Preview: India vs Sri Lanka World Cup 2011 final match

INDIA VS SRI LANKA World Cup 2011 final will probably be the last Cricket World Cup match of two contemporary legends, batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar and bowling great Muttiah Muralitharan. Sachin Tendulkar has added numerous feathers in his cap with the exception of the Cricket World Cup trophy, whereas Murali has lifted the trophy in the 1996 Cricket World Cup.
The finalists of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, India and Sri Lanka, have played 128 matches so far with each other and the record is in favour of India by 67-50 (NR: 11). In World Cup matches Sri Lankans are leading by 4-2. At the venue of the final match of the Cricket World Cup 2011, both teams have won one match each.
In the India vs Sri Lanka World Cup 2011 final match on Saturday, Indian fast bowler Ashish Nehra, who bowled exceptionally well in the semi final against Pakistan in Mohali, is battling an injury because of a fractured right hand middle finger.
Sri Lanka coach Trevor Bayliss has said spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan will play his last international match on Saturday at Wankhede Stadium despite his fitness problem, which include hamstring injury, side strain, troublesome knee and a groin issue.
In the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the Indian team will have to give attention to fielding. Throughout the tournament Indian fielding has been an area of concern for the captain and team management, though India has fielded well in crucial encounters against Australia and Pakistan.

In bowling Zaheer Khan has done a good job of containment and of taking wickets, but Harbhajan has not supported him up to his capacity.
Sachin Tendulkar is performing consistently well, but Gautam Gambhir has gifted his wicket many times in the ongoing tournament. Virender Sehwag is providing eletrifying starts in the tournament, and has scored 380 runs so far with an average of 54.29.

Virat Kohli needs improvement and consistency in his batting. Yuvrag Singh, one of the strongest contenders of the man-of-the-series, has performed equally well in both batting and bowling.
In the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, Indian batsmen will have to be ready for the yorkers and intelligent deliveries of Lasith Malinga. Muttiah Muralitharan can also create panic for Indian batsmen. Sri Lankan batsmen Kumar Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga are playing good cricket and are scoring in every match. Indian bowlers will have to bowl a good line to the Lankan batsmen in form, and play with a cool mind.
The India vs Sri Lanka World Cup 2011 final match is likely to be an entertaining cricket match. Let's see on Saturday, April 2, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, who will play like a real champion, Sachin Tendulkar or Muttiah Muralitharan?
Given below are the India and Sri Lanka squads for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 final match:
India: MS Dhoni (capt/wk), Virender Sehwag (vice capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, R. Ashwin, Piyush Chawla, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel and S. Sreesanth.
Coach: Gary Kirsten
Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), Mahela Jayawardene (vice capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath.
Coach: Trevor Bayliss

Manish Pandey of Pune Warriors handed four IPL game ban

It has been announced that Manish Pandey has been hit with just a four-match ban by the Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council after the player had been found guilty of violating the rules for uncapped Indian players.

As a result, the highly-promising middle-order batsman from Karnataka will now have to sit out the first four games of the fourth edition of the IPL 4 for his franchise, the Pune Warriors, with the tournament set to finally get under way at the start of April.

Pandey, who played for the Royal Challengers Bangalore franchise during the previous two competitions, was found guilty of asking a franchise for more money than uncapped Indian players were entitled to, with the limit being set at Rs 20 lakh.

However, the player should be thankful that he has only been banned for four matches, as last year Indian international Ravindra Jadeja was suspended from the entire tournament having been found guilty of the same offence.

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Ryan McLaren to play for Kings XI Punjab in IPl 4

Kings XI Punjab have decided to replace injured Stuart Broad and Dimitri Mascarenhas with Ryan McLaren  a South African all-rounder,  ahead of the start of the fourth season of the Indian Premier league competition which starts next month.

The two England players were both forced to withdraw from IPL 4 due to injury, with Stuart Broad having injured his side while representing his country in the World Cup , while Hampshire’s Dimitri Mascarenhas is suffering from an Achilles’ tendon problem.

Ryan McLaren, who has played one-day and Twenty20 international Cricket for the Proteas, represented the Mumbai Indians in last year’s tournament and was approached by his new franchise on the weekend to inquire as to his availability for this season, which gets under way at the start of next month.

As no one opted to sign him during the January player auctions which took place in Bangalore, McLaren will only cost the Kings XI Punjab the base rate of $100,000.

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Shahrukh Khan, Shakira to perform together for Kolkata Knight Riders

After Akon, Shahrukh Khan is ready to work with another Hollywood singer Shakira. Shahrukh will be seen shaking his legs with Shakira for his IPL 4 team’s music video. Shahrukh’s KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders) has not performed well in last IPL, but this time to charge his team he has roped in Shakira. Salim - Suleiman are composing the song for the video.

Shahrukh met Shakira at the Fifa World Cup in South Africa where Shakira sang Waka Waka.

 

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Sajid-Wajid compose theme song for IPL 4

Post the success of Dabangg, last year Sajid-Wajid are certainly the most 'Wanted' composers in tinsel-town. The duo has now been roped in to compose the theme song of the forthcoming IPL 4 event.

The theme song has been sung by Wajid himself and is called 'Dhum Dhadaka'.The beats have a lot of rhythm.They have also used the trademark horn.

A music video featuring the hosts of IPL 4 will also be shot on April 3.
The track is surely set to become a chartbuster once IPL 4 action kicks off on April 8.

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Tim Southee to play in IPL

New Zealand pace bowler Tim Southee has signed to play for the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket competition this year, assistant coach Steve Rixon said today.

Injuries have depleted the defending champions' bowling stocks so they have moved to shore them up by signing Southee, 22, who took 18 wickets at 17.33 during the one-day World Cup on the subcontinent.

Chennai are coached by former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming, while Rixon, a former New Zealand coach, is the fielding coach and current New Zealand international Scott Styris is on their playing roster.

"It's good to have (Southee) on board, especially coming out of such a great recent tournament (at the World Cup)," Rixon told Radio Live today.

"It's an absolute bonus for us at the moment to be able to get our hands on such a quality player.

"Tim's recent form over there (at the World Cup) indicates that he handles those conditions beautifully."

 

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India Vs Pakistan semi final match: Team India wins

INDIA HAS won the semifinal match of ICC cricket world cup match being played at Mohali today. Indian bowlers managed a tight line and length and did not allow any Pakistani batsman to go amock as they took wickets at regular intervals to restrict their arch rivals from across the border.

India won this match by 29 runs much to the delight of millions of fans.

Indian bowlers Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra and Munaf Patel bowled brilliantly and did not give any quarter to the opposition to score runs freely. Nehra and Munaf were particularly stingy with their bowling and justified the faith shown by captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Harbhajan Singh bowled brilliantly and ensured that Pakistan batsmen had to work harder to score runs. He also claimed the crucial wickets of Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi to ensure that India won the ICC world cup semifinal match in Mohali.

Earlier, Dhoni's decision to play Nehra in place of spinner Ashwin and Yusuf Pathan was questioned by the  experts but Nehra's performance in the match will silence the critics. Nehra also claimed the wicket of Wahab Riaz, who earlier tormented the Indian batsmen as bowled a dream spell claiming 5 wickets.

As soon as the wicket of Wahab Riaz fell there was widespread jubiliation and fire crackers were set off by Indian fans. Misbah was left to be the sole hope for the Pakistan team as score reads 204 for the loss of 8 wickets in 45 overs.

Cricket being the game of glorious uncertainties, it would have been too early to say that India will  win the match. However, Nehra struck again as he claimed the wicket of Umar Gul and now it could be safely predicted that India will win the match.

Mishbah tried hard to make the best out of the match but the equation proved too tough for the Pakistan team. Pakistan needed 30 runs from the last six balls and this was perhaps the toughest ask for any batsman in the history of the game.

As soon as the match was won by India, fans across the nation burst crackers and danced in streets to express happiness over this victory. The India Vs Pakistan semifinal match had become an issue of prestige for both the sides and it had acquired an even higher profile after Indian PM Manmohan Singh invited the Pakistan PM to watch the match in Mohali.

As expected the man of the match award was given to Sachin Tendulkar as he made 85 crucial runs and held the Indian inning together for quite some time. However, when compared to Tendulkar's standards, this inning was quite patchy as the little master was dropped as many as three times and even survived two very close calls.

India vs Pakistan Semi Final match Cricket World Cup 2011, Live Score Card

ONE OF the biggest days in the history of Cricket has now arrived. The Godfather of all cricket matches is about to be played as the India vs Pakistan semi final takes place in Mohali at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium on Wednesday, March 30 from 2:00 pm onwards.

Millions of cricket-crazy fans from across the globe have already started cheering for their heroes to do well in the super match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. They are praying for the victory of their favourite team at temples, mosques, gurudwaras, and churches.

The winner of the India vs Pakistan second semi final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 will play against Sri Lanka on Saturday, April 2, at India's finance capital Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. In the first semi final match of the Cricket World Cup 2011 on Tuesday, March 29, Sri Lanka won by five wickets at R. Premadasa Stadium, in Colombo, and reached its second successive final of the Cricket World Cup.

Prior to the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan semi final match in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, last night, the weather in Mohali raised the heart beats of Indian and Pakistani cricket fans. Mohali witnessed some heavy rain and thunderstorms on Tuesday.

According to the Mohali weather report, on Wednesday, March 30, in the afternoon the sky will mostly be sunny, and Mohali temperature will be around 41°C, however, there will be a chance of little rain by the evening.

The two captains, MS Dhoni and Shahid Afridi, will come to the middle of Punjab Cricket Association Stadium for the important toss of the second semi final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 at 2:00 PM and live action for the battle for final will start from 2:30 PM IST. Cricket fans from across the globe will get all the latest updates and informations from Live Score Card link.

India vs Pakistan Semi final Predictions

NUMEROLOGIST SANJAY B Jumaani, on his website, has outlined his predictions. According to Jumaani, “Not only the odds, but the numbers too are piled up in India's favor.

As predicted much before the Cup, if we have to do well, 3,6,9 (a family) are the numbers that have mattered the most for India (3, Jupiter) or Bharat (6, Venus).”

Here's why Jumaani thinks that numbers are stacked against Pakistan. “Last year when Sri Lanka and South Africa toured India, ALL the matches were ‘fixed’ – no pun intended whatsoever - by BCCI on dates adding to a 3, 6 or 9 - including the two Twenty-20 Matches against Sri Lanka! And we won both the series comfortably.”

In this World Cup also, the same numbers have played a significant role. Most matches before the quarter final stages took place on 3, 6, 9 dates. For instance, the matches were on 27th (Bangladesh), 6th (Ireland) 9th (Netherlands) and 12th (South Africa).

Furthermore, India beat defending champions on the 24th! What’s more, India meet Pakistan on 30th (3) in a do-or-die semi-final.

Going by this trend in numbers, Jumaani believes that, “The next match maybe ours too on 30th (3) in Mohali (adds to 21)! The name Mumbai adds to 18 (9!) too.”

Numerologist Anupam Kapil told this CJ that he is backing India from an altogether different perspective. “Pakistan lost wars with India when the playing days were 5, 6, 3 and 3 and also when the month in which Kargil war took place was the third, and when the playing day was 5 they lost the war in Bangladesh,” said Kapil.

“They have lost all the wars in their unfavorable numbers and so if this match is played like a war, Pakistan are bound to lose, despite other factors that are supporting Afridi’s team and though fate no 3, ruled by Jupiter has favoured Pakistan in the past, but now Jupiter which is their bhagya sthan lord is ‘combust’ along with Mars, ruler of their ascendant,” said Kapil.

While both captains’ charts and numbers are not so good, the overall advantage remains with India, which has a probability of 70:30 to win on the 30th.

On asked to compare charts of both nations, Kapil said that “Pakistan is Mesha lagna and Kanya rashi under sade satti and so they may be deprived of ultimate success even after coming this far and both Jupiter and Mars are ‘combust’ for them.”

While for Pakistan its “mithun rashi is afflicted by Ketu now. India is Vrushabh lagna and karka rashi, and this shall help India as Venus is now moving into India’s 10th house,” said Kapil.

The numerologist said that Yuvraj Singh “will surely play very well in both bowling and batting and we should expect yet another entertaining performance from him as Mohali also adds to his lucky number 3. He should wear a yellow band to strengthen Jupiter, which has become combust now. This may be his big game again.”

Kapil is not all that confident about Tendulkar, though. “He can make a very good score, he must play easy and slow, that will help him and the team. There is no doubt that if he sticks down, there will be history in the making. Numbers and planets do support him. If India bats first, he must not play lofted strokes.”

The numbers as per Kapil say that Yuvraj, Sachin, Sehwag, Harbhajan, Raina, Zaheer, Ashwin - in that order – will put in good performances. For Pakistan, players expected to do well are: Mohammad Younus Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Asad Shafiq, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, and Wahib Riaz.

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Sri Lanka vs New Zealand Semi Final match 2011, Live Score Card

Cleck for Live Score Card

IN THE first semi final match of the year's biggest sports event, ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori has won the toss and decided to bat first against Sri Lanka at the flat wicket of R. Premadasa Stadium, in Colombo this afternoon.
In the crucial match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori has made one change in the playing XI from the quarter final match against South Africa. He preferred seamer Andy McKay for Luke Woodcock in the final playing XI.
Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara has retained his line-up from the quarter final match against England.
In the semi final of 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup, the Lankans had set the target for Kiwis and won that match by 81 runs with the brilliant performance of Mahela Jayawardene and Muttiah Muralitharan. Sri Lanka has won their previous four World Cup games against New Zealand.
New Zealand, who is playing its sixth semi final of the Cricket World Cup 2011, has reached the semi finals of the Cricket World Cup on five occasions in 1975, 1979, 1992, 1999 and 2007, but never played even a single final of this mega cricketing event.
Sri Lanka has played semi finals in 1996, 2003, 2007, and final in two times in 1996 and 2007. In 1996, Sri Lanka won the Cricket World Cup trophy.
Here are the playing XI of Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the first semi final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011:
Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Angelo Mathews, Rangana Herath, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis.
New Zealand: Brendon McCullum (wk), Martin Guptill, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Kane Williamson, Nathan McCullum, Daniel Vettori (capt), Jacob Oram, Andy McKay,Tim Southee.

Check Here >> Cricket Live Score

IPL 2011 Opening Ceremony likely to be hosted by Amitabh Bachchan

The DLF IPL 2011 ceremony as in the earlier season is expected to have breathtaking performances by number of Bollywood celebrities as well as international performers. Set Max channel will telecast live the opening ceremony of the IPL 2011.

IPL 2011 opening ceremony venue has been decided and this time Chepauk stadium in Chennai is going to host the important opening event of IPL season 4. Chennai is the home ground of IPL season 3 winner Chennai Super Kings.

According to reports, Indian Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan is likely to host the IPL opening ceremony. Also…continue reading IPL 2011 Opening Ceremony

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Minor fire erupts at IPL stadium

A minor fire erupted at the new cricket stadium being built by the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) on the outskirts of the city. The Pimpri Chinchwad chief fire officer Kiran Gawade said the fire brigade received a call from a person from the stadium management informing them about a fire in the store room at the ground floor.
"Some 80 boxes containing LED screens and tiles were destroyed in the fire. However, no one was injured in the incident," Gawade said.  Dnyaneshwar Bhalekar, sub officer of Pimpri Chinchwad fire brigade, said:  "The incident took place when construction activity was on at the first floor.
As the labourers were busy completing the welding job, sparks emanating from the metal fell on the boxes kept in the storage room on the ground floor through the ducts kept for ventilation. People were alerted on seeing the smoke emerge from the room."
Hariharan, project co-coordinator for MCA, said: "The fire erupted at 1 pm.  No one was injured in the incident. Fire was bought under control with the help of the PCMC fire brigade and by using the facilities at the stadium. The exact cause of the fire and the extent of the damage will only be ascertained after a detailed enquiry."

Source:Mid-Day

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Preview: Sri Lanka vs New Zealand Semi Final match Cricket World Cup 2011

THE ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 has now almost reached its final destination. In the first Semi Final of the ongoing Cricket World Cup,  Sri Lanka will meet New Zealand at R. Premadasa Stadium, in Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Thursday, March 29.
In the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup also, Sri Lanka and New Zealand had met in the  first Semi Final match played at Sabina Park, Kingston in Jamaica, where the Lankans had  won that match by 81 runs. Then, Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene had scored a brilliant 115 runs, whereas all time great spinner Muttiah Muralitharan sent four Kiwis batsman back to the pavilion.
In the last league match of Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the Lankans defeated Kiwis by a big margin of 112 runs at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 18th.
In the journey to the Semi Final of the Cricket World Cup 2011, Sri Lanka started the campaign against qualifier Canada with a big victory. In the next match, they lost against Pakistan in a close match by 11 runs.
The Lankans won by nine wickets against another qualifier Kenya in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. In its fourth match against defending champion Australia, the match was washed away due to rain. In the fifth match Sri Lanka routed Zimbabwe by 139 runs.
In its Quarter Final match, Sri Lanka thrashed the English team by 10 wickets at R Premadasa Stadium, in Colombo on Saturday, March 26. Both Sri Lankan openers Tharanga and Dilshan knocked a brilliant hundred.
New Zealand, which is playing its fifth Semi Final in the Cricket World Cup is in  full rhythm in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. They have lost two matches in the group league one against Australia by seven wickets and another against host Lankans.
New Zealand team won two matches by the margin of 10 wickets against minnows of the group, Kenya and Zimbabwe. In the third Quarter Final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the Kiwis defeated one of the strongest contenders of the tournament South Africa by 49 runs.
Withboth the teams having strong batting, who ever wins the toss will like to bat first at R Premadasa Stadium. Sri Lankan crowd will definitely cheer for their country in the first Semi Final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. In this situation, it will be very interesting to see whether New Zealand will be able to make first appearance in the finals of the Cricket World Cup.
Here are the Sri Lanka and New Zealand squads in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011:
Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), Mahela Jayawardene (vice capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath.
New Zealand:  Daniel Vettori (capt), Hamish Bennett, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Jamie How, Brendon McCullum (wk), Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson, Luke Woodcock.

India vs Pakistan - first match between the two since 26/11

THE PAKISTANI team was welcomed with high spirits by India, when they arrived here on March 25. They will be playing against India for the first time in the Indian sub-continent since the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The security forces went into top gear as soon as the Pakistani team landed in Chandigarh - covering them in a tight blanket of security.

With more than 1,000 security personnel to take care of Afridi and Co., the hotel in which they are staying in Chandigarh has been sanitised for any kind of external threat.

Security of the players has been the top most priority for Indian security forces. In this regard, they have handed a list of dos and don'ts to the team. The route by which the players will be taken to the Mohali cricket stadium for practice has been kept a secret, as this is the Pakistan cricket team's maiden India visit since the Mumbai attacks.

The clash between India and Pakistan in the semi-final of the cricket ICC World Cup 2011 is the most awaited one, and might come with some risks of terrorist activities. All necessary steps have been taken in this regard. For March 30, the stadium area has been made a no-flying zone, keeping in mind that high-profile dignitaries are expected to visit the stadium to witness the crucial encounter between the two teams vying for a place in the finals.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will is likely to turn up to watch this cricket extravaganza. He has also invited his Pakistani counterpart Yusuf Raza Gilani and  President Asif Ali Zardari to watch the game. The invitation has been accepted by Gilani but Zardari will not be coming.

The craze to watch an Indo-Pak match is so much that tickets have already been booked and those who are very keen in watching the match are even buying the tickets in black.

The black market for the tickets is supposedly doing roaring business. The tickets, which are originally for Rs. 250 are being sold for Rs. 2000, and the ticket that costs Rs. 2000 is being sold at the rate of Rs. 4000.

The buzz around the match is unbelievable. The media has tons of stories on the semi-final encounter. Hopes are riding high, and all that is left is to wait till Wednesday when the real battle on the field of cricket will begin. The Mohali stadium is all set to witness the top league game, and so are cricket-lovers on both sides of the border.

This match is also likely to generate emotions on the field when players of both teams get into the thick of things and situations get tense. One hopes the India-Pakistan turns out to be the best match of World Cup 2011 - with a high dose of pressure and entertainment. May the best team win!

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World cup 2011: Not an anticipated goodbye from England

ONE TEAM, which has always been in the news throughout the entire world cup, whether it’s their fighting spirit against India chasing a massive 338 runs or their loss against two minnows of the group co-host Bangladesh and unpredictable Ireland, England has managed to grab eyeballs whether they won or lost a match.

Whatever they did - win or lose- they did it in style.

The manner in which England won against favorites South Africa by a close margin showed why one-day cricket still has a long way to go and can offer a lot to cricket fans. The close matches and time available for the teams and players to decide the strategy is unlike the Twenty-Twenty cricket, where once the flow is decided nothing much can change.

In the quarterfinals, however, England met their match and they were defeated by 10 wickets.

Sri Lanka, any day, at home, was a better team compared to England but it was expected that England will give the opposition a run for their money.  But the English team really looked tired and jaded and perhaps it was time for the boys to go home to the cool environs of the British islands.

On a slow Colombo track, England managed just 229 runs in their quota of 50 overs, a task which was not going to be tough for the in-form Sri Lankan openers.

The hosts chased the target with 10 wickets in hand, dishing out a thumping defeat to the English team.

Although England played quite well in the league stage but it seems that the team ran out of ammunition to test tough opponents and make it to the final of the world cup.

Also, one must not forget that the English team came into the World Cup after an extremely competitive showing Down Under where after a tough test series they defeated the Aussies after many years. At the same time, the English started losing momentum soon after the test win. In the one-day series they lost heavily to the Aussies.

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Yuvraj emerges as the new wall of Indian Cricket in World Cup

YUVRAJ SINGH is not just a cricketer but a phenomenon to watch on the field. His classic shots and ability to turn the ball has earned him a name among the leading international players and his game has become a real treat to be enjoyed and admired by millions of sports lovers across the globe.

Of late, Yuvraj has shown a lot of discipline and his hard work and commitment can now be well judged by the temperament he exhibits while putting his passion in the game. His inning after inning in the World Cup edition of 2011 has really earned him the title of ‘Kohinoor’ of Indian cricket.

There was lot of speculation about Yuvraj Singh’s attitude and his form in the game before the selection of squad for the World Cup was made. But fortunes favour the brave and the panel of selectors finally agreed on his name considering his experience in the international cricket and his ability as an all-rounder made his place secure. Even the captain cool Mahendra Singh Dhoni had said Yuvraj potential as a batsman and as a spinner in the side would definitely help India and as we all know he has been a terrific fielder whose catches and fielding add further to the chances of winning as saving some 20 odd runs can make a lot of difference in the game.  

Everyone knows when Sachin, Gambhir and Dhoni got out in the crucial match against Australia in quarter finals, there was silence in the stadium and all were thinking what next? All eyes were there on Yuvraj Singh and he along with Suresh Raina played with cool nerves and Yuvraj played one of the most crucial innings of his lifetime that helped India beat Australia by 5 wickets. With this we took the revenge for 2003 World Cup defeat and also ended the era of Aussies dominance in the game for more than 12 years.

Yuvraj has been consistent with the bat and ball and that’s a good positive sign for team India. He is a batsman whom we can rely on and in tough situation, his experience helps the team to reach targets. Yuvraj has already said he has been playing this World Cup for someone special whom he wanted to gift the cup. All have been guessing the name, might be Sachin Tendulkar, who is playing his last World Cup, and unlike all his team mates, Yuvraj too wants to get this Cup not only for the nation but for him too, the man who has been a guiding force to millions and his team for over 21 years.

Yuvraj’s honeymoon with the bat and ball is going great at the moment and with two more steps to conquer the World Cup 2011, he must be planning his strategy to counter bowling attack from the arch rival Pakistan on March 30 at Mohali where Pakistan Prime Minister is also expected to arrive to see the game along with Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

He has made one thing clear as a crystal to all his opponents that till he is there at the crease, he would not let India lose a game. He provides much needed stability to the Indian middle order and has really worked hard on his game. After the departure of Rahul Dravid from the team India one day squad, Yuvraj has emerged as the new “wall” of Indian cricket.  

Read More On >> India Vs Pakistan, Cricket World Cup 2011

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Sri Lanka vs England Quarter Final, Cricket Live Score

ENGLAND CAPTAIN Andrew Strauss has won the toss and decided to bat first in the fourth and final quarter final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, against Sri Lanka at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The winner of the match will play against New Zealand in the first semi final on March 29 at the same venue.
The English team that defeated West Indies in its must-win match for the next round by 18 runs, has made no changes in the playing XI against Sri Lanka.
Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara has made one change in the winning combination, who won against New Zealand by 112 runs in the last group league match at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. Left-arm orthodox bowler Rangana Herath came in the playing XI against England in place of Nuwan Kulsekera.
In the Cricket World Cup matches, the English team is leading by 6-2 against Sri Lanka. However, Sri Lankan have won two of the last three Cricket World Cup matches against England including a two-run victory in Antigua during the 2007 Cricket World Cup.
The English team have played Cricket World Cup finals thrice in 1979 against West Indies, in 1987 against Australia, and in 1992, against Pakistan but has never won the prestigious trophy. Sri Lanka has played two finals of the Cricket World Cup in 1996 and 2007, both against Australia, and won the trophy in 1996. 
In the fourth quarter final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the Sri Lanka and England playing XI are given below:
Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Angelo Mathews, Rangana Herath, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis.
England: Andrew Strauss (capt), Matt Prior (wk), Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell, Eoin Morgan, Ravi Bopara, Tim Bresnan, Luke Wright, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Chris Tremlett.

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Shaun Pollock to be mentor, bowling coach of Mumbai Indians

South Africa all-rounder Shaun Pollock has joined IPL franchisee Mumbai Indians as their mentor and bowling coach for the Indian Premier league 2011. Pollock was the part of Mumbai Indians squad during IPL season 1 and was the coach for season 2.

Mumbai Indians has commenced its preparation-cum-conditioning camp for the IPL season 4 of the T20 League that begins from April 8,  at the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) ground at Bandra Kurla Complex. The camp has stars like Andrew Symonds and Rohit Sharma, who are training along with Ambati Rayudu, T Suman, Dhawal Kulkarni, Pawan Suyal, R Sathish, Aditya Tare, Abu Nechim and Ali Murtaza, all part of the MI campaign last season, as well as youngsters like Sarul Kanwar, Yuzvendra Chahal and S K Yadav who have been recently inducted into the squad. The camp is being conducted and supervised by coach Robin Singh and assistant coach Paras Mhambrey.

Commenting on the preparatory camp, team owner Nita Ambani said, "We will focus on getting the players in the groove for Indian premier League season IV, besides helping the new players blend with the team. Mumbai Indians will strive to build on our proud legacy of giving youngsters a platform to showcase their talent and realise their true potential. "We also look forward to the remaining members joining the final phase of the camp on completion of their national duties and wish them the very best." Mumbai Indians play their first match on April 10 against Delhi Daredevils in New Delhi.

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IPL on, toh Bharat Bandh

Rajkumar Hirani, the man behind films like ‘Munnabhai M.B.B.S’ and ’3 Idiots’, has produced a series of ad films to promote MAX’s Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign ‘IPL on, toh Bharat Bandh’ for the upcoming DLF IPL 4 tournament.

Hirani, who has produced the films under his banner Canvas Films, has added a hint of his humorous side to the scripts. The advertisements have been directed by noted ad filmmaker Shashank Ghosh and conceptualised by advertising firm JWT.

‘When my partner Sanjiv Kishinchandani and I first heard the idea of the ‘Bharat Bandh’, I realised that it had huge potential. If I had the time, I would have directed it myself. The next best way was to produce it, offer inputs and oversee it. Finally Shashank directed them. I feel he has done a brilliant job. I’m sure these films will bring a definite smile to people’s faces,’ Hirani said in a press statement.

The rollout of the seven ad films will stretch across a period of six weeks till the launch of the DLF IPL tournament April 8. Each film describes what happens in India when the IPL is on.

Shashank Ghosh, director, said: ‘I have tried to depict with a humorous take on how we all react to the IPL. It’s been a game changer in entertainment in India and everybody at some level has altered their lifestyles and routines to accommodate it. I hope the people at large will like the series of commercials and wait with bated breath for the IPL 2011 to start.’

The commercial will be first launched on TV, after which it will be spread out across print, radio, internet, billboards, mobile, below-the-line and out-of-home platforms.

‘The DLF IPL communication on MAX has always been unique and path breaking. With the ‘Bharat Bandh’ idea this year, we have an immensely strong idea that the people of India will immediately identify with and relate to as well,’ said Sneha Rajani, senior executive vice president and business head, MAX.

The DLF IPL 4 season four will be on till May 28.

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Preview: Sri Lanka vs England Quarter Final ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 match

R. PREMADASA STADIUM in Colombo is ready to host the fourth and final quarter final match of the biggest cricket extravaganza of the year, ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 between host Sri Lanka and England on Saturday, March 26.
Between Sri Lanka and England, the winner of the fourth quarter finalist of the ICC Cricket World will play the first semi final of the tournament on March 29 at the same venue from the winner of third quarter final match between South Africa and New Zealand.
Meanwhile, in the ongoing Cricket World Cup 2011, it is confirmed that one Asian country will play in the final on April 2 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. India and Pakistan have already qualified for the second semi final of the tournament.
Sri Lanka, who has played final of the Cricket World Cup twice in 1996 and 2007, has won the trophy once in 1996. England has played three finals of the biggest cricket tournament - in 1979 against West Indies, in 1987 against Australia, and in 1992 against Pakistan - but has never been lucky to lift the trophy.
In 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, England's journey till the quarter final was full of ups and downs. In its opening match, England won against Netherlands by six wickets. However, this match was not a cake walk for the English team.
In the next match England managed a tie against India despite being in a match-winning situation. In the next match, the English team were humiliated by Ireland by three wickets. In the fourth match, they had a morale boosting win against South Africa.
Again, in the next match, England lost against Bangladesh by two wickets and its chance to move in the next round was not looking good. But, in its final group league match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, it beat West Indies by 18 runs and secured its place for the quarter final.
Sri Lanka, who is one of the favourite contenders of the Cricket World Cup 2011, won four matches, lost one against Pakistan by 11 runs, and one match it played was washed away due to rain against Australia.
Sri Lanka started ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 against Canada with a 210-run margin victory. In the third match against Kenya, the Lankans won by nine wickets. In the fifth match against Zimbabwe and sixth match against New Zealand, Sri Lanka by 139 runs and 112 runs respectively.

India-Pakistan semi-final ICC 2011 World Cup: Amazing stats

INDIA AND Pakistan, the two cricket crazy nations where cricket is like a religion, will meet in the second semi-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali on Wednesday, March 30.
An India vs Pakistan semi-final match of the World Cup 2011 will be the fifth encounter in a Cricket World Cup between the neighbouring countries since 1992 Cricket World Cup.

However, neither team has met in the semi-final or final of any of the previous World Cup matches. India has never lost to Pakistan in the Cricket World Cup so far.
In their first meet at Sydney Cricket Ground on March 4, 1992, during the 16th match of the Benson & Hedges World Cup, India won by 43 runs. In that match Sachin Tendulkar was named man-of-the-match for his all-round performance. He scored 54 runs and got the wicket of the dangerous left-handed batsman Aamer Sohail.
Both teams met for the second time in the second quarter final match of the Wills World Cup 1996 played at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore. India won that match by 39 runs and reached the semi final. Indian opener Navjot Sidhu scored 96 runs and Ajay Jadeja scored quick 45 runs in 25 balls in the last overs of the inning. Venkatesh Prasad and Anil Kumble took three wickets each. Sidhu was announced man-of-the-match.
ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 semi finalist India and Pakistan met for the third time in the Super Sixes of the ICC World Cup 1999 at Old Trafford, Manchester. On that match India defeated Pakistan India by 47 runs. In that match Rahul Dravid and Mohammad Azharuddin played fifty-plus innings. Fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad was declared man-of-the-match because he ensured that five Pakistani batsmen went back to the pavilion.
For the fourth time, two arch rivals India and Pakistan met at SuperSport Park in Centurion, South Africa during the pool 'A' match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003. With a quick fire knock by Sachin Tendulkar and a brilliant 50 by Yuvraj Singh, India won the match by six wickets. Sachin Tendulkar, who scored 98 runs, was awarded with the man-of-the-match.
In all the four previous ICC Cricket World Cup matches between India and Pakistan, the team that has won the toss, has decided to bat first. Out of the four matches, Indian captains have won the toss three times.
There are still five days to go for the India vs Pakistan ICC World Cup 2011 semi final match, but already there's an air of nervous excitement in the air. Jai Ho! India... Dhak Dhak Go...

IPL 2011 online ticket sales kick off for season 4

At a time when cricket fans are praying for India to win the ongoing World Cup, IPL franchise owners are busy finalizing plans to sell tickets for the season four of IPL that kicks off from April 8.Chennai Super Kings has kicked off online ticket sales through its official website for the team's matches.

Similarly Pune Warriors and the Kochi tuskers team, have already tied up with KyaZoonga.Com for tickets.Rajasthan Royals has partnered with Bookmyshow.Com, for selling tickets.

Each of the 10 franchisees will play at least seven matches and according to experts the ticket revenue will vary from team to team as it would depend on the stadium capacity.Like, The capacity of the Sawai Mansingh stadium in Jaipur is around 30,000 seats and tickets would be priced starting from Rs 200, Rs 500, Rs 1000 and going up to Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 for corporate and luxury bookings.

IPL 4 will provide opportunity for cricket fans, especially to those who missed out watching India's matches and also other crucial games in the World Cup due to unavailability of tickets.This will also give franchisees ample opportunity to earn significant amount of gate revenues.

IPL revenues generated from tickets are directly proportional to the branding and marketing activities done by a particular franchise along with the performance of the team.
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Australia legend Gilchrist to captain Kings XI Punjab in IPL 4

It has been announced that the Kings XI Punjab will be captained by former Australia wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist when the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League finally gets under way in April.

The veteran stumper was picked up by the franchise in January’s player auctions for $900,000 and has experience of leading teams in the IPL, having skippered the Deccan Chargers to the 2009 title when the competition took place in South Africa.

Even if he is not at the peak of his career, I still feel as a leader he has a lot to offer. In Twenty20 Cricket you are not asking the guy to strike at 120 in the opening position," Kings XI Punjab coach Michael Bevan told the official IPL website.

You are asking for guys to strike at 140 or 150 and ‘Gilly’ is the type of player who can turn in three or four match-winning performances over the season.

That is a great sign; him lending his experience with some of the players he has played with. As a coach, you want your captain immersed in what we are trying to achieve."

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Preview: South Africa vs New Zealand ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 third QF match

SOUTH AFRICA and New Zealand will meet at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur in Bangladesh in the third quarter final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

Both South Africa and New Zealand had never reached the final of the Cricket World Cup so far. However, Kiwis have played five times in the semi-finals.

Before the commencement of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, New Zealand was performing poorly. They have lost against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India in the sub-continent in the last eight months. However, Kiwis started their Cricket World Cup campaign with a grand style.

In the first match, New Zealand team won against Kenya by 10 wickets. In the next match against Australia, they lost by seven wickets. In the next three matches Kiwis won against Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Canada by nine wickets, 110 runs and 97 runs respectively. In their last league match against Sri Lanka, New Zealand lost by 112 runs.

On the way to the quarter final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, South Africans won five matches and lost one against England in a low-scoring match. In their first match of the biggest cricketing event, defeated West Indies by seven wickets.

In the next match, South Africa registered the biggest victory of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 against Netherlands. Africans won that match by 231 runs. They lost to England by six runs in the next match. In its fourth, fifth and sixth match in the Cricket World Cup 2011 against India, Ireland and Bangladesh, South Africa won by three wickets, 131 runs and 206 runs respectively.

South Africans batsman AB de Villiers, who scored 318 from four matches, will come back in the next do-or-die quarter final match against New Zealand.

South Africa have won all their three matches at Shere Bangla National Stadium including the one against Bangladesh last week. However, during the ICC Cricket World Cup at this venue, three matches were very low scoring.

The winner of the third quarter final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 will play against the winner between Sri Lanka and England at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on March 29.

Here are squads of South Africa and New Zealand in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011:

South Africa: Graeme Smith (capt), Hashim Amla, Johan Botha, AB de Villiers (wk), JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Colin Ingram, Jacques Kallis, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Morne van Wyk (wk).

New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (capt), Hamish Bennett, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Jamie How, Brendon McCullum (wk), Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson, Luke Woodcock.

Cricket World Cup 2011 Australia vs India QF match, Live Update

IN THE second quarter final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad, the Australian captain Ricky Ponting won the toss and decided to bat first on a dry pitch on a hot sunny day.
Indian captain MS Dhoni, who became the first player to play 100 ODIs as wicketkeeper-captain, has made one change in the playing XI from the last match against West Indies. India won that match by 80 runs. Injured dashing opener Virender Sehwag came in the playing XI in place of all-rounder Yusuf Pathan.
In the second quarter final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, Australian captain Ricky Ponting has also made one change in the playing XI from the last match against Pakistan. Australia lost that match by four wickets. He picked David Hussey in the playing XI for Steve Smith.
In World Cup matches, Australia have beaten India in seven of the nine encounters. Since 2007, in 14 ODIs played in India against Australia, the Indian team have lost eight and won five. At Motera India have lost their last four games and in three of those matches India batted first.
However, past record is not all that counts. The Indian batting line-up, which consists of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sahwag, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh gives the team an upper hand for the Indians. Zaheer Khan has already claimed 15 wickets in the on-going ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.  
Here are the playing XI of India and Australia in the second quarter final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011:
India: MS Dhoni (capt/wk), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, R. Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel.
Australia: Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (wk), Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Cameron White, Michael Hussey, David Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Jason Krejza, Shaun Tait.

More On >> Live Cricket Score, Cricket Live Score

India vs Australia Quarter Final ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 match, Live Score

INDIAN CAPTAIN MS Dhoni and his brigade are ready to take on Ricky Ponting and his men in the second quarter final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 at Motera's Sardar Patel Stadium from a short while now.
The winner of the India vs Australia quarter final match will play against Pakistan in the second semi final at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali on March 30. In the first quarter final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 between Pakistan vs West Indies, the Shahid Afridi-led Pakistani team cruised into the semi-finals after thrashing West Indies by 10-wicket.
In today's match legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has the opportunity to complete hundreds of hundred in international cricket. Sachin Tendulkar, who has, so far played five cricket world cups since 1992, and playing his sixth World Cup, has already scored six hundreds in apex cricketing tournament.
From today's match the Indian team can script history and derail the kangaroos in the middle of the biggest cricketing tournament. Since 1996, the Australian team has reached the finals of Cricket World Cups every single time.
The important toss of the second quarter final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 between India and Australia will taking place at 2:00 PM and the live action will start from 2:30 PM IST. Final playing XI will be announced after toss. Cricket fans will get all the latest update from Live Score Card link.

More On >> Live Cricket Score, Cricket Live Score

Premium IPL ticket at Rs 55,000

Now IPL 4 season P2 stand ticket for a three hour IPL T20 match will cost you Rs 55,000, almost four times the cost of a P2 ticket at Chinnaswamy Stadium for an ODI game,That ticket cost Rs 15,000 (inclusive of food and beverages).  These tickets make for good gifts too.

The P2 stand is most sought after not just because of the full hospitality that comes with it but also because of its location. While it affords one of the best views of the ground, it's also a place to see and be seen at.

The Preity Zintas, Shilpa Shettys and Shah Rukh Khans, the Mallyas, father Vijay and son Siddarth, who may or not be accompanied by Deepika Padukone, all sit in that little stand. No wonder it's so pricey.

The same ticket cost Rs 44,000 last season, and it came with entry to the after-match party. Most likely, there won't be official IPL parties, but as it happened in the inaugural season, the king of good times is likely to throw some of his own.
Other stands are pricey too. If you want to watch a single game from the top-tier J Corporate stand, it'll cost you Rs 33,000. A seat in the P4 stand is priced at Rs 27,500. Sales of tickets will begin shortly.

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All roads in Bangalore to IPL stadium closed

Indian Premier League Cricket fans planning to catch all the IPL action at M Chinnaswamy Stadium will face tough challenges in reaching the stadium with closure of Cubbon Road, due to Metro work.

The traffic restriction implications means that 3 gates N , H and National Cricket Academy will be closed for three years .The road will be closed not only for vehicles, but also for pedestrians. So, no one will be allowed to enter the stadium from the gates which have entry from Cubbon Road. The traffic police fear that the crowd would gather at Queens Road to enter the stadium during the IPL matches, creating security problems. KSCA should take necessary action for the smooth entry of the huge crowd expected during IPL 4.

Parking not a problem
A traffic police officer said that the closure of Cubbon Road would not affect parking during the IPL matches. “There had been no provision for vehicle parking on Cubbon Road during the matches. So, it is not expected to create problem in the future as well.

Vehicles can be parked at Kanteerava Indoor Stadium and Cubbon Park as well. We have space at St Joseph High School ground, top of the Shivajinagar bus stop and corporation ground near Shivajinagar. We can use these grounds as parking space if the need arises,” said a senior traffic police officer.

KSCA secretary Javagal Srinath said it would cause inconvenience to the public. “Even during the England-India game, one gate (H Stand) was closed due to Metro work. If the police have taken this decision, there is nothing we can do. If three gates are closed, then it leaves us with no option but to open the gates as early as 10 am. This could lead to security issues too,” said Srinath.

The  IPL 4 season kicks off on April 8. Chinnaswamy Stadium will play host to seven matches. The first match in Bangalore is scheduled for April 12 between Royal Challengers and Mumbai Indians.

Read More on >> IPL 2011, IPL News

Preview: India vs Australia ICC Cricket World Cup second QF match

IN THE second quarter final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, defending champion Australia will take on host India at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad on Thursday, March 24.
Both countries had met in a Cricket World Cup encounter last time in the final of the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup, played in Johannesburg on March 23, 2003, where Australia defeated India by 125 runs. Meanwhile, in the warm-up match prior to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, India defeated Australia by 38 runs.
On Indian soil both team have met 44 times and the record is again in favour of the Australians by 23-17 (NR- 4).

In World Cup matches, Australia have beaten India in seven of the nine encounters.
At the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera, the two world champs played each other almost 25 years back. At this venue India has featured in 13 occasions and won five matches, while one game was cancelled.
On the way to the quarter finals of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, India beat Bangladesh, Ireland, Netherlands and West Indies by 87 runs, five wickets each and 80 runs respectively, whereas lost to South Africa by three wickets. However, one match against England ended in a tie.
Defending ICC Cricket World Cup champion Australia started mission 2011 with a 91-run victory against Zimbabwe. In the next match, Australia won against New Zealand by seven wickets. In the third match, due to rain, the match was washed away and both Australia and Sri Lanka shared one point each.
In the next two matches against minnows Kenya and Canada, the four-time Cricket World Cup champion Australia won by 60 runs and seven wickets. In the last group league match of Australia, Pakistan stopped their 34-match winning streak by four wickets.
Indian batting line-up seems to have an upper hand for the host. Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sahwag, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh are performing consistently.

Yuvraj Singh has already won three man of the match awards in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. However, failure of Indian lower middle order is definitely a big concern for the team management. Zaheer Khan has already picked 15 wickets in the on-going tournament.
Australian batsmen Shane Watson, Brad Haddin, Michael Clarke, and Michael Hussey are in prime form. However, captain Ricky Ponting has not played any remarkable innings in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

Their fast bowlers Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee and Shaun Tait can create some problems for Indian batsmen.
The second quarter final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 between India and Australia will start from 2:30 PM IST. Star Sports and Star Cricket will telecast this match live.
Here are the squads of India and Australia for the second quarter final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011:
India (Probable): MS Dhoni (capt/wk), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, R. Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel.
Australia (Probable): Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin (wk), David Hussey, Michael Hussey, Shane Watson, Cameron White, Mitchell Johnson, Jason Krejza, Brett Lee, Shaun Tait.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 first QF match Pakistan vs West Indies, Cricket Live Score

In the first quarter final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, between Pakistan and West Indies at Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, West Indies captain Darren Sammy won the toss and decided to opt for batting first at the green-grassed wicket.
Pakistani captain Shahid Afridi has made one change in the playing XI, which stopped the 34 World Cup matches winning streak of defending champion Australia on Saturday, March 19. Saeed Ajmal comes in the playing XI for Abdur Rehman. Once again Shoaib Akhter has to sit on the bench.
The Caribbean captain Darren Sammy also made three changes in the playing XI from the last match against India in the first quarter final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. He brought Chris Gayle, Kemar Roach and Shivnarine Chanderpaul - replacing Kirk Edwards, Andre Russell and Sulieman Benn.
The Caribbean team is leading by 6-2 against Pakistan in Cricket World Cups, but recently West Indies have lost five of their matches to Pakistan on six occasions.
It'll be do-or-die situation at the knock out stage of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

From both teams only Devon Smith is in the top 20 run-getters in the tournament so far.
An interesting fact about the Shere Bangla National Stadium is that in the last five occasions since the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 warm-up match, the team that has played first has won four matches. West Indies is the only team who has won a match after batting second at this venue.
Here are the playing XI of Pakistan and West Indies in the first quarter final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 at Shere Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka:
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal (wk), Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Afridi (capt), Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Saeed Ajmal
West Indies: Devon Smith, Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Devon Thomas (wk), Darren Sammy (Capt), Devendra Bishoo, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

Check Here >> Live Score Card,  Cricket Live Score

IPL 2011 Revised Schedule

OWING TO the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry, the governing body of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released a revised provisional schedule of IPL 2011.

The fourth installment of the hugely awaited IPL 4 is set to commence from April 8 until May 22. The Mahendra Singh Dhoni led Chennai Super Kings, which was the winner of the IPL 3, will take on Kolkata Knight Riders in the opening match of the IPL 4 on April 8, 2011 at MA Chidambram Stadium in Chennai.

IPL 4 will see 10 teams battling it out for the top spot.

The IPL 2011 Revised Schedule is placed below:

Date	Time	Teams	Venue
April 8	8 PM IST	Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders	Chennai
April 9	4 PM IST	Deccan Chargers vs Rajasthan Royals	Hyderabad
April 9	8 PM IST	Kochi v Royal Challengers Bangalore	Kochi
April 10	4 PM IST	Delhi Daredevils vs Mumbai Indians	Delhi
April 10	8 PM IST	Pune Warriors vs Kings XI Punjab	Navi Mumbai
April 11	8 PM IST	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Deccan Chargers	Kolkata
April 12	4 PM IST	Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Daredevils	Jaipur
April 12	8 PM IST	Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians	Bangalore
April 13	4 PM IST	Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings	Mohali
April 13	8 PM IST	Pune Warriors vs Kochi	Navi Mumbai
April 14	8 PM IST	Deccan Chargers vs Royal Challengers Bangalore	Hyderabad
April 15	4 PM IST	Rajasthan v Kolkata Knight Riders	Jaipur
April 15	8 PM IST	Mumbai Indians v Kochi	Mumbai
April 16	4 PM IST	Chennai Super Kings v Royal Challengers Bangalore	Chennai
April 16	8 PM IST	Deccan Chargers v Kings XI Punjab	Hyderabad
April 17	4 PM IST	Pune Warriors v Delhi Daredevils	Navi Mumbai
April 17	8 PM IST	Rajasthan v Kolkata Knight Riders	Kolkata
April 18	8 PM IST	Kochi v Chennai Super Kings	Kochi
April 19	4 PM IST	Delhi Daredevils vs Deccan Chargers	Delhi
April 19	8 PM IST	Royal Challengers Bangalore v Rajasthan Royals	Bangalore
April 20	4 PM IST	Mumbai Indians v Pune Warriors	Mumbai
April 20	8 PM IST	Kolkata Knight Riders v Kochi	Kolkata
April 21	8 PM IST	Kings XI Punjab v Rajasthan Royals	Mohali
April 22	4 PM IST	Kolkata Knight Riders v Royal Challengers Bangalore	Kolkata
April 22	4 PM IST	Mumbai Indians v Chennai Super Kings	Mumbai
April 23	8 PM IST	Delhi Daredevils v Kings XI Punjab	Delhi
April 24	4 PM IST	Deccan Chargers v Mumbai Indians	Hyderabad
April 24	8 PM IST	Rajasthan Royals v Kochi	Jaipur
April 25	8 PM IST	Chennai Super Kings v Pune Warriors	Chennai
April 26	8 PM IST	Delhi Daredevils v Royal Challengers Bangalore	Delhi
April 27	4 PM IST	Pune Warriors v Chennai Super Kings	Navi Mumbai
April 27	8 PM IST	Kochi v Deccan Chargers	Kochi
April 28	8 PM IST	Kolkata Knight Riders v Delhi Daredevils	Delhi
April 29	4 PM IST	Rajasthan Royals v Mumbai Indians	Jaipur
April 29	8 PM IST	Royal Challengers Bangalore v Pune	Bangalore
April 30	4 PM IST	Kochi v Delhi Daredevils	Kochi
April 30	8 PM IST	Kolkata Knight Riders v Kings XI Punjab	Kolkata
May 1	4 PM IST	Rajasthan Royals v Pune Warriors	Jaipur
May 1	8 PM IST	Chennai Super Kings v Deccan Chargers	Chennai
May 2	4 PM IST	Mumbai Indians v Kings XI Punjab	Mumbai
May 2	8 PM IST	Delhi Daredevils v Kochi	Delhi
May 3	8 PM IST	Deccan Chargers v Kolkata Knight Riders	Hyderabad
May 4	4 PM IST	Chennai Super Kings v Rajasthan Royals	Chennai
May 4	8 PM IST	Pune Warriors v Mumbai Indians	Navi Mumbai
May 5	4 PM IST	Kochi v Kolkata Knight Riders	Kochi
May 5	8 PM IST	Deccan Chargers v Delhi Daredevils	Hyderabad
May 6	8 PM IST	Royal Challengers Bangalore v Kings XI Punjab	Bangalore
May 7	4 PM IST	Kolkata Knight Riders v Chennai Super Kings	Kolkata
May 7	8 PM IST	Mumbai Indians v Delhi Daredevils	Mumbai
May 8	4 PM IST	Royal Challengers Bangalore v Kochi	Bangalore
May 8	8 PM IST	Kings XI Punjab v Pune Warriors	Mohali
May 9	8 PM IST	Rajasthan Royals v Chennai Super Kings	Jaipur
May 10	4 PM IST	Deccan Chargers v Pune Warriors	Hyderabad
May 10	8 PM IST	Kings XI Punjab v Mumbai Indians	Mohali
May 11	8 PM IST	Rajasthan Royals v Royal Challengers Bangalore	Jaipur
May 12	8 PM IST	Chennai Super Kings v Delhi Daredevils	Chennai
May 13	8 PM IST	Kochi v Kings XI Punjab	Indore
May 14	4 PM IST	Royal Challengers Bangalore v Kolkata Knight Riders	Bangalore
May 14	8 PM IST	Mumbai Indians v Deccan Chargers	Mumbai
May 15	4 PM IST	Kings XI Punjab v Delhi Daredevils	Dharamsala
May 15	8 PM IST	Kochi v Rajasthan Royals	Indore
May 16	8 PM IST	Pune Warriors v Deccan Chargers	Navi Mumbai
May 17	8 PM IST	Kings XI Punjab v Royal Challengers Bangalore	Dharamsala
May 18	8 PM IST	Chennai Super Kings v Kochi	Chennai
May 19	8 PM IST	Pune Warriors v Kolkata Knight Riders	Navi Mumbai
May 20	8 PM IST	Mumbai Indians v Rajasthan Royals	Mumbai
May 21	4 PM IST	Kings XI Punjab v Deccan Chargers	Dharamsala
May 21	8 PM IST	Delhi Daredevils v Pune Warriors	Delhi
May 22	4 PM IST	Royal Challengers Bangalore v Chennai Super Kings	Bangalore
May 22	8 PM IST	Kolkata Knight Riders v Mumbai Indians	Kolkata
May 24	8 PM IST	Qualifier 1 First v Second	Mumbai
May 25	8 PM IST	Eliminator Third v Fourth	Mumbai
May 27	8 PM IST	Qualifier 2	Chennai
May 28	8 PM IST	Final	Chennai

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Just three more games per team to clinch the World Cup trophy

ITS BEEN almost a month since the ICC cricket world cup 2011 kick started. The quarterfinals will start from March 23. The tickets are sold, the grounds are ready and hundreds of so-called cricket pundits are giving thousands of suggestions.

Everybody is ready for this exciting week and of course the teams will also be practicing to give their best performance. Now, the equation is clear. You win and your mission continues and if you lose you have to pack your bags. It’s just 3 more games and you become the champion! Just 3 more games! Every game is equally important.

The captains and the coaches will be busy thinking of which player to choose and which not to choose. Picking the ‘perfect eleven’ will be a tough thing to do. Every player is capable and talented but the question is, will he deliver his talent on that particular day? Captains can’t afford to make big mistakes at this stage so the team needs to be carefully picked.

In these important matches you tend to make mistakes as everyone is human but the winner will be the one who will make the least number of mistakes. Captains should learn from their earlier mistakes and should not repeat them. Ideally, six matches are enough for a team to experiment and know their capabilities and weakness. What has happened is history - so past records and numbers are not important - it is the 22-yard pitch and the 100 overs that will decide any team’s fate.

There were many close and thrilling matches in the league stage. In quarterfinals also we hope that we get to see some excitement and nail-biting finishes. The World-cup is all set to write new pages in history, are you ready to witness it?

Watch out for >> Live Cricket Score, ICC Cricket world cup 2011

Delhi Daredevils calls for volunteers to be part of IPL 4 crew

WITH THE whole nation getting into a cricket frency as India takes on Australia in the second quarterfinals of the the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the Delhi Daredevils, one of the IPL teams, has given one more reason for cricket fans to cheer.

Delhi Daredevils has announced the call for volunteers for the fourth season of IPL, giving the cricket crazy fans a chance to be a part of the Delhi Daredevils crew and to make their dream of being associated with cricket a reality.

On its fan page on the social networking site Facebook, Delhi Daredevils has posted a link where fans can fill the form and after strategic analysis they will be selected as volunteers depending on experience and passion for cricket.

Daredevil Volunteers will be required for the following activities:

1. Spectator Services - Helping spectators who have come to watch the match in the stadium. Assisting spectators with anything else they might need and managing the crowd.

2. Accommodation & Transport - Making transport arrangements, coordinating with travel agencies, assisting the accommodation and transport heads with all related activities.

3. Ceremonies Staff - Assisting dignitaries, guests and others to and from the stage during award ceremonies, carrying out awards and various articles among other related activities.

4. Venue Operations - Coordinating between various departments primarily on match days at the stadium and DD events held elsewhere, ensuring a smooth work flow throughout the events.

5. Press Operations - Assisting in media and press activities of the Delhi Daredevils, conversing and coordinating with journalists, media personnel and agencies.

6. Technology & Broadcasting - Working behind the scenes on updating and compiling data, operating on LAN interface and other computer-specific activities.

7. Workforce Operations - Ensuring supply and delivery of stock goods, erecting stands and facilitating various backend activities in and around the stadium.

8. Marketing - Handing out cheer items, managing tasks related to branding boards, banners, on ground implementation and other such properties.

9. Protocol - Guiding esteemed guests and dignitaries to assigned seating enclosures, ensuring they are comfortable and have a pleasant experience.

10. Ticketing - Delivering tickets, assisting in sales, online redemption and inventory management in relation to tickets. Travelling will also be a part of the tasks assigned.

So if you have dreamt of watching Virender Sehwag blaze his way past the opposition or David Warner’s electric throws from every corner of the field, then this is the time to be join the Delhi Daredevils.

Time Commitment

The selected volunteers will be required for a maximum period of 15 days. During this time, the volunteers will be required to be present on all the days dedicated for DD activity. A detailed brief regarding the timings will be given to volunteers at the venue. Travel & Food Refreshments will be provided to the volunteers at the venue on all days of attendance. Volunteers must arrange for their own conveyance to and from the venue.

Benefits

Becoming one among the Daredevils comes with many benefits too:

• The Daredevils volunteers will be the exclusive witnesses of the first Training Session of the team.

• Official Delhi Daredevils Crew kits consisting of a Tee, Tracks, Caps, Utility belt and Delhi Daredevils Sipper will be provided to the volunteers.

• Chance to experience the IPL as an event more than just a cricketing match.

• Certificate of Volunteer work will be provided by Delhi Daredevils.

• You will get a chance to see the players up close during the course of the tournament during practice sessions and matches.

• Get up-close and personal with the team-behind-the-team of the Delhi Daredevils and learn what goes into creating a sporting brand like the Delhi Daredevils.

 

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Yuvraj Singh To Lead Pune Warriors in IPL 4

Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh was named captain of the Pune Warriors squad for the fourth season of the Indian Premier League starting April 8.
The new entrant in the hugely successful league also announced its 30-member squad that includes, among others, Graeme Smith, Nathan McCullum, Wayne Parnell, Tim Paine, Jesse Ryder and Angelo Mathews.
Besides Yuvraj, Ashish Nehra, Robin Uthappa and Murali Kartik are the other capped players from India.
Callum Ferguson, Mitchelle Marsh, Jerome Taylor and Alfonso Thomas are also part of the squad.
"Sahara's Pune Warriors squad has been constituted with an intention to strike a balance between experience, exuberance, international expertise and promising talent of present and future. We are confident of making a mark on the league," said Abhijit Sarkar, Sahara's head of corporate communications.
"The enviable support and guidance from chief coach Geoff Marsh and assistant coaches Dermot Reeve and Praveen Amre together leverage their vast and complementing experience in international cricket to make the team a force to reckon with," he added.
Abhishek Jhunjhunwala, Dheeraj Jadhav, Eklavya Dwivedi, Ganesh Gaikwad, Harpreet Singh, Harshad Khadiwale, Imtiyaz Ahmad, Kamran Khan, Manish Pandey, Mithun Manhas, Mohnish Mishra, Rahul Sharma, Sachin Rana, Shreekant Wagh and Shrikant Mundhe complete the young brigade.

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IPL kochi Tuskers Videos for IPL 2011

IPL Kochi Tuskers [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJhEuYhnqVQ&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3]

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