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Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Smith: We can win World Twenty20
Teenage pace ace Wayne Parnell took four for 13 as South Africa ran out winners by 20 runs to once again justify their tag as tournament favourites.
"It's been a successful week but a tough one," said Smith. "We get an extra day now before we play India and I'm comfortable with where we are, you can't argue with the performances or the results we have turned out in this competition so far."
He added: "As a team we try to challenge ourselves. There are always things to improve on but if we play our best and with our intensity, if we perform to our potential, then we will be difficult to beat.
"I really believe we can win it, but there is a long way to go, a lot of cricket to be played and a lot of good teams in this competition."
The Proteas made 183 for seven from their 20 overs, including 55 from Herschelle Gibbs, and after Parnell had removed openers Chris Gayle and Andre Fletcher they were relatively untroubled in restricting West Indies to 163 for nine.
Lendl Simmons offered brief hope of a Windies fightback, but their chance disappeared when he fell for 77 as South Africa followed up their win over England on Thursday with another impressive performance
West Indies skipper Gayle was unhappy his side had been forced to take to the field just 17 hours after beating India at Lord's last night, but refused to blame the quick turnaround for the defeat.
The Windies next take on England on Monday.
"Twenty20 takes a lot out of you mentally. But we knew the itinerary and we came here to play a good game of cricket so I'm disappointed we lost," said Gayle. "I have to commend the guys for the effort they put in after what happened on Friday. We wanted to better that performance but it didn't happen."
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Yuvraj looking to bat up the order
The left-hander played a magnificent knock of 67 from 43 deliveries against the West Indies on Friday and many believe he could do with a promotion to number three in Sunday's do-or-die Super Eights match of the ICC World Twenty20 against England.
"It is the captain and coach who decide where I bat in the line-up. As any batsman, I would like to bat up the order, but it is important it is about the team and not about where you want to bat.
"If somebody is getting the runs then it is very important to carry on the form for the team. But the team comes first and what the team wants I will do that first," he said, at Lord's.
India's vice-captain also admitted he would draw inspiration from his feat of hitting six sixes against England pacer Stuart Broad in the last tournament in South Africa in 2007.
"Yes, hitting six sixes is always a special memory, especially when you get hit for five. Yeah, that will be in the back of my mind but, as I said, it is a new game," he said.
Yuvraj said the pressure of retaining the trophy is also proving to be a factor for the team, but the boys are confident of a good showing against the hosts on Sunday.
"As defending champions there is always pressure, because you want to defend your title. But T20 is a very unpredictable format and anything can happen. As you saw, Australia went out and they are the top team in the world. The thing is that it is a do-or-die situation for us. But we have done well against England recently and we are very confident about tomorrow's game," he said.
He also seemed thrilled at the idea of resuming his rivalry with England's star batsman Kevin Pietersen , who had once labelled the left-armer a "pie-chucker".
"If I get a chance I would like to bowl to him again and I am sure he would like to call me pie-chucker again. But he is a great batsman and we always look forward to playing each other. We do always spur each other on," he said.
Yuvraj also came out strongly in support of captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni , who has struggled in the tournament so far.
"Just because Dhoni has not scored in one match it does not mean he is a bad batsman and he cannot score in the future. He has performed well for India and played a lot of great innings for the country. I am sure that once he crosses 10 or 15 runs he will once again win matches for India."
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Smith says South Africa can win T20 title
That victory, coupled with a seven-wicket defeat of hosts England
earlier in the week, meant South Africa had won their opening two Super Eights matches.
The Proteas, who are within touching distance of the semi-finals, complete their second round programme against defending champions India at Trent Bridge on Tuesday.
"I really believe we can win it," said Smith after South Africa's win over the West Indies at The Oval.
"But there is a long way to go, a lot of cricket to be played and a lot of good teams in this competition.
"It's been a successful week but a tough one. We get an extra day now before we play India and I'm comfortable with where we are, you can't argue with the performances or the results we have turned out in this competition so far.
"As a team we try to challenge ourselves. There are always things to improve but if we play our best and with our intensity, if we perform to our potential, then we will be difficult to beat."
South Africa made 183 for seven, Herschelle Gibbs top-scoring with 55, before holding the West Indies to 163 for nine in an innings where teenage left-arm quick Wayne Parnell took four wickets for 13 runs.
"You really need to be on top of your game against the West Indies, especially here at the Oval where the conditions suit them," explained Smith.
Parnell, 19, who took three wickets against England, said: "It's still a batsman's game but if you bowl well you can pick up wickets.
"I enjoy bowling at the death. I have developed my yorker in the last 10 months and I am adding other things to my game."
India went down to a seven-wicket loss to the West Indies at Lord's on Friday.
Before they play South Africa they face England on Sunday at Lord's and Smith said of his team's clash with the title-holders: "There is a lot of cricket in the group before that.
"India had not been really tested in the competition until Friday. I think they will have taken a lot of lessons from that.
"It was their first real competitive game so it going to be interesting to see how they go before Tuesday."
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England not afraid of India
Flower said his wards will have to play with "controlled aggression" in their must-win game at Lord's here if they are to stay afloat in the tournament.
"I am not sure where we are ranked in Twenty20 International cricket, but in 50 overs we are sixth in the world and at the moment that is the level we are performing at in 20 overs as well. I think it is a reflection of where we are as a team," Flower said.
"India are a very good side and we respect them tremendously but we aren't fearful of them. We'll play an attacking brand of Twenty20 cricket when we face them. We're definitely not going to win this tournament by playing conservative cricket," he said.
Explaining further, the England coach said he was for controlled aggression instead of unbridled slam-bang.
"There's a blend of attack and good decision-making that you've got to find. It's not just crash, bang, wallop all the time, there is a lot of thought that goes into that crash, bang, wallop and there is a skill to playing the right shot at the right time."
Flower also accepted that lack of top-level experience in this format of the game could count against his side when they take on India's star-studded line-up.
"In terms of international experience - and when I say that I include world tournaments such as the IPL where you've the best players in the world playing - we're lacking some of the experience that other top sides have so we're learning about this game as the tournament progresses," Flower said.
"These tournaments are important to the team's development. Development is something that will happen in time but ultimately it is about performance. This is a World Cup and we want to win it in our home country and performance has to be our first priority." Read more
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Saturday, June 13, 2009
WI v RSA | West Indies vs south Africa highlight video
Dwayne Bravo was scintillating against India, Fidel Edwards showed plenty of fire with his short-pitched bowling with the new ball, and Lendl Simmons’ cool head ensured the experience and skill of Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan was hardly needed. The challenge is to reproduce the same levels of intensity, for nothing less will do against a side which is on a hot streak, and is looking to become the first team to win six Twenty20 internationals on the trot.
South Africa, along with Sri Lanka, have been the form team of the tournament so far. Unlike the mercurial and unpredictable West Indies, the South Africans take pride in their consistency, and have shown that it takes plenty for them to be beaten, even in a 20-over game. The bowlers have been outstanding, rescuing what seemed a lost cause against New Zealand, and the batting has plenty of depth and class. Can West Indies upset the form book twice in two days?
17th Match of ICC World Twenty20 Cricket tournament from Group E between South Africa vs West Indies (SA vs WI) is scheduled on 13th July, 2009 from 13:30 GMT local time (12:30 GMT) at The Oval, London. Live Cricket Match and Hasan Online Sports will publish live links for watch free online tv streaming and embed multimedia player to stream the match live for free. Read more
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Broad warned by ICC over antics
As Broad approached his delivery stride, he pointed towards his side as if to indicate a fielder was out of position, but carried on with his bowling action without disrupting his own rhythm. AB de Villiers worked the ball behind square for a single so Broad's antics didn't bear fruit. It might have been more of a talking point if the ball had brought him a wicket. Broad had done it before as well, during the one-day series at home against West Indies.
Graeme Smith, the South African captain, had said the matter needed clarification. His view appeared to be supported by Law 42.4 of the Laws of Cricket, which states: "It is unfair for any member of the fielding side deliberately to attempt to distract the striker while he is preparing to receive or receiving a delivery."
Paul Collingwood, the England captain, had defended Broad saying he was not going to ask him to stop doing it. England coach Andy Flower claimed former South African allrounder Shaun Pollock had begun the practice some years ago.
"He [Pollock] didn't point to the left as Stuart did but he looked to the left as he was running in," said Flower. "He was probably the first guy I saw do it, which is interesting. I don't think it's a huge issue, to be honest."
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Friday, June 12, 2009
India hit a roadblock | india vs West Indies :t20
India's plans had worked smoothly so far in the tournament. Their make-shift opening pair of Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma, in the absence of Virender Sehwag, succeeded against the Ireland and Bangladesh new-ball attacks. Today they were undone by Fidel Edwards' pace and Dwayne Bravo's variations and the middle order faced its first real test of the competition. Despite Yuvraj Singh's aggressive half-century, India achieved a total that was below par.
"During the middle overs you actually play according to what you get in the first few overs," Dhoni said after the defeat. "If you lose too many wickets in the first few overs, you go for a consolidated approach and play till the 12th or the 13th over so that your lower-order batsmen can come and go after the bowlers. We had to change our plans when Yuvraj and I were batting. We wanted to play the next five or six overs without losing a wicket."
Dhoni and Yuvraj began to consolidate after India were reduced to 29 for 3. The pair took their time in the hope that they would make up for the balls consumed once they were well set and had rebuilt the innings. Yuvraj succeeded but Dhoni didn't and his dismissal, for 11 off 23 balls, set the innings back a long way.
"I got out in the 11th over and that plan got disrupted a bit," Dhoni said. "The intention was not to hit but it went straight to the fielder." Despite the hiccups, a spate of boundaries from Yuvraj, Yusuf Pathan and Harbhajan gave India a fighting chance.
The total of 153 seemed eminently defendable when India's bowlers snuffed out the threat posed by Chris Gayle. They tied him down, allowing him only 22 runs off 28 balls, and he eventually top-edged Yusuf towards short fine leg. However, as reliant as they seem on the pyrotechnics of their captain, West Indies had pushed Sri Lanka in their group match at Trent Bridge without Gayle. Bravo led the charge in that game but couldn't take his team to the top of the group. Today he saw West Indies through to the finish.
Bravo, with his footwork and penchant for the inside-out loft over extra cover, countered India's spinners. He scored 48 runs off 28 balls against Yusuf, Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha, ensuring the asking-rate never got out of hand. He even prospered against Ishant Sharma, who has found rhythm operating with the older ball, scoring at a strike-rate of 183 against him.
"Bravo was milking the bowlers and he got quite a few boundaries in the middle overs," Dhoni said. "He played shots over covers and through midwicket and you can't really have fielders there. We were able to raise the required run rate close to 10 runs per over, we were good at that but he took the game away from us."
West Indies' seven-wicket victory has left India in a precarious position. They now need to win both their games against England and South Africa to qualify for the semi-finals. Coincidentally, they were in the same position against the same opponents two years against in South Africa.
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Younis welcomes Razzaq's return
Razzaq has been given his chance after Yasir Arafat was ruled out of the remainder of the tournament with a hamstring injury.
His return also marks his re-integration into the Pakistan side following an amnesty for former players in the Indian Cricket League - the rival Twenty20 event to the officially sanctioned Indian Premier League.
A hard-hitting batsman and lively reverse-swing bowling make the 29-year-old a potential match-winner.
Although Razzaq will arrive in England too late for Pakistan's opening match of the second phase Super Eights against Sri Lanka at Lord's on Friday, Younus believes he can still have an impact during the rest of the tournament.
"This game is not possible but I think he will manage the last two games," Younus told reporters at Lord's here on Thursday. "He is a good name in world cricket and in Twenty20 he is a fantastic all-rounder.
"He is a senior guy and his return will be good for Pakistan cricket - he would be in any team in the world," added Younus, who could have Razzaq available for Pakistan's second Super Eights match against New Zealand.
Pakistan lost to arch-rivals India by five runs in the inaugural final of the World Twenty20 in South Africa two years ago.
They looked a shadow of that side during a 48-run thrashing by hosts England first time out at this tournament but bounced back with a convincing win over minnows the Netherlands to book their place in the second round.
"People know that if Pakistan do things right at the right time we can beat any team," Younus stressed.
His refusal to take Twenty20 too seriously and generally relaxed, happy go lucky style of captaincy, have led to raised eyebrows in some quarters.
But Younus defended his approach by saying: "I am a simple guy, sometimes people think I am wrong because when we lose I am still laughing. You must look forward, if you lose or win.
"This is life," he insisted. "Sometimes you have good days, sometimes you have bad days.
"We are focusing on the first two games of this Super Eights. If we win them then we will be in the semi-finals."
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Thursday, June 11, 2009
India and Sri Lanka victorious
India warmed up for the second round Super Eights by crushing hapless Ireland by eight wickets on Wednesday, while veteran opener Sanath Jayasuriya smashed 81 as Sri Lanka defeated the West Indies by 15 runs.
Left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan claimed 4-19, including three wickets in seven balls, to restrict Ireland to 8-112 in a match reduced to 18 overs a side due to rain.
Opener Rohit Sharma then hit an unbeaten 52 off 45 balls as India romped home with 15 balls to spare to end the preliminary league with two successive wins. Gautam Gamhir chipped in with 37 in a first-wicket stand of 77 with Sharma in front of a sellout crowd.
India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said there was still room for improvement. "The bowlers did very well … (But) we can do better in the field. It wasn't our best day."
The Irish, surprise qualifiers for the Super Eights after beating Bangladesh, never recovered from Zaheer's triple strike, which reduced them to 4-28 by the seventh over. Andrew White top-scored with 29 as four of the top six batsmen failed to reach double figures.
Jayasuriya and Tillekeratne Dilshan hammered an opening stand of 124 as Sri Lanka eased past the West Indies. The duo lifted Sri Lanka to 5-192, a total the West Indies chased bravely despite the absence of explosive opener and captain Chris Gayle, who missed the match due to a knee injury.
The West Indians ended at 5-177, fired by a spectacular counter-attack by Dwayne Bravo and Ramnaresh Sarwan, who put on 77 off 59 balls for the fifth wicket.
Bravo hit a 38-ball 51 that included five fours and two sixes, while Sarwan remained unbeaten on 28.
"I'm happy with the way the guys played," said Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara.
"Sanath is a genius and he was ably supported by Dilshan. They proved that with a good start you can put up a very defendable total."
Left-handed Jayasuriya, at 39 the oldest player in the 12-nation tournament, smashed 81 off 47 balls, studded with 10 boundaries and three sixes.
THE SUPER EIGHTS
GROUP ESouth Africa
India
England
West Indies
GROUP FSri Lanka
Pakistan
New Zealand
Ireland
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Australia not fazed by Buck's new gig
Buchanan's temporary defection to England, which will coincide with an England Lions game against the Australians just before the first Test, was greeted without indignation in the Australian camp, with Watson believing the former national coach's presence will have little bearing on the Ashes result.
Though it will be strange to see Buchanan in the opposition dressing room, Watson said his appointment was a reality of modern cricket in which information flows freely around the world, and even suggested Australia would hold the advantage because of the presence of Troy Cooley, the bowling coach who helped the England quicks topple the Australians on English soil in 2005 and then returned to his native Australia.
"Coaches these days are able to coach around the world," Watson said. "For example, Troy [Cooley] and Rod Marsh were at the Australian cricket academy and then went over to help the English out. I think it's great for world cricket to be able to use the knowledge, and it can work both ways. We've got Troy to be able to make the most of the information he got from coaching the England [quicks].
"We've had two years with Tim Nielsen now and obviously John Buchanan has coached Kolkata and done some other things as well, so to me it's part of his job and what he is trying to do as a coach, to get around and help people out whether it's Australia-wide or internationally. He's got great experience so I think that's his call and we're lucky to have Troy on our side now."
Asked whether the Australians would be disappointed if Buchanan divulged information gleaned during his eight-year tenure as Australia's most successful coach, Watson said: "Not at all. There are no real secrets to what we do in the Australian team. It's just the way we prepare … I don't think it's rocket science, what he'll be able to give them, anyway."
Buchanan's assignment will focus predominantly on England's junior teams and the England Lions. He is expected to spend time at the academy in Loughborough and meet coach Andy Flower, but has hinted at an expansion of his role.
"It is my own business who I choose to talk to and what I talk about," Buchanan told Cricinfo. "Both myself and the ECB have indicated that in terms of their elite program I could fulfil a role. I will fly over on June 28, have a good look at the elite program, and sit down with them to see what potentially lies ahead.
"This trip will be largely about looking at the coaching programs, and working with the under-19s and the Lions team."
His most recent coaching triumphs with Australia were the 2006-07 Ashes whitewash and the 2007 World Cup triumph, but he remained affiliated with his home country until Cricket Australia did not renew a coaching ambassador's contract last year.
"John is free to do whatever he wants," said Brett Lee before Buchanan's role with the ECB was formalised.
Buchanan added: "I'm looking forward to the opportunity to get over there and look at the general set-up. I think it's fair to say that there has been a fair amount of interest from both parties and I suppose the situation will become clearer in early July."
Watson is hoping to force his way into the Test team through tour matches in Hove and Worcester, but there is intense competition for the No.6 spot after the successful debut of Marcus North in South Africa.
"It comes down to performing in the tour matches," Watson said. "That's what I am setting my mind to, to be in the best technical and mental state to give myself the best chance to perform in those games."
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Warriors want Gilly back for T20
WACA chief executive Graeme Wood confirmed yesterday that Gilchrist would be targeted for a return to the Warriors but solely for the Twenty20 competition. Under new rules for this season's Twenty20 campaign, each side will be allowed to recruit a high-profile past player of their state.
Wood said Gilchrist, who played a starring role in Deccan Chargers' recent IPL title triumph in South Africa, was the Warriors' main interest.
"I'd say he'd be a reasonable target," Wood said. "We are certainly hoping that would come to fruition."
Moody said the WACA would contact Gilchrist to evaluate his interest.
"Obviously Gilly's got a lot on his plate, a lot to consider, so we'll cross that bridge when we get to it," Moody said.
Langer had indicated he was willing to make a comeback for the Warriors but said he would only return if he was offered the captaincy. But Moody said that was not an option, backing Ashes-bound Marcus North to continue on in the role.
"He [Langer] would be relatively keen to come back but he's looking to take on a leadership role here at the WACA as a state captain but that doesn't fit our needs at the moment," Moody said.
Meanwhile, Bulls great Andy Bichel has described Ashley Noffke's controversial defection to Western Australia as a "tragedy" for Queensland cricket.
A disgruntled Noffke, 32, has signed a two-year deal with the Warriors after being upset by the Bulls plans for him to play out his career as a four-day specialist.
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Pakistan take on Sri Lanka in Super 8 clash
are yet to get over Younis Khan's absurd comment about T20 being merely 'fun cricket'. On Friday, the Pakistan skipper has the opportunity to prove his comments weren't serious as his side takes on Sri Lanka in the Group F Super 8 encounter.
Runners-up in 2007, Pakistan did themselves a huge favour by convincingly beating Netherlands and advancing to the Super 8. Their progress in the tournament had looked doubtful after their unimpressive performance against England in their first match at the Oval.
Before the tournament started, Younis Khan had stated how a semi-final appearance could put the smile back on people's faces back in Pakistan. Now, their side can take steps towards just that by putting in a performance of note against the islanders.
Pakistan have the best record in T20 Internationals, winning 14 out of 18 matches. But they haven't played like a team that has won most T20 games.
Their team selection and combinations have often been controversial. They dropped a match-winner like Sohail Tanvir against England. Shahid Afridi is more effective with the ball these days than with the bat, yet he has ben promoted to No.4. And sending Misbah-Ul-Haq, one of Pakistan's best players and a genuine match-winner, to bat at No. 7 was shocking. They will need to correct these errors.
Everything will be forgotten, though, if they beat Sri Lanka on Friday. Sanath Jayasuriya will hold the key to the fortunes of the Lankans, as he so often does in any game. But Kumar Sangakkara's boys aren't just dependent on the soon to be 40-year-old.
Tillakaratne Dilshan has been as consistent as Pakistan's inconsistency. Sangakkara himself has developed into a class T20 player, while Mahela Jayawardene is one of the best finishers in this format.
If there is a worry for the Lankans then it is the lack of explosive power at the back end of their innings. Perhaps, it is here that Lanka can include Farveez Maharoof instead of Udana, who has struggled with length and direction. Maharoof can bowl excellent yorkers and is a strong hitter of the cricket ball.
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Zaheer's back in swing of things
Australia in 2003 and 2007. He also had to come back from Pakistan during that momentous tour in 2004 after playing in just the first Test in Multan.
He missed India's victorious campaign in South Africa during the 2007 World Twenty20 because of a heel problem. So when he got injured during the IPL while playing for Mumbai Indians, just a month before the 2009 World T20 began, he must have been thinking, "Oh, no. Not again!"
Zaheer was worried when he suffered the shoulder injury on May 3. "When I fell, I was a bit scared till the scan results were out. I didn't know whether the injury was serious or not. Once the scan results were out, I was pretty confident," the left-arm-seamer, who won the Man of the Match award for his four wickets for 19 runs in three overs against Ireland at Trent Bridge here on Wednesday, said.
Apart from confidence, the 31-year old could also be justified in feeling relieved.
"It was a narrow escape for me. It could have been worse. I was lucky to miss just four weeks of action. The good thing is there is nothing serious that has happened to the shoulder," Zaheer said.
Zaheer has enjoyed his time out in England. His career underwent a renaissance during the county season of 2006, when he plied his trade for Worcestershire. He rediscovered his zeal for cricket after being poorly treated and managed during the Greg Chappell regime.
In July 2007, he bowled India to a famous victory at Trent Bridge in the second Test of the three-match series. India won that series 1-0 and Zaheer was also Man-of-the-Series for picking up 18 wickets. What is it about England and Trent Bridge that brings out the best in him?
"I really enjoy bowling in England, especially on this wicket. There is always something in it for the fast bowlers here. You have favourite grounds and favourite venues which bring back happy memories. It helps you perform better at those venues," was Zaheer's reasoning.
The game against Ireland was Zaheer's second of the tournament. Fans who watched him apply ice packs on his left shoulder during practice on Monday will now be relieved and confident that he is back to full fitness. "It was the second game for me and it was important for me to pick up wickets. I feel confident after this performance," he said.
He ran in, extracted movement and troubled the top-order. If he continues this kind of form and fitness, his dream of playing in a World championship winning XI will be fulfilled.
While Zaheer was part of the side that reached the final of the 2003 World Cup in South Africa, he hasn't really been a part of a World Cup-winning side.
Does he regret not going to South Africa in 2007 as he was in great form in the series preceding the tourney, in England? "There's no use thinking about that. It was unfortunate that I opted out of the last World Cup. But that was the right decision at that moment and I am happy to be a part of this team this time," Zaheer said.
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T20: Younis advises Dhoni to keep his cool
Asked to comment on Dhoni's recent tussle with the Indian media during the ICC World Twenty20, Younis said that it would be great for Dhoni if he just focuses on his game and his team.
'I personally believe that nobody comes after you if you are playing well,' said Younis. 'You should focus on your game and your team and forget about everything else,' he added.
Speaking at a press conference here at Lord's ahead of his team's Super Eights match against Sri Lanka, Younis said he has great expectations from his team.
'Sri Lanka are a good side. But it's also a good chance for us because I believe that if we make the right things at the right time, we can beat them easily.'
The Pakistan captain is hoping that his players will be able to counter the threat posed by Sri Lanka's spin duo of Muttiah Muralidaran and Ajantha Mendis.
'We are used to the Sri Lankan spinners now,' said Younis, whose team bounced back from a crushing 48-run against England to beat the Dutch by 82 runs and qualify for the Super Eights.
'I hope the batsmen will play well against them (spinners). Because of cold conditions the ball might not break here at Lord's. But that said, if you play your shots against a bowler like Mendis, there is always a chance that you might give away your wicket.'
Younis ruled out the inclusion of seasoned all-rounder Abdul Razzaq, saying that it would be difficult for the player to take the field against Sri Lanka after arriving here just before the Super Eights match.
'I don't think it's possible for him to come here after 16 or 17 hours of travel and then take part in the match right away.'
The Pakistan captain termed the inclusion of Razzaq as a great sign for his team and said he would include the all-rounder in the playing line-up as soon as he is ready.
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Pakistan v Sri Lanka | Pakistan v Sri Lanka highlight | Pakistan v Sri Lanka live score | PAK vs Lanka
Friday June 12, 2009
Start time 17.30 local, 12.30GMT
Sri Lanka Bat
Pakistan Bat
Pakistan take on Sri Lanka in Super 8 clash. Pakistan hope to recover the emotional loss in the final of the Tewnty20 World Cup final last year, when they begin their Super 8 match against Sri Lanka.
Fans and the media in England are yet to get over Younis Khan's absurd comment about T20 being merely 'fun cricket'. On Friday, the Pakistan skipper has the opportunity to prove his comments weren't serious as his side takes on Sri Lanka in the Group F Super 8 encounter.
Runners-up in 2007, Pakistan did themselves a huge favour by convincingly beating Netherlands and advancing to the Super 8. Their progress in the tournament had looked doubtful after their unimpressive performance against England in their first match at the Oval.
Before the tournament started, Younis Khan had stated how a semi-final appearance could put the smile back on people's faces back in Pakistan. Now, their side can take steps towards just that by putting in a performance of note against the islanders.
Pakistan have the best record in T20 Internationals, winning 14 out of 18 matches. But they haven't played like a team that has won most T20 games.
Their team selection and combinations have often been controversial. They dropped a match-winner like Sohail Tanvir against England. Shahid Afridi is more effective with the ball these days than with the bat, yet he has ben promoted to No.4. And sending Misbah-Ul-Haq, one of Pakistan's best players and a genuine match-winner, to bat at No. 7 was shocking. They will need to correct these errors.
Everything will be forgotten, though, if they beat Sri Lanka on Friday. Sanath Jayasuriya will hold the key to the fortunes of the Lankans, as he so often does in any game. But Kumar Sangakkara's boys aren't just dependent on the soon to be 40-year-old.
Tillakaratne Dilshan has been as consistent as Pakistan's inconsistency. Sangakkara himself has developed into a class T20 player, while Mahela Jayawardene is one of the best finishers in this format.
If there is a worry for the Lankans then it is the lack of explosive power at the back end of their innings. Perhaps, it is here that Lanka can include Farveez Maharoof instead of Udana, who has struggled with length and direction. Maharoof can bowl excellent yorkers and is a strong hitter of the cricket ball.
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India v West Indies, ICC World Twenty20, Lord's | India v West Indies |IND vs WI | India v West Indies highlight video |India v West Indies live score
Friday, June 12
Start time 1730 local (1630 GMT)
India Bat
WI Bat
Big Picture
The business end of the tournament is about to begin for India, who have gone into the Super Eights under-tested. They have gone about their task effectively though, and without fuss, and facing them are a side who have been a total contrast. West Indies have been unpredictable, mercurial at times and pedestrian otherwise, and have relied on individual performances to lift them up.
Beware the individual spark though. The kind of innings Chris Gayle played against Australia can beat any team in the world on its own. The team officials are confident Gayle will be back for this match after he missed the inconsequential league game against Sri Lanka on Wednesday. India's counterpart of Gayle, the man capable of playing a similar innings at the top, Virender Sehwag, is not in town. Now starts the real test of how well Rohit Sharma can fill the opener's slot.
Form guide
(last five matches, most recent first)
India: WWLLW
The only worry so far has been their bowling at the death. In their two warm-up games, they gave away 31 and 39 in their last two overs, and Ireland managed 39 off the last three in the final league game.
West Indies: LWWLW(T)
Lendl Simmons, Gayle's replacement for the match against Sri Lanka, has given West Indies plenty to think about. His bowling figures of 3-0-19-4 first kept Sri Lanka to under 200, and then his 19-ball 29 got West Indies to some sort of a start in their chase.
Watch out for...
India's spin twins: West Indies clearly relished the pace of Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee, but against Sri Lankan quality spin bowling they struggled. Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha are not quite your Murali and Mendis, but they are good enough to test West Indies.
Gayle comes back with immense possibility at the top, inspirational leadership, and canny offbreaks. How long he stays at the crease could spell West Indies' fate.
Team news
India don't really have major reasons to fiddle around with their winning combination. Except for Irfan Pathan, who provides them with an interesting dilemma. Against Bangladesh, he came out in the last over and hit a six and a four right away, which proved to be the difference between a difficult and an improbable chase. But his bowling has been the weak link in the Indian attack: against Bangladesh his two overs went for 20, and against Ireland his 15-run over in the end took the total past 100. Specialist bowlers in Praveen Kumar or RP Singh, or bits-and-pieces allrounder in Irfan Pathan?
India: (probable) 1 Gautam Gambhir, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 MS Dhoni (capt/wk), 6 Yusuf Pathan, 7 Harbhajan Singh, 8 Zaheer Khan, 9 Irfan Pathan/Praveen Kumar/RP Singh, 10 Pragyan Ojha, 11 Ishant Sharma
Whose place does Gayle take? Simmons will be difficult to push out, which makes Xavier Marshall and Kieron Pollard the prime suspects.
West Indies: (probable) 1 Chris Gayle (capt), 2 Andre Fletcher, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 4 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 5 Dwayne Bravo, 6&7 Lendl Simmons/Xavier Marshall/Kieron Pollard, 8 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 9 Jerome Taylor, 10 Fidel Edwards, 11 Suleiman Benn.
Stats and Trivia
- India and West Indies haven't yet faced each other in Twenty20 internationals.
- MS Dhoni's strike-rate in Twnety20 internationals is 105.8, Shivnarine Chanderpaul's is 99.36.Quotes
"We had options for back-up openers, Yusuf and I were also spoken about. But Rohit was in good form in the IPL and has grabbed his chance with both hands."
MS Dhoni speaks about India's new opener, Rohit Sharma
"It will be a big boost for us. With his [Gayle's] presence in the team all the guys' confidence will be up."
Denesh Ramdin, who captained West Indies in Gayle's absence
Source:www.cricinfo.com Read more
England v South Africa match Score Card | Highlight
Match Statistics
England v South Africa, 14th Match
Trent Bridge, 11 Jun 2009
Umpires: SJ Davis , AL Hill
Toss won by England, Elected to bat
Player of the Match: JH Kallis
South Africa won by 7 wickets
Score Summary
Runs Run Rate Overs
England 111/10 5.60 19.5
South Africa 114/3 6.22 18.2
Watch Video Here
| England Batting Score Card | ||||||
| Batsman | Status | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | FOW |
| RS Bopara | b DW Steyn | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4/1 |
| LJ Wright | ct MV Boucher b WD Parnell | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 4/2 |
| KP Pietersen | ct RE van der Merwe b JA Morkel | 19 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 25/3 |
| OA Shah | ct MV Boucher b JH Kallis | 38 | 33 | 3 | 2 | 88/7 |
| PD Collingwood | b JH Kallis | 19 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 78/4 |
| JS Foster | ct JA Morkel b RE van der Merwe | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 79/5 |
| AD Mascarenhas | b RE van der Merwe | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 82/6 |
| GP Swann | ct JA Morkel b J Botha | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 92/8 |
| SCJ Broad | b WD Parnell | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 111/9 |
| AU Rashid | not out | 9 | 17 | 0 | 0 | |
| JM Anderson | b WD Parnell | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 111/10 |
| Total | 10 wicket(s); 19.5 over(s) | 111 | ||||
South Africa | ||||||
| Over | MDN | Runs | Wkts | Wide | No | |
| DW Steyn | 4.0 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| WD Parnell | 3.5 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| JH Kallis | 3.0 | 0 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| JA Morkel | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| J Botha | 4.0 | 0 | 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| RE van der Merwe | 4.0 | 0 | 32 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| South Africa | ||||||
| Batsman | Status | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | FOW |
| GC Smith | ct JS Foster b SCJ Broad | 11 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 17/1 |
| JH Kallis | not out | 57 | 49 | 5 | 1 | |
| HH Gibbs | b GP Swann | 30 | 30 | 2 | 1 | 91/2 |
| AB de Villiers | ct PD Collingwood b AU Rashid | 11 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 108/3 |
| JP Duminy | not out | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | |
| MV Boucher | ||||||
| DW Steyn | ||||||
| J Botha | ||||||
| JA Morkel | ||||||
| WD Parnell | ||||||
| RE van der Merwe | ||||||
| Total | 3 wicket(s); 18.2 over(s) | 114 | ||||
| England | ||||||
| Bowler | Over | MDN | Runs | Wkts | Wide | No |
| AD Mascarenhas | 4.0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| JM Anderson | 3.2 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| SCJ Broad | 3.0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| GP Swann | 4.0 | 0 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| AU Rashid | 4.0 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
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Kiwi Ryder out of World T20 with mystery illness
Ryder, a top order batsman, was hospitalised in London earlier this week for a mysterious illness and did not travel with the team for the Super Eights match against Ireland here later on Thursday.
New Zealand manager Dave Currie said Ryder remained in hospital, but was likely to be released within the next 24 hours and head back to New Zealand for further recuperation.
"Unfortunately medical advice is that it would be very difficult for Jesse to regain full fitness in time for the remainder of the tournament," said Currie.
"Because of the time constraints at this stage of the tournament we have made the call to bring in a replacement player, and we are fortunate that Aaron has been able to join the side for Thursday's game.
"It?s a real disappointment for Jesse. He is one of the most explosive batsmen in the world and was well placed to make his mark on this tournament," said Currie.
The International Cricket Council has approved Redmond's inclusion in the squad, Currie added.
A media release from the Black Caps earlier this week said "the diagnosis of Jesse?s injury was unclear, but it seems he is suffering from a significant infection".
Redmond was playing grade cricket in England when he was summoned to join the national squad.
He has played seven Tests for New Zealand and was a leading performer in the latest domestic Twenty20 competition, finishing as the top run scorer including an innings of 100 not out from 58 balls.
Source:www.cricbuzz.com Read more
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Sehwag offered to play with painkillers
Sehwag's team mates in the IPL confirmed that the opener had suffered the injury during the tournament's semi-final match against Deccan Chargers in Centurion on May 22. "He dived to stop a shot from Adam Gilchrist off Ashish Nehra's bowling when he strained his shoulder," a Daredevils team mate, who did not wish to be identified, told The Indian Express on Wednesday.
Sehwag, he added, bowled an over after that but experienced slight pain once his body had cooled down after the match.
Another player close to Sehwag said he was advised rest so that his shoulder could heal in the two weeks leading up to the World T20 championships. Sehwag then proceeded to England with the Indian team, still in slight pain, and it was only after an MRI scan in England that a Grade I tear was revealed, the player said.
An Indian team source added: "Viru could still bat with pain-killer injections but there was a problem while throwing and bowling. He offered to get through this tournament if the team needed. But because he would've been a liability in the field, the management decided to ask for a replacement."
Zaheer Khan went through a similar injury in the days leading up to the World T20. He was initially ruled out until he Super 8s but recovered quicker than expected, in time for India's first match against Bangladesh.
Sehwag will now consult Dr Andrew Wallace, who had treated Sachin Tendulkar in the past, in London to decide his next course of treatment.
Dinesh Karthik, named as replacement for Virender Sehwag, will have to wait a little longer before officially joining his team in England.
Source:www.cricket.yahoo.com Read more
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