jup-19o 21' 22" 5 Sa DD 8 Ascendant Ma SRH 4 Coach & Captain 3 SRH Ascendant SRH Coach & Captain Ju Ra 6 9 Ve Su DD Score SRH Game 2 10 1 11 12 Ve SRH Su Ascendant Me Ke SRH Score SRH Penalties DD Game Rah-R-25 09' 31" o Ket-R-25 09' 31" o Game Analysis Delhi Daredevils (DD) won the toss, becoming the native team with Scorpio as their ascendant. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) becomes the rival team with Taurus ascendant. DD chose to bowl first. According to the game analysis, DD’s Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Sagittarius), Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Capricorn), their Game is seen from the 5th house (Pisces), Score from the 10th house (Leo) and Penalties from the 12th house (Libra). SRH’s ascendant rises in Taurus. Its Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Gemini), Coach & Captain the 3rd house (Cancer), its Game occupies the 5th house (Virgo), Score is seen from the 10th house (Aquarius) and Penalties occupies the 12th house (Aries). 177 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Let us analyse the three important parameters, ascendant, ascendant lord and the house of Score. DD’s ascendant is occupied by ascendant lord Mars but its conjunction with Saturn places plenty of obstacles in the team’s path. While Mars allows them to play with drive and aggression, Saturn slows the game from time to time. While Sun’s aspect on the house which is already in conflict leads to greater aggression, Venus’ aspect helps the team in effective implementation. SRH’s ascendant, on the other hand, houses ascendant lord Venus in conjunction with Sun, allowing them to implement their strategy well and to play with courage. With Sun in the ascendant, aspected by Mars and Saturn, the team will have a tendency to lose their cool and hence their responses on field can be detrimental to their interests. Both the teams’ ascendant lords occupy their respective ascendants, and hence are caught in the house. While DD’s ascendant lord Mars is caught in conflict with Saturn, the situation is worse for SRH. Venus is not only in conjunction with Sun, it also comes under Mars and Saturn’s aspects, weakening it further. Hence, DD leads in this parameter. DD’s house of Score is occupied by Jupiter, enabling the team to build a good score. Although Saturn’s aspect weakens the Score house, it merely slows the rate to some extent rather than prevent them from building a competitive score. Mars’ aspect on SRH’s Score house can force them to play an aggressive game to build the score rapidly which only forces them to make mistakes. Jupiter’s aspect however, plays a steadying hand and lowers the Mars effect. DD’s Game house is unaspected. But with house lord Jupiter occupying friendly Leo, the team is in a position to play with emotional intelligence, foresight and wisdom. SRH’s Game too is unaspected. House lord Mercury occupies fiery Aries which allows the team to play a game of logical thinking and quick responses, but they can have a tendency to waver when they have to take the decisions. Jupiter’s aspect brings guidance and elevates their game. Let us go further and analyse the Coach & Captain to see the advantage that strategy and strong communication can give to the two teams. DD’s house of Coach & Captain comes under house lord Saturn’s aspect who protects the house and gives the team the ability to strategise with a cool head. The team is also assured of the support of team members in implementing the strategy. SRH’s house of Coach & Captain remains unaspected but house lord Moon is posited in the 6th house. Hence, it is not in a position to help the captain build a strong strategy based on the relative strengths and weaknesses of each team’s 178 Indian Premier League players or on the playing conditions. When we view the houses of Game and of Coach & Captain, we find that although the Game houses of the two teams are strong, it is only DD that carries a strong strategic foundation through the house of Coach & Captain over which the team can build its Game. DD’s house of Fans & Odds is under Jupiter’s 5th aspect. Aspecting its own house, Jupiter brings strength, elevating fans’ emotions and enhances the odds in favour of the team. SRH’s house comes under Mars’ 8th aspect, placing pressure on fans’ emotions and the odds of the team winning. Further house lord Mercury is posited in the 12th house. But, under Jupiter’s 9th aspect it stabilises the house to a limited extent, giving some basis to the fans’ emotions. With Jupiter aspecting its own house, DD leads in this parameter. DD’s house of Penalties is occupied by the 9th lord Moon under Mercury’s aspect, limiting the number of runs the team gives away. House lord Venus is posited in its own house and although under Mars-Saturn aspects, it is in a position to strengthen the house. In case of SRH, the house has Mercury posited within under Jupiter’s benefic aspect. Although house lord Mars occupies its own house, it is in conjunction with Saturn, weakening its natural strength. The two teams are balanced in this parameter. GMR Sports Private Limited (Delhi Daredevils) Date: 19 February, 2008 | Time: 12:00:00 | Day: Tuesday | Place: Bengaluru 179 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue SUN TV Network Limited (Sunrisers Hyderabad) Date: 18 December, 1985 | Time: 12:00:00 | Day: Wednesday | Place: Chennai We now analyse the charts of the franchisee companies which own the respective teams just as we analyse the nations’ charts when national teams play against each other. To do so, we transpose the Moon and the ascendant of each franchise owner’s chart onto the transit game chart. GMR Sports Private Limited, which is the owner of DD, carries Moon in its own house Cancer. Transposing this on to the match chart, we find that it remains unaspected. Further, this happens to be DD’s 9th house and as such Moon elevates the fans’ emotions and lends overall strength to the team. SRH’s owner SUN TV Network Limited has its Moon in Aquarius which is the 10th house in the transit chart. It comes under transit Mars’ 4th aspect as well as transit Jupiter’s direct aspect. Jupiter offsets Mars’ rash aggression to some extent and gives steady fillip to the fans’ emotions, taking SRH ahead in this parameter. Transposing GMR’s Taurus ascendant onto the game chart, we find ascendant lord Venus transiting through Taurus. Further, the presence of Sun within the ascendant strengthens the team and can give them the lead. Give these positions, Mars aspect drives a courageous game from DD while Saturn’s aspect drives them to work hard for a win. The twin aspects do affect the team’s temperament and bring ups and downs, but the presence of a strong house lord Venus brings tact and diplomacy to the game. 180 Indian Premier League SUN TV’s ascendant on the other hand is in Aquarius which comes under aggressive Mars’ aspect but is counterbalanced by a strong Jupiter’s aspect. Overall, in the matter of franchisee company’s ascendant, SRH leads with Jupiter’s powerful aspect. Planetary Influence Let us now assess the captain’s jersey numbers and the teams’ jersey colours with respect to the date and the day of the match. Jersey Numbers DD’s captain Zaheer Khan’s jersey number is 34 which adds to 7. The South Node rules this number which functions similar to Mars and is conducive to outdoor games. SRH’s captain David Warner’s jersey number 31 equates to 4. The North Node rules this number and it functions similar to Saturn which places obstacles in the path and slows the game. Hence, DD is ahead of SRH in this parameter. The date of the match was 20, that is 2 and is ruled by Moon. Both the nodes view Moon as an enemy, hence they remain balanced with respect to the match date. Day of Week The day of the match was Friday ruled by Venus. With both nodes viewing Venus as a friend, their score remains equal in this parameter. Jersey Colour DD wears a blue jersey with a red band along the lower portion and the neck. Blue is the colour of Saturn, slowing their game while Mars representing the red band brings vigour. SRH’s jersey in orange – a mix of red and yellow – with the black band is strong. With Mars representing red and Venus standing for yellow, their game is driven by vigour, coupled with good execution. Although Saturn’s black slows the game from time to time, the team gains its strength from the prominent shades, red and yellow. Hence, SRH leads in the matter of jersey colour. Lord of the day of the week, Friday is friendly towards Saturn and neutral towards Mars. Hence, DD takes the lead in the matter of day of the week. (Astrological Summary Table Continued...) 181 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Astrological Summary Table Parameters DD SRH Remarks Game Analysis Ascendant 2 1 DD: Ascendant lord Mars conjunct Saturn under Venus-Sun aspects SRH: Ascendant lord Venus conjunct Sun under Mars-Saturn aspects Ascendant Lord 2 1 DD: Ascendant lord Mars conjunct Saturn under Venus-Sun aspects SRH: Ascendant lord Venus conjunct Sun under Mars-Saturn aspects Score 1 2 DD: Occupied by Jupiter under Saturn’s aspect. SRH: Mars-Jupiter aspects Game, Coach & Captain 3 2 DD: Game: Unaspected. House lord Jupiter in friendly Leo under Saturn’s aspect Coach & Captain: House lord Saturn’s aspect SRH: Game: Unaspected. House lord Mercury in Aries under Jupiter’s aspect Coach & Captain: Unaspected. House lord Moon in 6th house Fans & Odds 2 1 DD: Jupiter aspecting own house SRH: Mars’ aspect, house lord Mercury in 12th house under Jupiter’s aspect 1 1 DD: 9th lord Moon under Mercury’s aspect. House lord Venus in own house conjunct Sun under Mars-Saturn aspects SRH: Mercury under Jupiter’s aspect. House lord Mars in own house conjunct Saturn under Venus-Sun aspects Moon 1 2 DD: Unaspected. Occupies own house (9th house) SRH: Occupies 10th house under transit Mars-Jupiter aspects Ascendant 3 2 DD: Occupied by house lord Venus conjunct Sun under Mars-Saturn aspects SRH: Mars-Jupiter aspects Jersey Numbers 2 1 DD: 7 of South Node; Views Moon as enemy SRH: 4 of North Node; Views Moon as enemy Day of Week 1 1 DD: South Node friendly to Venus SRH: North Node friendly to Venus DD: Blue (Saturn) and Red (Mars) Venus friendly to Saturn SRH: Orange (Mars+Venus) and Black (Saturn) Venus friendly to Saturn and neutral to Mars Penalties Franchisee Charts Planetary Influence Jersey Colour 2 3 Total 20 17 182 Indian Premier League How the Match was Played Delhi Daredevils beat Sunrisers Hyderabad in a last-ball thriller. With DD choosing to bowl, SRH came to bat first. SRH openers captain David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan, with a 46-run partnership, got the team off to a strong start. Carlos Brathwaite ran Dhawan out and although DD’s bowlers continued to take wickets regularly, it didn’t slow Warner down and he continued to hit his shots. With 73 off 56 balls, Warner was the backbone of SRH’s score. His innings came to an end in the 16th over and it took Bhuvaneshwar Kumar to give a slight lift to SRH, taking them to 158 for 7 in 20 overs. Things didn’t start well for DD with Quinton de Kock caught behind in the 2nd over. But Rishabh Pant and Karun Nair with 73 off 59 balls built a strong footing. Once Pant was dismissed, Nair and JP Duminy built a 35-run partnership. Aiding them were two dropped catches when Warner dropped Nair and Bhuvaneshwar dropped Duminy. What Warner did for SRH, Nair did for DD. He went for boundaries with eight fours and three sixes while the team kept losing batsmen at the other end. He played the winning shot with a short delivery, when two runs were required off the last ball. In the end, he stood on an unbeaten 83 runs off 59 balls. http://www.espncricinfo.com/indian-premier-league-2016/engine/match/981003. html Conclusion Both teams had strong partnerships but one was more consistent and had more than one such partnership – Warner-Dhawan for SRH and Pant-Nair and Nair-Duminy for DD. Both teams had one player who played consistently and with big hits – Warren for SRH and Nair for DD, showing the Mars effect. There the similarity ends. Nair could have been given out twice, once for a caught-behind appeal on 23 in the ninth over and once when Warner dropped a catch, displaying the Saturn effect. Luck seemed to favour him. Duminy too escaped a dropped catch. DD on the other hand didn’t miss a catch. In fact, Carlos Brathwaite threw an impossibly quick throw, catching Dhawan short of the crease. Mars as DD’s ascendant lord favoured the team. The combination of Saturn’s conjunction with fiery Mars under Venus and Sun’s aspects led to a courageous game, filled with dropped catches by the other team which the combination of Mars, Venus and Sun enabled them to take advantage of. SRH, on the other hand, suffered from missed opportunities on account of the Mars, Saturn aspects on the ascendant, pointing to the underlying defensiveness and lapses that the team is unable to surmount on the day. 183 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue 4. IPL 2016 Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Lions Toss Win: Gujarat Lions The match was scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM Indian Standard Time, hence I have taken the toss time as 7:30 PM. Chart 18 Date: 16 April 2016 | Time: 19:30:00 | Day: Saturday | Place: Mumbai Ve MI Penalties Me Su MI Ascendant GL Fans & Odds Ma Sa GL 8 Coach & 9 Captain MI Coach & Captain MI Fans & Odds Ke GL Game GL Score MI Score GL Coach & Captain MI Game GL Fans & Odds Sa Ma Asc-11o 30' 12" Sun-02o 55' 28" GL Ascendant MI Score Ju Ra Mo GL Ke 11 Game GL Penalties Mon-01o 08' 04" Mar-14o 48' 43" 12 Ve MI Penalties GL Penalties GL Ascendant 10 7 6 MI Game Ju Ra Mo MI 5 Game GL Penalties MI Coach & Captain GL Score Ju Ra Mo 5 4 3 2 6 GL Score 4 1 Me Su GL Ascendant MI 3 Coach & Captain 2 MI Ascendant MI Fans & Odds Mer-22o 30' 06" Jup-R-19o 58' 09" GL Fans & Odds MI Fans & Odds 7 Ma 8 Sa 9 GL Coach & Captain Ven-19o 20' 57" Sat-R-21o 55' 19" 1 12 10 MI Score 11 Me MI Su Ascendant Ve Ke MI Penalties GL Game Rah-R-27o 17' 52" Ket-R-27o 17' 52" Game Analysis Gujarat Lions (GL) having won the toss, become the native team with Libra ascendant. Mumbai Indians (MI) is the rival team with Aries ascendant. GL chose to bowl first. Based on the game analysis, GL’s Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Scorpio), Coach & Captain the 3rd house (Sagittarius), Game is seen from the 5th house (Aquarius), Score from the 10th house (Cancer) and Penalties from the 12th house (Virgo). MI’s ascendant rises in Aries. Its Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Taurus), Coach & Captain the 3rd house (Gemini), Game occupies the 5th house (Leo), its Score is seen from the 10th house (Capricorn) and Penalties occupies the 12th house (Pisces). 184 Indian Premier League Let us analyse the ascendant, ascendant lord and the house of Score. GL’s Libra ascendant is under the aspects of Sun and Mercury which strengthen the ascendant and enable the team to play a courageous and intelligent game. In case of MI, Sun and Mercury are posited in the ascendant itself which allows them to play a courageous and intelligent game although tinged with impatience. Further, Jupiter casts its 9th aspect with the result that MI has greater strength in the matter of the ascendant. Yet, we must also note that Saturn occupies MI’s 8th house, bringing disappointment. GL’s ascendant lord Venus is exalted, giving them tact while knitting the team into a single cohesive unit. Occupying GL’s 6th house, Venus strengthens the team against the opposition. MI’s ascendant lord Mars on the other hand does not fare as well. Although it occupies its own house Scorpio, this happens to be the 8th house, resulting in a tendency to take risky gambles. Mars’ conjunction with 8th house Saturn plays cold water on its fiery nature, lowering its strength. Hence, GL leads in this parameter while MI comes under periodic obstacles, and struggles at each point to regain its pace. GL’s Score house is unaspected but with score lord Moon standing strong in conjunction with Jupiter, it brings gains to GL’s Score house. The result is also that GL’s fans’ expectations, represented by Moon, are reinforced. MI’s Score house comes under house lord Saturn’s 3rd aspect. Being the house lord, it should strengthen the house, but being Saturn and in particular due to its position in Scorpio and conjunction with fiery Mars, it is not in a position to strengthen the house as much as it could. Hence, MI is unable to convert the turning points that Saturn gives in the form of obstacles in their favour. Hence, GL leads in the matter of the Score house. GL’s Game house is aspected by Jupiter and Moon, enabling the team to play their game with foresight and wisdom. Additionally, Moon’s aspect raises fan’s emotions too through a strong Game house. Mars’ 4th aspect brings some rash courage to their game, but Jupiter’s aspect tempers it with wisdom. MI’s house of Game has Jupiter and Moon posited within, turning it strong and although they play a good game on field and rouse fans’ emotions and expectations, it is marred from time to time by Saturn’s 10th aspect on the house. GL’s Coach & Captain is under house lord Jupiter’s 5th aspect, allowing the captain to build a strong strategy. The fact that Mercury aspects the ascendant too lends them the ability to take quick tactical decisions based on the foundation of the strong strategy. MI’s Coach & Captain on the other hand is under Mars’ 8th aspect and they struggle beneath the rash moves they make. Although they are quick to respond on-field, their responses are reactive rather than responsive in nature and 185 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue can turn against them. The strength of house lord Mercury only minimises the impact to some extent. Viewing the strength of the teams’ Game along with the Coach & Captain, we find that GL, by virtue of the strong house of Coach & Captain builds good strategy and is capable of implementing it effectively in the form of the on-field game. Sun and Mercury’s aspects on the ascendant too help them convert the strategy into a responsive on-field game. The result is that the team is able to convert Mars’ aspect in their favour. MI’s Coach & Captain struggles under Mars’ aspect and where wisdom and foresight are required, their plans and responses are reactive in nature and hence are unable to give the required underlying strength to their Game. Further, with the Game house suffering under Saturn’s aspect, Jupiter’s conjunction with Moon in the Game house cannot fully offset these factors. GL’s house of Fans & Odds has Saturn and house lord Mars posited within. While Mars heightens expectations and turns the odds in favour of GL, Saturn tempers it from time to time. MI’s house of Fans & Odds comes under Saturn and Mars aspects, affecting fans’ expectations and emotions and impacting the odds unfavourably. But, house lord Venus being in an exalted position comes to their rescue. Ascendant lord Venus aspects GL’s house of Penalties, protecting the team from giving away too many penalties. In case of MI, exalted Venus is posited within the house, lending greater strength to the team. Intex Technologies (I) Limited (Gujarat Lions) Date: 22 January, 1996 | Time: 12:00:00 | Day: Monday | Place: New Delhi 186 Indian Premier League Indiawin Sports Private Limited (Mumbai Indians) Date: 28 Nov, 2007 | Time: 12:00:00 | Day: Wednesday | Place: Mumbai We now transpose Moon and the ascendant of the franchise owner charts onto the transit game chart. Intex Technologies India Limited, the owner of Gujarat Lions, has its Moon posited in Aquarius. It comes under transit Jupiter and Moon’s direct aspects, elevating their game and heightening fans’ enthusiasm. Yet, with Mars casting its 4th aspect, there will be a certain amount of risk bordering on rashness but Jupiter’s aspect offers protection. Indiawin Sports Private Limited, the owner of Mumbai Indians, has its Moon posited in its own house Cancer, lending strength to fans’ emotions and helping strengthen the odds in the team’s favour. GL’s Intex Technologies carries an Aries ascendant. With transit Sun posited within, the team plays a valorous game. Mercury’s presence in the Aries ascendant and Jupiter’s 9th aspect helps them elevate their game with insightful strategy and quick change of tactics. MI’s Indiawin Sports carries a Capricorn ascendant. Ascendant lord Saturn posited in Scorpio in conjunction with a strong Mars is not in a position of great strength. Casting its aspect on the ascendant, Saturn protects MI to some extent, but it does not match the strength of Intex Technologies’ ascendant. Planetary Influence We now assess the captain’s jersey numbers and the teams’ jersey colours with respect to the date and the day of the match. 187 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Jersey Numbers GL’s captain was Suresh Raina with the jersey number 3. Jupiter rules the number, indicating strategy and wisdom. MI’s captain was Rohit Sharma whose jersey number was 45. The number equates to 9 and is ruled by Mars which energises outdoor games. Hence, MI rules in this parameter. The date of the match was 16, totalling to 7. This number is ruled by the South Node which views Mars as an enemy and is neutral to Jupiter. Hence, GL leads in this parameter. Day of Week The match was played on Saturday which is ruled by Saturn. The planet is neutral to GL’s Jupiter and views MI’s Mars as an enemy. Hence, GL leads in this parameter. Jersey Colour GL wears an orange jersey with blue bands at the bottom and near the neck. Orange is a mix of Mars’ red and Venus’ yellow. MI’s jersey is Saturn’s blue. Mars is the planet that drives outdoor sports. This, in combination with Venus’ tact helps GL take the lead over MI. Further, Saturn as the lord of the day of the week, views Mars as an enemy. Hence, MI leads when the teams’ jersey colours are applied to the day of the week. 188 Indian Premier League Astrological Summary Table Parameters GL MI Remarks Ascendant 2 3 GL: Sun, Mercury aspects MI: Sun conjunct Mercury under Jupiter’s aspect Ascendant Lord 2 0 GL: Exalted ascendant lord Venus in 6th house MI: Ascendant lord Mars in 8th house (own house), 8th house Saturn Score 2 1 GL: Unaspected, House lord Moon conjunct Jupiter MI: House lord Saturn’s aspect Game Analysis Game, Coach & Captain 3 2 GL: Game: Mars-Jupiter-Moon aspects Coach & Captain: Jupiter aspecting own house MI: Game: Jupiter conjunct Moon Coach & Captain: Mars aspect, House lord Mercury in ascendant under Jupiter’s aspect Fans & Odds 2 1 GL: House lord Mars conjunct Saturn MI: Mars-Saturn aspects, Exalted house lord Venus Penalties 1 2 GL: Venus aspect MI: Exalted Venus Moon 2 1 GL: Jupiter-Moon- Mars aspects. MI: Own house Ascendant Lord 3 1 GL: Mercury conjunct Sun under Jupiter’s aspect MI: Ascendant lord Saturn aspect Franchisee Charts Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers 2 2 GL: 3 jersey number Neutral to the date’s 7 MI: 45 jersey number Enemy to the date’s 7. Day of the Week 1 0 GL: Saturn – Neutral MI: Saturn – Enemy Jersey Colour 1 1 GL: Orange-Red (Mars) and Yellow (Venus) Mars enemy of Saturn MI: Blue (Saturn) Total 21 14 189 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue How the Match was Played Gujarat Lions beat Mumbai Indians by 3 wickets on the last ball. GL chose to bowl and MI came to bat first. Things didn’t get off to a good start for the team with Dhawal Kulkarni of GL striking early and MI was 19 for the loss of two wickets in the fourth over. Parthiv Patel added to the score with 34 off 29 balls. The team played one too many shots and once again, the team slipped with Kieron Pollard and Parthiv getting out and the team was 77 for 5. Tim Southee and debut player Krunal Pandya steadied the team though, taking the score to 143. GL’s Brendon McCullum was out early but Aaron Finch and captain Suresh Raina built a good base with a 53-run partnership. After Raina was out in the ninth over, the team slipped but Finch continued to score despite suffering cramps. He made a half century while the rest of the batsmen continued to fall to McClenaghan. In the end, GL needed 11 runs from the last over to win the match. With Finch hitting a four off the last ball, they did that and won the match. http://www.espncricinfo.com/indian-premier-league-2016/content/story/999177. html Conclusion Gujarat Lions played a steadier game. In both innings, they got off to a steady start. When they bowled, they took two quick catches and when they came in to bat, they built a steady base for themselves so that when things slipped the way they do in these matches, they were able to overcome the setback and give themselves more than a fighting chance. MI’s 8th house occupant being Saturn, the team was on a backfoot. Further, its conjunction with Mars brought conflict into the team’s play. Although the two warring plants occupied GL’s 2nd house, it was MI who suffered the most. With the 8th house standing for defeat, it goes to prove the dictum that 8th house Saturn can cause havoc on a team’s game. Further, Mars’ aspects on MI’s Fans & Odds and the Coach & Captain in addition to Saturn’s aspects on MI’s Score house, Fans & Odds and Game house weakened every key house of MI so much so that Jupiter’s aspect on the ascendant could not offset these weaknesses. In the end, GL won over MI with an astrological score of 21:14. 190 Indian Premier League 5. 2015 Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders Toss Win: Rajasthan Royals The match was scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM Indian Standard Time, hence I have taken the toss time as 7:30 PM. Chart 19 Date: 16 May, 2015 | Time: 19:30:00 | Day: Saturday | Place: Mumbai Mo Ke RR Game KKR Penalties Me Ve Ma Su KKR Fans & KKR Ascendant Odds Ju KKR Coach & Captain KKR Score RR Coach & Captain RR Ascendant Asc-07 28' 22" Sun-01o 19' 17" o RR Game KKR Game 12 1 Mo KKR Penalties Mon-10 06' 44" o Mar-C-09 04' 57" o RR Penalties 7 RR Ascendant 11 8 RR Score KKR Game Ra 6 KKR Game RR Penalties Sa Ra 6 5 KKR Coach & Captain Ju 4 RR Score 5 2 RR Sa 8 Ascendant 9 Ju RR Fans & Odds RR Coach & Captain KKR 4 Coach & Captain 3 Ve KKR Ascendant KKR Fans & Odds Mer-18o 49' 30" Jup-20o 38' 30" Ven-15 20' 17" Sat-R-08o 02' 49" o Ve 3 7 Me Ma Su Ke Ra RR Penalties 9 RR Coach &10 Captain KKR Score RR Score Sa RR Fans & Odds RR Fans & Odds 2 10 1 11 Me MaKKR Su Ascendant Mo 12 KKR Penalties Ke KKR Score KKR Fans & Odds RR Game Rah-R-15 08' 48" Ket-R-15o 08' 48" o Game Analysis Rajasthan Royals (RR) won the toss and become the native team with the Scorpio ascendant. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is the rival team with the Taurus ascendant. RR chose to bat first. Based on the game analysis, RR’s Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Sagittarius), Coach & Captain the 3rd house (Capricorn), Game is seen from the 5th house (Pisces), Score from the 10th house (Leo) and Penalties from the 12th house (Libra). KKR’s ascendant rises in Taurus. Its Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Gemini), Coach & Captain the 3rd house (Cancer), Game occupies the 5th house (Virgo), its Score is seen from the 10th house (Aquarius) and Penalties occupies the 12th house (Aries). 191 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue We begin with an analysis of the ascendant, ascendant lord and the house of score. RR’s ascendant is occupied by Saturn which indicates plenty of obstacles that they must overcome. It is under ascendant lord Mars as well as Sun and Mercury’s aspects, adding to the team’s vitality and allowing them to play a game of courage and valour. Sun-Saturn aspects lead to situations that test their patience and the team must master their aggression and temper. Jupiter brings additional strength with its 5th aspect on the ascendant, allowing them to play with wisdom and intelligence. Further, 12th lord Venus is posited in the 8th house, a placement that brings gains. KKR’s ascendant lord Venus is posited in the 2nd house. 7th and 12th lord Mars posited in the ascendant is weakened on account of the 12th lordship. Although the presence of Sun strengthens the ascendant, Saturn’s aspect places heavy obstacles on their path and the Mars-Sun opposition to Saturn causes disturbance in their thought process and they will find it difficult to retain a cool head. This in turn affects the team’s ability to fully leverage Mercury’s intelligence. Hence, RR leads in the matter of ascendant. RR’s ascendant lord Mars occupies Taurus in conjunction with Sun and Mercury, gaining vigour and playing with a mix of courage and intelligence. Yet Saturn’s direct aspect pulls it away from its natural signification, causing a certain amount of disruption. KKR’s ascendant lord Venus occupies the 2nd house and remains unaspected. Further, it is in exchange of houses with 2nd lord Mercury, enhancing its ability to bring gains to the team. Hence, KKR takes the lead in this parameter. RR’s Score house is under Saturn’s 10th aspect but with Saturn weakened by its position in Scorpio and under Sun and Mars’ aspects, its ability to slow their score is limited. The Score house is also under Mars’ 4th aspect, bringing pressure on the team and leading to attempts to speed up their score to the point of making some rash decisions. Score lord Sun, on the other hand, is posited in Taurus in conjunction with Mars and Mercury lending vigour and intelligence. KKR’s Score house remains unaspected. However, Score house lord Saturn is weakened in Scorpio under Sun and Mars aspects. As such, RR leads in the matter of the Score house. Coming to the Game house, RR’s Game house in Pisces comes under house lord Jupiter’s 9th aspect. In particular, Jupiter is exalted which lends great strength to the benefic. These factors enable it to strengthen RR’s game with poise, persistence and resourcefulness. KKR’s Game house remains unaspected and Game house lord Mercury’s conjunction with Mars and Sun allows it to bring its tactical intelligence to the fore. But, Saturn’s aspect slows the process and the Game lord is caught between the dissonance among the three malefics. These factors can affect 192 Indian Premier League the team’s sense of balance and unless they keep their calm in tight situations, of which there will be many, they will be unable to take intelligent decisions. Hence, RR leads in this parameter. Coming to the house of Coach & Captain, in case of RR, the house is aspected by Jupiter. The aspect combines wisdom with courage and the captain is in a position to take strategic and tactical decisions. Although house lord Saturn’s aspect places obstacles in their path, Saturn does not damage its own house. KKR’s house of Coach & Captain is occupied by exalted Jupiter. While this occupancy lends strength to the house, house lord Moon occupies the 12th house, causing disruption in communication with the team and leading to ups and downs. Viewing the houses of Coach & Captain and Game together, we find that RR’s Coach & Captain dictates sound strategy and hence strengthens the strong Game house. KKR’s house of Coach & Captain is unable to lend strength to an already imbalanced Game house. RR’s house of Fans & Odds is under Mars’ 8th aspect which gives rise to high peaks and sudden lows in fans’ emotions. Yet, house lord Jupiter occupies the 9th house, gaining strength. Further, its exalted status and occupancy of the 4th house from Moon lends great strength to the planet which in turn reflects on RR’s house of Fans & Odds. Overall the positions and aspects strengthen the odds in favour of RR. KKR’s house of Fans & Odds has ascendant lord Venus posited within. Further, it has exchanged houses with house lord Mercury, indicating gains and rousing fans’ emotions. The negative factor is that house lord Mercury is caught among the Mars-Sun-Saturn conjunction and aspect, affecting speech and communication with the team. Hence, RR leads in this parameter. RR’s house of Penalties is aspected by Moon, proving beneficial to the team. With house lord Venus occupying the 8th house from the ascendant, the team is likely to be very restrained in the matter of giving away penalties. KKR’s house of Penalties is occupied by 3rd lord Moon. Coupled with the fact that house lord Mars is under Saturn’s aspect, the team is likely to give away a higher number of penalties through rash decisions. 193 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Jaipur IPL Cricket Private Limited (Rajasthan Royals) Date: 08 March, 2008 | Time: 12:00:00 | Day: Saturday | Place: Mumbai Knight Riders Sports Private Limited (Kolkata Knight Riders) Date: 27 February, 2008 | Time: 12:00:00 | Day: Wednesday | Place: Mumbai We shall transpose the Moon and ascendant of the franchisee charts on to the transit game chart. Jaipur IPL Cricket Private Limited, owners of RR, have their Moon posited in Pisces. Transposing it on the transit game chart, we find that it occupies the 5th house from RR’s Scorpio ascendant, driving the team to play an intelligent game and giving a fillip to fans’ emotions. Further, it comes under house 194 Indian Premier League lord Jupiter’s 9th aspect, strengthening it further in this respect. Knight Riders Sports Private Limited, owners of KKR, have their Moon posited in Libra which is the 6th house from the team’s Taurus ascendant. The occupancy places obstacles in their path and the team struggles in facing the opposition and in taking strategic decisions. As such, RR takes the lead in this parameter. Both franchise owners’ ascendants occupy Taurus, hence they are of equal strength in this parameter. The placement indicates a fiery game in stretches due to transit Mars-Sun occupancy and periodic slowdowns due to Saturn’s aspect. Planetary Influence Let us now analyse the captain’s jersey numbers and the teams’ jersey colours with respect to the date and the day of the match. Jersey Numbers RR’s captain Steven Smith wears the jersey number 49 which equates to the North Node’s 4. KKR’s captain Gautam Gambhir wears the jersey number 23, equating to Mercury’s 5. Mercury with its quick intelligence is conducive to the game and gives KKR the lead in this parameter. The match date was 16, which totals to the South Node’s 7. The South Node is friendly to both and hence the teams are balanced when the captains’ jersey numbers are analysed along with the match date. Day of Week The match was played on a Saturday and is ruled by Saturn. Saturn too is friendly to both the North Node and Mercury. Jersey Colour RR wears a blue jersey which is the colour of Saturn. KKR wears a purple jersey which is a mix of red and blue, the colours of Mars and Saturn respectively. Mars and Saturn being planets in conflict, the combination prevents Mars from giving its natural aggression and courage to the team. Hence, RR leads in this parameter. Further, with Saturn ruling the day of the week, RR leads in this matter too. (Astrological Summary Table Continued...) 195 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Astrological Summary Table Parameters RR KKR Remarks 2 1 RR: Saturn under Mars-Sun-Mercury-Jupiter aspects, 12th lord Venus in 8th house KKR: Sun, Mars, Mercury under Saturn’s aspect 2 RR: Mars in 7th house conjunct Sun, Mercury under Saturn’s aspect KKR: Venus in 2nd house, exchanges house with 2nd lord Mercury 1 RR: Saturn-Mars aspects, Score lord Sun in Taurus conjunct Mars KKR: Unaspected, Score lord Saturn in Scorpio under Sun-Mars aspects 2 RR: Game: House lord Jupiter’s aspect, exalted Jupiter Coach & Captain: Jupiter-Saturn aspects KKR: Game: Unaspected, house lord Mercury conjunct Mars, Sun under Saturn’s aspect Coach & Captain: Occupied by exalted Jupiter, house lord Moon in 12th house Game Analysis Ascendant Ascendant Lord Score Game, Coach & Captain 1 2 4 Fans & Odds 3 2 RR: Mars’ aspect, house lord Jupiter exalted in 9th house, occupies 4th house from Moon KKR: Occupied by Venus, exchange of houses with house lord Mercury, Mercury in ascendant conjunct Sun-Mars under Saturn’s aspect Penalties 1 0 RR: Moon’s aspect, house lord Venus in 8th house KKR: Occupied by Moon, house lord Mars under Saturn’s aspect Moon 2 0 RR: Occupies 5th house under transit Jupiter’s aspect KKR: Occupies 6th house Ascendant Lord 1 1 RR: Mars, Sun, Mercury under Saturn’s aspect KKR: Mars, Sun, Mercury under Saturn’s aspect Jersey Numbers 1 2 RR: 49 jersey number; Friendly to the date’s 7 KKR: 23 jersey number; Friendly to the date’s 7 Day of the Week 1 1 RR: Saturn is friendly to North Node KKR: Saturn is friendly to Mercury Jersey Colour 2 1 RR: Blue (Saturn); Saturn rules the day KKR: Purple (Mars and Saturn); Saturn rules the day Total 19 13 Franchisee Charts Planetary Influence 196 Indian Premier League How the Match was Played Rajasthan Royals won the match by nine runs. RR had chosen to bat first and Shane Watson and Ajinkya Rahane gave the team a good start with 80 runs before Rahane was runout. RR’s pace slowed with Andre Russell bringing down three wickets. But Shane Watson continued to add runs at his end, taking for himself a century and the team’s score to 199 for the loss of 6 wickets. KKR on the other hand didn’t have a good start, losing Gautam Gambhir in the first over and Robin Uthappa in the 3rd over. Yusuf Pathan and Andre Russell kept the score moving with a 55-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Once they were out, KKR lost its momentum once again. RR’s Watson picked up two wickets and Chris Morris picked up four wickets, helping RR reach the playoffs. http://www.espncricinfo.com/indian-premier-league-2015/engine/match/829811.html Conclusion This was a match in which RR never really lost their momentum despite brief slowdowns in between. It was also a match in which KKR always stood a winning chance. RR’s stability and momentum was clear from the strength of the 2nd and 5th lord Jupiter by virtue of its exaltation. In aspecting three key houses, RR’s ascendant, house of Coach & Captain and the house of Game, Jupiter seemed to cast its full strength in favour of RR. This is reflected in their steady game and although Saturn cast some obstacles with its occupancy of RR’s ascendant and its aspects on RR’s Coach & Captain and the Score house, the team continued to play with poise and persistence. Ascendant lord Mars aspecting the ascendant helped them speed up their game, so did Sun and Mercury aspects. Jupiter’s influence was also evident from the fact that Shane Watson gave up captaincy in favour of Steven Smith so that he could concentrate on his game as an all-rounder. The result of the decision was clear from his play, both in batting and in bowling. On the other hand, KKR’s ascendant suffered under Saturn’s direct aspect and unlike RR which had Jupiter’s aspect as well as ascendant lord Mars’ aspects to counter the effect, they had none. On the contrary, their ascendant was in conflict with Mars and Sun coming under Saturn’s aspect and they were able to pick up their pace only in fits and starts. Although Jupiter occupied their house of Coach & Captain, house lord Moon occupied the 12th house, losing its ability to strengthen their game. Game house lord Mercury was caught in the Mars-Sun-Saturn play while the other crucial house, the house of Score was devoid of benefic aspects. Further, Score house lord Saturn was weakened in Scorpio under Mars-Sun aspects. As such, it was Jupiter who ruled the match with ascendant lord Mars giving the much-needed pace. With an astrological score of 19:13, RR won over KKR. 197 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue 6. 2015 Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore Toss Win: Chennai Super Kings The match was scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM Indian Standard Time, hence I have taken the toss time as 7:30 PM. Chart 20 Date: 22 May, 2015 | Time: 19:30:00 | Day: Friday | Place: Ranchi Ke CSK Game RCB Penalties Me Ma Su RCB Ascendant Ju Mo RCB Score RCB Coach & Captain CSK Coach & Captain CSK Score CSK Ascendant Asc-21 55' 57" o Sun-07 06' 02" o CSK Penalties 9 CSK Coach &10 Captain RCB Score CSK Game RCB Game Mon-01o 53' 58" Mar-C-13o 17' 24" CSK Penalties 7 CSK Ascendant 11 8 12 1 RCB Penalties CSK Score RCB Game Ra 6 RCB Game CSK Penalties Sa Ra 6 5 7 5 2 CSK Score 9 CSK Fans & Odds CSK Coach & Captain RCB 4 Coach & Captain 3 Ve RCB Ascendant RCB Fans & Odds Mer-R-18o 36' 30" Jup-21o 19' 28" RCB Coach & Captain Ju RCB Mo Fans & 4 Odds Ve 3 CSK Sa 8 Ascendant Ju Mo Me Ma Su Ke Ra Sa CSK Fans & Odds CSK Fans & Odds Ve RCB Fans & Odds Ven-21 42' 42" o Sat-R-07 36' 03" o 2 10 Me MaRCB Su Ascendant 1 11 12 Ke RCB Score RCB Penalties CSK Game Rah-R-14 26' 40" o Ket-R-14 26' 40" o Game Analysis Chennai Super Kings (CSK) won the toss and become the native team with its Scorpio ascendant. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is the rival team with Taurus as the ascendant. CSK chose to field. Based on the game analysis, CSK’s Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Sagittarius), Coach & Captain the 3rd house (Capricorn), Game is seen from the 5th house (Pisces), Score from the 10th house (Leo) and Penalties from the 12th house (Libra). RCB’s ascendant rises in Taurus. Its Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Gemini), Coach & Captain the 3rd house (Cancer), Game occupies the 5th house (Virgo), its Score is seen from the 10th house (Aquarius) and Penalties occupies the 12th house (Aries). 198 Indian Premier League Let us analyse the ascendant, ascendant lord and the house of Score. CSK’s Scorpio ascendant has Saturn posited within indicating obstacles to their game. But ascendant lord Mars aspecting the ascendant lends strength and speed to their play. Further, Sun and Mercury aspects bring dynamism, courage and intelligence. With the Sun-Mars aspects on Saturn, a certain amount of conflict is to be expected too. Jupiter’s role becomes important at this juncture. Jupiter stands exalted. In addition, it’s conjunction with Moon lends it greater strength. As such, this is one of the strongest positions that Jupiter can occupy. From this position of strength, Jupiter casts its 5th aspect on CSK’s ascendant, strengthening the team and minimising the result of the Saturn-Sun, Mars conflict. RCB’s ascendant with Sun, Mars and Mercury posited within help this team too in playing a game of courage and intelligence although it will be tinged with undue aggression due to the presence of the two malefics. Further, with Saturn placing intermittent obstacles, their ability to overcome these at each stage and picking up their pace is limited. Further, the Saturn-Sun, Mars mutual aspects pull the team in opposing directions and cohesiveness can be missing from their game. Hence, CSK leads in the matter of the ascendant. CSK’s ascendant lord Mars is posited in the 7th house in conjunction with Sun and Mercury. Although Saturn’s direct aspect brings conflicts, the team is in a position to play with speed, intelligence and a pragmatic approach. RCB’s ascendant lord Venus occupies the 2nd house and is in exchange of houses with house lord Mercury. This brings gains to the team. In particular, it elevates fans’ emotions and raises the odds in favour of the team. Hence, RCB leads in this parameter. CSK’s Score house is under Saturn’s aspect, but Saturn is weakened by virtue of its Scorpio-occupancy and being under Sun, Mars aspects. Hence, Saturn’s ability to place obstacles and slow the score becomes limited. The Score house also comes under the 4th aspect from Mars, leading to some hasty decisions which lead to a dip in their game from time to time. Score lord Sun’s placement in the 7th house in conjunction with Mars and Mercury places it in a position of strength. RCB’s Score house is unaspected, but score lord Saturn is weakened as we have seen by its position and aspects on the planet. Hence, CSK leads in this parameter. CSK’s Game house is under the 9th aspect of house lord Jupiter. As we have seen, Jupiter is in a particularly strong position, allowing the team to play a resourceful and intelligent game and brings them gains. RCB’s Game house is unaspected. Game lord Mercury’s conjunction with Mars and Sun as well as its exchange of houses with ascendant lord Venus brings strength to the house and allows RCB to 199 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue play a tactical game, but Saturn’s direct aspect cannot be ignored. It adds to the dissonance and does not allow Mercury to perform to its full capability. As such, CSK leads in this parameter. CSK’s Coach & Captain is under house lord Saturn’s aspect which is to their advantage although they must overcome intermittent obstacles. The bigger element in their favour is Jupiter’s direct aspect, allowing them to strategise with wisdom and foresight and to overcome Saturn’s obstacles. Further, Jupiter being the 2nd lord, enables them to communicate well and lets the team function as a cohesive unit. RCB’s house of Coach & Captain is occupied by exalted Jupiter in conjunction with house lord Moon, giving them a strong advantage in the matter of Coach & Captain. They will play a courageous and insightful game and give strength to their fans’ emotions. Analysing the Game and Coach & Captain together, we find that although both carry strong houses of Coach & Captain with RCB taking the lead, only CSK is able to translate this strength fully through a strong Game house. Mars’ 8th aspect on CSK’s house of Fans & Odds affects the fans’ emotions, giving rise to sudden highs and lows. House lord Jupiter occupying the 9th house comes to the rescue, giving strength and stability to fans’ emotions and a sound basis for turning the odds in CSK’s favour. In case of RCB’s house of Fans & Odds, ascendant lord Venus is posited within, strengthening the house. Further, its exchange of houses with house lord Mercury enables it to enhance the team’s gains and raise the odds in the team’s favour. Fans’ emotions are roused. However, caught in the Mars-Sun-Saturn conflict, house lord Mercury is not in a position to give its full strength towards ensuring smooth communication within the team. CSK’s house of Penalties remains unaspected and with house lord Venus posited in the 8th house, the team will give away penalties. RCB’s house too remains unaspected and with house lord Mars caught in Saturn’s aspect, this team too will give away penalties. Of the two, CSK takes a marginal lead in this parameter. 200 Indian Premier League Chennai Super Kings Cricket Limited (Chennai Super Kings) Date: 19 December, 2014 | Time: 12:00:00 | Day: Friday | Place: Chennai Royal Challengers Sports Private Ltd (Royal Challengers Bangalore) Date: 11 March, 2008 | Time: 12:00:00 | Day: Tuesday | Place: Bengaluru Transposing Moon and ascendant of the franchisee charts on to the transit game chart, we find that Chennai Super Kings Cricket Limited, owners of CSK, have their Moon posited in Libra. We find that it occupies the 12th house from CSK’s ascendant in the transit game chart, leading to losses and lowering fans’ emotions. Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited, owners of RCB, have their Moon posited in Ar- 201 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue ies, which too is in RCB’s 12th house. In addition, transit Saturn posited in the 8th house from the franchisee’s Moon lowers the odds and brings about many ups and downs in fans’ emotions. CSK’s owner’s ascendant is in Pisces with transit house lord Jupiter in a particularly strong position. It is exalted and is in conjunction with Moon. Further Jupiter aspects Pisces, lending great foundational strength to CSK. RCB’s owner’s ascendant is in Taurus which is the same as their transit ascendant. As such, it is caught in the Mars-Sun-Saturn conflict, limiting its strength. Hence, CSK leads in this parameter. Planetary Influence Let us now analyse the captain’s jersey numbers and the teams’ jersey colours with respect to the date and the day of the match. Jersey Numbers CSK’s captain MS Dhoni wears the jersey number 7 which is ruled by the South Node. The South Node acts in a manner similar to Mars and hence is conducive to outdoor games. RCB’s captain Virat Kohli’s jersey number is 18 which equates to Mars-ruled 9. Hence, in the matter of the captain’s jersey number, both teams are on equal footing. The match date was 22 which equates to the North Node’s 4. It views Mars as an enemy and the South Node as a friend. Hence, CSK leads in this parameter. Day of Week The match day was a Friday which is ruled by Venus. Venus is neutral to Mars and is friendly to the South Node. Hence, RCB leads in this parameter. Jersey Colour CSK’s jersey was in Venus’ yellow. RCB’s jersey was in the Mars’ red with the sleeves in Saturn’s blue, bringing a certain amount of conflict. Hence, CSK leads in this parameter. The day of the week being ruled by Jupiter, RCB takes the lead. 202 Indian Premier League Astrological Summary Table Parameters CSK RCB Remarks Ascendant 2 1 CSK: Occupied by Saturn under SunMars-Mercury-Jupiter aspects RCB: Occupied by Sun, Mars, Mercury under Saturn’s aspect Ascendant Lord 1 2 CSK: Mars in 7th house conjunct Sun, Mercury under Saturn’s aspect RCB: Venus in 2nd house, exchange of houses with Mercury 1 CSK: Saturn, Mars aspects, Score lord Sun conjunct Mars, Mercury under Saturn’s aspect RCB: Unaspected, Score lord Saturn in Scorpio under Sun-Mars’ aspects 3 CSK: Game: House lord Jupiter’s aspect, exalted house lord Jupiter conjunct Moon Coach & Captain: Saturn aspecting own house, Jupiter-Moon aspects RCB: Game: Unaspected, house lord Mercury conjunct Mars and Sun under Saturn’s aspect, exchanges houses with ascendant lord Venus Coach & Captain: Exalted Jupiter conjunct house lord Moon Game Analysis Score Game, Coach & Captain 2 4 Fans & Odds 3 2 CSK: Mars’ aspect, exalted house lord Jupiter conjunct Moon RCB: Occupied by ascendant lord Venus, exchange of houses with house lord Mercury, house lord Mercury conjunct Mars, Sun Penalties 1 0 CSK: Unaspected, house lord Venus in 8th house RCB: Unaspected, house lord Mars under Saturn’s aspect Moon 0 0 CSK: 12th house RCB: 12th house, 8th house Saturn in transit Ascendant 3 2 CSK: House lord Jupiter’s aspect, exalted Jupiter conjunct Moon RCB: Occupied by Mars, Sun, Mercury under Saturn’s aspect Jersey Numbers 2 1 CSK: 7 jersey number; Friendly to the date’s 4 RCB: 18 jersey number; Enemy to the date’s 4 Day of the Week 1 2 CSK: Venus – neutral to Mars RCB: Venus – friendly to South Node Jersey Colour 1 2 CSK: Yellow (Venus); Jupiter rules the day RCB: Red (Mars) with Blue (Saturn); Jupiter rules the day Total 19 16 Franchisee Charts Planetary Influence 203 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue How the Match was Played CSK won the match by 3 wickets with one ball remaining. On the slow wicket, CSK chose to field which worked in their favour. Ashish Nehra dismissed Virat Kohli in the fifth over with Kohli having made a bare 12 runs. Nehra had De Villiers out within the same over and RCB were 25 for the loss of two wickets. After 13 overs, when RCB were 67 for 3, Chris Gayle struck two sixes off Suresh Raina but fell to the next ball from him. The last three wickets fell in quick succession in the final two overs. It seemed that RCB never found a steady pace except for Sarfaraz Khan’s 31 off 21 balls which took them to 139 for the loss of 8 wickets. CSK’s Dwayne Smith was not in good form and he was out in the fourth over after making 17 runs. RCB’s poor run continued as they dropped two catches within six overs. Yuzvendra Chahal came to RCB’s rescue when he took out Faf du Plessis and Raina’s wickets. However, with Michael Hussey making 46 runs off 56 balls before he fell to Wiese, CSK remained in control. Playing in his home town Ranchi, MS Dhoni brought in 26 runs off 29 balls and the score was level. With Ashwin taking a single off the final ball, CSK made it to the 2015 IPL finals. http://www.espncricinfo.com/indian-premier-league-2015/engine/match/829821. html Conclusion CSK maintained their momentum and remained in control of the match while RCB struggled to find their pace. Exalted Jupiter’s influence was evident in CSK’s game, allowing them to play with foresight and bringing great gains. As the 2nd and 5th lord posited in the 9th house in exaltation and in conjunction with Moon, Jupiter was in an extremely powerful position. Aspecting three key houses, the ascendant, the house of Coach & Captain and the Game house, it allowed the team to play a consistently strong game. RCB on the other hand was marred by the Mars-Sun-Saturn conflict and with little help coming from the franchise owner’s Moon and ascendant. 8th house Saturn from the franchisee’s Moon indicated defeat and disappointment, accentuated by Mars’ aspect on the 8th house from the franchisee ascendant as well as the transit ascendant, and the team struggled to maintain their usual pace in the game. Hence, this qualifier is a match that displayed the strength of Jupiter and won the game for CSK. With an astrological score of 19:16, CSK won over RCB. 204 Indian Premier League 7. 2015 Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders Toss Win: Kolkata Knight Riders The match was scheduled to begin at 8:00 PM Indian Standard Time, hence I have taken the toss time as 7:30 PM. Chart 21 Date: 14 May, 2015 | Time: 19:30:00 | Day: Thursday | Place: Mumbai Ke Mo KKR Game Su MI Penalties Me Ma MI Ascendant Ve MI Fans & Odds Ju KKR Coach & Captain KKR Ascendant Ra Asc-05o 43' 13" Sun-29o 23' 31" KKR Penalties MI Score MI Game Mon-11o 12' 23" Mar-C-07o 40' 25" 1 MI 6 Game 11 8 KKR Score 5 MI Ascendant Ra 6 5 MI Coach & Captain MI Ju Fans & 4 Odds Ve 3 MeMI 2 Ma Ascendant KKR Sa 8 Ascendant Ju MI 4 Coach & 3 Captain Ve MI Fans & Odds Mer-18 15' 11" o Jup-20 25' 58" o KKR Penalties 7 2 Su MI Penalties KKR Score MI Game Ra Sa Me Ma KKR 12 Game 7 KKR Ascendant Ke Mo KKR Score Sa KKR Fans & Odds KKR 9 Coach &10 Captain MI Coach & Captain MI Score KKR Penalties KKR Fans & Odds 9 KKR Fans & Odds KKR Coach & Captain Ven-13o 10' 52" Sat-R-08o 11' 39" 10 1 11 MI Score 12 Su Ke Mo MI Penalties KKR Game Rah-R-15o 11' 21" Ket-R-15o 11' 21" Game Analysis Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had won the toss and becomes the native team, occupying the Scorpio ascendant. Mumbai Indians (MI) is the rival team, occupying the Taurus ascendant. Having won the toss, KKR chose to bowl. Based on the game analysis, KKR’s Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Sagittarius), Coach & Captain the 3rd house (Capricorn), Game can be seen from the 5th house (Pisces), Score from the 10th house (Leo) and Penalties from the 12th house (Libra). With respect to MI, reading from its Taurus ascendant, Fans & Odds occupies the 2nd house (Gemini). MI’s Coach & Captain occupies the 3rd house (Cancer), its Game occupies the 5th house (Virgo), Score is seen from the 10th house (Aquarius) and Penalties occupies the 12th house (Aries). 205 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Let us take a look at the ascendants, ascendant lords and the house of Score. KKR’s Scorpio ascendant has Saturn posited within, slowing their game and weakening their chances. Further, although Mars is the ascendant lord, its aspect on Saturn keeps the ascendant in conflict and hence, in a weakened state. Jupiter’s 5th aspect brings them some respite though. MI’s Taurus ascendant has Mars and Mercury posited within. Mars, the lord of outdoor games, being neutral to ascendant lord Venus, is in a position of strength. Further, its conjunction with Mercury brings intelligence and quick responses to MI’s game. At the same time, Saturn’s direct aspect brings obstacles and conflicts too. KKR’s ascendant lord Mars occupies the 7th house and Saturn’s aspect weakens its power. MI’s ascendant lord Venus on the other hand, occupies the 2nd house, indicating ambition, forethought and gains. The exchange of houses with 2nd lord Mercury is a strong combination, leading to meticulous planning and sharp thinking. In case of KKR, it is as the 7th and 8th lords that they exchange houses, proving detrimental to the team. Hence, when we look at the ascendant and ascendant lord, MI fares better than KKR. Analysing the house of Score, we find Saturn casting its 10th aspect and Mars casting its 4th aspect on KKR’s Score house, resulting in conflict and a pull in different directions, weakening the house. Further, house lord Sun although exalted, is posited in KKR’s 6th house and is not in a position to bring gains. MI’s Score house, on the other hand, is unaspected with the house lord Saturn posited in the 7th house, albeit in Scorpio under Mars’ aspect. This is a stronger position than that of KKR’s. Hence, MI fares better in this parameter. KKR has 9th lord Moon posited within the Game house, giving them clarity of thought. It is under Jupiter’s 9th aspect, strengthening them further. MI’s Game is aspected by 3rd lord Moon which allows them to play a courageous game. Given these positions and aspects, KKR fares relatively better. KKR’s Coach & Captain is under house lord Saturn’s aspect, bringing them resilience. At the same time, Saturn applies the brakes on their momentum and risktaking ability. It also gives an indication that communication with the team may suffer. But, Jupiter comes to the rescue with its direct aspect. MI’s Coach & Captain on the other hand has exalted Jupiter posited within, allowing them to take strategic and tactical decisions with a balance of courage and forethought. Further, they will communicate effectively with the team. When we view the houses of Game and Coach & Captain together, we find that the decisions taken by MI and conveyed to the team are translated into a courageous 206 Indian Premier League game. KKR remains on a backfoot due to the combined effects of lower risk-taking ability and turmoil in the team’s thinking. In the matter of Fans & Odds, KKR is under Mars’ 8th aspect, lowering the spirit of fans and affecting the odds negatively. In case of MI, ascendant lord Venus is posited within the house, lending strength to the team’s fans and enhancing the odds in their favour. KKR’s Penalties is aspected by Sun while MI’s Penalties has exalted Sun posited within. Hence, in the matter of Penalties, MI fares better. Knight Riders Sports Private Ltd (Kolkata Knight Riders) Date: 27 February, 2008 | Time: 12:00:00 | Day: Wednesday | Place: Mumbai 207 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Indiawin Sports Pvt. Ltd (Mumbai Indians) Date: 28 Nov, 2007 | Time: 12:00:00 | Day: Wednesday | Place: Mumbai We take the Moon and the ascendant of each owner’s chart and transpose these on the transit game chart. Kolkata Knight Riders is owned by Knight Riders Sports Private Ltd. In the chart of their incorporation date, Moon occupies Libra and the ascendant is in Taurus. Mumbai Indians is owned by Indiawin Sports Pvt. Ltd. In the chart of their incorporation date, Moon occupies Cancer and the ascendant rises in Capricorn. Transposing Knight Riders Sports’ Moon onto the transit game chart, we find that Moon occupies the 12th house in Libra, leading to ups and downs in KKR’s temperament and in fans’ expectations. This turmoil is accentuated by Sun’s aspect. When we transpose the Moon of Indiawin Sports which owns MI, onto the game chart, we find that Moon occupies its own house. Considering that in the transit chart, Jupiter occupies Cancer and hence is in exalted state, the team derives immense strength from this position. Since Moon is the significator of fans and emotions, fans are upbeat and the odds are strengthened too. Hence, in this parameter, MI fares better. Now, we transpose Knight Riders Sports’ Taurus ascendant onto the game chart. Although Mars occupies the ascendant in conjunction with Mercury, Saturn’s aspect weakens their ability to play an intelligent and aggressive game. Ascendant lord Venus occupying the 2nd house corrects the situation to some extent, bringing gains through good execution. 208 Indian Premier League Indiawin Sports with its Capricorn ascendant is under Jupiter’s direct aspect, giving them immense strength. Although ascendant lord Saturn, occupying Scorpio and being under Mars aspect is in a weakened state, its 3rd aspect on the ascendant protects MI and helps them overcome the obstacles in their path. Hence, in the matter of the franchisee’s ascendant, MI stays in the lead. Planetary Influence We now analyse the captains’ jersey numbers and the teams’ jersey colours for their strengths both by themselves and with respect to the date and day of the match. Jersey Numbers KKR’s captain Gautam Gambhir wears the jersey number 23 which equates to 5 and is represented by Mercury. Mercury brings intelligence to the strategy and tactics. Rohit Sharma wears the jersey number 45 which adds to 9 and is represented by Mars. Mars, being the driver of courage and aggression stands stronger than Mercury. The date of the match was 14 which adds to 5. Hence, Mercury is stronger than Mars. Taking the two elements into consideration, we find that the two teams are balanced in this respect. Day of Week The match was played on a Thursday which is represented by Jupiter. Jupiter views MI’s Mars as a friend and KKR’s Mercury as enemy. Hence, MI leads in this parameter. Jersey Colour KKR team is in purple jerseys. Purple is a mix of red and blue, the colours of Mars and Saturn, which is a conflicting combination. MI, with their blue jersey, wears the colour of Saturn. Although Saturn is not conducive to sports, MI fares better than KKR due to KKR’s conflicting mix of shades. Jupiter which represents the day of the week is friendly to Mars and neutral to Saturn. Hence, the teams are balanced when viewed along with the day of the week. (Astrological Summary Table Continued...) 209 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue Astrological Summary Table Parameters KKR MI Remarks Ascendant 1 2 KKR: Saturn in ascendant under Mars-Jupiter aspects MI: Mars, Mercury in ascendant under Saturn’s aspect Ascendant Lord 2 0 KKR: Ascendant lord Mars under Saturn’s aspect, 7th and 8th lords exchange houses MI: Ascendant lord in 2nd house, exchanges houses with 2nd lord Score 0 1 KKR: Saturn’s 10th aspect, Mars’ 4th aspect, Score lord Sun in 6th house MI: Unaspected, Score lord Saturn in 7th house Game Analysis Game, Coach & Captain 2 3 KKR: Game: Occupied by Moon Coach & Captain: Saturn-Jupiter aspects MI: Game: Moon’s aspect Coach & Captain: Occupied by exalted Jupiter Fans & Odds 0 1 KKR: Mars’ aspect MI: Occupied by Venus Penalties 0 1 KKR: Sun’s aspect MI: Occupied by exalted Sun 0 2 KKR: Moon in 12th house under Sun’s aspect MI: Moon in Cancer with transit Jupiter 2 KKR: Taurus ascendant with Mars and Mercury under Saturn’s aspect MI: Capricorn ascendant under Jupiter and ascendant lord Saturn’s aspects Franchisee Charts Moon Ascendant 1 Planetary Influence Jersey Numbers 2 2 KKR: 5 jersey number Same as match date MI: 9 jersey number Views Mercury as enemy Day of Week 0 1 KKR: Jupiter views Mercury as enemy MI: Jupiter friendly to Mars KKR: Purple (Red+Blue) – Mars and Saturn Jupiter friendly to Mars, neutral to Saturn MI: Blue of Saturn Jupiter neutral to Saturn Jersey Colour 1 2 Total 9 17 210 Indian Premier League How the Match was Played KKR, known for their chasing strength, chose to bowl first, but could not leverage their strength and MI beat KKR by 5 runs. MI didn’t get off to a great start with Shakib Al Hasan taking an early wicket. The team lost three wickets in consecutive overs before they stabilised. Captain Rohit Sharma kept taking singles and doubles with boundaries in the ninth over. But, most of MI’s strength came from the unbroken 92-run partnership between Pollard and Hardik Pandya with Pandya making 61 off 31 balls. When it was time for the last five overs, the pair accelerated the score, making 72 runs in these overs, taking MI’s core to 171 for the loss of four wickets. KKR began their chase well with plenty of boundaries. The opening pair, Robin Uthappa and Gautam Gambhir added 45 runs in 5.3 overs. But, wickets fell in steady succession with all MI bowlers, except Hardik Pandya, taking a wicket each. At the start of the last five overs, KKR needed 50 runs to win, but Yusuf Pathan narrowed the chase to 12 runs off the final over. But, at this crucial juncture, he fell to Pollard’s bowling. Umesh Yadav struck a four, but with Chawla failing to connect with the ball, they lost by 5 runs, making 166 runs for the loss of seven wickets. With this win, MI moved into the top four. http://www.espncricinfo.com/indian-premier-league-2015/engine/match/829805. html Conclusion Although the planets to watch are Mars, Saturn and Jupiter in general, it is also the play of Venus and Mercury that gave additional strength to the MI team. The conflict between Mars and Saturn was evident when we view KKR’s game from this perspective. With ascendant lord Mars aspecting the Scorpio ascendant, KKR got off to a quick start both in their batting and bowling. But, they couldn’t capitalize on the quick start in the middle segment of the game and then they slipped in the last overs. This can be attributed to Saturn’s presence in the ascendant. Although KKR had Jupiter aspecting three key houses, the ascendant, Coach & Captain as well as their Game, the mutual aspects of Saturn and Mars proved too high to overcome with Saturn occupying an enemy house. 211 SPORTS ASTROLOGY ue When it came to bowling too, KKR took three quick wickets. After that, it seemed that they couldn’t budge the steady strength of the MI batsmen. It was the same story when they came on field to bat. They were off to a quick 45 runs in 5.3 overs, but two wickets fell in quick succession. Although Yousuf Pathan came in fourth to steady the pace and take them within sniffing distance of a win, the loss of his wicket left the team stranded. MI, on the other hand, had Mars occupying the ascendant in conjunction with Mercury. If there are planets that are conducive to games and sports, it is these two, offering a perfect combination. The only deterrent was Saturn’s aspect on the ascendant, but then Saturn itself was weakened. With MI’s ascendant lord Venus in a strong position and with the formation of a strong combination through the mutual exchange of houses between the ascendant lord and the 2nd lord, the team stood to gain. This match is the story of the strength of three planets – Mars, Venus, Mercury – along with the benefic presence of exalted Jupiter in a crucial house, overcoming Jupiter’s multiple aspects on the opposing team’s three key houses. It is also the story of Saturn vs Mars and who gains the upper hand in this particular context. With that, MI won the match with an astrological score of 17:9. 212 Indian Premier League Bibliography WICBC, WICB: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Indies_Cricket_Board St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda’s Latitude and Longitude - 17.07 N and 61.51 W: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/antigua-and-barbuda/saint-johns Date of official formation of West Indies cricket team: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History _of _the_West_Indian_cricket_team WICB, New Zealand, India elected as full members of ICC: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Cricket_Council, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of _International_Cricket_Council_members, 2015 West Indies tour of India: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/international/westindies/11176638/ West-Indies-cricket-plunged-into-deepest-crisis-as-India-suspend-all-future-bilateral-series.html 213