ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 : Fever Starts

[Enigma]

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

 

[Ammyy]

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

 

[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  ), Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, Murali Vijay, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar, Ashish Nehra, Harbhajan Singh, R. Ashwin, Munaf Patel, Yusuf Pathan

 

[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!

 

[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

 

[KS]

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.

 

[brahmastra]

^^ he is first in the list.

 

[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?

 

[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.

 

[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.

 

[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.

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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.

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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.

 

[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).

 

[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).

 

[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.

 

[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.