Celebrations erupt in Mumbai

Mumbai: Mumbai exploded in fireworks, youngsters trooped into the streets carrying the tri-colour and people danced in joy as India made it to the cricket World Cup final defeating arch-rivals Pakistan Wednesday.



As Virat Kohli took a skier at mid-wicket to see the back of the last Pakistan batsman Misbah-ul-Haq, celebrations broke out in full steam in the western metropolis that had virtually come to a halt as people set aside all work since afternoon to watch the "mother of all cricket matches" in Mohali.
The revellers, who had been in a party mood for quite some time as India seemed on road to victory in the later half of the Pakistan innings, broke loose. Astride speeding motorbikes, they screamed 'Chak De! India', wildly waved the national flag and soaked in the glory.
Car horns honked and the night sky was lit by fireworks in the city, which will now host Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his boys in the grand final opposite Sri Lanka Saturday.
"What a game they played! Pakistan was no match," said Usman, a shopkeeper in Kolaba.
Even the policemen, who have been out on the streets in large numbers as part of a massive security cover in the metropolis ahead of the finals, joined in the revelry. "I was confident they will win," said a police constable at Apolo Bunder near the Taj.



The pocket transistor made its presence felt in a big way throughout the match, as it was the only way those who had no access to television kept in touch with every ball of the game, which triggered emotions in both the neighbouring countries. While most people chose to spend the second half of the day in the comfort of their home before the television sets, those who stayed outdoor discussed the match proceedings at every street corner, every bus stop and every restaurant.
Giant screens had also been set up at various points of the city, as also in various clubs and restaurants, as the eateries tried to cash in on the cricket fever.
The usually crowded tourist hubs and regular hotspots like the Sanjay Gandhi National Park, the Gateway Of India, the Elephanta Islands, Juhu and Chowpatty beaches, Gorai, Madh Island and others wore a deserted look.
Since the evening, when Pakistan began their reply to the Indian score of 260/9, Mumbaikars were in high spirits as Pakistan lost wickets at regular intervals.
And now, the wait is for another manic Saturday when the hopes and aspirations of a billion plus population would rest on the performance of 11 youngmen at the swanky Wankhede Stadium.

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It has been a privilege to be with this team: Kirsten

Mohali: He has been a quiet backroom man monitoring things meticulously and no wonder that's the precise reason why every Indian player wants Gary Kirsten to remain the coach of the national team.



But Kirsten who now only has one more match left to complete his tenure as India coach termed the experience as a "great one".



"The next match will be my last as India coach. It's been a great experience. It was a privilege to be with this team. Hopefully, we will play well against a great team (SRi Lanka) in Mumbai," Kirsten said in one of his last post-match interviews.



Asked about Team India's batting, the former South African opener admitted that they were lucky due to the dropped chances. In fact Sachin Tendulkar got six "lives" en route his 85.
"Indeed, we were lucky that so many catches were dropped. But Suresh played really well in the end."
However the coach has special words of praise for Ashish Nehra who was inducted after being dropped for the last two matches.
"Munaf and Ashish really bowled well. Especially, Ashish as it is not really easy to comeback into the team in a pressure match and deliver.

Munaf who had a terrific game said that the initial plan was to get 2-3 quick wickets in the first 10 overs.
"The ball was stopping and so we had to rely more on cutters," said the man from Ikhar.

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Indian fans celebrate, Pak fans heartbroken

Mohali: Indian fans broke into wild celebration even as the the Pakistanis were left heartbroken after their team lost the high-voltage semi-final of the World Cup to Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men on Wednesday.

Watched by the Prime Ministers of both countries and accompanied by top dignitaries, the semi-final had generated a lot of hype, and when India took the last Pakistani wicket, the capacity crowd at the PCA stadium erupted.

"India deserved to win. This fact had been admitted by Afridi, who had yesterday said that India were the favourites," said Anuj Gupta, an ardent fan.

History repeated itself as India maintained their record of remaining unbeaten against Pakistan in World Cup.

UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who was watching the final moments of the match with her son and party general secretary, Rahul Gandhi, looked delighted on India's win and so did the Nehru-Gandhi scion, attired in a white kurta pyjama.

The win also brought smiles on the faces of Bollywood star Aamir Khan, who was seated with Nita Ambani, wife of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, and UB Group chairman, Vijay Mallya.

"After Kapil's devils won the Cup in 1983, Dhoni's men will bring this Cup back to India," Gupta said. Even as the the Indians basked in their team's glory, the fans from across the border were shattered.

"I was confident that Pakistan will win. We are disappointed and some in our group are heartbroken, but I think in the end it is cricket which has won and brought the two sides closer once again," Waris Baig, Pakistan's leading film singer, said.

Cricketing ties between the two nations had been suspended after the Mumbai terror attack in 2008. Meanwhile, outside the stadium, people burst crackers and did the traditional "Bhangra" to celebrate the victory.

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The super semi-final: India vs Pakistan

Ahmedabad: India have set a semi-final date with Pakistan on March 30 at Mohali. India ousted defending champions Australia after beating them by 5 wickets in the 2nd quarter-final at Ahmedabad.



Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi on Wednesday said that his team were unnerved by the prospect of playing India, whom they have never beaten in the World Cup, in the semi final in Mohali.



"If we happen to clash with India, we won't lack crowd support because (Pakistani) people will come from across the border to watch the match in Mohali," Afridi told MiD DAY.

Pakistan booked their semi-final berth by crushing the West Indies by 10-wickets in the first quarter final on Wednesday.

India have a 4-0 head-to-head record against Pakistan in World Cup matches but Shahid Afridi was confident of turning the tables. "India maybe the world's best team but we are capable of beating them," he said.

"This (Pakistani) side has a lot of focus. Today we achieved our first objective of winning the quarter final. The second objective is (winning) the semi-final. We are taking one step at a time."

Afridi took heart from the fact that the PCA stadium in Mohali had been a happy hunting ground for Pakistan. "Mohali has been good for us. In 2007-08, we won chasing a 300-plus target. In 2005, Kamran Akmal and Abdur Razzaq helped us draw a Test which we could have lost," he said.

Afridi contributed to the huge win over the West Indies, bagging fours wickets for 30 runs off 9.3 overs to consolidate his position as the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 21 wickets. The West Indies were bundled out for 112, their third lowest World Cup total, with more than six overs remaining. Off spinner Mohammad Hafeez, who shared the new ball with Umar Gul, picked two wickets in four balls and then made made 61 off 64 balls to lead the successful chase.

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South Africa up for New Zealand challenge

Mirpur: Title aspirants South Africa will look to shed their chokers tag and take a step closer to the World Cup title when they lock horns with an inconsistent New Zealand in the third quarterfinal on Friday.



South Africa started their World Cup campaign in a rollicking fashion beating West Indies and Holland but the choker tag came back to haunt them against England when they failed to chase down a target of 171 and folded up for 165.



But Graeme Smith's men bounced back to beat the mighty Indians in their next match and then blew away Ireland and Bangladesh to finish on top of the Group B table.



Although their brilliance has never been in doubt, three-time semifinalist South Africa have always faltered when the World Cup approached business end.



In their maiden Cup appearance in 1992, a bizarre rain-rule left them needing 21 runs off one ball, while in 1996 an unbeaten South Africa headed into a rampaging Brian
Lara of West Indies to see their dreams shattered. If that was not enough, three years later, a suicidal run from Lance Klusener when South Africa needed just one run with one wicket remaining resulted in a tie and Australia sneaked into the final due to better net run-rate.
The ghost of the World Cup again came back to haunt them at home in Durban in 2003 when needing just one run to win the rain-affected match against Sri Lanka, Mark Boucher defended the final ball, miscalculating the Duckworth-Lewis target.
So given their past, Smith's men would hope that lady luck smiles on them on Friday and they don't do anything foolish and spoil their World Cup dreams.
For South Africa, AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla have done the bulk of the scoring, piling up 318 and 299 runs at 106 and 49.83 average respectively. JP Duminy and Jacques Kallis have also contributed well for the team.
In the bowing department, pace duo of Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn have been consistent with the new ball but it is the spinners Robin Peterson and Imran Tahir who have troubled the oppositions most, claiming 14 and 12 wickets respectively in the tournament.
While his colleagues have been dealing in wickets, spinner Johan Botha with four wickets from four matches kept the runs in check.
But the major concern for South Africa is captain Smith's indifferent form. The left-hander has scored only 155 runs so far in the tournament and is due for a big one on Friday.
New Zealand, on the other hand, have done well to enter the quarterfinal stage, given their poor performance before the World Cup.
The Kiwis were whitewashed by Bangladesh and India in an ODI series and had lost their home series to Pakistan 2-3 two weeks before the World Cup.
In the quadrennial event, New Zealand blew hot and cold, winning four matches and losing two against Australia and Sri Lanka to finish fourth with eight points in Group A.
Their most sensational victory was the 110-run triumph over Pakistan in Pallekele where Ross Taylor gave a stunning display of power-hitting on his 27th birthday and South Africa should not make the mistake of taking them lightly.
"We know we're up against a quality team and if we're not on top of our game it's going to be a tough match," South Africa off-spinner Johan Botha said.
Up against the Proteas, the Kiwis can take heart from the fact that they have won three of their five World Cup meetings against them, including a five-wicket success in the Super Eights round of the 2007 edition.
For New Zealand, Kylie Mills, Tim Southee and Jacob Oram have been quite impressive with the ball. Also skipper Daniel Vettori is set to return tomorrow after missing the last two matches against Canada and Sri Lanka due to a knee injury.
Fast bowler Daryl Tuffey will also join the pace attack in place of injured Hamish Bennett, who flew back home after injuring his calf muscle while bowling against Sri Lanka at the weekend.
"I should be okay to get through batting and bowling, it is just the running around that is hampering me a little bit. I am confident of playing the quarterfinal," Vettori said.



Teams (from):



New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (capt), James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Jamie How, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson, Luke Woodcock, Daryl Tuffey.



South Africa: Graeme Smith (capt), Hashim Amla, Johan Botha, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Colin Ingram, Jacques Kallis, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Morne van Wyk.



Umpires: Aleem Dar (PAK) and Rod Tucker (AUS)



TV umpire: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI)



Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (SRI)

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Win over Pakistan gives Vettori hope

Dhaka: New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori wants his team to take inspiration from their win over Pakistan in the league for Friday's World Cup quarterfinal against South Africa.



New Zealand scored a stunning 110-run victory over Pakistan in the Sri Lankan town of Pallekele on March 8 following a Ross Taylor blitz on his 27th birthday.



Taylor smashed an unbeaten 131 off 124 with eight boundaries and seven sixes as the Kiwis hammered 100 runs in the last five overs.



The spectacular assault not only convinced Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhar to retire after the World Cup, but also gave New Zealand confidence that they can beat any team on their day.



Vettori, returning to the side after missing the last two matches with a knee injury, wanted his batsmen to continue the same way.



"Batting will be the key to our success," he said. "We played our best game against Pakistan when our batting fired, a guy got through a hundred and there were a couple of crucial partnerships."



"We are at our worst when those things don't happen. Our top five are extremely talented, and if they perform than we have a chance in this game.
"We have got a very good fielding unit and a solid bowling attack and if we can complement that with a good performance with the bat we are in with a good chance."

"Guys like Ross Taylor and Scott Styris can improve the scoring in the last 10 overs if we have wickets in hand, and then we know we can be dangerous.
New Zealand have won three of their five World Cup meetings against South Africa, including a five-wicket success in the Super Eights round of the 2007 edition.
But Vettori said past results, including a 4-0 drubbing for his own team by Bangladesh at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium last October, will not matter.

"South Africa have been one of the form teams in world cricket for a long time and they have played really well in this tournament," he said.

"It is going to be a huge challenge to beat them. It's all about what we do tomorrow. If we play well, we give ourselves a chance. If we don't against a team like South Africa, its going to be tough."

South Africa topped Group B with five wins from six matches and will start as favourites to qualify for the semifinals against either Sri Lanka or England.

In five previous tournaments, the Proteas have crashed out three times in the semifinals, once in the quarter-final and another time in the first round, earning them the unwanted tag of cricket's perennial chokers.

Vettori said hard-hitting batsman Brendon McCullum had recovered from a painful knee and was fit to take his place behind the stumps.
"He is okay and I am progressing pretty well with the bat and ball, so there is no real problem for us," the captain said.
Vettori insisted he would prefer to bat first even though the West Indies were shot out for 112 by Pakistan in Wednesday's quarter-final after electing to take first strike.
"We are familiar with the conditions," he said. "I suppose the wicket will be low and slow and turn a little bit. We are two teams relatively suited to these sort of conditions."

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South Africa to stick to spin against New Zealand: Smith

Mirpur: South Africa have switched from a pace-centric line-up to a spin-dominated attack this World Cup and skipper Graeme Smith today said he expects the strategy to continue paying dividends when they take on a "street-smart" New Zealand in the quarterfinals on Friday.



The Proteas' purposeful shift from pace to spin has worked wonders for them as despite having fast bowlers in Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel in their ranks, Smith has chosen to give the new ball to off-spinner Johan Botha or left-arm spinner Robin Peterson often during the league stage.



And the move seemed to have paid rich dividends, as Peterson has taken 14 wickets so far, while the third slow bowler in the team, leg-spinner Imran Tahir has chipped in with 12.



"The thing about our three spinners is they're very different from each other. They've all performed different roles at different times, but worked well together," said Smith.



"The versatility of the guys has been great. Imran's definitely been the more attacking option for us. To have him in the line-up adds a bit more to me as a captain."



"Robbie (Peterson) has been around for a long time but it is only now that people have started to show a lot of confidence in him as a cricketer. Through that faith and confidence, he's starting to believe more in himself," he added.



Smith admitted that even the spinners are excited to be playing on these tracks as they can utilise their talent here. "Spinners love being here, especially South African spinners. They don't get as much help back home, so to be able to execute their skills in these conditions is very exciting for them."



Smith, however, feels everyone in the squad has contributed to the team's success so far in the tournament, as South Africa topped Group B with five wins from six games. But admitted that with everyone performing well, it is difficult to leave out players from the eleven.



"Selection has always been tough and it's getting tougher as guys perform well. It's an ideal challenge to have players performing well and that you have a good squad of players to pick from."



"We are not relying on four, five guys to win us the World Cup," said Smith.



Three-time semifinalists South Africa have always faltered when the World Cup approached its business-end and that has earned them the tag of cricket's perennial chokers.



In last five editions of the World Cup, the Proteas crashed out three times in the semifinals, once in the quarterfinal and another time in the first round. And Smith said he was not ready to take any chance against the "street-smart" Kiwis.



"New Zealand have always been a very street-wise, street-smart team. They have obviously got some power-batters in the top order, guys who can take the game away from you."



"From the bowling point of view, they can take the pace off the ball as a lot of their guys can bowl medium-pace or change of pace. And they have got a spinner like (skipper Daniel) Vettori. You can't take any guy in their line-up for granted. We need to play well to beat them," said Smith.

The Black Caps have won three of their five World Cup matches against South Africa, including a five-wicket victory in the Super Eights round of the 2007 edition.
Smith insisted that the presence of former South African pace spearhead Allan Donald as New Zealand's bowling coach was not a worrying factor for his team. "If we stressed over a South African in another team I don't think we'd sleep much
"Allan was a great performer for South Africa and we wish him all the best in his role as New Zealand bowling coach. I'm sure he believes he can add value to their environment, but our environment has changed a lot since Allan was a part of it."

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Victory can set-up a semifinal blockbuster between IND & PAK in Mohali on March 30

Bitter rivals India and Pakistan are on a World Cup collision course, but the two neighbours still have quarterfinal hurdles to overcome as the marathon tournament enters its sixth week.

India take on defending champions Australia in Ahmedabad on Thursday while a resurgent Pakistan face an inconsistent West Indies in Dhaka to kick-start the last eight stage on Wednesday.

Victory for both Asian giants will set-up a semifinal blockbuster in Mohali on March 30.

But Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi insisted he was not even thinking about the semifinals.

"Our focus is on the quarterfinals, we have to win that to reach the semifinal, so we are not thinking that far. First we have a must-win match against a dangerous opponent," Afridi told AFP.

New Zealand and South Africa meet in Dhaka on Friday before Sri Lanka and England clash in Colombo on Saturday as the World Cup, which staged its opening ceremony on February 17, comes down to the world's eight top-ranked sides.

Despite criticism of the length of the tournament and the succession of one-sided matches, International Cricket Council president Sharad Pawar claimed on Monday it is potentially the greatest ever.

"We have surely been treated to a real feast of 50-over cricket with some outstanding games," said Pawar, as the World Cup enjoyed its first rest day.

"The standard has been impressive and there's no doubt that 50-over cricket has a real attraction and an amazing appeal for players, spectators in the grounds and the hundreds of millions watching around the world."

India's 80-run win over the West Indies on Sunday handed Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men a quarterfinal against Ricky Ponting's Australians.

India have lost to Australia in nine out of 15 matches played on home soil in the last five years.

"Australia are a very strong side and very expressive on the field," said Dhoni.

"But it's about how we prepare. Preparation is very important and we are just thinking about that particular day and match rather than thinking about the result."

Pakistan, meanwhile, topped their qualifying group with 10 points.

They will be overwhelming favourites to defeat West Indies who squeezed into the quarterfinals by virtue only of a superior run-rate over Bangladesh.

Afridi said that his team's win over Australia at the weekend, where they ended the champions' 34-match unbeaten World Cup run, had restored his country's image after a series of bodyblows.

"We knew that beating Australia would be very important for us and this win has enhanced our image, sending a good signal to the cricket world that we can win despite our difficult situation," Afridi told AFP.

The West Indies are enduring a roller-coaster tournament.

They were on the brink of victory against England in Chennai when, chasing a modest target of 244, they were comfortably placed at 222-6 before losing their last four wickets for three runs.

Against India on Sunday, they caved in again as eight wickets fell for 34 runs after they were 154-2 and lost by 80 runs.

The West Indies, who have now lost 18 successive matches against the leading nations, will be returning to Dhaka where their bus was stoned earlier this month.

But Dhaka police commissioner Benazir Ahmed told AFP the West Indies would be provided with the "highest security" possible.

"The West Indies are our valued guests and we will ensure the highest state-level security to them, he said.

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India are better off facing world champs than Lanka at Motera

Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni during a practice session at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai. (PTI Photo)

MUMBAI: For the most part, on Sunday evening, India would have been tempted to take the easy route ahead: lose to West Indies and avoid Australia in the quarterfinal.



After all, the world champions are a daunting mission, even if they are not in full flow; but the fact is India probably have a much better chance to quell Australia in Ahmedabad than the other option: Sri Lanka
The Lankans would surely have been trickier: their batting is versatile while their bowling has a mysterious ring to it, thanks to the three Ms: Malinga, Murali and Mendis. The Motera track would also have suited them better.
On paper, it would have been an equal battle, no doubt, with India even starting as slight favourites. But that itself would have been the tricky part: India would have slipped into complacency and could easily have ended up with egg, or worse, on their faces.

Now, they will be on their guard: they know giving Australia even a slim chance, a minor opening, is akin to jumping off a cliff. : India, themselves, are a dangerous side when they are pushed into a corner, when nothing but a victory can salvage them.

There are, however, better reasons for being more comfortable against Australia: first and foremost, the aura around them has long been busted; secondly, they don't even have the right balance or wherewithal to claw out of squishy holes.

After the defeat against Pakistan, they would even be somewhat tentative; this is the best time to hit them, before they recover their poise or arrogance. They have a flourishing top order and a menacing pace attack too; but the middle order lacks the old assurance, even with the return of Mike Hussey.

Most importantly, their spin component might not be good enough to stop the Indian run-machine. If India can survive the opening spell, or don't lose too many early wickets, they can reasonably expect to avenge the 2003 WC humiliation. Harbhajan, Ashwin and Yuvraj can then complete the final rites of Australia's demise.

In the other quarters, Pakistan are unexpectedly looking the most assured; they may have lost one match too but they don't look disjointed or dispirited at all. It almost looks like the quibbling before they came here didn't even happen.
West Indies will have to get everything right at the start itself to pull off an upset. They need a towering performance from either Gayle or an over-powering one from Roach; otherwise, they are too brittle to finish off a match. They have already disintegrated under pressure, not once but twice.

South Africa face an unpredictable Kiwi side and will begin a little more confidently. They will, however, feel the world closing in on them: it is the knockout stage and they know things can go awfully wrong any time now. They have, no doubt, the strongest line-up, with enough firepower in pace and variety in spin. New Zealand won't find it easy to get past them.
Sri Lanka probably have the easiest match; England have clearly looked tired and uninspired. They have the players to make one last lunge for it but do they have the chutzpah for it? Worse, they will be playing Sri Lanka at home, which is never an easy proposition; and despite the presence of Swann, they might get trapped in a spin tangle.
So, the possible semifinal line-up: India vs Pakistan and South Africa vs Sri Lanka.

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India are bookies' favourite to lift World Cup

Indian players during a practice session at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai. (PTI Photo)

MUMBAI: India might face the monumental task of overcoming four-time champions Australia in the quarterfinal at Ahmedabad on March 24, but for bookies, MS Dhoni & Co are the runaway favourites to win the 2011 World Cup.



Top betting site Ladbrokes is offering odds at 3/1 for India to lift the trophy on April 2 in Mumbai. In other words, a bet of Rs 1,000 on India will earn you a profit of Rs 3,000 if Team India justifies its billing. Another leading betting website, Williamhill, also tips the hosts to win the Cup. While India get top billing at 3/1, South Africa, at 10/3, are the next close favourites. Another betting site, www.bet365.com, gives South Africa, at 3/1, the top billing, with India only slightly behind at 10/3.



At Ladbrokes, India gets favourable odds at 8/13 to beat Australia on Thursday night, while for the Aussies, the figure is 5/4. Williamhill too tips India, at 4/6, to vanquish the Oz (6/5). South Africa, who topped Group B, the pool in which India were placed, and Sri Lanka are the other teams favoured to win the crown, says Ladbrokes. The Proteas enjoy odds of 7/2, while the Lankans are tipped at 9/2.



If Ladbrokes' estimation comes true, India are likely to meet Lanka or South Africa in the final. For both eventualities, the odds are at 5/1.



As for the other quarterfinals, Shahid Afridi's Pakistan are tipped to beat the West Indies at Mirpur. South Africa, the bettors think, should not have a problem against the Kiwis at Mirpur, while Lanka are expected to have it easy against England at Colombo.



If the Cup goes the bookies' way from here, it should be an India versus Pakistan semifinal at Mohali, with Dhoni's boys making it to the summit clash.

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Ponting could be dumped as captain: Report

Australian captain Ricky Ponting asks for an umpiring review of a decision against Pakistan batsman Kamran Akmal during the Cricket World Cup match on March 19, 2011. (AFP Photo)

SYDNEY: Ricky Ponting could be in the final week of his nine-year reign as captain after a troubled build-up to the World Cup, a report said on Tuesday, citing a Cricket Australia official.
The Sydney Morning Herald said there was stiff opposition at boardroom level to the 36-year-old retaining the job for next month's tour of Bangladesh, although his position as a player was not in jeopardy.

"We need to be looking at the future. It's time for us to make a change," the newspaper quoted the official as saying.

Ahead of the World Cup, Ponting earned the dubious distinction of becoming the only Australian skipper to fail to win the Ashes three times, putting him under enormous pressure.
He has also done himself no favours in India, taking a reprimand from the International Cricket Council after smashing a dressing-room TV in a fit of fury after being run out during Australia's World Cup win over Zimbabwe.
He was also criticised for angrily throwing the ball to the ground after colliding with teammate Steven Smith during their victory over Canada.

Then his sportsmanship was questioned when he failed to walk in Saturday's defeat to Pakistan. "We're waiting for the next thing to blow up," the official said. "We don't go a game without there being some issues with him."Michael Clarke, who led Australia to an emphatic 6-1 one-day series victory over England to give them a boost after the post-Ashes despondency, is seen as favourite to take his job. The Australians face India in Thursday's World Cup quarterfinal in Ahmedabad.

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India fired up for Aussie challenge, says Dhoni

Indian skipper MS Dhoni gestures during the ICC World Cup match against West Indies at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chennai. (TOI Photo)

CHENNAI: India captain MS Dhoni vowed his team will be at their best when they face defending champions Australia in the World Cup quarterfinals.

India sealed an 80-run win over West Indies in the concluding group match of the tournament in Chennai on Sunday, but only after a spectacular collapse by the brittle Caribbean side, who crashed from 154-2 to 188 all out.
While India will tackle Australia in Ahmedabad on Thursday, the West Indies take on in-form Pakistan in Dhaka on Wednesday in the opening quarterfinal tie.

"We will be at our best for the quarterfinals," said Dhoni.

"Australia are a very strong side and very expressive on the field. But it's about how we prepare for the game to achieve what we want.

"In the process, we hope to give our best."

Dhoni praised strike bowler Zaheer Khan, whose three wickets included the key dismissal of opener Devon Smith who had made 81 when he was clean-bowled, a wicket which precipitated the West Indies collapse.
"He changed the game. He got the breakthrough by getting rid of Smith. Once we got his wicket, we were able to put pressure on all the batsmen at both ends."
All-rounder Yuvraj Singh was man of the match for his 113 runs and 2-18 with the ball. Yuvraj overcame illness to help his team to victory and doubled-up in pain during his innings. "I had stomach cramps and I was struggling in the morning but I was just worried about the match and the team," said Yuvraj. Zaheer praised his team's tactics which saw the new ball tossed to spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. "We knew that with the new ball it would come on to the bat and that the seamers would get reverse swing later on in the innings, so that's why we used a spinner to open the bowling," said Zaheer, who took 3-26. West Indies captain Darren Sammy admitted that his men will need a radical improvement against Pakistan. "We are in the knockout stages and that was our first objective," said Sammy. "But we need to bring our A-game against Pakistan. We will have to pick things up."

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I wait for umpire's decision, says Ponting

Australia's Ricky Ponting watches as Pakistan's wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal takes the catch to dismiss him for 19 runs during the Cricket World Cup match in Colombo on March 19, 2011. (AP Photo)

COLOMBO: Australia captain Ricky Ponting reignited the walking debate at the World Cup after admitting he stood his ground despite knowing he had been caught behind in his team's defeat to Pakistan. Ponting had made 19 when he edged off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez to Kamran Akmal in Saturday's game at the R Premadasa stadium. When on-field umpire Marias Erasmus gave the Australian captain not out, the decision was reviewed and overturned. Ponting admitted he knew he had edged the ball. "There were no doubts about the nick, I knew I hit it, but as always I wait for the umpire to give me out. That's the way I've always played the game," he said.
Pakistan coach Waqar Younis said it would be a boost for the sport if players walked.
"It's nice to see people walking but that doesn't happen now I guess," said Waqar.
Ponting's admission came just a day after a similar controversy in Mumbai when Sri Lanka vice-captain Mahela Jayawardene and Kiwi off-spinner Nathan McCullum clashed over a 'clean' catch.
McCullum took a brilliant, one-handed diving catch off Jaywardene but TV umpire Amish Saheba was called in and he ruled it not out.
New Zealand's stand-in skipper Ross Taylor said it would make things easier if batsmen were to take the word of the fielder in such situations. "It depends upon the person. You look at (South Africa batsman) Jacques Kallis. He asks the fielders if they caught it cleanly and he trusts the words of the fielders," said Taylor.

"You put it up to the batsman to make the decision and at the end of the day you just hope the technology is right and if the technology is not right, well then don't use it."
Jayawardene went on to make 66 and shared a vital 145-run stand with captain Kumar Sangakkara (111) to set up Sri Lanka's comprehensive 112-run win.
The former Sri Lanka skipper was adamant he was right to stand his ground.
"If I felt it was a clean catch, I would have walked," said Jayawardene. "It was a 50-50 thing and it was fair it went to the TV umpire."
Waqar Younis said the available technology should always catch out the reluctant batsmen.
"There is a system in place now so you can't get away with it. I mean people still take chances and why not? Jayawardene took a chance and it went the other way."
On Sunday, India's Sachin Tendulkar walked in the World Cup clash against West Indies in Chennai.
Tendulkar had been hoping to score his 100th international hundred but his innings ended in disappointment when he was dismissed for just two. He faced only four balls, clipping fast bowler Ravi Rampaul to keeper Devon Thomas and he walked before umpire Steve Davis had given his decision.

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Tamim makes a promise

As Bangladesh prepare for Saturday's last group match against formidable South Africa, vice-captain Tamim Iqbal issued a warning that the Tigers are yet to play their best cricket in this ICC Cricket World Cup.

"We are on the right track and moving forward to our target as we already have won three matches out of five as per our expectation. Everything is okay with the team, but still we believe that we are yet to play our best cricket in the tournament," stated Tamim while talking with reporters at the indoor facility of the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday.

Many might fear the South African attack as the Proteas have a lot of variety in their bowling that has two fast bowlers like Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel and everybody is waiting eagerly to see how the Tigers take the challenge against them in their last Group B match.

"I think it's a good opportunity for us to show the world how good we are," said the dashing left-hander when asked whether they were scared about Steyn and Morkel.

Tamim however said that they were not reluctant after their two consecutive victories against England and Netherlands in Chittagong, rather everybody was hungry to improve the performance graph.

"The environment is really fantastic after those two wins but we are not reluctant. Yes, as per our target we won three matches but nobody is thinking that the job is done because we have also a target of qualifying for the quarterfinals stage. Honestly speaking, everybody is hungry for how they can improve their performance," informed Tamim.

"We want to finish our World Cup campaign in style. We are hopeful about doing that because we are now on the winning path," he added.

Bangladesh played four World Cups since 1999 but none of the Bangladeshi batsmen could achieve a three-digit, and interestingly even a hundred-run partnership didn't come their way, but the confident Tamim promised that at least a hundred-run partnership would be seen in this World Cup to break the jinx.

"For the last two days I heard about this matters many times. And I also want to make it happen. You know I also dream of a hundred. I can promise you that at least you will see a hundred-run partnership in this World Cup," promised Tamim.

Tamim was confident because he was hardly bothered about his form.

"I played one 70-run innings besides two 40 odds. I would have been happy with these scores few years back, but I myself have raised my own standard in my batting and that's why I consider it a failure if I make 40 runs. And despite two ducks, I don't think I have any technical problem in my batting," said Tamim.

The southpaw batsman also smilingly said that he would prefer to know the result of the West Indies-England match rather than watching the game.

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Eng vs WI: England beat West Indies by 18 runs to stay afloat in World Cup

England cricketers congratulate teammate James Tredwell after taking the wicket of unseen Chris Gayle during their World Cup match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. (AFP Photo)

CHENNAI: England pipped West Indies by 18 runs in a thrilling Group B match on Thursday to stay in the hunt for a place in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.


Defending a 243-run total, James Tredwell (4-48), Ravi Bopara (2-22) and Graeme Swann (3-36) came out with a lion-hearted effort to bowl out West Indies for 225 in 44.4 overs.
For the Caribbean team, Chris Gayle (43), Darren Sammy (41) and Andre Russell (49) shone with the bat but it was not enough in the end.
Earlier, the English top order was guilty of squandering promising starts and not a single batsman scored a half-century against a West Indies attack, spearheaded by pace bowler Russell (4-49) and debutant leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo (3-34), which bowled them out in 48.4 overs. Andrew Strauss (31) and Matt Prior (21) fell before their opening stand could really blossom and even though Jonathan Trott (47) and Luke Wright (44) down the order got the starts, none could hang around until the final overs.

England, however, would require outcome of other Group B matches to go their way before they can make it to the last eight stage.

Opting to bat first, England's decision to persist with Prior as opener nearly paid off but Russell removed both the openers in quick succession to peg them back.

Trott looked in sublime touch, hitting three boundaries off the first five balls he faced from Russell but Bishoo could not be denied a memorable debut in one-day internationals.
Bishoo removed Trott and went on to claim the vital scalp of Eoin Morgan, whose improvisation and ability to score briskly make him such a dangerous batsman.
Morgan fell trying to play a cheeky reverse sweep. Wright did his best down the order but England kept losing wickets at regular intervals and eventually collapsed with eight balls to spare.



West Indies' chase got off to a rollicking start with Gayle wasting precious little time to assert himself.



Gayle hit Tim Bresnan for four boundaries in the third over, prompting Strauss to replace the bowler with Chris Tremlett who was also promptly taken off attack after the West Indian batsman hit him for three fours and a six in his first over.



Tredwell then intervened. The off-spinner cut short Gayle's action-packed 21-ball stay and removed Devon Smith and Darren Bravo to peg back West Indies.



Bopara got the better of Sammy and Devon Thomas to intensify the pressure and despite Russell's defiance, West Indies crumbled.

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We have no fears playing in India: Afridi

Pakistani captain Shahid Afridi gestures during the Cricket World Cup match against New Zealand in Pallekele. (AP Photo)

COLOMBO: Rubbishing media reports that Pakistan do not want to play their knockout stage games in India, national team captain Shahid Afridi on Wednesday insisted that his side has no fears playing in India.

"I have never said anything along the lines that we don't want to go to India. I never said that," said Afridi,

"We are here to play the World Cup, so wherever we have to play we will go and we have no fears over going to India. I think a cricket match has always brought the people of both countries together and has the capacity to improve the relations between the two," he added.

There is a possibility of a quarterfinal clash between the two South Asian rivals at Ahmedabad.

The relationship between the two nations has soured since the terrorist attacks on Mumbai in 2008, which was blamed on extremists based in Pakistan.

The incident also prompted India not to have any bi-lateral cricket series with Pakistan, although both countries played against each other in the Champions Trophy in South Africa in 2009.

Afridi, however, said that he has always enjoyed playing in India.

"I have always enjoyed cricket in India, never enjoyed anywhere more than in India, I get maximum enjoyment there," said Afridi.

Afridi, whose first Test century came at Chennai in 1999, and also scored fourth fastest hundred in the ODIs off just 45 balls against India at Kanpur in 2005, said whenever the two nations meet there is always pressure.

"For both teams, the pressure is always there and whoever handles the pressure wins the match. But before that we have an important match against Australia and I think we have the capacity to beat them," said Afridi.

Pakistan have gained eight points from their five matches and could top Group A if they beat defending champions Australia in their last league match on Saturday.

Stating that Pakistan do not fear any opposition, Afridi said, "The kind of cricket we are playing we fear no venue and no opposition, so India in India, and Australia in the last group match are no problems."

Afridi, meanwhile, played down threats from extremists groups in India.

"What ever is the response, we will get to know it when we go there because we will be going there after a long time."

Recollecting Pakistan's tour of India in 1999 where a political party dug up the pitch in New Delhi, Afridi said, "We have played in India in worse situations."

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Chaotic entertainers face the final curtain

Match Facts

March 17, Chennai

Start time 2.30pm (0900 GMT)

	Stretched to the limit: James Anderson could pay the price for his poor form in the tournament to date © Associated Press Enlarge

The Big Picture

"Did I entertain you?" was the poignant sign-off that Brian Lara uttered at Barbados four years ago, after his final international appearance had ended with a cruel run-out and a one-wicket defeat at the hands of England in the 2007 World Cup. The same question - and the same affirmative answer - would undoubtedly apply to England's chaotic campaigners this time around. Then as now, the players in question are braced for a humiliating early exit from the grandest of global tournaments, but given the treats they've served up so far, there's no doubt they'll be missed if they fail to scrape into the knock-out stages.

After five cliffhangers in five contests, the permutations are simple. Anything less than a victory, and England are gone, eliminated in embarrassing fashion for the fifth World Cup in succession. Even if they do rally themselves for one last push towards qualification, it might yet be a futile gesture, with Bangladesh and West Indies in a position to squeeze England back down to fifth spot if they can both win their final fixtures against South Africa and India respectively. It's an "arse-nipper", as Graeme Swann succinctly put it earlier this week. But England being England, they wouldn't settle for anything less.

However this make-or-break fixture pans out, England are sure to be recalled as the story of this World Cup, for without them what would the point of this first month have been? While the big guns in Group A have chugged effortlessly to the last four, Group B has been a thrill-a-minute with three of the four qualifiers still to be decided. That is thanks almost entirely to the fluctuating standards of an England squad that has forgotten how to close out a contest - no matter what the calibre of opposition may be. Mental exhaustion is clearly a factor, but the adrenaline of impending elimination may aid them in their bid for survival.

After their miserable stop-over in Chittagong, the squad has limped back to Chennai, the scene of their finest performance of the tournament to date, even if the finesse was limited to the final 16 overs of their effort in the field. A two-paced and spin-friendly wicket enabled England's bowlers to tap into some long-forgotten knowhow from their Ashes victory in Australia, although their batsmen had already steered them into familiarly choppy waters in being bowled out for 171 in 45.4 overs.

Quite what West Indies will make of such maverick opposition is anyone's guess. With ferocious hitters such as Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard in their ranks, allied to the more conventional class of Darren Bravo, they are more than capable of shredding a bowling attack that has slipped onto auto-pilot all too frequently. Meanwhile the pace of Kemar Roach and the competitiveness of Sulieman Benn provide an edge with the ball that cannot be underestimated, as Bangladesh among others can testify.

A fortnight ago in Dhaka, West Indies routed Bangladesh for 58, one match before those same Bangladeshi batsmen put the skids under England's campaign with a thrilling two-wicket victory in Chittagong. Likewise, the same South African outfit that crumbled to a six-run defeat against England put West Indies firmly in their place in their opening match of the group stage, with AB de Villiers' century easing them to a seven-wicket win.

If England have lost the games they were expected to win, and vice versa, West Indies have taken a much more sedate route towards the quarter-finals. They are not there yet by any means, and could face an anxious final game against India if they don't come up with the goods in this contest. But come 2.30pm on Thursday, it'll be time to board the rollercoaster once again. Given what we've seen from West Indies' opponents so far in the competition, this one promises to be emotional.

Form guide

(completed matches, most recent first)

West Indies WWWLL

England LWLTW

Watch out for...

Against South Africa last week, Chennai provided a surface that Graeme Swann would wish to roll up and lug with him around the subcontinent (although the number of internal flights might persuade him to dump it somewhere in transit ...) With sharp turn and vicious bounce, it was Swann's spell that sowed the first seeds of doubt in South Africa's hitherto serene progress, and though he picked up the solitary wicket of Graeme Smith, his efforts emboldened every other member of the attack. The scenario was markedly different against Bangladesh in Chittagong, however, when the dew-sodden surface denied him what he felt were his just rewards, and led to a 10% fine for an audible outburst. With more floodlights in prospect, he might hope to get through his stint in the first innings.

Kieron Pollard has a career average of 21.87 in 36 ODIs, figures which scarcely do justice to the hype he has attracted in his short career, particularly in the Twenty20 format. But in a nip-and-tuck contest against Ireland last week, he unfurled his full repertoire in a savage and game-changing onslaught. His 94 from 55 balls included a ballistic tempo-change in the Batting Powerplay, a facet of the game that England have consistently failed to exploit. If England's bowlers fail to nail their lengths - and who knows what length works for a man with such a keen eye? - he is capable of ending their campaign in a matter of overs.

Team news

Injuries were England's biggest problem in the early stages of the tournament, but now it is illness that is undermining their preparations. Andrew Strauss and Graeme Swann both missed training on Tuesday, although they are expected to be fit, while attention now turns to Ajmal Shahzad, who bowled three jaffas and a lot of dross against Bangladesh, but nevertheless looked their most potent source of wickets. If he is deemed unfit, then James Anderson could earn a reprieve after reports in the press had suggested he was set for the axe. Chris Tremlett's suspect temperament held up well in extreme circumstances in the Ashes, but this would be quite a cauldron for his maiden outing of the campaign.

England (possible) 1 Andrew Strauss (capt), 2 Matt Prior (wk), 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Ian Bell, 5 Eoin Morgan, 6 Ravi Bopara, 7 Tim Bresnan, 8 Paul Collingwood, 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Ajmal Shahzad/James Anderson, 11 Chris Tremlett.

Chris Gayle missed the Ireland victory with an abdominal strain but he is expected to reclaim his place at the top of the order. Nikita Miller is the first-choice spin twin for Sulieman Benn, although the success of Imran Tahir in the England game has tempted Darren Sammy to consider a wristy of his own. "It's food for thought," said Sammy, "whether we should play [Devendra] Bishoo tomorrow."

West Indies (possible) 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Devon Smith, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 5 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Darren Sammy (capt), 8 Devon Thomas (wk), 9 Nikita Miller, 10 Sulieman Benn, 11 Kemar Roach.

Pitch and conditions

Strauss anticipates another low turner, which may yet influence the selection of an extra spinner, although neither Michael Yardy nor James Tredwell are treated with much confidence at present.

Stats and trivia

• England and West Indies have faced each other on five previous occasions in World Cup history, although West Indies' only victory came in their first encounter, in the 1979 final at Lord's.
• The teams have faced each other on three previous occasions in India - in the 1987 World Cup, in the 1989 Nehru Cup, and in the 2006 Champions Trophy. England have won two of those three encounters.
  
  
  

Quotes

"West Indies haven't been put under real pressure other than the South Africa game and the challenge for us is to put them under pressure right from ball one and see how they respond."

Andrew Strauss believes England are more battle-hardened than their opponents

"If there is dew just get the towel and wipe the ball. Simple." Darren Sammy makes light of the problems that afflicted England against Bangladesh

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Indian team minus five players arrives in Chennai

Chennai: The Indian cricket squad arrived for Sunday`s crucial group B match of the World Cup against the West Indies.

The Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side, smarting from the three-wicket loss to South Africa in Nagpur, arrived here from Delhi by a Jet airways flight this afternoon.

Sachin Tendulkar, who scored a century in the match against South Africa, Gautam Ghambir, Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan did not come with the rest of the team and are likely to join them tomorrow.

The players drove straight to the hotel and are not having any practice session today.

India suffered a stunning batting collapse as they lost nine wickets for only 29 runs to crumble to 296 all out in 48.4 overs after being 267 for one in the 40th over.

India are now on top of the group with seven points from five matches while South Africa and West Indies (both four matches) and Bangladesh (five matches) have six points each.


England, with five points, must win their next game against West Indies to qualify for the quarterfinals.

Both the West Indies and England are already in the city and are having a day`s rest today ahead of their match on March 17.

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