# ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 : Fever Starts



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## Ammyy

YouTube - world cup 2011


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## Ammyy

Cricket World Cup 2011 venue: With India as the main host of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, Cricket World Cup 2011 venue includes stadiums of cities like Dhaka, Mumbai, Kolkata, Mohali, Colombo, Chennai, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, chittagong and Bangalore. Cricket World Cup 2011 venue also includes new venues like Pallekelle and Hambantota  both being in Sri Lanka.

Cricket World Cup 2011 teams: Cricket World Cup 2011 teams include 4 times winner Australia, 2 times winners West Indies, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Netherlands, Canada, Ireland, England and Kenya. Groups in which Cricket World Cup 2011 teams are divided:

Group A  Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Canada and Kenya.

Group B  India, South Africa, England, Bangladesh, West Indies, Netherlands and Ireland.


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## Veeru

India gonna win the World Cup. Its Sachin Tendulkar's last world cup he will brought this for us. Only concern is our bowling but as its our pitches and grounds we don't have to worry much. Sehwag, Raina, Ghambhir, Dhoni will further take care of it.


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## Imran Khan

i hate cricket its dirty bloody game . go to hell world cup.


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## Paan Singh

pakistan is with srilanka,australia.
RAW is responsible for that.


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## Optimus

Indians might hate Pakistanis and Pakistanis might hate Indians.... But you will hardly find anyone who doesnt want to watch a cricket match...

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## Ammyy




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## divya

Prism said:


> pakistan is with srilanka,australia.
> RAW is responsible for that.



they ought to win

World cup is not world cup without India facing Pakistan....


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## Ammyy




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## Paan Singh

india bashing will start here by pakistani,bangladeshi members on first match of wc


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## Imran Khan

Optimus said:


> Indians might hate Pakistanis and Pakistanis might hate Indians.... But you will hardly find anyone who doesnt want to watch a cricket match...



damn cricket is my first hate at this time i have no time for waste on cricket ICC PCB

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## Paan Singh

look at the map of pakistan and bangladesh


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## Ammyy

mascot

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## Paan Singh

firstly shera,then elephant


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## divya

time to repeat


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## Imran Khan

Prism said:


> look at the map of pakistan and bangladesh



what happen to maps????its good as always





---------- Post added at 08:31 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:31 PM ----------




divya said:


> time to repeat



shuhany sapny jo kabhi poory na hoon gay

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## Ammyy




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## divya

Peace101 said:


> shuhany sapny jo kabhi poory na hoon gay



we have RAW to frame rest of the team of Pakistan


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## Imran Khan

divya said:


> we have RAW to frame rest of the team of Pakistan



we have ISI to blast them at far away


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## divya

Peace101 said:


> we have ISI to blast them at far away


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## Ammyy

In Bangla


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## Imran Khan

divya said:


> we have RAW to frame rest of the team of Pakistan

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## Ammyy




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## Imran Khan

DRDO said:


>



ye cup to 35 ruppes main raja bazar main milta hai

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## Paan Singh

Peace101 said:


> ye cup to 35 ruppes main raja bazar main milta hai



low price,we indians want it at any cost but with legal way


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## Imran Khan

Prism said:


> low price,we indians want it at any cost but with legal way



i will buy three for my son


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## Ammyy

Peace101 said:


> ye cup to 35 ruppes main raja bazar main milta hai





Peace101 said:


> i will buy three for my son



*an elite member trolling ??????* ??


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## Paan Singh

Peace101 said:


> i will buy three for my son



we will fight for it


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## Imran Khan

DRDO said:


> *an elite member trolling ??????* ??



ohhhhh nhi bhai we just joking its a joke from my side clearly .


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## Imran Khan

Prism said:


> we will fight for it



i will never let some one to take from my son


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## Ammyy

*ICC-cricket-member-nations*


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## Paan Singh

Peace101 said:


> i will never let some one to take from my son



so lets fight and take it


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## Imran Khan

Prism said:


> so lets fight and take it



no i am not a bad daddy take them we will buy new for us


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## Paan Singh

Peace101 said:


> no i am not a bad daddy take them we will buy new for us



ok thats good one


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## Ammyy

History


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## Imran Khan

add them also


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## Imran Khan

it will be really a shame for pakistan if they go for play this cup. hell lanat hai they kick us and we go for play what a shameless action we take.


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## LaBong

I can't believe Eden will have only group matches!


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## aristocrat

^^^^Well i am not gonna watch that 1,no offence to bangladesh though.INDIA ftw!!!!!!!!!!


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## Hammy007

Peace101 said:


> add them also



this was so unbelievable, we deserved this world cup 

we beat aussies in group stages, btw it was unbelievable world cup best of all


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## Hammy007

yunus khan should be the captain, afridi and all others suck!!!


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## Enigma

divya said:


> they ought to win
> 
> World cup is not world cup without India facing Pakistan....



world cup is not world cup until and unless india beats pakistan in each and every format and cup . Cheers


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## Ammyy

*ICC Cricket World Cup 2011: Sri Lanka announce 15-member squad *

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011: Sri Lanka announce 15-member squad

Sri Lanka Cricket announced their 15-member squad for Februarys International Cricket Council World Cup 2011.

The Board trimmed down the 30-man preliminary squad that spurned up a couple of surprises including Chaminda Vaas and Sanath Jayasuriya. However, the veteran duo was dropped for the final squad for the coveted cricket event. Sri Lanka is one of the co-hosts of the World Cup along with India and Bangladesh. The mega event will get underway on 19 February 2011.

41-year-old Jayasuriya was last seen in a two-match Twenty20 series against New Zealand in 2010. He is now a member of the Sri Lankan parliament and has retired from Test cricket to focus on shorter formats of the game. The last time he featured in a One Day International was in December 2009. The veteran was also part of the World Cup winning Sri Lankan squad in 1996.

On the other hand, Vaas who has also quit Test cricket, played his last ODI for Sri Lanka in August 2008. The 36-year-old is Sri Lankas most lethal new-ball bowler however; it now seems that his 50-over cricket career is on hold for some time. Vaas was also part of the squad in the 1996 World Cup victory.

The selectors did not give reasons to exclude the two veteran players, however there were reports suggesting earlier that the chairman of selectors Aravinda de Silva was not keen on picking the duo due to their recent form slump. He hinted that there would be no place for the senior players as the youngsters were the need of the hour.

However, their exclusion from the final squad means that Muttiah Muralitharan will be the only player who featured in the successful team of 1996. Muralitharan retired from Test cricket in July 2010 as he took his 800th wicket. He also holds the record number of wickets (517) in ODIs.

Surprisingly, Sri Lankas leading off-spinner Suraj Randiv could not find a World Cup berth as left-arm spinner Rangana Herath was included in the 15-man squad. Herath is an orthodox left-arm spinner and has taken only nine wickets from nine international appearances.

Kumar Sangakkara will be captaining the side with Mahela Jayawardene acting as his deputy.

Here is a complete 15-member list:

Sri Lanka's World Cup Squad: Kumar Sangakkara (captain and wicketkeeper), Mahela Jayawardene (vice captain), Thilan Samaraweera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Chamara Kapugedera, Angelo Mathews, Chamara Silva, Lasith Malinga, Tissara Perera, Dilhara Fernando, Nuwan Kulasekara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Rangana Herath, Ajantha Mendis.


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## ajay

YouTube - Wankhede Stadium in 2011



This is the stadium the Final will be played in


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## Ammyy

*Highest individual score*


*1. Gary Kirsten (SA) 188* vs. UAE
2. Sourav Ganguly (IND) 183 vs. SL
3. Vivian Richards (WI) 181 vs. SL
4. Kapil Dev (IND) 175* vs. ZIM
5. Craig Wishart (ZIM) 172* vs. NAM*


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## Ammyy

*Leading run scores
*

*1. Sachin Tendulkar (IND) 1796 (36 Matches)
2. Ricky Ponting (AUS) 1537 (39 Matches)
3. Brian Lara (WI) 1225 (34 Matches)
4. Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) 1165 (38 Matches)
5. Adam Gilchrist (AUS) 1085 (31 Matches)*


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*Best batting strike rate
*

*1. Shane Watson (AUS) 170.58 (8 Matches)
2. Dwayne Smith (WI) 163.33 (6 Matches)
3. Chris Lewis (ENG) 155.76 (9 Matches)
4. Andy Blignaut (ZIM) 138.20 (7 Matches)
5. Ian Smith (NZ) 132.69 (17 Matches)*

*Best batting averages*

*1. Shane Watson (AUS) 145 (8 Matches)
2. Lance Klusener (SA) 124 (14 Matches)
3. Andrew Symonds (AUS) 103 (18 Matches)
4. James Franklin (NZ) 95 (9 Matches)
5. Michael Clarke (AUS) 87.2 (11 Matches)*


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*Most 100s *
*
1. Sourav Ganguly (IND) 4 (21 Matches)
2. Mark Waugh (AUS) 4 (22 Matches)
3. Sachin Tendulkar (IND) 4 (36 Matches)
4. Ricky Ponting (AUS) 4 (39 Matches)
5. Rameez Raja (PAK) 3 (16 Matches)*

*Most 50s*

1. Sachin Tendulkar (IND) 13 (36 Matches)
2. Graham Gooch (ENG) 8 (21 Matches)
3. Martin Crowe (NZ) 8 (21 Matches)
4. Steve Tikolo (KEN) 8 (23 Matches)
5. Herschelle Gibbs (SA) 8 (25 Matches)


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## Ammyy

*Leading wicket takers*

*1. Glenn McGrath (AUS) 71 (39 Matches)
2. Wasim Akram (PAK) 55 (38 Matches)
3. Muttiah Muralidaran (SL) 53 (31 Matches)
4. Chaminda Vaas (SL) 49 (31 Matches)
5. Javagal Srinath (IND) 44 (34 Matches)*

*Best Bowling
*

*1. Glenn McGrath (AUS) 7/15 (7 Ovrs) vs. NAM
2. Andrew Bichel (AUS) 7/20 (10 Ovrs) vs. ENG
3. Winston Davis (WI) 7/51 (10.3 Ovrs) vs. AUS
4. Gary Gilmour (AUS) 6/14 (12 Ovrs) vs. ENG
5. Shane Bond (NZ) 6/23 (10 Ovrs) vs. AUS*


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## Ammyy

*Highest team total*

*1. IND 413 vs. BER
2. SL 398 vs. KEN
3. AUS 377 vs. SA
4. IND 373 vs. SL
5. NZ 363 vs. CAN*

*
Lowest team total * 

*1. CAN 36 vs. SL
2. CAN 45 vs. ENG
3. NAM 45 vs. AUS
4. SCO 68 vs. WI
5. PAK 74 vs. ENG*


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## Ammyy

*Largest victory margin (Rns.)*

*1. IND 257 vs. BER
2. AUS 256 vs. NAM
3. SL 243 vs. BER
4. AUS 229 vs. NED
5. SA 221 vs. NED*

*Largest Victory Margin (Wts.)
*
*1. IND 10 vs. ZIM
2. WI 10 vs. PAK
3. WI 10 vs. ZIM
4. SA 10 vs. KEN
5. SL 10 vs. BAN*


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## Ammyy

*Most catches*

1. Ricky Ponting (AUS) 25 (39 Matches)
2. Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) 18 (38 Matches)
3. Chris Cairns (NZ) 16 (28 Matches)
4. Brian Lara (WI) 16 (34 Matches)
5. Inzamam-ul-Haq (PAK) 16 (35 Matches)

*Most stumping *

1. Moin Khan (PAK) 7 (20 Matches)
2. Adam Gilchrist (AUS) 7 (31 Matches)
3. Kiran More (IND) 6 (14 Matches)
4. Kumar Sangakkara (SL) 6 (21 Matches)
5. Romesh Kaluwitharana (SL) 4 (11 Matches)


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## Ammyy

*Most run outs *

*1. Jonty Rhodes (SA) 5 (24 Matches)
2. Dwayne Bravo (WI) 4 (9 Matches)
3. Chris Harris (NZ) 4 (28 Matches)
4. Lou Vincent (NZ) 3 (6 Matches)
5. Mark Waugh (AUS) 3 (22 Matches)*


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## Ammyy

*Big crowds swarm Bangladeshi banks for WCup tickets*


DHAKA (Reuters) - People queued overnight outside of banks in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka in a desperate bid to buy highly-prized cricket World Cup tickets, which went on sale on Sunday.

Two leading Bangladeshi banks are selling tickets for eight matches at the Feb. 19-April 2 tournament, to be jointly hosted along with India and Sri Lanka, from their 80 branches across the country.

People started gathering in front of the banks on Saturday morning, braving cool weather but there were expected to be a number of disappointed fans.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, which will host six matches including the opener between India and Bangladesh, has a seating capacity of 25,167 but only 15,167 tickets are available for local spectators.

The remainder of the tickets are to be reserved for the International Cricket Council, foreign visitors and other stakeholders.

There is a similar situation at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong, which will host Bangladesh's group matches against England and Netherlands, with 12,521 tickets made available for locals at the 17,800 capacity venue.

The BCB apologised to the fans on Saturday as most of them will be deprived of a ticket.

"I am trying to get a ticket for World Cup, but it's very crowded here," said Enna Karmakarm, a cricket fan, who was waiting in front of a bank in Dhaka's Karwan Bazar area.

"I am afraid I would not be able get a ticket. But if get a ticket I will definitely go to the field and enjoy the match," said the 26-year-old university student.

Rinku, another cricket fan, who stood in the queue on Saturday, was also unsure of his luck.

"I waited here (the) whole night to see World Cup matches, which will be taking place in Bangladesh for the first time. I don't know whether I will get the tickets, but if I get (one) I will go to the stadium and inspire our cricket team," he said.


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## Ammyy

YouTube - Cricket world cup 2011 theme song : First promo


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## Ammyy

*ICC World Cup 2011 gets insured for Rs. 600 crore*







Ahead of the cricket world cup this year in the Indian subcontinent, ESPN has taken insurance cover for the ICC World Cup 2011 for Rs. 600 crore.

New India Assurance will provide insurance cover against terror and adverse weather. BCCI will take additional insurance cover for all 8 Indian venues. The World Cup begins on February 19.

The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup will be the tenth Cricket World Cup, and will be hosted by three South Asian Test cricket playing countries; India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. It will take place during the months of February and March 2011, with the first match being played on 19 February 2011.

29 matches out of 49 will be played in India including one quarterfinal, semi-final and final, 12 matches in Sri Lanka including one quarterfinal and semifinal and eight matches in Bangladesh including two quarterfinals.
*
The tournament begins in Mirpur, Dhaka, on 19 February with the much-anticipated opener between co-hosts Bangladesh and India.*


Read more at: ICC World Cup 2011 gets insured for Rs 600 crore - NDTV Profit


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## IamINDIA

GO INDIA!!!!!!!!

I am cheering for youz


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## Ammyy

* Down Memory Lane : The 1975 Cricket World Cup*


The first cricket World Cup, *officially called the Prudential Cup*, was held in 1975, four years after the birth of the one-day internation format of the game. England was chosen to be the venue for the tournament. Eight teams were in the fray, the six test playing nations  England, Australia, West Indies, India, Pakistan and New Zealand, and two associate members, Sri Lanka and East Africa. The teams were divided into two groups; group A comprising England, India, New Zealand and East Africa while the remaining four teams formed group B. The matches were played on a sixty over basis with the top two teams from each group moving into the semi-finals. The tournament kicked off on the 7th of June 1975 with the hosts taking on India. It ended on the wonderful evening of the 21st of June with Clive Lloyds West Indies lifting the title to become the first ever World Champions.





Glenn Turner in action during his innings of 171* against East Africa

England faced India in the opening encounter of group A at Lords. As expected, the hosts crushed India by 202 runs courtesy a century from their opener Dennis Amiss (137), the first century in a World Cup. It was in this match that Sunil Gavaskar batted the entire sixty overs and faced as many as 174 balls to score an unbeaten 36. Elsewhere in another group A encounter, New Zealand thrashed East Africa by 188 runs with skipper Glenn Turner leading the way with an unbeaten 171. In the second round of matches of group A, England rode on Keith Fletchers 131 to go past New Zealand whereas India registered the first ever 10-wicket victory in ODIs over East Africa. Englands unbeaten run continued as they defeated East Africa too by a massive 196 runs. The final group A encounter between India and New Zealand was a thrilling affair. Both teams had previously won one and lost one match each and the winner of this match would be going through to the semis. Indias decision to bat first after winning the toss didnt seem to be a great one as none of the top order batsmen could hang around for a big knock. A crucial 70 from Syed Abid Ali helped the Indians to 230 at the end of their 60 overs. A patient unbeaten century from Kiwi skipper Glenn Turner (114*) enabled his team to pip India to the post with just 7 balls to spare. Thus, hosts England made it to the semi-finals as the group toppers with three convincing victories and they were joined by the New Zealanders who had done just about enough to be there.





Alvin Kalicharan drives during his 78 against Australia

The first group B encounter was between Australia and Pakistan at Headingley. The Aussies, helped by useful cameos from the top order and an unbeaten 80 from Ross Edwards, beat Pakistan by 73 runs. Dennis Lillee was the star with the ball as he became the first man to pick up a five-wicket haul in ODI cricket. Meanwhile, a wonderful show by the Caribbean fast bowlers took West Indies past Sri Lanka with 9 wickets in hand. The Aussies won their second match too, riding on Alan Turners century to beat the Lankans. The match between West Indies and Pakistan was by far the most thrilling encounter of the tournament. Half-centuries from Majid Khan (60), Mushtaq Mohammad (55) and Wasim Raja (58) took Pakistan to 266 in their allocated 60 overs. In reply, the West Indies slumped to 203 for 9 courtsey a wonderful spell from pacer Sarfaraz Nawaz. But the last pair, Deryck Murray (61*) and Andy Roberts (24*), defied all odds and stitched together an unbeaten 64-run stand to see West Indies past the finishing line. Thus, Australia and West Indies had both already booked their semi-final berths by the end of the second round of matches. The Windies kept up their winning run, going past Australia with ease in the final group stage match courtsey another impressive bowling performance. Pakistan ended an otherwise disappointing campaign with a 192 run victory over their Asian counterparts, the Lankans.




Gary Gilmour traps Dennis Amiss leg before wicket during his amazing spell in the semi-final against England

The first semi-final brought two age-old rivals, Australia and England, up against each other. The outcome of the match was a massive disappointment for the home crowd. Gary Gilmour, playing his first match of the tournament, ripped through the English top order to bowl them out for just 94. Gilmours match figures of 6 for 14 in 12 overs remained the best figures in an ODI for the next 12 years. Australia too didnt have a good start and in no time, they had six men back in the pavilion with just 39 runs on the board. But Doug Walters (20*) and Gary Gilmour (28*) battled hard and they put together an unbeaten 55-run stand to see Australia through to the final. The second semi-final between New Zealand and West Indies was pretty much a one-sided affair. The Caribbean fast bowlers prove to be too hot to handle and the Kiwis were shot out for 158, despite being 98 for 1 at one stage after a 90-run second wicket stand between Glenn Turner (36) and Geoff Howarth (51). A 125-run second wicket stand between Gordon Greenidge (55) and Alvin Kalicharan (72) took the Windies to the doorstep of victory and though they lost a few quick wickets, there wasnt much drama and West Indies marched into the finals with a five wicket victory.




Clive Lloyd in action during his match-winning 102* in the 1975 World Cup final

Clive Lloyds West Indies faced Ian Chappels Australia in the final of the inaugural World Cup at Lords. Chappel won the toss and he decided to field first in what turned out to be a perfect finale to the tournament. West Indies lost their top three fairly quickly, including Roy Fredricks who had stepped onto the stumps while hooking Dennis Lillee for a six over fine-leg. However, a 149-run stand between Rohan Kanhai and Lloyd brought the innings back on track. Kanhai fell for 55, but Lloyd hung around till the end, scoring an unbeaten 102 off just 85 deliveries. Gilmour once again impressed with the ball, picking up a second successive five-wicket haul. West Indies ended with 291 runs at the end of their 60 overs. The Aussies knew that the chase was not an easy one. Ian Chappel led the way with an impressive 62. He got good support from Alan Turner (40) and Doug Walters (35). It took three excellent fielding efforts from Vivian Richards to swing things back in favour of West Indies. He ran out Turner and Greg Chappel with a couple of direct hits and followed it up with the all important wicket of Ian, a wonderful pick up and flick back to the bowler that caught the Aussie skipeer short of his ground. Kieth Boyce ran through the lower middle order and Australia were 9 down for 233. Thats when Dennis Lillee walked in to join Jeff Thompson and the duo started to slowly take Australia closer to the target. The last pair added 41 runs before Thompson was run-out in the penultimate over with the Aussies 17 runs short of the target.




West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd with the trophy after triumphing in the first ever cricket World Cup

Lloyd and his warriors had won the cup. The captain led from the front with a scintillating century that won him the man-of-the-match award. Kiwi skipper Glenn Turner ended as the highest run scorer with 33 runs that included two centuries. Gary Gilmour played just two matches, but his 11 wickets in those matches was good enough to take him to the top of the list of wicket-takers. The inaugural edition of the World Cup was a big success that exceeded the expectations of most of the experts. The crowd response was overwhelming as people thronged the grounds in large number for most of the matches and the quality of cricket on display didnt disappoint them. The wonderful weather played its part too in the success of this grand event. A final before a packed stadium at Lords was a fitting finale to a wonderful tournament. The tournament was over, but the concept was here to stay.


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## arihant

Full Schedule at ICC World Cup 2011 Schedule | Cricket World Cup 2011 Fixtures - CricSchedule.com


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## Ammyy

*Down Memory Lane: The 1979 Cricket World Cup*

The second edition of the cricket World Cup was held in 1979, four years after the inaugural edition in 1975 at England, which was also the venue for the first World Cup. Prudential Assurance was once again the sponsor and so, like the first edition, this was also known as the Prudential Cup. Once again, eight teams participated, the six test playing nations- England, Australia, West Indies, India, Pakistan and New Zealand, along with Sri Lanka and Canada who were selected after a tournament between the associate members of the International Cricket Conference. The tournament was played over two weeks, from the 9th of June to the 23rd of June 1979. England, Pakistan, Australia and Canada formed group A while the rest were in group B. As in the first edition, the matches were to be played on a 60 over basis with each team facing the other three teams in its group with the top two teams of each group at the end of the league stage progressing to the semis. Defending champions West Indies were favourites to lift the cup, and Clive Lloyds men stood up to the expectations and lifted the title for the second time.





Gordon Greenidge had a good run in the group stages and played an impotant role in both his team's victories

West Indies started their title defence in style with a 9 wicket win over India in the first match of the tournament. A four wicket haul from Michael Holding restricted India to 190 despite a gritty 75 from Gundappa Vishwanath. An unbeaten 106 from Gorden Greenidge took West Indies to the target with 51 balls to spare. New Zealand, helped by unbeaten half-centuries from Glenn Turner (83*) and Geoff Howarth (63*) overcame Sri Lanka by a similar margin. West Indies second match against Sri Lanka was abandoned due to rain. On the other side, New Zealand cemented a semi-final spot after defeating India by 8 wickets. Bruce Edgars unbeaten 84 helped New Zealand past Indias total of 181 after an impressive show from the Kiwi bowlers. India completed a miserable campaign with a 47 run defeat at the hands of the Lankans whose total of 238, built on half-centuries from Sunil Wettimuny (67), Roy Dias (50) and Duleep Mendis (64) proved to be a bit too much for the Indians. The defending champions, the Windies moved to the top of the group and into the semis with a 32-run victory over New Zealand in the last league match of group B. Skipper Clive Lloyd led from the front with an unbeaten 80 after Gorden Greenidge (65) had given them a steady start. The Windies put up 244 in 60 overs and they picked up wickets at regular intervals in the Kiwi innings to seal the match. However, despite the loss, the Kiwis qualified for the semis as the second side from group B.





Mike Hendrick in action against Pakistan

Hosts England started their journey with a comfortable 6 wicket victory over Australia in a low scoring encounter. Graham Goochs unbeaten 53 for England was the sole half-century on a wicket where the batsmen found it difficult to score. Else where, Sadiq Mohammads 57 not out helped Pakistan chase down the target set by Canada with 8 wickets in hand. Pakistan secured a semi-final berth with a second victory in their match against Australia. Both Majid Khan and skipper Asif Iqbal scored 61 each to take Pakistan to a formidable score of 286. Andrew Hilditch held the innings together with a patient 72 at the top of the order, but that was not good enough and the Aussies fell short by 89 runs. England too secured a semi-final spot with a game to spare after defeating the Canadians by 8 wickets. Bob Willis and Chris Old picked up four wickets a piece as England bowled Canada out for just 45 runs, the lowest total in an ODI innings at that point of time. The final round of matches in group A didnt have much riding on them. Australia ended the tournament on a winning note with a 7-wicket victory over Canada after a five-wicket haul from Alan Hurst. England and Pakistan fought a close encounter at Headingley in the last group match of the tournament. A few twenties and a 33 from Gooch enabled England put up a total of 165 in their quota of 60 overs. Mike Hendrick rocked the Pakistani top order and had them in all sorts of trouble at 34 for 6. But Asif Iqbal (51) and the tail hung around took Pakistan to within 14 runs of victory before being bowled out. Thus, England qualified for the semis as the group toppers, Pakistan being the other team from group A.





Desmond Haynes plays one into the on side during his knock of 65 in the first semi-final

The first semi-final between England and New Zealand was a pretty close match. Mike Bearley (53) and Graham Gooch (71) chipped in with important contributions to take England to 221 in their 60 overs. John Wright held things together for the Kiwis, but he ran himself out on 69. The hosts kept on picking up wickets on a regular basis and in the end, the Kiwis fell short by 9 runs. West Indies had a fairly comfortable ride in the second semi-final as they reached a second consecutive World Cup final. A 132-run opening stand between Desmond Haynes (65) and Gordon Greenidge (73) set the platform up for a challenging total. All the middle order batsmen chipped in with some useful runs and took the Windies to 293. Pakistan seemed to have a realistic chance as long as Zaheer Abbas and Majid Khan were out in the middle. They put together 166 runs for the second wicket before falling for 93 and 81 respectively in quick succession. The innings fell apart completely after their departure and in the end West Indies cruised home comfortably by 43-runs to book a spot in the final against hosts England.





Vivian Richards during his match-winning 137 in the 1979 World Cup final

Hosts England were the only obstacle in between the West Indies and a second World Cup triumph. The final was played at Lords on the 23rd of June. Vivian Richards, who impacted three run-outs in the 1975 World Cup final, decided to take centre stage with the bat on this occasion. He played a masterful knock, an unbeaten 137, to take West Indies to 286. Collis King gave him excellent support, even eclipsing him at time during his 60-ball 86. Englands openers, Geoff Boycott and Mike Bearley, put together 129 runs for the first wicket, but they did so at a very slow pace. Bearley (64) and Boycott (57) fell within six runs of each other. The high asking rate had already increased the pressure on the middle order and if that wasnt enough, the pace of Joel Garner increased it further. Garner picked up five wickets as England were bowled out for 194, 92 runs short of the target.





Clive Lloyd and the West Indies team with the 1979 World Cup trophy

The West Indies were the undisputed kings of world cricket after winning a second successive World Cup. Clive Lloyds men walked in as favourites and they lived up to the tag. The second World Cup too was a big success and it proved that the success of the 1975 edition was not a fluke. The game was attracting a large number of followers and though test cricket was considered to be the ultimate test of a cricketer, ODIs became an important tool for promoting the game and drawing people to it. However, the weather wasnt too good for a certain period and it also led to the abandonment of one match. But all in all, it was another wonderfully successful event. The International Cricket Conference met soon after the 1979 World Cup, where a decision was taken to make the World Cup a four yearly event. Further, it was also decided that the 1983 edition would also be played in England.


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## Ammyy

*Cricket World cup finals all time *

ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP 2011 IN INDIA, SRI LANKA & BANGLADESH
The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup will be the tenth Cricket World Cup, and will be hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. It will take place during the months of February and March 2011, with the first match being played on 19 February 2011.
29 matches out of 49 will be played in India including one quarterfinal, a semi-final and the finals, 12 matches in Sri Lanka including one quarterfinal and a semifinal and eight matches in Bangladesh including two quarterfinals.

And this time, India will have the advantage of playing in their backyard.

Lets take a trip down memory lane


CRICKET WORLD CUP 1975

West Indies beat Australia by 17 runs :

West Indies won the inaugural Word Cup defeating Australia by 17 runs at the historic Lords cricket ground.Batting first, West Indies piled up a mammoth 291 for eight off its allotted 60 overs. Skipper Clive Lloyd led from the front scoring a fine century (102) and was ably supported by Rohan Kanhai who notched a handy 55. Left-arm seamer Gary Gilmour was the pick of the Aussie bowlers picking up a haul of 5 for 48.
Chasing 292 for victory, Australia did get off to a good start with opener Alan Turner scoring a solid 40. Once he fell, wickets tumbled at regular intervals. Barring skipper Ian Chappell who authored a fine 62, rest of the batters came a cropper. Keith Boyce was the wrecker-in chief for the Windies, snaffling 4 for 50. Clive Lloyd was named Man of the Match.


CRICKET WORLD CUP 1979

West Indies beat England by 92 runs :

The second World Cup, officially called The Prudential Cup, proved, like the first in 1975, a great success, and again West Indies carried off the title.


CRICKET WORLD CUP 1983

India beat West Indies by 43 runs :

The third World Cup, the last to be sponsored by the Prudential Assurance Company, began with two fine surprises, when India beat West Indies and Zimbabwe beat Australia in the opening round of matches, and ended with the greatest surprise of all, when India beat West Indies again, this time in the final at Lords. None of the eight sides had to make do without a victory.


CRICKET WORLD CUP 1987

Australia beat England by 7 runs :

The first World Cup final to be played outside of England was also the closest. Australia won the toss, elected to bat and made a fast start that ultimately proved the difference at the end of the match. Phil DeFreitas and Gladstone Small were wayward with the ball while David Boon took full advantage with the bat, top scoring with 75. And late in the innings, Allan Border and Mike Veletta kept the scoreboard ticking over to set an imposing 254 for victory. Tim Robinson fell in the first over of Englands reply, but soon they looked to be taking control of the match, Graham Gooch, Bill Athey, Mike Gatting and Allan Lamb all making solid contributions. But the match turned when the captains came head-to-head, Border bringing himself on to bowl and Gatting reverse-sweeping the first ball straight to Greg Dyer behind the stumps. From that point on, England slipped further and further behind the run-rate despite the best efforts of the tail, and nine runs off the final over left them seven short of victory.


CRICKET WORLD CUP 1992

Pakistan beat England by 22 runs :

Despite Australias failure to reach the final, a record World Cup final crowd of more than 85,000 greeted Pakistan and England at the MCG. After a poor start during which Derek Pringles suffocating military medium pace claimed both openers, Pakistan soon found their way, with captain Imran Khan to the fore. Imran and Javed Miandad shared a third-wicket partnership of 139 that set Pakistan back on the right track. And their innings finished with a flourish when Inzamam-ul-Haq scored 42 off 35 balls with Wasim Akram chipping in with a quickfire 33 off only 19. And Wasim was soon in the action with the ball, dismissing Ian Botham for a duck in the first over of Englands innings. The left-armers next wickets settled the match. When he clean bowled Allan Lamb and Chris Lewis in consecutive balls, England were 141 for six with the run-rate climbing. Despite the best efforts of Neil Fairbrother and the tail, England never recovered  much to the delight of the majority of the Melbourne crowd.


CRICKET WORLD CUP 1996
Sri Lanka beat Australia by 7 Wickets :

Sri Lanka initiated a watershed in one-day cricket at the 1996 World Cup that took them all the way to an unexpected victory. With Sanath Jayasuriya playing some of the best cricket of his career at the top of the order, their plan was to go on an all out attack in the opening 15 overs and build on that start. Everything had gone according to plan in the run-up to the final, but come that match it looked as if things may be going awry. Arjuna Ranatunga won the toss and put Australia in. The previous five finals had all been won by the team batting first. And with Mark Taylor leading from the front Australia reached 137 for one by the 27th over before attacking fielding and tight bowling stifled Australias efforts, limiting the favourites to a score of 241. However, with Sri Lankas openers back in the pavilion with only 23 runs on the board that target seemed far more foreboding  until Aravinda de Silva got going. After taking three wickets, he scored an unbeaten century and found able support from Asanka Gurusinha and Ranatunga, the skipper scoring the winning runs to seal a sensational win.


CRICKET WORLD CUP 1999
Australia beat Pakistan by 8 Wickets :

The shortest final in World Cup history. Wasim Akram won the toss and elected to bat, but his decision back-fired and none of his batsmen ever got to grips with either the wicket or the bowlers. From the moment Wajahatullah Wasti fell in the fifth over, batsmen kept walking out to bat  and back to the pavilion  with alarming frequency. Extras finished as top scorer with 25 runs in a 39-over innings in which each of the Australian bowlers picked up wickets, Shane Warne finishing with four. As they had with the ball, Australia batted with utter professionalism, although admittedly they were under no real pressure. Steve Waughs men were given the perfect start by Adam Gilchrist who reached his fifty off 33 balls and they needed only 121 balls to reach the 133 runs needed for victory.


CRICKET WORLD CUP 2003
Australia beat India by 125 runs :

Australia clinched their third Cricket World Cup with a thumping 125-run victory over India. Captain Ricky Ponting hit a blistering 140 as the Aussies scored a massive 359 for two  their highest-ever one-day total. Despite a fighting 82 from Virender Sehwag , India could only make 234. And in securing their third World Cup triumph, Australia also became the only side to win all of their matches in a World Cup tournament.


ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP 2007
Australia beat Sri Lanka by 53 runs :

Australia lifted the World Cup trophy for a record third successive time after claiming victory over Sri Lanka in a rain-shortened final on Saturday. Adam Gilchrist smashed 149, the highest individual score in a World Cup final to propel Australia to 281-4 from their allotted 38 overs before the champions restricted Sri Lanka to 215, thereby winning by a margin of 53 runs (D/L method). Sri Lanka, champions in 1996, were set a revised target of 269 off 36 overs under the Duckworth-Lewis system after rain halted play for 12 minutes during their run chase.


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## Ammyy

*My Best 11 Cricketers From India*

By Tim Holt · December 29, 2010

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS IN MY TIME OF WATCHING THE GAME BETWEEN 1953 TILL NOW


1.Sunil Gavaskar: It in truth is very hard to split Gavaskar and Tendulkar as Indias best ever player.Though I cant resist Sunny for the time he played in.He started in the late 60&#8242;s to the mid 80&#8242;s and forgive my ageist bias but I view that time. As one of the most challenging in the game to be a batsman.In this era you had some of the best fast bowlers ever in Lillee,Imran,Marshall,Holding,Garner,Thomson,Sarfraz and some of the best spinners in Gibbs,Underwood,Qadir and the like.Though Sunny ruled them all.In particular the great Windies pace battery who when they duelled with. He always held the whip handle against them.He ended his career with over 10000 runs, 34 centuries with an average of 51. In a time of not only brilliant bowlers but challenging pitches.In my mind Indias best ever player.








2.Sachin Tendulkar: In this era its very hard to resist Sachin, but him being number two was based on the era he played in.In this era everything favours the batsmen with the pitches,equipment and minnow team such as Zimbabwe,Bangladesh (though fast improving) and sadly the West Indies.Though in truth he has been truly regal.In my mind his career can be separated into two parts,the first before his elbow surgery and the second after it.The first part he was a very dominating batsman often hooking and pulling the quicks.In the second part he still had the potential to dominate, but was more an accumulator of runs.Though in truth hard to get out for he eliminated risk in his play.I often reply when people say cant wait for Sachins 50 test ton with I hope I live long enough for his 100th!







3.Kapil Dev: In truth Kapil was Indias first great fast bowler but as an all rounder had it all.Firstly his bowling was very fine with in his early career pace to go with his swing in and out.He also was a very smart bowler in how he out thought batsmen.He held the wickets record for a time as well.On to his batting which I saw as very underatted.He was seen as a lower middle order hitter though granted he was one of the biggest hitters of a cricket ball I ever saw, but he was more than this.In my mind he had the ability to be a very fine middle order batsman such was his ability.Also a great player in a crisis always rising for his team. His 98 against the Windies in 1983 in Antigua testimony to this.Also a very fine fieldsman and a great leader playing a huge part in the Indian World Cup victory in 1983.In truth his figures would have been much more impressive, but India has a habit of holding onto their greats too long. When there ready willing and able to leave as Dev was in the early 90&#8242;s






4.VVS Laxman: Im sure people will query why I rate Laxman so high in a greats list.Well simple the guy has won so many matches for his team with his play.Plus in a crisis if I was to chose a player from this generation of batsman without hesitation this great from the chic city of Hyderabad.In my mind the guy is a genius. As seen in some of his innings most notable the epic 281 in 2001 against a very fine Aussie team.I struggle to think a player in my time of watching the game who could have played that inning the way he did. Maybe legends like Sobers,Pollock or Lara.He is truly a purists dream with his placement, footwoork and aversion to hit any ball in the air.He rarely get the respect his fine career deserves






5.Bhagwath Chandrasekhar:Much in the same manner of Laxman, Chandra rarely gets respect for the deeds in his career.He was a very fine leg spin bowler.His strength was his weakness in truth.In regards to his cobra ways in the sense he had a cobras unpredictability.Hed swing from side from side and youd never know when hed strike but when he did.He was lethal with his leg spin bowled at near medium pace with his googlys,top spinners and leg breaks.Testimony to his greatness his his record away from the spin friendly confines of India.His efforts in England in 1971 and Australia in 77 both instigating ground breaking wins for his team were very note worthy.A truly great bowler never given his just dues.






6.Anil Kumble.This great leg spinner was in truth an clone of Chandra though he had better accuracy.In truth I cant split these two for I truly loved Jumbo and his ability and more pertinently his heart.Though Chandra wins for he was the inspiration behind Anils craft.His heart was the stuff of legend shown in his stamina and his never say die attitude seen with the ball nearly every time he played. Also with some of his very fine tail end performances with the bat.For which he scored a test ton and was a whisker away from being classed a bowling all rounder.He is one of only two men who got 10 wickets in an innings in Dehli in 1999 against Pakistan.In his time of captaincy he again lead how he played with such principles.If a youngster asked me for a role model without hesitation this fine man.






7.Erapili Prasanna.Another great spinner from Indias past.This exceptional off spinner had it all and id class in the very top bracket of spinners ive seen.He delivered the ball with such a classical arc.This purists dream bowled with majestic flight, dip, then when pitch rearing like a cobra with real venom for the batsmen with bounce and turn.If there ever was a case of batsmen being out though this fine India wrote the cricketing manual on it.Part of Indias exceptional band of spinners in the 60&#8242;s and 70&#8242;s.






8.Farokh Engineer.Im a purist so will always pick a keeper for his glovework and in my time of watching this fine player was in my humble opinion the best ive seen.He was so agile behind the stumps as seen in his keeping to the bevy of spinners.Also culminated in his selection in a World 11 as keeper in the early 70&#8242;s.Though his keeping was exceptional. His batting was very fine too.This seen in his maulers effort of 94 before lunch against a very fine Windies bowling line up at Chennai in 1966/7.A great keeper and all round player!


9.Gudappa Viswanath.This pocket dynamo was the mainstay of the Indian batting line up in the 60&#8242;s 70&#8242;s and early 80&#8242;s.Again very underatted with few giving him the respect he deserves for his fine career.He was small by stature but a giant with his deeds with the bat.Some of his innings were breathtaking.He was tough too shown in his match winning efforts in Chennai in 74/5 against the lethal West Indies pace men.An artist shown in his late cuts or twinkling toes against the spinners that would have impressed Fred Astaire.A truly great player!


10.Rahul Dravid.I must admit that people are going to question me rating Dravid so low. In lieu of his record and deeds for Indian cricket.Though my rationale is this that though granted he is the king of how many matches he saved for India but how many did he win for them? I cant think of many.Though as a technical,tough fighting batsman few come close to this fine number three batsman.You dont get labelled with the nickname the wall for no reason! He will retire with one of the best records in the games history,no doubt at all about that!



11.Bishan Bedi Singh.A true artist was this left arm spin.He was a purist pin up boy for his flight,loop and guile and I loved his combativeness.He was in truth an angry young man, when confronted, but I loved this.He was a bit like a tiger you pulled out the bushes by his tail in regards to his bowling, on field demeanour or captaincy.You knew you were going to get clawed fiercely.


*My apologies to players such as Sadestrai,Solkar,Sehwag,Vengsahkhar,Ahzaruddhin and Zaheer *


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## Ammyy

*The Cricket Year 2010  What it was to*
By Janani · January 8, 2011 · 

The Year 2010  What it was to
Jan 8 2010

BE A HERO
The best thing that one could recollect to have happened in 2010 was Sachin Tendulkar. No doubt that he was awarded the player of year 2010 at the ICC Annual awards. Surpassing 14000 test runs and 17000 ODI runs, half century of centuries in tests, one and only double century in ODI, 21 years of unending international career and 7 test hundreds in a calendar year  is there any other qualification to become a hero of a mass? He brought up 2 magic moments in cricket. Early in the year he brought up the first ever double century in Mens Limited overs game and finished off 2010 with the magic mark of 50 test centuries and at one point during the series against Australia, he matched the Dons magic number average of 99.5 in 2010 alone.
Dale Steyn is the super star of 2010. No one can take a wicket like him that easy yet breath-taking and more regularly. To be a fast bowler you need to bowl at 140Kmph every ball and to get to that perfection you have stamina and to get that straight you should definitely have Dale Steyn as a mentor, as a hero, as everything. He is one bowler who gave life to swing bowling in 2010. When Steyn bowls then there is every chance that your off stump gets uprooted with the middle stump for company occasionally.
Rightly awarded the Wisden cricketer of the year 2010, Tamim Iqbal can be considered as Sehwag of Bangladesh. The opponents aim for Iqbals wicket more than anyone elses. He is an upcoming hero and a role model to aspiring batsmen. He scored 2 back to back hundreds at Lords and Old Trafford with an average of nearly 60.
Muttiah Muralitharan achieved one of the landmarks which was considered unattainable a few years ago. Muralitharan started the test series against at Galle with 8 wickets needed for a landmark and reached the 800 wicket mark on the 5th day on way to finishing his test career. The Kandy cricket stadium honored Murali by renaming the stadium with his name.
Hashim Amla has been the run machine for South Africa in 2010 in both formats of the game and was the only batsman to cross 1000 run mark in both tests and ODIs in 2010. He has been the most under-rated achiever who proved that he is there where he is today by pure talent and dedication.

BE A CAPTAIN
Ask Mahendra Singh Dhoni what it is to lead a side under pressure. He will definitely say it as a pleasure. He has the ability to remain cool (at least to not show the pressure outside) and inspire his team mates in tough situations. Such team players not only inspire others around him but also increase the love towards the sport. He congratulates the deserved openly when its a win and points out the negatives in case of loss. He never minces with words during presentation. As a captain he makes sure that his prime work of keeping behind doesnt gets affected and at the same time ensures that he makes right decisions and takes every step with the coach to maintain the teams number one status.
The best player one can quote whose captaincy doesnt affect his batting and vice versa is Andrew Strauss. He has been criticized for field placements and not being proactive at times but he has always taken right decisions whenever expected out of him. Taking over captaincy from Kevin Pieterson meant more challenges for Strauss and the latter has indeed kept up to the expectations. The main challenge for Strauss was to keep the momentum going by already having a team who on any day will be at their best possible. He was the spot light entering to the Ashes and indeed became the second English man to win the Ashes home and away.
Worst ever year for any Aussie captain. As a batsman, Ricky Ponting started the year as a challenge to Sachin Tendulkar in race to the number of centuries in tests only ended being overtaken by Kallis. The only highlight for the captain in 2010 was being named as the captain of the ODI team of the year in the ICC Annual awards. Even though embarrassed in tests, the Aussie side was indeed challenging and performed fairly well under Pontings captaincy in ODIs.
As a leading wicket taker in ODIs in 2010, Shakib-al Hasan has improved tremendously as a captain and his team too has crossed leaps in ODIs. Bangladesh clean sweeped New Zealand and also won an away game against England. Bangladesh can be termed as the much improved team of 2010 in ODIs with their star batsman Tamim Iqbal winning the prestigious Wisden cricketer of the year award.
Ask Misbah ul Haq just how it is to captain Pakistan. After unending controversies which never seems to end and after losing the world class opening spell bowlers and after losing their star opener and then captain to the same controversy and after been criticized for not so big show at the international level himself, Haq has indeed led the side perfectly in the test series against South Africa in Dubai. Leading a side with just one player who you have replaced to lead itself will make you think before making any decision involving that player and Misbah was in more intense situation of leading a team with four of them who have been replaced in a single year. As a captain, Haq played a decent role bringing the team together in that one series after lot of controversies and as an individual player did saved the team from a losing position by sensible batting.
The best ever captain that New Zealand can get, Daniel Vettori saw only him perform the role of batsman, wicket-taking bowler and also an all-rounder for the team. Vettori had top players under him who all let him down when situations demanded something out of ordinary. Still Vettori held the team together and performed well in the first 2 test matches with the new coach after a clean sweep by Bangladesh. The year 2010 can be considered as the low part of Vettoris career.

BE AN UNSUNG HERO
In a formidable lineup that includes Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman has his own identity. Four times last year, Laxman contributed in the second innings when his side desperately needed him  at Kolkata, P Sara Oval, Mohali and Durban.
With 200 test catches under his name, Rahul Dravid has created a unique record but still he is not recognized much and his career in 2010 too continued to be under Sachin Tendulkars shadow. No regrets though. Dravid has always been the Great Wall for India and who cared for the team spirit and team records more than entertainment.
Jonathan Trott was the find for England in 2010 upon whom the team can rely. Being a one down batsman, Trott kept up the pace of the game and earned crucial runs for his team. One player who has all the shots and the best hand-eye co-ordination is Trott.
Michael Hussey was the only player for Australia in 2010 to have an average of 50+ in tests. Hussey is the only light for Australia in the Ashes but couldnt stop his team crumbling. Entered the Ashes with a hammer over his head proved that he is of value to the team for at least some more time; at least a year more.
Jacques Kallis may not be a genius like Sachin Tendulkar but he is the complete cricketer the game has got. Unlike most all-rounders who bat down the order at number 6 or later, Kallis understands his role and stabilizes the innings. He scored 6 test hundreds and maiden double hundred in 2010.
It was surprising and shameful when he ICC Awards committee forgot to include Graeme Swann in their short list who was, by performance, the best outcome in 2010. He became the first English player to claim 50 calendar wickets. Swann was applauded widely for his quick adaptation to the conditions.

BE IN TRAGEDY
Giving up the captaincy was the only thing Shahid Afridi can do for the Pakistan cricket team after the defeat against England.
The vanishing act  The most exciting tragic story that happened in 2010. One minute the match winning wicket keeper Zulqarnain Haider was at his team hotel the day before a match and the next minute he was out of the country.
2010 has been the worst year for Pakistan in International arena. Those 3 no-ball saga in England in August brought out hue and cry and immense confusion that after that incident whatever dropped catches or mis-fielding or no-balls etc even though they are genuine all are seen only from under the scanner as yet another match fixing saga. Those 3 no balls are nothing but the end of 3 promising careers. Then the flight of Zulqarnain Haider showed calamity at its peak. As a result of all these, Pakistan had 4 test captains who didnt win a single ODI or Test series in 2010 even though they brought back their retired hero Mohammad Yusuf only to be axed later.
With the Ashes and his captaincy slipping away, Ricky Ponting had nothing but argue with umpire Aleem Dar over a dispute on the Hot Spot. The umpires are currently against the naming of the Review System (they wanted the name Umpire to be removed) but Ponting is against it because it doesnt comply with what he thinks.
Spirit of cricket came under scanner once again when Suraj Randiv deliberately bowled a no-ball to deny Sehwag his century but couldnt deny India the victory.

BE A WINNER
For India its been a year full of injuries and comebacks for top players and newbies making their presence felt and ensuring tough competition when the injured returns. Most notably Laxman and Zaheer Khan battled out with their injuries and missed some crucial matches in tests and Gambhir and Sehwag in ODIs and Sachin taking time off. India has indeed won in the absence of all their key players against New Zealand in the ODI series and a wonderful team effort in the test series against Srilanka with their prime bowler missing. The calmness of the Dhoni-Kirsten duo ensured that the team moved in the right direction forward and ensured that no pressure is felt by any player in any situation. To be a winner is not only in the hands of the players or the background staff but also with the Board. BCCI selectors ensured that the team is satisfied and it comprised of all possible options cricket can have on field and ensuring that key players get rest and making sure that new kids on the horizon do get their effort recognized. India has dominated the tests and ODIs in 2010 to a larger extent but their worst part was the first round exit in the World T20.
Once again South Africa was seen waiting for the top spot at the end of the year even though by all means they are the top class team in all formats on paper. They are the most competitive side winning 3 test matches by an innings. With their top class players shining bright, there is no stopping South Africa anytime.
It has been a great run for England last year from winning the World T20 Championship to retaining The Ashes. England cannot have a better year of cricket than 2010. Welcomed 2010 after being crushed by SA then first ever loss to Pakistan on home soil then suddenly from no-where won the World T20 then a terrible loss to Bangladesh in away test and again suddenly became a super power by retaining the Ashes. But England will eventually miss the contribution of Paul Collingwood in the longer version but will remember his winning runs in the T20 final. England came out very well after the series against Pakistan when spot fixing scandal took the whole attention. They made sure that its cricket first and nothing else can affect their unity and performance. Their composed celebration after the 4th Ashes test and quickly getting back to business the next day shows the amount of interest and the hunger to perform more in the English squad.
Bangladesh might be just at below some in the ICC tables but they had their best in 2010. Bangladesh appeared a totally challenging side and lead by a calm leader.

BE AT THE TOP OF THE TABLE
With a year dominated by bat, bowlers too had their say and that is why India is the top of the test teams. It was a year where India needs to play for pride; to play for their own position in the table; to play to salvage the effort of 2009. It was a do only situation where even a single error might see them drop. To make sure that India remains on top, the upcoming batsmen should be taught to face short pitched deliveries and the upcoming bowlers should learn the art of reverse swing. The team should eradicate the habit of usual early loss to any series and then making a comeback.
Australia may be panicking and falling down the table in tests. But still they are at the top in the Limited Overs. There were not many ODIs played in 2010 owing to the sudden rise of interest for test matches but yet Australia managed to remain at the top with comfortable wins against Pakistan and New Zealand earlier in the year. A year which started for them by dominating the Pakistanis (of course among controversies) and then winning New Zealand by altitude, it was thought that it will be yet another dominating year for Pontings men. Once you reach the peak, it is always to climb down to reach the surface and thats what started happening to Australia once they lost the World T20 finals to England at the Caribbean.
Despite playing fewer numbers of test matches and stiff competition from Sachin Tendulkar, Kumar Sangakkara maintained his average and finished with 57.25 compared to Tendulkars current career average of 56.94 and remains on top of the test batsmen ranking.

BE A COACH
If you have a coach who is one among you in terms of age then he can be equivalent to yet another player in the team. Coaching jobs of high profile teams not only gets you enough salary but also squeezes you to the maximum extent to reap the best outcome.
Ask Andy Flower how it is to coach a side when the captain itself is low on confidence. Flower has shown that coach plays a crucial role in a teams international career. He took over that dreaded coaching job when England were white washed in the 2006/07 Ashes series and after another white wash against India and now England are challenging the World Number ones in both format of the game. Under Andy Flower, the English team has learned to worry more when they win than when they lost. Banning the use of social networking sites and no permission to meet family or wife or girl friend during the Ashes tour was a bold step taken by the coach. Flower was always a tough nut and ruthless when picking up the squad. No mercy for out-of-form players.
Ask Good Shot Gary Kirsten how easy or difficult it is to stick to the background even when there is lot of pressure on the players in the foreground. Kirsten can never been seen handling a press conference unless necessary. He always gives credit to the playing team and remains in that shadow working on to reap more. He has that talent to bring out the best in the players. One needs to accept the fact that even Sachin Tendulkar has scored immense runs under him than any other coach. He was and is in prime form in the Dhoni-Kirsten lead. Never a controversy (involving Indian players) had hit a headline since he took over the reign from Greg Chappell. Players have understood the importance of playing tests, the importance of giving opportunities to youngsters in Limited Overs, the importance of fitness and the necessity to prepare well before any tour.
Both Flower and Kirsten showed to the cricketing world that it may be the batsman or the bowler who we are seeing but they (as coach) are the shadows. They are always with and for the team with little conversations or little things that reaps big even though they remain in the background. They bring out the best in any player. Without doubt, Flower and Kirsten are the best coaches that any country can get in the past decade even though there was Bob Woolmer and John Buchanan and Duncan Fletcher.

HAVE POOR QUALITY
With the players boycotting the day before a series and the board immediately replacing them with lesser (never) known citizens and the captain predicting the death of tests, the West Indies administration was indeed a fun news among other peak and landslide news. The team instability is the major reason for West Indies downfall in almost all series this year with rain not allowing a result in the series in Lanka. The lack of confidence between the players and the board made some top players like Chris Gayle to decline a central contract.
Not only the administration is poor, but the respect for captain on the field is also lost when Suleiman Benn refused to go the way his captain Gayle asked him to. Gayle told Benn to go over the wicket in an ODI against South Africa, Benn refused, Gayle ordered him off the field.

PLAY TESTS
Ask BCCI, the importance of test matches for India in 2010. After knowing that Indias reign at the top is short lived, the BCCI showed interest in conducting test matches. They even went to the extent of shortening the 7 match ODI series against the visiting South Africans to a 3 match affair and inserted 2 test matches. With Good Luck and Good Commitment and great team effort and with more tests played than any other country, India remained Number One the whole year.
Ask the fans who eagerly await the Ashes every summer. With Australia losing their number one spot in late 2009, the whole cricketing fraternity started following test matches again and with England toppling Aussies in the latters home turf, test match following community have once again been kicked to life
Ask Sri Lanka and West Indies who hardly played few test matches in 2010. Their series which started with a great knock from Chris Gayle ended where it started: 0-0. But Kumar Sangakkara remained at the top in test batsmen rankings. Even in the limited number of tests played, Thilan Samaraweera averaged the best in 2010.
The art of reverse swinging gets life with the likes of Zaheer Khan, James Anderson, Dale Steyn, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif

BE AN UMPIRE
Ask Rudi Koertzen what it was to be an umpire after all these technological advancements and especially UDRS. Umpires are facing huge challenge from technology and with more and more top teams supporting the usage of UDRS, Hawk-Eye and Hot Spot, the job of umpiring became more and more thankless.
Koertzen, 61, who started officiating in December 1992, stepped down from umpiring after an outstanding career of 18 years on July 2010. He was one among the most respected umpires of cricket and is a great professional who works with self confidence and integrity. He is the first person in the history of the game to officiate in 200 one day internationals.

WATCH A CRICKET MATCH ON TV
Its about how patient you are to watch four or five balls between advertisements. By the time the 6th ball leaves the bowlers hold, you will need to watch the advertisements and the LIVE relay will be back by the time the bowler is in his run up for the first ball of the next over. Also, viewers need to get used to the graphics getting added to the slip cordon area when the bowler is about to bowl.


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*Sri Lankan Cricket Fans Begin Countdown To World Cup*

As the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 draws closer, many Sri Lankans are preparing for the ICCs flagship event and the month of January promises to provide a host of thrilling activities for all cricket fans.
January 8th will witness the finale of the Mini Cricket World Cup, a six-a-side softball cricket tournament to be held at the Sports Ministry Grounds in Colombo. The Mini Cricket World Cup was open to individual teams over the age of 18 and drew two winners from each regional playoff. The teams from Hambantota, Kandy and Colombo will compete to earn the title of Mini Cricket World Cup Champions. The winning team will also be given an opportunity to play against a side made up of six members of the original 1996 World Cup winning Sri Lankan Dream Team.
Immediately following the Grand Finals of the Mini Cricket World Cup, President Mahinda Rajapaksa will flag off the ICC World Cup Glory Express on its 45 day island-wide promotional tour that aims to mobilise fan support for the ICC 2011 World Cup.
The convoy will kick off its journey on a float comprising of papare bands, encouraging fans to pledge their support to the event by signing a life size cricket ball. Travelling across the island the World Cup Glory Express will be feature at all official ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 venues.
A series of concerts will also take place and the kick off will coincide with the flagging off of the Glory Express and will take place in the night at the Galle Face Green. This Mega Musical extravaganza will feature a host of artistes such as Bathiya and Santhush, Ashanti, Randhir, Umara, Umariya, Nalin Perera and Marians, Iraj feat the ILL Noize Crew, Peshala and Prihan, Dushyanth, Hashini Gonagala, Chinthy, Rookantha and Chandralekha, Ronnie Lietch, Corrine De Almeida, Lahiru Perera, Samitha Mudunkotuwa, Nirosha Virajini, Rukshan Mark, Krishan Maheson and BK, K Sujeewa, Chilli, Chula and the pop megastar from Chennai, Benny Dayal, all on one stage.
The World Cup Glory Express concert buzz will reach the Hill Capital, Kandy on January 29 and Hambantota on February 19, a day prior to the Sri Lankan ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 opening ceremony.
Commenting on the activities lined up, Tournament Director, Suraj Dandeniya, stated As we count down to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, Sri Lanka prepares to re-live every moment of the 1996 World Cup, played in our home country. We invite every Sri Lankan to support our team through the activities that have been lined up, to bring out the cricket enthusiast in all of us. The ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 will bring the best of the international game to Sri Lanka, providing a memorable spectacle as the greats of the game battle it out for the Cup that Counts.


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*Imran Khan signs with Geo Super for World Cup 2011*

KARACHI: *Geo Super has exclusively signed Imran Khan to participate, provide commentary, and be the brand ambassador for its Cricket World Cup presentation in Pakistan.*

*Imran Khan is one of the icons who ruled the international cricket for two decades *and also led the Pakistani team to World Cup glory in 1992.

Khan will feature in Geo Super expert reviews, opinions and analyses leading up to and during the ICC Cricket World Cup matches due to start on February 19. The tournament is one of the most widely-viewed sporting events in the world and the number one TV event for Pakistan in terms of revenue and TV ratings.

Geo Super has the exclusive rights to broadcast all the matches of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 over cable and satellite networks throughout Pakistan.

Prior to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, nine Cricket World Cups have been organised by the ICC. Australia have emerged winner on most occasions, with four. Closely following is West Indies, who won the inaugural and the very next World Cup. India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have won one World Cup each.

Having captained Pakistan more or less throughout 1982-1992, Khan had retired from cricket at the end of the 1987 World Cup campaign, but returned after a presidential call to rise above ones self and answered the nations call, rejoining the Pakistan team in 1988 as the skipper. At 39, Khan led his teammates to Pakistans first and only World Cup victory in 1992. He has a record of 3,807 runs and 362 wickets in Test cricket, making him one of eight World-class cricketers to have achieved an all-rounders triple in Test matches, widely recognised as one of the best leaders the game has seen. Khan was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame on July 14th, 2010.


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*Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa kicks-off 2011 World Cup Glory Express *






Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa inaugurated the 2011 ICC World Cup Glory Express, today (January 8, 2011) at Temple Trees Colombo.

World Cup Glory Express procession will March into all parts of the country ending up at Hambantota, one of the three venues designated for the World Cup.

Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Ministry Secretary Udaya Ranjith, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) D. S. de Silva, SLC committee members, and players of National Cricket team were present.

At the inauguration, Sri Lanka Cricket Captain Kumar Sangakkara said that the selected team was well-balanced and was very positive about the tournament.

The World Cup Glory Express- a 45 day island-wide promotional tour was kicked off in order to raise the temperature and ensure that all Sri Lankan cricket fans grasp cricket fever and to mobilize support for the ICC 2011 World Cup.

A vibrantly decorated mobile float complete with a giant cricket ball, began its journey in Colombo and over the period of 45 days will cover the length and breadth of Sri Lanka.

At every stop along its journey the World Cup Glory Express float, stocked with papare bands, will encourage cricket fans to pledge their support for the tournament by signing their well wishes upon the larger than life cricket ball.

Following its nationwide travels, the World Cup Glory Express well wishes will be displayed at the official ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 venues.

In a bid to further build up the enthusiasm for the ICCs flagship event, a series of concerts are planned, with the first to be held at the Galle Face Green this evening. The concert buzz will reach the country's hill capital Kandy and the emerging port city of Hambantota on the February 18, 2011, a day prior to the grand Sri Lankan World Cup Opening Ceremony. Each concert will feature prominent and popular artistes, bringing the best of Sri Lankan artistry to the stage amidst a blaze of sounds, lights and fireworks.


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*Cricket World Cup ticket sales expected to be up to Rs. 150 cr.*







The upcoming cricket World Cup being organised by the International Cricket Council in the Indian sub-continent is expected to rake in up to Rs. 150 crore from ticket sales.

According to industry sources, a total of about two million tickets will be available for the public in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh with the average price starting from Rs. 250 onwards.

The nearly 45 day long tournament will be held from February 19 to April 2.

It (prices) can go up to Rs five lakh for corporate boxes. Proceeds from the World Cup tickets will be anywhere between Rs 125 crore to Rs 150 crore, a source said.

When contacted, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO Neetu Bhatia of KyaZoonga -- the official ticketing partner for the mega cricketing event -- declined to share ticket sales expectations.

She, however, said: Gate proceeds (ticket revenue) are expected to be the second largest source of income for the tournament after sponsorships at the local level.

The three countries are co-hosting the tournament in which 14 cricketing nations will vie for the world cup in the 50 overs format of the game.

KyaZoonga had kicked off the first phase for the ticket booking in June last year through online platform in the three countries simultaneously.

While, KyaZoonga started the second phase of ticket sales in Bangladesh on January 2, the same would begin in India and Sri Lanka within this month.

In Bangladesh, around 150 retail counters sold tickets, while India being a larger country would see tickets being sold at around 400-500 retail counters very soon, Bhatia said.

In Bangladesh, a majority of the tickets for the twelve matches to be held in the country have already been sold, she said without disclosing details.

For India, she said, KyaZoonga will associate with ICC sponsors like Reebok, Hero Honda and money transfer company MoneyGram to make gate passes available at retail points of these companies.

Here in India it will be a city-by-city roll out, she said, adding the response in Bangladesh has been encouraging and ticket sales in India and Sri Lanka are expected to a success as well.


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*Continue from *

http://www.defence.pk/forums/cricke...orld-cup-2011-fever-starts-5.html#post1399116

http://www.defence.pk/forums/cricke...orld-cup-2011-fever-starts-5.html#post1399126

*
Down Memory Lane: The Cricket 1983 World Cup*

The third cricket World Cup in England in 1983 was once again sponsored by the Prudential Assurance Company and hence like the previous two editions, this too was known as the Prudential Cup. The seven test playing nations, England, Australia, West Indies, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe were divided into two groups. England, Pakistan, New Zealand and Sri Lanka formed group A while the rest were put into group B. There was a change in the league stage format and each team had to play the other three teams in its group twice with the top two from each group moving into the semis. There was drama right from the start of the tournament and India surprised the entire cricketing fraternity by defeating defending champions West Indies in the final at Lords to lift the title.





David Gower sweeps during his century against Sri Lanka. He was the highest wicket-taker in the 1983 World Cup.

Hosts England got off to a good start as Allan Lambs century propelled them past New Zealand. Good contributions from the top and middle order batsmen enabled Pakistan to defeat Sri Lanka quite comfortably. England cemented their spot at the top of the table with another victory against the Lankans. David Gowers century helped them set a target of 334 and Graham Dilley and Vic Marks did the job with the ball, picking up 4 and 5 wickets respectively. The Kiwis got their first victory against Pakistan courtesy a superb bowling performance despite being restricted to a relatively small total by Abdul Qadir and co. England got their third win on the trot against Pakistan in a low scoring match. New Zealand replaced Pakistan at second place after defeating the Lankans thanks to half-centuries by Glenn Turner (50) and Geoff Howarth (76) after Richard Hadlee had ripped through the Pakistani line-up with a five wicket haul. New Zealand pulled off a thrilling two wicket victory over England with one ball to spare to make thing interesting in group A. Imran Khans 102 against the Lankans took Pakistan to victory and kept them in the hunt for a semi-final spot. Englands top order chipped in with useful cameos against Pakistan to book a semi-final spot for the hosts. Asantha de Mels five wicket haul, followed by half-centuries from Brendan Kuruppu and Roy Dias gave Sri Lanka their first victory of the tournament against New Zealand. England, powered by Graeme Fowlers unbeaten 81, ended the group stage on a high with a victory over the Lankans. Pakistan faced New Zealand in the all important final match of group A with a semi-final berth on stake. Pakistan needed to win by a good margin in order to go past New Zealand on the basis net run-rate. An unbeaten 147-run stand between Zaheer Abbas (103) and Imran Khan (79) took Pakistan to a formidable total of 261. New Zealand fell short by 11 runs, but unfortunately for Pakistan that was not good enough and the Kiwis joined England in the semis as the second team from group A.





Kapil Dev drives during his match-winning 175 against Zimbabwe

Proceedings in Group B got off to a dramatic start with new-comers Zimbabwe defeating Australia on the back of Duncan Fletchers all-round performance and that was followed by an Indian victory over the mighty West Indies. The Windies were quick to recover from the defeat as Winston Davies seven wicket haul powered them past the Aussies. India, meanwhile, secured another comfortable victory over Zimbabwe. They got their first setabck against Australia as Kapil Devs five-wicket haul was not good enough to secure victory. Trevor Chappells 102 and Ken McLeays six-wicket haul gave the Aussies their first win of the tournament. The Windies went past Zimbabwe quite comfortably with Gordon Greenidge stealing the show with an unbeaten 105. Vivian Richards, the hero of the 1979 final, was in the thick of the action again as he smashed a classy 119 that enabled West Indies to avenge their defeat against India in their opening match. The Aussies pulled off a second consecutive victory against Zimbabwe to come back into the fray. Greenidge (90) and Richards (95) helped West Indies overcome Australia and book a semi-final berth. Zimbabwe looked set for another upset as they had India on the rocks at 17 for 5, but a brilliant 175 from skipper Kapil Dev helped them secure a victory that took them to the doorstep of a first ever semi-final appearance in a World Cup. India carried the momentum forward and sealed the semi-final spot with a 118-run triumph over the Aussies. The Windies ended the group stage in style with Desmond Haynes (88) and Faoud Bacchus (80) ensuring a 10 wicket win over Zimbabwe. Despite a loss in the opening match, the defending champions made it to the semis as the group leader with India joining them as the second placed side.

Hosts England faced first time semi-finalists India in the first semi-final at Old Trafford. Batting first, the hosts started sluggishly. Indias medium pacers kept the run-rate under check and picked up wickets at regular intervals to restrict England to 213. India too started their chase a bit slowly, but a steady 61 from Yashpal Sharma and a quickfire 32-ball 51 from Sandeep Patil took India to the victory target. In the second semi-final at Lords none of the Pakistani batsmen barring Mohsin Khan (70) could hang around for long as the West Indian pacers restricted them to just 184. Vivian Richards (80) and Larry Gomes (50) put together an unbeaten 132-run stand for the third wicket to see the West Indies through to their third consecutive World Cup final.





The 1983 World Cup winning squad

Defending champions and overwhelming favourites, West Indies were up against the Indians in the final at Lords on the 25th of June. The final wasnt a high scoring affair, but there was plenty of drama for the spectators. Sunil Gavaskar missed out at the top for India, but the rest of the top 6 contributed in bits and pieces to give the bowlers something to bowl at. Krishnamachari Srikanth was the highest scorer with 38 runs followed by Mohinder Amarnath with 26. The tail too fought well but the Indians were bowled out for 183. Each of the frontline bowlers of West Indies was among the wickets and one felt that they had done well enough to be in with a great chance of winning the trophy. Balwinder Singh Sandhu gave Indias hopes a major boost when he took out Greenidges off stump with just two runs on the board. Viv Richards walked in and got off to a brisk start, spanking the ball to all parts of the ground. The chase seemed to be well on track until Madan Lal got Richards to top edge an attempted pull. Kapil Dev, standing at square leg, ran back to take a blinder that sent Richards back for 33 and brought India right back into the game. Suddenly, there was a spring in the strides of the Indians as Madan Lal and Amarnath ran through the rest of the West Indies line up. Jeffrey Dujon and Malcolm Marshall resisted for a while, but they couldnt see the team through as India pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the history of the game. West Indies fell short by 43 runs and India were the new world champions.





Kapil Dev lifts the trophy after India's triumph in the 1983 World Cup

The 1983 World Cup was even more successful than the previous two editions. The Indian team, which had not progressed beyond the group stages in the 1975 and 1979 World Cup, defeated West Indies twice in the tournament and showed that they were no longer invincible. Mohinder Amarnath was awarded the man-of-the-match in the final for his all-round performance, 26 runs with the bat and 3 for 12 with the ball. Amarnath, who was also the man-of-the-match in the semi-final, was also awarded the man-of-the-series. Englands David Gower ended the tournament as the highest run-getter whereas Indias Roger Binny was the highest wicket-taker. Indias victory in this tourney led to massive celebrations back home. After the 1983 Cup, a decision was taken to move the World Cup outside England in order to spread the game to other parts of the world. Thus, it was decided that the 1987 edition would be hosted jointly by India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.


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*11 players to watch at WC 2011*

The 2011 World Cup is almost here, and its that time of the season for predictions. This time there are no clear favorites, with the top 5 teams more or less equal in strength. My predictions for the semifinals lineup would be India, Sri Lanka, South Africa and England; and my choices for the 11 players to watch out for, reflect this sentiment. Australia might still be top dog in the official rankings, but in their present state of mind, it is hard to envision them playing with much confidence. New Zealand and West Indies are in disarray, while Bangladesh and Pakistan are eternal dark horses. Without much further ado, here are the 11 players to watch out for in this World cup:

1. Hashim Amla (SA): A year ago, Amla was not even an automatic pick in the South African ODI team, let alone being considered in a dream ODI XI. He did have a good ODI career till the end of 2009, but in the past year, he exploded with a vengeance. He topped the batting charts for the year with 1058 runs at an average of 75.57 and SR of 104.23. What will make him a doubly dangerous prospect is his performance in the subcontinent, where he averages 62.42 with a SR of 97.76. In a team filled with dangerous big hitters, he brings an eerie sense of calm and steel, which will be a big plus for his team, who are known to choke on the big stage.






2. Sachin Tendulkar (Ind): How can any dream ODI XI be complete without the Bradman of ODIs? He played only two ODIs in 2010, but he made one of them very memorable, by scoring the only double ton in ODI history. Tendulkar always reserves his best for World Cup encounters, where he topped the charts in 1996 and 2003. In what could be his final World Cup, he will be desperate to win the silverware in front of his home crowd and add one more glittering achievement to an epic career.






3. Virat Kohli (Ind): One of the most exciting young batsmen in international cricket, Kohli is perhaps the only person who will not complain about playing Sri Lanka more often. More than half his innings have been played against them, and he averages a healthy 41 with 5 half centuries and 1 century. That shouldnt distract from the fact, that he has scored runs against other teams, when he got the opportunities. He has married aggression and maturity, which has transformed him into a dangerous player, in a short period of time. In the last year, he established himself in the team, and was the second highest run getter behind Amla. It should also help him, that the World Cup is being held in the subcontinent, which he has barely played outside of. Lastly, he knows all about winning the World Cup, having led the India U-19 squad to glory in 2008.






4. AB de Villiers (SA): A player who is all set to become a legend in the coming years, de Villiers is one batsman, bowlers hate to bowl to in the shorter forms of the game. He had a good tournament in the West Indies four years ago, and he is coming back off a good couple of seasons in ODIs. He is a batsman who can switch gears effortlessly, and his record in the subcontinent will ensure that he will enter the tournament with a fearless mindset, and top billing by his competitors. Expect some explosive innings from his blade if South Africa are going to advance far.






5. Eoin Morgan (Eng): This diminutive Irishman is a batsman made for ODI cricket. He has established his reputation as one of the finest finishers in the game, with some good performances against Australia and Pakistan recently. Possessed with a calm head and an array of inventive strokes, Morgan suggests that he has the skills to succeed in the biggest stage of all. In what is expected to be a high scoring tournament, expect some deft and audacious shots from this man while setting a target or chasing down one.






6. Angelo Mathews (SL): One of the few genuine allrounders around, Mathews played his part in one of the best matches of 2010, when he along with Malinga scripted an amazing comeback against Australia. As a batsman, he has the ability to construct an innings if the team is in trouble, or give a final flourish at the end of a team innings. As a bowler he has the invaluable knack of taking wickets at crucial junctures of a game, and is also a handy fielder. Most importantly, he has shown the consistency to perform game after game, and in a long tournament like the World Cup, Sri Lanka will expect much from him.






7. MS Dhoni (Ind): He is one of the best ODI batsmen in the world, who can easily set up an innings as he can help scale it down. He entered the international scene as a dasher, but in the wake of captaincy, he has toned down his batting to become a more dangerous player. He may not be an aesthetic player to watch, but his value to the side is unquestioned, as he gets the job done. He is also one of the smarter keepers in international cricket, and his safe glove work will be a source of comfort to his bowlers. As a captain, his cool and calm demeanor will be his strongest asset when India plays at home in front of thousands of passionate fans. His appetite for World Cup glory has already seen him lift the World T20 cup in South Africa more than three years ago. Can he become the first captain to win both the T20 and ODI World Cups?






8. Shakib Al Hasan (Ban): The leading wicket taker in the past year, Shakib is Bangladeshs best hope of making it to the semifinal stages. Possessing a strong canny mind, he has the ability to outwit some of the best batsmen in the business. In home conditions, he will be a handful against opponents who betray any sign of weakness. As a captain and one of the teams premier batsmen, he will also be Bangladeshs most valuable player.


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9. Graeme Swann (Eng): It has been a dream couple of years for Englands star spinner. Whether it is Tests, ODIs or T20s, Swann was always at the forefront of Englands champagne moments. Having tasted success at the World T20, he will be licking his lips at the prospect of challenging the best in conditions suited for his bowling. He is at the height of his powers, with good control, variation and spin at his disposal. Expect him to be in the news throughout the World Cup, whether it is for his cricket, or possible video diaries.






10. Lasith Malinga (SL): In the 2007 World Cup, South Africa were cruising to victory against Sri Lanka, when after 4 balls of slinging mayhem, they were 3 wickets away from a shocking loss. South Africa just made it across the line, but that is exactly what Malinga is capable of. With his round arm action, which generates a fair amount of pace and disconcerting bounce, he is unplayable for batsmen who fail to pick his trajectory. In home conditions, with plenty of crowd support against the backdrop, he will be a headache for opposing batsmen. If that was not enough, he has improved his batting skills and will be a handy lower order batsman for Sri Lanka.






11. Dale Steyn (SA): Unquestionably, the best fast bowler in the world today. While he has not replicated his Test exploits as successfully in ODIs, he still remains a dangerous prospect with a potent combination of speed, bounce and swing, even on flat tracks. He will be itching to correct his record on the subcontinent, where he has an average of 52.83 and ER of 5.87. If he gets his game right, the world is in for an exhibition of some top class fast bowling.


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*ICC Cricket World Cup 2011  The finest All-Rounders*

The ICC Cricket World Cup is due in just 2 months now ! This ODI World Cup is being held in the Indian subcontinent from February to April 2011. Each World Cup has its share of heroes including spectacular all-rouders who often changes the complexion of a game sheer brilliance. We discuss below a few notable all-rounders who have the talent to defeat any opponent in the ICC World Cup 2011. These are our picks. please comment below and let us know if we have missed any of the best all-rounders in your view. Cheers !






James Franklin of New Zealand



James Franklin is not one of the best yet but his efforts with the bat in the recent series versus India shows that he has it to be the best. He scored over 180 runs without being dismissed, hit the ball hard and then handled the ball as well. Look out for him to play a big role in this World Cup.






Yuvraj Singh of India

Everyone knows that he can be the most lethal batsman when he gets along. Just ask Stuard Broad ! Yuvi with his gentle oleft armers will play a crucial role in stifling batsmen as well as the ocassional break through.
Chris Gayle of the West Indies






Chris Gayle


He is a hitter unparalleled except by Virendra Sehwag. Gayle is a useful slow bowler as well who works on the batsmans mind all the time. In my book he is one the finest all rounders in ODI Cricket. He unleashed a triple century on hapless Sri Lankans recently and looks in great touch ! Can Gayle doubt his critics at the 2011 Cricket World Cup ?






Angelo Mathews of Sri Lanka:

He has performed superbly against Australia in Australia this year. This guy is a partnership breaker as well as a wicket taker of some regularity. Under pressure , he performs well with the bat too. Look out for this guy in his first World Cup.






Abdul Razzaq of Pakistan:

He can do everything right from opening the bowling attack to pinch hitting at death. This guy played superbly ain 1999 World Cup. He cant be understimated especially after belting South Africa in an improbable chase recently. Razzaq has it in him to be Pakistans hero.






Daniel Vettori of New Zealand

He is an absolute great bowler in Limited Overs Cricket with very economical returns. His batting has improved immeasureably since the last World Cup. Can he lift his game for ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 ? New Zealand really need their captain to be in prime form in order to have any chance to compete with teams like India, South Africa or England.






Jacques Kallis of South Africa

One of the great all-rounders of all time , Kallis has done and seen it all. He has played in the sub contrinent on numerous ocassions right from 1996 World Cup. He has been in good form of late in Pakistan series.






Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh

One of the most under rated players in the world right now. He can chase down totals as well as defend them with his left arm slow bowling. He will be raring to prove himself on the big stage against the might of India, South Africa, England, Australia etc in the ICC World Cup 2011.


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Virendra Sehwag of India


He is the most attacking batsman in the world by far and can slam any attack into submission on a consistent basis. In Indian conditions , his slow right arm off spinners can play a pivotal role in getting crucial break throughs or restricting the scoring.





Shahid Afridi for Pakistan

His batting has not been great of late but he reamins a threat for every team aspiring to win the World Cup 2011 including his own ! The mercurial all rounder can be brilliant on his day with the bat as well as his leg spinners. Can Boom Boom Afridfi lift his game for the World Cup ?






Paul Collingwood of England

A great batsman under pressure who is specially good at chasing. His slow medium bowling may be critical in the upcoming World Cup as well. England is a much improved team of late and can bank upon Collingwood to be consitent.






Yusuf Pathan of India

He has not delivered much at the international stage yet apart from that thrilling century against New Zealand recently. But, if he can repeat his IPL performance, then India will have a great chance of winning the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.


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## Soumitra

Self Delete


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## fida jan

lil more to add, some youngsters on selection

umr akmal






ahmed shahzad






tanvir ahmed


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continue from
http://www.defence.pk/forums/cricke...orld-cup-2011-fever-starts-6.html#post1401418
*
Down Memory Lane: The 1996 Cricket World Cup*

The sixth edition of the cricket World Cup, sponsored by Wills, was held in 1996 with the three test playing nations in the Indian subcontinent, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, playing hosts to the best cricketers on the planet. To spread the game further, the International Cricket Council decided to increase the number of participating nations to 12 from 9 in the 1992 edition. Thus, three Associate members of the ICC, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates and Kenya joined the nine test playing nations for this month long spectacle. In order to accommodate the teams, the format of the tournament had to be changed. Sri Lanka, Australia, India, West Indies, Zimbabwe and Kenya were clubbed together in group A with Pakistan, England, New Zealand, South Africa, UAE and the Netherlands making up group B. Each team was to play the other five teams in its group once in the league stage with the top four of each group moving to the quarter finals. Controversy dogged the tournament even before it got underway. Australia and the West Indies cited security reasons and refused to send their teams to Sri Lanka for their group matches against the Lankans due to the Central Bank bombing by the Tamil Tigers a month before the start. The ICC in the end decided to award the matches to Sri Lanka. India were among the favourites to lift the trophy along with Pakistan, South Africa and Australia. However, it was the Lankans who stunned the world as they went on to lift the title at Lahore.





Sachin Tendulkar's form did India's cause a world of good

India had Sachin Tendulkar to thank for their decent show in the group stage. Opening the innings, he went past the half-century mark in four of the five matches, getting to three figures on two of those occasions. India lost to Australia and Sri Lanka, but they had done well enough to reach the quarters. The Aussies too made it to the quarter finals quite comfortably despite the fact that their match against Sri Lanka was awarded to the hosts. However, they too had an in-form opener, Mark Waugh, who struck two centuries and a 76 to take the team to victory in three of the four remaining matches. West Indies was on the receiving end of one of the greatest upsets in history when they lost to Kenya. But fortunately, that didnt affect their chances of progressing to the next round of matches.

Sri Lanka, meanwhile, were arguably the most impressive team in group A. Their openers, Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana adopted a strategy of taking the attack to the bowlers in the first 15 overs. They took the aerieal route whenever possible and more often than not, they succeeded. The Lankans went on to win the three matches they played and they also had a couple of matches awarded to them. As a result, they topped group A comfortably. Zimbabwe and Kenya were the minnows in group A and not many expected them to go beyond the group stages. Zimbabwes victory over Kenya was their only success in an otherwise forgettable tournament, whereas Kenya pulled off a major upset when they defeated the West Indies by 73 runs.





Gary Kirsten lofts one during his record breaking 188 against UAE

Elsewhere in group B, South Africa dominated proceedings with five wins out of five. They won the matches by comfortable margins and emerge as strong contenders for the title. In-form opener Gary Kirsten registered the highest score ever in a World Cup match when he scored 188 not out against UAE. Runners-up of the 1992 World Cup, England didnt have a great group stage. The won just two matches, those against Netherlands and UAE, but that too was good enough for a quarter final berth. New Zealand didnt have any stand out individual performer in the league matches, but the team worked quite well as a unit. The ended with three wins under their belt, including one in the opening match of the tournament against England. They too progressed to the next stage comfortably.

One of the hosts, Pakistan, rose up to the occasion to clinch four victories. The opening pair of Aamer Sohail and Saeed Anwar gave them good starts on quite a few occasions and that helped the team immensely. The bowling too looked good with Waqar Younis leading the way with 11 wickets in the five group stage matches. The minnows in the group, UAE and Netherlands, were both playing the first ever World Cup. Netherlands lost all their matches and ended the league stage at the bottom. UAE suffered crushing defeats at the hands of the other four teams, but they managed to pull off a 7-wicket victory over Netherlands.





Sanath Jayasuriya walks back after a destructive 82 off just 44 deliveries against England

The eight teams that were expected to reach the quarter finals did so without any major obstacles. The group stage served to be a more of a round that decided who would face whom in the quarters. The first quarter final between England and Sri Lanka at Faisalabad was pretty much a one sided. The Lankans kept things tight and restricted England to 235. Phil DeFreitas top scored for England with 67. Whatever hopes England might have had were washed away when Jayasuriya smashed 82 off just 44 deliveries to at the top of the order. The Lankans chased down the total with almost 10 overs to spare to reach their first ever World Cup semi-final. India faced arch-rivals Pakistan at Bangalore in the second quarter final. Navjot Singh Sidhu held the Indian innings together with a patient 93 while the others chipped in at the other end. Ajay Jadeja (45 off 25 balls) played a breathtaking cameo towards the end, plundering Waqar Younis for 18 and 22 runs in his last two overs. Indias total of 287 was a formidable one, but Pakistan were not going to go down without a fight. A brisk start took them to 113 for 2 after the first 15 overs. But Venkatesh Prasad picked up two quick wickets and Anil Kumble followed up with three more in relatively quick time to take India to the semis.





Mark Waugh carried over his form in the group stages into the knock-out stage

An undefeated South African side took on West Indies at Karachi for a place in the semis. An aggressive century from Brian Lara (111) took West Indies to a competitive total of 264. Andrew Hudson (54) and Daryll Cullinan (69) put together a good second wicket partnership but the spinners, Roger Harper and Jimmy Adams got into action with four and three wickets respectively to knock out South Africa. In the last quarter final, Australia pulled off a wonderful victory over their Trans-Tasman rivals, New Zealand, at Madras to reach the last four. The Kiwis recovered from the loss of three early wickets courtesy a 168 run fourth wicket stand between skipper Lee Germon (89) and Chris Harris (130). A total of 289 was more than a decent total in those days. But an in-form Mark Waugh thought otherwise. He kept the Aussies on track with his third century of the tournament. Mark Waugh fell for 110, but Stuart Law combined with Marks brother Steve Waugh to knock off the remaining runs with 13 balls to spare.





Shane Warne triggered an amazing collapse to win the semi-final for Australia from a hopeless situation

The first semi-final between Sri Lanka and India at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata was full of drama. After a top order collapse, Aravinda de Silva (66) and Roshan Mahanama (58) helped the Lankans recover. A few more useful contributions down the order enabled Sri Lanka to reach a total of 251. Sachin Tendulkars half-century took India to a comfortable poition at 98 for 1 but thats when the dramatic collapse occured. Tendulkar fell for 66 and India lost six more wickets for just 21 runs. An enraged crowd started throwing bottles on the ground and setting the stands on fire. The players had to go off the ground and Lankans were awarded the match. The second semi-final between Australia and West Indies was a thrilling encounter. Curtly Ambrose and Ian Bishop reduced Australia to 15 for 4 in 40 minutes. Michael Bevan walked into join Stuart Law as the duo set out to rescue the match. They put on 138 runs for the fifth wicket before Law fell for 72. Bevan departed for 69 after a few overs, but Ian Healys cameo helped Australia to 207. West Indies moved on steadily with healthy contributions from three of the top-four. They were well placed at 173 for 3 needing less than a run a ball when disaster struck. Shane Warne triggered a collapse that saw West Indies losing 5 wickets for 16 runs. Skipper Richie Richardson was still out in the middle and the equation was down to ten runs to win in the last over. A first ball boundary was followed by the run-out of Ambrose. Number 11, Courtney Walsh lost his off-stump in the very first ball to send Australia through to the final.





Aravinda de Silva reaches his century in the final

The final between Sri Lanka and Australia was played under lights at Lahore. The Aussies were looking good with the bat as skipper Mark Taylor (74) and Ricky Ponting (45) put together 101 runs for the second wicket. But a small collapse, during which the Lankans picked up 4 wickets for 33 put the game back in the balance. An important knock of 36 from Bevan took Australia to a respectable total of 241. Things got better for the Aussies as they were able to send the dangerous opening combination of Sri Lanka back to the pavilion with just 23 runs on the board. But a 125 run third wicket partnership between Asanka Gurusinha and Aravinda de Silva put Sri Lanka in the drivers seat. Gurusinha fell for 65, but Aravinda went on to score an unbeaten century. He scored 107 and shared an unbroken 97-run stand with skipper Arjuna Ranatunga (47 run out) to give Sri Lanka their first World Cup title. Aravinda had also picked up three wickets with the ball and hence he was the obvious choice for the man-of-the-match award.





Sri Lankan skipper Arjuna Ranatung with the World Cup trophy

Sri Lankas Sanath Jayasuriya was declared the man-of-the-series for his all-round performance. Sachin Tendulkar ended as the highest run-scorer while Anil Kumble topped the wicket-takers chart. Sri Lankas attractive game won the hearts of many cricket fans world over. The fearless approach of their openers revolutionised the way batsmen approached the overs during the fielding restrictions. However, the 1996 World Cup was not as smooth as the previous ones. The presence of minnows led to a degradation in the overall quality of cricket. The crowd trouble at Eden Gardens in the semi-finals and the lack of action in two group matches due to security reasons in Sri Lanka didnt help either. The idea of spreading the game to all parts of India was good in theory but not so in practice. Each of the 17 games in India were scheduled at different venues which meant that teams had to travel quite a bit between matches, resulting in fatigue among the players. A large sum of money was spent on the opening ceremony which turned out to be a rather embarrassing one as the much-hyped laser show malfunctioned. The tournament, however, achieved the aim of increasing the profile of cricket through television coverage on an impressive scale. The quality of cricket too was by and large impressive in the knock-out stages. The tournament wasnt a huge financial success, but it helped in spreading the game further and it also demonstrated the coming of age of Sri Lankan cricket.


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## Ammyy

*Down Memory Lane: The 1999 Cricket World Cup*

The first cricket World Cup was played in England in 1975. This was followed by two more World Cups in 1979 and 1983. Three more editions later, the World Cup returned to where it had taken birth, England. The 1999 World Cup was the first time that the ICC decided not to have a title sponsor. Like the previous edition in 1996, twelve teams participated in the tournament  the nine test playing nations and top-three non-test playing nations, Kenya, Bangladesh and Scotland. England, India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and Kenya were placed in group A whereas group B comprised Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, West Indies, Scotland and Bangladesh. A new format was introduced where the quarter-finals were replaced by a super six stage. Each team would play the other teams in its group once and the top three teams from each group would move into the super six stage. A team qualifying for the super six stage would carry over the points it had earned against the other qualifying teams from its group. It would then face the three qualifying teams from the other group. A separate league table would be maintained for this stage and the top four teams were to qualify for the semi-finals. South Africa were the pre-tournament favourites by a fair distance. India, Australia and Pakistan too had decent squads and they seemed to be the most likely teams to challenge the Proteas. It was Australia who managed to scrape past South Africa in a dramatic semi-final encounter before defeating Pakistan in the final to win their second World Cup.





Lance Klusener single handedly carried South Africa's hopes throughout the tournament

Hosts England started positively with comfortable victories over defending champions Sri Lanka and Kenya. They defeated Zimbabwe too, but losses against India and South Africa cost them dearly and the hosts missed out on a spot in the super six stage due to a poor net run-rate. South Africa rode on Lance Kluseners dream form with both bat and ball to win their first four league matches and secure a super six berth. Klusener starred in the final league match too, but Zimbabwe, powered by a top-class all-round performance by Neil Johnson, managed to beat the Proteas. Despite the loss, South Africa topped group A. Johnson was also influential in Zimbabwes victory over Kenya in the first match. An upset victory over India by just 3 runs took Zimbabwe to the doorstep of the super six and the victory over South Africa was enough to see them through on account of a superior run-rate as compared to England.





Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid during their record partnership of 318

India didnt get off to a great start with losses against South Africa and Zimbabwe in their first two games. But the champions of 1983 fought back to register three comprehensive victories that took them through to the next stage. Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid led the way with the bat and the duo also shared a 318-run second wicket stand against Sri Lanka which was at that time the record partnership for any wicket in a one-day international. Dravid contributed 145 while Sourav smashed 183, still the second highest individual score ever in a World Cup match. The biggest shock of the league stage was the elimination of the 1996 edition champions, Sri Lanka. The main reason for their ouster was the fact that their batsmen failed to deliver at critical junctures. The bowling too lacked consistency, as a result of which the team suffered. The Lankans won only two matches, against Zimbabwe and Kenya, and that was not good enough to take them to the next stage. The Kenyans, as expected, were unable to put up much of a fight. They ended on the losing side on all five occasions and therefore finished the league stage rock-bottom of group A.





New Zealand's Geoff Allott was the highest wicket-taker in the tournament

Australia had a shaky to their campaign and after the first three matches, they were in a position from where they needed to win both the remaining matches to progress further. Things came down to the last match where they faced the West Indies in a knock-out-scenario. Senior pro, Glenn McGrath came to the party with an outstanding five-wicket haul that took Australia to the super-six. New Zealand had Geoff Allott and Roger Twose making vital contributions with ball and bat respectively to help take the team to the next stage on account of a superior net run-rate as compared to the West Indies. The Windies lacked consistency with both bat and ball, and that cost them dearly. A crushing defeat against Australia in the final league match led to their ouster on the basis of net run-rate despite the fact that they had the same points as Australia and New Zealand.

Impressive all-round performances, led by middle order batsman Inzamam-ul Haq, enabled Pakistan to ease into the super six with four wins in the first four matches. However, a loss against minnows Bangladesh in the last league match put a black mark on an otherwise perfect performance. Bangladesh also won their match against Scotland to make it two wins out of five. Scotlands fans unfortunately didnt have much to cheer for as their team was steamrolled by more or less every opponent they faced.





Steve Waugh punches the air after scoring an unbeaten 120 that took Australia to the semis

The use of the super-six to determine the semi-finalists made net-run rate an important factor that teams couldnt afford to ignore. Australia didnt carry forward any points into the super-six and hence they needed to win all their matches to be sure of a semi-final spot. The Waugh brothers, Mark and skipper Steve, ensured that as they scored a century and a half century each to take Australia to three comfortable victories. India too didnt carry any points forward, but they couldnt replicate what the Aussies did. A win over arch-rivals Pakistan was the only consolation in an otherwise forgettable super-six campaign which included two losses. Zimbabwe came into the super six with the maximum possible points and a solitary victory could have taken them to the semis. Their match against New Zealand was abandoned, but losses against Australia and Pakistan, the latter being a big 148 run loss, meant that they missed out due to a poor run-rate as compared to New Zealand.

The Kiwis found themselves in a spot of bother after they had to share points with Zimbabwe. A loss against South Africa didnt help a lot. But they managed to sneak past India with ten balls to spare to book a semi-final berth. Pakistan, like Zimbabwe, came to the super six stage with maximum possible points. Thus, a win against Zimbabwe was good enough to take them to the semis despite losses against India and South Africa. The Proteas too booked a semi-final berth with wins against Pakistan and New Zealand. Klusener carried over his good form from the league stage and Herschelle Gibbs chose a great time to come back among the runs. A defeat against Australia in the last super-six match meant that the Proteas would have to face the Aussies yet again in the semis.





Australia rejoice after their semi-final against South Africa ended in a tie

The first semi-final between Pakistan and New Zealand at Old Trafford turned out to be a one sided affair in favour of Pakistan. The Kiwis, with the help of a few 40s in the middle order, reached a total of 241 in their 50 overs. A 194 run opening stand between Saeed Anwar and Wajahtulla Wasti took Pakistan within touching distance of a spot in the final. Wasti departed for 84, but Anwar stayed till the end to see his team past the finishing line with 9 wickets in hand. He remained unbeaten on 113. The other semi-final between Australia and South Africa turned out to be a nerve-wrecking encounter. The Aussies lost their top four with just 68 runs on the board. But Steve Waugh (58) and Michael Bevan (65) put together an invaluable 90 runs that enabled Australia to set a decent target of 214. The South African chase too was in disarray as Shane Warne reduced them to 61 for 4. But Jacques Kallis (53) and Jonty Rhodes (43) steadied the shaky ship. The match was slowly drifting towards Australia when Klusener came out and played a blinder. He scored 31 runs in just 16 deliveries to bring the equation down from 31 to win off 14 to just 1 to win from 5 deliveries. South Africa had just one wicket in hand to achieve that. With three balls to go, Klusener drove the ball straight down the ground to the left of mid-on and took off for a single. Allan Donald hesitated slightly before dropping his bat and running. That slight delay was good enough for Adam Gilchrist to flick off the bails before Donald could make his ground. The match ended in a tie, but Australia progressed to the final because of the fact that they had finished above South Africa in the super-six stage.





Shane Warne four wickets in the final were good enough to derail Pakistan

The final at Lords, the Mecca of cricket, didnt live up to the expectations. Pakistan were totally outplayed in all departments by the Aussies who just seemed to be more determined to win. Pakistan won the toss and decided to bat first on a pitch which Steve Waugh believed was good for 260. But his bowlers felt Waugh had doubled the figures. A ruthless bowling performance, led by Shane Warne who picked up 4 for 33, enabled Australia to skittle Pakistan out for just 132. Any hopes of Pakistan putting up a fight were put to rest as Adam Gilchrist went on the attack. He scored a blistering 54 off just 36 deliveries before returning back to the dressing room. The required runs were knocked off with 179 balls to spare and Australia were World Champions for a second time. Warnes outstanding bowling performance earned him the man-of-the-match award.





The Australian team with the World Cup trophy

Lance Klusener was declared the player-of-the-tournament for his extra-ordinary all-round performance. Indias Rahul Dravid was the highest run-scorer while New Zealands Geoff Allott ended as the top wicket-taker. Australia managed to overcome a difficult start to get their act together when in mattered the most. Steve Waugh led by example and had it not been for his century against South Africa in the super-six, the Aussies might not have reached the semi-finals. In contrast, Pakistan had a great league and super-six stage, topping the standings on both occasions. But unfortunately for them, the batting collapsed on the biggest stage of them all. The tournament as a whole was quite a successful one. The fact that people kept coming to the ground despite Englands early exit was very heartening. Australia joined West Indies as the only teams to have won the World Cup twice. They were already the best test side by then and this triumph made them the official numero uno one-day side as well. In the years that followed, the Australian cricket team would go on to touch new heights as the undisputed number one cricket team in the world.


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## KS

What do you guys think should be the Indian team ??

Virender Sehwag
Sachin Tendulkar
Gautam Gambhir
Virat Kohli
Dhoni
Suresh Raina
Yusuf Pathan/Yuvraj
Harbhajan Singh
Praveen Kumar/Munaf
R.Ashwin
Zaheer Khan


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## fida jan

nobody remember the shoaib akhter thrashing, saeed anwer century in the semi final, saqlain mushtaq hatrick in the super eights in 1999 world cup , pakistan was the team which last defeated aussies in the 1999 world cup which would not be seen in world cups ahead until now

was the article written by an indian??


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## Ammyy

Karthic Sri said:


> What do you guys think should be the Indian team ??
> 
> Virender Sehwag
> Sachin Tendulkar
> Gautam Gambhir
> Virat Kohli
> Dhoni
> Suresh Raina
> Yusuf Pathan/Yuvraj
> Harbhajan Singh
> Praveen Kumar/Munaf
> R.Ashwin
> Zaheer Khan



I think S Shrisant on the place of R Ashwin 

And for 6th place Yuvraj then Raina


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## KS

DRDO said:


> I think S Shrisant on the place of R Ashwin
> 
> And for 6th place Yuvraj then Raina



World cup is in India dude..that too in summer....We need spinners.

And Dhoni likes Ashwin very much. CSK conection 

Again Raina is very good in subcontinental pitches.His only weakness is the short ball and here the ball hardly comes waist high.So my choice.


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## Mirza Jatt

DRDO said:


> I think S Shrisant on the place of R Ashwin
> 
> And for 6th place Yuvraj then Raina



yuvraj in place for R ashwin..not srisanth...moreover, sreesanth is not in the squad, so there is no question about that.

Raina is perfect...at his place.

Harbhajan plays the specialist bowler role and Indian team have many part time spineers..like sehwag,yusuf pathan,yuvraj,Raina,Sachin..so spin deptt is taken care of with lot of options..and oncluding Raina gives us an extra batsman.


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## fida jan

and why the hell dardo jumped from 1983 world cup to 1996 world cup 

didnt he like 1992 world cup lolzz


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## KS

Indian Jatt said:


> yuvraj in place for R ashwin..not srisanth...moreover, sreesanth is not in the squad, so there is no question about that.
> 
> Raina is perfect...at his place.
> 
> Harbhajan plays the specialist bowler role and Indian team have many part time spineers..like sehwag,yusuf pathan,yuvraj,Raina,Sachin..so spin deptt is taken care of with lot of options..and oncluding Raina gives us an extra batsman.



ji...we need atleast 4 specialist bowlers......nowadays bhajji is playing the role of the 8 th batsman perfectly and Praveen kumar too can bat.


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## Ammyy

*Down Memory Lane: The 1992 Cricket World Cup*

After its inception in 1975, the World Cup had slowly developed as the biggest spectacle of the cricketing calendar. The first four editions of this quadrennial event had been hugely successful and it was definitely helping the objective of bringing people closer to the game. The fifth edition in1991-92, sponsored by Benson and Hedges and jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand, continued that trend. A number of changes were introduced this time around. The return of South Africa to international cricket meant that there were nine teams in contention now instead of the usual eight. For the first time, the players would be seen in coloured clothing. It was also the first time that floodlights were going to be used in World Cup matches and so the red ball was to be replaced by a white one to provide better visibility under lights. The format was also changed and now a team had to play each of the other eight teams once in the round-robin stage with the top four teams making it to the semi finals. Defending champions Australia were hot favourites as they would be playing in their home turf. However, a few other sides like England, Pakistan, India and West Indies also looked good on paper. The tournament threw up quite a few surprises and there was no shortage of drama. In the end it was Pakistan who walked away with their first ever World Cup title.






Martin Crowe's form with the bat and innovative captaincy helped New Zealand top the league stage

In the league stage, it was New Zealand who set the pace early on. Skipper Martin Crowe led from the front with the bat as the Kiwis kept on winning match after match. Crowes strategy to open the bowling with a spinner, Dipak Patel, worked wonderfully as the offie managed to tie down the batsmen when the fielding restrictions were on. Crowe also used Mark Greatbach as a pinch-hitter at the top of the order to play the aerial shots so as to take advantage of the fielding restrictions. The Kiwis went on to win seven of their eight league matches, losing only the last one to Pakistan. They went into the semi-finals as the topper of the league stage. However, co-hosts Australia didnt get off to a great start. Losses against the Kiwis and South African werent the best results. They did manage to sneak past India by a solitary run, but England put them back on the losing side. The Aussies went on to win three of their remaining four matches, but that wasnt good enough to secure a semi-final berth. Their main problem was the lack of consistent performances in the batting department, something that also led to the downfall of the West Indies. They too ended with a record similar to that of Australia, four victories and four losses, and therefore failed to make it to the semis.





South Africa's performance in the 1992 World Cup raised quite a few eyebrows

South Africa made a fairy tale debut in the World Cup stage, crushing co-hosts and defending champions Australia by 9 wickets. Kepler Wessels marshalled his troops well and led by example, chipping in handsomely with the bat. The Proteas had a good run in the league stages and they managed to make it to the semis. Like South Africa, two-time runners-up England too had a good run in the league stage. They lost the last two matches to New Zealand and Zimbabwe, but that couldnt stop them from making it to the semis. The champions of 1983, India didnt have a great campaign. Just two wins out of eight against Pakistan and Zimbabwe was a big disappointment for the players and the fans back home. The situation was similar for Indias island neighbours Sri Lanka also. They too managed to win only two matches in the entire league stage. As a result, both India and Sri Lanka had to take the early flight back after the league stage.





Jonty runs out Inzamam in the group match between Pakistan and South Africa

However, things were different for the third Asian country in contention, Pakistan. Three defeats, a win and a no result in the first five matches was not the perfect start. But skipper Imran Khan did an excellent job in getting his troops to believe in themselves. He led with confidence, something that reflected on the rest of the team and Pakistan went on to win the three remaining matches to make it to the semis finals. They had a bit of luck too on their side. In the match against England, Pakistan were bowled out for just 74. Nothing short of a miracle could stop them from losing. Their prayers didnt go in vain as the rain came down when England were 24 for 1. The match was washed off and both teams got a point each. This was a decisive point because had Pakistan lost the match, they wouldnt have qualified for the semis. The Zimbabweans were undoubtedly the minnows of the World Cup and not many great things were expected from them. However, they managed to put up a decent fight at times and an upset victory over England was much more than what they might have expected. It was no surprise that they ended the league stage at the bottom of the table.





Inzamam turns one to the on-side during his match winning knock in the semi-final

The first semi-final was played between New Zealand and Pakistan at Auckland. Crowes (91) good form with the bat continued and he combined well with Ken Rutherford (58) to take New Zealand to a respectable total of 262. Pakistans reply was a bit slow to start with and New Zealand seemed to have the situation well under control. But just when a spot in the final was in sight, a young Inzamam-ul Haq played a breezy cameo that changed the entire match scenario. His 37-ball 60 took Pakistan to the doorstep of victory. Moin Khan and Javed Miandad completed the job to take Pakistan to their first ever World Cup final. The second semi-final between England and South Africa at Sydney was a highly controversial one. Graeme Hick anchored Englands innings with a steady 83 to set South Africa a target of 253 to win. South Africas chase was fuelled by tidy cameos and small partnerships throughout the top and middle order. The equation was down to 22 runs off 13 deliveries with Brian McMillan and Dave Richardson at the crease when the rain Gods decided to intervene. The twelve minutes of rain that followed spilled water on South Africas World Cup dream. After the stoppage, the scoreboard suddenly read 22 required to win off just one delivery. McMillan could only manage a single of the final delivery and England were through to their third World Cup final.





Wasim Akram celebrates that wicket of Allan Lamb that turned the match in Paksitan's favour

The World Cup final at Melbourne was a match that lived up the high expectations of the people. Each team had its moments and the momentum kept swinging from one side to the other. England got on top initially, dismissing the openers and giving away just 24 runs in the first nine overs. However, A 139-run third wicket partnership between Imran (72) and Miandad (58) set up a wonderful platform for the batsmen to follow. Inzamam and Wasim Akram made full use of it in the slog overs. The former chipped in with 42 off 35 deliveries while Akram contributed 33 off just 18. England lost wickets quite regularly until Neil Fairbrother and Allan Lamb got together to steady the ship. The duo seemed were going on quite well before Akram struck twice in consecutive deliveries. He bowled a two unplayable deliveries that accounted for Lamb (31) and Chris Lewis. Fairbrother hung around for a while before perishing for 63. That was the last nail in the coffin for England. The tailenders threw their bat around for a while, but it wasnt enough and England eventually fell short by 22 runs.





Imran Khan with the World Cup trophy

The success of the fifth cricket World Cup was unprecedented. More than 87000 people watched the final even though neither of the host nations had reached it. It was also claimed that the global television audience exceeded 1 billion in as many as 29 countries. Pakistan did well to pick themselves up after the initial setbacks to defy all odds and win the title. Wasim Akram was awarded the man-of-the-match in the final. He was also the highest wicket taker of the tournament. Martin Crowe, the highest run-getter, was declared the player of the series. The World Cup saw the emergence of a number of promising youngsters like Brian Lara, Inzamam-ul Haq and Allan Donald, all of whom went on to become greats of the game. It was also the last World Cup for some legends like Ian Botham, Vivian Richards, Allan Border and the winning skipper, Imran Khan. Some incidents like Jonty Rhodes running in from point and diving to hit the stumps and run out Inzamam, Javen Miandad jumping so as to imitate Kiran More and More running out Crowe with a neat back-flick are still fresh in the minds of people who witnessed the incidents. The World Cup also exposed the flaws of the method used to deal with rain affected matches. The tournament not only generated huge profits, it also touched countless hearts across the world.


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## Ammyy

fida jan said:


> and why the hell dardo jumped from 1983 world cup to 1996 world cup
> 
> didnt he like 1992 world cup lolzz



Sirji please check again .... that time link about 1992 world cup not working but now its fine


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## Mirza Jatt

Karthic Sri said:


> ji...we need atleast 4 specialist bowlers......nowadays bhajji is playing the role of the 8 th batsman perfectly and Praveen kumar too can bat.



sachin
Gambhir
Sehwag
Kohli /raina
Dhoni
Y.Pathan
Yuvraj
Harbhajan
Zaheer
Nehra
Munaf/Praveen

now what about this team ??


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## Ammyy

Indian Jatt said:


> sachin
> Gambhir
> Sehwag
> Kohli /raina
> Dhoni
> Y.Pathan
> Yuvraj
> Harbhajan
> Zaheer
> Nehra
> Munaf/Praveen
> 
> now what about this team ??



I think Kohli is in good touch so either yuvraj or raina

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Mirza Jatt

DRDO said:


> I think Kohli is in good touch so either yuvraj or raina



agreed....


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## Ammyy

*Down Memory Lane: The 2003 Cricket World Cup*

The cricket World Cup had over the years helped the game grow considerably at the global level. The popularity of cricket had increased manifolds and more and more countries were taking up the game. The eighth World Cup, in 2003 hosted jointly by South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya, saw as many as fourteen teams participating. It was the first time that four ICC Associate members, Netherlands, Canada, Namibia and Kenya, were part of the tournament. Netherlands and Namibia were put in group A along with Australia, India, England, Pakistan and Zimbabwe. Group B comprised Kenya, Canada, Bangladesh, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies and New Zealand. The format adopted in the 1999 World where the group stage was followed by a super-six stage before the semi-finals was continued with. Each team was to play the other six teams in its group in the first stage with the top three teams of each group moving into the super-six, carrying forward the points earned in the league stage against the other qualifying teams. The teams would then play the qualifying teams from the other group in the super six with the top four teams of this stage moving into the semi-finals. Defending champions, Australia had been dominating world cricket for the past couple of years and they were hot favourites to retain their title. Hosts South Africa were expected to be tough competitors at home while India and Pakistan too had good squads on paper. Australia lost Shane Warne due to a failed drugs test hours before the start of the tournament, but they lived up to the tag of favourites and lifted the World Cup, winning all their 11 matches in the process.





Sachin Tendulkar was in the form of his life during the World Cup

Australia eased past most of their opponents with ease in the group stage. They were in difficult situations against Pakistan and England, but Andrew Symonds came to the rescue on the first occasion with a murderous 143 while against England it was Michael Bevan and Andy Bichel taking the Aussies home with a 73-run ninth wicket partnership. Australia ended the group stage with a 100% win record and they topped group A. Pakistan lost their matches against Australia and England by big margins and they were also defeated quite comfortably by arch-rivals India. They still could have made it to the semis, but their match against Zimbabwe was washed off and that brought the curtains down on their World Cup ambitions. The result hugely benefitted the Zimbabweans who were able to make it to the super-six for the second time in consecutive World Cups. They were also helped by the fact that England refused to play in Harare due to safety reasons and the ICC decided to award the match to the Zimbabweans.

India started shakily, recording an unimpressive win over Netherlands before being crushed by the Aussies. But Sourav Gangulys men picked themselves up and led by star batsman Sachin Tendulkar, the Indians went on to win their next four group matches to take second spot behind Australia. Englands decision not to tour Zimbabwe cost them dearly as they now had to beat two out of Australia, India and Pakistan to ensure progress into the super six stage. They defeated Pakistan and has Australia on the rocks, but Bevan and Bichel denied England a victory. A loss against India meant that England had to return home after the group stage. The minnows in the group, Netherlands and Namibia lost each of their matches against the top sides by comfortable margins. The Netherlands, making their second World Cup appearance after 1996, managed to beat Namibia to take the sixth spot in group A.





A dejected South African dressing room after being knocked out from the group stage

Hosts South Africa had a disastrous World Cup campaign despite Herschelle Gibbs wonderful form at the top of the order. They started off with a close 3 run loss at the hands of West Indies. A poor bowling performance led to a defeat against New Zealand. A terrible mis-calculation meant that their match against Sri Lanka ended in a tie. The South African dressing-room sent word to the batsmen, Mark Boucher and Lance Klusener, that the Duckworth/Lewis target at the end of the 45th over was 229, provided they lost no more wickets. Boucher achieved this by hitting the fifth ball from Muttiah Muralitharan for six and then blocking the last. But unfortunately for the Proteas, they had actually tied the match, a result that was not good enough to take them through. Sri Lanka topped group B with four wins and a tie. A shock defeat against Kenya was the only blotch on an otherwise flawless campaign. West Indies too didnt have luck on their side as their match against Bangladesh was washed off by rain. Points were shared and West Indies bowed out of the group stage.





Kenya's fairytale run to the semi-final surprised one and all

The biggest success story of the group stage was Kenya. New Zealands refusal to play in Nairobi due to security reasons gave Kenya full points for the match without even a ball being bowled. Leg-spinner Collins Obuyas five-wicket haul gave them a surprise victory over Sri Lanka and another win against Bangladesh to follow it up saw them through to the super six. Despite missing out on what would have possibly been a comfortable victory against Kenya, New Zealand made it to the next stage. They lost their opening match against the Lankans, but wins against South Africa and West Indies were enough to take them through. Canadas supporters too had some moments to cheer about as their team pulled off an incredible win over Bangladesh, a side that had just attained test status. John Davison provided more joy as he struck the fastest World Cup century ever against West Indies. Bangladesh had a very disappointing campaign, losing all their matches to end at the bottom of the table.





Brett Lee was in electrifying form in the super six stage

Brett Lee was devastating in the super six for Australia, picking up 11 wickets in three matches to lead his team to three comfortable victories. India too notched three comprehensive victories to book a semi-final berth as the second placed team behind Australia. New Zealand started with a win against Zimbabwe, but despite Shane Bonds heroics with the ball, they suffered crushing defeats against India and Australia. They hadnt carried forward any points from the group stages either and hence they failed to make it to the last four.

Kenyas fairytale run in the World Cup continued as they became the only African team to reach the semis ahead of their more fancied co-hosts, South Africa and Zimbabwe. The Kenyans had carried over maximum possible points from the group stage and so a win over Zimbabwe was good enough to take them through. Sri Lanka recovered well from big defeats against Australia and India to register a comfortable victory over Zimbabwe that took them through to the last four. Zimbabwe, another surprise in the super-six stage, could not progress any further as they lost each of their matches in the super six to crash out of the tournament.





Sourav Ganguly raises his bat after reaching three figures in the semi-final

The semi-finals failed to provide much thrill as both the matches turned out to be one-sided affairs. Sri Lanka had Australia in a spot of bother at 3 for 51, but Symonds once again bailed the Aussies out of trouble, this time with a responsible unbeaten 91 that took Australia to 212. The Lankan top order succumbed to the pace of Lee and they were 7 wickets down for just 123 when rain interrupted play. No further play was possible and the Aussies were declared winners by 48 runs by the Duckworth-Lewis method. Kenyas dream run was finally halted by the Indians as a century from skipper, Sourav Ganguly took them to a convincing 91-run victory that saw them through to the final of the World Cup for the first time since Kapils Devils had won it in 1983.





Ricky Ponting celebrates his match-winning century in the final

The final at Johannesburg saw the two best teams in the tournament, Australia and India, facing each other. Gangulys decision to field first after winning the toss back fired as the Australian openers punislhed the new- ball bowlers with a 105-run partnership in just 14 overs. Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting and Damien Martin took charge after their departure as the duo put together an unbeaten 224 run third wicket stand that took Australia to a mammoth 359. Ponting ended with 140 off just 121 deliveries while Martyn contributed 88 off 81. Much of Indias hopes rested on the in-form Sachin Tendulkar, but his dismissal in the very first over made the task all the more difficult. Sehwag hung around at one end for an almost run-a-ball 82, but there was no support from the other. India were bowled out within 40 overs for just 234. Australias victory margin of 125 runs was the highest in a World Cup final in terms of runs. Ponting was the obvious choice for the man-of-the-match award for his destructive knock.





A jubilant Australian team after winning the World Cup

Sachin Tendulkar, the highest run-getter in the tournament, was declared the player of the tournament. Sri Lankan left-arm pacer, Chaminda Vaas, ended as the highest wicket-taker. Controversies on and off the field threatened to divert the attention away from the action, but the quality of cricket didnt allow that to happen. Englands boycott of Zimbabwe grabbed headlines for a few days. Andy Flower and Henry Olonga of Zimbabwe were censured by the ICC for their black arm-band protest against the countrys President. Australia deserve special mention for their ruthless brand of cricket that kept people hooked to the on-field action. The Aussies became the first team since West Indies in 1979 to go unbeaten throughout the tournament. The only disappointment for viewers was the fact that the semis and the final turned out to be one-sided affairs. In terms of financial profits, this World Cup was the most successful by a long way despite the elimination of the main hosts, South Africa, from the group stage itself. By winning their second World Cup on the trot, Australia re-affirmed their domination of world cricket.


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## Ammyy

*Cricket World cup 2011 : The Mighty Aussies*

With the World cup fever catching on, I thought of giving my opinion about the teams participating in the tournament So I start of with defending champs Australia.

THE SQUAD
Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke (vc), Shane Watson, Cameron White, David Hussey, Mike Hussey, Brad Haddin (wk), Tim Paine (wk), John Hastings, Nathan Hauritz, Steve Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Shaun Tait and Doug Bollinger.

4th IN A ROW ??

After dominating two World cup campaigns and bagging 4th world title in 2007, Australia should be the hot favourite coming into the tournament, but somewhere down the line even a die hard Aussie fan would be thinking, are they really the favourites ??

THE HOPE

Aussies always had the services of the best openers of a particular era in each of their World Cup triumphs, but this time around the opening pair is the biggest concern the Australian outfits faces. Shane Watson has most definitely cemented his place and even 40 per cent comparison to great Mark Waugh wont hurt here. Watson is an asset for Australia if sub continent pitches are taken into consideration. He always had the power and technique to play up front but what makes him the lethal weapon for the Aussies is his maturity and the level of understanding he has developed for the game. And moreover, he is no schmuck with the ball either.

Mr. Cricket, Mike Hussey would be the biggest hope for the Ricky Ponting in this World Cup. Since his late debut in 2004 in ODIs he has never looked back. If Ricky Pointing and Adam Gilchrist were the big match players for Aussies, this time around it would be Mr. Cricket, Michael Hussey. Provided he gets fit before the world cup after his surgery.

Mitchell Johnson for me would be the spearhead of this bowling attack though its boosts the like of Lee and Bollinger. For me the best opening bowlers for Australia are Johnson and Bollinger.

THE WORRIES

Well, lot of worries for sure and to start of with, its the batting, Watson is yet to find a solid opening partner. Brad Haddin, though in the recent series against England is trying very hard to fill in the boots of Adam Gilchrist. His short yet effective run a ball innings is hurting England but same cannot be said once he reaches the subcontinent. Also Tim Paine the second wicketkeeper and attacking batsmen seems to be more stable but he hasnt proved much to earn a World cup game. Omission of David Warner is baffling.
In the bowling department, Brett Lee and Shaun Tait are like the Pandoras Box, the two fastest bowlers, one a proven match winner but coming from a long injury lay off and the other like a jet without radar could be a risky gamble taken by the selectors. Siddle would have made more sense than Shaun Tait.

SURPRISE ELEMENT

Steven Smith and Nathan Hauritz are the lesser known faces in the Australian setup. Hauritz, though vastly experienced and being a spinner could be decisive in sub continent. He is miserly as he looks but wicket taking abilities are a question mark.
Steven Smith on the other hand would double up as an all rounder. He has shown great temperament and can hit the ball real hard and his leg break could be very effective in placid wickets.
Equally good would be Cameroon White. He can very well be equated to Yusuf Pathan, a notch higher maybe.
John Hastings selection keeping in mind Australia already had 3 all rounders is a bit confusing. But Hastings credentials in domestic circuit and his immaculate bowling performances in death overs is probably why he is in the squad. Though, Warner could have been there instead of Hastings.

CHANCES

4 time World Champions, you just cannot shrug them of even if they have a bad day at the office. Clearly not the favourites but much better than dark horses, 3rd in line to take the trophy I may say.


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## Ammyy

*A look at the teams in the lead up to the World Cup*

Admittedly a lot can change between now and the start of the World Cup in 2011,but this is my preview of the strengths and weaknesses of the teams.Ill look at 6 categories as follows:
1.Strengths
2.Weaknesses
3.Depth
4.Fielding
5.Key Players
6.Chances






Australia:

Strengths:In truth even though they have struggled of late. Few would doubt the Aussies are still the best Odi team going around.I say this because unlike other teams who pay homage to the litany of meaningless Odi tournaments going on.Australia chooses to use them as a grooming process for younger players.When theres a big tournament on their big guns reappear.Though they are on the wane in tests. In Odis where the standard isnt as high and players can hide technical and temperament deficiences.Players like Ferguson,White,Lee,Tait who arent test class compliment the greats like Ponting,Watson,Hussey and others in the shorter form of the game
Weaknesses.Though not as pronounced in Odis for spinners get very cheap wickets for batsmen have to attack. The Aussies lack a very good spinner.In Hauritz,Smith,Doherty,OKeefe and others they are average,but in Odis get the job done
Depth:Unlike in tests where bar fast bowlers,they have little depth in batting or spin bowling. In Odis they have many players who can make an impact
Fielding: There not as good as they were but still very good
Key Players:Shane Watson and Ricky Ponting
Chances:Id still rate them as the favourites in the tournament

Bangladesh:

Strengths:In Shakib and Tamim are there two brighter young stars in the World of cricket? Also like Sri Lanka in the 96 World Cup. In Asian conditions their spinners will play a huge part in their fortunes headed by Shakibs very refined spin.Also their batting is very underatted in Odis.
Weaknesses:The lack of a front line seam bowler will hurt them.For although Mortaza is indeed big hearted.He has had issues with control.
Depth:In Odis they have depth in the spin department, but not in other areas
Fielding:For an Asian team they are very enthusiastic and above average in this area of the game
Key Players:Shakib and Tamim
Chances.I cant see them winning it ,but can see them being very dangerous even an outsider to make the Semis. For Asian conditions so favour their side

England:

Strengths:A very professional side with strength in all aspects of the game.They have steel and explosiveness in their batting with Pieterson,Strauss,Morgan,Collingwood and the like.They are very well stocked in their bowling in all aspects in regards to pace and spin with Swann the forefront of this.Then their fielding is top class.Plus believe they can win anything
Weaknesses:I cant think of many that they have
Depth:Like Australia are very well stocked in regards to depth.Though unlike Australia have very decent spinners in reserve,who can be impactful
Fielding:An exceptional fielding side
Key Players:Kevin Pietersen and Greame Swann
Chances: Definitely one of the favourites

India:

Strengths:In their batting they are very well stocked with many explosive types like Yuvraj,Dhoni,Raina,Sehwag and others and then they have Sachin-need I say more.They have many spin options that are all very useful in Odi cricket.Then there pace attack though not threatening gets the job done in limited overs cricket.
Weaknesses:Their main one is their pace attack which is adequate,but lacks penetration.Plus the fact it is on Asian soil means they have to deal with huge expectations.That cant be discounted for no host has ever won a World Cup!
Depth.In batting very well stocked.Also in the spin depratment they are very well stocked though in pace they are vulnerable
Fielding:Very decent for an Asian team and in the youngster coming in their all great fielders
Key Players:M.S.Dhoni and sachin Tendulkar
Chances:They have the team to win it,but I dont think they will

New Zealand:

Strengths:The kiwis are always well drilled and well performed in Odi cricket,but always come up a bit short.In their batting it can be explosive highlighted by players like McCullum,Ryder and Taylor.Then the precocious young brilliant batsman Kane Williamson has the pedrigree to made an impression.Then their bowling is highlighted by Dan Vettori.At present dont know if hes retired from all cricket,but if Shane Bond is available it will make them very dangerous indeed.Also very well captained by Vettori.
Weaknesses:They lack penetration and depth in their pace stocks,so on batting friendly Asian pitches might get flayed.
Fielding:One of their strengths.A very fine fielding side
Depth:In New Zealand, Rugby is king,so cricket is very much a splinter sport as a result very little depth
Key Players:McCullum and Dan Vettori
Chances: I cant see them going too far

Pakistan:

Strengths:The strength of Pakistan in any form of the game is their unpredictability.They can go undefeated and win the tournament or get beaten by a Hong Kong invitational veterans side.Also politics in this fine Country always defies logic in regards to team selection.Also the fate of their trio of players in january is key to their chances.If Asif,Butt and Aamer can play they will be formidable.I have a feeling they will get off for if the case was so conclusive they would have got outed indefinitely by now.
Weaknesses:Their unpredictability is their key one for you dont know what youll get.Plus the PCB always kills anything that is good in their side.Lastly their fielding is very substandard
Fielding:It sadly borders on comical,which in limited overs cricket is a killer
Depth:There are many great young players in Pakistan,but again it depends on the PCB picking them..
Key Players:If free to play then in Asif and Aamer they form a new ball attack that can run through any batting line up.Otherwise Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi
Chances:It all depends on the fate of their accused trio.If their free to play then they are a big chance otherwise I cant see them going far for their bowling is very weak

South Africa:

Strengths:They have the side to win it but we say this every World Cup.In Dale Steyn they have easily the best bowler in the World of cricket.He is very well supported by Morne Morkel,Parnell,Tsosobe,Botha and others.In batting they are formidable with Smith,Amla,De Villiers,Kallis and the late order hitting of Albie Morkel and others.To top their all round appeal their fielding is exceptional
Weaknesses.None on the field,but in the mental aspect thats a question.For they always come up short when it matters.Though they have improved from their mental midget days of Smith complaining about the Big bad Aussies picking on him.They still have question marks in this regard
Fielding:Truly exceptional
Depth;Again truly exceptional in regards to young talent on the verge of the side
Key Playersale Steyn and A.B.De.Villiers
Chances:One of the favourites without doubt

Sri Lanka:

Strengths:In Asian conditions they are definitely one of the favourites.Their batting highlighted by Sangakkara and Mahela and supported by others is very good indeed.Then their bowling in both spin and pace is very well served.Plus their fielding is top shelf in quality
Weaknesses.In truth they dont have many being a very fine limited overs cricket side
Fielding:One of the best if not the best in the World
Depth:Very good indeed.I hope Dinesh Chandimal and Chamara Kapugedera play for there very good young players
Key Players:Kumar Sangakkara and Lasith Malinga
Chances:I think are probably the favourites going into the tournament

West Indies:

Strengths:They are a decent Odi side with many dangerous players like Chris Gayle,Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo.Though their side has many profound weaknesses that are hard to wall paper over.Even in the shorter forms of the game.They are capable of upsetting good sides,but a sustained run I think is beyond them.
Weaknesses:In all aspects of the game they have glaring weaknesses.Also they have been reduced to bickering Islands again and more worrying is their lack of respect for the proud heritages of West Indian cricket.As shown in a few not wanting to sign central contacts
Fielding.A decent fielding side
Depth.Very little depth
Key Players:Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard
Chances:They might surprise a few,but cant see them going far

To the 5 associate teams in Kenya, Ireland,Holland, Zimbabwe and Canada who made it well done.I dont think you will go very far in the tournament.Though id be pleasantly surprised if you proved me wrong!


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## Enigma

donno why that lousy a$$ munaf was selected, i hate him to the core  

most of the times he get thrashed all over the ground, simply why was IRFAN PATHAN even not been considered ???

Irfan is a an all rounder  and we need trustworthy allrounders like abdul razzak.


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## Mirza Jatt

Enigma said:


> donno why that lousy a$$ munaf was selected, i hate him to the core
> 
> most of the times he get thrashed all over the ground, simply why was IRFAN PATHAN even not been considered ???
> 
> Irfan is a an all rounder  and we need trustworthy allrounders like abdul razzak.



Irfan should have been considered, but my friend why do you say that for Munaf ??

after zaheer, he is the key pacer for India....infact more acccurate bowler of wicket to wicket than even Zaheer...he compromised his speed for years to achieve thsi or else he can easily bowl over 150 kms each and very bowl. infact he is in a great form currently which selectors kept in mind..and whic can be tapped in this world cup.


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## alibaz

DARDO a nice analysis of teams but I don't think Aamir, Asif or Butt will play. May be Aamir has a extremely remote chance but not others. I don't think Asif can be very effective in Sub continent conditions considering his speed. 
You are very right unpredictability is the strongest and weakest point of Pakistan team.
Tournament will be very interesting because no team is unbeatable like last two world cups.


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## Major Sahab

Best of luck Pakistan.


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## Super Falcon

Article is written by indian only 2 pakistani we are not that bad Umer Akmal is another proving prospect hit the bowl long way when he is on song he is AB de Villerd of pakistan and how can they forget umer gul and shoaib akhter


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## Enigma

Indian Jatt said:


> Irfan should have been considered, but my friend why do you say that for Munaf ??
> 
> after zaheer, he is the key pacer for India....infact more acccurate bowler of wicket to wicket than even Zaheer...*he compromised his speed for years to achieve thsi or else he can easily bowl over 150 kms each and very bowl.* infact he is in a great form currently which selectors kept in mind..and whic can be tapped in this world cup.




agreed that he has a better line and length (though his action is a straight copy of Mc Grath) in comparison to zaheer, but we must consider his other skills fielding (he sucks at this, ive seen quite a few times that the 1's become two's and the 2's become three's when the ball runs in his and the other very famous mis-fielder @#$%&*%^t ASHISH NEHRA's direction  

batting its always better if the tail enders cud possibly contribute atleast 10 runs each or can stand to face atleast 20 deliveries, this guy munaf is is second only to venkatesh prasad whom i consider the batting disaster, he always had the attitude of "yea mera department nai hai, toh may q batting karu? " munaf is no better!!!

munaf compromised his speed cause of his injury issues, its common with indian pacers to start like shatabdi express and after few matches u can compare them to metro  in this regards one bowler Javagal Sreenath never compromised on his speed and like always he was fit and fine.

speaking about current for of munaf, well he has performed well in south africa where the pitches support bowlers, even medium pacer becomes a speedster on those pitches, tok abt indian conditions, dont u think Irfan's swing wud b more benificial in comparison to this lousy munaf's bowling technique? i have hardly seen munaf swinging the ball. 


last but not the least he is one of the coldest guys in the team, i dont see him with spirit he is always lousy and acts so lathargic  not good for team's moral, ppl like him and ashish nehra dont contribute to team spirit, *and these days its the most required thing to win matches, look at pakistan what lack of team spirit has done them *

 munaf nehra ASAP RIP


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## Ammyy

Super Falcon said:


> Article is written by indian only 2 pakistani we are not that bad Umer Akmal is another proving prospect hit the bowl long way when he is on song he is AB de Villerd of pakistan and how can they forget umer gul and shoaib akhter



No article not written by Indian ....... 

Its written By Tim Holt


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## Ammyy

*Cricket World Cup 2011 : The 15 chosen men for India*

With the World Cup around the corner, attention now turns to the 15 who will be entrusted with the responsibility of bringing back the cup. There is still a long way to go before the squad is announced; the unnecessary formalities such as a 30 probable list with long forgotten names making the cut leading to endless debates on news channels as to whom among the 30 should make the final 15. But I feel Indian team has a settled look and the job of choosing the final 15 can be done right now except for a few contentious spots.
The combination: 7 batsmen 7 bowlers and 1 keeper or 7 batsmen 1 keeper 6 bowlers and 1 all-rounder is the most important choice to start out with. There are 2 reasons why I feel it has to be the former rather than the latter.

1. India doesnt have an all-rounder who fits the bill for Indian pitches. Yusuf Pathan is a proven performer in IPL but he hasnt done enough to justify his selection for the big event. His batting has been patchy at best and his vulnerability against the short ball is well known and most captains will know his weakness and though it is not bouncy pitches we will be encountering here, his performance in the last IPL was much shoddier than the first one proving my point. Ravindra Jadeja is a much better bowler but the less said about his batting the better. So combination number 2 it is.

2. The easiest choice of all-wicket keeper-MSD and Captain

3. The 7 batsmen-most names pick themselves. Sachin, Sehwag, Gambhir (back to his best in the current series), Raina (seems to have lost his touch a little but has a lot of expectations riding on his young shoulders), Yuvraj (not quite up to his imperious best but on his day can win a match single handedly. Provides the much needed strength in the middle order and much depends on him for Indias performance in the death overs. He can convert a 270 total into a 330 in a matter of few deliveries).

Now for the last 2 spots. Virat Kohli with his exceptional performance in the last 4 matches seems to have done enough to warrant a place in the final 15. The last spot could come down to a tossup between Rohit Sharma and Murali Vijay. Given the makeup of the squad with 3 openers already, logic suggests it should be Sharma but Vijay seems to have impressed few higher-ups with this performances as and when required (whenever he has been called up he has delivered the goods). And the disciplinary issues which haunted Rohits exclusion from the team could come back to haunt him. Unless he does something exceptional in the remaining 2 ODIs against New Zealand, it could the Chennai opener who finds his way to the 15.

4. Now to the 7 bowlers-Another choice to be made here. 4 pacers and 3 spinners or a 5-2 combination? Given Indias current team-makeup over the past few months, Dhoni has preferred a 3 pacer 1 spinner combination in almost every match and relied on part-timers for the 5th bowling option. Driven by the same logic, I would opt for a 5-2 combination.

Here again few names pick themselves. Zaheer, Praveen and Harbhajan. All 3 are a sure shot presence. The other spinner is an extremely difficult choice to make, given that both Ojha and Ashwin have impressed in the chances given to them and Harbhajan is going to be playing every match unless he isnt fit or its a rank turner, the one to miss out has a right to feel extremely unlucky. I would opt for Ashwin as he seems to have that wicket taking ability and is a slightly better batsman, though it is yet to be tested at an international level. Dhonis tactics in CSK employing him as an option in the Powerplays suggest that he could edge out the unlucky Ojha.

Now for the pacers. Nehra has been extremely consistent since his comeback both fitness wise and performance wise. The choice for the 4th pacer is a tussle between Munaf, Sreesanth and Ishant. Munaf is the most economical of all but isnt much of a wicket taker. And his attitude has been called into question by most experts. In the current series his performances have been excellent with not many on field mistakes. Sreesanth is the most attacking of the three but his economy rate is extremely poor and on Indian pitches which are bound to favor the batsmen, his lack of control is a great disadvantage. Ishant seems to be a bit of both but has been troubled by lack of control in the recent past. Test matches are a different ball game but when it comes to ODIs he still does have a lot to prove on batsmen friendly wickets where Munaf with his control seems to be a much better option. Munafs attitude seems to have undergone a change (I know many will disagree with me on this but everyone is entitled to his/her personal opinion) and he would be my choice for the 4th pacer. Many would be wondering why I havent talked about another pacer here.
This is where I feel the selectors could take a slight risk. India lack an all rounder but the closest India got to one was Irfan Pathan. Even now I feel Irfan could perform the role of the 5th bowler in the middle overs with the keeper up to the stumps bowling wicket to wicket. His batting skills were never in the question, and his lack of swing and pace could be overcome by the keeper up to the stumps and allowing him to operate in the middle overs. That said, this is my personal opinion and I dont believe Dhoni has any such plans in his mind to recall the younger Pathan. What will happen is that the elder Pathan could make his way to the squad (logically this makes sense as on Indian tracks an extra spinning option would be a better bet. Just that Yusuf hasnt done anything to justify this selection. So too Irfan and so lets trust Dhoni on this)

So the final 15:

M.S.Dhoni (C ), Virender Sehwag (VC ), God (couldnt resist this &#61514; ), Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, Murali Vijay, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar, Ashish Nehra, Harbhajan Singh, R. Ashwin, Munaf Patel, Yusuf Pathan


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## Ammyy

*The Silent Contenders : Bangladesh Cricket Team*

Over the past year and a half, the dynamics of world cricket has been changing left, right and centre. The super powers have been reduced to mere mortals fighting out to live another day. Mean while, the perennial underachievers are making their presence felt and recreating history around the world. The World Cup, once again, presents a challenge and a chance to many cricketers who have missed the glory for years together now.

As the world order in cricket is slowly changing, with teams like West Indies, New Zealand and Pakistan slowly losing their way and Australia struggling with inconsistent performances, Bangladesh look promising for better things with a World Cup being played at their home now.

The Co-Hosts

A look at the groupings for the World Cup reveals the chances for Bangladesh very evidently. Being the co-hosts along with India and Sri Lanka, Bangladesh get a chance to play all their group games in familiar and favorable conditions. Five years ago, no one would have given a chance for Bangladesh to win in their home against the top flight teams. But, the team has improved wonderfully well under Jamie Siddons in the last couple of years.

They are pitted against India, South Africa, England, West Indies, Ireland and Netherlands. In their own backyard, Bangladesh can definitely feel confident of winning against Ireland and Netherlands. West Indies arent anymore the force they used to be. If they indeed go on to beat the Tigers, it might as well be called an upset of sorts. On the contrary, if Bangladesh can achieve a resounding win against the Caribbean nation, the Tigers will be very close to finishing in the top 4 at the end of the league stages.
Now, when the time has finally come, even the harshest of the critics, will not blindly rule out Bangladesh from springing a surprise or two!






Now, when the time has finally come, even the harshest of the critics, will not blindly rule out Bangladesh from springing a surprise or two!

Three league wins might easily put Bangladesh in the radar to reaching the quarter final stage. But, if they motivate themselves and put up a spirited show as they did in West Indies (2007) by beating India and South Africa, in their den, then you would have a team totally dressed up to conquer peaks which they wouldnt have ever dreamt of!

There is no secret about the kind of turf, the visitors would be playing in. It would be slow and low. The dew will play a huge role in the evening. The pitch would also carry some turn that would help the home teams spinners.

If they go on to reach the Quarter Final, Bangladesh will again have a great chance to knock out the opponent. Let us take this scenario. If New Zealand end up playing Bangladesh in Bangladesh, what are the chances of Bangladesh reaching the semi final stage, considering their current form and their historic series win they had against the Kiwis recently? Teams like Australia and Sri Lanka might pose a tougher battle, but again, if Pakistan turns up against Bangladesh, you never know, whats in store.

The semi final and the final will then be, one-off games where it all boils down to what the teams do on that day. It would in many ways, be a great achievement for Bangladesh, if they do make it to the semi final of the 2011 World Cup. It is a dream, accepted, but something that isnt impossible to achieve either.

The Team

Bangladesh Squad  Shakib Al Hasan (C), Tamim Iqbal, Abdur Razzak, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Mahmudullah, Mohammed Ashraful, Mushfiqur Rahim, Naeem Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Raqibul Hasan, Shafiul Islam, Shahriar Nafees and Suhrawadi Shuvo.

Every time, I look at this Bangladeshi outfit, I am strongly reminded of the Sri Lanka of 1996. Pack up the bowling unit with spinners who keep the run flow check, add a couple of explosive top order batsmen along with handy all-rounders in the middle order. What more, most of the players are young and are very good as a fielding unit.






Tamim is as explosive as you can ever get for the openers slot. The lad is extremely talented and his form through the last year suggested that he is in for bigger things. He has been out due to injury for some time now.

Two of the worlds best young players currently, Shakib and Tamim will share the bulk of the responsibility on the field. Their skill levels have also elevated them to the role of the captain and the deputy of their team now. Tamim is as explosive as you can ever get for the openers slot. The lad is extremely talented and his form through the last year suggested that he is in for bigger things. He has been out due to injury for some time now. He would never get such a golden opportunity to make it big very early in his career. There is lot of stability in the Bangladeshi batting order nowadays. Junaid Siddique, Imrul Kayes, Mahmudullah, Shahrias Nafees and Shakib Al Hasan offer great strength to the side.

Over the last year or so, the side has performed really well with the bat. Theyve seldom lost the plot and floundered opportunities. In fact, in the last 12 months, Bangladesh has scored less than 200 only once at home, when teams like England and New Zealand have toured the nation. When queried at a higher level, statistics suggest that the teams lowest score last year has been 167 (at Dambulla) despite travelling to England, Scotland, Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Surely, their batting is in good shape, in the lead up to the tournament.

Bangladeshs real strength lies in their bowling. Rubel and Shafiul should mostly play all the games! Theyre genuinely quick bowlers who can be quite a plentiful even on a slow track. Both the bowlers are experts with slower deliveries. However, the real game changers are their spinners. The games would mostly be decided when Abdur Razzak, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Suhrawadi Shuvo and Naeem Islam will be operating. Indian fans need not go any further than their opening game in West Indies, four years ago. India were never allowed to getaway and that meant, India couldnt post a winning total.

It is never a mistake to dream! But, it would be unpardonable a mistake, if we never work towards our dreams. Bangladesh has travelled miles around the world over the last year or so. With the distances travelled, theyve added on lots of pages of maturity and experience in their diaries! Now, when the time has finally come, even the harshest of the critics, will not blindly rule out Bangladesh from springing a surprise or two! And yeah, dont be surprised if the Tigers are on the hunt at Mohali on 30th March 2010, a couple of months from now on!


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## Abhishek_

fyi members who want to watch official HD streaming online (much better quality than illegal streaming) you can check Willow TV Live
Willow TV is the official broadcaster of the WC in US


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## KS

Indian Jatt said:


> sachin
> Gambhir
> Sehwag
> Kohli /raina
> Dhoni
> Y.Pathan
> Yuvraj
> Harbhajan
> Zaheer
> Nehra
> Munaf/Praveen
> 
> now what about this team ??



No three pacers....Remember we are playing in India 

Somehow my instinct says Zaheer and Ashwin will open the bowling like Dhoni used to do in the CSK matches. 

Yuvi's current form has been very bad especially with the bat...So he should fight for the seventh spot with Raina.

Sad to see such a player reduced to fighting for spots.


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## brahmastra

^^ he is first in the list.


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## Ammyy

*England : ODI Cricket World Cup 2011 Preview*

England may have won the Ashes soundly, but their one-day form has been less than stellar. That expression is pretty stupid in this case  in fact, their form has been the opposite of stellar. I dont know what exactly that is, but its bad. Theyre missing two hugely influential players though  Broad and Swann - and having them back in both the batting and bowling ranks will be a huge boost. Anyway, heres the preview in the format Im using.





Andrew Strauss will do quite well in the World Cup. He will play a total of 147 cuts, but will never cross 35.





Matt Prior

Matt Priors form indicates that he will succeed in his reinstatement at the top of the order, but, looking for quick starts, he will actually struggle to convert them if he does make them.





Jonathan Trott

Jonathan Trott will continue to perform at #3, and his batting will provide viewers with some relief. Literal relief, that is  you can always take a pee break when Trotts at the crease.





Kevin Pietersen

Kevin Pieterson will fail against the weaker teams, and there will be (wrong) calls to drop him for Yardy or Wright. He will respond with a hundred (and a couple of wickets) against the West Indies to shut them up. Okay, I could swear I wrote the same stuff for Yuvraj. Weird.





Ian Bell

Ian Bell is in the form of his life, and he looks set to make it count on the biggest stage. Or is he? He is. Is he? Switching the order of words in a sentence is a fun way to complicate things, just like Bells been doing with the selectors for ages. They just dont know where to put him.





Eoin Morgan

Eoin Morgan is secure in his position as a finisher, and a bloody good one he is, too. Hes a good bet to struggle in the subcontinent, though, because he loves using the pace coming onto the bat, and he may not get it. And also {insert leprechaun joke}.





Paul Collingwood

Paul Collingwood looked like getting in good nick recently, and his nurdling will be extremely important lower down the order for England. His slower-than-a-speeding-bullet bowling will be pretty handy too. Hows that for an original phrase describing Collys bowling?


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## Ammyy

Stuart Broad

Stuart Broad, if he is fully fit, will be a handful in the tournament, and not in a dirty way (even I dont get that one). But considering his past experiences with Yuvraj in World Cups, I wont be surprised if its his time of the month when England play India in the group stage. Yes, hes a werewolf.





Graeme Swann

Graeme Swann is Englands most important player, and he will perform as per expectations. He will also find his way into a Bollywood movie, making a cameo playing himself. The hero will find himself in trouble outside a cricket stadium, and Swann and Brett Lee will come to his rescue using a bat and a ball. You heard it here first, all right?





Tim Bresnan

Tim Bresnan will keep bowling steadily. Missing pie, he will ask for some at the hotel, but instead will be given a math lesson by the bellhops 4-year old son. His head will hurt and he will tweet the whole time.





James Anderson

James Anderson might not get the conditions he loves, but he has shown that he can adapt. And he will.





Michael Yardy

Michael Yardy will get to play if Bell/Morgan/Colly struggle, or if its an especially good pitch for spinners. Its going to be a quiet World Cup for him.





Luke Wright

Luke Wrights medium-pace might be handy. That is all.





Ajmal Shahzad

Ajmal Shahzad will get a new, less grinny picture taken. Hes basically injury back-up. He will get one advertisement when he is mistaken for Snoop Dogg.





James Tredwell

James Tredwell, 63, is also just Swanns stunt double. He was only picked because he isnt fat, and makes some mean pasta (one of those isnt true).

England could do pretty well, actually, definitely top 4 material, but the lower middle order needs to fire.


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## Ammyy

*World Cup Cricket 2011 to spur travel to India: A travel guide for fans*






1. New Delhi

Most of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 matches are scheduled in Indias capital city. New Delhi in itself is a hub for historical, monumental, cultural and city tourism. You need more than a day to explore full of the city and its a relief New Delhi is hosting more matches. Must-see sites include Red Fort (Lal Quila in local language), India Gate and Rajpath, Old Delhi, Jantar Mantar, Qutab Minar and popular commercial spot, Connaught Place. Raj Ghat, the final resting place of Mahatma Gandhi, is not to miss. Paying homage to the Father of the nation at Raj Ghat is a life time experience as the aura of the place captures the essence of everything about Gandhi  two museums, national songs that continuously plays, a peaceful ambience  everything remind of the power of one of the worlds greatest leaders.

Is cricket just an excuse?

New Delhi is blessed to be located very near to the city of Agra that houses Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Located at about 200 kilometers from the capital, Agra is well connected by National Highway, fast-speed trains (Shatabdi Express) and New Delhi airport.


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## Ammyy

2. Chennai Tamil Nadu

The host city for the first match, Chennai is the capital of southern state of Tamil Nadu in India. The city along the Bay of Bengal has a magnificent coast line and the longest beach in India, the Marina Beach  an ideal place to spend evenings. Chennai also hosts tennis tournament, Chennai Open, every year and so, the city offers wonderful visits to some of the sports stadiums. If cultural indulgence charms you, Chennai is the place to watch performances of Bharatnatyam dance, a form of Indian classical dance.

Is cricket just an excuse?

While in Chennai, the nearest must-visit destinations in Tamil Nadu include Mahabalipuram. Located about 55 kilometers from Chennai, the city is famous for the temple art of ancient India and draws tourists to its temples by the shore. Mahabalipuram is a UNESCOs world heritage site. Popular hill stations in the Nilgiris range are Ooty and Kodaikanal.

---------- Post added at 10:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:46 PM ----------






3. Mumbai, Maharashtra

The entertainment and financial capital of India, Mumbai also happens to host numerous matches and tourists get more time to discover the vast city. Must-see attractions include Gateway of India, Juhu Beach (Mumbai is located along the coastline of Arabian Sea), Film City, Elephanta Caves, Hotel Taj that was in much spotlight after November 2008 terror attack and popular shopping spots such as Fashion Street.

Is cricket just an excuse?

There are a few small hill stations within a radius of 100 kilometers from Mumbai  Khandala, Lonavala and Matheran  ideal for a day trip. Other options include Alibaug, a coastal city located about 35 kilometers away; Ajanta Ellora and Aurangabad caves that houses marvelous frescos, statues, paintings and more such Indian classical art forms from ancient times.

---------- Post added at 10:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:47 PM ----------






4. Kolkata, West Bengal

Capture the essence of the old world charm and the times of the British Raj in this old city of the eastern state of West Bengal. Located on the bank of River Hooghly, boat ride on a row boat is a must-do activity in Kolkata. Other attractions include Victoria Memorial, St. Paul's Cathedral, Downtown Kolkata, Howrah Bridge, Kolkata tram and Vidyasagar Setu Bridge.

Is cricket just an excuse?

Visit Digha, a beach city around 240 kilometers from Kolkata for a sea-sand-sun experience or head up towards the hills of Darjeeling and Siliguri for a wintry retreat.


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## Ammyy

5. Bangalore, Karnataka

Bangalore, the capital city of the southern state of Karnataka, is blessed with year-round pleasant weather that makes city sight-seeing worth. Popular spots include Bannerghatta National Park, an ideal place to spot white tigers and lions in plenty; city malls, Wonderla (amusement park), Innovative Film City (entertainment center), Lal Bagh, Cubbon Park, Vidhan Soudha (secretariat) and shopping places mainly MG Road, Commercial Street and Brigade Road.

Is cricket just an excuse?

Bangalore is strategically located near to numerous waterfalls arising from River Kaveri that bestow tourists with beauties of nature. Famous waterfall spots are Mekedatu (92 kilometers), Shivanasamudra (130 kilometers), Abbey Falls (270 kilometers) and Pykara Falls (250 kilometers).


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## Ammyy

6. Ahmedabad, Gujarat

The capital city of the western state Gujarat, Ahmedabad famous for kite-flying festival offers popular tourist attractions, including Jama Masjid, Sabarmati Ashram (Mahatma Gandhis home) and more spots on the bank of River Sabarmati.

Is cricket just an excuse?

Escape to the Diu Island (around 370 kilometers), Rann of Kutch Wildlife Sanctuary (93 kilometers) or the ancient city of Dwarka (450 kilometers) or the Gir Forest (395 kilometers).


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## Ammyy

7. Nagpur, Maharashtra

Nagpur in the western state of Maharashtra is the largest city in central India. Popular attractions include Deekshabhoomi, a Buddhist center; botanical gardens and a man-made Lake Sonegaon.

Is cricket just an excuse?

Visit Pachmarhi, a hill station situated in Satpura Range, and Kanha National Park  both are an ideal spots to explore the beauty of Indian vegetation enthused with hills, valleys, waterfalls, wild animals and more.


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## Ammyy

8. Mohali, Punjab

A cricket match in city of Mohali in the northern state of Punjab in India provides a great escape to Chandigarh, located about 10 kilometers away. Chandigarh offers forested environment rich in flora and fauna. The Sukhna Lake, Gurudwara (Sikh temple) and Rock Garden are the most popular tourist spots.

Is cricket just an excuse?

Both Mohali and Chandigarh are near to the great Himalayas and visiting famous hill stations like Kasuali (about 65 kilometers), Chali (about 110 kilometers), Solan (about 68 kilometers) and Shimla (about 120 kilometers) is worth for a Himalayan retreat.


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## LaBong

I will go and watch Ireland vs Kenya in Eden. Thank you so much Jaggu Dalmiya.


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## Ammyy

Abir said:


> I will go and watch Ireland vs Kenya in Eden. Thank you so much Jaggu Dalmiya.



Hey buddy may be mara transfer Kolkata ho gaya hai but not confirm now


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## Mirza Jatt

Abir said:


> I will go and watch Ireland vs Kenya in Eden. Thank you so much Jaggu Dalmiya.



you know what..I kind of respected this man dalmiya for his professonalism and personality...and I still cant belive this is happening under him.

can you imagine, the most popular ground in India and Indian team not playing there.


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## KS

I heard that Praveen Kumar is injured in hand.

Going to Germany for consultations.


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## Ammyy

Karthic Sri said:


> I heard that Praveen Kumar is injured in hand.
> 
> Going to Germany for consultations.



How serious his injury ??? 

Is their any chance for S Sreesanth???


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## Ammyy

THE MUCH awaited event for cricket lovers across the globe, ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 is now 25 days to go. Fourteen nations including ten test playing nations will clash for the glittering trophy from February 19 to April 2. 
All the teams are divided into two groups. Before the commencing of Cricket World Cup 2011, ICC has scheduled fourteen warm-up matches. 
All the team will play two warm-up matches each with the team of other group. 

The first warm-up match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 will be played between West Indies and Kenya at R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on February 12. Here is the schedule of warm-up matches of World Cup Cricket tournament 2011. 

12 Feb West Indies vs Kenya R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo 09:30 AM IST 
12 Feb Bangladesh vs Canada Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong 02:00 PM IST (D/N)
12 Feb South Africa vs Zimbabwe MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai 02:30 PM IST (D/N) 
12 Feb New Zealand vs Ireland Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur 02:30 PM IST (D/N)
12 Feb Sri Lanka vs Netherlands Pallekele International Cricket Stadium,Kandy 02:30 PM IST (D/N)
13 Feb India vs Australia M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru (Bangalore) 02:30 PM IST (D/N)
15 Feb Ireland vs Zimbabwe Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur 09:30 AM IST
15 Feb Bangladesh vs Pakistan Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur 02:00 PM IST (D/N)
15 Feb Australia vs South Africa M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru 02:30 PM IST (D/N)
15 Feb Kenya vs Netherlands Pallekele International Cricket Stadium,Kandy 02:30 PM IST (D/N)
16 Feb England vs Canada Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium, Fatullah 09:00 AM IST
16 Feb Sri Lanka vs West Indies R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo 09:30 AM IST
16 Feb India vs New Zealand MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai 02:30 PM IST (D/N)
18 Feb England vs Pakistan Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium, Fatullah 02:00 PM IST (D/N)


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## Ammyy

*Injury might rule out Praveen Kumar from ICC World Cup 2011 *






Injury might rule out Praveen Kumar from ICC World Cup 2011

Indian medium pace bowler Praveen Kumar is in danger of missing out on the ICC World Cup 2011 because of an elbow injury which he sustained during the recent tour of South Africa.

Praveen is considered as a specialist in the limited-over format of the sport and has been a regular member of the Indian team in Twenty20 and 50-over cricket. He was injured during a practice session in South Africa before the One-day International series. With less than 20 days to go before the mega event begins, he has not fully recovered from the injury.

24-year-old seamer from Uttar Pradesh is set to leave for England very soon in order to receive some urgent treatment on his elbow. However, he looks quite optimistic about recovering in time to join Indias quest for the World Cup.

I am feeling pretty good now. The rehab program is on the right track and hopefully I will strike a good rhythm before the tournament starts, Praveen said.

He has played 48 ODIs so far for India and has taken 57 wickets at an average of 33.57 including three 4-wicket hauls. On top of that, Praveen has also played four Twenty20 internationals for India in which he has taken four wickets at an impressive economy rate of 5.44 runs per over. He also comes in handy with the bat and can use the long handle to good effect. However, he is yet to make his Test debut and selectors have just given him opportunities in the limited-over format of the game.

Praveen Kumar made his ODI debut against Pakistan in 2008 and since then he has been a regular member of the Indian side. His ability to swing the new ball adds a lot of variety to the Indian bowling attack. The only thing that he lacks is pace but his accuracy and sharp in-swingers make up for that weakness.

If he is not able to recover within time then it is most likely that Shanthakumaran Sreesanth would take his place in Indias final-15 for the World Cup.


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## Ammyy

*Shahid Afridi to lead Pakistan team at ICC cricket World Cup*

04 Feb 2011 02:55:34 PM IST

Pakistan Cricket allrounder Shahid Afridi will lead the team in the ICC Cricket World Cup, beginning from February 19.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has Afridi as the captain for the World Cup on Friday.

Misbah-ul-Haq will be the deputy of Afridi in the Cricket World Cup 2011. The announcement came just after Afridi-led Pakistan team won the ODI series against New Zealand.

Earlier, the Pakistan Cricket Board had delayed naming the captain. Pakistan was the only team which did not name its captain while announcing the 15-member squad.

Several former cricketers, including Wasim Akram and Waqar Younus had slammed PCB for its delay tactics.


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## Ammyy

*Spinning a Web Around the World Cup*

The sub-continent has historically been a happy hunting ground for spinners. The sub-continental nations, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have produced some of the finest spinners to have ever played the game such as Muttiah Muralitharan, Anil Kumble, Saqlain Mushtaq, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, Mushtaq Ahmed, Erapalli Prasanna and Abdul Qadir to name a few. Thus, one can expect spinners to play a very important role in the 2011 World Cup which will be jointly hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. More or less every team has included two to three spinners in its fifteen man squad and the part-timers too will in all probability be called upon quite frequently. Here, we take a look at some of the best spinners in the game at present, who will also be playing in the World Cup and might have defining roles to play in their teams quest for the ultimate prize.





Graeme Swann

Graeme Swann

Swanns rise as a top-class spinner in the past couple of years has been nothing short of meteoric. He had to wait for more than seven and a half years to play his second ODI after making his debut in 2000. Swanns invaluable contribution to English cricket can be gauged by the fact that Englands rise as a cricketing powerhouse has coincided with his growth as a premier off-spinner. He had a key role to play in his teams triumph in the Twenty20 World Cup in 2010. It wont be wrong to say that Swann is the only world-class spinner that England have produced in the last two decades or so. Swann has now become an indispensable part of the English side in all forms of the game. He will be knowing quite well that fans back home have a lot of expectations from this English side and if they want to win their first one-day international World Cup in the sub-continent, where wickets are likely to favour spinners, Swann will have a massive role to play.





Daniel Vettori

Daniel Vettori

New Zealand skipper, Daniel Vettori has been the face of his countrys cricket team for a large part of the past decade or so. One of the best left-armers to have ever played the game, Vettori is one of those cricketers who put in a lot of thought into their game. He is New Zealands highest wicket-taker in both tests as well as ODIs. His teams form over the past few years hasnt been great, but as an individual Vettori has more often than not been right up there with the very best. After leading the side for about four years, he recently stepped down from the test captaincy after losing the test series at home against Pakistan. He has also announced that the World Cup will be his last tournament as the skipper. Vettori has a more important role to play than most of the other players in this list. He will not only have to perform himself, he will also need to lift his team up and ensure that every man gives his 100% out in the middle.






Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan has been the spearhead of Indias spin attack for quite a few years, especially in the shorter formats of the game. If India are to win their second World Cup, Bhajji, as Harbhajan is affectionately referred to by his fans back home, will have a big part to play. Harbhajan knows the conditions as well as anyone else and his experience will definitely come in handy. The other one or the doosra that he has developed over the past few years has troubled even the very best in the business. However, the last couple of years have not been Bhajjis best. He has at times resorted to a defensive approach in order to try can contain the batsman rather than adopting an attacking one to try to pick up wickets, even if it comes at the cost of a few runs. As a result, he has also been at the receiving end of a fair bit of criticism from some of the experts of the game. The whole of India will be hoping that Harbhajan is back to his very best for the World Cup.






Muttiah Muralitharan

Muttiah Muralitharan

It would be blasphemy to not include the highest wicket-taker in the history of ODI cricket in this list. Murali may be 38 years old, but he is as passionate about the game as anyone else. Murali is the sort of spinner who can turn the cricket ball on more or less any wicket in the world and when the wickets assist spinners, he is as dangerous as it can possibly get. Murali was probably the first man to perfect the doosra and use it to devastating effect. He has already retired from test cricket and the 2011 World Cup will be his last assignment as an international cricketer. He is the sole surviving member from the Sri Lankan side that won the World Cup in 1996. Having been there and done that, Murali knows what it takes to be the best in the World. He knows the conditions in the sub-continent like the back of his hand and if Murali gets going, it wont be easy to stop the Lankan Lions.






Shahid Afridi

Shahid Afridi

He burst into the international scene with a blistering 37-ball century in just his second one-day international at 16 years of age. However, he could maintain the high standards with the bat and his shot selection drew a lot of criticism. But despite that, he managed to stay in the side due to his bowling abilities. Over the years, he has developed into a potent leg-spinner and at present, he can walk into the Pakistani side purely as a bowler. He possesses a very well-disguised quicker delivery along with an equally dangerous googly. Leg-spinners are a rare breed in international cricket at this moment and it can be said that Afridi is leading that pack as of now. He has retired from tests and his entire concentration is now directed towards limited overs cricket. Afridi is another man who knows the conditions of the sub-continent very well and his importance is further amplified by the fact that he is the most experienced man in Pakistans bowling attack.






Shakib-Al Hasan

Shakib-Al Hasan

No spinner in the world is as important to his side as Shakib-Al Hasan is to Bangladesh. Bangladesh have enjoyed a fair bit of success in recent times in ODI cricket, a 3-0 series win against West Indies in the Caribbean, albeit against a second string side, and a 4-0 clean sweep against New Zealand being the major ones, and on both occasions, Shakib played an instrumental role. He was the highest wicket-taker in ODIs in 2010 with 46 wickets from 27 matches. His career economy rate of 4.25 is excellent in modern day cricket, more so considering the fact that he represents a team that is not considered among the top teams at this moment. In the 2007 World Cup, Bangladesh surprised the entire cricketing fraternity when they defeated India and progressed into the second stage of the tournament for the first time. Shakib is Bangladeshs captain this time around and if he gets going it will give his team a lot of confidence.

Special Mention

Imran Tahir

This uncapped South African leg-spinner has grabbed a fair bit of media attention in the lead up to the World Cup. Less that a week after becoming eligible to play international cricket for South Africa, Tahir was picked up for the ODI series at home against India. But the team management decided to keep him out of the playing XI, possibly wanting to use him as a secret weapon in the World Cup. His domestic record is very impressive and a big impact at the biggest show can do wonders for his future as a cricketer.


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## Ammyy

*25 Memorable World Cup Incidents*

The cricket World Cup is a stage where the very best in the business come to showcase their skills. Over the years, it has become the single most awaited spectacle of the cricketing calendar. Every aspiring cricketer dreams of representing his country at the biggest stage of them all. Some make it, many dont. The World Cup has given rise to many stars. Its a place where everyone dreams to perform to earn for himself a place in the history books. Over the years, the tournament has seen many memorable incidents. In this piece, we look back at some of those incidents that will remain etched in the memories of those who witnessed them.

Jonty Rhodes flies





Jonty runs out Inzamam

The 1992 World Cup was South Africas first. They were facing eventual champions, Pakistan in a league match at Brisbane. A well set Inzamam-ul Haq, playing on 48, was out in the middle with skipper Imran Khan. Inzamam tapped the ball down with soft hands and set off for a run, only to be turned back by Imran. The ball rolled slowly towards Jonty Rhodes at backward point. Rhodes charged towards the ball, picked it up, ran in with the ball in hand and dived full length to break the stumps before Inzamam could make it back. This is arguably the most famous run-out in the history of cricket. Pakistans innings crumbled from there and South Africa ended up winning the match by 20 runs.

Donald loses the plot





Australia celebrate a tie that meant much more than a victory

The second semi-final of the 1999 World Cup between Australia and South Africa is one of the greatest matches in ODI history. Chasing 214 for victory, South Africa looked to be down and out when Lance Klusener came in to turn things around. Wickets fell around him but he smashed 31 runs off the first 14 balls he faced, including two boundaries at the start of the 50th over, to bring the equation down to one required off four deliveries. Klusener was on strike and at the other end it was number 11, Allan Donald. A dot ball was followed by a poorly timed straight drive. Klusener ran immediately. Donald hesitated for a moment before dropping his bat and taking off. That split second of hesitation was enough for Mark Waugh to gather the ball and throw it towards Adam Gilchrist who gleefully flicked off the bails. The match was tied but Australia went through to the final as they had beaten South Africa in the super-six stage.

Sandhu takes out Greenidge





Sandhu takes out Greenidge with a beauty

It was the 25th of June, 1983. India were taking on West Indies in the World Cup final at Lords. Batting first, India had set West Indies a target of 184 to win their third successive World Cup. And considering the kind of batting line-up the Windies had, the chase should have been quite comfortable. India needed an early spark to get going and Balwinder Singh Sandhu provided just that. With five runs on the board, Sandhu ran in to bowl to Gordon Greenidge, one of the greatest openers of all time. The ball pitched outside off stump and started to move in, Greenidge misjudged the movement and shouldered arms, only to see the ball clip the top of off-stump. That wicket brought a spring in the steps of the Indians and made them believe that the match could still be won and in the end they did win it. Sandhu didnt have a great international career, but this particular delivery has made him immortal in Indian cricket.

Kapil Dev catches King Viv





Kapil Dev takes a stunner to send Richards back

Another defining moment from the 1983 World Cup final. Sandhu did take out Greenidge but that was not the end. Vivian Richards walked in at number 3 and he started smashing the ball to all corners of the ground. He had raced to 33 off just 27 balls with seven boundaries when the unthinkable happened. Indias captain, Kapil Dev wanted to take Madan Lal out of the attack but he wanted one more over. As Kapil put it later, Madan Lal snatched the ball from him to have another go. He needed to do something special to get his team back and he did just that. He got Richards to mis-time a hook-shot over mid-wicket where Kapil was standing. The ball went high up in the air and kept swirling while descending. Kapil, eyes fixed on the ball, ran about 20 yards back from where he was standing and pouched a memorable catch that swung the game in Indias favour. The rest, as they say, is history.

Tendulkar takes on Akhtar





Tendulkar upper-cuts Akhtar for six

It was probably the most anticipated match of the group stages of the 2003 World Cup. India and Pakistan were facing each other for the first time in almost 3 years. The venue was Centurion. Most of the pre-match talks revolved around the contest between star batsman Sachin Tendulkar, one of the greatest, if not the greatest of all time, and Shoaib Akhtar, the fastest bowler in the world at that moment. Pakistan set India a formidable total of 274 to chase. Akhtar took the ball in the second over. Nothing much happened in the first three deliveries. The fourth delivery was a short one outside off-stump to Tendulkar who stretched his arms and managed to make good contact. The ball flew off the bat, up and over the third man boundary. Two more boundaries followed and the battle was more or less won. Akhtar did come back later to dismiss Tendulkar for 98, but by then the Little Master had already taken his team to a comfortable position and the men to follow made sure that his efforts didnt go in vain.

Akram gets two in two





Akram celebrates the wicket of Lamb. Lewis followed him soon after.

The final of the 1992 World Cup at Melbourne between Pakistan and England was full of twists and turns. Set 250 for victory, England suffered a few early hiccups but Allan Lamb and Neil Fairbrother seemed to have got things under control. Their partnership of 72 runs was threatening to take the game away from Pakistan when Wasim Akram produced an unplayable delivery. The ball swung in towards Lambs pads, and moved away after pitching, foxing the batsman and taking out the off-stump on its way. Chris Lewis walked in at number 7 and got a peach of a delivery first up. The ball pitched a good feet or so outside the off-stump and curl back in. Once again the off-stump was rattled. Englands tail-enders tried their best but in the end, Pakistan prevailed

South Africa are stumped by the laws





The scoreboard says it all

The 1992 semi-final between England and South Africa is something every South African cricket fan will remember irrespective of whether he witnessed it or not. The match was heading for a close finish with South Africa needing 23 to win off the last 13 deliveries with four wickets in hand. The men in the middle, Brian McMillan and Dave Richardson were no mugs with the bat and so the Proteas were still in with a chance. Just then the rain Gods intervened. It rained for just 12 minutes but that was enough to wash away South Africas hopes of reaching the finals on their first World Cup appearance. Two of the lowest scoring overs of the side that batted first were struck off. As a result, the Proteas now needed 22 to win off the final delivery. McMillan took a single off the last ball and walked off the ground, fuming with rage. The crowd was as clueless as some of the players. South Africas dream run was over.

Kapil Dev plays the innings of a lifetime





Kapil Dev thumps one against Zimbabwe

Kapil Devs decision to win the toss and bat first against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells in the 1983 World Cup seemed to be a big mistake as India slumped to 17 for 5. But Kapil, who had walked in at 9 for 4, was not going to give up so easily. A brilliant counter attacking innings took India out of trouble. He shared a 60-run partnership with Roger Binny for the sixth wicket and a 62-run eight wicket stand with Madan Lal before an unbroken 126 run stand with Syed Kirmani in which Kirmanis contribution was just 24. Kapil remained unbeaten on 175 off just 138 deliveries. His struck 16 boundaries and six massive sixes during the innings. Kapils innings to India to a respectable total of 266 which was good enough to secure victory. This innings instilled a lot of confidence in the Indian team and made them believe that they could win from any situation.


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Lloyd leads from the front





Lloyd plays a square drive during his masterful knock

Three early wickets with just 50 runs on the board had put West Indies in a bit of trouble in the 1975 World Cup final against Australia at Lords. Skipper Clive Lloyd walked in at this critical juncture and played a knock that not only bailed the Windies out of trouble, but put them in the drivers seat. Lloyd scored 102 off just 87 deliveries with 12 boundaries and two big hits. He shared a 149 stand with Rohan Kanhai, who preferred to watch the fireworks from the other end. Lloyd departed with the score at 199. He had not only set a wonderful platform for the men to follow, but also done considerable damage to the confidence of the fielding side. The men who followed took full advantage of that to take West Indies to a total of 291. A good outing with the ball and on the field resulted in West Indies lifting the first ever cricket World Cup.

Aravinda takes charge





Aravinda de Silva raises his bat after reaching three figures

Sri Lanka had never reached the semi-finals of a World Cup from 1975 to 1992. Thus, their journey to the final in 1996 surprised quite a few people. They owed much of their success to the opening duo of Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana who had been giving the team explosive starts in most of the matches. But in the final, chasing 242 for victory, the Lankans lost their openers with just 23 on the board. Aravinda de Silva walked out to the middle and started the rescue operation with Asanka Gurusinha. Asanka departed after a 125-run stand. Skipper Arjuna Ranatunga joined de Silva and the duo completed a memorable victory. Aravinda remained unbeaten on 107. His knock was studded with 13 hits to the fence and it was and probably still is the most important knock by a Sri Lankan. His application out in the middle was outstanding and had it not been for Aravinda the Lankans might have still been without a World Cup title.

Ponting bats India out of contention





Ponting brings up his century

It was the final of the 2003 World Cup and it was apt that the two teams that had played the best cricket thus far, Australia and India, were competing for the title. Indian skipper Sourav Gangulys decision to field first after winning the toss surprised quite a few people. Batting first was probably the better option and Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting showed why it was. After a good start from the openers, Ponting walked in with Australia at 105 at the end of 14 overs. He started slowly, taking 74 deliveries to reach his half-century and scoring just one boundary in the process. But after that, he simply exploded. Ponting brought up his century off 103 deliveries, his second fifty containing again a solitary boundary but to go with it he had struck five massive sixes. He kept going even after reaching three figures. Ponting remained unbeaten on 140 off 121 deliveries at the end of Australias 50 overs. His eight sixes was a record in a World Cup innings. India were set a mammoth target of 260 to chase down. The pressure got to the Indians and they fell short by 125 runs. It was Pontings first World Cup triumph as captain and the script couldnt have been better.

Gilchrist has a ball





Gilchrist sends one into the stands

There are some batsmen who can on their day tear any attack apart irrespective of what the conditions are and who the bowlers are. Adam Gilchrist is one such batsman and in the final of the 2007 World Cup, the Sri Lankan attack was at the receiving end. A rain delay meant less action for the spectators, but Gilchrist made up for it. He played an innings that crushed the Lankans completely. Stand and deliver was the motto of the day. Gilchrist brought up his fifty off 43 balls and his century in 72 deliveries. The highest run-scorer of the 2007 World Cup, Matthew Hayden contributed 38 runs in an opening partnership worth 172. Gilchrist finally departed for 149, a knock that included 13 boundaries and 8 towering sixes. There was a fair bit of talk about Gilchrist having an unfair advantage as he had used a squash ball in his gloves. But there was no law against it and hence the issue died down. As for the match, Australia coasted to a 53 run victory to clinch their third successive World Cup.

Roberts and Murray take on Pakistan





Andy Roberts drives

Had it not been for Andy Roberta and Deryck Murray the West Indies would not have been able to win the 1975 World Cup. Chasing 267 for victory against Pakistan in the semi-final at Edgbaston, the Windies were down in the dumps at 203 for 9. Roberts, who was playing only his second one-day, was definitely not the man Murray wanted to see walking out of the dressing room. But there was no other option. A historic 64-run tenth wicket stand followed that stunned every single man in the ground. Murray led the recovery and he remained unbeaten on 61. Roberts tapped Wasim Bara towards mid-wicket to score the winning run with just two balls left to spark off wild celebrations among the West Indies faithful present at the ground.

Kenya march to the semis





Kenya celebrate their victory over Sri Lanka

Even the most die hard Kenyan cricket team would not have given this team a chance of progressing beyond the group stages in the 2003 World Cup. But they did it. New Zealands decision not to play in Kenya due to security reasons worked in favour of the hosts as they were awarded full points for that fixture. An expected victory over Canada and a totally unexpected one over Sri Lanka was good enough to take Kenya to the super-six stage. The other two teams qualifying from the group were Sri Lanka and New Zealand and thus Kenya carried over the maximum points possible. They needed just one win to secure a spot in the last four and they got that against Zimbabwe. The fairytale ended in the semi-final as an in-form Indian side went past them with ease. But for the Kenyans, reaching the last four of the World Cup was almost as good as winning it. It was a massive achievement for them and the reception the players received back home was quite spectacular.

Gatting goes for the reverse





Gatting walks back after playing an ill-judged reverse sweep

The most famous example of a reverse sweep backfiring. It was the final of the 1987 World Cup at the Eden Gardens Kolkata. Australia were facing England, with both teams looking for their first World Cup title. Englands bowlers had done quite well to restrict the Aussies to 253. While chasing, they were comfortably placed at 135 for 2 with two set batsmen, Mike Gatting and Bill Athey out in the middle. Gatting, especially seemed to be in great touch and he had moved on to 41 off just 44 deliveries. Aussie captain, Allan Border decided to bowl some of his slow left-armers. He delivered a ball that pitched on Gattings off-stump. The batsman got down on his knees and went for a reverse sweep. The ball took the top edge and Gattings shoulder on its way before looping up for keeper Greg Dyer to complete an easy catch. Gattings moment of madness swung the match in Australias favour and they went on to win it by 7 runs.

Collis King outshines Richards





Collis King has a chat with Viv Richards

Out batting Vivian Richards in no mean feat. Doing so in a pressure situation like the World Cup final is even more special. Thats exactly what Collis King did in the 1979 World Cup final between West Indies and England at Lords. West Indies had their backs against the wall when King walked in to join Richards at 99 for 4. As he walked in, Richards offered him some advice, Hey man, take it easywe have plenty of time. It seemed to have fallen into deaf ears and King cut the first ball he faced off Ian Botham for four. What followed after that was complete mayhem. The ball kept disappearing to all parts of the ground as Richards decided to work the singles and savour the action from the other end. King finally fell for 86 off just 66 deliveries but only after he had swung the momentum in favour of West Indies.. Richards took over from there and scored an unbeaten century. West Indies won by 92 runs and had it not been for King, the story might have been very different.


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Viv does it for West Indies, but not with the bat





A direct hit from Viv Richards accounts for Greg Chappel

In the 1975 final, Viv Richards was one of only two West Indian batsmen dismissed in single digits. That was a very disappointing performance Viv Richards who surely would have liked to have made an impact on the big stage. There was an opportunity to do that in the field and Richards grabbed it with both hands. He ran out three key batsmen, opener Alan Turner, skipper Ian Chappell who was looking good with 62 and his brother Greg Chappell. West Indies went on to win the World Cup and Richards had a big role to play in it, though not with the bat as he usually did.

Malinga gets four in four





Malinga celebrates his feat

The 2007 World Cup didnt have too many memorable moments. Poor organisation, the death of Bob Woolmer and Australias complete domination meant that a large part of the World Cup was rather boring. The super-eight match between Sri Lanka and South Africa was heading towards a not so exciting finish. Chasing 210 to win, the Proteas were cruising at 206 for 5 when Lasith Malinga struck. He removed Shaun Pollock and Andrew Hall with the last two deliveries of the 45th over and followed it up with the scalps of Jacques Kallis and Makhaya Ntini with the first two deliveries of the 47th. It was the first time a bowler had taken four wickets in successive deliveries in an ODI. The Proteas still managed to win the match but Malingas last gasp efforts did bring everyone to the edge of their seats for the last few minutes.

Gilmour makes his World Cup debut





Gilmour removes Dennis Amiss

Hosts England faced Australia in the first semi-final of the 1975 World Cup at Headingley in Leeds. Australias decision to field first after winning the toss paid rich dividends as Gary Gilmour, playing his first match of the tournament, ripped through the English top order. He picked up six wickets in no time and left the hosts reeling at 36 for 6. England were bundled out for just 93 with Gilmours contributing 6 wickets for just 14 runs. Asutralias run-chase didnt get off to a great start either and they too had six men back in the dressing room with 39 runs on the board. Gilmour came out and along with Doug Walters, stitched together an unbroken 55 run partnership that took Australia to the victory target and sent them through to the World Cup final. Gilmour scored a run-a-ball 28 and won one of the most well-deserved man-of-the-match award ever.

South Africa crash out at home





A dejected South African dressing room tells a sorry tale

Hosts South Africa were one of the strongest contenders of the 2003 World Cup. However, defeats against West Indies and New Zealand cast a shadow of doubt on their progress to the next round. They were in a must win situation in their last group stage match against Sri Lanka, who had already qualified for the next stage. The Lankans set the Proteas a target of 269 to chase down in order to stay alive in the competition. Late in the South African innings, with rain falling steadily, it became clear that the Duckworth-Lewis method would come into action. Word came out from the South African dressing room that they would have to reach a score of 229 to stay ahead of the Lankans after the 45th over provided the wickets lost remained 6. They required six off the last two deliveries when Boucher smashed the penultimate delivery into the stands. Believing he had done enough, he tapped the last delivery straight to short mid-wicket before the players were forced to leave the ground. But unfortunately for the Proteas, they had actually tied the match and not won it. No further play was possible and yet again the Duckworth-Lewis method had played a part in South Africas exit from the World Cup.

Prasad takes out Sohail





Prasad celebrates the wicket of Sohail

India-Pakistan matches are always fiercely contested ones, and the meeting of the two sides in the 1996 World Cup semi-final at Bangalore was no different. A well compiled 93 from Navjot Singh Sidhu and a destructive 25-ball 45 from Ajay Jadeja took India to a formidable 287. In reply, Pakistans openers Saeed Anwar and stand-in skipper, Aamer Sohail got off to a flyer. Anwar departed for 48 but Sohail kept going. Venkatesh Prasad had the ball in his hand in the 15th over with Pakistan at 109. He dropped one short and wide outside the off-stump and Sohail flat-batted it to the extra-cover fence. That wasnt enough for Sohail and he walked down the pitch, pointed his bat towards the boundary and asked Prasad to fetch the ball. Prasads reply was as good as it can get. He ran in and speared one towards Sohails off-stump who tried to play a similar stroke. Sohail missed and Prasad hit. The off-stump was uprooted and Prasad gave the batsman a not so pleasant send-off. India went on to win the match and qualify for the semi-finals.

Gilchrist walks





Gilchrist 'walks' in the semi-final in 2003

Very few people walk after edging the ball nowadays. Even fewer Australians, who are known to be extremely competitive, do it. But Adam Gilchrist did it and that too at a big stage. Gilchrist had given the Aussies a brisk start after skipper Ricky Ponting had decided to bat first after winning the toss. Lankan skipper, Sanath Jayasuriya decided to bring on Aravinda de Silva to take the pace off the ball. In Aradindas second delivery, Gilchrist went for the sweep. He got a thin edge onto his pads and the ball lobbed up for keeper Kumar Sangakkara to complete an easy catch. But the umpire, Rudi Koertzen, seemed to have missed the edge. Gilchrist looked up once, turned back and started to walk towards the pavilion. The decision to walk didnt have much effect on the result as the Aussies went on to win the match but his act of sportsmanship was appreciated thorughout the cricketing fraternity.

Bangladesh overcome Pakistan





Spectators rush onto the Bangladesh's triumph

It was Bangladeshs first World Cup appearance and they immediately made people around the world take notice. In a group stage match against Pakistan, Bangladesh pulled off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. Put into bat by Pakistan, a number of tidy cameos helped them to a decent total of 223. Wickets with the new ball are always useful and Bangladesh had five Pakistani top-order batsmen back in the pavilion with just 42 runs on the board. The rest of the batsmen did all they could to try and claw back, but Bangladesh hung on to the advantage and clinched victory by 62 runs. The result was inconsequential from Pakistans point of view as they had already made it to the next round but for Bangladesh, it was a massive achievement.

Kenya stun West Indies





A jubilant Kenyan side after defeating the West Indies

Kenya came into the 1996 World Cup with little expectation. West Indies were still a formidable side with the likes of Brian Lara, Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh and Richie Richardson in their ranks. Thus, for most people the result of the Kenya-West Indies match of the 1996 World Cup was a foregone conclusion. Things seemed to be going according to script as the Kenyans were bowled out for 166. The chase was should have been just another stroll in the park for West Indies, but that was not the case. Rajab Ali and Maurice Odumbe picked up three wickets a piece to bowl West Indies out for just 93. The defeat couldnt stop the Windies from progressing ahead and for Kenya, it was their only victory. But this was not just any other victory. It was a very special one.


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Warne and Australia return from the dead





Warne gets a hug from captain Mark Taylor after the match

The semi-final of the 1996 World Cup between Australia and West Indies saw the Aussies come out of nowhere to clinch victory. Chasing 208, the Windies were coasting at 165 for 2 with Shivnarine Chanderpaul looking good for a century and skipper Richie Richardson too seemed to be in good flow at the other end. Glenn McGrath took out Chanderpaul and Roger Harper in quick time before Warne got into the act, accounting for Ottis Gibson and Jimmy Adams. Arthurton was snared by Damein Fleming before Warne struck yet again, trapping Ian Bishop in front of the wicket. Richardsons kept fighting valiantly but it was all in vain as Curtly Ambroses ran himself out and last man, Courtney Walsh lost his off-stump to Fleming off the very first delivery he faced. The Windies fell short by 5 runs. They lost their last eight wickets for just 37 runs, with Warne picking up three wickets for just six runs in a devastating three-over spell.


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*Cricket World Cup team Preview Pakistan : The Unpredictables*

Well to start of with it is actually quite absurd that a sub continent team playing in sub continent wont have that much pressure to perform. The reasons are obvious, ravaged by spot fixing scandals and in fights, the Pakistan cricket fraternity is on a recovery mode. And no one really expects them to give that much of a fight. With Salman Butt, Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Amer suspended, the first choice bowling attack of Pakistan is gone. With the captaincy issue yet to be resolved, the team moral wont be that high. But still a sub continent team in sub continent cannot be ignored.

THE SQUAD

Shoaib Akhtar, Muhammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Umer Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Abdul Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Umer Gul, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanvir, Ahmed Shehzad.

THE YOUNG BLOOD

Out of the 15 chosen, 8 are those who have never been part of an event of this importance. Clearly the Pakistan selectors did not have an option and leaving out Imran Nazir reaffirms the fact that they wanted to start afresh. If we start taking the replacements for the suspended tainted trio, Ahmed Shehzad is in for Butt and Shehzad is clearly a fire brand if there was any. He has a distinction of playing at the highest level and then going back to represent Pakistan in the Under 19 World cup. He only has one gear and that is to clear the in field any how, he is not afraid to take on the fastest of the bowlers and even in bouncy wickets he has played some magnificent shots on the rise. He wont get that pace in sub continent and moreover his 7 match experience might not be enough.

Umar Akmal, a prodigy in the making, probably a complete batsmen Pakistan have produced after the era of Saeed Anwar. Though Younis Khan is probably the best Pakistan has got at the moment. This would be the make or break tournament for Umar. And to utilise his complete ability he must be slotted at No.3 nothing below that.

Wahab Riaz, is the replacement for Mohhammed Asif and to be fair on him he is a decent catch from the bowling factory. He has not exactly filled in the shoes of Asif but his approach ahs been commendable and as with Umar it would be make or break trip that he would be making to India.

THE WORRIES

One the other hand there is Mohammed Hafeez, Pakistan selectors does seem to have a blind faith on this chap. With an average of 22 in 62 ODIs, how the hell he made it to the squad, only reason I can think of is, he is not swashbuckling as Shehzad so they assumed he would be the calmer and wiser partner.

Mohammed Amer could have been the potent weapon for Pakistan instead they had to content themselves with the old potent weapons, Shohib Akhtar. As an old war veteran, it not his pace or form which has made him survive this long, its probably his never say die attitude. And this never say die attitude unfortunately looks good on paper or say a blog only. Being hit for an economy of more than 8 and again coming back to bowl the full quota of over to end up with 7 does not fit the bill for never say die attitude. That plainly is poor bowling but Pakistan selectors as I mentioned earlier tend to assume a lot of things.

Kamaran Akmal, am putting Kamaran in the slot is just because of the poor form he is in; he tried his hand as an opener then at number 3 with no effect. In recent times he has been very successful in the sub continent primarily against India and his being in form would be of prime importance. He is more like Suresh Raina of Pakistan, unpredictable yet assuring figure.

Inspirational Misbah Ul Haq, is a player of calibre but I doubt his big match playing credentials.

Abdul Razzak is more of confusion; unpredictability has hovered all around his cricketing career. Not as strong a bowler he used to be but he is the variation guy of the team. He can pack a punch and on a given day could be more barbaric than Yusuf Pathan, but its all about him clicking or not. Not exactly a worry but wont put him in chances section as well.

CHANCES

Here chances have to be read as Umar Gul and Shahid Afridi. Gul is the strike bowler, best exponent of death bowling and Shahid Afridi along with Saeed Ajmal, I think is the best spinning duo in the world cup., Classic ODI spinners, with one having the knack of picking up wickets and other choking down the batsmen. Younis Khan just cannot afford to have a bad day at the office as he would be the spine of Pakistani batting attack.

Semi final could be the maximum they could reach but again Unpredictability is what Pakistan cricket lives with.


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*Aravinda De Silva : Great Performances in the Cricket World Cup : 1996*

Aravinda De Silva had made a name for himself much before the Wills Cricket World Cup of 1996.As an Indian and a fan of Kapil Dev, it pained me a lot when De Silva hit the great bowler for a six in a test match.

Aravinda made the headlines for his ability to take on the best of the bowlers-both pace and spin. He was not afraid to play the horizontal shots when the ball bounced. He was all power and at times, the ball just sped to the boundary seemingly at the slight wave of the bat. Aravinda seemed to infuse the finesse of some his predecessors like Roy Dias with power. As was the case with most of his teammates, Aravinda too did not mind having a paunch.

The 1996 World Cup saw Sri Lanka in its full glory where everything seemed to work for the men from the small island nation. The batsmen could score runs; the bowlers took the wickets while fielding was top class. Every member of the team contributed to the ultimate triumph while the class of Aravinda came into its won during the semi-finals and the finals.

Sanath Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana gave their team flying starts and most opponents were too shell shocked to trouble the rest of the Sri Lankan team. But in the semi-finals versus India at the Eden Gardens, things went from bad to worse for the islanders. Srinath sent the opening pair back to the pavilion with very few runs. Asanka Gurusinghe was given a rough time before he too fell to Srinath. Things started looking really rosy for India and a spot in the finals at Karachi seemed very real.

I can still remember the day of the match. It was the day when examinations were going on and every now and then I went away from the examination hall to get the latest scores. The first three wickets were followed by three crackers and after a while there was an eerie silence. The reason was Aravinda was taking on the Indian bowlers. There was a cover drive that looked ominous and in the company of Roshan Mahanama, De Silva took Sri Lanka to a good total. As it turned out, this total was beyond the reach of India and Sri Lanka was in the finals.

The finals featured Sri Lanka and Australia. The Aussies did not go to Sri Lanka for the preliminary round of matches citing security reasons. There were the usual mind games before the big match. The Aussies appeared confident while Arjuna Ranatunga did not blink. History had favoured the Aussies to win the World Cup for a second time. I had not fully recovered from the trashing India received from Sri Lanka but I did not want the Aussies to win.

The Aussies could not post a good total. The famed batting line-up boasting the likes of the Waugh twins, Stuart Law, Michael Bevan, Ponting and Healy failed to make a big score. The spinners of Sri Lanka made it difficult to score freely and Aravinda had a big role taking 3 key wickets-Mark Taylor, Ponting and Healy.

The target was not stiff but Shane Warne was expected to make the ball talk but the genius of Aravinda put an end to all such speculation. Like in the semi-finals, Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana failed.Aravinda scored a century and along with Gurusinghe put the match beyond the reach of the Aussies. There were all kinds of shots-the powerful and also the subtle ones.

Truly a great World Cup for a great player. Like Mohinder Amarnath in 1983, Aravinda contributed immensely with both the bat and the ball.


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## Ahmad

you guys must be jobless to watch cricket.


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*World Cup 2011: Top Four Contenders*







On the 19th of February 2011, the most awaited spectacle of the cricketing calendar will kick-off. Co-hosts, India and Bangladesh will face each other in the opening encounter of the World Cup that will see one team being crowned as the Champions of the World. This is the third time the World Cup is being played in the Indian subcontinent after 1987 and 1996. As many as 15 teams will try to dethrone the Aussies, who have won three successive World Cups since 1999. In the previous two editions, in 2003 and 2007, the Aussies put up dominating performances and took the title without losing even a single match. However, things should not be that easy this time around. A number of key members of the side that dominated world cricket for a large part of the past decade like Glenn McGrath, Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist have retired and the Aussies are no longer the world beating side that intimidated teams around the world. Also, teams like India and South Africa have progressed rapidly over the past four years or so and they will surely not be going down without a fight. Here in this piece, we look at four of the major pre-tournament favourites to lift the coveted trophy.

India






This will probably be Sachin Tendulkar's (top) last World Cup and Mahendra Singh Dhoni's (bottom) men would love to win the Cup for him

India has historically been a difficult side to play at home. Even the best in the business have found it difficult to get going in India. And to make things worse for the opponents, the current Indian side is one of the best ever to have represented the country. In Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India has a clever tactician who has the ability to stay calm under pressure. Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag make up one of the most dangerous opening combinations ever in the history of ODI cricket. Sachin is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, to have ever played the game and has almost every record to his name. Sehwag, meanwhile, is a destructive force and on his day, he can take any attack apart. The World Cup is the only trophy missing from the cabinet of Tendulkar and considering the fact that this might be his last world cup, the entire team will be giving it all to try and win it for him. Senior pro Yuvraj Singh has had a difficult 18 months or so with the bat, but he showed glimpses of getting back his touch in the recently concluded ODI series in South Africa. Virat Kohli has in the past year or so emerged as a batsman capable of adapting to any situation. Dhoni himself too is the kind of batsman who can play anywhere in the middle order and can mould his game depending upon what the team and the situation demands. Indias most probable number 7, Yusuf Pathan has been in devastating form in the past few months and if he gets going, no ground in the world is big enough to confine him. The experience of Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh is a big positive in the bowling department. Zaheers fitness has been an issue, but he seems to be in good shape at present and the entire country will be hoping that the injuries stay away so that Zaheer can concentrate on his game. In Praveen Kumar, Dhoni has a very handy new ball bowler who can swing the ball both ways. Ashish Nehra has in the past few years developed into an ODI specialist. He is quite good at bowling yorkers and in home conditions, he will be expected to deliver on a consistent basis. In the fielding department, India has improved drastically in the past decade or so. With the home crowd behind them, cheering every run and every wicket, the Indian team is without doubt hot favourites to win the World Cup.

Squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain, wk), Virender Sehwag (vice-captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel, Harbhajan Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin, Piyush Chawla

South Africa





South Africa's in-form batsmen, Hashim Amla (top) and AB de Villiers (bottom), will have a big role to play if the Proteas want to win their first World Cup

South Africa played their first World Cup in 1992. In every edition the Proteas have featured in, they have had squads capable of winning the Cup, but somehow they have faltered and they are yet to even reach a World Cup final, let alone winning one. Graeme Smith will hope that this time around his team can get rid of the tag of chokers. Opener Hashim Amla was the best ODI batsman in the world in 2010. If South Africa are to win the Cup, Amla will have a big role to play. Another South African who has had an excellent last 12 months is AB de Villiers. de Villiers can play both brands of cricket-defensive and offensive. He is quick on his feet too, an attribute that is bound to prove handy against the spinners in the subcontinent. Jacques Kallis is another legendary figure who is yet to win a World Cup. In all probability, this will be his last shot at it and he will definitely want to make the most of it. Jean Paul Duminy has slowly become into a very handy lower order batsman for the Proteas. There were a few concerns about his form a month or so ago, but he got a couple of good knocks under his belt in the recently concluded home series against India to drive away all fears. South Africas bowling attack too looks quite formidable on paper. In Dale Steyn, they have the best pacer in world cricket at this moment. His new ball partner will in all probability will be the left-armer, Lonwabo Tsotsobe who was a bit shaky at the start of his career, but has looked more at home with each passing day. Morne Morkel, South Africas third pacer is a tall fellow who can extract more bounce than most other bowlers on any wicket. To go with the bounce, he also has an average speed in excess of 140 kmph and he can be an extremely uncomfortable customer for even the best of batsmen. South Africa have the experienced Johan Botha as their lead spinner. They also have a fresh face, Imran Tahir in the spin department who is yet to make his debut. His domestic record is impressive and provided the opportunity he will surely try his best to make an impact at the biggest stage of them all. The Proteas pride themselves as a top-fielding side and the likes of Duminy and de Villiers have helped them in maintaining that reputation. A number of South Africans have been involved in the Indian Premier League, an experience that might prove to be handy.

Squad: Graeme Smith (captain), Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers (wk), Jean Paul Duminy, Colin Ingram, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Wayne Parnell, Johan Botha, Robin Petersen, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, Morne van Wyk (wk)

Australia





Shane Watson (top) will be skipper Ricky Ponting 's (bottom) primary weapon in the World Cup

Australia may not be the same side that they were in 2007 or even 2003, but the fact is that there is enough talent in the squad to clinch their fourth successive World Cup. Skipper Ricky Ponting, who has been widely criticised for losing the Ashes at home, will be desperate to win back some of his fans who might have gone astray and what better way can there possibly be than a World Cup triumph. Shane Watson at the top of the order is the key man for Australia. His form has been excellent in the past couple of years and his captain will expect him to continue getting those runs. The fact that Watson can bowl is a huge plus. Ponting and his deputy, Michael Clarke at number 3 and 4 respectively have all the experience in the world they will be expected to lead the team by example. Michael Hussey has struggled a bit with his form in test matches but he was back to his best in the Ashes. His ODI form too has been good quite good in the recent past. Hussey is a very busy player and he is someone Australia can count on to bail the team out of difficult situations. Lower down the order, Australia have a dangerous hitter in Cameron White who can turn a match upside down in a matter of minutes. A batsman like White is an asset for any team and the Aussies are fortunate to have him. Australias pace attack is probably the best in world cricket at this moment. Each of Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Doug Bollinger and Shaun Tait can bowl at speeds over 140 kmph on a consistent basis, a frightening prospect for any batting line-up. Brett Lee hasnt played much international cricket of late, but he has improved steadily in the ODI series against England and Australia will hope that he is at his peak for the World Cup, both in terms of form and fitness. The only major area of concern for Ponting is the spin department. Australia do have Nathan Hauritz and Steven Smith in the squad, but neither of them can possibly be classified as a world-class spinner and that might prove to be a drawback on sub-continental wickets where the ball is expected to grip and turn. The Aussies have traditionally been a top fielding side and they will be expected to maintain the high standards they have set for themselves over the years.

Squad: Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke (vice-captain), Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (wk), Michael Hussey, Cameron White, David Hussey, John Hastings, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Doug Bollinger, Shaun Tait, Nathan Hauritz, Steven Smith, Tim Paine (wk)

Sri Lanka





Kumar Sangakkara(top left), Mahela Jayawardene (top right) and Muttiah Muralitharan (bottom) are experienced campaigners who can turn thing around in Sri Lanka's favour

The last time the World Cup was held in the Indian sub-continent, it was Sri Lanka who went on to win it and theres no reason to believe that Kumar Sangakkaras boys cannot do what Arjuna Ranatungas boys did in 1996. The biggest plus for the Lankans is the experience they have, especially in the batting department. Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene at number 3 and 4 is probably the best possible combination a team can have. They have an excellent understanding themselves and have won numerous matches for their team. Tillakaratane Dilshan will have to take the responsibility of giving his team brisk starts in the powerplay. Dilshan has been prolific ever since his promotion to the top of the order. He is not afraid to play his shots and a good start from him will be the perfect platform for the men to follow. Angelo Mathews has in about two years made himself as an indispensable part of the Lankan side. His temperament is good and his ability to read and judge situations is quite outstanding. He has starred in a number of rescue operations for Sri Lanka and is a proven match-winner. Besides being a good batsman, he is also a useful medium pacer. Sri Lanka have a potent new ball combination of Nuwan Kulasekara and Lasith Malinga. Kulasekara is someone who thrives on accuracy. His impeccable line and length has made him a premier ODI bowler. Malinga is probably the best death overs bowler in world cricket at present. He is one of the very few bowlers who can bowl the yorker at will. He also possesses an equally lethal bouncer and all that come at almost 90 mph. Add to that a well disguised slower delivery and you have all the ingredients of a world-class fast bowler needs. As far as spin is concerned, there cannot possibly be anyone better than the smiling assassin, Muttiah Muralitharan. Murali is the sole member of the squad who was also part of the 1996 World Cup winning squad. He knows what it needs to win the Cup. He knows how it feels to hold that trophy aloft. Murali has retired from test cricket, but the passion and the desire to touch that trophy has forced him to go for one last hurrah. Murali has already announced that this World Cup will be his last international assignment and one can be rest assured that he will put everything on line to win his second World Cup.

Squad: Kumar Sangakkara (captain, wk), Mahela Jayawardene (vice-captain), Tillakaratane Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath


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## Ammyy

Ahmad said:


> you guys must be jobless to watch cricket.



Really a great logic 

How told you that its compulsory to watch whole match ???


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## Ahmad

DRDO said:


> Really a great logic
> 
> How told you that its compulsory to watch whole match ???



i know nothing about cricket and dont watch it, you tell me.


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## Ammyy

Ahmad said:


> i know nothing about cricket and dont watch it, you tell me.



No problem ....

Those who like cricket will definitely watch WC

But i think i am not able to understand you comment 


> you guys must be jobless to watch cricket.


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## Ahmad

DRDO said:


> But i think i am not able to understand you comment



because it takes the whole day for a cricket match.


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## Ammyy

*ODI Cricket World Cup 2011 Preview: Sri Lanka*

Sri Lanka will fancy their chances. I mean, who doesnt? The islanders, though, are a good side with a mostly settled line-up. They already have three of the worlds best bowlers, three top batsmen, one superb all-rounder. Add to that their agility in the field, put them on subcontinental pitches, and you have strong contenders for the title.





Tillakaratne Dilshan has been around for a while, but this will be his first World Cup since he started fulfilling his potential as a top-order marauder. He will provide many attacking starts, and get out trying the Dilscoop at least once.





Upul Tharanga will be a good foil for Dilshan initially. Then he will realize that he is still trying to fill Jayasuriyas boots, and will fizzle out as the WC progresses.





Kumar Sangakarra cant not score. Its in his contract. With the devil. Which he typed out. With his blood. Which is partly ice.





Mahela Jayawardene might be playing his last World Cup, and if he plays freely and positively, he will score plenty. If not, we can all make fun of his name.





Chamara Kapugedera: theres failure written all over his face. He managed to Photoshop it out, but its really there. His place is far from guaranteed.





Angelo Mathews will be the best all-rounder in the World Cup, but no one will remember a single innings or bowling spell.





Thissara Perera, when he gets a chance, will fail with the bat unless he is playing India. His bowling works the other way round.





Nuwan Kulasekara is equal to Praveen Kumar. Make him bowl as many overs as possible at the start or middle of the innings and he swill swing it. Avoid at the death.


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## Ammyy

Muttiah Muralitharan will obviously want to end his career with a bang (or a trophy, whatever works). He will have good control over the runs, but may struggle to take wickets. Proof? Look, his grin looks toned down.





Lasith Malinga will not take 4 wickets in 4 balls, but a hat-trick is always a possibility at the death. His hair will be different come February 19th.





Ajantha Mendis will continue to struggle to make a big impact, and may be dropped for a game or two. Hell return after inventing a ball that can pull out a tranquilizer gun.





Thilan Samaraweera shouldnt really be here, he isnt a one-day batsman. He will have one grafty innings against Zimbabwe and another dogged one against Pakistan, but he could be the one to make way when they decide Perera must play. Hey, that rhymed.





Rangana Herath will play when Mendis is dropped. He will do slightly better and go unnoticed.





Dilhara Fernando: Why does he never go away? Theyre just going to hope he isnt appalling.





Chamara Silva: Refer to Chamara Kapugedera.

Official-looking prediction: Semi-finals. They can certainly win it, but the contributions of the Chamaras or Samaraweera will be crucial if they are to do so. Team game after all.


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## Ammyy

Ahmad said:


> because it takes the whole day for a cricket match.



I know that ...........

But in my office we take permission from admin for LCD screen during WC ..


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## Creder

ey how come pakistan isnt playing a single group match in India


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## Ammyy

* Pakistan : ODI Cricket World Cup 2011 Preview:*

Pakistan are predictable.

Had to go for the anti-cliche there, because they are predictable in their unpredictability. Brilliant one day, hilarious the next and sometimes just downright sad. Pakistan were not really considered title contenders while they were entertaining, but now, with the dullness of Younis and Misbah in the middle order, their chances can be respected again.





Mohammed Hafeez will bowl better than he bats. He would do better at the top of the order, if he didnt have that technical glitch of not being a good enough batsman.






Ahmed Shehzad could be one of the breakout stars of the World Cup with his fearless batting and clean striking. I havent seen him bat on a slow pitch, though, so there is that window for failure. Id back him anyway.





Kamran Akmal will be the first cricketer to try out an on-field tool called CricAutotune. His behind-the-stumps wailing will suddenly sound awesome.





Younis Khan will smile. A lot. And he will make many starts amidst all the smiling, not many of which will be useful, not even the 150 against India.





Misbah-ul-Haq will continue to flourish in his current purple-patch. If he makes it to the final, and India are the opponents, he will successfully execute a paddle-scoop for six. Also, he will step in as captain midway through the tournament.





Umar Akmal has shown glimpses of being back in form of late, and he will always perform when there is little responsibility on him. He will give up the ugly green make-up and take up face-advertising like Chanderpaul.






Shahid Afridi will find a novel way to be insane. It could be sitting on the stumps and finding one missing when he stands up, or it could be turning into a bat at nighttime. He will never cross 20. In age.





Abdul Razzaq only works when there is something monumental to be done, and this wont change. His bowling wont be that effective, but just watch out when Pakistan needs 65765 from 3 balls.


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## Ammyy

*Pakistan : ODI Cricket World Cup 2011 Preview:*





Wahab Riaz has, of late, looked like the bowler who has held it together the most, and even he has all those wides. I just get the feeling (©Ravi Shastri) that he might be in for a thrashing on flatter pitches.






Speaking of being thrashed, Umar Gul isnt one to restrict the flow of runs between overs 1-35. He is known as a splendid death bowler, and thats the way it should stay.






Saeed Ajmal has been kept under wraps recently, which is a little weird since hes not really a secret weapon. He is a weapon, though, and a darn good one. He will be very crucial in overs 20-35.






Shoaib Akhtar at the moment is fit enough to bowl 3-4 lethargic but quick overs. He ranges from in-control-and-taking-wickets to getting-the-warts-thrashed-off-him. He will make a cameo in a movie and a couple of ads when in India.






Abdur Rehman is competing with Ajmal for a spot, but hell miss out since he isnt a wicket-taking bowler. He needs to take a new picture, one that doesnt make you feel like hes about to stalk you. Yeah, didnt know what else to say about him.






Asad Shafiq won the lottery to be in this squad. Its probably the spot that would have gone to Malik or Yousuf otherwise. Im not sure what this guy does  apparently hes a keeper batsman? Put him down as back-up then, imaginary secretary, there was probably a max limit on Akmals in the squad.






Sohail Tanvir used to be brilliant, when he was getting everyone with his whirry arms and prodigious swing. Now hes the bowler everyone goes after. Hes still cocky though, look at him!

Official-looking prediction: Super Eights. Sort out your bowling, fellas. Also, the strategy of batting slowly and leaving 12 runs per over to Akmal Jr, Afridi and Razzaq seems like something that could backfire against better bowling attacks than New Zealands.


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## Ammyy

*Infatuated Aussies bought copies of Sachin's bat: Hayden*


NEW DELHI: "Bat-obsessed" Australian cricketers were so infatuated with Sachin Tendulkar's 1998 blade which gave Shane Warne nightmares that they bought the copies of the willow to produce its versions Down Under, former opener Matthew Hayden has revealed.

In his autobiography 'Standing My Ground', Hayden writes that Australians "have massive love affairs with their bats" and a special version of Tendulkar's 1998 blade was manufactured at a Brisbane factory.

"In 1998, the Australian team that was crucified in India by Sachin Tendulkar became so infatuated with the little master that at least eight of them brought back copies of his famous Vampire bat, and Brisbane firm Gabba Sporting Products even produced a special version of it," Hayden, who retired from international cricket in 2009, wrote.

"Tendulkar's extremely heavy bats were way too heavy for me. In fact, they may have even been too heavy for Tendulkar too. For a time during his career he suffered from an acute case of tennis elbow, and it was widely thought his heavy bats were partially to blame," he said.

Hayden also revealed his team-mates' obsession with their blades, calling Ricky Ponting a "bat sabotager" always trying to test others' willows while Mike Hussey "always travels with a set of scales to get the weight of his bat right".

The broad-shouldered opener, who scored 8625 runs from 103 Tests, claimed that he has "never been a bat aficionado" but ended up using the unconventional Mongoose bat while playing for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.

"I have never seen a brand catch fire like that. Indians are not known for embracing left-field experiments. The Mongoose caused enormous interest among my teammates. Everyone picked it up and played with it and were all eyes when I trained with it in the nets.

"Our Chennai captain MS Dhoni was mortified when he first set his eyes on that Mongoose. 'Are you going to use that?' he asked me, and when I told him I didn't know, he said, 'I'll give you any bat in my bag not to use it.' When I first pulled it out for a game in IPL I could sense the knives sharpening.

"When I was approached by the Mongoose firm while commentating in England in the 2009 Ashes series, I was open to the idea of using a differently shaped bat. I must admit I felt a bit anxious, because if I failed, the brand could go down with me. I've always thought Twenty20 cricket was about entertainment, and that there was room for experiment in many areas of cricket gear, bats included."

Recalling the acrimonious 'Monkeygate' row between the Indians and Australians during the Sydney Test in January 2008, Hayden said he "overheard spinner Harbhajan Singh calling Symo ( Andrew Symonds) 'Monkey'."

"Symo was taunted by chants of 'Monkey' throughout the 2007 tour of India, and the 'Monkeygate' affair had a lasting effect on him. Harbhajan was fined 50 per cent of his match fee for using abusive language (after an appeal by BCCI which was heard by ICC Appeals' Commissioner John Hansen).

"Hansen later admitted that if he had known about Harbhajan's other misdemeanours - including a suspended one-Test ban - he may have considered a more severe penalty. The verdict was a sobering jolt to us all. The whole affair was very regrettable and remains a weighty chapter in the development of both countries," Hayden wrote.

"India is the most important cricket market on planet, and the truth of the situation was that both countries understood that anything that would adversely affect their relationship was unacceptable, from a business point of view," he said about the row that had threatened to snowball into a major crisis.

Hayden had no inhibition in terming India the centre of world cricket, its manifestation, according to him, being the cash-rich Indian Premier League.

"An inescapable fact about world cricket: Australia cannot thrive without India, but India does not need us to the same degree. The IPL is the future and the master of Twenty20 cricket. There may be other leagues, but I believe the IPL will always be superior.

"The IPL was hastily organised as a response to the rebel Indian Cricket League, but from the start its plans were shamelessly ambitious. Marquee players, massive sponsorships, the world's top players lured by more money than they had ever dreamed of ... Cricket would never be the same," he wrote.

Hayden was, however, puzzled on why he and Ricky Ponting were bought at lesser amount of money than a Cameron White in the first IPL auction.

"I went for USD 3,50,000 and Ricky went for USD 4,00,000 ... it was certainly under the odds when you consider Cameron White went for USD 5,000,000, and other players who'd done far less went for a lot more," he said.

Hayden was all praise for Lalit Modi for making the tournament a brand though he steered clear of controversies surrounding the sacking of the former IPL chairman just after the third season.

"The shocking postscript to the tournament was the suspension of the man who was the face and force of the IPL: Lalit Modi.

"I know nothing of these activities (charges against Modi). But what I can say is that he had incredible drive. He reminded me of Kerry Packer in that he was brave enough to see that the game had to be ushered into a new era, and bold enough to do it," he wrote.

He claimed that screening live of IPL games in Indian theatres was mainly due to Sachin Tendulkar.

"He (Tendulkar) bought the first ticket which was later auctioned off and raised several thousand dollars for charity," Hayden wrote.


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## Ammyy

*Hayden is the biggest chicken-hearted cricketer: Harbhajan
*

Read more at: Hayden is the biggest chicken-hearted cricketer: Harbhajan - CRICKETNDTV.com

Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh lashed out at Mathew Hayden terming him the "biggest chicken-hearted cricketer" he has ever seen and said the Australian's remarks against him for missing the Nagpur Test were "a lot of crap" to sell his book.

"I don't know what these Australian cricketers are up to? Even Ricky Ponting wrote a lot of crap to sell his book and now this guy Hayden is doing so," Harbhajan fumed while giving his reaction to PTI.

The former Australian opener in his autobiography "Standing My Ground" had said that erstwhile Indian captain Sourav Ganguly and Harbhajan chickened out after having a look at the bouncy Nagpur strip during Australia's tour of 2004. He had even expressed his surprise in the manner in which Harbhajan had "food poisoning" on the eve of that Test which Australia won convincingly. (Read: Ganguly, Bhajji chickened out of Nagpur Test: Hayden)

"Who is Mathew Hayden to judge Harbhajan Singh's calibre. I don't know what he is smoking these days. Probably he was in some kind of trip when he wrote all that rubbish. Should I now give Hayden some money to keep quiet?"

If that wasn't enough, Harbhajan said that he is still willing to bowl if Hayden has the heart enough to face him. (Read: Hayden should behave like an international cricketer: Ganguly)

"This is an open challenge. Whenever and wherever Hayden wants me to bowl at him, I am ready. Does he have the courage to face me. Because, whenever I have seen him bat against me, he always had a petrified look. Just check the record books in case you want to know how many times I have got him out."

Referring to Hayden's term of "Greentrackitis", Harbhajan said, "I have scored half century even in Australian soil. May be Hayden has this habit of conviniently forgetting the achievements of Indian cricketers. At the end of the day, he doesn't have the qualification to judge the calibre of Indian cricketers." 


Read more at: Hayden is the biggest chicken-hearted cricketer: Harbhajan - CRICKETNDTV.com


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## Sonic_boom

Creder said:


> ey how come pakistan isnt playing a single group match in India


 
Eh you know the answers..Visa problems..I dunno what will happen if Pakistan reaches final.. will they be allowed to play in mumbai?


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## twoplustwoisfour

Sonic_boom said:


> Eh you know the answers..Visa problems..I dunno what will happen if Pakistan reaches final.. will they be allowed to play in mumbai?


 
Pakistani players and team management will get visas without many hassles, but what about the fans?


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## MuZammiL Dr. s[1]n

Prism said:


> pakistan is with srilanka,australia.
> RAW is responsible for that.


 

LoOoOoL aT you :d .. kids everywhere so can'T reaLLy compLaint here :d .. . now guess what , koLkaTa 's not ready for worldcup : I.S.I. is behind this work ....


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## MuZammiL Dr. s[1]n

Prism said:


> india bashing will start here by pakistani,bangladeshi members on first match of wc


 
hahaha ... Darr qun raha hay munnay :d , pehlay india ke matches tou ho lene de ...


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## Sonic_boom

MuZammiL Dr. s[1]n;1468174 said:


> LoOoOoL aT you :d .. kids everywhere so can'T reaLLy compLaint here :d .. . now guess what , koLkaTa 's not ready for worldcup : I.S.I. is behind this work ....


 *ICC satisfied by pace of work at Eden
*
ESPNcricinfo staff

February 8, 2011


The ICC has given a cautious nod to Eden Gardens' bid to host the remaining three World Cup matches scheduled there, apart from the India-England game, saying that it is "encouraged" by the progress made towards completing the necessary construction work.

"We are pleased with the progress made since January 25, and if that pace of work is maintained, we believe that the stadium will be ready for the games scheduled in March," Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive said.

Eden Gardens is slated to host group-stage matches between South Africa and Ireland on March 15, Ireland and Netherlands on March 18, and Kenya and Zimbabwe on March 20.

The ICC had ruled out holding the February 27 match between Indian and England at Eden Gardens after an inspection on January 27 found several major works incomplete. That match was moved to Bangalore, and it was decided that a later inspection would be held to assess whether Eden Gardens could host the other three matches scheduled to be played there.

While the ICC's new-found confidence means the extensive renovation undertaken on Eden Gardens by the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) might not be a complete loss as far as the tournament is concerned, it may be little consolation for the authorities, who were banking on the India match to draw a sell-out crowd.


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## MuZammiL Dr. s[1]n

divya said:


> we have RAW to frame rest of the team of Pakistan


 
don'T you ever say "raw" , 'cause I.S.I. vviLL eaT your "raw" raw ... without Dakkaar ofcourse ....


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## MuZammiL Dr. s[1]n

Imran Khan said:


>


 
i 'm Loving iT ...  :d


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## LaBong

MuZammiL Dr. s[1]n;1468174 said:


> LoOoOoL aT you :d .. kids everywhere so can'T reaLLy compLaint here :d .. . now guess what , koLkaTa 's not ready for worldcup : I.S.I. is behind this work ....


 
your caps lock goes on and off automatically or what? :s


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## SpArK

MuZammiL Dr. s[1]n;1468174 said:


> LoOoOoL aT you :d .. kids everywhere so can'T reaLLy compLaint here :d .. . now guess what , koLkaTa 's not ready for worldcup : * I.S.I. is behind this work* ....


 
Whats that?/ *I*nternational *S*tadium *I*nspectors??


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## MuZammiL Dr. s[1]n

SpArK said:


> Whats that?/ *I*nternational *S*tadium *I*nspectors??


 how smart you are !! :d :d
don't say that again .. :d ever ...  ... it tells a lot about your i.q. level ...


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## SpArK

MuZammiL Dr. s[1]n;1468272 said:


> how smart you are !! :d :d
> don't say that again .. :d ever ...  ... it tells a lot about your i.q. level ...


 
hahhaaa.. now u are an IQ checker.. amazing... these internet kids..


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## rockstarIN

Well, Praveen kumar is out from the team now, who will replace him Sresanth?????


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## MuZammiL Dr. s[1]n

SpArK said:


> hahhaaa.. now u are an IQ checker.. amazing... these internet kids..


 
LoOoLLer ... :d ... when was the last time you had your cat-scan ... ?? :d ... grow up kid ... kids are everywhere on this forum so cant really complaint about him guys ...  but then again saying as an advice to all hindu janta on this forum : just watch what comes next from your damm mouth ; its not your dd schitt Tv. here where you people can bleed any thing from your phuckin mouth hole and still get away with that schitt ... Do your self a favour : Try to think a real hard about what you say to a PakisTani anywhere in the world or else you 'll end up wet in pants ...  :d  Baaten karne se baap nahi bantay , bachay peda karne partay hen , munnay ... munna = kid :d :d ... urdu samajh men ati he tujhe ?? nahi aati hay tou tata sky laga lio us pe amir khan urdu sikhhany ki nakaam koshish karta he ... LoOooOooOL :d ... Don'T Leap without Looking , try to get that before you catch up your big daddies here ... :d :d :d


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## SpArK

England news: Kevin Pietersen to quit ODIs after World Cup? | Cricket News | ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 | ESPN Cricinfo


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## Ammyy

Harbhajan Singh injured!

India's ace off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has reportedly got himself injured.

According to the sources, the Turbnator was injured during the six-day World Cup camp, underway at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore.

Just a week ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, speculations are ripe that India's senior spinner has been injured and is also skipped the practice session on Saturday.

It is a big blow to Team India, who is one of the favourites for the World Cup 2011, starting from February 19. However, the real cause behind missing the practice is yet to be confirmed.

Earlier, India received serious blow in form of pacer Praveen Kumar, who was ruled out of the quadrennial extravaganza due to an elbow injury. Kerala pacer, S Sreesanth, has replaced him in the side.

In case of serious injury to Harbhajn, India's dream will definitely receive severe dent.


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## Durrak

*Champions Aren't Made In The Gyms.

Champions Are Made From Something

They Have Deep Inside Them 

- A Desire, A Dream, A Vision *

Reactions: Like Like:
1


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## Ammyy

Ak-47A said:


> *Champions Aren't Made In The Gyms.
> 
> Champions Are Made From Something
> 
> They Have Deep Inside Them
> 
> - A Desire, A Dream, A Vision *


 

Very true


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## twoplustwoisfour

Why is nobody giving a chance to Australia? They are World no. 1 after all......


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## Mani2020

Never under-estimate AUS ,they are the best when it comes to playing anywhere around the world and most professional side among all .Last time we heard people saying in 2007 WC AUS have no chance like they had in 2003 because they have no Warne ,Bevan, etc also they were coming with a 3-0 defeat from NZ and people were betting on Pakistan and India as both teams had pretty strong batting line ups but we saw what happened both teams were thrown out in first round and AUS won the WC 

No matter how many old players are not there in AUS team still if you under-estimate them you will be big fools

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## Mani2020

To be honest on paper Indian batting line-up looks pretty strong with couple of big names there but batting never have been their problem throughout the history its their bowling which lacks ,specially on flat tracks where there will be no seem or swing it will be tested as they don't have genuine pacers rather medium pace bowlers .

I don't understand one thing that when you are renowned for your batting ,batting is your real strong point and have couple of big names then why Dhoni don't go with 5 genuine bowlers ,rather he always go with 4 bowlers and for fifth bowler he use part timers, i mean why are you strengthening which is already your strength and weakening which is already your weakness 

Going with 4 bowlers means that all four have to ball 10 overs complete even if one is having bad day still he has to bowl and the rest of ten overs will be bowled by part timers in the middle of the innings really giving the other teams chance to come back .


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## Mani2020

To be honest on paper Indian batting line-up looks pretty strong with couple of big names there but batting never have been their problem throughout the history its their bowling which lacks ,specially on flat tracks where there will be no seem or swing it will be tested as they don't have genuine pacers rather medium pace bowlers .

I don't understand one thing that when you are renowned for your batting ,batting is your real strong point and have couple of big names then why Dhoni don't go with 5 genuine bowlers ,rather he always go with 4 bowlers and for fifth bowler he use part timers, i mean why are you strengthening which is already your strength and weakening which is already your weakness 

Going with 4 bowlers means that all four have to ball 10 overs complete even if one is having bad day still he has to bowl and the rest of ten overs will be bowled by part timers in the middle of the innings really giving the other teams chance to come back .


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## twoplustwoisfour

Yup, not to forget the fact that Ricky Ponting, as a captain, has NEVER lost a world cup match. He's won two world cups without losing a single match. That speaks a lot about their temperament.


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## Mani2020

twoplustwoisfour said:


> Yup, not to forget the fact that Ricky Ponting, as a captain, has NEVER lost a world cup match. He's won two world cups without losing a single match. That speaks a lot about their temperament.


 
Also they have not lost in last 28 of their world cup matches .

The last time they lost was in 1999 WC when they lost their first two matches of the WC against Pakistan and NZ after that they didn't loose a single match and there was no seeing back

28 matches un-defeated . 

But one thing that is alarming for AUS is that Ricky ponting who always performed well in WC tournaments especially his innings of 100 and odd runs against india in 2003 WC final is out of form currently .they will be praying for him to get back in form 

But they are big match players you can count on them in big matches .People must have remembered Adam Gilchrist was struggling with form in 2007 WC and most of the times got duck but in WC final he played innings of his life ,one of the best innings you would have ever witnessed


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## Mani2020

Today is Australia vs India big warm-up match ,starting at 2:30 in india and at 2:00 in Pakistan ,it will be broadcasted live .

Today's match will decide a lot of things .will be interesting to see what happens


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## chisty_chowdhury

Sports lover in a long queue in front of a Dhaka Bank branch at Motijheel in the city on Sunday to collect ICC World Cup's inaugural ceremony tickets.


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## chisty_chowdhury

Pakistan's fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar briefs reporters at the Dhaka Sheraton Hotel on Sunday ahead of the ICC World Cup 2011.


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## chisty_chowdhury




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## chisty_chowdhury

Pakistan's pacer Umar Gul briefs reporters at the Dhaka Sheraton Hotel on Sunday ahead of the ICC World Cup 2011.


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## chisty_chowdhury

Pakistan's cricket team assistant captain Misbah-ul-Haq briefs reporters at the Dhaka Sheraton Hotel on Sunday.


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## chisty_chowdhury

Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes run between wickets at the World Cup warm-up match against Canada at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Saturday. 






Tamim Iqbal raises his bat after scoring a fifty against Canada at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong on Saturday.


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## chisty_chowdhury

Pakistan's fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar went to shopping at Basundhara City shopping Mall.


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## chisty_chowdhury

Pakistan World Cup cricket team practises at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium at Mirpur, Dhaka on Saturday.


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## chisty_chowdhury

Cricket fans sign on the world's largest cricket bat on Saturday at Dhaka Cantonment's Zia Colony area.


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## chisty_chowdhury

A Cricket fan sign on the world's largest cricket bat on Saturday at Dhaka Cantonment's Zia Colony area.


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## chisty_chowdhury

Pakistan's cricket squad skipper Shahid Afridi speaks at the official pre-World Cup press meet held at Sher-E-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Saturday.


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## SpArK

*ICC World Cup Warm-up Matches, India v Australia at Bangalore, Feb 13, 2011*

India 26/1 (6.0 ov)

Australia

India won the toss and elected to bat


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## SpArK

India 51/1 (10.0 ov)

Australia

India won the toss and elected to bat


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## Mani2020

Thats AUS for you .indians should be thankful that pathan was dropped twice once when india was 142/8 .had pathan been caught ,it would have been miserable for india .Also as it was warm-up match ponting was relaxing with his bowling options .


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## ajtr

Was there ever in the history of cricket world cup a host country has won the cup???


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## twoplustwoisfour

ajtr said:


> Was there ever in the history of cricket world cup a host country has won the cup???


 
Sri Lanka won when they were co-hosts


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## ajtr

twoplustwoisfour said:


> Sri Lanka won when they were co-hosts


When did srilanka host the world cup..its their 1st time as host i think?


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## F86 Saber

> XI Reasons why Pakistan will win the World Cup
> 
> From the hungriest captain to a date with fate, here are XI reasons for Pakistan fans to believe
> 
> 
> They have the hungriest captain
> 
> Beware the carefree man who suddenly decides to become preoccupied. For most of his career, Shahid Afridi has played with such daredevil abandon that Pakistan supporters often wondered whose side he was on. Now he cuts a determined leonine figure, hungrily eyeing prey as he prowls open grasslands. You can see the single-mindedness written all over his face. In the twilight of his career, he can see the greatest of prizes on the horizon, and all he has to do is outrun the competition. He is going to drain every ounce to get it done.
> 
> Stars are lined up for an Asian team that is not the host
> 
> We often think of Australia as the dominant force of recent World Cup history, but Asian teams haven't been far behind. In fact, there has been an Asian team in each World Cup final since 1992, which augurs well for an Asian team making it to the last two in 2011 as well. Add to this the well known World Cup adage that the host side never wins, and you can see that Pakistan - the only Asian team that happens not to be the host - is comfortably placed to come out on top.
> 
> Honesty of effort is guaranteed
> 
> Thankfully, the spot-fixers have now been tarred and feathered. This landmark development will surely motivate the remaining cricketers to play to the best of their potential. Cleared of distractions that have been diluting their efforts, a more linear relationship between Pakistan's talent and output can be expected to emerge. Everybody better watch out.
> 
> Their momentum is surging
> 
> By November last year, Pakistan had the poorest ODI record of any team in 2010, worse even than Zimbabwe. Yet they started to pick themselves up bit by bit, and now enter the World Cup with a win-loss ratio that places them ahead of West Indies, New Zealand, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe. Extrapolated over the next few weeks, this steady trajectory is headed straight to the top of the heap.
> 
> They know how to hold their nerve
> 
> Knockout matches in the World Cup can easily become a high-stakes quicksand heading into the final overs, when panic can unravel the best talent and preparation. Pakistanis are famous for squandering and surrendering, but they also know how to handle themselves in a close finish. Of the eighteen matches in ODI history decided by 1 wicket with 1 ball or less to spare, Pakistan has been the winner in six, more often than any other team. Pakistani supporters will be loath to agree, but statistics show that tense endings can bring the best out of Pakistan.
> 
> They fire best when cornered
> 
> We all know the "cornered tigers" story - Imran Khan's stirring exhortation that transformed his scattered 1992 side into champions. There's a good reason it has become folklore - it's utterly true. Squeeze them into a corner and push them against the wall, and Pakistan will explode with the force of a nuclear warhead. Circumstances have lately been pushing and squeezing Pakistan badly - a forfeited Test, doping scandals, an inexplicably dead coach, the stigma of insecurity, and a terrorist attack. The spot-fixing catastrophe may well prove to be the final trigger.
> 
> The 2011 format favours a mercurial outfit
> 
> After the disaster of the 2007 World Cup, when crowd-pullers India and Pakistan made preliminary exits, the ICC came up with a new formula for 2011, in which wins against unranked teams guarantee a quarter-final spot. After that, it's a rapid-fire shootout and three wins gets you the cup. This creates a truly open field in which Pakistan's unpredictability is a potential advantage.
> 
> Their talent is deceptive and disarming
> 
> Pakistani players are recognized for world-class talent, but they often apply it haphazardly, getting out to senseless shots and suicidal run outs, and undermining clever bowling by needless wides, no-balls, dropped catches, and erratic ground fielding. The overall effect is to appear attractive but not threatening, like a beautiful cat striking a languid pose. Sharp claws lurk beneath the surface, but you just don't see them and it can trick you into dropping your guard.
> 
> They have a seasoned brain trust
> 
> Imagine a Pakistan team meeting, and it immediately inspires confidence. Captain Afridi is at the head of the table, vice-captain Misbah is next to him, and Younis Khan, Abdul Razzaq and Shoaib Akhtar occupy the other senior spots. When tactics are discussed, wisdom and experience flows. There are over a thousand ODIs between them, and invaluable know-how from numerous high-stakes encounters, including a successful World Twenty20 title fight. If and when it hits the fan, these are the guys you want in charge.
> 
> What doesn't kill you makes you stronger
> 
> It's one of Friedrich Nietzsche's most memorable quotes, and it applies unambiguously to Pakistan, a team that has been through hardships of all kinds. Any one of these blows could have proved lethal, but it didn't. Not only has the Pakistan team lived to tell the tale, it has managed to accumulate the skills for handling adversity that no other team possesses.
> 
> They have a date with fate
> 
> Pakistan is a team that has been slapped, beaten, shamed, and kicked about. Murphy's Law states that if anything can go wrong, it will, and for Pakistan this has proven to be a resounding truth. So much has gone wrong for them, in fact, that they are finally due for some much-needed relief. No season lasts forever, it is darkest before the dawn, and nature loves a balance. In short, several pieces of time-honoured wisdom point to Pakistan finally catching a break.
> 
> Saad Shafqat is a writer based in Karachi



World Cup 2011: XI Reasons why Pakistan will win the World Cup | Cricket Features | ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 | ESPN Cricinfo


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## twoplustwoisfour

ajtr said:


> When did srilanka host the world cup..its their 1st time as host i think?


 
A few matches in 1996 were played in Sri Lanka


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## Ammyy

*ICC WC 2011: The most competitive one of all time*

ICC Cricket World Cup is less than a week away and it&#8217;s a tough time for those who love to bet as there is no clear favorite for the World Cup as the teams like India, Australia, South Africa and Sri Lanka are looking good to clinch the title. All these teams have performed well in the recent past or the conditions are suitable for them. So there is no doubt that this is going to be the most competitive ODI Cricket World Cup.

Well, few experts have already mentioned in the media that India looks the best team to win the 2011 WC. The team has done well in last couple of years and is motivated enough to win this time for the master blaster Sachin Tendulkar. After failing to qualify in the Super 8s stage of the World Cup 2007, Indian team has reached at 2nd position from 5th under the leadership of MS Dhoni. Team has won every ODI Series played in India since last 3 years and have won ODI series overseas as well in Australia, Sri Lanka and New Zealand. The team has performed well in all the departments of the game. The fielding of the team is weaker than the teams like South Africa, Australia and England but it is perhaps the best Indian fielding side ever with Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli being in the team. Indian team played a superb ODI series in South Africa which they lost 2-3 but they performed brilliantly. One setback for the team is that Praveen Kumar has been ruled out of the tourney so the team will miss his swing bowling but Sreesanth has replaced him and people are hoping that he doesn&#8217;t talk much on the field and allows ball to talk on the field. The team will rely on its master blaster Sachin Tendulkar who probably will be playing his last World Cup and willing to win one this time around. Zaheer Khan, Sehwag and Yuvraj will be few of the vital players whil hard hitting batting all-rounder Yusuf Pathan will be a trump card. I guess the Indian team has the best part time bowlers.

Australian team has been losing the test series but when it comes to the shorter format of the game they are the No.1 team. They lost Ashes 1-3 but straight after that they beat England in a 7 match ODI series by 6-1 that too without few key players like captain Rickey Ponting and Mike Hussey. The 2 biggest positives for Australia were Brett Lee&#8217;s excellent comeback in International Cricket and Micheal Clarke&#8217;s coming back to form. Shane Watson continued his good form and David Hussey played couple of match winning knocks. The sad news for the Aussies is that Mike Hussey has been ruled out of the WC because of a hamstring injury. The other week point for them is the spin department. Nathan Hauritz will not be there in the WC because of an injury and Jason Krejza has replaced him who was surprisingly selected over Xavier Doherty. It will be important to see how Aussies&#8217; pace attack works in sub-continent&#8217;s conditions. The pace department looks too good in Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait. Australia have featured in 4 WC Finals in a row and winning 3 out of them, that too in a row So there should be some amount of pressure to defend the title.

South Africa is known as chokers but you never know when the things can change around. The team won the ODI Series vs India in South Africa. The team&#8217;s tope order looks very good in Hashim Amla, captain Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and A.B.DeVilliers. They also have a very lethal bowling attack in Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tsotsobe. Johan Botha is also a good spin bowler who can frustrate the batsman by bowling some tidy spells and can get the wickets. And no need to say about their fielding as they are the best fielding side in the world. This WC is going to be Graeme Smith&#8217;s last as an ODI captain and he must be looking forward to end his ODI captaincy on a high.

Sri Lanka is also playing on their home soil and that will surely help them in a big way. The team has dropped their One Day specialist Sanath Jayasurya and that shows their confidence in the new generation players. The batting order looks good in TM Dilshan who will have the responsibility of doing some fire work, Upul Tharanga, Kumara Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. Thilan Samarveera provides good solidity to the batting line up. Angelo Mathews can play some big shots down the order in batting powerplay. Bowling attack will be led by fast and furious Lasith Malinga and World&#8217;s leading wicket taker Muthiah Muralitharan. This team can be extremely dangerous in the home condition.

So there are at least 4 teams who are in the race of wining the WC, though there is no doubt that teams like West Indies, England, Dark Horse New Zealand and Bangladesh can surprise any of those big teams and can spoil the party.


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## Whiplash

Oh my god the aussies are raping us! 
For the love of god who the frak sets such a retarded field?


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## ajtr

twoplustwoisfour said:


> A few matches in 1996 were played in Sri Lanka


So that means either of srilanka and bangladesh has chanches of winning this worldcup and pakistan can be wild card to win the cup.


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## Ammyy

ajtr said:


> So that means either of srilanka and bangladesh has chanches of winning this worldcup and pakistan can be wild card to win the cup.


 
Dnt wary India will win for our neighbors (Kyo sab ko lad bate ho)


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## LaBong

I love it when someone wipe the 'look I just have got laid' smile off punter's face! 

Not gonna happen in today's match!

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Mani2020

lol how biased the article was ,it even didnot mention Pakistan.it must have been some retarded indian media

Reactions: Like Like:
1


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## Ammyy

Abir said:


> I love it when someone wipe the 'look I just have got laid' smile off punter's face!
> 
> Not gonna happen in today's match!


 
Hey Abir what about your signature ???


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## Ammyy

Australia 52/1 (8.1 ov)


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## Ammyy

7.5


Sreesanth to Watson, OUT, Watson tries to heave this over mid-off but fails to clear Piyush. India's best bowler tonight Sreesanth gets the break through. It was a good-length delivery outside off and Watson tried to knife it on the up but didn't connect as well as he would have liked. Piyush moved quickly to his left to pouch a sharp catch


SR Watson c Chawla b Sreesanth 33 (26b 7x4 0x6) SR: 126.92


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## twoplustwoisfour

DRDO said:


> Hey Abir what about your signature ???


 
I love his sig. 

42 is the answer. Always brings a smile to my face.

Here's a hint, search for "the answer to life the universe and everything" in google.

Reactions: Like Like:
1


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## Ammyy

Australia 120/3 (23.3 ov)

22.6


Chawla to Clarke, OUT, Just reward for some fine bowling from Piyush. It landed on the middle stump line and it turned quickly outside off. It kept a touch low as well. Clark went for the cut but got a fatal inside edge.


MJ Clarke b Chawla 0 (4b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00


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## Karachiite

Will the Pakistan vs Bangladesh warm up match be broadcasted live on tv?


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## Sonic_boom

We won what a remarkable comeback.....


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## MZUBAIR

*Overall figures by Win/Loss Ratio*​Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	NR	W/L	Ave	RPO	HS	LS	
*Sri Lanka	25	17	6	0	2	2.83	37.84	5.22	312	115* 
South-Afr	21	15	6	0	0	2.5	40.14	5.79	399	189	
Australia	32	22	9	0	1	2.44	36.97	5.38	334	190	
Ireland	17	11	6	0	0	1.83	28.98	4.72	325	177	
*India	32	19	13	0	0	1.46	34.1	5.36	401	88* 
England	24	13	11	0	0	1.18	32.61	5.37	347	184	
Afghani	13	7	6	0	0	1.16	26.69	4.56	289	88	
Scotland	10	5	5	0	0	1	24.67	4.06	236	117	
Netherland	12	5	7	0	0	0.71	26.68	4.31	236	125	
Canada	11	4	7	0	0	0.57	24.08	4.31	288	108	
*Pakistan	24	8	15	0	1	0.53	26.18	5.16	385	124* 
Zimbabwe	20	7	13	0	0	0.53	25.02	4.44	289	104	
Banglades	27	9	18	0	0	0.5	28.48	4.79	296	167	
West Indie	20	6	12	0	2	0.5	28.46	5.01	316	143	
NewZealan	27	8	17	0	2	0.47	26.67	5.19	336	103	
Kenya	11	3	8	0	0	0.37	20.06	4.01	233	112	


Source


*Pakistan States Summary of 2010*

Series	Played	Won	Lost	W/L	AVG	RPO	HS	LS
Pakistan	5	3	2	1.5	27.34	5.21	293	124
v New Zealand 
Pakistan	5	2	3	0.66	26.93	5.2	294	135
v England 
Pakistan	5	2	3	0.66	26.65	5.14	289	203
v South Africa 
Pakistan	1	1	0	-	55	7.7	385	-
v Bangladesh 
Pakistan	5	0	5	0	20.02	4.5	274	127
v Australia 
Pakistan	1	0	1	0	26.7	5.39	267	267
v India 
Pakistan	1	0	1	0	22.6	4.8	226	226


Source


Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	NR	W/L	Ave	RPO	HS	LS
India	7	6	1	0	0	6	37.57	5.41	321	88
v New Zealand 
India	8	4	4	0	0	1	29.04	5.49	401	154
v South Africa 
India	10	4	6	0	0	0.66	30.47	5.15	279	103
v Sri Lanka 
India	3	3	0	0	0	-	59.5	5.89	297	-
v Bangladesh 
India	1	1	0	0	0	-	58.4	5.97	292	-
v Australia 
India	1	1	0	0	0	-	38.71	5.43	271	-
v Pakistan 
India	2	0	2	0	0	0	34.21	4.79	285	-
v Zimbabwe 

Source


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## chisty_chowdhury

England cricket team captain Andrew Strauss briefs reporters at the Dhaka Sheraton Hotel on Sunday.


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## chisty_chowdhury

A colorful procession starts from Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium at Mirpur, Dhaka with cricket World Cup trophy on display.


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## chisty_chowdhury

Pakistan cricket team in a practice session at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium at Mirpur, Dhaka on Monday ahead of the ICC World Cup.


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## chisty_chowdhury

Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi practices at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka on Monday ahead of the World Cup.


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## chisty_chowdhury

Bangladesh cricket team in a practice session at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium at Mirpur, Dhaka on Monday ahead of the ICC World Cup 2011.


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## Sonic_boom

Overall figures
Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	NR	W/L	Ave	RPO	HS	LS	
India	*9	8	1	0	0	8.00	52.29	6.22	401	275	*
Australia	20	16	3	0	1	5.33	36.99	5.47	334	210	
Sri Lanka	12	8	2	0	2	4.00	35.80	5.09	312	170	
South Africa	8	6	2	0	0	3.00	37.89	5.92	399	189	
Zimbabwe	8	5	3	0	0	1.66	31.70	4.82	289	118	
England	13	8	5	0	0	1.60	32.71	5.39	347	212	
Ireland	5	3	2	0	0	1.50	35.17	5.01	275	192	
Kenya	5	3	2	0	0	1.50	23.58	4.33	221	120	
New Zealand	14	7	6	0	1	1.16	31.35	5.61	336	227	
Canada	2	1	1	0	0	1.00	28.28	4.98	233	233	
West Indies	12	6	6	0	0	1.00	31.98	5.14	316	157	
Bangladesh	15	7	8	0	0	0.87	30.88	4.83	296	174	
Netherlands	7	3	4	0	0	0.75	31.00	4.31	236	138	
Scotland	3	1	2	0	0	0.50	24.17	4.15	224	211	


India at home


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## Ammyy

Australia 180/7 (42.5 ov)


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## Whiplash

Sonic_boom said:


> Overall figures
> Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	NR	W/L	Ave	RPO	HS	LS
> India	*9	8	1	0	0	8.00	52.29	6.22	401	275	*
> Australia	20	16	3	0	1	5.33	36.99	5.47	334	210
> Sri Lanka	12	8	2	0	2	4.00	35.80	5.09	312	170
> South Africa	8	6	2	0	0	3.00	37.89	5.92	399	189
> Zimbabwe	8	5	3	0	0	1.66	31.70	4.82	289	118
> England	13	8	5	0	0	1.60	32.71	5.39	347	212
> Ireland	5	3	2	0	0	1.50	35.17	5.01	275	192
> Kenya	5	3	2	0	0	1.50	23.58	4.33	221	120
> New Zealand	14	7	6	0	1	1.16	31.35	5.61	336	227
> Canada	2	1	1	0	0	1.00	28.28	4.98	233	233
> West Indies	12	6	6	0	0	1.00	31.98	5.14	316	157
> Bangladesh	15	7	8	0	0	0.87	30.88	4.83	296	174
> Netherlands	7	3	4	0	0	0.75	31.00	4.31	236	138
> Scotland	3	1	2	0	0	0.50	24.17	4.15	224	211
> 
> 
> India at home


 
What about Pakistan?


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## Sonic_boom

Whiplash said:


> What about Pakistan?


 
Pk has not played Int Cricket at home since those attacks on Sl team


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## twoplustwoisfour

England might just lose to Canada in their warm up match.

England: 243 All Out
Canada: 178/7 in 34 overs. They need only 4 runs per over!!!


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## MZUBAIR

Sonic_boom said:


> Overall figures
> Team	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	NR	W/L	Ave	RPO	HS	LS
> India	*9	8	1	0	0	8.00	52.29	6.22	401	275	*
> Australia	20	16	3	0	1	5.33	36.99	5.47	334	210
> Sri Lanka	12	8	2	0	2	4.00	35.80	5.09	312	170
> South Africa	8	6	2	0	0	3.00	37.89	5.92	399	189
> Zimbabwe	8	5	3	0	0	1.66	31.70	4.82	289	118
> England	13	8	5	0	0	1.60	32.71	5.39	347	212
> Ireland	5	3	2	0	0	1.50	35.17	5.01	275	192
> Kenya	5	3	2	0	0	1.50	23.58	4.33	221	120
> New Zealand	14	7	6	0	1	1.16	31.35	5.61	336	227
> Canada	2	1	1	0	0	1.00	28.28	4.98	233	233
> West Indies	12	6	6	0	0	1.00	31.98	5.14	316	157
> Bangladesh	15	7	8	0	0	0.87	30.88	4.83	296	174
> Netherlands	7	3	4	0	0	0.75	31.00	4.31	236	138
> Scotland	3	1	2	0	0	0.50	24.17	4.15	224	211
> 
> 
> India at home


 

There are *four knockout quarter finals *.....3 r out of India. Wt if India play one quarter in SL.

Plz also chk out India Performance in SL.

Host Country :- Sri Lanka

India Played :- 76 (1985-2010)
India won :-34
India Lost:- 33


source


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## MZUBAIR




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## MZUBAIR

Tomarrow ...big Game in Dhaka....

BD vs India.
If any team in Group B, which can upset thats Bangladesh........Favourits are dangerous Indians


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## Skull and Bones

MZUBAIR said:


> Tomarrow ...big Game in Dhaka....
> 
> BD vs India.
> If any team in Group B, which can upset thats Bangladesh........Favourits are dangerous Indians


 
whom you are betting your money on?


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## MZUBAIR

Skull and Bones said:


> whom you are betting your money on?



Its one sided game.....no one can bet on it...India is very strong.....no comparison.
But we have seen BD can do upsets .....shown against AUS, India, South Africa and PAK in recent WC's.

in 2007 it was BD who threw India out of the WC.....


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## Mani2020

*Don't know but my gut feeling is that its going to be a Pakistan vs India final *


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## SpArK

Mani2020 said:


> *Don't know but my gut feeling is that its going to be a Pakistan vs India final *


 
They are bound to meet in quarter finals..


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## MZUBAIR

SpArK said:


> They are bound to meet in quarter finals..



Its not sure

On Papers Following teams come up with the following rank

A1 AUS
A2 SL
A3 PAK
A4 NZ

B1 India
B2 SA
B3 ENG
B4 WI

First quarter-final, Group A1 v Group B4
Second quarter-final, Group A2 v Group B3
Third quarter-final, Group A3 v Group B2
Fourth quarter-final, Group A4v Group B1


India probabily would be playing against NZ and PAK will be against SOUTH AFRICA

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## MZUBAIR

Mani2020 said:


> *Don't know but my gut feeling is that its going to be a Pakistan vs India final *


 
Tough for Pakistan to reach in final....
They might go down in Knockout quarter finals.....


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## Durrak



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## SpArK

MZUBAIR said:


> Its not sure
> 
> On Papers Following teams come up with the following rank
> 
> A1 AUS
> A2 SL
> A3 PAK
> A4 NZ
> 
> B1 India
> B2 SA
> B3 ENG
> B4 WI
> 
> First quarter-final, Group A1 v Group B4
> Second quarter-final, Group A2 v Group B3
> Third quarter-final, Group A3 v Group B2
> Fourth quarter-final, Group A4v Group B1
> 
> 
> India probabily would be playing against NZ and PAK will be against SOUTH AFRICA


 
SA will top the group B IND maybe second..


SL or PAK will top group A IMO...


So SL vs WI
PAK Vs ENG
AUS vs IND
WI Vs SA


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## Sumendrab

Ind wil b out in semis, sl hav good chances to win tis cup. enuf said.


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## Mani2020

*@Mzubair*

Yar i was just saying that its my gut feeling, i m not basing my claim on facts and figure,its just my guts feeling and sometime your gut feelings come up true

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## MZUBAIR

SpArK said:


> SA will top the group B IND maybe second..
> 
> 
> SL or PAK will top group A IMO...
> 
> 
> So SL vs WI
> PAK Vs ENG
> AUS vs IND
> WI Vs SA


 
Come on man....All pitches in India supporting spinners......and in Group B, India is the only team have reputable spinners.

BD is another one...and I m expecting couple of upsets from BD other then Irland and Netherland.


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## Mani2020

By the way ICC or whoever made the schedule has done in-justice with Pakistan, when you look at the schedule every team has matches in atleast two countries either Bangladesh and Sri-Lanka or Inida and Sri-Lanka or India and Bangladesh even many teams have matches in all three hosting countries 

But Pakistan is the only country who has all her matches in Sri-Lanka where the pitches are conducive for batting and there is too much heat that it can burn you all out also the record of Pakistan is not that great in Sri-Lanka when compared to their record in Bangladesh and india .

I know there would have been many issues in india hosting Pakistan's match but atleast they should have given us matches in Bangladesh 

Believe me or not our players would be the most tired ones due to the heat and warm weather ,i hope they survive without any injuries specially in the lights of Shoaib Akhtar


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## MZUBAIR

Mani2020 said:


> By the way ICC or whoever made the schedule has done in-justice with Pakistan, when you look at the schedule every team has matches in atleast two countries either Bangladesh and Sri-Lanka or Inida and Sri-Lanka or India and Bangladesh even many teams have matches in all three hosting countries
> 
> But Pakistan is the only country who has all her matches in Sri-Lanka where the pitches are conducive for batting and there is too much heat that it can burn you all out also the record of Pakistan is not that great in Sri-Lanka when compared to their record in Bangladesh and india .
> 
> I know there would have been many issues in india hosting Pakistan's match but atleast they should have given us matches in Bangladesh
> 
> Believe me or not our players would be the most tired ones due to the heat and warm weather ,i hope they survive without any injuries specially in the lights of Shoaib Akhtar


 
It was the choice of Pakistan not ICC.
Pakistan chose to play in SL.
Playing India was tough ......and I dont know y PCB didnt elected BD.

And one more thing that PAK was in group B ...but last year moved to group A inreplace of West Indies on the choice of PCB.


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## CaPtAiN_pLaNeT

SpArK said:


> SA will top the group B IND maybe second..
> 
> 
> SL or PAK will top group A IMO...
> 
> 
> So SL vs WI
> PAK Vs ENG
> AUS vs IND
> WI Vs SA


 
In the ICC cricket ranking Bangladesh is ahead of WI... check your fact before posting.

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## MZUBAIR

I wana see *Rona Lelea *song...."dama dam mast qalander"...
One of the best singer one can have heard.....beautiful voice.
Could any one plz post that song ....


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## Ammyy

I think in semi India, SA, Aus and any one from (Srilanka, Pakistan & Eng)


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## MZUBAIR

Lakhnow on special worship for Indian Cricket Team


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## MZUBAIR

DRDO said:


> I think in semi India, SA, Aus and any one from (Srilanka, Pakistan & Eng)


 
I doubt on SA......Srilanka will go straight in Semi

India, AUS, SL, (ENG , PAK or SA)


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## MZUBAIR

Junaid got his first wicket....


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## fawwaxs

Pakistans Uncle Cricket is distraught to be missing out on watching World Cup matches on home soil with the strife-torn nation forced to look on as its neighbours host the showpiece event.

Sufi Abdul Jalil, known as Chacha (Uncle) Cricket, is Pakistans most famous spectator and has become a prominent fixture at his countrys matches at home and abroad for nearly three decades.

It is not easy to miss the 61-year-old  bedecked in the green and white colours of Pakistans national flag  an unofficial mascot for the side, shouting encouragement and dancing in the stands.

But as the party goes on in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Pakistans stadiums will remain silent after it was stripped of its rights to co-host the tournament over security fears.

We will all miss World Cup matches in Pakistan, Jalil told AFP.

Its very sad, but its something which is beyond our control and under the circumstances it would not have been enjoyable with fears and tension all the time.

Pakistan cricket was plunged into crisis on March 3, 2009 when the visiting Sri Lankan team came under assault by militants in Lahore in an attack that left eight dead, also wounding seven Sri Lankan players and their assistant coach Paul Farbrace.

A month later, the International Cricket Council (ICC) opted to move World Cup matches out of Pakistan.

I was on my way from my home to the ground to watch the match when I was suddenly stopped by police and when all the drama unfolded, I was shocked, said Jalil, referring to the tragedy in Lahore.

Those attacks snatched all cricket from us and had those events not taken place we would have been hosting the World Cup, added Jalil, sponsored by a soft drinks company to watch all of Pakistans World Cup matches in Sri Lanka.

For vendor Abdul Rasheed, a common sight at Pakistan cricket stadiums since the country co-hosted the 1987 World Cup with India, it is a golden opportunity lost.

Its a tragedy that World Cup matches will not be played at our grounds.

They (the militants) did a cruel thing to our cricket, said Rasheed, who sells maize and nuts at cricket and hockey matches.

Apart from fans being denied the opportunity to watch their teams matches at home, Pakistan have lost out on the chance to improve infrastructure.

The decision to move World Cup matches has hurt Pakistan cricket badly,said Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt after the ICC decision, adding that grounds would have been built and existing ones refurbished.

Pakistan, where around 4,000 people have died in suicide and bomb attacks since 2007 blamed on networks linked to the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, earlier lost out on hosting the ICC Champions Trophy due to concerns over security.

Pakistan look set for a multi-million dollar windfall as a result of losing their World Cup matches  a crucial financial boost  but that is scant consolation to the countrys legions of cricket fans.

I hope one day the game can return because Pakistan is one of the greatest cricket-playing nations on earth, and it is such a shame that the young people of the country will be unable to watch their heroes at close quarters, Farbrace, who left the Sri Lankan team soon after the attack, said last year.

Sport is a means to bring strangers together, whether its a local football team or an international cricket team, but sadly it is increasingly becoming a target of terror.

Former ICC chief Ehsan Mani said Pakistan had a tough job on its hands to bring international cricket back.

It will take some time, but Pakistan must try hard to bring international cricket back. If future generations do not watch international cricket before them, then the game will never ever flourish, nor will the talent, he said.

Pakistan misses out on World Cup party | Sport | DAWN.COM


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## fawwaxs

Pakistan win toss; elect to field against England






Pakistan won the toss and chose to field first against England in their last warm-up match at the Khan Shaheb Osman Ali Stadium, Fatullah on Friday.

Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 88 runs in their first warm-up match.

Squads:

Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Kamran Akmal, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi (Capt), Abdul Razzaq, Umar Akmal, Wahab Riaz, Abdur Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Asad Shafiq, Junaid Khan

England: Andrew Strauss (Capt), Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Ajmal Shahzad, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Michael Yardy, Jonathan Trott, Luke Wright, Chris Tremlett, James Anderson, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood


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## Mani2020

England all out on 273 runs 

Junaid Khan the new man took 3 wickets , out of 3 wickets 2 were bold


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## MZUBAIR

Akmal Brothers and Hafeez (Top 3 positions) are worry for Pakistan. They r keep losing from top.


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## MZUBAIR

Battle Begins........
BD vs India.

Lets see who will smash 100 from India....Would it be Sachin, Sehwag, Yavi, Dhoni, or Gahmbir ?


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## SpArK

MZUBAIR said:


> Battle Begins........
> BD vs India.
> 
> Lets see who will smash 100 from India....Would it be Sachin, Sehwag, Yavi, Dhoni, or Gahmbir ?


 
I have my bet on Virat Kohli.. He is the man in form and is consistent.


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## Ammyy




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## Ammyy

*World Cup Game One-8 Keys For Bangladesh vs India*

As the sun starts to rise to uncover a drenched Melbourne morn .Im told its 13 hours and 18 minutes till the first game of the World Cup&#8230;.My apologies forgot the 18 seconds too that have to be endured.
So this game will be an absolute cracking affair !
So what are the Keys to it?

Well here are 4 for Bangladesh and then 4 for India

Bangladesh Keys

1.Shafiul Islam&#8217;s Fitness and Performance

This young pacemen in the last year has established himself in the Bangladesh Team as its opening bowler and has done it with due aplomb. He is capable of knocking over a few in any Teams top order. And this against the mighty Indian batting line up will be key. For it will exert pressure on them and give Bangladesh&#8217;s greatest strength in Spin a chance to be a factor in the game. For if the spinners come on with the Indian&#8217;s set. The fact that India are masters of spin will lead them to be mauled
So Shafiul&#8217;s fitness and ability to perform will be crucial

2.The Tigers Big Two!

The two im referring too are of course Shakib al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal.Both arguably the brightest talents in the game. So with the added burden of expectation on their shoulders will they be able to perform to their usual lofty levels? For if they can their team mates will gain inspiration from them and duly follow suit.

Though if the Indian&#8217;s neutralise them they might win easily

3.Spin Being Effective Against India?


The Bangladesh Team is built around their strength in spin. Though the Indian batsmen as a rule rip spinners to shreds. So this will be key to how well the Tigers can go. For if their spinners can be effective they have a chance to win but if they are mauled then its mission impossible

4.The Crowd Will It Inspire Or Pressurise The Tigers?


The Stadium at Dhaka will be packed to the rafters with the Tigers fans going crazy in support of their Team. Though will this make the players rise and achieve great results or will it indeed add pressure on them.For their so fearful of failure.
This will be a key factor in the games outcome.

India&#8217;s Keys

1.India&#8217;s Bowling Line Up


At present no one doubts India&#8217;s ability with the bat. Though with the ball you&#8217;d have faith in Zaheer Khan and Harbhahjan Singh,but very little faith in the other bowlers. If the weaknesses in their bowling are exposed then they are in trouble. For Bangladesh have the talent in batting to rack up a huge total or conversely to chase down an India total

2.India&#8217;s Bowling Composition?


Two are certainties in Zaheer and Harbhahjan but the rest of the bowling is unknown. They could choose two pacemen in more than like Ashish Nehra and Sreesanth to compliment the two. Or conversely include a spinner and the attack be two pacers and two spinners.
Getting the bowling line up right will be key for India

3.Virender Sehwag


Im a huge Sehwag fan and I just have the feeling that this World Cup will be his to rip to shreds. He is the most feared batsman in the game and if he mauls the inexperienced Tiger&#8217;s bowlers they will struggle to recover.
Bangladesh need to get ride of Sehwag quickly!

4.Virat Kohli or Suresh Raina?


In truth in Odi&#8217;s the choice between these two is win win for India.For both are very fine Odi players. The indications coming out of the Indian camp is that Kohli will be preferred. Though if chosen. Raina not only is a very accomplised Odi batsman,but a more than useful part time bowler.
So be interesting to see who plays

Prediction


I just have a feeling that the Tigers on the back of the euphoria of the first game being on the home turf might beat India!


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## MZUBAIR

SpArK said:


> I have my bet on Virat Kohli.. He is the man in form and is consistent.


 
U won ur bet................Kholi scored 100.


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## MZUBAIR

Australia vs Zimbabwe 

Australia won the toss and elected to bat


Bad flat wickets in this world cup....................no support for FAST bowlers.


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## Andross

Wankhede stadium where the final will be held because of the sea near by will be more suited for fast ballers

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## MZUBAIR

Andross said:


> Wankhede stadium where the final will be held because of the sea near by will be more suited for fast ballers


 
But most of the wickets r flat like we saw India scored 370 against BD and BD also went near to 300. I m not saying abt the talent....Indian team has the best batting line up in this WC............ *but we dont see any grassy or bouncy wickets which would support FAST bowlers to show thier skills.*

Atmosphere would also be very hot in these days and there would be high humid in SL.


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## Andross

MZUBAIR said:


> But most of the wickets r flat like we saw India scored 370 against BD and BD also went near to 300. I m not saying abt the talent....Indian team has the best batting line up in this WC............ *but we dont see any grassy or bouncy wickets which would support FAST bowlers to show thier skills.*
> 
> Atmosphere would also be very hot in these days and there would be high humid in SL.




Your right but there is Mohali which is suited to fast bowlers it is quite a lush green pitch because of its location.

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## CHARGER

'Imran kept saying that we can win the World Cup' | Cricket videos, MP3, podcasts, cricket audio at ESPN Cricinfo


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## Andross

Thats good bowling from Zimbabwe


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## Major Sahab

Oh no not always Australia.
Zimbabwe bowled well. But didn`t bat well.


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## MZUBAIR

Tomarrow Pakistan would be playing in *Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium*, behind it u can see SEA SHORES.

May be helpful for the fast bowlers


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## EagleEyes

Pakistan is going to play in Mumbai?


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## Hyde

WebMaster said:


> Pakistan is going to play in Mumbai?


 
No all the matches of Pakistan will only be held in Sri Lanka. Pakistan will only play in India if they qualify for Quarter Finals, Semi Finals or Final

Fixtures, Schedule | Pakistan Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo


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## MZUBAIR

NL vs ENG
Netherlands 36/0 (6.1 ov)


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## MZUBAIR

Netherlands 47/1 (8.6 ov)

Can they do upset....
They already beaed ENGLISH team in T20's WC


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## MZUBAIR

NL vs ENG....

Netherlands 58/1 (11.3 ov)

NL have a player like Australian born Tom Cooper & Ryan ten with AVG of 60+ in One Day International's.


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## Sonic_boom

Netherlands 292/6 (50 ov)

England 52/0 (9.3 ov)


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## Major Sahab

Go Holland Go.
I want you to beat England. Good luck Holland.


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## Major Sahab

Well done Pakistan. 
Now play well against Sri Lanka on Saturday.


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## Nirvana

Quarter-final 1 : australia vs bangladesh

Quarter-final 2 :sri lanka vs england

Quarter-final 3 :pakistan vs south africa

Quarter-final 4 : India vs new zealand


Semi Final 1 : Australia vs south africa

semi final 2 : India vs sri lanka


Final : India vs south africa


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## Kinetic

Viraat said:


> Quarter-final 1 : australia vs bangladesh
> 
> Quarter-final 2 :sri lanka vs england
> 
> Quarter-final 3 :pakistan vs south africa
> 
> Quarter-final 4 : India vs new zealand
> 
> 
> Semi Final 1 : Australia vs south africa
> 
> semi final 2 : India vs sri lanka
> 
> 
> Final : India vs south africa


 
 You are too much optimistic.

My predictions for quarter...

Group A: 
Australia
Sri Lanka
Pakistan
New Zealand

Group B:
South Africa
India 
England
BD/WI

*If India is number 2 in group B and Pakistan s number 3 in group A or opposite than their could be a match between them. *


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## Super Falcon

The batsmen should largely enjoy the conditions of the subcontinent in the 2011 World Cup, but one aspect that will probably challenge many of them is the middle overs. Overs 16 to 40 of an innings are often the least exciting period of an ODI, with batsmen consolidating and preparing for the late onslaught, and the fielding team looking to get the quota of fifth-bowler overs out of the way. They're often the periods with the least drama, but in terms of the context of games, they're crucial, not least because they constitute half the number of overs available to a team. 

In the subcontinent, the middle overs can sometimes present a greater challenge to batsmen because of the condition of the pitch and the ball: the slow track and the soft ball is a combination that can defeat the best intentions to inject momentum into an innings. Apart from scoring reasonably quickly, teams also need to ensure they don't lose too many wickets during this period, so that they still have resources in hand for the end overs. Here's a look at the teams and the players who've been the best performers during this period of an innings. 

The two teams that really made the middle overs count over the last couple of years are India and South Africa. On current form they're the two best batting sides in the World Cup, and their exceptional middle-order talent has made it extremely difficult for opposition bowlers to contain them. Both these sides have scored at well over five runs per over, and at the same time they've managed it without losing too many wickets, averaging more than 43 runs per wicket. As bowling units, both India and South Africa have been reasonably economical, and have also taken wickets regularly, averaging less than 35 runs per wicket. On average, they've thus won most of their middle-over battles, which means they're likely to win games even if they only keep pace with the opposition in the other two stages of the game - the first 15 and the last ten. 

Australia have been superb in most aspects of their game in ODIs, but in the middle overs they have tended to bat somewhat conservatively, averaging only 4.78 runs per over. Their batting average is pretty good, though, which means they tend to keep their wickets in hand for the last ten overs. 

The Indians also dominate the list of most runs scored in these middle overs - they figure in three of the top four. The top two in the list were both from the same game, a spectacular high-scoring match between India and Sri Lanka in Rajkot in which both teams scored more than 400. It's hardly surprising that both teams topped 200 in the middle in that match: India made 228 for 4, while Sri Lanka responded with 213 for 4 in the 25 overs between 26 and 40. The only other instance when a team scored more than 200 in these overs over the last two years was in Christchurch, when India amassed 206 for 1 on the way to a 50-over score of 392. South Africa's highest is 186, against Zimbabwe in Benoni in October 2010. 

Teams between 15.1 and 40 overs in ODIs since Jan 1, 2009 Teams Bat ave Run rate Bowl ave Econ rate Ave diff ER diff 
India 43.41 5.45 34.51 5.03 8.90 0.42 
South Africa 44.84 5.26 32.58 4.97 12.26 0.29 
Pakistan 30.48 4.84 33.44 4.57 -2.96 0.27 
England 37.58 4.88 34.15 4.82 3.43 0.06 
West Indies 28.07 4.85 39.25 4.79 -11.18 0.06 
Australia 40.59 4.78 31.62 4.76 8.97 0.02 
New Zealand 27.69 4.83 36.19 4.87 -8.50 -0.04 
Sri Lanka 36.75 4.84 31.66 4.94 5.09 -0.10 
Bangladesh 35.07 4.52 38.08 4.68 -3.01 -0.16 
Zimbabwe 27.58 4.15 33.61 4.67 -6.03 -0.52 


One of the key aspects that could decide the fortune of teams in this World Cup is their ability to play spin, especially in the middle overs. As the table below shows, the Indians have been particularly adept at it, which is hardly surprising, averaging almost 54 runs per wicket, easily the best among all teams. South Africa have done pretty well too, but the run rate against spin has dropped for some of the other teams, including Sri Lanka and Australia. Sri Lanka's average against spin is much higher, which shows they don't lose too many wickets against spin, but against Australia spin in the middle overs is clearly the correct strategy - their run-rate drops to 4.51, which is much lower than their scoring rate against fast and medium-fast bowling. 

Teams against pace and spin in the middle overs since Jan 1, 2009 Team v pace - average Run rate v spin - average Run rate 
India 36.74 5.70 53.82 5.24 
South Africa 40.70 5.29 48.94 5.23 
England 33.94 4.79 42.00 5.00 
Pakistan 28.00 4.71 32.70 4.93 
New Zealand 26.91 4.86 28.18 4.80 
Sri Lanka 28.36 5.17 43.84 4.66 
West Indies 24.47 5.22 33.36 4.61 
Australia 41.98 5.08 39.27 4.51 
Bangladesh 37.26 4.83 33.63 4.32 
Zimbabwe 24.61 4.46 27.68 3.98 


Indians and South Africans also share the honours for best batsmen in the middle overs. They occupy six of the top seven positions, with Michael Hussey being the only one from any other team to sneak in. AB de Villiers takes top spot with an outstanding average of 74.25, and a strike rate of very nearly a run a ball, which shows he is able to control the middle overs and score at a fast pace without taking too many risks. The key to that is his exceptionally low dot-ball percentage: he is one of only two batsmen with a dot-ball percentage of less than 40. That means he is able to manoeuvre the ball around so well that he is seldom under pressure in the middle overs. (And remember, these numbers exclude Thursday's match against West Indies, when he scored 69 off 67 in the middle overs, with only 23 dot balls.) 

The other batsman with a sub-40% dot-ball percentage is Hashim Amla, but, as an opener, he has the advantage of having established himself at the crease by the time the middle overs come along. 

Among the other batsmen, Virat Kohli's numbers are impressive: his average and run-rate are very high, and his dot-ball percentage is low. Suresh Raina's run-rate is high too, but his average has dropped off slightly due to a relatively poor series in South Africa. 

Best batsmen in the middle overs in ODIs since Jan 1, 2009 (Qual: played 750 balls) Batsman Runs Balls Dismissals Average Run rate Ave x RR/6 Dot ball % 
AB de Villiers 1485 1493 20 74.25 5.96 73.76 36.44 
Virat Kohli 1021 1114 16 63.81 5.49 58.39 42.19 
Hashim Amla 736 813 12 61.33 5.43 55.50 33.70 
Michael Hussey 1228 1528 19 64.63 4.82 51.92 43.98 
MS Dhoni 1362 1739 21 64.85 4.69 50.69 47.33 
JP Duminy 635 848 10 63.50 4.49 47.52 43.16 
Suresh Raina 889 951 18 49.38 5.60 46.09 44.69 
Shivnarine Chanderpaul 574 774 10 57.40 4.44 42.48 46.77 
Shakib Al Hasan 1126 1291 24 46.91 5.23 40.89 44.31 
Umar Akmal 674 830 14 48.14 4.87 39.07 48.55 


The list for top ten bowlers is dominated by spinners, which is what you'd expect in the middle overs. Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson are the only fast bowlers who make the cut, and that's largely because of their wicket-taking ability. In terms of economy rates, three left-arm spinners lead the way, with Ray Price, Daniel Vettori and Shakib Al Hasan all conceding less than four runs per over. Vettori, though, isn't much of a wicket-taker, averaging 38.12 runs per strike. That's probably also because he is part of a weak New Zealand bowling attack, which encourages batsmen to play him out and attack the other bowlers. Among the top spinners, Harbhajan Singh misses out on the top ten list thanks to relatively high average of 37.17 and an economy rate of 4.56. 

Best bowlers in the middle overs since Jan 1, 2009 (Qual: 750 balls) Bowler Balls Runs conceded Wickets Average Econ rate Ave x ER/6 
Ray Price 982 595 25 23.80 3.63 14.40 
Shane Watson 864 643 26 24.73 4.46 18.38 
Shakib Al Hasan 1625 1076 37 29.08 3.97 19.24 
Graeme Swann 1164 849 31 27.38 4.37 19.94 
Saeed Ajmal 1184 812 27 30.07 4.11 20.60 
Mitchell Johnson 882 668 24 27.83 4.54 21.06 
Daniel Vettori 1488 953 25 38.12 3.84 24.40 
Shahid Afridi 2074 1563 48 32.56 4.52 24.53 
Muttiah Muralitharan 959 746 23 32.43 4.66 25.19 
Nathan Hauritz 2043 1558 45 34.62 4.57 26.37 

S Rajesh is stats editor of Cricinfo

Feeds: S Rajesh 
© ESPN EMEA Ltd.

---------- Post added at 11:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:45 PM ----------

very very interesting stats imran khan is saying he has fear of pakistan fielding


----------



## prototype

What a long post,can anybody summarize,i am feeling to lazy to read it.


----------



## Super Falcon

Viraat said:


> Quarter-final 1 : australia vs bangladesh
> 
> Quarter-final 2 :sri lanka vs england
> 
> Quarter-final 3 :pakistan vs south africa
> 
> Quarter-final 4 : India vs new zealand
> 
> 
> Semi Final 1 : Australia vs south africa
> 
> semi final 2 : India vs sri lanka
> 
> 
> Final : India vs south africa


 



well this might be in your dreams if pakistan is not going to play final than neither india toooo so be realistic and SA dont stand a chance they can never win WC their nemissis always starts in semis or in quarter you should wait for till quarter final and sir india will loose semi final last india won against kenya semi final so use your mind and india will have probleums infront of home ground


----------



## MZUBAIR

Viraat said:


> Quarter-final 1 : australia vs bangladesh
> 
> Quarter-final 2 :sri lanka vs england
> 
> Quarter-final 3 :pakistan vs south africa
> 
> Quarter-final 4 : India vs new zealand
> 
> 
> Semi Final 1 : Australia vs south africa
> 
> semi final 2 : India vs sri lanka
> 
> 
> Final : India vs south africa


 
*WC 11 standings till now.*

Group A

Pakistan 
Australia 
Sri Lanka 
New Zealand 
Zimbabwe 
Canada 
Kenya 

Group B

India 
England 
South Africa 
Bangladesh 
Netherlands 
Ireland 
West Indies 

Before Quarter Finalz--- positions

Group A

Pakistan 
Australia 
Sri Lanka 
New Zealand 

Group B

India 
England 
South Africa 
Bangladesh (if BD wins against WI) 

*Still - there are many big games n My Quarter Finalz priidictions are*

Quarter-final 1 : AUS vs BD
Quarter-final 2 : PAK vs ENG
Quarter-final 3 : SL vs SA
Quarter-final 4 : NZ vs India

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## Nirvana

Super Falcon said:


> well this might be in your dreams if pakistan is not going to play final than neither india toooo so be realistic and SA dont stand a chance they can never win WC their nemissis always starts in semis or in quarter you should wait for till quarter final and sir india will loose semi final last india won against kenya semi final so use your mind and india will have probleums infront of home ground


 
let see what happens


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## fawwaxs

YouTube - LAST OVER HIGHLIGHTS IND vs ENG TIE WORLD CUP ODI

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## Andross

One word *disgrace * fat yuvraj needs to lose some weight lazy guy wont even run when it is there


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## Super Falcon

YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO india lost after scoring more than 300 runs man i know this match is tie but once you score 300+ runs you are 99 percent to win where are those indian who were counting on india and saying indian bowling is best man they are rubbish bowllers in this world cup even minows team bowlers can bowl better than indian team zaheer khan some indian friends say he is match winner best bowler but he is nothing but stupid and easy can go for runs if india need to win they must score 300 plus runs on every match and they cannot on every match so there chances are small in this WC bowlers who win you match not battters remember this theory and india dont have any bowlers but pakistan do have

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## Paan Singh

Super Falcon said:


> YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO india lost after scoring more than 300 runs man i know this match is tie but once you score 300+ runs you are 99 percent to win where are those indian who were counting on india and saying indian bowling is best man they are rubbish bowllers in this world cup even minows team bowlers can bowl better than indian team zaheer khan some indian friends say he is match winner best bowler but he is nothing but stupid and easy can go for runs if india need to win they must score 300 plus runs on every match and they cannot on every match so there chances are small in this WC bowlers who win you match not battters remember this theory and india dont have any bowlers but pakistan do have


 
hmmmmmmmmmmmmm


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## MZUBAIR

Yesterday game (India vs Eng) was Full of Entertainment....Thanxs to Zaheer Khan's last spell. Wounderful yourkers.







Last two overs were awsome...
Wt a six by *English born Pakistani Ajmal Shahzad *!!!!


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## duhastmish

*indian think tank need to realize its their world cup, they can tailor some cricket pitch and there is nothing worng - when the world team come to india they know it will be spinning , thats the whole idea of playing around the globe , to play in diffrent condition and diffrent tracks. 

india is infect killing the whole idea of world cup happening there. make a few turnning tracks make them play unplayful.*


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## Awesome

A big big screw up in this WC is the lack of hotspot technology AND keeping umpire referrals. That referral Kamran Akmal took so confidently was a waste, since you can't till fine nicks on camera, but if hotspot was there, it would've revealed the touch.

Big big screw up.

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## SpArK

*Sehwag, Tendulkar rise in ICC ODI rankings​*
Their brilliant performance in the first couple of World Cup matches has helped Indian batsmen Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar to rise to fifth and 10th respectively in the ICC one-day rankings issued.

Sehwag, who smashed 175 against Bangladesh, is up six places in the latest chart, while Tendulkar, riding on his 120 against England, has risen five spots.

Indians are headed northward even in the bowling rankings with *Zaheer Khan in 14th (up by nine places), Harbhajan Singh in 16th (up by four places) and Munaf Patel in 22nd (up by 11 places).*

England captain *Andrew Strauss, who struck a 158-run knock in yesterday's thrilling tie against India, is in 13th spot in the batting list, up by eight places.*

Others who have gone up the charts are *Tamim Iqbal in 23rd (up by three places), Misbah-ul-Haq in 32nd (up by 12 places), Younus Khan in 44th (up by four places) and Kevin O'Brien in 52nd (up by four places).*

Australia's Shane Watson, JP Duminy of South Africa, Netherlands' Ryan ten Doeschate and South Africa's Dale Steyn have all achieved personal landmarks.

Watson has climbed four places to break into the top 10 for the first time in his career.

Duminy's has risen two places to share the 15th spot with captain Graeme Smith and West Indies' Chris Gayle while Ten Doeschate has jumped 12 places to 20th.

In the bowling list, Steyn has jumped four places to fourth position.

*Batsmen losing ground are Virat Kohli in third (down by one place), Kumar Sangakkara in eighth (down by one place), Gautam Gambhir in 10th (down by one place), Jacques Kallis in 14th (down by six places) and Chris Gayle in 15th (down by five places), Ricky Ponting in 19th (down by six places).

South Africa's duo of Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers maintain the top two positions in batting chart.*

Apart from Steyn, Mitchell Johnson of Australia has rocketed 12 places to fifth position after figures of 4-19 and 4-33 against Zimbabwe and New Zealand, respectively.

Also on the move are are Shahid Afridi in 11th position (up by 12 places), Shaun Tait in 29th (up by eight places), Tim Bresnan in 30th (up by 11 places) and Shoaib Akhtar in 37th (up by seven places).

England's James Anderson has taken a nosedive in the latest rankings dropping 12 places to 24th after figures of 0-72 and 1-91 against Netherlands and India, respectively.

Daniel Vettori of New Zealand continues to lead the field with South Africa's Morne Morkel in second place and Ray Price of Zimbabwe moving up one place to third position.

In the Rankings for all-rounders, Ten Doeschate has moved up four places to a career-best fifth as the top four remain unchanged with Bangladesh's Shakib-Al-Hasan leading the way.

Sehwag, Tendulkar rise in ICC ODI rankings

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## Karachiite

Sehwag and Tendulkar are looking very dangerous right now in fact the whole batting lineup is dangerous but the Indian bowlers really need to pick it up. Bowling is too weak.

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## twoplustwoisfour

Kinetic said:


> You are too much optimistic.
> 
> My predictions for quarter...
> 
> Group A:
> Australia
> Sri Lanka
> Pakistan
> New Zealand
> 
> Group B:
> South Africa
> India
> England
> BD/WI
> 
> *If India is number 2 in group B and Pakistan s number 3 in group A or opposite than their could be a match between them. *


 
I think it is safe to say that Australia and South Africa have a good opportunity to top their respective groups. Pakistan, after defeating Sri Lanka, have a great chance to be no. 2 in group A. India has tied with England, and will need to ensure that their NRR is better than the Englishmen to ensure No. 2 spot in Group B.

So my prediction is (winners in *Bold*):

Quarters:
*Aus *vs West Indies
*RSA *vs New Zealand
*India *vs Sri Lanka
and *Pakistan *vs England.

Semi Final:
Aus vs India
Pak vs South Africa

From that point on, anything can happen

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## W.11

twoplustwoisfour said:


> I think it is safe to say that Australia and South Africa have a good opportunity to top their respective groups. Pakistan, after defeating Sri Lanka, have a great chance to be no. 2 in group A. India has tied with England, and will need to ensure that their NRR is better than the Englishmen to ensure No. 2 spot in Group B.
> 
> So my prediction is (winners in *Bold*):
> 
> Quarters:
> *Aus *vs West Indies
> *RSA *vs New Zealand
> *India *vs Sri Lanka
> and *Pakistan *vs England.
> 
> Semi Final:
> Aus vs India
> Pak vs South Africa
> 
> From that point on, anything can happen


 
acha, when pakistan defeated srilanka the hot favourites, than srilanka became so weak that it definitely be defeated by aussies, and aussies can definitely defeat pakistan naah???

what bull shitt yr?? aussies have not played against both pakistan and srilanka bear in mind

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## Kinetic

twoplustwoisfour said:


> I think it is safe to say that Australia and South Africa have a good opportunity to top their respective groups. Pakistan, after defeating Sri Lanka, have a great chance to be no. 2 in group A. India has tied with England, and will need to ensure that their NRR is better than the Englishmen to ensure No. 2 spot in Group B.
> 
> So my prediction is (winners in *Bold*):
> 
> Quarters:
> *Aus *vs West Indies
> *RSA *vs New Zealand
> *India *vs Sri Lanka
> and *Pakistan *vs England.
> 
> Semi Final:
> Aus vs India
> Pak vs South Africa
> 
> From that point on, anything can happen


 
who will play against whom in quarters..... everything depends on ... 

*1) India vs SA
2) SL vs Aus
3) BD vs WI
4) Pak vs Aus*

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## fawwaxs

Batting or bowling, Im ready for the job, says Abdul Razzaq

COLOMBO: All-rounder Abdul Razzaq on Tuesday said he was ready to play his part for Pakistan at the World Cup after a quiet opening to the tournament in which he has performed a peripheral role.

The 31-year-old veteran of 256 one-day internationals batted at number eight during Pakistans thumping 205-run triumph over Kenya and again in their 11-run win over co-hosts Sri Lanka.

Definitely, when you get to bat your confidence goes high, but our batting line-up is very strong and I am not getting many chances but whenever I do I am ready to play my part, said Razzaq.

Razzaq faced just six balls during Pakistans 317-7 against Kenya, scoring an unbeaten eight, and played just four deliveries against Sri Lanka, scoring three.

Sharing the new ball with Shoaib Akhtar, he bowled five overs in each game, failing to take a wicket.

Razzaq, who is playing his fourth World Cup and has 262 wickets in ODIs, said sub-continental pitches favour the batsmen.

If you look at other teams, number seven and eight batsmen are not getting many chances but that is part of the game because the pitches here are slow and help batting.

I am keeping myself ready in the nets so whenever the team needs me I will be playing my part and do my job of lifting the run rate, said Razzaq, who hit a 72-ball 109 not out against South Africa in Abu Dhabi last year.

It is my wish to bat up the order but thats up to the team requirement, its team unity that everyone is doing what is needed, and the aim of every player is to perform when needed, said Razzaq, who has 4,970 ODI runs.

Razzaq said his role with the new ball was to keep things tight and support Akhtar.

My role with the new ball is to do five or six overs and take one or two wickets. If I do that its good for the team. These are tough wickets for bowlers but I am fit and have experience of bowling on such tracks, he said.

Pakistan next play Canada in Colombo on Thursday. They top Group A with two wins out of two.


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## fawwaxs

Afridi&#8217;s boys look hungrier for win after SL triumph






Pakistan can be proud of their success against Sri Lanka. It was a huge win indeed. Beating the Lions at their den in front of thirty five thousand roaring fans was a blockbuster performance. On the day, boys were technically and temperamentally superior to the Lankans.

Sri Lanka&#8217;s tough day at the office, in fact, began at the toss when Sangakkara not only lost it &#8212; which statistically put his team&#8217;s chances of winning while batting second at a slim thirty eight percent &#8212; but surprisingly looked stiff and a bit pre-occupied. May be the pressure of the expectations and not having won a World Cup game against Pakistan made him look grim.

A captain has to maintain strong body language because posturing is such an important tool of the duel. His firm demeanour can lift players and the dressing room in crunch periods of the game. It is to Afridi&#8217;s credit that in tense situations, his temperament and toughness did not waver.

The openers set the bar with the right tone that helped to snatch the early momentum away from the Sri Lankans. It also toned down the noise of the home fans!

Kamran Akmal looked comfortable before the run out incident with Hafeez. Appearing shell-shocked after the accident, poor fellow lost his flow and eventually his wicket. At times he doesn&#8217;t think like a top order batsman and gives you a feel of a part-timer. To make matters worse, the team think tank seem to be handing him down a script which is against his grain. He is a natural hitter of the ball and caging him in, or for that matter his brother, with alien science is going to clog their minds and confuse them.

Younis and Misbah&#8217;s partnership broke the back of the Lankans. Their experience to ride tough situations with calmness and strong nerves that have repelled many attacks came handy to keep Pakistan going. Younis is bright at the crease and functions within his capacity. For a man whose batting life revolves around singles and doubles, it is amazing that he still ends up with run-a-ball sessions, a testimony to his skill to maneuver the field.

Misbah is safe as houses! A late bloomer, he is playing his best cricket at an age when most cricketers, because of wear and tear, can&#8217;t even walk stairs! In fact he is best amongst his players to read situations and apply tactics and technique to solve the puzzle.

Shoaib lifted the bowling effort with his committed act. The ball that dismissed Mahela was special. Sri Lanka were so dented by the spectacular drama of the ball uprooting the middle stump, that it affected their rhythm for a good number of overs.

Umar Gul is becoming a bit of a worry, bowling more with his heart and less with his mind. His yorkers need to find target and his tactics need sharpening up. He has to keep it simple and find consistency in line and direction. Cricket at the end of the day is a simple game!

Afridi had no problems in finding wickets. He was once again Pakistan&#8217;s best bowler. In fact, Pakistani captain is the X factor, a game changer and an entertainer. Rehman could be well advised to seek his assistance in how to be street-smart thinker when the charge is on. The left-armer looked flat and bereft of ideas when pressure was put on him by the Lankan batsmen.

Pakistan have earned the repect of the world with this victory. It will help them to feel confident of their chances moving forward into the competition. They have given a stern reminder to all the favorites that none is more in the race than Pakistan!

&#8212; The writer is a former Pakistan captain.


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## twoplustwoisfour

KarachiPunk said:


> acha, when pakistan defeated srilanka the hot favourites, than srilanka became so weak that it definitely be defeated by aussies, and aussies can definitely defeat pakistan naah???
> 
> what bull shitt yr?? aussies have not played against both pakistan and srilanka bear in mind


 
Yaar I said that Aus and South Africa have a *GOOD OPPORTUNITY* to top their groups. That also means that I think South Africa will beat India. I'm not being anti-Pakistan, I'm just expressing my views.

If you want, you can give your opinion as well.


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## MZUBAIR

Today ............England Vs Ireland .........*Ask shane warne*........May be an Upset of Ireland or another Tie.

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## MZUBAIR

Point Table Situtation
*Group A*
*Pakistan (6)* 
Srilanka (4)
Australia (4)
NZ (2)
Zimbabwe (2)
Kenya (0)
Canda (0)

*Group B*
South Africa (4)
India (3)
England (3)
West Indies (2)
Irland (2)
Bangladesh (2)
Netherland (0)

Teams expected to qualify in Quarter finalz
A1 Australia _(Depends on games of AUS vs SL, AUS vs PAK)_
*A2 Pakistan*
*A3 Srilanka* _(Depends on games of SL vs NZ)_
A4 Newzeland
B1 South Africa _(Depends on games of SA vs India)_
*B2 India *_(Depends on games of WI vs India)_
*B3 England*
B4 Bangladesh/WI _(Depends on todays game of BD vs WI)_

According to the above predictions, *Pakistan will play in Ahmedabad against England.
India would be playing against Srilanka in Dhaka*

*Quarter Finalz*
A1 v B4 Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Dhaka 
*A2 v B3 Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad 
A3 v B2 Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Dhaka *
A4 v B1 R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo


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## MZUBAIR

Current Point Table Situtation
*Group A*
Pakistan (6) 
Srilanka (5)
Australia (5)
NZ (4)
Zimbabwe (2)
Kenya (0)
Canda (0)

*Group B*
India (5)
England (5)
West Indies (4)
South Africa (4)
Irland (2)
Bangladesh (2)
Netherland (0)

Teams expected to qualify in Quarter finalz
A1 Australia (Depends on game of AUS vs PAK)
A2 Pakistan (Depends on game of PAK vs NZ)
A3 Srilanka (Depends on games of SL vs NZ)
A4 Newzeland
B1 South Africa (Depends on games of SA vs India)
B2 India (Depends on games of WI vs India)
B3 England (Depends on games of WI vs ENG)
B4 WestIndies

According to the above predictions, Pakistan will play against England.
India would be playing against Srilanka in Ahmedabad _(India would play at Ahmedabad regardless of its postions at group)_.

Quarter Finalz
A1 v B4 Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Dhaka 
A2 v B3 Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad 
A3 v B2 Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Dhaka 
A4 v B1 R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo


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## Awesome

If Pakistan wins, against NZ and Zimbabwe then we finish #1 regardless of the Australia/Pak game

Being #1 is highly important, if it rains in the Quarter Final, Semi Final it will come down to who holds the higher rank in this stage and they will proceed forward. So Pakistan HAS to aim for the #1 spot.


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## BATMAN

Pakistan can never win against Australia, because we need real talented batsmen of fast bowling.
PCB has dropped proven batsmen like Shoaib Malik, Imran Nazir etc..
In present setup only Misbah, Younus are of that class but we cannot win with two batsmen.
Our batting lineup, ought to click against Australia... right from beginning.
we can't afford mistakes.

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## BATMAN

In Indian side both U-Singh and I-Pathan look dangerous.


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## twoplustwoisfour

Asim Aquil said:


> If Pakistan wins, against NZ and Zimbabwe then we finish #1 regardless of the Australia/Pak game


 
Not if Pakistan loses to Australia. Then Australia will top the group and Pak will be second (Assuming Aus win the rest of their matches as well)

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## jaunty

India will play their knock out matches in India regardless of the group standing.


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## GareebNawaz

what if bangladesh wins the world cup? India badnaam hua, BD tere liye!!


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## Hyde

BATMAN said:


> Pakistan can never win against Australia, because we need real talented batsmen of fast bowling.
> PCB has dropped proven batsmen like Shoaib Malik, Imran Nazir etc..
> In present setup only Misbah, Younus are of that class but we cannot win with two batsmen.
> Our batting lineup, ought to click against Australia... right from beginning.
> we can't afford mistakes.


 
You know what is batsmen? - usually a good batsmen must average above 40 or 35+ can be acceptable if he performs at crucial stages and has played 200 matches. Thats minimum criteria of gaining some respect for batsmen.

Afridi is a bowling All-rounder but he is way better than Imran Nazir in batting. His batting record speaks for itself

Imran Nazir | Pakistan Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPN Cricinfo

Shahid Afridi | Pakistan Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPN Cricinfo

A player with an average of only 24.61 is not called a batsmen. It is just acceptable as an all-rounder but unfortunately Imran Nazir is not bowler so no place for him as a batsmen.

These are the all-rounders from other teams... and look at their batting averages

Shane Watson | Australia Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPN Cricinfo

Jacques Kallis | South Africa Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPN Cricinfo

======================================

Imran Nazir was highest ranked at 44 in ICC rankings in his entire career and that too was in 2002 and this is 2011. Usually the top-notch or proven players from Pakistan has always been among the top 20 or more likely Top 10 in some stages of their life. Imran Nazir could never even secure his place in Top 30

Reliance ICC Player Rankings

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## BATMAN

I assume your point is you don't agree considering Imran Nazir as better player of fast bowling???
Where does your current openers stand in ranking and experience???
Its my personal choice that I would feel more comfortable with Imran Nazir a sopener against Australia rather than Hafeez.


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## BATMAN

What happened here??





Why indians are ignored by ICC??
It is clear Pakistan is facing the bias of umpires and ICC...
Shameful PCB is perhaps getting good money to keep the injustice under wraps.

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## Hyde

BATMAN said:


> I assume your point is you don't agree considering Imran Nazir as better player of fast bowling???
> Where does your current openers stand in ranking and experience???
> Its my personal choice that I would feel more comfortable with Imran Nazir a sopener against Australia rather than Hafeez.


 
well its all comes to personal choices then and I have no problem whatever you want to keep in your favorite list. In my opinion he doesn't deserve a place in Pakistan team and in your opinion if it does... You are most welcome to support him


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## MZUBAIR

Asim Aquil said:


> If Pakistan wins, against NZ and Zimbabwe then we finish #1 regardless of the Australia/Pak game
> 
> Being #1 is highly important, if it rains in the Quarter Final, Semi Final it will come down to who holds the higher rank in this stage and they will proceed forward. So Pakistan HAS to aim for the #1 spot.


 
No, PAK vs AUS game will desicde the top rank in the group Pakistan and Aus played 3 games each and contains points 6 and 5 respectively.
If PAK and AUS keep wining till end...(Which atleast AUS looks )
then the game of PAK vs AUS will descide the top rank in the group. 

Source:- point tables.


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## Karachiite

For some reason I have a good feeling for Pakistan when they face Australia. 

I was the same person that predicted Pakistan will win 2009 T20 world cup and Shahid Afridi would make make a century in the Asia Cup tournament last year.


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## Kinetic

jaunty said:


> India will play their knock out matches in India regardless of the group standing.


 
Are you sure? That will be good for SL and India boards if they play in home ground than lots of money as the stadiums will be filled up.


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## Hyde

Kinetic said:


> Are you sure? That will be good for SL and India boards if they play in home ground than lots of money as the stadiums will be filled up.


Problem is India and Sri Lanka are expected to play in the quarter finals

what will happen under such scenario when two home teams are facing each other?


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## jaunty

Kinetic said:


> Are you sure? That will be good for SL and India boards if they play in home ground than lots of money as the stadiums will be filled up.


 


Zaki said:


> Problem is India and Sri Lanka are expected to play in the quarter finals
> 
> what will happen under such scenario when two home teams are facing each other?


 
Yes it's true and if India meets Sri Lanka India will get preference on the basis of pre tournament rankings. 

World Cup 2011: Hosts to play World Cup knockouts at home | Cricket News | ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 | ESPN Cricinfo


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## MZUBAIR

*Is Akhtar really back in form ??????????*


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## MZUBAIR

COLOMBO: Shoaib Akhtar bowled fiercely in the nets during team training at the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy on Saturday and in the process squashed a question mark hanging over his fitness.

The Pakistan pacer was rested for the World Cup match against Canada here last Thursday, raising suspicions that Shoaib was suffering from fitness problems. 

There were even reports that the fast-bowler picked up a groin injury during Pakistans 11-run win over Sri Lanka in Colombo last Saturday.

But a team spokesman made it clear on Saturday that Shoaib was fully fit and was available to play in Pakistans next match against New Zealand at Pallekele on Tuesday.

Shoaib is fully fit and took an active participation during our training session today, said the spokesman.

Shoaib, 35, took two key wickets including that of ace Sri Lanka batsman Mahela Jayawardene last weekend.

He is being seen as one of Pakistans most important bowlers which is one of the reasons why the team management plans to field him just for the important matches so that the injury-prone fast-bowler stays fit for the rest of the tournament that will conclude on April 2.


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## MZUBAIR




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## Humanist

BATMAN said:


> What happened here??
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Why indians are ignored by ICC??
> It is clear Pakistan is facing the bias of umpires and ICC...
> Shameful PCB is perhaps getting good money to keep the injustice under wraps.


 
*The quality of your enemy shows wat you are worth of and what you are capable of...*


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## MZUBAIR

How Shoaib Akhtar silent the whole Indian nation after getting Tundulkar....  
Love this moment


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## Hyde

Kenya won the toss and elected to bat first

I am supporting Canada today because of so many PDF members living in Canada 

I hope they win!


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## MZUBAIR

Tendulkar cant see where is the bowl


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## twoplustwoisfour

MZUBAIR said:


> How Shoaib Akhtar silent the whole Indian nation after getting Tundulkar....
> Love this moment


 
Why are you starting another d*ck measuring contest, especially when you know that we are armed with this :






Oh, and this was in the world cup, no less


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## ashok321

Zaki said:


> Kenya won the toss and elected to bat first
> 
> I am supporting Canada today because of so many PDF members living in Canada
> 
> I hope they win!



Both Kenya and Canada teams are full of Indians....
What options you do have?
Either its constipation or Diahrea


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## MZUBAIR

twoplustwoisfour said:


> Why are you starting another d*ck measuring contest, especially when you know that we are armed with this :
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Oh, and this was in the world cup, no less





Hahahha....so wts proud on it.....Sachin was caught by Shoaib Akhtar in the same game .


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## twoplustwoisfour

MZUBAIR said:


> Hahahha....so wts proud on it.....Sachin was caught by Shoaib Akhtar in the same game .


 
I believe Shoib has also caught some genital warts. Are you proud of those too?


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## MZUBAIR

twoplustwoisfour said:


> I believe Shoib has also caught some genital warts. Are you proud of those too?


 
I think ur burning hot....
Cool down its just a cricket.

Be focus on the World Cup.


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## ashok321

New Zealand v Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez confident of better openings




> Mohammad Hafeez and Ahmed Shehzad have put on 11, 28 and 16 against Kenya, Sri Lanka and Canada






> "In the three series against England, South Africa and New Zealand I think I've been consistent," Hafeez said. "It's only that I haven't performed in three World Cup matches. In one match I got run out and in another I got a bad decision. *To perform in cricket you need luck*



So Pakistani openers depend upon luck rather than other factors?


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## twoplustwoisfour

MZUBAIR said:


> I think ur burning hot....
> Cool down its just a cricket.
> 
> Be focus on the World Cup.


 
First sensible post in a long time.


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## Awesome

Pakistan has to beat NZ and Australia. Finishing #1 is important since that will ensure going forward in case a QF or SF is abandoned due to rain.

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## Hyde

Asim Aquil said:


> Pakistan has to beat NZ and Australia. Finishing #1 is important since that will ensure going forward in case a QF or SF is abandoned due to rain.


 
No thats not necessary.

A1 vs B4
A2 vs B3
A3 vs B2
A4 vs B1

So if Pakistan is A2 instead of A1.... We will be playing against B3 and in that case we will still be higher in ranking 

yes if we lose both matches against NZ and Australia then probably might be very bad for Pakistan. But again if the points are equal it would come on Net Run Rate. Hopefully we will defeat Kiwis at least.

PS: I want Pakistan to stay at A2 so that we are hopefully playing against West Indies or India


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## MZUBAIR

twoplustwoisfour said:


> First sensible post in a long time.


 
Early were more sensible but hard for u to digest.....
Dont want to raise ur blood before the India Pakistan clash on Indian soil in this World Cup.

Akthar wickets are his achievements...so u must respect his rewards.


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## MZUBAIR

ashok321 said:


> New Zealand v Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez confident of better openings
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> So Pakistani openers depend upon luck rather than other factors?


 

This is the weak areas...Pakistan is missing the regular oppners combination like we used to have Saeed anwar n Amir Sohail


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## MZUBAIR

Zaki said:


> No thats not necessary.
> 
> A1 vs B4
> A2 vs B3
> A3 vs B2
> A4 vs B1
> 
> So if Pakistan is A2 instead of A1.... We will be playing against B3 and in that case we will still be higher in ranking
> 
> yes if we lose both matches against NZ and Australia then probably might be very bad for Pakistan. But again if the points are equal it would come on Net Run Rate. Hopefully we will defeat Kiwis at least.
> 
> PS: I want Pakistan to stay at A2 so that we are hopefully playing against West Indies or India


 
No, we should be at A1 so we can play against A4 (West Indies or England).
We should not challange India in quarter finalz coz the team that will play and win in quarter finalz will also play semies and finals in India.
And all these 3 games are knockout...I dont suggest that they shld meet in quarters.

Lets stick to Afridi wish .....*India vs Pakistan in Final*


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## ashok321

MZUBAIR said:


> This is the weak areas...Pakistan is missing the regular oppners combination like we used to have Saeed anwar n Amir Sohail


 
If I remember well, Imran Khan n Javed Miandad never depended their career on luck factor.


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## MZUBAIR

Current point table standings

A1 = Pakistan 
A2 = Sri Lanka 
A3 = Australia 
A4 =New Zealand 

B1 India 
B2 England 
B3 West Indies 
B4 South Africa 

I dont see India facing Pakistan in quarter finalz

A1 vs B4
A2 vs B3
A3 vs B2
A4 vs B1


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## MZUBAIR

ashok321 said:


> If I remember well, Imran Khan n Javed Miandad never depended their career on luck factor.


 
Yes, nither or never Pakistani team depended on luck factor.
It all depends upon efforts...but Yes also luck plays important role for each team...even if its India or Pakistan.


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## ashok321

MZUBAIR said:


> Current point table standings
> 
> A1 = Pakistan
> A2 = Sri Lanka
> A3 = Australia
> A4 =New Zealand
> 
> B1 India
> B2 England
> B3 West Indies
> B4 South Africa
> 
> I dont see India facing Pakistan in quarter finalz
> 
> A1 vs B4
> A2 vs B3
> A3 vs B2
> A4 vs B1


 
Count your chickens when they are hatched!
Its too early....


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## ashok321

MZUBAIR said:


> Yes, nither or never Pakistani team depended on luck factor.
> It all depends upon efforts...
> 
> 
> 
> *but Yes also luck plays important role for each team...even if its India or Pakistan*
> 
> 
> 
> .
Click to expand...

 

Luck or fortune is caused by accident or chance, and attributed to superstition, which happens beyond a person's control.
And superstitions are against Islam.


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## MZUBAIR

ashok321 said:


> Luck or fortune is caused by accident or chance, and attributed to superstition, which happens beyond a person's control.
> And superstitions are against Islam.


 
Superstitions and Luck are two different things.

Superstitions are based on ur thinking ...Like if I wear this dress India will win the game....This is superstitious.

Luck is that u hav put ur best effort but u lost............. or.... u can say u haven't put that much effort to be in finalz but ur in the Finalz coz of some favrable conditions.

Any ways no team intentially depend on luck. But luck at times play their role ...like luck played for Kenya in 2003 and for Irland and BD in 2007 for next round games.


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## ashok321

MZUBAIR said:


> Superstitions and Luck are two different things.
> 
> Superstitions are based on ur thinking ...Like if I wear this dress India will win the game....This is superstitious.
> 
> Luck is that u hav put ur best effort but u lost............. or.... u can say u haven't put that much effort to be in finalz but ur in the Finalz coz of some favrable conditions.
> 
> Any ways no team intentially depend on luck. But luck at times play their role ...like luck played for Kenya in 2003 and for Irland and BD in 2007 for next round games.


 
Luck is based on accidents n chances - why depend on them?
Like Hafeez said he NEEDS luck.
Can you become a doctor by luck?
You got to study, have to have ability.
Certificates are not based on luck.


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## Roybot

Headless monsta!!


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## Kinetic

^^ S Akhtar. lol 



Zaki said:


> PS: I want Pakistan to stay at A2 so that we are hopefully playing against West Indies or India


 
India Pakistan match should be there in the WC, it should be must.


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## KS

Kinetic said:


> ^^ S Akhtar. lol
> 
> 
> 
> India Pakistan match should be there in the WC, it should be must.


 
Then only we can keep our Perfect record intact.

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## Areesh

Karthic Sri said:


> Then only we can keep our Perfect record intact.


 
May be. But only problem with records is that they are made to be broken.

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## Awesome

Kinetic said:


> ^^ S Akhtar. lol
> 
> 
> 
> India Pakistan match should be there in the WC, it should be must.



If Pakistan comes in first and India comes in 2nd, or vice versa, we'll probably only meet in the finals.

So far the QF guesses of mine would be

QF1 Pak vs Windies
QF2 Aus vs England
QF3 SA vs NZ
QF4 Ind vs SL

A lot depends upon tomorrows game


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## SpArK

Asim Aquil said:


> If Pakistan comes in *first *and India comes in* 2nd*, or vice versa, we'll probably only meet in the finals.
> 
> So far the QF guesses of mine would be
> 
> QF1 Pak vs Windies
> QF2 Aus vs England
> QF3 SA vs NZ
> QF4 Ind vs SL
> 
> A lot depends upon tomorrows game


 
Nope its 1 and 3...not 1 and 2


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## Awesome

Pakistani players will go in very very confident against NZ coz they have beaten them a few times now, but thats a bad thing for us


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## Awesome

SpArK said:


> Nope its 1 and 3...not 1 and 2


 
You're right...


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## SpArK

Asim Aquil said:


> You're right...


 
Its


(*A1* v B4) C
(A2 v *B3*) D
(*A3* v B2) E
(A4 v *B1*) F

Cx E and D x F 

So either Pakistan or India needs to top their groups or else forget meeting in finals.


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## Awesome

No wait SF1 is Winner C vs Winner E

If India is #2, and Pak is #1, then we meet in SF . More likely.


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## Awesome

SpArK said:


> Its
> 
> 
> (*A1* v B4) C
> (A2 v *B3*) D
> (*A3* v B2) E
> (A4 v *B1*) F
> 
> Cx E and D x F
> 
> So either Pakistan or India needs to top their groups or else forget meeting in finals.


 
Pehle jeet toh lo  2 sheikh chillis.

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## SpArK

Asim Aquil said:


> No wait SF1 is Winner C vs Winner E
> 
> If India is #2, and Pak is #1, then we meet in SF . More likely.


 
For that you need to finish First in group.. and we have to beat WI and SA..


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## MZUBAIR

*Babaje ke Analytical Predictions*

Pridtions of next important games and quarter finals standings

*Current Points Tables *

New Zealand -6 points (+1.8 RR)
Pakistan - 6 points (+0.7 RR)
Sri Lanka - 5 points (+2.63 RR)
Australia - 5 points (+1.83)

India - 7 points (+0.99 RR)
England- 5 points (+0.054 RR)
West Indies - 4 points (+2.66 RR)
South Africa -4 points (+1.75 RR)


*Results On Guess*

Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe (SL Wins - 2 points)
West Indies v Ireland (WI wins - 2 points)
Bangladesh v England (Eng wins - 2 points)
*India v South Africa*(India wins - 2 points)
New Zealand v Canada (NZ wins - 2 points)
Australia v Kenya (Aus wins - 2 points)
Pakistan v Zimbabwe (PAK wins - 2 points)
South Africa v Ireland (SA wins - 2 points)
Australia v Canada (Aus wins - 2 points)
*England v West Indies* (Eng wins - 2 points)
*Sri Lanka v New Zealand* (SL wins - 2 points)
*Australia v Pakistan* (Aus wins - 2 points)
Bangladesh v South Africa (SA wins - 2 points)
*India v West Indies *(India wins - 2 points)

**Crutcial games *

Before quarter final following would be standings

Australia - 11 points 
Sri Lanka - 9 points 
New Zealand -8 points 
Pakistan - 8 points 

India - 11 points 
England- 9 points 
South Africa -8 points 
West Indies - 6 points 




QF1 Aus vs Windies
QF2 SL vs SA
*QF3 NZ vs Eng 
**QF4 PAK vs India *

*Position of PAK & NZ may shuffle on Run Rate.*


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## Kinetic

Other matches with weak teams are predictable but Ind-Pak match will depend on mainly...

India-SA on 12th March
Aus-Pak on 19th March


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## KS

I want QF against NZ.


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## Roybot

self delete


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## MZUBAIR

Karthic Sri said:


> I want QF against NZ.


 
SL, AUS or even PAK would be tough for India as compare to NZ regardless of home ground and crowd advantage


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## MZUBAIR

*Babaje ke Analytical Predictions*

Pridtions of next important games and quarter finals standings

*Current Points Tables *

Sri Lanka - 7 points (+2.705 RR)
New Zealand -6 points (+1.8 RR)
Pakistan - 6 points (+0.76 RR)
Australia - 5 points (+1.83)

India - 7 points (+0.99 RR)
England- 5 points (+0.054 RR)
West Indies - 4 points (+2.66 RR)
South Africa -4 points (+1.75 RR)


*Results On Guess*

West Indies v Ireland (WI wins - 2 points)
Bangladesh v England (Eng wins - 2 points)
*India v South Africa*(India wins - 2 points)
New Zealand v Canada (NZ wins - 2 points)
Australia v Kenya (Aus wins - 2 points)
Pakistan v Zimbabwe (PAK wins - 2 points)
South Africa v Ireland (SA wins - 2 points)
Australia v Canada (Aus wins - 2 points)
*England v West Indies* (Eng wins - 2 points)
*Sri Lanka v New Zealand* (SL wins - 2 points)
*Australia v Pakistan* (Aus wins - 2 points)
Bangladesh v South Africa (SA wins - 2 points)
*India v West Indies *(India wins - 2 points)

**Crutcial games *

Before quarter final following would be standings

Australia - 11 points 
Sri Lanka - 9 points 
New Zealand -8 points 
Pakistan - 8 points 

India - 11 points 
England- 9 points 
South Africa -8 points 
West Indies - 6 points 




QF1 Aus vs Windies
QF2 SL vs SA
*QF3 NZ vs Eng 
**QF4 PAK vs India *

*Position of PAK & NZ may shuffle on Run Rate.*


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## MZUBAIR

*England vs Bangladesh *

England is in trouble......

England 53/3 (16.4 ov)

Could this be an upset ????


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## twoplustwoisfour

Awesome match going on between Ireland and West Indies.

Ireland at 177/4 in 37 overs chasing 276. And out comes the man, Kevin O'Brian....


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## MZUBAIR

*Babaje ke Analytical Predictions*

Pridictions of next important games and quarter finals standings

*Current Points Tables *

New Zealand -8 points (+1.95 RR)
Sri Lanka - 7 points (+2.705 RR)
Australia - 7 points (+1.64)
Pakistan - 6 points (+0.76 RR)

India - 7 points (+0.76 RR)
West Indies - 6 points (+2.206 RR)
South Africa -6 points (+1.35 RR)
England- 5 points (+0.013 RR)


*Results On Guess*

Pakistan v Zimbabwe (PAK wins - 2 points)
South Africa v Ireland (SA wins - 2 points)
Australia v Canada (Aus wins - 2 points)
*England v West Indies* (Eng wins - 2 points)
*Sri Lanka v New Zealand* (SL wins - 2 points)
*Australia v Pakistan* (Aus wins - 2 points)
Bangladesh v South Africa (SA wins - 2 points)
*India v West Indies *(India wins - 2 points)

**Crutcial games *

Before quarter final following would be standings

Australia - 11 points 
Sri Lanka - 9 points 
New Zealand -8 points 
Pakistan - 8 points 

South Africa -10 points
India - 9 points 
England- 7 points 
West Indies - 6 points 

QF1 Aus vs Windies
QF2 SL vs ENG
*QF3 NZ vs India 
*QF4 PAK vs SA 

*Position of PAK & NZ may shuffle on Run Rate.* 
*BD can take out West Indies if their run rate gets higher....Position of PAK & NZ may shuffle on Run Rate.* 

*PAK may play against India*


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## twoplustwoisfour

I thought about posting this on the Stupid and Funny thread, but this one seems to be more appropriate. Enjoy:


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## Awesome

If WI beats India bad, and Eng beats WI bad, AND Bang beats SA. Then bangladesh in, england in WI in, SA in. India is out. The most unlikely but possible scenario

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## MZUBAIR

*Babaje ke Analytical Predictions*

Pridictions of next important games and quarter finals standings

*Current Points Tables *

New Zealand -8 points (+1.95 RR)
Pakistan - 8 points (+0.72 RR)
Sri Lanka - 7 points (+2.705 RR)
Australia - 7 points (+1.64)

India - 7 points (+0.76 RR)
West Indies - 6 points (+2.206 RR)
South Africa -6 points (+1.35 RR)
Bangladesh - 6 points (-0.765 RR)
England- 5 points (+0.013 RR)


*Results On Guess*

South Africa v Ireland (SA wins - 2 points)
Australia v Canada (Aus wins - 2 points)
*England v West Indies* (Eng wins - 2 points)
*Sri Lanka v New Zealand* (SL wins - 2 points)
*Australia v Pakistan* (Aus wins - 2 points)
Bangladesh v South Africa (SA wins - 2 points)
*India v West Indies *(India wins - 2 points)

**Crutcial games *

Before quarter final following would be standings

Australia - 11 points 
Sri Lanka - 9 points 
New Zealand -8 points 
Pakistan - 8 points 

South Africa -10 points
India - 9 points 
England- 7 points 
West Indies - 6 points *[Bangladesh - 6 points]*

QF1 Aus vs Windies
QF2 SL vs ENG
*QF3 NZ vs India 
*QF4 PAK vs SA 

*Position of PAK & NZ may shuffle on Run Rate.* 
*BD can take out West Indies if their run rate gets higher....Position of PAK & NZ may shuffle on Run Rate.* 

*PAK may play against India*


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## MZUBAIR

If 
SA wins against Irland
Eng wins against WI
BD wins against SA (with good margin)
Wi wins against India (with good margin)

_____________________________________
*Then, Which top 4 teams will goto Quarter-finalz from group "B"*


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## Mesha Ahmed

PAKISTAN WILL WIN WORLD CUP INSHALLAH


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## MZUBAIR

*Babaje ke Analytical Predictions*

Pridictions of next important games and quarter finals standings

*Current Points Tables *

New Zealand -8 points (+1.95 RR)
Pakistan - 8 points (+0.72 RR)
Sri Lanka - 7 points (+2.705 RR)
Australia - 7 points (+1.64)


South Africa -8 points (+1.60 RR)
India - 7 points (+0.76 RR)
West Indies - 6 points (+2.20 RR)
Bangladesh - 6 points (-0.76 RR)
England- 5 points (+0.01 RR)


*Results On Guess*

Australia v Canada (Aus wins - 2 points)
*England v West Indies* (Eng wins - 2 points)
*Sri Lanka v New Zealand* (SL wins - 2 points)
*Australia v Pakistan* (Aus wins - 2 points)
Bangladesh v South Africa (SA wins - 2 points)
*India v West Indies *(India wins - 2 points)

**Crutcial games *

Before quarter final following would be standings

Australia - 11 points 
Sri Lanka - 9 points 
New Zealand -8 points 
Pakistan - 8 points 

South Africa -10 points
India - 9 points 
England- 7 points 
West Indies - 6 points *[Bangladesh - 6 points]*

QF1 Aus vs Windies
QF2 SL vs ENG
*QF3 NZ vs India 
*QF4 PAK vs SA 

*Position of PAK & NZ may shuffle on Run Rate.* 
*BD can take out West Indies if their run rate gets higher....Position of PAK & NZ may shuffle on Run Rate.* 

*PAK may play against India*


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## fida jan

ary q beech main la raha hai *baba ji* ko barbar, itni prediction to wrong hue hai, baba ji ki lungi nai uthar gai wrong bet khelke lolzzz

abhi baba phir saala keh rah hai k australia jeetae ge, fk u baba ji


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## Kinetic

MZUBAIR said:


> *Babaje ke Analytical Predictions*
> 
> Pridictions of next important games and quarter finals standings
> 
> *Current Points Tables *
> 
> New Zealand -8 points (+1.95 RR)
> Pakistan - 8 points (+0.72 RR)
> Sri Lanka - 7 points (+2.705 RR)
> Australia - 7 points (+1.64)
> 
> 
> South Africa -8 points (+1.60 RR)
> India - 7 points (+0.76 RR)
> West Indies - 6 points (+2.20 RR)
> Bangladesh - 6 points (-0.76 RR)
> England- 5 points (+0.01 RR)
> 
> 
> *Results On Guess*
> 
> Australia v Canada (Aus wins - 2 points)
> *England v West Indies* (Eng wins - 2 points)
> *Sri Lanka v New Zealand* (SL wins - 2 points)
> *Australia v Pakistan* (Aus wins - 2 points)
> Bangladesh v South Africa (SA wins - 2 points)
> *India v West Indies *(India wins - 2 points)
> 
> **Crutcial games *
> 
> Before quarter final following would be standings
> 
> Australia - 11 points
> Sri Lanka - 9 points
> New Zealand -8 points
> Pakistan - 8 points
> 
> South Africa -10 points
> India - 9 points
> England- 7 points
> West Indies - 6 points *[Bangladesh - 6 points]*
> 
> QF1 Aus vs Windies
> QF2 SL vs ENG
> *QF3 NZ vs India
> *QF4 PAK vs SA
> 
> *Position of PAK & NZ may shuffle on Run Rate.*
> *BD can take out West Indies if their run rate gets higher....Position of PAK & NZ may shuffle on Run Rate.*
> 
> *PAK may play against India*


 
*Babaji's prediction seems to be far from coming true. *

If....

India lose against WI
Pakistan wins against Australia 
SL wins against New Zealand 

or

India wins against WI
Aus wins against Pakistan
NZ wins against SL 

Than only India-Pakistan match possible.


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## twoplustwoisfour

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reactions: Like Like:
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## Mesha Ahmed

Kinetic said:


> *Babaji's prediction seems to be far from coming true. *
> 
> If....
> 
> India lose against WI
> Pakistan wins against Australia
> SL wins against New Zealand
> 
> or
> 
> India wins against WI
> Aus wins against Pakistan
> NZ wins against SL
> 
> Than only India-Pakistan match possible.


 
than its ok PAKISTAN will win against india


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## twoplustwoisfour

Mesha Ahmed said:


> than its ok PAKISTAN will win against india


 
Pakistan would most likely face off against South Africa in the Quarter Finals. India ke baare mein baad mein sochna yaar.


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## Evil Flare

Just want to share ... someone send me this

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## Awesome




----------



## U-571

Aamir Zia said:


> Just want to share ... someone send me this


 
bwhahahahahahahahaha so much hilarious man!!!!


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## Kinetic

Cricket, politics, terror threats all mixed up in Mohali


Flash point 1: Notice board hanging on the doors of Punjab cricket association (PCA) secretary and president, "Pls don't ask for tickets"!!!

Flash point 2: Police officers requesting senior journos, 'if you see any unknown face among the journalists, inform us without delay'!!!!

Flash point 3: Pakistani team manager shouting, "Let it remain as cricket and don't make us feel as if we are standing on a war front,!!!" 

Flash point 4: Ravi Shastri asking Indian team members not to touch any newspaper or even TV but this is cyber era!!!

Flash point 5: Thanks to PM of both countries, officials and high level personalities are coming PCA wants already sold out tickets back!!!! PCA requesting former cricketers not to come, current Ranji team to watch the match on TV. Even the members of PCA were told to return their tickets. 

Flash point 6: ICC mailing the press, pls don't send more than one reporter/photographer.

Flash point 7: Two persons waiting for hours outside PCA secretary's room for ticket arrangements but failed to get any so far, who are they? they represent Mukesh Ambani and Vijay Mallya. Both will reach Chandigarh on 30th on their private planes. 


This is what going onnn.....


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## Kinetic

Asim Aquil said:


> YouTube - Mohali cricket fans upset, no tickets


 
She is cute!!!


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