England made heavy weather of a small target on a WACA pitch of yore,
making their way to the final against Australia on Sunday and keeping
India winless on their tour of Australia. Once again their bowlers
pulled India back after a decent start, keeping them down to 200 after
they had been 0 for 83, but their batsmen let the up-and-down pitch play
on their minds to be 5 for 66 at one point. The nuggety James Taylor and the authoritative Jos Buttler, though, rescued them with a 125-run partnership that took just 23.2 overs.
India have been no stranger to collapses on this tour, but it will hurt
them that today's came after Shikhar Dhawan had finally fought through a
tough period and with Ajinkya Rahane
looking on course to become only the second non-Australian opener to
score a century at the WACA Ground. While the two batted, the pitch
looked like the normal WACA one, but once the wickets began to fall, the
real monsters showed up. In one over MS Dhoni was hit on the helmet and
below the knee roll from similar length. Early in the chase Ian Bell
fell lbw to a similar delivery, and the other England batsmen came in
with an inherent mistrust of the pitch after that.
India's bowlers made it tough for England by staying accurate, but
arguably England had caused the damage in the first half. Put in, India
began the day all right but, after fighting it out through the tough
period, Dhawan cut at Chris Woakes with no feet, and toe-ended him
through to Buttler. At 1 for 83 in the 21st over, it was a decent
platform for Virat Kohli to bat at No. 3 - India have been saving him
should a wicket fall early - but India's middle order fell to a familiar
and unusual foe.
Almost all through the Test series in the English summer, India didn't
quite figure out how to play Moeen Ali. They were caught between disdain
and extreme caution, and on evidence of Friday, Moeen has the wood on
them. Neither of his two next wickets - in the space of eight balls -
had anything to do with the pitch. A moment after Buttler had asked the
long-off to move a touch wider, Kohli looked to either clear him or beat
him to his right, but couldn't do either. This time India had Raina
coming in at No. 4, and he left even before his eyes would have adjusted
to the bright light in Perth. He repeated his Brisbane dismissal with a
premeditated charge at Moeen, and this time he managed a thick edge as
opposed to the stumping at the Gabba.
It can't be easy for Ambati Rayudu, entering in the middle of another
crisis. He is asked to bat at No. 3 when India start poorly, and here he
would have been relegated had India lost their third wicket after the
35th over. Rayudu couldn't handle the heat that was on, handing Stuart
Broad his first wicket of the series after the bowler made a good
comeback from his ordinary first spell.
Rahane meanwhile had got into a flow after the edgy start. The innings
depended on him and Dhoni with England giving nothing away. You could
sense a wicket around the corner, and to expedite it came the batting
Powerplay. On cue Rahane opened the face when Steven Finn got the ball
to hold its line. Once again Dhoni was caught at the death with no
recognised batsman around him. Once the pitch got Dhoni out, the rest
imploded, except for some merry hitting from Mohammed Shami and Mohit
Sharma, who was playing despite not being in the World Cup squad.
The 35 the two added gave them something to bowl at, and they began
well. From the time Bell fell to the shooter, there was unease among
England batsmen. Pressure built, and Moeen pulled out a Kohli-like
dismissal off the bowling of Axar Patel. Joe Root drove hard to give
Stuart Binny a tough return catch. Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara came out
looking suspiciously at the pitch, and got out softly to Binny.
At 5 for 66, India looked like they could just come out with something
to show for the tour, but Taylor and Buttler had other ideas. Until now
it had seemed that Taylor had got stuck at one end, but in the company
of Buttler he batted industriously. Around this time Ravindra Jadeja was
introduced too, in the 21st over. Coming back from a shoulder injury,
Jadeja didn't have quite the zing his bowling earlier had. Easy singles
flowed, and with the asking rate in control the two batsmen had no
problem accepting those singles.
Buttler was three when he pushed Taylor for a non-existent single.
Rahane swooped in fast from cover, and threw while diving but missed the
stumps. Buttler was so far that had Rahane run in with the ball it
would have still been close. On such moments are games turned.
Buttler kept hitting the odd boundary off remotely loose balls without
taking any risk, which gave Taylor the time to accumulate peacefully.
For a situation as precarious as this, the two knocked off the remaining
runs with relative ease. They hardly played an ill-advised shot, and
when they did - like Taylor did against Axar in the 39th over, jumping
put of the crease and then sweeping because he had been beaten in the
flight - they had the rub of the green going their way. This one went
for four off the bottom edge. The boundary brought the target to under
50.
England still didn't stroll through with Taylor and Buttler falling just
short of the target, but that was more reminder that they are England.
They eventually won with 3.1 overs to spare.
There is no need for complicated maths to work out the possible
permutations from this game, no reason to worry about bonus points and
net run-rates. The equation is simple. Whichever team wins on Friday
will play Australia in the tri-series final on Sunday. In case of a tie
or a wash-out, England go though and India miss out. Perhaps it's a good
warm-up for both sides ahead of the World Cup, which features two
knockout phases before the final. On recent form, England deserve to go
in as favourites, after crushing India in their only previous meeting in
this series, when India were skittled for 153 at the Gabba.
England's side seems fairly settled, while India appear unclear about
their preferred combinations on the eve of the World Cup. India have
used 15 players so far in the series compared to England's 12, and the
fitness of Rohit Sharma has necessitated changes at the top of the
order. Rohit is back close to full fitness, but India have decided to
not risk him so close to the World Cup.
Their wash-out in Sydney against Australia robbed them of time in the
middle, but has also ensured they remain alive in the tournament. But
for one of these teams, Friday's game will be their last ODI before the
World Cup.
Form guide
(last five matches, most recent first)
England LWLLL India LLWWW
In the spotlight
Seven wickets from the past two games has been a strong return for Steven Finn,
who looms as an important man for England in the World Cup, given the
conditions. He will find few venues in the world that offer him the kind
of bounce available at the WACA, but he should not expect the pitch to
do all the work for him, and finding the right length will be his
challenge.
Ajinkya Rahane has made starts in all three games so far, but 33
is his best score. In Sydney he was at the crease on 28 when the match
was abandoned, and he is coming off a highly encouraging Test series in
which he showed he could handle the Australian conditions. With Shikhar
Dhawan struggling for form, a big score as opener would really make
Rahane hard to move down the order during the World Cup.
Team news
England's side is reasonably settled and there is no reason to expect changes in a knockout match.
England (possible) 1 Ian Bell, 2 Moeen Ali, 3 James Taylor, 4 Joe
Root, 5 Eoin Morgan (capt), 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Ravi Bopara, 8 Chris
Woakes, 9 Stuart Broad, 10 James Anderson, 11 Steven Finn.
With Rohit not playing on the Friday, India are likely to go with the same XI that played, or hoped to play, in Sydney.
India (possible) 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Ajinkya Rahane, 3 Ambati
Rayudu, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Suresh Raina, 6 MS Dhoni (capt, wk), 7 Stuart
Binny, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 Axar Patel, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Ishant
Sharma.
Pitch and conditions
The WACA usually provides some extra bounce and pace, and the forecast
for Friday is for a possible shower or storm and a top temperature of
37C.
Stats and trivia
England and India have met only once before in Perth, in the 1992 World Cup, when England won by nine runs
Ian Bell is the leading run scorer in the tournament, with 229 from just three games
India's leading run scorer in the series is Rohit Sharma, who has played only one match for 138
Quotes
"I think it is important to win this game given the lack of success
we've had before this tour. We've built a confidence in our preparation,
in the game in Brisbane and in performances leading into the start of
this series. So as momentum and confidence goes I think it's quite a big
game." Eoin Morgan
"They had the psychological advantage in ODIs in England as well." MS
Dhoni makes light of the suggestion that England might have the
psychological advantage after their win over India in Brisbane
Less than 3 weeks remain to the start of the 2015 Cricket World Cup
but for the fans of India and Pakistan the wait is exaggerated for one
more day as the two teams lock horns in their campaign openers on
February 15th. With each India-Pakistan game come a string of
far too many other things. It may look like that 22 players, 11 from
each side, fight for their respective country in a sports field but the
fact that with these 22 players the whole subcontinent has its hearts
come of their mouth, can never be forgotten. Days and months away from
the match date, the fans from the countries start to plan about the
match. Each and every fan turns into a chief selector and wants the best
XI to face their opponent. CricTracker too got its hand on the
opportunity to compare the possible eleven from both the cricketing
giants. Ahmed Shehzad vs Shikhar Dhawan
Both made their debuts around the same time frame. Both didn’t have a
good debut. Both have just recently completed their half-century of
ODIs. Both have exactly the same amount of ODI hundreds and nearly equal
ODI runs. The only thing that both players differ in is their recent
ODI form. Shikhar Dhawan has failed miserably in the ongoing Australian
tour while Ahmed Shehzad was Pakistan’s best batsman in 2014. Shikhar
Dhawan played really well in the Champions Trophy in England to earn the
Man of the Series Award but in the recent past he has had his problems
against the seaming ball but Shehzad looked at ease against the same in
his recent outings.
Mohammad Hafeez vs Rohit Sharma
Both made their comebacks after being dropped earlier in the career.
Both are the best openers for their country after the 2011 world cup.
Both somehow have earned the captain’s trust and never get dropped
anymore. The factor that played the most important part in Hafeez’s
success was his tight off-spins. To prove this fact, I may present that
Mohammad Hafeez was the most economical limited overs bowler in the
whole cricketing world since 2011 until he his action was declared
illegal by the ICC. Considering both now as full-time batsman, Rohit
Sharma is a better pick to survive in seaming and swinging conditions at
Australia/New Zealand.
Younis Khan vs Ajinkya Rahane
This is another well-balanced comparison. Both the batsmen have had
their share of success in the shorter format. Both will bat at no.3, a
position known to be the backbone of any batting line-up. Teams play
their best batsman at no. 3 and India did play their best Virat Kohli
until recently when Kohli wanted youngsters to take a feel of the
increased responsibility. In my opinion, the battle will be a balanced
one considering the recent forms from both sides, but Younis Khan may
take a slight advantage. Younis Khan returned to the ODI in Pakistan’s
previous series and made it to the WC squad with a 100 ODI while Ajinkya
Rahane has been an essential figure in the Indian batting line-up off
late. Another factor that could affect Rahane negatively is his batting
position; he started as an opener, then moved into the middle-order,
then back as an opener and now sits at no. 3.
haris sohail vs viat kohli
If someone had to name top 3 batsman of any format in cricket right now,
Virat Kohli will surely be the one from the three. There isn’t a single
record that this guy didn’t feast upon and his Pakistani opponent Haris
Sohail will be well aware of that. Both the batsman may be of same
age-group but Virat Kohli has a much greater experience going into this
world cup. 6200+ runs in just 140 innings with 21 centuries and 33
half-centuries compared to mere 280 runs in 8 innings with 2
half-centuries – even a dumb can pick the better of the two but
considering the talent the two guys possess, both appear to be the
backbone of their batting line-up and it will be an even and good
contest between the two youngsters to outshine his counterpart.
Misbah-ul-Haq vs Suresh Raina
One is a 40-year old captain of his country and one is a 29-year old
youngster. Though they bat at the same number but the role both play in
their teams is way opposite to each other. One is forced come out early
because of a batting collapse and act as an anchor for a respectable
total while the other has to usually bat in the middle overs and take
the game towards a high end finish. One is vulnerable to heaps and heaps
of criticism from his countrymen for batting slow while the other is an
established middle-order batsman. If the recent form and the role of
both in their teams is set as the criteria then Misbah-ul-Haq will have a
better hand on Suresh Raina. He has all the team revolving around him,
taking his time to settle and then unleash his wrath towards the latter
part of the innings. Umar Akmal vs MS Dhoni
Regarded as the best finishers, both Umar Akmal and MS Dhoni play a
key role in their team’s batting. Not to forget that MS Dhoni is the
captain, most successful, of India and keeps wickets too. The defending
world cup captain is more expected to not panic and keep his head calm
in pressure situations while Umar Akmal has been found guilty of playing
rash shots and thug every ball out of the park but this has seen a
decline in important games. Both the batsman will start this year’s
campaign as the batsmen with highest average in the mega event and will
surely look to build on their average and runs tally. In my opinion,
both are equally talented and hard working and deserve a 50-50 tie. Shahid Afridi vs Ravindra Jadeja
Shahid Afridi will be the highest wicket-taker in the world cup and
with Saeed Ajmal’s exclusion due to a ban; he will be the lone spearhead
of Pakistan’s bowling attack. Both the all-rounders are more bowlers
than batsmen but ride on a fan-hyped misconception of being better
batsmen. We all know what Shahid Afridi can do with the bat on his day
and with the ball, he tasted his best outing in the previous edition of
the world cup when he earned the title of ‘Leading wicket-taker in the
event’. Ravindra Jadeja has also earned Dhoni’s trust in yester years
and he redeemed the trust with great success with the ball and at time
with the bat. Experience, more likely to perform under-pressure, added
advantage to tear apart any bowling line-up on his day and being able to
contribute as an all-rounder more often than Jadeja – makes Shahid
Afridi a better pick between these two. Sarfraz Ahmed vs Ravichandran Ashwin
There is nothing much to compare between these two guys. Sarfraz is a
genuinely explosive wicket-keeper batsman while Ravichandran Ashwin is a
spin-bowling all-rounder who can bat longer when conditions are
favorable. Both has tasted luck in their respective departments and
appear to the country’s best man according to the tasks and
responsibility they get. 50-50 but Ravichandran Ashwin is more likely to
perform better and trouble his opponents. Junaid Khan/Bilawal Bhatti/Sohail Khan*, Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Irfan vs Mohammad Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma * Junaid Khan was injured when the team left for New Zealand. Bilawal Bhatti is expected to replace him.
The pace attack will be the weaker link for both the teams going into
this world cup. India’s most experienced pacer Ishant Sharma has played
75 ODIs and Junaid Khan, Pakistan’s most experienced pacer, has played
48 matches. Based on the recent form on success, the two pace attacks
had in the near past, the two sides match equally to each other with one
of the three from each side outshining the remaining two on his day.
Pakistan’s pace attack will have a slight advantage over India because
of Mohammad Irfan. The tall, gangly fast bowler rests at 7 feet and 1
inch and on faster pitches in Australia and New Zealand is likely to
generate enough bounce to get the batsmen to their toes and face some
chin-music. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been found to move the ball both ways
in seaming conditions and has troubled Pakistan openers in the past.
Wahab Riaz, in his last meeting vs India in a mega event, became only
the 2nd bowler to take a 5-fer in a India-Pakistan world cup
game and he will surely look to repeat the same, if given a chance this
season.
10) Pakistan vs Ireland, Pakistan tour of Ireland 2013, 1st ODI
Pakistan toured Ireland in the early months of 2013 for much-needed
practice before the ICC Champions Trophy which was to be held in
England. But much to the surprise of many, Ireland proved to be a stiff
opposition for the Pakistan. Pakistan batted first and registered 266/5
in a 47 over rain reduced match, thanks to an impressive century from
Hafeez. But Ireland were in no mood to let go of the match as they
marched to 227/4 with 49 needed of last 6 overs. But the script wasn’t
meant to have a normal ending. With 15 needed of last over and Ajmal to
bowl, all was lost for Ireland. But Kevin O’Brien wasn’t going to give
up easily even after scoring just 2 runs in first 3 balls. The 4th ball
was hit for a six and the next one for a two. With 5 required of the
final ball, he flicked the ball to backward square boundary and tied the
match.
The India vs Pakistan rivalry is the biggest rivalry in any form of
cricket. It is due to the history between the two countries and the
relationship of love and hate between the fans of the two countries.
The
matches are nothing short of battles with players at each other’s
throats and the fans supporting their nation to the full. This is
visible from the fact that the tickets for the 2015 World Cup encounter
was sold in less than 12 minutes and more than 20,000 Indian fans would
be there at the Adelaide Oval to support the tricolour. ICC World Cup 2015: INDIA VS PAKISTAN – Review and Preview of the clash of Titans. (Photo Source: AFP)
The rivalry has even surpassed the Ashes and now has become the big
ticket event at the biggest stage of them all, the World Cup.
Interestingly, India and Pakistan never met in the World cup until 1992
edition. There could have been a mega final in 1987, but both India and
Pakistan lost to England and Australia respectively in the semis.
Many players get to make a name for themselves in these clashes.
Moments are created that live until eternity. People remember you for
that one thing you did during the India-Pakistan clash. And if the stage
is the cricket World cup, the intensity multiplies ten folds.
Players are extra motivated in these clashes. And that has led to
some brilliant innings, breath taking shots, great displays of bowling
and overall, pure high voltage entertainment for the viewers. Since
meeting for the first time in 1992 World cup held in Australia and New
Zealand, India has never been defeated by Pakistan in World cup
encounter and currently India is 5-0 up.
Let’s have a view at those encounters in the World cup. 1992 World cup : Sydney Cricket Ground.
The very first meeting between the Asian giants and rivals in the
World cup was not short of any drama. India won the toss and batted
first. India went on to score 216 runs in 49 overs permitted in the
allotted time. The highest scorer for India was the little master Sachin
Tendulkar with 54 runs and Ajay Jadeja with 45 runs to their names.
Mushtaq Ahmed took 3 for 59 in his 10 overs.
The Pakistani innings was not off to a great start, but opener Aamir
Sohail made a brilliant 62 runs and along with veteran Javed Miandad who
scored 40, was taking Pakistan closer to victory. But Tendulkar removed
Sohail and Javagal Srinath’s yorker shattered the stumps of Javed
Miandad and Pakistan meekly folded up for 173 runs to lose the match by
43 runs.
Sachin Tendulkar was named the man of the match for his 54 runs and 1 wicket.
Fact: During the match, incensed with Indian stumper Kiran More’s
appealing, Javed Miandad out of nowhere started mocking More by jumping
up and down in the air. This made the highlight of every news channel in
those days and the image is one the most iconic images from the 1992
World cup. Here is the Video:
1996 World Cup: Bangalore (Quarter-final)
India and Pakistan met in the 1996 World cup in the knockout stage of
the tournament. The quarterfinal was held in the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium
in Banglalore. The stadium was packed to its capacity and it erupted as
Indian captain Mohd. Azharuddin won the toss and elected to bat first.
India got off to a brisk start with Navjot Sidhu and Sachin Tendulkar
scoring freely against a capable Pakistani attack.
Sidhu made a brilliant 93 off 115 balls before being dismissed by
Mushtaq Ahmed. But the encore came in the Waqar Younis over in the
death, where Ajay Jadeja hit 2 sixes and 2 fours to take 22 runs off the
fast bowler. India made 57 runs in their last 4 overs thanks to Jadeja
(45 off 25 balls) and made 287 runs after 50 overs.
Pakistan started off brilliantly with Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar
scoring 84 runs in the first 10 overs. But a momentary loss of
concentration cost Sohail his wicket and from then on, India kept
chipping at the Pakistani team with regular wickets. The last effort
came from veteran Javed Miandad who was playing his 6th World Cup and he scored 38 runs before being run out by Ajay Jadeja. This was his last international match.
India won the match by 39 runs and advanced to the Semi-finals.
Navjot Singh Sidhu was named the man of the match for his 93 runs.
Fact: Aamir Sohail hit a boundary to point and then poked Venkatesh
Prasad saying that he will hit the next ball towards the same area.
Prasad uprooted his off stump the very next ball and gave him a rather
colourful send off. A memorable 1996 World cup moment of all time. Here is the Video:
1999 World Cup: Manchester
India and Pakistan had ceased any cricket ties due to the Kargil war
in 1999. This meant that this encounter was truly an emotional one for
both sides.
India batted first after winning the toss and limped their way to 227
runs in their 50 overs. Pakistan never let any batsman settle down apart
from Rahul Dravid who scored 60 and Captain Mohammad Azharuddin who
scored 59 runs.
Pakistan’s chase was started with Saeed Anwar attacking the Indian
bowlers. But Indians dismissed Shahid Afridi, Ijaz Ahmed, Saleem Malik
cheaply before some resistance from Inzaman-ul-haq (41) and Moin Khan
(34). Venkatesh Prasad took a World Cup best 5 for 27 to dismiss
Pakistan for a meagre 182 runs and India won the match by 47 runs.
Venkatesh Prasad was chosen Man of the match for his 5 wicket haul. 2003 World Cup: Centurion
Tempers were high because of some statements given by the Pakistani
team members before the match started. Pakistan batted first and scored a
good 273 runs for loss of 7 wickets thanks to a brilliant 101 by Saeed
Anwar and able support from Younis Khan (32) and Rashid Latif (31).
Ashish Nehra and Zaheer Khan took 2 wickets each.
Indian reply began with a bang with Virender Sehwag cutting Waqar
Younis for a six and then Sachin Tendulkar hit what is perhaps the most
famous shot of all World cups. He hit a 96mph ball from Shoaib Akhtar
straight into the crowds over the point region. Sehwag and Tendulkar
attacked Akhtar and he was taken off the attack after just one over
conceding 22 runs.
Though Sehwag, Ganguly fell early, Sachin and Kaif kept the runs
going until Kaif was dismissed for 35 and Shoaib returned to dismiss an
injured Sahin Tendulkar 2 short of his hundred. Now India needed around
120 runs and Dravid and Yuvraj were at the crease. Pakistan built up the
pressure, but both the batsmen kept scoring runs and eventually India
registered their 4rd straight win over Pakistan in World cups by 6 wickets.
Sachin Tendulkar was named the Man of the match for his brilliant 98 runs. 2011 World Cup: Mohali (Semi-final)
This clash between India and Pakistan was not only high voltage, but
also high pressure as it was the second semi-final of the 2011 World
Cup. The winner would go on to meet Sri Lanka in the final at Mumbai.
MS Dhoni won the toss and chose to bat first on the fast Mohali
pitch. India got off to a quick start thanks to Sehwag who scored 38
runs out of 48 scored in first 5 overs. After that Sachin Tendulkar
tried to stitch partnerships with Gautam Gambhir and MS Dhoni, before
getting out to Saeed Ajmal for 85 runs. Indian innings folded for 260
runs. Wahab Riaz took 5 wickets for 46 runs in a brilliant piece of
swing bowling. He also dismissed the 2011 World Cup man of the
tournament Yuvraj Singh for a first ball duck.
Pakistan’s chase never got any momentum despite Mohammad Hafeez’s 43
runs at the top as the Indian bowlers continued to chip away at the
wickets. Dhoni’s tight field settings didn’t allow easy singles and the
Pakistani batsmen got out trying to hit the big shots. Even a late surge
from Misbha-ul-Haq (56) could not help Pakistan and he was the last
wicket to fall. Pakistan fell short by 29 runs and India advanced to the
finals of 2011 World cup and the rest as you know is history.
Sachin Tendulkar got the Man of the match for his 85 runs. 2015 World Cup: Adelaide
This match is supposed to be the most watched match in the World Cup
history. The tickets for this match sold out in under 12 minutes and
more than 20,000 Indian fans will be present in the ground to support
their team.
The match is a huge one not only because it is an India Pakistan
encounter, but it will also set the momentum for the rest of the World
cup for both the teams. Captain MS Dhoni and Misbah-ul-Haq have enough
on their plate already with India’s poor performance in the on-going
triseries and Saeed Ajmal’s suspension due to a suspect action have
dented their plans for the World cup.
Both teams went in for some surprises in Stuart Binny for India and
Sohail Khan for Pakistan. Both teams have their shares of in-form
players. Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina for India and Misbah, Shezad and
Younis for Pakistan.
Here are the World Cup squads of both the teams: INDIA: Ravichandran Ashwin, Stuart Binny, Shikhar Dhawan, MS Dhoni
(capt & wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar,
Akshar Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Mohammed
Shami, Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav. PAKISTAN: Ahmed Shehzad, Ehsan Adil, Haris Sohail, Junaid Khan,
Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Irfan, Sarfraz Ahmed
(wk), Shahid Afridi, Sohaib Maqsood, Sohail Khan, Umar Akmal, Wahab
Riaz, Yasir Shah, Younus Khan.
So, we saw a recap of the 5 matches that India and Pakistan have
played in the World cup against each other. Each and every encounter has
been nothing less than a battle for not only the fans but the players
as well.
If you do well in a India-Pakistan encounter, you become a hero for
life. No one has forgotten the Javagal Srinath Yorker to Miandad in
1992, Jadeja’s assault on Waqar and Aamir Sohail- Venkatesh Prasad dual
in 1996 match. Anwar and Tendulkar’s innings and Sachin-Sehwag’s 2 sixes
towards point region in 2003 World cup. All these are moments etched in
every fan’s memory and will be a part of World Cup history. Now is the time for some stats: Highest Total:
India : 276/4 World cup 2003
Pakistan: 273/7 World cup 2003 Highest score:
98 – Sachin Tendulkar 2003
101- Saeed Anwar 2003 Best Bowling:
5-27 Venkatesh Prasad 1999
5-46 Wahab Riaz 2011
Interestingly no Indian batsman has scored a 100 against Pakistan in
any World cup matches, with Sachin Tendulkar’s 98 being the highest.
Pakistan’s Saeed Anwar scored a beautiful 101 in the 2003 encounter.
Whereas, Venkatesh Prasad and Wahab Riaz took a 5 wicket haul each in 1999 and 2011 respectively.
MS Dhoni called time on his Test career
after India drew the third Test with Australia in Melbourne. Though he
isn’t regarded by many as a quality Test player, he did produce some
memorable performances with the bat. Irrespective of the final verdict,
one cannot deny the value of those performances. Nishad Pai Vaidya picks Dhoni’s 10 most memorable knocks in Test cricket.
1. 148 vs Pakistan at Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad: January 2006
There was a typical rustic charm to this knock — typical of the young Mahendra Singh Dhoni
who had bursted on to the scene with some breathtaking performances in
one-day cricket. Up against Pakistan’s 588, India were reduced to 258
for four when Dhoni walked out to bat. Facing Shoaib Akhtar, he pulled
one into the stands over square-leg. The youngster was ready to take on
the mighty paceman. India had then slipped to 281 for five, but Dhoni
played in his trademark way and smacked the ball around with disdain. He
smacked 19 fours and four sixes en route to 148, his first Test
century. By the time he was out, India were close to 500 and had averted the possibility of a defeat. 2.76 not out vs England at Lord’s: July 2007
Under the grey skies at Lord’s, India were chasing 380 to win on the
final day at Lord’s. India resumed the day on 137 for three and lost two
quick wickets as Dhoni had to walk in. Facing an attack comprising Ryan
Sidebottom and James Anderson, men who exploited the swinging
conditions, Dhoni battled in the company of VVS Laxman, who scored 39.
However, once Laxman was out, Dhoni guided the last four batsmen through
the last 15 overs as the heavens grew darker. Batting with the last
man, Dhoni walked back when umpires called off play for bad light.
Dhoni’s unbeaten 76 was crucial in context of the series as India won
the next game and drew the third, thereby clinching the rubber 1-0. 3. 57 vs Pakistan at Feroz Shah Kotla, New Delhi: November 2007
On a tricky wicket at the Feroz Shah Kotla, Pakistan had managed 231
after batting first. In reply, India lost wickets in a heap and were in a
muddle when they found themselves at 93 for five. Dhoni walked out to
join Kaneria and injected life into the innings. He mixed caution and
aggression to pick boundaries and moved to 57. The most interesting
aspect of this knock was the way he handled Danish Kaneria, who was
purchasing turn on the wicket. By the time Dhoni was dismissed, India
were close to Pakistan’s total and they managed a slender lead that
proved crucial in hindsight. 4.38 vs Australia at WACA, Perth: January 2008
This one may have been a sub-50 score but a crucial one in context of
the game. It is also one of the forgotten knocks with other more
prominent performances stealing the limelight. In the second innings in
Perth, India had slumped to 160 for six when Dhoni walked out. They had a
lead of 118 and needed a bigger score to challenge the might of
Australia in Perth. Dhoni consumed deliveries and batted out a tough
period with Laxman. Showing extreme patience, he helped India muddle
through that phase and attacked only when the opportunity presented
itself. The fact that he faced 87 balls for his 38 and hit two fours and
two sixes, shows how restrained he was for a major part. Laxman then
went on to take the lead beyond 400 which proved too much for Australia
as India completed a historic victory. 5. 92 vs Australia at PCA Stadium, Mohali: October 2008
With Anil Kumble out due to injury, Dhoni got a chance to lead India
in Tests for the second time. Against Australia in Mohali, he walked out
to bat at 305 for five and then enforced himself on the game. His
innings of 92 was authoritative and put Australia on the backfoot.
Though Sourav Ganguly scored a ton, it was Dhoni’s innings that
delivered the knockout punch in the first innings. To top it all, he
promoted himself to No. 3 in the second innings and smashed 68 as India
set a 516-run target for Australia. India won the game by 320 runs. 6.55 vs Australia at the VCA Stadium Jamtha, Nagpur: November 2008
Another one of those forgotten gems. India had an 87-run lead going
into the second innings against Australia in Nagpur. Australia hit back
with quick wickets as India were down to 166 for six. Dhoni then batted
patiently with Harbhajan Singh to construct a 108-run stand and help
India post a target of 382 for Australia. It was Dhoni’s first Test as
captain after the baton official passed down from Kumble who retired
after the previous Test. In winning this game, India beat Australia 2-0
and clinched the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. 7. 110 vs Sri Lanka at Sardar Patel Stadium Motera, Ahmedabad: November 2009
On a wintry morning in Ahmedabad, Sri Lanka’s seamers had rocked the
Indian top-order. Yuvraj Singh and Dravid managed to script a recovery
of sorts taking India to 157 for five. Dhoni walked in and played the
role of the enforcer. He took the attack to the bowlers and was severe
on the spinners. Dravid and Dhoni put up a partnership of 224 runs as
India finished Day One on 385 for six. 8. 132 not out vs South Africa at Eden Gardens, Kolkata: February 2010
India had bowled South Africa out for 296 and were then led by
Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar’s tons. However, they lost three
quick wickets and were 384 for six. Laxman and Dhoni chalked out another
stand, this time worth 269 runs. Dhoni smashed 132 not out with 12
fours and three sixes as India piled a huge score of 643. This knock
ensured that India did not have to bat again and that they could put
South Africa under pressure in the fourth innings. India won the game in
the nick of time and held on to their top spot in the Test rankings. 9. 224 vs Australia at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai: February 2013
Perhaps Dhoni’s most important innings.
It was just brutal. Batting at No. 6, Dhoni helped India get past
Australia’s first innings 380 and then launched into the attack. Dhoni
bludgeoned as many as six sixes and 24 fours as he went on to score his
maiden double ton in Test cricket. With the No. 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, he
constructed a stand worth 140, out of which the tailender managed only
38. Dhoni’s innings remains one of the highest by a wicketkeeper in Test
cricket. Australia never recovered from that as India went on to win
the first Test. 10. 71 vs England at Old Trafford, Manchester: August 2014
During India’s tumultuous tour to England in 2014, Dhoni vindicated
himself as a batsman as he consistently performed under testing
circumstances. He walked in to bat when India were jolted for eight for
four in the first innings. Battling the swing and all the tricks, he
worked his way to a brave 71. The innings was one of great temperament
and measure. Sadly, it would also be forgotten as India slipped to
another embarrassing defeat.
KARACHI: Pakistan's suspended off-spinners Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez have decided to go for informal tests to the ICC accredited bowling centre in Chennai.
According to a senior official of the Pakistan Cricket Board ( PCB), both the players had themselves asked the board to send them to Chennai.
"Saeed and Hafeez apparently were not comfortable with the set-up in
Brisbane and Loughborough and wanted to go to Chennai. Their travel
plans are now final and we have got all clearances from the Indian High
Commission and our foreign ministry," the official told the media.
He said both players would leave for Chennai in two to three days' time.
"They will be appearing in informal tests in Chennai and if they clear
those tests than we will send them for the official ICC tests soon," he
added.
Pakistan will be announcing its final World Cup
squad on January 7 and asked if there was enough time for the board to
get the bowlers cleared for the tournament, the official said they had
already asked the ICC to give dates for the official tests.
"We
are doing our best to facilitate both of them and we are keen to see
their bowling actions cleared before the World Cup. I think we will
complete all this process in two weeks time," he stated.
Hafeez
was suspended from bowling in international cricket last month by the
ICC after failing a bowling test soon after he was reported for his
action by match officials after the first Test against New Zealand.
Ajmal is also suspended from bowling in international cricket since September by the ICC.
Both have been named in Pakistan's preliminary World Cup squad of 30 players.
Ajmal appeared in two one-day matches against Kenya last week and
bowled a total of 12 overs and later said he felt confident bowling with
his remodeled action.
NEW
DELHI: Hockey India president Narinder Batra on Sunday reacted strongly
to Pakistan's misbehaviour following their win over India in the
Champions Trophy semifinal on Saturday, saying that India will boycott
all matches with Pakistan until appropriate action is taken, according
to Times Now.
Schedule and Results | Match in Pics | Official communication from Champions Trophy Tournament Director
The Pakistani players had celebrated their victory by taking off their
shirts and making obscene gestures towards the spectators and the media,
although their coach Shahnaz Shiekh was seen rebuking them.
READ ALSO: Pakistani players shame game with lewd gestures
Pakistan coach Shahnaz Shiekh, who had apologized on behalf of the team
on Saturday, went back on his words and said that it was the fans who
instigated the players.
"The players will not apologize, the incident happened in the heat of the moment," Sheikh said on Sunday.
The International Hockey Federation said that there would be no further
action against Pakistani players after their coach tendered an apology
for wild celebrations.
Pakistan hockey player ShafqatRasool (2nd L) makes an obscene gesture as he and teammates celebrate their victory over India. (AFP photo) Batra also hit out at the International Hockey Federation for the lack of action.
Indian captain Sardar Singh and high performance director Roelant
Oltmans had condemned the way the Pakistan players' behaviour after
their win.
Sardar said, "They should not have celebrated in
such a way. There were families inside the stadium and they shouldn't
have taken off their shirts. Even after winning the match against
Pakistan in the Asian Games, we didn't celebrate in this fashion."
"I didn't see too much of the Pakistan players but it was a bit too much," said Oltmans.
Every time team India travels to Australia, the heat down under takes a hard toll on them, be it the 2007-08 infamous ‘monkey-gate’ episode or the 2011-12 Virat Kohli episode,
when he showed the crowd his middle finger. Controversies are sure to
hover over the Indian cricket team when they play down under.
The ‘monkey-gate’ embroilment, during the Sydney Test, gained a lot of momentum, where Harbhajan Singh was charged for racially abusing Australia’s Andrew Symonds as a black monkey while Harbhajan refuted by saying he was just using ‘teri maa ki’ – which is an Indian slang phrase. Later, Matthew Hayden termed Harbhajan as an “obnoxious little weed” on a live radio interview.
Andrew Symonds (L) and Harbhajan Singh while playing the Sydney Test match in January, 2008. Photo: AFP
In 2011-12, team India travelled to Australia for a long, enervating
tour. Losing the first Test, the team vowed to make amends in Sydney but
the atrocious Sydney came to haunt them once again. After failing with
the bat in the first innings, the Michael Clarke-tide swept away the Indians, causing some verbal jibes from the fans to which Virat Kohli replied with his middle finger.
Later, he clarified on Twitter that it was a payback gesture to unruly fans. Kohli was fined 50% of his match fee.
In the next Test at Perth, Indian pacer Ishant Sharma couldn’t
control his hands. He also reacted to the taunts of some enraged fans
by showing them the middle finger. While Virat did it on the ground, in
front of television cameras and a million eyes, Ishant too could not
take the fans’ tongue wagging and greeted them with his finger after the
match.
Ishant Sharma (L) and Virat Kohli
Hark back your mind to 2005, when Greg Chappell was
also involved in a similar finger-gate hurrah. The Indian crowd did not
accept it and now the tag has been carried to Australia.
Kohli’s argument was that the fans abused his family. Ishant might
tow a similar line but what they are forgetting is that some battles are
best not fought. It is more of an immatureness that is being displayed
by these sports ambassador of the country. Kohli and Sharma wanted to be
like Bollywood actors, punishing guilty fans by themselves.
It might be just a finger gesture for them but actions speak louder
than words. It landed them in hot water. Actions are a real measure of
intelligence and, by flipping their fingers Kohli and Sharma have shown
what they lack.
The young brigade is defined by youthful rebellion, with spiked,
gelled hair, and tattooed arms. Their attitude is fine, perhaps
aggressive too, but them losing their calm so easily is worrying. What
such actions highlight is how flappable young Indian cricketers are.
They have learnt the art of playing from their seniors but what they
didn’t learn is the temperament and manners of the senior players. Look
at Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, who have always conducted themselves with the utmost poise and presence, wherever they have been.
Sachin Tendulkar (L), Rahul Dravid (C) and V. V. S. Laxman (R)
Once again, team India has set its foot in Australia to play a long
Test series, but it is unlikely that this time the build-up to the tour
will be different. The tragic death of Australian cricketer, Phillip Hughes,
has left the players and the nation in emotional apathy, however, this
might prove to be more of a vulnerability during the series as emotions will rule
the minds of the Aussies. Their captain, Michael Clarke, has already
declared that he wants to win this one for his beloved Phillip Hughes,
who was a brother to him.
So, expect plenty of drama, emotions and verbal jibes. It will be
interesting to see how team India reacts to this approach, will they let
it go by understanding the emotions of the grief stricken Aussies, or will they revert back with same force?
The battle of mind and emotions will be one to watch out for; the
scorching summer in Australia has already begun and things will surely
boil down under.
KARACHI: Pakistan’s women’s team advanced to the semi-finals of the
Kabaddi World Cup after a nail-biting 39-37 victory over England in the
Indian city of Ludhiana on Wednesday.
Trailing 15-20 at the end of
the first-half, raider Sehrish played a key role in her team’s tense
triumph, clinching the decisive point minutes before the final whistle
as Pakistan reached the semis after a second successive victory at the
event.
“England have improved a lot since the last World Cup and put us under great pressure in the first-half,” Pakistan skipper
Madiha Latif said after the match. “Thankfully we didn’t lose heart and pressed for a vital win.”
Madiha’s team had started their campaign with a 45-20 thrashing of Mexico in Rupnagar on Tuesday.
Their men’s counterparts also began on a winning note on Tuesday, demolishing Denmark 69-24 and next play England on Thursday.
hockey news
BHUBANESWAR: Jeremy Hayward scored twice as Australia registered
their first win at the Champions Trophy, beating Pakistan 3-0 on
Tuesday to condemn Shahnaz Sheikh’s men to their third straight defeat
in the elite eight-nation tournament.
Australia’s win hardly made
any difference to the final standings as the Kookaburras, with four
points from a victory and a draw, finished on third position in pool
‘A’ behind leaders England and second-placed Belgium.
England topped the pool by drawing 1-1 with Belgium in an earlier match at the Kalinga Stadium on Tuesday.
With
all eight teams to be involved in the quarter-finals and the final pool
positions determining the draw, Pakistan will face the Netherlands who
topped Pool ‘B’ on goal difference ahead of Argentina.
The Dutch
were beaten 3-2 by India in their final pool match on Tuesday with the
victory sending the hosts third courtesy Olympic champions Germany’s 3-0
loss to Argentina earlier in the day.
Germany with clash with
England for a spot in the semi-finals with India facing Belgium in
another last-eight battle. Argentina will face Australia in the fourth
quarter-final.
Pakistan had the first real scoring chance,
Muhammad Arslan Qadir hit the outside of the goal following Muhammad
Dilber’s great delivery.
After a barren first quarter, Australia
finally broke the deadlock when Hayward scored from a penalty corner
rebound in the 23rd minute.
Pakistan started to build attacks in the final quarter in search of the equaliser but could not find the back of the net.
Their
hopes of a comeback were dashed when Hayward flicked home his second
from a penalty corner with seven minutes remaining before Jacob Whetton
sealed the match for his side 90 seconds from the final hooter.
“The
boys did not play well today and missed a number of opportunities,”
Shahnaz said. “But they are improving match by match and meeting any
team in the quarter-finals will not make much of a difference as all
eight teams are strong and anyone can win on any given day.”
England,
seeking their first Trophy title and have been the pick of the teams
with wins over five-time defending champions Australia and Pakistan,
conceded an early goal to Belgium but dominated thereafter.
Amaury
Keusters put Belgium ahead in the eighth minute, and goalkeeper
Vincent Vanash fisted out some threats from England to help hold on to
the lead.
But England’s pressure was unrelenting. Iain Lewers hit
the crossbar from a penalty stroke but produced the equaliser in the
48th minute with a crisp reverse-flick from the top of the circle.
“I
was fortunate to find myself in a position to score and make up for not
converting the stroke,” Lewers said. “We’re pleased with our
performance today but what matters is that we win our knockout games.”
Argentina handed Olympic champions Germany a second straight loss with their biggest ever win in the Trophy.
Skipper
Matias Paredes, Joaquin Menini and Ignacio Ortiz scored for the
Pan-American champions, who ended the preliminary league with two wins
and one defeat in pool ‘B’.
Paredes said he wanted his team to
maintain the momentum when the knock-out phase starts on Thursday.
“This win was very satisfying because we kept them under pressure
throughout the game and converted the chances that came our way,” he
said. “We don’t want to lose this momentum.”
After two successive
defeats, India finally tasted their first success with goals by SV
Sunil, Manpreet Singh and Rupinderpal Singh giving them a much-needed
boost ahead of the quarter-finals. hockey news
Chandigarh: Punjab Deputy Chief
Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday approved revised dates for the
fifth edition of World Kabaddi Cup on the proposal of the sport
organisations from various countries.
As per the new dates, this mega event of Punjab's traditional game will now commence from December 5 to 15.
This
decision was taken in a meeting with the representatives of various
Kabaddi organisations, which apprised Badal about clashing of dates due
to the grand finale of the World Kabaddi League on Nov 29.
In view of the clashing of dates, Badal asked Secretary Sports PS Aujla to prepare a revised schedule.
He
also directed that there will be no change in the venue of both men's
and women's semi-finals, which would be held in Pakistan whether in
Lahore or anywhere as per the convenience of Government of Punjab
Province, Pakistan.
Badal, who is also Sports Minister, informed
that there would be 10 teams participating in World Kabaddi Cup --
India, Pakistan, Argentina, USA, UK, Scotland, Canada, Sierra Leone,
Spain, Kenya and Denmark in the men's category discipline while women's
teams from India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Kenya, UK, Malaysia, Denmark
and Mexico would participate.
He said that these Kabaddi titans
would vie for a Rs 6.97 crore prize money out of which champions in
either category would be awarded Rs 2 crore and Rs 1 crore respectively
and Rs 1 crore and Rs 51 lakh for the runners-up.
The opening and closing venues remain the same with opening at Jalandhar and the conclusion at Bathinda.
Jalalabad,
Chohla Sahib, Sangrur, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Ropar, Khanna and Mansa
cities have been selected for other Kabbadi matches.
The Deputy
Chief Minister, according to an official release here, has issued strict
instructions to conduct dope tests of players to ensure a drug-free
World Cup and also approved the amount of Rs 30 lakh for the same.
The names of teams likely to participate include Pakistan, Argentina, USA, UK, Scotland, Canada, Seora Leon, Spain, Kenya and Denmark in men discipline whereas in women category teams form India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Kenya, UK, Malaysia, Denmark and Mexico would participate. These teams would fight for the total prize money of Rs. 6.97 crore out of which title winners in men and women categories would get Rs. 2 crore and Rs. 1 crore respectively. Second prize of Rs. 1 crore would be given to Runner up to men team whereas in women category it would be Rs. 51 Lakh.
It was also decided to organize opening ceremony at Jalandhar whereas Bathinda would witness the sparkling closing ceremony. Besides that Jalalabad, Chohla Sahib, Sangrur, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Rupnagar, Khanna and Mansa cities have been selected for other kabaddi matches. He sough conduct of dope tests of players to ensure drug free world cup and also approved the amount of Rs 30 lakh for the same.
To promote traditional games of Punjab, Badal asked the sports department to prepare a proposal to start Punjab Rural Games from this year which would not only boost the sports culture in the state but also give impetus to tourism. With a view to promote desi kushti (traditional wrestling) in the state, Deputy CM directed the cultural and sports department to contact with Pakistan Iran and Uzbekstan governments to send their wrestlers to India as Punjab has a great potential in this game.
CHANDIGARH: Deputy chief minister Sukhbir
Badal on Friday, finalizing the schedule for 5th World Kabaddi Cup 2014
from Dec. 6th to Dec 20th, announced that its semifinals would be played
in Punjab province of Pakistan.
Watch All Matches LIVE here at www.LIVEKABADDI.com (Dec. 6th-20th)
Kabaddi Matches
Date 2014
Location
Vancouver Time (PST)
UK Time (GMT)
Indian Time (IST)
Opening Ceremony
Dec 6th
Jalandhar
4:30 am
12:30 pm
6:00 pm
Sweden Vs. England (M)
New Zealand Vs. England (W)
Argentina Vs. Denmark (M)
Dec 7th
Gurdaspur
4:30 am
12:30 pm
6:00 pm
Australia Vs. Spain (M)
India Vs. USA (W)
Iran Vs. USA (M)
Dec 8th
Moga
10:30 pm (Dec 7th)
6:30 am
12:00 pm
Argentina Vs. Spain (M)
Mexico Vs. Pakistan (W)
Pakistan Vs. Denmark (M)
Canada Vs. England (M)
Dec 9th
Ropar
10:30 pm (Dec 8th)
6:30 am
12:00 pm
Azerbaljan Vs. Denmark (W)
Australia Vs. Iran (M)
Pakistan Vs. England (W)
India Vs. Spain (M)
Dec 10th
Khanna
10:30 pm (Dec.9th)
6:30 am
12:00 pm
Denmark Vs. Sweden (M)
Canada Vs. Argentina (M)
New Zealand Vs. Pakistan (W)
Pakistan Vs. England (M)
Dec 11th
Chola Sahib
10:30 pm (Dec 10th)
6:30 am
12:00 pm
Rest Day
Dec 12th
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Spain Vs. Iran (M)
India Vs. Denmark (W)
India Vs. USA (M)
Dec 13th
Sultanpur
10:30 pm (Dec 12th)
6:30 am
12:00 pm
Denmark Vs. Canada (M)
England Vs. Mexico (M)
England Vs. Argentina (W)
Pakistan Vs. Sweden (M)
Dec 14th
Hoshiarpur
10:30 pm (Dec 13th)
6:30 am
12:00 pm
USA Vs. Azerbaijan (W)
USA Vs. Australia (M)
Pakistan Vs. Canada (M)
India Vs. Iran (M)
Dec 15th
Patiala
10:30 pm (Dec 14th)
6:30 am
12:00 pm
USA Vs. Spain (M)
India Vs. Azerbaijan (W)
India Vs. Australia (M)
New Zealand Vs. Mexico (W)
Dec 16th
Jalalabad
10:30 pm (Dec 15th)
6:30 am
12:00 pm
Denmark Vs. USA (W)
England Vs. Denmark (M)
Sweden Vs. Canada (M)
Pakistan Vs. Canada (M)
Dec 17th
Amritsar
10:30 pm (Dec 16th)
6:30 am
12:00 pm
Semi Finals (M)
Semi Finals (W)
Dec 18th
Sangrur
10:30 pm (Dec 17th)
6:30 am
12:00 pm
3rd Position (W)
3rd Position (M)
Women’s Final Match
In 2011-12, team India travelled to Australia for a long, enervating
tour. Losing the first Test, the team vowed to make amends in Sydney but
the atrocious Sydney came to haunt them once again. After failing with
the bat in the first innings, the Michael Clarke-tide swept away the Indians, causing some verbal jibes from the fans to which Virat Kohli replied with his middle finger.
Hark back your mind to 2005, when Greg Chappell was
also involved in a similar finger-gate hurrah. The Indian crowd did not
accept it and now the tag has been carried to Australia.
Once again, team India has set its foot in Australia to play a long
Test series, but it is unlikely that this time the build-up to the tour
will be different. The tragic death of Australian cricketer, Phillip Hughes,
has left the players and the nation in emotional apathy, however, this
might prove to be more of a vulnerability during the series as emotions will rule
the minds of the Aussies. Their captain, Michael Clarke, has already
declared that he wants to win this one for his beloved Phillip Hughes,
who was a brother to him.
