Sehwag offered to play with painkillers

While confusion has reigned in England over the last five days over the status and exact nature of the shoulder injury suffered by Virender Sehwag, who was on Tuesday, ruled out of the World 20 championships, some clarity was provided on Wednesday by some of the his Delhi and Team India colleagues.

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

Australia's coach Nielsen wants new Twenty20 approach

Australia's coach Tim Nielsen has conceded his team needs to revisit its approach to Twenty20 to avoid being bundled out of the next ICC World Twenty20. It is less than a year until the next tournament, in the West Indies, and Nielsen wants individual players to consider "where they're at" so the selectors can prepare a competitive squad.

"We have to start approaching it differently when we play the Twenty20 stuff in our normal calendar, because we've seen those as one-off games and it's difficult to get guys across overseas, or it's maybe been seen as a chance for blokes to have an extra day's rest here and there," Nielsen told the Age. "We might have to revisit that. The players will have to think about where they're at with it, and where we go from here."

One of Australia's problems is the lack of Twenty20s that their stars play. The domestic competition takes place while the Test and ODI season is in full swing, so fringe internationals have more opportunity to take part than men like Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey.

National teams are restricted to three Twenty20 internationals per season, except for the ICC World Twenty20, and Australia have treated those games as a chance for the busiest players to rest. But that contributed to the Australians' early exit this year and Nielsen has spent the past few days analysing the disappointing result.

"I didn't have much sleep last night, tossing and turning about what we could have done better," Nielsen said. "I felt like we were in a pretty good place going into the tournament, and that's what is so disappointing about it.

"We came here thinking we had a nicely balanced squad, and I think we showed in the practice games that when they're playing at their best they can play any form of the game. We need to look at why things didn't work well, and we need to be honest with ourselves."
Source: www.cricinfo.com Read more

ICC approves Razzaq as Arafat's replacement

The International Cricket Council has approved former rebel Indian Cricket League player Abdul Razzaq as a replacement for injured Yasir Arafat in the Pakistan squad for the remainder of the ongoing Twenty20 World Cup.

The ICC said in a statement that the event technical committee of the ICC World Twenty20 has approved Razzaq as Arafat's replacement and the confirmation has been conveyed to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

Arafat suffered a hamstring injury during the group stage of the Twenty20 World Cup and was advised 12 days rest.
source:www.hindu.com Read more

PCB inquire about Younis' T20 commentary

Pakistan captain Younis Khan has been asked to explain his comments about Twenty20 cricket being nothing more than fun and entertainment for the crowds by the PCB.

Pakistan team manager Yawar Saeed has confirmed that the Pakistan Cricket Board had inquired about Younis' remarks about twenty20 not being real cricket.

Yawar told the Pakistani media in London that the board had sent an email to him regarding the comments made by Younis at the press conference following the defeat to England at the Oval.

"We have sent the reply. I don't think Younis has committed any breach of the players code of conduct with his remarks. Australian captain, Ricky Pointing has said similar things about Twenty20 cricket. These are personal views," Yawar said.

Younis had surprised many by stating that Twenty20 was like WWE wrestling -- just fun and entertainment for the crowds.

He said it would not be a disaster if Pakistan failed to qualify for the super eights stage which they eventually did after beating the Netherlands.

Yawar insisted Younis had not violated any code of the International Cricket Council with his remarks.
Source:www.cricbuzz.com Read more

India cagey of Gayle power

India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan rates West Indian captain Chris Gayle the main threat when the two teams clash in the World Twenty20 Super Eights on Friday.

"It will be good if we can get early wickets against the West Indies," Zaheer said after roaring back from a shoulder injury to take four wickets against Ireland on Wednesday.

"Removing Gayle will be a great advantage for us. I am hopeful because we are clicking as a bowling unit and each bowler understands his role.

"We are chipping in with wickets at the right time."

India meet the West Indies at Lord's on Friday, followed by the England clash at the same venue on Sunday, before ending the Super Eights against South Africa at Trent Bridge on Tuesday.

Zaheer discounted suggestions the defending champions faced tougher Super Eight matches as compared to the other group which has Sri Lanka, Pakistan, New Zealand and Ireland.

"There is no such thing as weak opposition in Twenty20 cricket," he said. "It is such an unpredictable game. Just look at how the Netherlands beat England.

"Any team on any day can be dangerous. Our focus now is only on the West Indies. We are not looking at England or South Africa yet."

The left-arm seamer claimed four for 19, including three wickets in seven balls, to restrict Ireland to 112-8 in a match reduced to 18-overs-a-side due to rain.

Young 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.

Zaheer said he enjoyed the four-wicket boost as he continued his rehabilitation from the shoulder injury.

"I had not played for four or five weeks so it's great to be back in the wickets," he said. "It's a real confidence-booster. I'm very pleased with my performance.

"The shoulder is coming along well. I feel better day by day and I am improving, I feel 100-percent now."

Zaheer had missed most of the Indian Premier League in South Africa and the two practice matches ahead of the World Twenty20 due to the injury in his left shoulder.

"It was a narrow escape for me," he said. "The injury could have been worse. I worked really hard on strengthening my shoulder. The good thing is the injury was not major."

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said the team was still to hit peak form despite the eight-wicket win against Ireland after beating Bangladesh by 25 runs.

"Every game you start from scratch," he said. "The bowlers did very well and it's a real positive that they are doing their jobs. But we can do better in the field. It was not our best day.

"I am talking about 85-90 percent efficiency, but we can do it."

With swashbuckling opener Virender Sehwag ruled out of the tournament due to a shoulder injury, Dhoni said Zaheer's return to wicket-taking form boosted the champions.

"We thought he would need a few games to get back in the groove. He is bowling in the right areas and he is a very good asset to have."
Source:www.cricbuzz.com Read more

Sri Lanka v West Indies

Sri Lanka and the West Indies will enjoy a contest without pressure when they clash in their last group C league match of the World Twenty20 on Wednesday.

What should have been a virtual knock-out game in the group will hold nothing more than academic interest after both teams knocked mighty Australia out of the tournament.

"This was the only group that had three Test-playing nations in it, so to come out it pretty well is a huge bonus," said Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara.

"Both the West Indies and us have made the Super Eights, so the pressure will no doubt be a bit less. But international cricket is serious business, there is no question of taking it easy."

Sri Lanka hammered Ricky Ponting's men by six wickets on Monday, two days after the West Indies rode on captain Chris Gayle's explosive 88 off 50 overs to down the Aussies by seven wickets.

Sangakkara said Ajantha Mendis's success against Australia, where he took 3-20 in four overs, bode well for his team and he expected the mystery spinner to play a major role in the tournament.

"In a Twenty20 game, where you have to attack almost every ball you play, to have unpredictability, that mystery around him is good," the captain said.

"Batsmen will get on top of him on some days, but more often than not, he is a wicket-taking bowler, an attacking bowler."

Mendis turns the ball both ways with one visible action, making it difficult for batsmen to read him in the air.

Mahela Jayawardene, Sangakkara's predecessor as captain, said Wednesday's game was crucial for both teams.

"We need to look at the bigger picture going into the match," Jayawardene told reporters.

"The momentum is crucial in a World Cup of this nature. One needs to get every small things right, whether it is batting, bowling or fielding.

"No one wants to lose a winning streak. This game will help us get into the rhythm for the Super Eights contests."

Jayawardene conceded Gayle was the major threat and Sri Lanka's bowlers were working on a plan to get him early.

"Chris is definitely a threat up front," he said. "He has a free-flowing game. We will of course try to bowl in areas where he is not comfortable."

The West Indies are being hailed as one of the most dangerous teams in the competition despite being hammered 2-0 in the preceding Test series by England.

They now get a chance to make a mark in a tournament where they were dumped in the first round in the inaugural event in 2007 after losing to Bangladesh.

"We know we have a team that can beat the best, but in Twenty20 it all depends on how one plays on a given day," said Gayle.

"We take it one match at a time. We definitely want to beat Sri Lanka which will raise the team's confidence for the Super Eights."

Match facts
Wednesday June 10, 2009 (day/night)
Start time 17.00 local, 16.00GMT
Source:www.cricketworld4u.com Read more

India vs Bangladesh Online Live Score | highlight

This is the opening match for both India and Bangladesh in twenty20 world cup. This is a rematch of group A and in this group, the other country is Ireland. Bangladesh vs India will start at 17:00 GMT (Local Time 18:00) and Trent Bridge, Nottingham is the venue. I know that the supporters of India are expecting a big win by a huge margin but they should not be complacent about playing against Bangladesh. You should remember that In 2007 World Cup cricket, Bangladesh depicted India and then way India got out from the first round. Therefore, if Bangladesh again wins then it will not be the first time.

For India, Bangladesh may look easy meat on paper but Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men will guard against complacency when they begin their title defense against the minnows in the Twenty20 World Cup here tomorrow.

Considering the ease with which India bulldozed Pakistan in their last warm-up match, Bangladesh would require an extraordinary effort even to stretch them but upsets do happen and that would keep Dhoni's men on their toes in the Group A encounter.

The Bangladeshi supporters have another reason to feel confident. In the practice matches, Bangladesh won against Netherlands and Scotland. Not only that, they put up a very strong fight against Australia and Sri Lanka. In fact, in the match against the Lanka, they could put their opponent in constant pressure until the last moment. Of course, you have to remember that these are practice matches but tomorrow, it is a real match of T20 World cup 2009. India is the current champion of this event and they’re one of the hot favorites even this time.

Bangladesh stunned India in the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean to plot an early exit of their neighbors from the quadrennial extravaganza and Ashraful said a repeat on Saturday could give them a Super Eights berth in the Twenty20 World Cup.

"Our first goal is the Super Eights but if we have a good start against India, it will give us the confidence of going far in the tournament," Ashraful said.

Indian team has one advantage and that is they have some excellent batsman who can demolish any bowling lineup. Well, the only problem that I can understand about teaming India is that the English condition can be quite tricky. It is more difficult for the batsman to score runs in England than Other countries like India. We saw that in the match against New Zealand the Indian batsmen suffered. However, they were in top form against Pakistan and the supporters want that the Indian batsman can continue their good form in the match against Bangladesh.

Bangladesh and India are expecting that they will advance to the second round from this group. The other countries are land and many people think that Bangladesh and India will easily go to the second round. So, in a sense, tomorrow’s match is like the decider for the top spot of the group. Of course, in English condition, many things can happen as England is a famous country before frequent and unexpected rains out of no where.

India is now the most important market for cricket revenue and naturally, many web sites will provide live score and updates of the match between India and Bangladesh today. I’m giving the name of some of the web sites:
Cricinfo
Cricketnext
Cricket.sulekha
Stickcricket
Source:www.sports37.com

Who do you think will win the match today?
Read more

Ind vs Pak T20 Live Score | India vs Pakistan highlight video

ICC T20 World Cup
India plays Pakistan match today.

Match: India Vs Pakistan
Venue: London
Start time: 10 pm IST

Ind vs Pak pre-match preview and live match coverage with ball by ball commentary. Full scorecard and live scores of the T20 match between India and Pakistan will be available on the following link, once the match starts: Read more

England The 1st match of T20 WC: England v Netherlands Live scores

Hosts England open the ICC World Twenty20 against outsiders the Netherlands at Lord's on Friday in a match they dare not lose and the Dutch hope they might win.

In pace bowler Dirk Nannes, who plays at Lord's for Middlesex, the Dutch have a left-arm quick who can swing the ball late.

In contrast to the ebullience of some of the other ICC World Twenty20 2009 contenders, England open the tournament on Friday almost apologising for their presence.

Although the hosts should not be unduly extended by the Netherlands at Lord's (1730 local), captain Paul Collingwood was noticeably downbeat after his side's unimpressive victory over Scotland in Tuesday's warmup match.

"There are not a lot of expectations on us to be honest," Collingwood told reporters. "We are dark horses. Hopefully that will give the boys a bit more of a licence."

Collingwood was in better spirits a day later when England recorded a seventh successive victory over West Indies, cruising to an untroubled nine wickets win with 32 balls to spare at Lord's.

Ravi Bopara, who scored three successive test centuries against West Indies, was again in fine touch with 60 from 35 balls.

England's leading batsman Kevin Pietersen also showed some form against the Scots after missing the one-day series against West Indies with an achilles tendon injury.

Pietersen, who made two ducks in the Indian Premier League and perished first ball in the first test against West Indies, completed the win on Tuesday with a pulled six to reach 53 not out from 39 balls.

The Netherlands are 500-1 outsiders but Dutch captain Jeroen Smits told the captains' news conference last Sunday that all the pressure would be on England.

"There's no pressure on us," he said. "There's no Dutch reporters here."

Dirk Nannes' career has repeatedly defied expectation. Indeed there is a case for saying he is the most unorthodox player at this tournament - and that has nothing to do with his left-arm pace bowling.

A self-confessed "accidental cricketer", the Japanese speaking and saxophone playing Nannes, who also runs a ski-travel company, only made his first-class debut at the relatively late age of 29 during the 2005-06 season.

The Melbourne-born quick enjoyed success with Victoria in both first-class and Twenty20 cricket, taking four for 23 as the Bushrangers won the 2008 Australian domestic Twenty20 final against Western Australia.

Nannes' form 'down under' led to a contract with Lord's based Middlesex.

The tournament, which is being staged at Lord's and the Oval in London and Trent Bridge in Nottingham, gets into full swing on Saturday with three matches. Champions India, who thrashed Pakistan by nine wickets on Wednesday, open their Cup defence against Bangladesh at Trent Bridge (1700).

All-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate is another key figure for the Dutch and this match could see him in action against at least two of his Essex team-mates in opening batsman Ravi Bopara and wicket-keeper James Foster, with the big-hitting Graham Napier also in England's squad.

Match facts
Friday June 05, 2009 (day/night)
Start time 17.30 local, 16.30GMT
Source:www.cricketworld4u.com Read more

India vs New Zealand T20 Practice Match 2009 live score

Millions of fans around the world who eagerly played between India and New Zealand will wait to see the warm-up match. It is international practice or the game does not make any difference whether the match. People always interested to see India's match looks. It gets more media coverage. You know that India, New Zealand on his first Twenty20 match will take practice should know. It will take place at Lord's, London. You 16:30 GMT (17:30 local time) live in this match can enjoy. At the same time the Trent Bridge, Nottingham in between Pakistan and New Zealand will be another warm-up match. ESPN Sports STAT will be broadcast live all the practice matches. I also said that the cricket star and TV show will have heard it live.

It seems that India's strong team won the trophy once again think. The inaugural ICC Twenty20-winning team. Naturally they will be more focused. Indian captain MS Dhoni enough to continue their success is assured. I too beautiful of 2009 ICC Twenty20 World Cup in the second edition is sure about its success. Indian team is a group of experienced players is involved. So, they'll do well.

New Zealand is not in their analog form. They hard to get back their lost glory is fighting. This team still has not won a big cup. This time I have any chance of them for good performance can not see. Twenty20 cricket as it is too much, we want to win in this match, that can not. But I think that India's victory can be estimated.
Video:

New Zealand Inning
over 1


over 2


over 3


over 4


over 5
Read more

Pakistan vs South Africa T20 Practice Match 2009 Live Score

However, the practice match as part of the international match is not identified, but also as a scheduled match in the form of value is given. You already know that the heat was already between the countries having started matches. Each team can play two warm-up matches. T20 Pakistan their first practice on June 1 that Trent Bridge, Nottingham would be held in South Africa to play the match will face the ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2009 from June 5 that its second version is not ready to kick that before.Sports channel ESPN STAT the match will be on live television.
Match: Pakistan vs South Africa, Warm up Match, ICC World Twenty20 2009

Date: 1 June 2009

Venue: Trent Bridge, Nottingham

16:30 GMT (Local Time 17:30)


I think both teams know the strength of his team rather than the more attention will be given a hope of winning the match. South Africa in a good form of the game of cricket in all forms. Most of their players are performing consistently well. So, naturally the forthcoming Twenty20 World Cup, it will try to continue.

Pakistan cricket team for a long time was one of international cricket. Their house in any field can not play international cricket. This they can suffer a lot. PCB to get the rebel players had thought, but the players' reluctance and board members because of the future can not happen for the future failed to guarantee them. However, the Pakistan selectors over the coming Twenty20 World Cup for a strong team have announced. You know that this is a team against Australia in a Twenty20 match, got to know can win. I think they win this tournament and this will lead to some tried to use it in hope.

If you live score for a detailed preview and then visit: Read more