Yuvraj looking to bat up the order

Yuvraj Singh on Saturday threw a clear hint that he would prefer a promotion in the batting order, but said he would leave it to his captain or coach to decide his position in the team's line-up.

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."
Source: www.cricket.rediff.com
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Virender Sehwag out of T20 World Cup

In a major blow to India's title defence, explosive opener Virender Sehwag was ruled out of the rest of the T20 World Cup, with a continuing shoulder injury.

An official announcement in this regard would be made by the team on Tuesday evening, said sources.

The 31-year-old opener would soon return home to undergo a shoulder surgery.

Sehwag picked up the injury during the recent second edition of the Indian Premier League in South Africa and missed the first match against Bangladesh and the two warm-up matches before that.

After missing the entire practice session on Monday, the veteran batsman was able to bat for only five minutes during the nets session on Tuesday. Read more

Pietersen impressed by Yuvraj, Gayle's drumming skill

London, June 4 (ANI): England's star batsman Kevin Pietersen is impressed by the hitting prowess of Yuvraj Singh and Chris Gayle, whom he has selected as some of his most feared opponents.

Pietersen reckons Windier captain Gayle is one of the most unsafe Twenty20 stars in the world, and adds Andrew Symonds and Brett Lee to that list, as well as fast bowlers Fidel Edwards and Dale Steyn.

Pietersen, speaking in the official World Twenty20 programmed, exposed: "There are a number of players taking T20 to the next level. I think all-rounder have the most to offer in T20 cricket."
"I'm impressed by the likes of Yuvraj Singh of India, Andrew Symonds and other guys who can hit sixes, take wickets and generally field well," The Sun quoted Symonds, as saying.
"I also rate Chris Gayle very highly - quite simply because his batting can tear apart even the best bowling. When he is in the groove, he is practically unstoppable. It's scary to watch him in full flight.
"The likes of Lee, Edwards and Steyn are probably the toughest bowlers. They are world-class pace bowlers and are difficult to face across all forms of the game and certainly no easier in T20," he added.
Pietersen also has a high regard for his England teammates: "I think Stuart Broad and Ravi Bopara could really come to the fore in this tournament. They're very exciting players on the rise in world cricket."
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Rohit Sharma shines as India beat Pakistan by 9 wickets

June 4 (IANS) Openers Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir put on 140 runs to help India pummel Pakistan by nine wickets in an ICC Twenty20 warmup tie that resembled a final in its festive look at the Oval cricket ground Wednesday.

Sharma, opening in place of Virender Sehwag, hit a brilliant and confident 80 off only 53 balls (9x4, 2x6) as defending world champions India took only 17 overs to score 159 for one, easily overhauling Pakistan's 158 for six.

Gambir remained not out on 53 (47 balls, 5X4) to see India through to victory in the company of his skipper M.S. Dhoni, (nine runs, 2X4).

Playing before a stadium packed with delirious Indian and Pakistani supporters, India gave a masterly display of Twenty20 cricket - first restricting what looked like a rampaging Pakistan side to 158 and then knocking up the winning runs with remarkable ease.

Earlier, captain Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq helped Pakistan put on 158 for six in a batting performance that began in marauding fashion but failed to live up to expectations.

Electing to bat before a nearly exclusively South Asian crowd, Pakistan began disastrously, losing opener Shahzaid Hasan for a duck to Praveen Kumar in the first over.

Spinner Harbhajan Singh dropped teenage batting sensation Ahmed Shehzad in the very next over off R.P. Singh before Shehzad (25 off 19 balls, 5 fours) and Kamran Akmal (19 off nine, 4 fours) began wreaking carnage on Kumar and Singh, hammering them to all corners of the Oval.

The men in blue then bounced back, to the delight of tens of thousands of supporters, and grabbed four quick wickets to leave Pakistan tottering on 63 for five before Younis Khan (32 off 32 balls) came up with a captain's innings in the company of Misbah (37 off 30).

Kumar, Irfan Pathan, Ishant Sharma, Harbhajan Singh and P.P. Ojha took one wicket each for India, while Suresh Raina ran out Akmal.

India left out Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan, and Pakistan were without Salman Butt and Ifthikar Anjum in a 13-a-side game, where only 11 could field at any given time.

Brief scores:

Pakistan: 158 for six (Misbah-ul-Haq 37, Y. Khan 32, S. Ahmed 25, Y. Arafat 25, I. Sharma one for 11)

India: 159 for one (R. Sharma 80, G. Gambhir 53, M.S. Dhoni 9, Mohammad Aamer one for 18).

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Indian Ex-stars : India is the team to beat at T20 WC

Bangalore: Despite an early set-back against the Kiwis in the warm-up tie, former Indian stars, including Sandeep Patil and Ajit Wadekar, feel the reigning champions have a very good chance of retaining the Twenty20 World Cup in England as they have the best balanced side.



One of the best coaches in the world and a dashing middle order batsman during his time, Patil also backed Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s early experimentation by saying there was nothing wrong in trying out new tactics before the tournament but not during the tournament.

"Though I don’t like to predict the outcome of any Twenty20 tournament, including the World Cup, I certainly feel that India is the best balanced outfit in the entire tournament. They have a solid batting line-up with all of them proving to be match-winners in the past backed up by the best set of swing bowlers and perhaps two outstanding spinners in Harbhajan Singh and Pragyan Ojha," Patil told Cricketnext.com on Wednesday.

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Indian cricket teams performs at the T20 World Cup

India won first ICC world T20 on 2007. With the help of combination of all the players. That times all the player was in good form and because of this India won this cup. With guide of Dhoni all the players’ performance very well. TOl takes a peep at the supper strong 15-member group.

Best Man of Indian cricket team:

MS Dhoni (captain) Age: 27
Stats: Played for Team Chennai supper kings
M-13
Runs-304
HS-58*
Avg-43.42;
SR-131.60; 50s-2

No other Indian captain of the man as much as the fans have received the rent. Dhoni is a belief that almost anything, counting the impossible can. So much is written and the captain and his man management skills to talk about his batting and keeping that are onwards. Seriously, he is also good in these two departments.


Virender Sehwag Age: 30
Stats: Played for Team Delhi
M-11
Runs-198
HS-50
Avg-19.80
SR-143.47

IPL on fire with his performance was not set. Got to sit outside and injured and said that he was impressed with the rhythm. But players like him to effect a shift away from top form is returning. The only problem for her inspiration. India's first two games against Bangladesh and Ireland and the struggle against the minnows have a reputation.


Gautam Gambhir Age: 27
Stats: Played for Team Delhi
M-15
Runs-286
HS-71*
Avg-22.00
SR-102.87
IPL was a great season and then to a strange start to the boil was. But Twenty20 is very much his forte and his ability to run on the track at the top bowlers and hit them out psyches. In England, where the ball will swing in June, and sewing, this device will also prove it will be easier because it will negate the movement.

Best Bowler of Indian cricket team:

Harbhajan Singh Age: 28
Stats: Played for Mumbai Indians
M-13
Best-4/17
Avg-21.33
Eco-5.81
SR-22.0

As the top, but very smart Sachin Tendulkar was not used to. If the pitches in England in the form of moisture are expected that a bit, he will get some help. T20 for the well-done and is a rapidly adapted his bowling is a great tool. His big hit, which can come to work less, do not discount.


Ravindra Jadeja Age: 20
Stats: Played for Team Jaipur
M-13
Runs-295
HS-42
Avg-26.81
SR-110.90
Bowling: M-13; Wkts-6; Best-3/15;
Avg-25.16; Eco-6.47

Jaipur for a team was one of the mainstays. Breakthrough that can strike well and rotate the strike. His left-arm spin, but is underrated can cause havoc. Look for him in the field. Posts - closed class can trigger a run outs in their early - silver field. Is a safe catcher.


Zaheer Khan Age: 30
IPL 2009 stats: Played for Mumbai Indians
M-6
Wkts-6
Best-3/31
Avg-23.66;
SR-21.00
Eco-6.76

As a very good rhythm to be in great form and that an important time in the IPL was injured. He said that the bowling for the country where he rediscovered his zest and being treated shabbily by the government of the chapel after reinvented he will return. He said that in the power plays and death can strike at bowling Yorkers to squeeze apply. War also ordered the meat can strike down low.


Praveen Kumar Age: 22
IPL 2009 stats: Played for Royal Challengers
M-13
Wkts-13
Best-3/30
Avg-30.30;
Eco-7.93
SR-22.90

As a swing bowler in English conditions is love Will. In his first wicket has a habit of getting over. Is a slow and a good Yorker.

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