Mr V. Chamun-deswarnath, the suspended general secretary of Andhra Cricket Association and Team India T20 manager, will face an inquiry into the allegations of sexual harassment levelled by several players of the Andhra women’s cricket team.
The director general of police, Mr S.S.P. Yadav, has appointed the additional DGP, Mr M. Ratan, as special officer to probe the allegations. Mr Ratan rushed back from leave to take up the probe. He is likely to start investigations on Wednesday.
The probe was ordered by the home minister, Ms P. Sabita Indra Reddy, who met the six women cricketers who had made the allegations. The girls submitted a written complaint to Ms Sabita Reddy seeking stringent action against Mr Chamundeswarnath.
They asked the police to probe the indecent SMS messages allegedly sent by Mr Chamundeswarnath.
The complaint was signed by Ms A. Durgabhavani and Ms P. Aparna of Vi-jayawada, Ms Deepti Sai of Tirupati, Ms A. Priyanka, Ms S. Ramadevi of Bheemavaram, Ms S. Kavita, Ms S. Himabindu, and Ms V. Sneha of Visakhapatnam who represented ACA in the under-19 and senior teams in the South Zone Interstate tournament.
“Whenever he had an opportunity he misbehaved with us,” they said. “He granted special favours to pretty girls who obeyed him. He had a habit of inducing and luring girls as part of secret agenda. He gave them foreign trips and put them in under-19 teams. Those who resisted were subjected to extreme harassment.”
“He had a habit of sending SMSes. It was instant mental agony and subtle harassment by him,” they said. “All these days we kept restraint because of fear.”
The cricketers alleged that the SMSes were sent in December last year and January.
In one SMS, he reportedly asked Ms Durgabhavani to call him when she was alone in December. In one instance, Mr Chamundeswarnath told her she was selected because of him. When she thanked him, he said “Thanks are not enough, I need hugs.”
The cricketers said other players also received such SMSes from Mr Chamundeswarnath. They asked the minister to verify his SMS and mobile phone call details. They alleged that one woman cricketer was caught red-handed with her boyfriend in a hotel by the team-mates but the incident was hushed up by Mr Chamundeswarnath.
Mr Chamundeswarnath refuted the allegations and said they were all false. “For the past two decades I was the selector for various levels of teams,” he said. “Did you hear any such allegations in all these years?”
Showing posts with label t20. Show all posts
Showing posts with label t20. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
How Gambhir came to Afridi's rescue
Ajantha Mendis didn't take a wicket and Shahid Afridi never hit him for a boundary but the "demystifying" of the Sri Lankan spinner told greatly on his team's defeat in the finals of the ICC World Twenty20 here on Sunday.
Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara conceded that Pakistan had played his "mystery spinner" too often in recent times and it had played into his opposition's hands. What he didn't know was that an Indian had also contributed hugely in Pakistan's quest to tackle Mendis.
Indian opener Gautam Gambhir and Shahid Afridi were lodged in the same hotel with their teams in central London in the second week of the competition when they caught up with each other over a dinner. Afridi had then inquired Gambhir, arguably one who has played Mendis best so far, on how to come to terms with the Sri Lankan spinner.
Afridi's questions were specific: how to spot when Mendis was bowling a googly or varying the degree of spin or when he was in "carom ball" delivery mode. Gambhir patiently shared all his knowledge with Afridi which must be kind of a news in itself as the world believed their was no love lost between the two cricketers. Afridi and Gambhir were involved in an ugly confrontation during a match of the 2006-07 series and the latter was even hauled up in front of the match-referee.
Well clearly much water has passed under the bridge since then and Gambhir was more than keen to help out Afridi. The mercurial Pakistani at that stage must not have known if his side would end up facing Sri Lanka again in the tournament. But his eagerness was just a reflection on how desperate Afridi was to succeed.
Gambhir's mantra was no different to what he has maintained all along. "I think it is important to pick him from his fingers because most of the variations which he does, he does from his fingers and it is important to pick him then."
On June 12, exactly nine days before the finals, Sri Lanka and Pakistan had faced each other in a Super Eight match at Lord's only. Afridi had then got out for nought, a victim of Muthiah Muralidharan's mastery. Pakistan had then lost by 19 runs.
Today it was Afridi's turn to get his even. He hit a half century and Pakistan won by eight wickets. In a strange way, there was enough for the newly crowned winners to thank an Indian.
Courtesy:Yahoo
Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara conceded that Pakistan had played his "mystery spinner" too often in recent times and it had played into his opposition's hands. What he didn't know was that an Indian had also contributed hugely in Pakistan's quest to tackle Mendis.
Indian opener Gautam Gambhir and Shahid Afridi were lodged in the same hotel with their teams in central London in the second week of the competition when they caught up with each other over a dinner. Afridi had then inquired Gambhir, arguably one who has played Mendis best so far, on how to come to terms with the Sri Lankan spinner.
Afridi's questions were specific: how to spot when Mendis was bowling a googly or varying the degree of spin or when he was in "carom ball" delivery mode. Gambhir patiently shared all his knowledge with Afridi which must be kind of a news in itself as the world believed their was no love lost between the two cricketers. Afridi and Gambhir were involved in an ugly confrontation during a match of the 2006-07 series and the latter was even hauled up in front of the match-referee.
Well clearly much water has passed under the bridge since then and Gambhir was more than keen to help out Afridi. The mercurial Pakistani at that stage must not have known if his side would end up facing Sri Lanka again in the tournament. But his eagerness was just a reflection on how desperate Afridi was to succeed.
Gambhir's mantra was no different to what he has maintained all along. "I think it is important to pick him from his fingers because most of the variations which he does, he does from his fingers and it is important to pick him then."
On June 12, exactly nine days before the finals, Sri Lanka and Pakistan had faced each other in a Super Eight match at Lord's only. Afridi had then got out for nought, a victim of Muthiah Muralidharan's mastery. Pakistan had then lost by 19 runs.
Today it was Afridi's turn to get his even. He hit a half century and Pakistan won by eight wickets. In a strange way, there was enough for the newly crowned winners to thank an Indian.
Courtesy:Yahoo
Afridi inspires Pakistan to a memorable triumph
Pakistan won the key moments of the final. The side made the early inroads, laid a solid platform with its opening stand and was composed during the chase, picking the right time to accelerate.
Younis Khan’s men were worthy winners of the ICC World Twenty20 final at Lord’s on Sunday. Pursuing 139, Pakistan triumphed by eight wickets with an equal number of deliveries remaining.
Shahid Afridi impressed with his leg-spin and then produced an effort (54 not out off 40 balls) of substance.
He was named the Man of the Final. Tillakaratne Dilshan was adjudged the Player of the tournament.
Intelligent cricket
Afridi’s innings reflected his growing maturity. Between phases of belligerence — he thwacked Muttiah Muralitharan over the mid-wicket ropes and then smacked the off-spinner through covers in the 14th over and dismissed Isuru Udana away for a leg-side six and a four in the 18th — the all-rounder milked the bowling with firm drives and pushes. It was intelligent cricket.
Shoaib Malik (24 not out) donned a valuable supportive role. The 18th over of the innings where left-armer Udana conceded 19 runs settled the issue.
The first over of the summit clash produced a key moment of the match. The dangerous Dilshan was scalped by impressive young paceman Mohammed Amir, who sent down a nerveless over of searing short-pitched deliveries.
Given the left-armer’s angle from over-the-wicket — the delivery was zipping across the right-hander — it was hard for Dilshan to get around the ball and harness its pace. He was picked up at short fine-leg. The ploy — persistent short-pitched bowling — had worked; Dilshan’s strength proved his weakness.
Abdul Razzaq, a clever paceman, then got into the act. The ageless Sanath Jayasuriya had just pulled him over the ropes and whipped him for a boundary, when he forced the left-hander to edge a pull on to his stumps.
There was initial bounce and carry in the pitch and Sangakkara’s decision to bat was coming unstuck.
In deep trouble
Razzaq inflicted further damage. Pinch hitter, the left-handed Jehan Mubarak, came down the track, but holed out to mid-off. Mahela Jayawardene, attempting a cut, was pouched at slip. The side was 32 for four in the sixth over.
Chamara Silva struck a couple of spunky boundaries but perished to a back-of-a-length delivery from Umar Gul. Isuru Udana was foxed by an Afridi wrong ’un. The leg-spinner bowled beautifully, spinning the ball but giving little width on either side. Looking back, the initial overs set up the Pakistani victory.
Then, Kamral Akmal blazed at the start during the pursuit. He flashed Mathews through covers. Akmal is a quick-thinking batsman who can unsettle an attack with his ability to force a bowler to change his line.
Sangakkara gambled. The Lankan skipper introduced Ajantha Mendis inside the first six overs. Mendis’s overs had been influential in the tournament and somebody had to take the spinner on early in his spell.
Akmal did just that, picking the ball from outside off to slog-sweep Mendis over the ropes. Pakistan — 39 without loss — was easing towards the target after the power play overs.
The wicket-keeper batsman continued to inflict damage. Mathews was pulled — the delivery was again struck from outside off — for the maximum.
The wily Sanath Jayasuriya prised out Akmal slipping one down the leg even as the batsman gave the left-arm spinner the charge. Sangakkara removed the bails. But Mendis was not allowed to settle into a rhythm. Young opener Shahzaib Hasan collected two boundaries — an audacious straight hit and an inside-out cover drive — off Mendis’s second over.
Not much later, he was held at short fine-leg off Muralitharan but Shahzaib’s contribution was vital.
Pakistan made all the right moves.
The best phase for Lanka was when Sangakkara, holding one end firm and batting with flair and substance, and the enterprising Mathews added 68 runs in 44 deliveries after the side was reeling at 70 for six.
Younis Khan’s men were worthy winners of the ICC World Twenty20 final at Lord’s on Sunday. Pursuing 139, Pakistan triumphed by eight wickets with an equal number of deliveries remaining.
Shahid Afridi impressed with his leg-spin and then produced an effort (54 not out off 40 balls) of substance.
He was named the Man of the Final. Tillakaratne Dilshan was adjudged the Player of the tournament.
Intelligent cricket
Afridi’s innings reflected his growing maturity. Between phases of belligerence — he thwacked Muttiah Muralitharan over the mid-wicket ropes and then smacked the off-spinner through covers in the 14th over and dismissed Isuru Udana away for a leg-side six and a four in the 18th — the all-rounder milked the bowling with firm drives and pushes. It was intelligent cricket.
Shoaib Malik (24 not out) donned a valuable supportive role. The 18th over of the innings where left-armer Udana conceded 19 runs settled the issue.
The first over of the summit clash produced a key moment of the match. The dangerous Dilshan was scalped by impressive young paceman Mohammed Amir, who sent down a nerveless over of searing short-pitched deliveries.
Given the left-armer’s angle from over-the-wicket — the delivery was zipping across the right-hander — it was hard for Dilshan to get around the ball and harness its pace. He was picked up at short fine-leg. The ploy — persistent short-pitched bowling — had worked; Dilshan’s strength proved his weakness.
Abdul Razzaq, a clever paceman, then got into the act. The ageless Sanath Jayasuriya had just pulled him over the ropes and whipped him for a boundary, when he forced the left-hander to edge a pull on to his stumps.
There was initial bounce and carry in the pitch and Sangakkara’s decision to bat was coming unstuck.
In deep trouble
Razzaq inflicted further damage. Pinch hitter, the left-handed Jehan Mubarak, came down the track, but holed out to mid-off. Mahela Jayawardene, attempting a cut, was pouched at slip. The side was 32 for four in the sixth over.
Chamara Silva struck a couple of spunky boundaries but perished to a back-of-a-length delivery from Umar Gul. Isuru Udana was foxed by an Afridi wrong ’un. The leg-spinner bowled beautifully, spinning the ball but giving little width on either side. Looking back, the initial overs set up the Pakistani victory.
Then, Kamral Akmal blazed at the start during the pursuit. He flashed Mathews through covers. Akmal is a quick-thinking batsman who can unsettle an attack with his ability to force a bowler to change his line.
Sangakkara gambled. The Lankan skipper introduced Ajantha Mendis inside the first six overs. Mendis’s overs had been influential in the tournament and somebody had to take the spinner on early in his spell.
Akmal did just that, picking the ball from outside off to slog-sweep Mendis over the ropes. Pakistan — 39 without loss — was easing towards the target after the power play overs.
The wicket-keeper batsman continued to inflict damage. Mathews was pulled — the delivery was again struck from outside off — for the maximum.
The wily Sanath Jayasuriya prised out Akmal slipping one down the leg even as the batsman gave the left-arm spinner the charge. Sangakkara removed the bails. But Mendis was not allowed to settle into a rhythm. Young opener Shahzaib Hasan collected two boundaries — an audacious straight hit and an inside-out cover drive — off Mendis’s second over.
Not much later, he was held at short fine-leg off Muralitharan but Shahzaib’s contribution was vital.
Pakistan made all the right moves.
The best phase for Lanka was when Sangakkara, holding one end firm and batting with flair and substance, and the enterprising Mathews added 68 runs in 44 deliveries after the side was reeling at 70 for six.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Pakistan strangle chokers SA
Forgotten man Shahid Afridi came back from the dead to dish out an allround show to put Pakistan in the final of the Twenty20 World Cup on Thursday. In the first semifinal at Trent Bridge, the Pakistan beat South Africa by seven runs and make the final of the World Cup for the second successive time.
Opener Jacques Kallis played a lone hand to score 64 off 54 balls but that was not enough as the Pakistani spinners tightened the screws on the South African batting line-up to defend a modest 149 with aplomb. Afridi followed up his 34-ball 51 with 2 for 16 in the four overs of leg-spin he bowled.
That meant the South Africans will have to live with the ‘chokers’ tag, having raced to the semifinals but never been able to get past it at world events.
Shahid Afridi turned back the clock to play the explosive innings he once was synonymous with. Promoted up the batting order, Afridi went bang, bang to hit a quickfire half-century that may well turn out to be the difference between the two sides. The right-hander was in his elements as he crashed eight boundaries in his 34-ball 51 after Pakistan had lost Shahzaib Hasan in the second over.
Pakistan began well, with Kamran Akmal going over the top twice to get eight runs off the first over bowled by Dale Steyn. Even as Wayne Parnell struck in the second over, having Hasan caught by Roelof van der Merwe at mid-on, Akmal kept the charge, spanking Parnell for two consecutive boundaries.
Akmal then lifted Steyn into the stands but the seamer responded very well by dismissing him next ball as the intended pull ballooned into the air for Albie Morkel to complete the catch at mid-on. After a flurry of excellent cricketing shots, Akmal played a rash one to get out.
South Africa put the brakes briefly between the sixth and the 10th over, at the end of which the Pakistan total read 68 for 2 but Afridi turned it right back on.
He was severe on off-spinner Johan Botha, hitting him for four consecutive boundaries to pick 18 runs off the 11th over to put the innings back on track.
A clever change in bowling by Smith proved fruitful. Afridi wanted to send off-spinner Jean Paul Duminy out of the ground but had to leave the playing area after A.B. de Villiers pouched the top edge at mid-on. That also ended his 67-run stand with Shoaib Malik (34). Pakistan 95 for 2 in 12.1 overs.
However, Pakistan slowed down things after that and failed to score a boundary after the fourth ball of the 15th over. They could collect just 29 runs in the last five overs even with seven wickets in hand.
Scoreboard:
Pakistan:
Kamran Akmal c Morkel b Steyn 23
Shahzaib Hasan c van der Merwe b Parnell 0
Shahid Afridi c de Villiers b Duminy 51
Shoaib Malik c Botha b van der Merwe 34
Younus Khan not out 24
Abdur Razzaq not out 12
Extras: (lb2, w3) 5
Total (for 4 wkts, 20 overs) 149
Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Shahzaib), 2-28 (Akmal), 3-95 (Afridi), 4-124 (Malik).
South Africa bowling: Steyn 4-0-28-1, Parnell 4-0-26-1 (w1), Kallis 2-0-14-0 (w1), Morkel 2-0-13-0 (w1), van der Merwe 4-0-29-1, Botha 2-0-23-0, Duminy 2-0-14-1
South Africa:
J. Kallis c Malik b Ajmal 64
G. Smith c and b Aamir 10
H. Gibbs b Afridi 5
AB de Villiers b Afridi 1
J.P. Duminy not out 44
A. Morkel run out 2
M. Boucher not out 0
Extras: (b4, lb11, w1) 16
Total (for 5 wkts, 20 overs) 142
Fall of wickets: 1-40 (Smith), 2-46 (Gibbs), 3-50 (de Villiers), 4-111 (Kallis), 5-134 (Morkel).
Pakstan bowling: Razzaq 3-0-19-0, Aamir 4-0-30-1, Afridi 4-0-16-2, Ajmal 4-0-23-1, Malik 1-0-5-0, Gul 3-0-19-0 (w1), Fawad 1-0-15-0
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Women carry Indian hopes
The men’s team may have crashed out of the ICC Twenty20 World Cup but the women’s team has kept Indian hopes alive. They Lady Blues look to make the title round when they meet New Zealand in the first semifinal at Trent Bridge here on Thursday.
“The manager of the men’s team, V. Chamundeswarnath, called us up after our game against Sri Lanka and said ‘what we couldn’t do, you all should achieve’ as he wished us luck. We will strive to keep India’s flag flying in this tournament,” said team manager Diana Eduljee, pioneer of women’s cricket in India. Captain Jhulan Goswami nodded vigorously in approval.
That their match would precede the men’s semifinal and will be shown live on television would be a bonus for the women, who do not have a fan following to match the men’s.
“It’s a big thing for women’s cricket. Our friends and family will be able to watch us and that will be an inspiration for us. The players are excited. Hopefully, we will be able to draw youngsters to the game,” Jhulan said on Wednesday.
To do that, Jhulan knows her team will have to dish out top drawer stuff. She is banking on a couple of stars to pull it off though. “Mithali Raj is the best batswoman in the world right now. She is the mainstay of our batting and the longer she is at the wicket, the better our chances of winning tomorrow’s game,” she said of the Hyderabad star. Mithali had stroked an unbeaten 32 to earn a crucial win over Sri Lanka in the last Super Eight game. She palyed three classical cover drives — two fours and a single — in the penultimate over to finish a game which had its share of tense batting moments. “I didn’t do my job in the earlier games so it was time to do something for the team. I put everything into those two boundaries at the end,” said Mithali.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
South Africa bid inept India farewell
South Africa warmed up for the semi-finals of the World Twenty20 by fighting back to defeat ousted champions India by 12 runs on Dhoni Tuesday.
The Proteas hit back after being restricted to 130-5 by keeping error-prone India down to 118-8 in the last Super Eights match at a Trent Bridge ground packed with some 15,000 disappointed Indian supporters.
Blogs: Wake up, BCCI | Is the honeymoon over for Dhoni?
Graeme Smith's men topped group E with three straight wins in the Super Eights and now await resurgent Pakistan in the first semi-final at the same venue on Thursday.
Sri Lanka, the group F champions, take on the West Indies in the other semi-final at the Oval in London on Friday.
India, who won the inaugural event in South Africa two years ago, collapsed after a bright start when openers Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma put on 48 by the sixth over.
The Indians, 55-1 at one stage, lost four top order wickets for 14 runs against a seven-man South African attack.
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni highlighted his team's poor batting display by being run out off a wide ball from Morne Morkel when Yuvraj Singh refused his call for a sharp single.
Off-spinner Johan Botha removed Gambhir in his first over and Suresh Raina in his second, and also dismissed Harbhajan Singh at the end, to finish with three for 16.
A.B. de Villiers starred in the field with three catches, while fast bowler Dale Steyn claimed two wickets in one over to hasten India's end.
India's chase effectively ended when Yuvraj, who made a run-a-ball 25, was given out caught at the wicket off Steyn in the 19th over after the umpires took the help of the TV official.
The Indians won just two preliminary matches against Bangladesh and Ireland, while losing all three Super Eight games against the West Indies, England and now South Africa.
Dhoni's men, who have been on the road since February, will depart for the West Indies after the tournament to play four one-day internationals.
South Africa, who elected to bat on a slow wicket, struggled against the Indian attack to make just 130-5.
De Villiers top scored with 63 off 51 balls, but the Proteas made painful progress with no boundaries scored between the sixth and 13th overs.
Dhoni used eight bowlers to fill up the 20 overs, with five of them picking up wickets as the Proteas attempted to increase the run-rate.
Skipper Smith was the only other batsman besides de Villiers to cross 20 as South Africa managed just 32 runs in the last five overs.
The Proteas hit back after being restricted to 130-5 by keeping error-prone India down to 118-8 in the last Super Eights match at a Trent Bridge ground packed with some 15,000 disappointed Indian supporters.
Blogs: Wake up, BCCI | Is the honeymoon over for Dhoni?
Graeme Smith's men topped group E with three straight wins in the Super Eights and now await resurgent Pakistan in the first semi-final at the same venue on Thursday.
Sri Lanka, the group F champions, take on the West Indies in the other semi-final at the Oval in London on Friday.
India, who won the inaugural event in South Africa two years ago, collapsed after a bright start when openers Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma put on 48 by the sixth over.
The Indians, 55-1 at one stage, lost four top order wickets for 14 runs against a seven-man South African attack.
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni highlighted his team's poor batting display by being run out off a wide ball from Morne Morkel when Yuvraj Singh refused his call for a sharp single.
Off-spinner Johan Botha removed Gambhir in his first over and Suresh Raina in his second, and also dismissed Harbhajan Singh at the end, to finish with three for 16.
A.B. de Villiers starred in the field with three catches, while fast bowler Dale Steyn claimed two wickets in one over to hasten India's end.
India's chase effectively ended when Yuvraj, who made a run-a-ball 25, was given out caught at the wicket off Steyn in the 19th over after the umpires took the help of the TV official.
The Indians won just two preliminary matches against Bangladesh and Ireland, while losing all three Super Eight games against the West Indies, England and now South Africa.
Dhoni's men, who have been on the road since February, will depart for the West Indies after the tournament to play four one-day internationals.
South Africa, who elected to bat on a slow wicket, struggled against the Indian attack to make just 130-5.
De Villiers top scored with 63 off 51 balls, but the Proteas made painful progress with no boundaries scored between the sixth and 13th overs.
Dhoni used eight bowlers to fill up the 20 overs, with five of them picking up wickets as the Proteas attempted to increase the run-rate.
Skipper Smith was the only other batsman besides de Villiers to cross 20 as South Africa managed just 32 runs in the last five overs.
Monday, June 15, 2009
England dump India
England dumped defending champions India out of the World Twenty20 Cup here on Sunday night. Chasing England’s 153, India replied with 150 for 5 even as Mahendra Singh Dhoni (30) and Yusuf Pathan (33) did their best in the last overs.
The narrow 3-run loss at Lord’s meant the Blues had lost two successive games in the Super Eight stage rendering the one remaining game, against South Africa on Tuesday inconsequential. Graeme Swann turned the game in the 14th over, taking two wickets — those of Ravindra Jadeja and Yuvraj Singh — to take the momentum away from India.
Earlier, Kevin Pitersen stroked a quick 46 and Ravi Bopara cashed in on umpiring error to take England to a moderate total. Electing to bowl, India began well with Zaheer Khan sending down a decent first over as he conceded only three runs.
At the other end, R.P. Singh, playing his first game of the tournament, struck with the fourth ball, getting rid of opener Luke Wright. Yusuf Pathan safely caught the top edge running around a bit from leg-slip . Bopara then displayed fine wrist work to turn Zaheer to the fine leg fence. Kevin Pietersen repeated the shot as England leapt to 15 for 1 after three overs.
However, R.P. was unlucky not to have got his second wicket as umpire Asoka de Silva turned down an appeal for leg-before wicket against Bopara on the last ball of the fourth over.
Television replays showed the ball would have hit the leg stump. England was 21 for 1 and Bopara on 12 then. Couple of big shots followed, including a hooked six by Bopara off Ishant Sharma in the fifth over as England reached 40 for 1 at the end of six overs of power play.
Pietersen swept the first ball he faced Yuvraj, whom he had called a pie-chucker, for a boundary to win a little battle.
Dhoni’s other change, bringing part-timer Ravindra Jadeja on in the 11th over, worked. The left-arm spinner castled Bopara with his fifth ball to end his run-a-ball knock of 37.
Jadeja also removed the dangerously shaping Pietersen, trapping him leg before with a low full toss to reduce England to 92 for 3 after 13 overs.
Dimitri Mascarenhas (25 n.o) then added to the total in the company of Owais Shah and captain Paul Collingwood. Standings after Sunday’s matches (Read as played, won, lost, tied, no result, points run rate):
Group E
South Africa 2 2 0 0 0 4 +0.898
West Indies 2 1 1 0 0 2 -0.150
England 2 1 1 0 0 2 -0.287
India 2 0 2 0 0 0 -0.416
Group F
Sri Lanka 2 2 0 0 0 4 +0.700
New Zealand 2 1 1 0 0 2 +0.943
Pakistan 2 1 1 0 0 2 +0.740
Ireland 2 0 2 0 0 0 -2.300
Top two teams in each group qualify for the semi-finals
Scoreboard:
England:
R. Bopara b Jadeja 37
L. Wright c Yusuf b Rudra Pratap 1
K. Pietersen lbw b Jadeja 46
D. Mascarenhas not out 25
Owais Shah c Jadeja b Harbhajan 12
P. Collingwood lbw b Zaheer 7
J. Foster c and b Harbhajan 6
G. Swann b Harbhajan 0
S. Broad not out 3
Extras: (lb2, w14) 16
Total (for 7 wkts) 153
Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Wright), 2-74 (Bopara), 3-92 (Pietersen), 4-122 (Shah), 5-138 (Collingwood), 6-145 (Foster), 7-145 (Swann).
India bowling: Zaheer 3-0-26-1 (2w), Rudra Pratap 3-0-13-1, Ishant 4-0-36-0, Yuvraj 2-0-20-0, Harbhajan 4-0-30-3 (w10), Jadeja 4-0-26-2 (w2).
India:
G. Gambhir c Broad b Mascarenhas 26
R. Sharma b Sidebottom 9
S. Raina c Wright b Sidebottom 2
R. Jadeja c Broad b Swann 25
Y. Singh st Foster b Swann 17
M. Dhoni not out 30
Yusuf Pathan not out 33
Extras: (lb4, w4) 8
Total (for 5 wkts, 20 overs) 150
Fall of wickets: 1-12 (R. Sharma), 2-24 (Raina), 3-62 (Gambhir), 4-85 (Jadeja), 5-87 (Yuvraj)
England bowling: Anderson 4-0-32-0 (w2), Sidebottom 4-0-31-2 (w1), Broad 4-0-21-0, Pietersen 1-0-9-0, Wright 2-0-16-0, Swann 4-0-28-2 (w1), Mascarenhas 1-0-9-1
The narrow 3-run loss at Lord’s meant the Blues had lost two successive games in the Super Eight stage rendering the one remaining game, against South Africa on Tuesday inconsequential. Graeme Swann turned the game in the 14th over, taking two wickets — those of Ravindra Jadeja and Yuvraj Singh — to take the momentum away from India.
Earlier, Kevin Pitersen stroked a quick 46 and Ravi Bopara cashed in on umpiring error to take England to a moderate total. Electing to bowl, India began well with Zaheer Khan sending down a decent first over as he conceded only three runs.
At the other end, R.P. Singh, playing his first game of the tournament, struck with the fourth ball, getting rid of opener Luke Wright. Yusuf Pathan safely caught the top edge running around a bit from leg-slip . Bopara then displayed fine wrist work to turn Zaheer to the fine leg fence. Kevin Pietersen repeated the shot as England leapt to 15 for 1 after three overs.
However, R.P. was unlucky not to have got his second wicket as umpire Asoka de Silva turned down an appeal for leg-before wicket against Bopara on the last ball of the fourth over.
Television replays showed the ball would have hit the leg stump. England was 21 for 1 and Bopara on 12 then. Couple of big shots followed, including a hooked six by Bopara off Ishant Sharma in the fifth over as England reached 40 for 1 at the end of six overs of power play.
Pietersen swept the first ball he faced Yuvraj, whom he had called a pie-chucker, for a boundary to win a little battle.
Dhoni’s other change, bringing part-timer Ravindra Jadeja on in the 11th over, worked. The left-arm spinner castled Bopara with his fifth ball to end his run-a-ball knock of 37.
Jadeja also removed the dangerously shaping Pietersen, trapping him leg before with a low full toss to reduce England to 92 for 3 after 13 overs.
Dimitri Mascarenhas (25 n.o) then added to the total in the company of Owais Shah and captain Paul Collingwood. Standings after Sunday’s matches (Read as played, won, lost, tied, no result, points run rate):
Group E
South Africa 2 2 0 0 0 4 +0.898
West Indies 2 1 1 0 0 2 -0.150
England 2 1 1 0 0 2 -0.287
India 2 0 2 0 0 0 -0.416
Group F
Sri Lanka 2 2 0 0 0 4 +0.700
New Zealand 2 1 1 0 0 2 +0.943
Pakistan 2 1 1 0 0 2 +0.740
Ireland 2 0 2 0 0 0 -2.300
Top two teams in each group qualify for the semi-finals
Scoreboard:
England:
R. Bopara b Jadeja 37
L. Wright c Yusuf b Rudra Pratap 1
K. Pietersen lbw b Jadeja 46
D. Mascarenhas not out 25
Owais Shah c Jadeja b Harbhajan 12
P. Collingwood lbw b Zaheer 7
J. Foster c and b Harbhajan 6
G. Swann b Harbhajan 0
S. Broad not out 3
Extras: (lb2, w14) 16
Total (for 7 wkts) 153
Fall of wickets: 1-3 (Wright), 2-74 (Bopara), 3-92 (Pietersen), 4-122 (Shah), 5-138 (Collingwood), 6-145 (Foster), 7-145 (Swann).
India bowling: Zaheer 3-0-26-1 (2w), Rudra Pratap 3-0-13-1, Ishant 4-0-36-0, Yuvraj 2-0-20-0, Harbhajan 4-0-30-3 (w10), Jadeja 4-0-26-2 (w2).
India:
G. Gambhir c Broad b Mascarenhas 26
R. Sharma b Sidebottom 9
S. Raina c Wright b Sidebottom 2
R. Jadeja c Broad b Swann 25
Y. Singh st Foster b Swann 17
M. Dhoni not out 30
Yusuf Pathan not out 33
Extras: (lb4, w4) 8
Total (for 5 wkts, 20 overs) 150
Fall of wickets: 1-12 (R. Sharma), 2-24 (Raina), 3-62 (Gambhir), 4-85 (Jadeja), 5-87 (Yuvraj)
England bowling: Anderson 4-0-32-0 (w2), Sidebottom 4-0-31-2 (w1), Broad 4-0-21-0, Pietersen 1-0-9-0, Wright 2-0-16-0, Swann 4-0-28-2 (w1), Mascarenhas 1-0-9-1
Sunday, June 14, 2009
T20 Extravaganza Live
T20 World Cup matches live on a big screen with unlimited drinks and Indian and Chinese snacks.
At 3 60 Degrees Club & Lounge,Shangrila Plaza, Road Number 2, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad.
Contact 23551503, 9912272111, 9849974107
UptoWednesday, Jun 24 7:30 PM - 11:30 PM
Is Team India taking the World T20 lightly?
They say practice makes one perfect. But does Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his boys believe in the age old adage?
How else can they justify cancelling a practice session a day after being thrashed by the West Indies , and on the eve of Sunday's must-win Super Eights match against England .
When quizzed about the same by Indian media on Saturday, vice-captain Yuvraj Singh got a bit annoyed, and replied: "Our practice sessions go according to our thoughts and not to your thoughts. We need to understand what our team is about and how we take up practice."
In fact, the full team has not had a single practice session together, every session being optional and quite a few players missing.
Yuvraj went on to explain that the players are not sitting idle in their rooms.
"If you are not coming for practice that does not mean we are not serious about the game. Some boys are hitting the gym and some will be going out for a coffee to relax. We are very confident as a group," he informed.
Even captain Dhoni had defended not having the full squad together for practice. He believes that one or two days of nets will not make the players any better.
"It is very important for players to judge what they really need� and if you see our players, like Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma , even if they field one more day they won't field better than that or somebody like Zaheer [Khan]; they can't do better in a couple or five days' fielding," he had said on Friday.
By this reasoning it makes one wonder why legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid or Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar for that matter, would spend hours at the nets trying to hone their skills and get better.
In Friday's match, it was clear that Indian batsmen were found wanting against short deliveries from the West Indies fast bowlers, and England will surely adopt the same tactics.
But the team did not lose any sleep on that and preferred to skip practice when the best route forward would have been a session or two for the opening batsmen against short deliveries.
What is shocking is that this same bunch of players would giving their hearts out at practice sessions during the Indian Premier League and without any complaining. The mood in the practice sessions, sometimes, resembled more intense and gruelling than an international match, but here, in England, it seems the players are just going through the motions.
You could be forgiven for asking whether Team India is taking the ICC World Twenty20 seriously.
Courtesy :Rediff
How else can they justify cancelling a practice session a day after being thrashed by the West Indies , and on the eve of Sunday's must-win Super Eights match against England .
When quizzed about the same by Indian media on Saturday, vice-captain Yuvraj Singh got a bit annoyed, and replied: "Our practice sessions go according to our thoughts and not to your thoughts. We need to understand what our team is about and how we take up practice."
In fact, the full team has not had a single practice session together, every session being optional and quite a few players missing.
Yuvraj went on to explain that the players are not sitting idle in their rooms.
"If you are not coming for practice that does not mean we are not serious about the game. Some boys are hitting the gym and some will be going out for a coffee to relax. We are very confident as a group," he informed.
Even captain Dhoni had defended not having the full squad together for practice. He believes that one or two days of nets will not make the players any better.
"It is very important for players to judge what they really need� and if you see our players, like Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma , even if they field one more day they won't field better than that or somebody like Zaheer [Khan]; they can't do better in a couple or five days' fielding," he had said on Friday.
By this reasoning it makes one wonder why legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid or Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar for that matter, would spend hours at the nets trying to hone their skills and get better.
In Friday's match, it was clear that Indian batsmen were found wanting against short deliveries from the West Indies fast bowlers, and England will surely adopt the same tactics.
But the team did not lose any sleep on that and preferred to skip practice when the best route forward would have been a session or two for the opening batsmen against short deliveries.
What is shocking is that this same bunch of players would giving their hearts out at practice sessions during the Indian Premier League and without any complaining. The mood in the practice sessions, sometimes, resembled more intense and gruelling than an international match, but here, in England, it seems the players are just going through the motions.
You could be forgiven for asking whether Team India is taking the ICC World Twenty20 seriously.
Courtesy :Rediff
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Windies thump India
Dwayne Bravo played a blistering knock as West Indies beat India by seven wickets in their first Twenty20 World Cup Super Eight match at Lord’s here on Friday night.
The right-hander thumped an unbeaten 66 in 36 balls as the Windies chased down India’s 153 with eight balls to spare. Bravo hit four boundaries and three towering sixes, the last one over cover sealing the victory.
One-down bat Lendl Simmons played perfect second fiddle, scoring a 37-ball 44 that included five boundaries. His 58-run stand for the third wicket with Bravo took the game away from India. Bravo then combined with Shivnarine Chanderpaul (18 n.o) to raise an unbroken partnership of 56 runs in just 4.1 overs to see his side home.
Earlier, Yuvraj Singh celebrated his elevation to vice-captaincy with a superb knock that lifted India from the pits. The left-hander smashed 67 in 43 balls, sending six of them to the fence and two over it as India recovered from a poor 66 for 4 in 12.1 overs to score 56 runs in last five overs and post a fighting total.
Yusuf Pathan contributed a 23-ball 31 (3x4, 1x6) that provided the push at the death.
Harbhajan Singh then swung his bat around to belt 13 in 4 balls, hitting the last three balls of the innings for boundaries to contribute useful runs.
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat but Rohit Sharma wasn’t quite ready. He managed a mistimed boundary but departed early, trying to hit his Deccan Chargers teammate Fidel Edwards out of the ground. Lendl Simmons had no problem pouching the top edge at square leg.
Two more brilliant catches put the skids under the Indians. Wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin dived in front to take a low catch that spelt Suresh Raina’s doom, Edwards being the bowler again. Then, Simmons ran backwards at square to catch Gambhir’s top edge at full stretch to reduce the Blues to 29 for 3.
Captain Chris Gayle seized the momentum and brought himself on to apply the brakes – India scored just 14 runs between the sixth and 10th over, at the end of which the total read an unimpressive 54 for 3.
Dhoni dabbled along, making 11 off 23 balls before cutting ‘slow poison’ Dwayne Bravo straight to Andre Fletcher at deep point in the 13th over.
That led to a lull until Yuvraj hoicked left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn over the mid-wicket boundary in the 14th over to bring up the first big hit of the innings.
It had an infectious effect on Yusuf Pathan, who opened his shoulders to run Bravo down to the third man boundary before blasting the same bowler out of the ground as India picked up 16 off the 15th over.
Yuvraj continued to whack the ball, spanking fast bowler Jerome Taylor for 17 runs including a flicked six, in the 17th over, the most fruitful of the innings to put India on road to recovery.
India:
G. Gambhir c Simmons b Bravo 14
R. Sharma c Simmons b Edwards 5
S. Raina c Ramdin b Edwards 5
Y. Singh c and b Edwards 67
M. Dhoni c Fletcher b Bravo 11
Yusuf Pathan b Bravo 31
Irfan Pathan c Simmons b Bravo 2
H. Singh not out 13
Zaheer Khan not out 0
Extras: (lb1, w4) 5
Total (for 7 wkts, 20 overs) 153
Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Sharma), 2-27 (Yuvraj), 3-29 (Gambhir), 4-66 (Dhoni), 5-130 (Yuvraj), 6-140 (Y. Pathan), 7-141 (I. Pathan).
West Indies bowling: Taylor 4-0-44-0 (w1), Edwards 4-0-24-3 (w2), Bravo 4-0-38-4, Gayle 3-0-13-0, Pollard 2-0-7-0, Benn 3-0-26-0 (w1)
West Indies:
C. Gayle c Zaheer b Yusuf 22
A. Fletcher c Yuvraj b Irfan 0
L. Simmons c Irfan b Ojha 44
D. Bravo not out 66
S. Chanderpaul not out 18
Extras: (lb3, w3) 6
Total (for 3 wkts, 18.4 overs) 156
Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Fletcher), 2-42 (Gayle), 3-100 (Simmons).
India bowling: Zaheer 2.4-0-26-0 (w1), Irfan 2-0-9-1 (w1), Yusuf 4-0-27-1, Harbhajan 4-1-31-0, Ishant 3-0-31-0 (w1), Ojha 3-0-29-1
http://www.deccanchronicle.com
Friday, June 12, 2009
South Africa crush helpless England
South Africa crushed England by seven wickets while injury-ravaged New Zealand eased past Ireland by 83 runs in the World Twenty20 Super Eights on Thursday. Teenage left-arm seamer Wayne Parnell grabbed three wickets as England were shot out for 111 after Paul Collingwood elected to take first strike in good batting conditions at Trent Bridge.
The Proteas strolled their way towards surpassing the modest target, winning the game in the 19th over in front of a sell-out crowd of 18,000 to earn their first points in the second round.
“We performed well with the ball and everyone in the field played their role with intensity,” said South Africa captain Graeme Smith.
Collingwood said his team, who were defeated by minnows the Netherlands in the tournament opener, will have to regroup in time for Sunday’s clash with defending champions India at Lord’s.
“It’s been a real roller-coaster ride so far. Tonight we were beaten by a side who set an example in the field, there were diving catches and they put pressure on the batsmen,” said Collingwood.
England claimed Smith in the fourth over, caught behind off Stuart Broad, before Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs dug in to put on 74 for the second wicket.
Gibbs made run-a-ball 30 before he was bowled by off-spinner Graeme Smith, leaving Kallis to complete the formalities with 57 not out.
Owais Shah was the lone Englishman to withstand the Proteas’ onslaught with 38 off 33 balls after four of the top seven batsmen managed only four runs between them.
South African-born Kevin Pietersen was reduced to a brief cameo of 19 of the first 25 runs, before he was caught at mid-on by Roelof van der Merwe off Albie Morkel. Late entrant Aaron Redmond proved his credentials as New Zealand thrashed hapless Ireland. Redmond, drafted into the Black Caps squad on Wednesday night to replace the sick Jesse Ryder, made an immediate impact with a hurricane 63 off 30 balls.
New Zealand, sent in to bat on an even-paced wicket, rode on Redmond’s belligerence to pile up 198-5 before bowling the minnows out for 115 in 16.4 overs. Four Irish batsmen ran themselves out with New Zealand’s stand-in captain Brendon McCullum effecting two of them with direct hits while elder brother Nathan claimed three wickets.
“I had been playing in the Bolton League. There were a lot of 50-over matches which were rain-affected, so it was good practice for this shortened version of the game,” said Redmond.
The Super Eights continue on Friday at Lord’s with Pakistan facing Sri Lanka while India tackle West Indies at 10 pm IST.
Scoreboard"
England:
R. Bopara b Steyn 2
L. Wright c Boucher b Parnell 1
K. Pietersen c van der Merwe b Morkel 19
Owais Shah c Boucher b Kallis 38
P. Collingwood b Kallis 19
J. Foster c Morkel b van der Merwe 1
D. Mascarenhas b van der Merwe 1
G. Swann c Morkel b Botha 5
S. Broad b Parnell 9
Adil Rashid not out 9
J. Anderson b Parnell 0
Extras: (lb1, w6) 7
Total (all out, 19.5 overs) 111
Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Bopara), 2-4 (Wright), 3-25 (Pietersen), 4-78 (Collingwood), 5-79 (Foster), 6-82 (Mascarenhas), 7-88 (Shah), 8-92 (Swann), 9-111 (Broad), 10-111 (Anderson).
South Africa bowling: Steyn 4-0-19-1 (w2), Parnell 3.5-0-14-3 (w1), Kallis 3-0-20-2, A. Morkel 1-1-0-1, Botha 4-0-25-1 (w1), van der Merwe 4-0-32-2 (w2)
South Africa:
G. Smith c Foster b Broad 11
J. Kallis not out 57
H. Gibbs b Swann 30
A.B. de Villiers c Collingwood b Rashid 11
J.P. Duminy not out 2
Extras: (lb1, w2) 3
Total (for 3 wkts, 18.2 overs) 114
Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Smith), 2-91 (Gibbs), 3-108 (de Villiers).
South Africa bowling: Mascarenhas 4-0-22-0, Anderson 3.2-0-27-0 (w1), Broad 3-0-14-1, Swann 4-0-26-1 (w1), Rashid 4-0-24-1.
The Proteas strolled their way towards surpassing the modest target, winning the game in the 19th over in front of a sell-out crowd of 18,000 to earn their first points in the second round.
“We performed well with the ball and everyone in the field played their role with intensity,” said South Africa captain Graeme Smith.
Collingwood said his team, who were defeated by minnows the Netherlands in the tournament opener, will have to regroup in time for Sunday’s clash with defending champions India at Lord’s.
“It’s been a real roller-coaster ride so far. Tonight we were beaten by a side who set an example in the field, there were diving catches and they put pressure on the batsmen,” said Collingwood.
England claimed Smith in the fourth over, caught behind off Stuart Broad, before Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs dug in to put on 74 for the second wicket.
Gibbs made run-a-ball 30 before he was bowled by off-spinner Graeme Smith, leaving Kallis to complete the formalities with 57 not out.
Owais Shah was the lone Englishman to withstand the Proteas’ onslaught with 38 off 33 balls after four of the top seven batsmen managed only four runs between them.
South African-born Kevin Pietersen was reduced to a brief cameo of 19 of the first 25 runs, before he was caught at mid-on by Roelof van der Merwe off Albie Morkel. Late entrant Aaron Redmond proved his credentials as New Zealand thrashed hapless Ireland. Redmond, drafted into the Black Caps squad on Wednesday night to replace the sick Jesse Ryder, made an immediate impact with a hurricane 63 off 30 balls.
New Zealand, sent in to bat on an even-paced wicket, rode on Redmond’s belligerence to pile up 198-5 before bowling the minnows out for 115 in 16.4 overs. Four Irish batsmen ran themselves out with New Zealand’s stand-in captain Brendon McCullum effecting two of them with direct hits while elder brother Nathan claimed three wickets.
“I had been playing in the Bolton League. There were a lot of 50-over matches which were rain-affected, so it was good practice for this shortened version of the game,” said Redmond.
The Super Eights continue on Friday at Lord’s with Pakistan facing Sri Lanka while India tackle West Indies at 10 pm IST.
Scoreboard"
England:
R. Bopara b Steyn 2
L. Wright c Boucher b Parnell 1
K. Pietersen c van der Merwe b Morkel 19
Owais Shah c Boucher b Kallis 38
P. Collingwood b Kallis 19
J. Foster c Morkel b van der Merwe 1
D. Mascarenhas b van der Merwe 1
G. Swann c Morkel b Botha 5
S. Broad b Parnell 9
Adil Rashid not out 9
J. Anderson b Parnell 0
Extras: (lb1, w6) 7
Total (all out, 19.5 overs) 111
Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Bopara), 2-4 (Wright), 3-25 (Pietersen), 4-78 (Collingwood), 5-79 (Foster), 6-82 (Mascarenhas), 7-88 (Shah), 8-92 (Swann), 9-111 (Broad), 10-111 (Anderson).
South Africa bowling: Steyn 4-0-19-1 (w2), Parnell 3.5-0-14-3 (w1), Kallis 3-0-20-2, A. Morkel 1-1-0-1, Botha 4-0-25-1 (w1), van der Merwe 4-0-32-2 (w2)
South Africa:
G. Smith c Foster b Broad 11
J. Kallis not out 57
H. Gibbs b Swann 30
A.B. de Villiers c Collingwood b Rashid 11
J.P. Duminy not out 2
Extras: (lb1, w2) 3
Total (for 3 wkts, 18.2 overs) 114
Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Smith), 2-91 (Gibbs), 3-108 (de Villiers).
South Africa bowling: Mascarenhas 4-0-22-0, Anderson 3.2-0-27-0 (w1), Broad 3-0-14-1, Swann 4-0-26-1 (w1), Rashid 4-0-24-1.
Monday, June 8, 2009
England book their place, Pak in must-win situation
England booked their place in the second round Super Eights of the ICC World Twenty20 with a 48-run win over Pakistan at the Oval here on Sunday. The hosts, 48 hours after their shock four-wicket loss to the Netherlands, bounced back to record a win which, because their net run-rate was now superior to that of the Dutch, ensured their progress in the tournament.
Pakistan, finalists at the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa two years ago, now face a make or break Group B clash against the Netherlands at Lord's on Tuesday. Kevin Pietersen came back from an Achilles injury to lead England to a total of 185 for five with 58 after missing Friday's Dutch debacle at Lord's.
Pakistan, chasing 186 for victory, saw Stuart Broad take two wickets in as many balls to reduce them to 41 for three at the end of the six-over powerplay. Kamran Akmal holed out to Luke Wright at deep mid-wicket before opener Salman Butt exited for 28.
Pace bowler Broad led England's attack with three for 17 from three overs. At the 10-over half-way stage Pakistan were well behind the required run-rate at 63 for three.
And by the time the hard-hitting Shahid Afridi reached the crease they were 87 for four in the 13th over. Afridi could only manage five before he skied off-spinner Graeme Swann to substitute fielder and former Irish cricketing star Eoin Morgan in the deep.
Pakistan's innings petered out as they finished on 137 for seven with captain Younus Khan stranded on 46 not out. Earlier, South Africa born shotmaker Pietersen faced 38 balls with three sixes and five fours before he was caught at short third man by Umar Gul off Saeed Ajmal.
Spin bowler Ajmal had dropped a caught and bowled chance when Pietersen was on 30. Pakistan made an early breakthrough after Younus won the toss.
Teenager Mohammad Aamir, a left-arm quick like his boyhood hero Wasim Akram, marked his international debut by removing Ravi Bopara but it needed a superb catch at backward point by Shoaib Malik to leave England nine for one. Opener Luke Wright, who struck England's first six of the tournament, a pull off the 17-year-old Aamir, kept the run-rate high in the overcast conditions by striking five fours in as many balls faced. Wright was adjudged Man-of-the-Match: He took one wicket after making 34 off 16 balls in England innings. But a stand of 53 was ended when Umar Gul yorked Wright for 34.
Scoreboard:
England:
Ravi Bopara c S Malik b M Aamer 5
Luke Wright b U Gul 34
Kevin Pietersen c U Gul b S Ajmal 58
Owais Shah b U Gul 33
Paul Collingwood c S Afridi b S Ajmal 15
Dimitri Mascarenhas not out 16
James Frost not out 14
Extras: (LB-3, WD-4, NB-3) 10
Total: (for 5 wickets in 20 overs) 185
Fall of wicket: 1-9, 2-62, 3-128, 4-152, 5-152.
Bowling: Y Arafat 4-0-42-0
M. Aamer 3-0-31-0
U. Gul 4-0-37-2
S. Malik 1-0-13-0
S. Afridi 4-0-36-0
S. Ajmal 4-0-23-2.
Pakistan
A. Shahzad c Collingwood b Mascarenhas 4
S. Butt c Bopara b Broad 28
K. Akmal c Wright b Broad 6
S. Malik c Foster b Wright 20
Y. Khan not out 46
S. Afridi c sub (Morgan) b Swann 5
Misbah-ul-Haq c sub (Morgan) b Anderson 10
Y. Arafat c Wright b Broad 4
U. Gul not out 8
Extras (lb1, w5) 6
Total (7 wkts, 20 overs) 137
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-41, 3-41, 4-87, 5-102, 6-117, 7-129
Bowling
Mascarenhas 2-0-14-1
Anderson 4-0-30-1
Broad 3-0-17-3
Rashid 4-0-24-0
Swann 4-0-27-1
Wright 3-0-24-1
Pakistan, finalists at the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa two years ago, now face a make or break Group B clash against the Netherlands at Lord's on Tuesday. Kevin Pietersen came back from an Achilles injury to lead England to a total of 185 for five with 58 after missing Friday's Dutch debacle at Lord's.
Pakistan, chasing 186 for victory, saw Stuart Broad take two wickets in as many balls to reduce them to 41 for three at the end of the six-over powerplay. Kamran Akmal holed out to Luke Wright at deep mid-wicket before opener Salman Butt exited for 28.
Pace bowler Broad led England's attack with three for 17 from three overs. At the 10-over half-way stage Pakistan were well behind the required run-rate at 63 for three.
And by the time the hard-hitting Shahid Afridi reached the crease they were 87 for four in the 13th over. Afridi could only manage five before he skied off-spinner Graeme Swann to substitute fielder and former Irish cricketing star Eoin Morgan in the deep.
Pakistan's innings petered out as they finished on 137 for seven with captain Younus Khan stranded on 46 not out. Earlier, South Africa born shotmaker Pietersen faced 38 balls with three sixes and five fours before he was caught at short third man by Umar Gul off Saeed Ajmal.
Spin bowler Ajmal had dropped a caught and bowled chance when Pietersen was on 30. Pakistan made an early breakthrough after Younus won the toss.
Teenager Mohammad Aamir, a left-arm quick like his boyhood hero Wasim Akram, marked his international debut by removing Ravi Bopara but it needed a superb catch at backward point by Shoaib Malik to leave England nine for one. Opener Luke Wright, who struck England's first six of the tournament, a pull off the 17-year-old Aamir, kept the run-rate high in the overcast conditions by striking five fours in as many balls faced. Wright was adjudged Man-of-the-Match: He took one wicket after making 34 off 16 balls in England innings. But a stand of 53 was ended when Umar Gul yorked Wright for 34.
Scoreboard:
England:
Ravi Bopara c S Malik b M Aamer 5
Luke Wright b U Gul 34
Kevin Pietersen c U Gul b S Ajmal 58
Owais Shah b U Gul 33
Paul Collingwood c S Afridi b S Ajmal 15
Dimitri Mascarenhas not out 16
James Frost not out 14
Extras: (LB-3, WD-4, NB-3) 10
Total: (for 5 wickets in 20 overs) 185
Fall of wicket: 1-9, 2-62, 3-128, 4-152, 5-152.
Bowling: Y Arafat 4-0-42-0
M. Aamer 3-0-31-0
U. Gul 4-0-37-2
S. Malik 1-0-13-0
S. Afridi 4-0-36-0
S. Ajmal 4-0-23-2.
Pakistan
A. Shahzad c Collingwood b Mascarenhas 4
S. Butt c Bopara b Broad 28
K. Akmal c Wright b Broad 6
S. Malik c Foster b Wright 20
Y. Khan not out 46
S. Afridi c sub (Morgan) b Swann 5
Misbah-ul-Haq c sub (Morgan) b Anderson 10
Y. Arafat c Wright b Broad 4
U. Gul not out 8
Extras (lb1, w5) 6
Total (7 wkts, 20 overs) 137
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-41, 3-41, 4-87, 5-102, 6-117, 7-129
Bowling
Mascarenhas 2-0-14-1
Anderson 4-0-30-1
Broad 3-0-17-3
Rashid 4-0-24-0
Swann 4-0-27-1
Wright 3-0-24-1
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Ojha has Bangla in a spin
Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha spun a web around the Bangladeshi batsmen to get India off to a flying start in the Twenty20 World Cup at Trent Bridge here on Saturday.
Pressed into the attack when the opposition batsmen were scoring at a fast clip and threatening to tear into the Indian bowlers, the Deccan Chargers spinner scalped four wickets to derail the Bangla innings and script an authoritative win in the Group A match.
Chasing India’s 180, Bangladesh could manage 155 for 8. Ojha took 4 for 21 in his four overs to emerge the most economical bowler.
Yuvraj Singh’s stunning catches to dismiss Mohammadullah Riad and Naeem Islam were the other highlights of the innings even as he dropped a sitter too.
Earlier, a top class show by the top order propelled the defending champions. After captain Dhoni elected to bat, Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma provided India with a superb start, which was cashed upon by Mahendra Singh Dhoni (26) and Yuvraj Singh (41).
While Rohit rocketed to 36 in 23 balls, three of which he despatched to the boundary and two over it, Gambhir capitalised on a dropped chance while on 13 to hit a steady 50 that anchored the innings.
Then, Yuvraj came out all guns blazing. He smashed three boundaries and four sixes – three in the 17th over bowled by left-arm spinner Naeem Islam – to set the scoreboard galloping towards the end.
Yuvraj’s other six came against seamer Rubel Hossain, who was sent over long-on for his fourth six, which was followed by two consecutive boundaries.
The innings began smoothly as Gambhir tapped Mashrafe Motaza through the cover for a boundary second ball of the innings. Rohit too creamed the Bangla spearhead through the cover for a boundary as India picked up 11 runs in the first over.
However, Mortaza came back strongly in his next over, conceding only three as he scuttled the aggressive intentions of the Indian openers.Shahadat Hossain was brought into the attack in the fourth over and almost struck with his first delivery. Gambhir slashed hard but a diving Raqibul Hossain could not hold on to the half-chance at backward point.
Rohit then lifted Shahadat Hossain into the stands behind square leg for the first six of the match and then cut the same bowler through point for another scorching boundary.
Rohit smashed Rubel for another six and a four as India reached an impressive 54 for no loss after the power play of six overs.
Pressed into the attack when the opposition batsmen were scoring at a fast clip and threatening to tear into the Indian bowlers, the Deccan Chargers spinner scalped four wickets to derail the Bangla innings and script an authoritative win in the Group A match.
Chasing India’s 180, Bangladesh could manage 155 for 8. Ojha took 4 for 21 in his four overs to emerge the most economical bowler.
Yuvraj Singh’s stunning catches to dismiss Mohammadullah Riad and Naeem Islam were the other highlights of the innings even as he dropped a sitter too.
Earlier, a top class show by the top order propelled the defending champions. After captain Dhoni elected to bat, Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma provided India with a superb start, which was cashed upon by Mahendra Singh Dhoni (26) and Yuvraj Singh (41).
While Rohit rocketed to 36 in 23 balls, three of which he despatched to the boundary and two over it, Gambhir capitalised on a dropped chance while on 13 to hit a steady 50 that anchored the innings.
Then, Yuvraj came out all guns blazing. He smashed three boundaries and four sixes – three in the 17th over bowled by left-arm spinner Naeem Islam – to set the scoreboard galloping towards the end.
Yuvraj’s other six came against seamer Rubel Hossain, who was sent over long-on for his fourth six, which was followed by two consecutive boundaries.
The innings began smoothly as Gambhir tapped Mashrafe Motaza through the cover for a boundary second ball of the innings. Rohit too creamed the Bangla spearhead through the cover for a boundary as India picked up 11 runs in the first over.
However, Mortaza came back strongly in his next over, conceding only three as he scuttled the aggressive intentions of the Indian openers.Shahadat Hossain was brought into the attack in the fourth over and almost struck with his first delivery. Gambhir slashed hard but a diving Raqibul Hossain could not hold on to the half-chance at backward point.
Rohit then lifted Shahadat Hossain into the stands behind square leg for the first six of the match and then cut the same bowler through point for another scorching boundary.
Rohit smashed Rubel for another six and a four as India reached an impressive 54 for no loss after the power play of six overs.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
India eye easy win against Bangladesh
There cannot be a greater mismatch than India versus Bangladesh on a cricket pitch. India are one of cricket’s most marketable and India followed teams.
They’re the defending ICC World Twenty20 champions and the ‘rockstars’ of cricket. India’s loss in a major tournament or a game makes for bigger news than a victory.
Bangladesh, on the other hand, are the poor cousins of the subcontinent. But if ever there’s a leveller in cricket, then it’s the T20 format.
As India and Bangladesh face each other for the opening match of Group A at Trent Bridge here on Saturday, Bangladesh will hope to do what they did to India in the 2007 World Cup in Port-of-Spain.
After all, they have been the giantslayers over the past four years. They beat India and South Africa in the 50-over World Cup in 2007 in the West Indies and entered the Super Eights.
They knocked out West Indies in the ICC World T20 in 2007 in South Africa to progress to the Super Eights there as well. Standing in their way, though, are an Indian side that’s rich in T20 experience. Thanks to the IPL, MS Dhoni’s boys know exactly what to do in pressure situations.
The efficiency with which the Indians polished off Pakistan in the second warm-up game at the Oval on Wednesday was almost scary for the opponents. And it was achieved without the presence of the man who puts the fear of god in any bowling line-up, Virender Sehwag. Sehwag’s shoulder injury makes his participation in the opening game uncertain.
The spearhead of the attack, Zaheer Khan, is also suffering from a shoulder problem and looks almost certain to miss the match. While Zaheer’s absence and the poor form of RP Singh in the death overs weakens the seam bowling lineup somewhat, the batting looks in excellent health. Rohit Sharma appears to be in sublime touch, Gambhir too has returned to the form that he has shown in the last 18 months.
Although Yuvraj Singh and Yusuf Pathan didn’t get a hit on Wednesday, his destructive ability is well-chronicled. Raina and Dhoni can do the dual role of grafting and attacking.
Only two factors can undermine their efforts of getting off to a winning start to their title defence: Complacency and the weather. While Indian skipper MS Dhoni, who surprised everybody by turning up at the nets on a very cold and dull Friday morning here on match eve (he was supposed to be at Lord’s for the opening ceremony), will take care of the former, he has no control over the latter.
The weather forecast isn’t great on match day (Saturday) and for the weekend. If the game is a shortened affair, it only reduces the odds for the outsiders as India’s record in truncated games isn’t very good.
Did we see the Bangladesh players kneel down and pray for the elements to set in?
They’re the defending ICC World Twenty20 champions and the ‘rockstars’ of cricket. India’s loss in a major tournament or a game makes for bigger news than a victory.
Bangladesh, on the other hand, are the poor cousins of the subcontinent. But if ever there’s a leveller in cricket, then it’s the T20 format.
As India and Bangladesh face each other for the opening match of Group A at Trent Bridge here on Saturday, Bangladesh will hope to do what they did to India in the 2007 World Cup in Port-of-Spain.
After all, they have been the giantslayers over the past four years. They beat India and South Africa in the 50-over World Cup in 2007 in the West Indies and entered the Super Eights.
They knocked out West Indies in the ICC World T20 in 2007 in South Africa to progress to the Super Eights there as well. Standing in their way, though, are an Indian side that’s rich in T20 experience. Thanks to the IPL, MS Dhoni’s boys know exactly what to do in pressure situations.
The efficiency with which the Indians polished off Pakistan in the second warm-up game at the Oval on Wednesday was almost scary for the opponents. And it was achieved without the presence of the man who puts the fear of god in any bowling line-up, Virender Sehwag. Sehwag’s shoulder injury makes his participation in the opening game uncertain.
The spearhead of the attack, Zaheer Khan, is also suffering from a shoulder problem and looks almost certain to miss the match. While Zaheer’s absence and the poor form of RP Singh in the death overs weakens the seam bowling lineup somewhat, the batting looks in excellent health. Rohit Sharma appears to be in sublime touch, Gambhir too has returned to the form that he has shown in the last 18 months.
Although Yuvraj Singh and Yusuf Pathan didn’t get a hit on Wednesday, his destructive ability is well-chronicled. Raina and Dhoni can do the dual role of grafting and attacking.
Only two factors can undermine their efforts of getting off to a winning start to their title defence: Complacency and the weather. While Indian skipper MS Dhoni, who surprised everybody by turning up at the nets on a very cold and dull Friday morning here on match eve (he was supposed to be at Lord’s for the opening ceremony), will take care of the former, he has no control over the latter.
The weather forecast isn’t great on match day (Saturday) and for the weekend. If the game is a shortened affair, it only reduces the odds for the outsiders as India’s record in truncated games isn’t very good.
Did we see the Bangladesh players kneel down and pray for the elements to set in?
Dutch courage undoes England in T20 shock
The Netherlands enjoyed their greatest day in international cricket as they stunningly beat hosts England by four wickets in the opening match of the ICC World Twenty20 at Lord's on Friday.
Two off the last ball, which saw bowler Stuart Broad miss with a shy off the stumps, saw the Dutch home to a total of 163 for six in reply to England's 162 for five.
England who had been 102 for one were made to pay for their failure to build on a superb opening stand by some enterprising Dutch batting led by a fine 49 from Tom de Grooth.
Essex all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate was 22 not out and Edgar Schiferli five not out.
The Dutch needed seven off the last over. They scrambled a single off the first ball when Stuart Broad missed with an underarm throw at the stumps.
Next ball Broad had another chance but the diving quick knocked the stumps down with his hand rather than the ball to leave the Dutch needing five off four with ten Doeschate on strike.
Broad hen dropped a caught and bowled chance off the next ball which again yielded a single, four runs off three balls the target for the Dutch who scrambled a bye after wicket-keeper James Foster failed to hit the stumps.
That left the target three off two and in turn that became two off one with Schiferli on strike before the minnows got home in a dramatic conclusion to a thrilling match.
While England's innings hadn't featured a single six, Netherlands opener Darron Reekers managed two off his own bat, pulling Ryan Sidebottom and James Anderson, during his knock of 20.
Meanwhile de Grooth reverse-swept leg-spinner Adil Rashid for four.
Rashid though did have Bas Zuiderent stumped by Foster to leave the Dutch 66 for three in the ninth over.
At the 10 over half-way mark the Netherlands were 91 for three and up with the rate and de Grooth gave England captain Paul Collingwood the same treatment he'd been meeting out to the rest of the attack by pulling the medium-pacer for four through mid-wicket.
After a fumble by Ravi Bopara cost England the chance of a run-out Peter Borren hoisted Collingwood into the Grandstand for six.
De Grooth's impressive 30-ball innings ended with him one short off a fifty when he got a leading edge to a Collingwood slower ball and gave a gentle catch to Robert Key at short cover.
His exit ended a fifty stand with Borren but at 116 for four off 13 overs the Netherlands needed 47 runs off the final seven overs for a famous win.
England missed another run-out chance when Foster fumbled Collingwood's throw with Borren yards short.
Borren though holed out for 30, off just 25 balls, with the Dutch 133 for five in the 16th over as the rain started to fall.
Daan van Bunge then went down the pitch to cream Rashid for four through the covers and the Netherlands's target was down to 21 off three overs.
But when Van Bunge drove Anderson straight to Luke Wright, the Dutch were left with a target of 17 off 12 balls.
The Netherlands earlier staged a gutsy fightback with the ball.
England, who were without the injured Kevin Pietersen (Achilles), had been on a course for a huge total during an opening stand of 102 between Bopara (46) and Luke Wright, who top scored with 71.
But from 102 for none in the 12th over, England lost five wickets for 51 runs as their innings petered out, with ten Doeschate taking two for 35.
Rain forced the opening ceremony to be abandoned and the start delayed by 20 minutes before Netherlands captain Jeroen Smits won the toss and decided to field in damp, murky conditions.
The decision initially backfired as Bopara and Wright put on 102 for the first wicket.
Bopara struck the first ball of the tournament, from Dirk Nannes, for four. Despite a fiery couple of overs from the left-arm fast bowler, the century partnership was reached after 66 balls.
Bopara was soon out, caught at long on by Pieter Seelaar off Ryan ten Doeschate, but Wright, who played a riskier innings, reached his 50 from 36 balls.
However, England's other batsmen struggled to hit boundaries. Owais Shah made 5 before he has caught at deep mid-wicket by Alexei Kervezee off Edgar Schiferli, and Eoin Morgan was out for 6 when he attempted to reverse-sweep Peter Borren and chipped the ball straight to Bas Zuiderent.
Wright was eventually caught by Borren off Ten Doeschate, and captain Paul Collingwood made 11 when Seelaar drew him into a rash shot that was caught by Schiferli.
England conclude their Group B programme against Pakistan at the Oval on Sunday while the Netherlands face Pakistan at Lord's on Tuesday.
Two off the last ball, which saw bowler Stuart Broad miss with a shy off the stumps, saw the Dutch home to a total of 163 for six in reply to England's 162 for five.
England who had been 102 for one were made to pay for their failure to build on a superb opening stand by some enterprising Dutch batting led by a fine 49 from Tom de Grooth.
Essex all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate was 22 not out and Edgar Schiferli five not out.
The Dutch needed seven off the last over. They scrambled a single off the first ball when Stuart Broad missed with an underarm throw at the stumps.
Next ball Broad had another chance but the diving quick knocked the stumps down with his hand rather than the ball to leave the Dutch needing five off four with ten Doeschate on strike.
Broad hen dropped a caught and bowled chance off the next ball which again yielded a single, four runs off three balls the target for the Dutch who scrambled a bye after wicket-keeper James Foster failed to hit the stumps.
That left the target three off two and in turn that became two off one with Schiferli on strike before the minnows got home in a dramatic conclusion to a thrilling match.
While England's innings hadn't featured a single six, Netherlands opener Darron Reekers managed two off his own bat, pulling Ryan Sidebottom and James Anderson, during his knock of 20.
Meanwhile de Grooth reverse-swept leg-spinner Adil Rashid for four.
Rashid though did have Bas Zuiderent stumped by Foster to leave the Dutch 66 for three in the ninth over.
At the 10 over half-way mark the Netherlands were 91 for three and up with the rate and de Grooth gave England captain Paul Collingwood the same treatment he'd been meeting out to the rest of the attack by pulling the medium-pacer for four through mid-wicket.
After a fumble by Ravi Bopara cost England the chance of a run-out Peter Borren hoisted Collingwood into the Grandstand for six.
De Grooth's impressive 30-ball innings ended with him one short off a fifty when he got a leading edge to a Collingwood slower ball and gave a gentle catch to Robert Key at short cover.
His exit ended a fifty stand with Borren but at 116 for four off 13 overs the Netherlands needed 47 runs off the final seven overs for a famous win.
England missed another run-out chance when Foster fumbled Collingwood's throw with Borren yards short.
Borren though holed out for 30, off just 25 balls, with the Dutch 133 for five in the 16th over as the rain started to fall.
Daan van Bunge then went down the pitch to cream Rashid for four through the covers and the Netherlands's target was down to 21 off three overs.
But when Van Bunge drove Anderson straight to Luke Wright, the Dutch were left with a target of 17 off 12 balls.
The Netherlands earlier staged a gutsy fightback with the ball.
England, who were without the injured Kevin Pietersen (Achilles), had been on a course for a huge total during an opening stand of 102 between Bopara (46) and Luke Wright, who top scored with 71.
But from 102 for none in the 12th over, England lost five wickets for 51 runs as their innings petered out, with ten Doeschate taking two for 35.
Rain forced the opening ceremony to be abandoned and the start delayed by 20 minutes before Netherlands captain Jeroen Smits won the toss and decided to field in damp, murky conditions.
The decision initially backfired as Bopara and Wright put on 102 for the first wicket.
Bopara struck the first ball of the tournament, from Dirk Nannes, for four. Despite a fiery couple of overs from the left-arm fast bowler, the century partnership was reached after 66 balls.
Bopara was soon out, caught at long on by Pieter Seelaar off Ryan ten Doeschate, but Wright, who played a riskier innings, reached his 50 from 36 balls.
However, England's other batsmen struggled to hit boundaries. Owais Shah made 5 before he has caught at deep mid-wicket by Alexei Kervezee off Edgar Schiferli, and Eoin Morgan was out for 6 when he attempted to reverse-sweep Peter Borren and chipped the ball straight to Bas Zuiderent.
Wright was eventually caught by Borren off Ten Doeschate, and captain Paul Collingwood made 11 when Seelaar drew him into a rash shot that was caught by Schiferli.
England conclude their Group B programme against Pakistan at the Oval on Sunday while the Netherlands face Pakistan at Lord's on Tuesday.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Mahi revels in demolition job
Mahendra Singh Dhoni could not have asked for more. The ruthless demolition of the Pakistanis that lifted the spirits of a billion Indian hearts would have done a world of good for his team. It didn’t matter that it was just a practice game, but the intensity matched that of a World Championship final, the one played in 2007 in Johannesburg, where India beat Pakistan by a whisker to emerge Twenty20 champions.
On Wednesday at the Oval, the result was the same but the margin was as wide as the ocean. It would have been a rout had Ahmed Shahzad not run for his life and dived to hang on to a catch that sent back Rohit Sharma, the only Indian wicket to fall as the Blues chased down 158 with three overs to spare to send the predominantly Indian crowd into raptures — they chanted, sang and danced to bring the house down. Rohit ravaged the Pakistan XI bowlers, hitting nine fours and two sixes in his 53-ball romp that fetched him 80 runs.
Seasoned opener Gautam Gambhir played sensibly to chip in an unbeaten 52 (47b, 5x4) as the two put on an opening stand of 140 in 16 overs that shut Pakistan out of the match.
“I am happy with the performance of the side. This was our best ever win so far. It is tough to repeat such a performance,” an elated Dhoni said after the match.
Asked to choose the turning point, the Indian captain mentioned Suresh Raina’s direct hit and Harbhajan Singh’s spell. “Raina came up with a superb effort to run Kamran Akmal out when he was going good (Pakistan XI were 45/1 in the fifth over then). Harbhajan also bowled well, (giving away 27 runs in his four overs while he took the wicket of Younis Khan, who had put Pakistan back on track with a 50-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Misbah-ul Haq).”
Asked if he thought the Pakistanis got away after being 45/4, Dhoni defended his cautious approach. “We could have gone for the kill. But there’s a thin line between bravery and foolishness. We were happy to stop them at 158,” he said.
Later, Misbah-ul Haq (37 n.o) and Yasir Arafat (25 n.o), raised 52 runs off the last five overs. The India captain was all praise for the crowd as well. “The intensity of an India-Pakistan game, be it a practice match or a charity one, is entirely different and crowds like these pump you up,” he said, adding that the team “did not take any chance to experiment as we were playing Pakistan.”
The thumping victory apart, Dhoni admitted there were areas India needed to improve upon. “We didn’t bowl the last two overs really well again,” he said.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Sharma's success delights India skipper Dhoni
Rohit Sharma gave India fans plenty of hope they could manage without star opener Virender Sehwag during the World Twenty20 after leading
them to a warm-up thrashing of arch-rivals Pakistan.
And no-one was more pleased with the form of the 22-year-old Sharma than India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
A converted No 3, Sharma made a superbly paced 80, off 53 balls with two sixes and nine fours, that all but saw defending champions India
to their victory target of 159 at the Oval on Wednesday.
Sehwag is currently out with a shoulder injury and may not be fit for India's tournament opener against Bangladesh at Trent Bridge on Saturday.
But in Sharma, an essentially correct batsman who scored 404 runs at a strike of over 147 in 13 matches for this year's Indian Premier League champions the Deccan Chargers, they appear to have a ready-made replacement.
"It's always better to have a problem of plenty than have no-one who can fill the space," Dhoni said of Sharma.
"Rohit was always keen on opening, when Viru was injured. Even when he plays the quickest of bowlers he has got the time and the talent. Hopefully he'll get those runs throughout tournament, that will really help the middle order."
Sharma's batting, and that of Gambhir, who finished on 52 not out, also won praise from Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam.
"It was very sensible batting, good cricket shots, it wasn't slogging by either of them," Intikhab said. "Today Rohit was brilliant but I don't think they will play him and drop Sehwag."
Tight bowling, well led by paceman Ishant Sharma had earlier seen Pakistan collapse to 45/4 before they recovered to 158/6.
Aided by some fine fielding, exemplified by Suresh Raina's direct hit run-out of Kamran Akmal, India, who only beat Pakistan by five runs in the 2007 World Twenty20 final in Johannesburg, were dominant throughout.
Having lost their last warm-up match against New Zealand by nine runs, this was an ideal way to bounce back and Dhoni said: "It was important to win this game and go into the tournament with a bit of confidence.
"This was one of our best performances, it will be difficult to replicate, it was a brilliant all-round performance."
But long after the result of this match is forgotten, the sight and sound of 23,000 fans packed into the Oval to cheer on the Asian giants, a testament to the enduring support both the India and Pakistan teams enjoy in England, will remain in the memory.
It was hard to disagree with Dhoni when he said: "I think this will be the best crowd throughout the tournament, the noise was amazing. A jam-packed crowd helps you give your best."
His view was backed up by former Pakistan leg-spinner Intikhab, who played at the Oval for Surrey. "It was fantastic, it was really lovely to see how the people turned out."
This was Pakistan's second heavy warm-up defeat after their 59-run loss to South Africa.
But Intikhab was confident that Pakistan would be firing on all cylinders come their tournament opener against England at the Oval on Sunday.
"This was a dress rehearsal but I am sure they will come good at the right time. I'm not very concerned. What I want for the boys is that they perform well when the real time comes."
Pakistan have, until their recent series in the United Arab Emirates against Australia, largely been starved of international cricket following the terror attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in March.
They are also without pace bowlers Mohammad Asif, serving a one-year drugs ban, and Shoaib Akhtar (genital warts), but Intikhab said: "There are no excuses. Playing against two top teams was a good thing.
"We know exactly what our final combination will be. People always expect a great deal from Pakistan
cricket. If they play to their full potential, I feel they have a very good chance."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
them to a warm-up thrashing of arch-rivals Pakistan.
And no-one was more pleased with the form of the 22-year-old Sharma than India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
A converted No 3, Sharma made a superbly paced 80, off 53 balls with two sixes and nine fours, that all but saw defending champions India
to their victory target of 159 at the Oval on Wednesday.
Sehwag is currently out with a shoulder injury and may not be fit for India's tournament opener against Bangladesh at Trent Bridge on Saturday.
But in Sharma, an essentially correct batsman who scored 404 runs at a strike of over 147 in 13 matches for this year's Indian Premier League champions the Deccan Chargers, they appear to have a ready-made replacement.
"It's always better to have a problem of plenty than have no-one who can fill the space," Dhoni said of Sharma.
"Rohit was always keen on opening, when Viru was injured. Even when he plays the quickest of bowlers he has got the time and the talent. Hopefully he'll get those runs throughout tournament, that will really help the middle order."
Sharma's batting, and that of Gambhir, who finished on 52 not out, also won praise from Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam.
"It was very sensible batting, good cricket shots, it wasn't slogging by either of them," Intikhab said. "Today Rohit was brilliant but I don't think they will play him and drop Sehwag."
Tight bowling, well led by paceman Ishant Sharma had earlier seen Pakistan collapse to 45/4 before they recovered to 158/6.
Aided by some fine fielding, exemplified by Suresh Raina's direct hit run-out of Kamran Akmal, India, who only beat Pakistan by five runs in the 2007 World Twenty20 final in Johannesburg, were dominant throughout.
Having lost their last warm-up match against New Zealand by nine runs, this was an ideal way to bounce back and Dhoni said: "It was important to win this game and go into the tournament with a bit of confidence.
"This was one of our best performances, it will be difficult to replicate, it was a brilliant all-round performance."
But long after the result of this match is forgotten, the sight and sound of 23,000 fans packed into the Oval to cheer on the Asian giants, a testament to the enduring support both the India and Pakistan teams enjoy in England, will remain in the memory.
It was hard to disagree with Dhoni when he said: "I think this will be the best crowd throughout the tournament, the noise was amazing. A jam-packed crowd helps you give your best."
His view was backed up by former Pakistan leg-spinner Intikhab, who played at the Oval for Surrey. "It was fantastic, it was really lovely to see how the people turned out."
This was Pakistan's second heavy warm-up defeat after their 59-run loss to South Africa.
But Intikhab was confident that Pakistan would be firing on all cylinders come their tournament opener against England at the Oval on Sunday.
"This was a dress rehearsal but I am sure they will come good at the right time. I'm not very concerned. What I want for the boys is that they perform well when the real time comes."
Pakistan have, until their recent series in the United Arab Emirates against Australia, largely been starved of international cricket following the terror attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in March.
They are also without pace bowlers Mohammad Asif, serving a one-year drugs ban, and Shoaib Akhtar (genital warts), but Intikhab said: "There are no excuses. Playing against two top teams was a good thing.
"We know exactly what our final combination will be. People always expect a great deal from Pakistan
cricket. If they play to their full potential, I feel they have a very good chance."
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
Bowl him over
What’s in a T20 match?? What’s so damn interesting about it that men simply forget about us women? We always wonder how they watch a cricket match for hours together. It looks the same, most often than not.
Either the stumps get rattled, or the ball crosses a boundary or some guy catches the ball… so what keeps them glued? Guess when you can't fight 'em, you join 'em. There are obviously things that we don't seem to understand about a cricket match, especially the T20 format...
So, we asked around and found out 10 reasons why you should join the men:
Conversation starters
You know Sachin Tendulkar and that’s it! But what’s the harm in keeping yourself updated about the latest matches and cricket hotties in the league. You can participate and counter the men in cricket discussions too.
They make for great conversation starters as well. Rattling off names and scores will surely make them more interested in you!
Short and sweet
It’s T20 after all. Just a three-hour game! You surely can sit through that. What's more, you can scream, shout, cheer and hook that guy you've been eyeing with your enthusiasm ;)
Twists and turns
You can never ever predict what happens in any sport let alone cricket. But nothing is more thrilling than when you are routing for a team in a cricket match and there are only 10 balls to go...
You are at the edge of you seat wondering what the next ball has in store. The twists and turns can be more thrilling than a movie. Kuch bhi ho sakta hai… kabhi bhi!
Masala-tainment
You get loads of masala in a T20 match. The inside and off field juicy bytes, cheerleaders, music, excitement – all of it is filmy to say the least!
Men in jerseys
Bored of Bollywood and Hollywood hunks? Turn to cricket. Almost every country has a cricket team!! It’s not only 11 men, but much more than that!
Let your hair down
Lose yourself to the fun and masala of the T20 match. It’s not just cricket, but also about music! You read that right - A DJ plays some great numbers in the background. It’s another reason to party with all your buddies!
So cheer and dance everytime your team hits a six!
Shopping
It’s not everyday that you go to watch a match, be it in a sports bar or a stadium. Wear something sporty! If you don’t have anything suitable, here's another reason to go shopping! Need we say more?
Meet new people
Isn’t a sports bar or a stadium a cool place to make new friends?? Try it and you'd definitely have a more fun-filled experience.
Win-win!
Your guy would be more than happy to have you next to him throughout the match. Who knows he may even take you out for a special dinner or even accompany you to some chick flick (which he would have generally avoided!!) the next time around.
It’s a religion
It is cricket woman - equivalent to religion for men. You can’t avoid it! Sooner or later you are bound to catch this deadly fever…
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