Poonam to strip only for Team India!

She is all of 20 and more than willing to bare all for Team India! However, model Poonam Pandey may or may not get to strip for the Champions, but she's sure become the talk of the town, all thanks to her bold desire. "Thanx a Lot All for ur Support!! I am Still on with My Commitments Stay TUNED," reads her latest Twitter post.

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Indians not as large hearted as Pakistanis: Afridi

ISLAMABAD: Days after winning the hearts of numerous Indian fans with his remarks after his team's loss in the World Cup semifinal, Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi has said Indians are not as large-hearted as Pakistanis.

Afridi also slammed the Indian media for its "very negative approach" and said the Pakistani media was a "hundred times better" than its Indian counterpart.

"In my opinion, if I have to tell the truth, they (Indians) will never have hearts like Muslims and Pakistanis. I don't think they have the large and clean hearts that Allah has given us," Afridi said during a talk show on Samaa news channel when he was asked about relations between the two countries.

"It is a very difficult thing for us to live with them (Indians) or to have long-term relationship with them. Nothing will come out of talks. See how many times in the past 60 years we have had friendship and then how many times things have gone bad," he said as the audience in the TV channel's studio applauded him repeatedly.

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India Sri Lanka final: Dhoni's parents keep fingers crossed

RANCHI: "Shaurya" is premises no. H 10A in the Harmu Housing Colony, some 4 kms from Firayalal, the centre of Ranchi town. A two-storeyed building that had closed all its doors and windows on Friday afternoon to keep the pestering media at bay. It's the house where the Dhonis live, the family of the first citizen of Indian Cricket.

Shaurya is superstitious about Saturday's match. The inmates, Mahi's parents and his elder brother's family, do not want to discuss cricket at all. "There's a reason why. In 2007, we were nervous and didn't talk to anybody from the media at all. The Mahi-led India team won the inaugural ICC World Twenty20, defeating Pakistan by 5 runs in the final at Johannesburg. So we were delighted of course! When time came for the 2009 Twenty20 World Cup in England, we talked our hearts out. And India lost !"

That was Narendra Singh Dhoni , Mahi's elder brother, speaking to ET on Friday. "You know what? All this cricket means we are forced to remain under voluntary house arrest till it ends. Just look at the crowd in front of our house and you would know what I mean" he said. Sure enough. Between H10A and the BJP party office bang opposite the road, there were atleast six OB vans and some 40-50 mediamen milling around.

The Dhonis of Shaurya are, therefore, taking no chances this time. Not a word to the media, nothing at all that may come in the way of India and the Cup, not a deed that might make the Gods angry. Yes, the Dhonis are simple, God-fearing people.

As a mutual friend informed, the family visited Tarapith in West Bengal's Birbhum district with a local priest, to offer their prayers just before the semis with Pakistan at Mohali. Tarapith is Tantric hotspot and famously potent. Legend has it that the third eye of Sati fell here, when Shiva went on the rampage with his dead consort's lifeless body on his shoulder and Lord Vishnu decimated the body into 51 bits with his Sudarshan Chakra to pacify Shiva.

Narendra of course parried the question. "Is it not natural that we will pray?" he asked. Sure, and it's not only Mahi's family that is praying. Even his neighbours are. His closest neighbours these days are employees of State Bank of India , Harmu branch and the lady present in the bank on Friday, despite it being a bank holiday, said she certainly has prayed too and that she would be delighted if India wins the World Cup. Old neighbours at the Mecon colony, where the Dhonis first lived at N-171 and later at E-25 and where Mahi was born and brought up, said they were also praying for Mahi and India.

Kalyan Pramanik, who lived in N-172, and Satyajit Panda who lives in E-26, both were counting the uneasy hours before Saturday's finals. Being a Dhoni is tough at times and they are basically simple folk. Narendra is some 40 plus and runs his own private business. "We are very private people, but being a Dhoni doesn't allow us to lead a very private life" said Narendra. He had joined the BJP for sometime against the wishes of everyone in the family, including Mahi and his own wife. The intense opposition finally forced Narendra to quit politics.

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http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/india-sri-lanka-final-dhonis-parents-keep-fingers-crossed/articleshow/7847809.cms

Customs detain WC trophy

The Customs authorities in Mumbai detained the cricket World Cup trophy at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport on early Friday when it arrived from Colombo. The Customs detained the trophy, as no commercial value was attached to it making it difficult to assess the duty.

An International Cricket Council (ICC) representative had carried the trophy and also a covering letter not addressed to anyone, but saying, "To whomsoever it may concern".

Customs officials said that the letter mentioned that this property is not for commercial purposes and hence has nil value.

The representative arrived at around 2am by a Sri Lankan Airlines flight with the trophy kept in an aluminum box. The trophy made of silver and gold weighed around 11kg.

A senior Customs official, requesting anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media said that the trophy was detained because under Customs Act there is no duty exemption for the same.

"The ICC should have in advance approached the government and got adhoc exemption for the trophy through a notification," the official said explaining the procedure for getting exemption in such cases.

The Customs officials called experts to find out the value of the trophy following which the duty on the same would be ascertained. The experts were busy ascertaining the value of the trophy till evening.

Officials said after the duty is paid, the trophy would be released.

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India Vs Sri Lanka Final World Cup 2011 - Fate Predicted

The men in blue have thrown their best performances in Mohali to conquer Pakistan in the exciting Semi final on 30th March and are all set to meet the Lankans at Wankhade on 2nd April in the finals. Sri Lanka on the other hand is also at the top with their batting strength. Their bowling department also is strong and it is sure that the Men in Blue will have to give their best performances to gift us the ICC World Cup Trophy 2011.

We had also seen that enjoyment in the face of every Indian when they defeated Pakistan in the Semi Final. Will India be able to repeat that magic performance again in Finals? Who will win the India Vs Sri Lanka Final World Cup 2011 match? Our Vedic Astrologers has analyzed the situation and here are the astrological details for the India Vs Sri Lanka Final match.

Based on the Date and Time of the India Vs Sri Lanka Final Match: The ascendant is cancer and its lord Moon is well placed in the 9th house with yogadhipathi Mars. This indicates strong possibility for India to win the world cup final match; however, the chart also indicates that the match is going to be a tough one. Lot of expectations is there from Sachin and he will be able to meet the expectations to a certain extent. Moreover, Jupiter and Sun are also favoring India by their placement in Pisces along with Moon.

Based on the Prasna Chart: - The charts are indicating that the India Vs Sri Lanka Final will be a tough encounter. Dhoni will have to use his tactics, presence of mind and his experience well in this world cup encounter to gift India their 2nd World Cup Trophy.

So, according to our astrologers, India Vs Sri Lanka Final Match will be a tough one; however, the planets are strongly favoring India to gift us our 2nd world Cup trophy.

Instant Insight or Prasna Astrology is an amazing mixture of ancient and modern Vedic predicting techniques. For ages, Prasna Astrology has been trusted by expert astrologers for having an insight into the immediate future. Pick a number between 1 to 249 and in a matter of minutes our astrologer will predict the answer to any of your queries.Based on the time of the question asked, our experienced Prasna Astrologer will study all the planetary indicators and answer your question in near real time. So experience the satisfaction through Prasna Astrology in real time.

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Immoral? Poonam doesn’t care

Winning is one thing. Losing your clothes for a win, another. At the time we went to press, the results of the India-Pakistan World Cup semi-final may’ve been uncertain, but what was certain was that the moral brigade was livid about model Poonam Pandey’s announcement that she’d run through the stadi
um in the buff if the boys in blue won the World Cup.

The 20 year-old said she first intended to go naked for fans in the stadium, and then in the dressing room, in front of the Indian team. “Showing happiness through nudity is against Indian values. I must congratulate her that she feels happy enough to do so, but there are other ways to show happiness,” says Vinod Bansal of Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

“We are totally against such vulgarity and obscenity,” fumes Shalini Thackeray of the right wing Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. Shiv Sena says it will handle things ‘their way’ if the government doesn’t step in to stop such gimmicks.

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Indian selectors humiliated

The five National selectors, headed by K. Srikkanth, returned to their respective homes after being humiliated in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Their ‘mysterious' absence at the Punjab Cricket Stadium (PCA) in Mohali was not to be missed on Wednesday as India clashed with Pakistan in the World Cup semifinal.

The selectors, who had confirmed room bookings at the Taj, were denied accommodation by the hotel authorities. PCA sources confirmed that the selectors were turned back by the hotel despite holding confirmed bookings.

The hotel, which has a tie-up with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), was facing unprecedented demand for rooms. The hotel did not offer any alternative arrangement and the selectors —Srikkanth, Yashpal Sharma, Narendra Hirwani, Raja Venkat and Surendra Bhave — were left with little choice.

The selectors lost little time in leaving Chandigarh. They drove back overnight to Delhi and were watching the match from their homes instead at Mohali. It is learnt the hotel authorities had transferred the room bookings to the International Cricket Council (ICC) even though the selectors' accommodation was the responsibility of the BCCI. The selectors had reported at 3 p.m. and had left the city four hours later by road.

The fiasco, claimed a PCA source, was due to a tussle between the BCCI and the ICC over ticket allocation and hotel bookings. The selectors are often known to fetch for themselves from the airport to the hotel or the stadium but this was a first as far as accommodation was concerned.

The last time a National selector was humiliated was Hirwani when he was evicted from a hospitality box during an Indian Premier League match (IPL) but surprisingly chose to suffer the indignity without any protest.

Incidentally, the selection committee includes two members — Srikkanth and Yashpal — of the 1983 World Cup winning team. The selectors, undoubtedly, deserved better treatment for having done a decent job of the responsibility entrusted to them.

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Rain gives fans a scare

CHANDIGARH: Thunder, lightening and rain hit Mohali on Tuesday night, giving a sleepless night to cricket fans having tickets for Wednesday's ICC World Cup semi-final match between arch rivals India and Pakistan at PCA Stadium. Overnight rain poses a threat to cricket matches if there is water logging or pitch damage.

The sky in the morning was clear and nobody could have predicted rain later in the day even though it was windy for most of the time.

Cloud cover developed late in the evening and at around 10pm, it started raining in Mohali and Chandigarh.

Jatin Kapoor, who came from Delhi to watch the match, got worried on seeing rain in the Tricity. 'I will pray for the weather to stay dry,' he said. Mohali-resident Shailender Anand, who is expecting guests from Pakistan for the thriller, said three of his friends from Lahore were arriving on Wednesday morning. 'It will be shocking if they do not get to watch the match as they have got visas with much difficulty,' he added.

Meteorological officials said that rain was expected to last a few hours. They added that there was less chance of rainfall in Mohali on the day of the match. 'Sky would be cloudy. However, a sudden change in weather cannot be ruled out', officials on duty mentioned.

The met department predicted that maximum temperature on Wednesday would be around 32 degrees Celsius, while minimum would be near the 17 mark.

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Divine assistance: Fasting, praying for the success of Team India

NEW DELHI: From February 19 onwards, Sakshi Dhoni has been fasting every day the Indian cricket team has played a match in this World Cup. She would continue her fast on Wednesday, when India plays Pakistan in the second semifinal, in the hope that this routine will culminate on April 2, when the final takes places in Mumbai.

While Indian skipper MS Dhoni's wife performs her vows, Yuvraj Singh's mother Shabnam, too, has been interceding with the Gods. She has completed many rounds of visits to religious places in Chandigarh-her hometown and the venue of the India-Pakistan game -- praying for the success of her son and the Indian team.

Those prayers have borne fruit so far: Yuvraj has been in sublime batting touch, scoring 341 runs in seven matches so far at an average of over 113. He has also taken 11 wickets and is a serious contender for the Player of the Tournament award.

Attacking opener Virender Sehwag can also count on pleas for divine assistance from his mother Krishna. After scoring 175 runs in the tournament opener against Bangladesh, Sehwag has gone off the boil somewhat. He missed the game against the West Indies due to injury and has scored just one half-century in the match against South Africa that India lost.

But she is confident that he will come good against Pakistan, a team against which he has enjoyed good success. The last time India and Pakistan played in a world cup match-Centurion in 2003-Sehwag teamed up with Sachin Tendulkar to set up an easy win.

"Viru is baar koi bada dhamaka karega," she says.

Krishna will not travel to Mohali for the match because she is nervous about watching her son play. She has not seen a single World Cup game live; only recorded clippings. There will be no exceptions, not even for one of the biggest cricket matches that will be played in India. "I get very tensed," she says.

Instead, she will stay at home and pray for her son and the Indian team.

Dhoni's wife is not nervous about watching him play, but she does not hang around either every time India is in action. It's her way of giving him space to concentrate on the biggest tournament of his life.


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Cricket Australia sets Ponting captaincy deadline

SYDNEY: Under-fire Australia captain Ricky Ponting was given just three days to decide his future on Monday as selectors said the next one-day squad would be announced on Wednesday.

Ponting, who let slip Australia's 12-year grasp on the World Cup last week - just three months after their heavy Ashes defeat - has already hinted that he may step down.

Cricket Australia said a squad for next month's three-match one-day tour of Bangladesh was expected to be announced on Wednesday, effectively setting a deadline for the veteran skipper.

Ponting, 36, returned home on Sunday following Australia's quarterfinal exit from the World Cup at the hands of India, saying he was considering his position this week.

"I'll have the opportunity over the next couple of days to reflect on where things are headed for me and certainly what direction I feel things are heading for the betterment of Australian cricket," the Test and one-day captain told reporters.

"I have to really decide what I think is right for me and the team going forward."

Australia play three one-day matches against Bangladesh on April 9, 11 and 13, with Ponting previously stating that he wanted to lead the team on the tour.

But Ponting has since suggested he could quit as captain, saying he was prepared to play on under the likely leadership of his deputy Michael Clarke and bat anywhere in the order.

"I see myself as a leader around the group, simple as that, whether I'm captain or not I still think I've got a lot to offer as far as leadership qualities go," he said.

Though heartened by support of teammates and senior officials, Ponting said he was "absolutely" prepared to drop down the order and step down as captain "if that's what they (CA) and I believe is the best way forward".

Ponting, who has been under attack since the 3-1 Ashes series defeat to England, scored a fighting 104 but it was not enough to prevent India from knocking the champions out in last Thursday's quarterfinal in Ahmedabad.

He has now presided over the end of Australia's 12-year run as World Cup champions after his third Ashes series defeat as captain to England.

Ponting, who has been captain for nine years, had a difficult World Cup, taking a reprimand from the International Cricket Council after smashing a dressing-room TV in a fit of fury after being run out against Zimbabwe.

He was also criticised for angrily throwing the ball to the ground after colliding with teammate Steven Smith during their victory against Canada, and for failing to walk in the group match defeat by Pakistan.

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India rewrite history. Send Australia packing.

India batsman Yuvraj Singh whoops it upon driving in the decisive runs in Thursday's five-wicket victory over Australia.

It is not often that Ricky Ponting scores a gritty century and ends up on the losing side, especially in a World Cup. But he did as India avenged their 2003 World Cup defeat at the hands of Australia in glorious fashion. The second quarterfinal in Ahmedabad between the two heavy weights was always going to be more than just a match. For some, it was the final before the final. And indeed, the meeting more than lived up to the hype with the home team overcoming some tense moments to romp home with 5 wickets in hand.

A sense of anticipation hung in the air as Ricky Ponting put his boys in to bat first. R Ashwin opened the bowling with Zaheer Khan on a dry and crumbly pitch getting drier and crumblier by the minute. After danger man Shane Watson (25) was castled by Ashwin and the team score at 40-1, Brad Haddin took on the responsibility of punishing loose deliveries mercilessly. Munaf Patel soon became the opener's bunny, as Haddin brought up his fourth tournament half-century off the medium-pacer. However, Yuvraj Singh soon got the breakthrough and Haddin was gone for 53.

On the other end, his skipper, Ponting, had been putting together a chanceless knock that went a long way in restoring his confidence. The middle overs were soon to become a battle of the captains. As Ponting played out an impeccable innings steeped in class, MS Dhoni constantly came at him with different bowlers from both ends and used Zaheer Khan's capabilities with the old ball judiciously. There was also a palpable intensity in the Indian fielding today, with new inclusions Raina and R Ashwin ensuring that the Indians had around 20 fewer runs to chase. In the end, the Australians notched up a competitive score of 260-6 notwithstanding Ponting's dismissal on 104 in the penultimate over.

A fluent start by both Indian openers was not to last long, with the tentative-looking Virender Sehwag wassurprised by a Shane Watson delivery in the 9th over. Tendulkar, in the meantime, carried on with some fearless play, opening the full face of the bat to smack some glorious drives to the boundary. He, however, lived a tad dangerously en route to 18,000 ODI runs and yet another sublime half-century. The little master jabbed at a Shaun Tait delivery in the 19th over, which saw him back in the pavilion on 53 with India at 94-2.

Virat Kohli (24) spent an aesthetically pleasing time at the crease, but played a ridiculous shot to gift his wicket away. Gautam Gambhir (50) gave Yuvraj Singh valuable company, and then inexplicably succeeded at running himself out, after a failed attempt on the previous delivery as well. With the Indian skipper soon gone and the team needing 74 to win off 73, it looked like the "chokers" tag was back in business.

But finisher Suresh Raina, newly included in the squad, had other ideas. Both he and Yuvraj waited out a few tight overs from the pacers and then opened the floodgates off two consecutive Lee and Tait overs, which went for 14 and 13 runs respectively. There was no stopping them thereafter, and Ponting's last-ditch efforts to prolong his team's World Cup stint by reintroducing spin were not to be. Yuvraj Singh (57 off 65 and 2 wickets) who has made a habit of seeing his side through won his fourth consecutive Man-of-the-match trophy and setup another high-voltage clash against Pakistan in the semi-final in the week to follow.

Brief Scores: India 261 for 5 (Yuvraj 57, Tendulkar 53; D Hussey 1-19) beat Australia 260 for in 49.4 overs (Ponting 104, Haddin 53; Yuvraj 2-44) by 5 wickets with 14 balls remaining.

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We will keep Sachin on 99 tons: Ponting

AHMEDABAD: Apart from aiming tohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif do everything right with a view to pull off a coup against hosts India at the Motera on Thursday, Australian captain Ricky Ponting also has a prayer on his lips that Sachin Tendulkar does not get his 100th hundred against them.

"Sachin has had an amazing couple of years. His last 15 months have been unbelievable. It's absolutely inspirational for everyone, but we only hope the 100th ton doesn't come on Thursday. He'll be doing everything to make sure he gets it, and we'll be doing everything to make sure he stays on 99 for a bit longer," said the Australian captain.

All Ponting is concerned at the moment is Thursday's match and nothing less than a win.

"It doesn't get any bigger, playing India in the quarterfinal in India. It's one of the biggest games I have played as captain. It's going to be enjoyable and exciting. Like us they too will be a bit anxious about the outcome of the game as well," he said.

"Thursday's match will not be about individuals, not about Ponting and Sachin. India are one of the favourite teams, and if we want to win the World Cup we have to win on Thursday."

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Ricky Ponting dares question Sachin Tendulkar

AHMEDABAD: Ricky Ponting decided to fight back on Indian television when he was unfavourably compared to much-loved batting icon Sachin Tendulkar.

Ponting edged a ball to Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal while batting in Sunday's World Cup Group A match in Colombo and the appeal was turned down, although Pakistan got their man after requesting a video referral of the incident.

A day later in Chennai, Tendulkar was caught behind in the first over of the Group B game against West Indies and immediately walked, even though Australian umpire Steve Davis shook his head to indicate not out.

Tendulkar was praised by Windies captain Darren Sammy as a "a true gentleman" for walking.

When a viewer asked Ponting on a TV show why he didn't walk and Tendulkar did, Ponting went onto the front foot.

"I've never known Sachin to be someone that walks all the time, so I'm not sure why he chose to walk the other day," the Australia captain said.

"If I get a nick behind to the 'keeper, then I stand there until the umpire makes a decision.

"If Sachin had looked up the other day and noticed that the umpire was giving him not out, then I'm not sure he would have walked either."

Ponting's former fierce rival Saurav Ganguly supported Ponting's view that walking can be a bad idea, especially in a big game like Thursday's quarter-final between Australia and India in Ahmedabad.

"Sachin has never done that in the past, let's be honest, and he shouldn't because there have been times when he has been given out and he was not out," the ex-India skipper said.

"At the end of the career, it balances.

"I think it's fair for everyone to wait for the umpire's decision, including Sachin Tendulkar.

"It could be a big game India 100 for three, Tendulkar batting on 55, he's holding the key to India's success.

"I would really not want him to walk unless an umpire has given him out.

"He needs to stick to the umpire's decision. Whether he does that consistently, we'll have to wait and see."

Criticised for his furious glare directed at Steve Smith after the pair clashed as they went for the same catch in a game against Canada, and also for damaging a TV screen in the dressing room after being run out against Zimbabwe, Ponting continues to attract negative headlines.

Scoring 102 runs at 20.40 isn't helping his cause amid speculation his reign as captain could be under threat at board level at Cricket Australia.

"I know that if I make some runs in this quarter-final against India it might keep everyone quiet for a while," Ponting told the "Headlines Today" TV network.

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http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/ricky-ponting-dares-question-sachin-tendulkar-20110323-1c63m.html

‘Tendulkar showed how role-models should act’

KARACHI: Former and current Pakistan cricketers believe that Sachin Tendulkar has shown the right way; the way role-models should conduct themselves on the field after he walked off the ground against West Indies on Sunday.

Tendulkar showed great sportsman spirit by walking off the field in spite of on-field Umpire Steve Davis giving him not out when he was caught-behind off Ravi Rampaul.

It was an entirely different way to what Ricky Ponting did the other day when he stood his ground against Pakistan after snicking the ball to Kamran Akmal and was given out after a referral by Shahid Afridi.

Test leg-spinner spinner Danish Kaneria praised Tendulkar’s decision to leave the field.

“Sachin Tendulkar has set a perfect example for millions of followers and by walking off,” Kaneria told ‘The News’ on Sunday.

“It’s great to see that he understands his responsibilities as a legend.

“Every batsman likes to bat as much as he can but there are times when you have to decide whether you fulfill your desire or maintain the spirit of the game.”

Meanwhile, he added that Ponting should not have stood his ground.

“Ponting is a great player and shouldn’t have stood his ground.

“He should have realised that he is not only followed by the fans but by several international players as well.

“The Australian skipper has a great stature and that’s why his actions are always under the microscope.”

Ponting’s former teammate Adam Gilchirist showed great character in 2003 World Cup’s semifinal, as he walked off the field after being given not out.

Gilchrist got a top-edge while trying to sweep Arvinda de Silva. The ball flew off his pads and was caught by Kumar Sangakkara but Umpire Rudi Koertzen ignored the Sri Lankans’ appeal, ruling that the ball had only hit the pad before popping up.

Gilchrist waited to hear the verdict but when decision came in his favour he decided to walk back to the pavilion. But Ponting at that time as well said in his press conference that he won’t encourage his players to do so.

A top-notch former Test player said that Ponting should have atleast recalled the actions of Gilchirist.

“Ponting for a second should have recalled the example set by Gilly in 2003,” he told on the condition of anonymity, due to personal commitments.

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http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=37322&Cat=10&dt=3/21/2011

STRAUSS: FATE NOT IN OUR HANDS

England know they must wait at least one more day to be sure of a World Cup quarter-final place - and must also improve dramatically to progress any further anyway.

Captain Andrew Strauss was understandably relieved last night when another thrilling match just went England's way, after West Indies had seemed certain to win at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Instead, thanks largely to James Tredwell (four for 48) on his competition debut, England defended 243 by 18 runs as the Windies' last four wickets went down for the addition of only three.

As long as both Bangladesh, against South Africa tomorrow, and West Indies, against India on Sunday, do not both win their final Group B matches England will be in the last eight after all.

Strauss is mindful of that, and his team's vulnerabilities, after a highly eventful and nervy campaign so far.

"We've obviously got to rely on other results going our way," he said.

"If we do progress in this tournament, we've got to be a lot better than we have been. We're not going to hide from that.

"But it's one of those situations where you've got to be in it to win it.

"All we could do was win the game. We were very disappointed to have to be in that position.

"I'm just proud of the guys who stood up and performed in a high-pressure environment."

Strauss was especially pleased with man-of-the-match Tredwell and Luke Wright - who made a crucial 44 from number seven - as both answered the call in their first match of the tournament.

"It's so tough when you're sitting on the outside looking on all the time, waiting for your turn - and a lot of the time you probably think your turn isn't going to come," said the captain.

"To bring Wright and Tredwell in for a massive game was a bit of a gamble. But I felt Wright played exceptionally well when wickets were falling around him, and 'Tredders' was outstanding.

"It was a bit of a risk, because the guys hadn't played. But they stood up and delivered when it really counted."

Tredwell - playing only his third one-day international - came into a team much-changed because of illness, injury and poor form.

He said: "It's not easy sitting on the sidelines.

"But I just tried to attack it like any other game, concentrated on my own skills and then stayed calm so that I could produce them."

West Indies coach Ottis Gibson must try to galvanise his team again to salvage a last-eight place by beating favourites India.

In the meantime, he does not mind voicing his admiration for battle-hardened England and identifying them as a team who could yet win this competition.

"If they get through, of course they can go all the way," he said.

"England have been a resilient side for a long time. They're scrappers. They don't always play their best game, but somebody stands up.

"They've got the sort of resilience that we're looking for."

Meanwhile, England were today expected to confirm their request to the International Cricket Council for a replacement player, after a recurrence of Ajmal Shahzad's hamstring injury meant he must fly home from the World Cup.


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It's upto England to keep the interest alive

As the league stage comes to a close, there will be attention focused on which team finishes where in the top four of their group. That will decide the opponents in the quarter finals and as everyone knows there are some teams that find another team as a bogey one and would prefer to play that team only in the finals.

The Group B is delicately poised with the possibility that there could be a tie for the fourth place. That will happen if England beat the West Indies and then the West Indies beat India in the final group game of the tournament. England have found themselves in this situation because of the inability to deal the finishing blow.

India - Powerless in Powerplay, clueless in UDRS

They had Bangladesh on the ropes and had to take only two wickets to win the game and secure two points that would have ensured their passage in the knockout stage of the tournament. Bangladesh had to score 58 runs to win so it was not easy at all, yet they showed great heart and did it. England did not help themselves by being negative about the dew factor.

Cricket is all about conquering different conditions in the world. How would it look if sub-continent players started to moan about the cold in England. They are brought up to play in the hot weather, so if they come across unfamiliar bitterly cold conditions in the north of England should they complain? They would be laughed off if they did.

England or for that matter even West Indies and India won't find the heat and humidity of Chennai easy. It saps the energy so quickly that before you can say hello, the tiredness creeps in. That is why staying strong mentally is going to be crucial in Chennai. It is going to be a crunch game for all three teams though if South Africa beat Bangladesh the previous day, then it will ease India's worries considerably.

The Chennai pitch will definitely help the spinners and the West Indies with plenty of left-handed batsmen will not find it easy going against Swann. England's bowling has suffered from the absence of Stuart Broad who has developed into a fine slog overs bowler though Bresnan has not done badly in that job and like Broad, is pretty useful with the bat too.

If England lose, then Bangladesh qualify even if they lose to South Africa and the interest in the group will go down because then West Indies and India will also qualify for the knockouts, so it is up to England to keep the interest in the group alive till the last day of the league games.

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http://www.sify.com/sports/it-s-upto-england-to-keep-the-interest-alive-news-columns-ldrkswhdccc.html

Burden of reputation on MS Dhoni

India’s Mr Captain Cool has a reputation to live up to. And this sits like a millstone around his neck.

The die was cast for MS Dhoni as soon as he led the team to a title triumph in the inaugural World Twenty20. More than the victory, it was the manner in which he panned it — the means to the end — that stuck out.

On that distant day, in a pressure-cooker like atmosphere, the final against arch-rivals Pakistan was heading towards a nail-biting finish.

Skipper Dhoni, who seemed remarkably composed in contrast to the rest of the players, nonchalantly tossed the ball to Joginder Sharma, a virtual novice in international cricket.

He not only induced a false stroke from Pakistani Misbah-ul-Haq, but bowled India to a famous victory.

Much was written about that audacious Dhoni move. While some called it a desperate ploy by a hopeless gambler, others hailed it as an inspired move.

There were critics who believed Dhoni went by a ‘gut feeling’. Yet, others believed that the strategic introduction of Joginder lulled Misbah into lowering his guard and playing into the Indian team’s hands. Whatever the conclusions, one thing was certain: the force (to use Star Wars parlance) was with Dhoni.

There are plenty of such Dhoni captaincy moments to recall. But one other will suffice to bring the essence of our Captain Cool.

India were chasing a target of 268 against Pakistan in the Asia Cup event in Sri Lanka and there were plenty of frayed tempers, gesticulations, heated words exchanged and near scraps out on the field.

India had lost a couple of wickets under 90 runs and were in trouble when Dhoni decided to promote himself up the order and take control of the situation.

His calm, composed approach to the challenge rubbed off on his partner, Gautam Gambhir, and the pair added 98 invaluable runs for the third wicket to turn the tables on the Pakistanis.

Later, Dhoni, at the post-match press conference, revealed that he was just as anxious and excited as the other Indian players during the course of the nerve-wracking run chase. But his deportment during the game hardly betrayed this, either to his players or anybody else.

Dhoni’s dead-pan approach to the task was important, for all around him the pressure was getting to the players. His partner in the match-winning partnership, Gambhir, for instance, confessed that he had his “heart in his mouth” and he just “could not bear to watch the closing moments of the game.”

It was in such a situation, that skipper Dhoni, with his calm, collected and almost sphinx-like demeanour radiated a soothing effect on the team.

The players, charged-up and with adrenaline levels soaring, were spoiling for a fight that probably would have side tracked them from their goal of defeating Pakistan.

But with Dhoni at the helm, and calling the shots, none crossed the line. He helped ensure that they stayed focused and consequently there was no panic in the ranks.

The team almost always looked in control. And this, frankly, was so unlike Indian batting line-ups of the past when batsmen just collapsed under the pressure of a run chase.

These two instances epitomise the effect Dhoni could have on the team. In fact Robin Uthappa famously said after the World Cup T20 triumph that he would stand in front of a moving truck if Dhoni asked him to. So blind and unshakeable was his faith in his skipper.

Yet, this very same Dhoni made a blunder the other night by banking on a less-than match fit Ashish Nehra to bowl the momentous final over in the key game against South Africa.

It was a shocking piece of captaincy, especially when Harbhajan Singh, who at last was bowling really well, still had one over of his quota remaining. Harbhajan had already taken three wickets and the off-spinner logically would have been the ideal choice to bowl to the left handed Peterson.

The ball would have been spinning away from the batsman and the battle-scarred Harbhajan would have had a greater chance than Nehra to come good at that stage.

Alas! Dhoni put his faith in Nehra. And South Africa, who till then seemed to be playing out their role of eternal chokers, gleefully accepted the gift by spanking the bowler for 16 runs in four deliveries to post the win.

So why did Dhoni make such a big blunder?He is a very intelligent captain and it is unlikely that he did not know what he was doing.

The only explanation that seems logical is that he is trapped in his own hype and he sincerely believes that he ought not to keep it simple. He or his ego, if you will have it, suppresses his ability to work on expected lines. He will opt for the startling rather than the logical move in crunch situations.

This behaviour, in itself, is settling into a pattern. And that’s the worrying aspect of his captaincy. Dhoni, during the Twenty20 World Cup match against the West Indies at Lord’s in 2009, held back one over from his best bowler Zaheer Khan and that cost India the match.

The Harbhajan case against South Africa is almost an echo of that incident.

Still, Dhoni has a lot of positives as captain. The time for him to draw on that is now. He should ignore the hype and concentrate on the substance. After all it was the latter which brought him all his success and fame.

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http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_burden-of-reputation-on-ms-dhoni_1520442

Kapil Dev, Srinath throw their weight behind MS Dhoni

India skipper MS Dhoni and coach Gary Kirsten during a training session at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore recently.

Legendary captain Kapil Dev and former India pacer Javagal Srinath have thrown their weight behind Mahendra Singh Dhoni whose decision to have Ashish Nehra bowl the last over against South Africa at Nagpur has come under flak.

Nehra conceded 13 runs off the final over as South Africa handed India their first loss in the World Cup on Sunday, sparking widespread criticism of Dhoni's choice of the left-arm seamer instead of Harbhajan Singh.

Srinath said Nehra was the logical choice. "Ashish (Nehra) is a very good bowler, and as Dhoni has rightly pointed out, he has been our best bowler in the powerplay periods (in the last two years). It was the right decision (to bowl Nehra in the last over). I totally endorse it. It's a big gamble to bowl a spinner in the last over, Dhoni didn't have a choice," the former right-arm fast bowler told MiD DAY.

Kapil said he had faith in Dhoni's leadership qualities and trusted him to steer the team out of trouble. "I strongly believe in Dhoni. He's a clever captain and will come up with some sort of a plan," the 1983 World Cup-winning skipper told MiD DAY.

Kapil refused to criticise the bowlers and said the bowling coach, Eric Simmons, had a role to play in this situation.

"What can be done now? These are the bowlers we have and we need to back them. The onus is on the bowling coach, he has to right the wrongs, iron out the flaws," the 52-year-old said. Both Kapil and Srinath cautioned against knee-jerk reactions. "Whatever bowling attack has been (selected for) the World Cup has been (selected) after a lot of planning. It would be wrong to question the skipper and selectors. They must have some formula in mind, and I totally support Dhoni and his arsenal," Kapil said.

Srinath backed Nehra. "I have played lot of cricket with Ashish, he is a rhythm bowler. One can never decide the fate of a bowler after just one over," he said.

"The problem is that there is so much (expectation) among Indian fans about winning the World Cup, they forget the uncertainties of the game. We need to be more realistic, and appreciate the contest. The India-South Africa game was a classic."

India are likely to go back to the two-pacer-two-spinner combination for their next game against the West Indies here on March 20. The venue witnessed a low-scoring tie between South Africa and England earlier this month when Graeme Swann and Robin Peterson turned the ball prodigiously.

In that case, either Nehra or Munaf Patel would have to make way for the second specialist spinner.

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http://www.mid-day.com/sports/2011/mar/150311-Kapil-Dev-Javagal-Srinath-Dhoni.htm

Win WC? Tell Dhoni he's dreaming, says Dean Jones

Given their weak bowling and unimpressive fielding even the high quality batsmen cannot save India's World Cup campaign, feels former Australian batsman Dean Jones who says winning the coveted trophy will remain just a dream for Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men.

"The three main common denominators consistent with all World Cup champion teams are: Your top four batsmen must be of a high quality. They must have the technique to play the new ball, as well as have the power and stroke play during powerplays. Your top four bowlers must be of high quality, able to absorb pressure and bowl defensively in powerplays. If you can't field, don't bother turning up!" Jones said in his column for 'The Age'.

"All this taken into account, I do not believe India will win the World Cup with its current form. Tell Dhoni, he's dreaming," wrote Jones in his article.

Jones said that despite the presence of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag in the team, who can rip any bowling attack to shreds, India cannot win the World Cup.

"Everyone here has a huge regard for the Indian team. They have the batsmen, no doubt. Tendulkar and Sehwag can rip any attack to shreds. But that alone doesn't win the World Cup for India. He is dreaming," he said.

The former Aussie cricketer said that Dhoni's bowling combination comprising Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Piyush Chawla and Harbhajan Singh doesn't match the standards of any of the line-ups of the previous teams.

"Captain M S Dhoni has admitted some of his fieldsmen are very slow. But Dhoni believes he will win the World Cup with this bowling line-up: Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Piyush Chawla and Harbhajan Singh. Dhoni must turn to history to see that this bowling attack will not win a World Cup."

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http://www.indianexpress.com/news/win-wc-tell-dhoni-hes-dreaming-says-dean-jones/761803/

World Cup: The Ashwin riddle

Why is MS Dhoni playing leggie Piyush Chawla and not the off-spinner R Ashwin? unravels the pros and cons...

THE TEAM MANAGEMENT'S POINT

Piyush Chawla was unimpressive on a flat track in the game against England but MS Dhoni has persisted with him because he felt the player needed a few more games to get his confidence going. If Chawla's efficacy improves, he might offer the regular leg-spinning option on these tracks that Dhoni craves. Chawla was bowling with a lot of freedom today. Sometimes a player needs a game more than a game needs a player. Piyush needed this game more than Ashwin as he is under a lot of pressure.

— MS Dhoni after the game against The Netherlands

Dhoni might be waiting to unleash Ashwin in a crunch game to surprise opponents. That's not a bad strategy given that Dhoni has faith in Ashwin's mental strength and ability to rise to the occasion. He has also had a decent look at teammate Ashwin's capabilities in the IPL, where Dhoni used him brilliantly, often with the new ball and at other times during the Powerplay too. Ashwin can be both an attacking option and a restraining one. He (Ashwin) deserves a chance. He is mentally tough and it's good to have someone in the reserves who is mentally stable.

— MS Dhoni on whether Ashwin would be played

THE COUNTERPOINT

The cricketing logic mooted for not playing Ashwin is that Dhoni has too many off-spinning options already in spin mainstay Harbhajan Singh and Yusuf Pathan. There's also the effective orthodox left-arm spin of Yuvraj Singh.

Chawla offers a unique leg-spinning option as he can take the ball away from the right-handers and also has a deceptive googly. With most teams looking to play out Harbhajan and attack Chawla, he might pick up a few wickets too. But Dhoni never had a problem partnering Ashwin with another offie, Muralitharan, in the IPL. So why now? The argument that a young player needs to be persisted with after a bad game appears to be flawed given this is the World Cup. By that logic, shouldn't Sreesanth also have been persisted with after a poor outing against Bangladesh?


The Indian bowling needs to be more effective and it is imperative that all combinations are tried out before the tournament enters the knockout stages. Also, Dhoni needs to play his best bowlers. In the seam department, won't India play both left-arm pacers in Zaheer and Nehra if they are fit and in top form? So why the reluctance to play two offies in Ashwin and Harbhajan?

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/cricket-world-cup-2011/news/World-Cup-The-Ashwin-riddle/articleshow/7676891.cms