Consistency the Key : Dhoni

The mantra, says Dhoni, must be consistency. The wicketkeeper batsman who shot to fame with a blistering 141 against the Pakis, knows that three consistent and clinical performances from quarter finals onwards can get his team the Cup !

This is a massive build up for the Men In Blue. The Good Luck India campaign has more than 100,000 sign ups and expects more in the days to come.

This is going to be the biggest World Cup ever, in terms of viewerships, attendance, sponsorship and even the competitive spirit, as all teams are in superb touch.

Akthar fancies a glorious duel with Tendulakar. SA's formidable batting and bowling will be pitted against the might of Lankan spin bowling and India's mighty batting. The all round excellence of the Kangaroos will be pitted against the wiles and guiles of England. The big hitters of the Windies will get a chance against other teams and the 'upsetters' like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe get more chance to upset the biggies !

Dhoni joined 13 other skippers in predicting a fiercely fought WC.

"All teams are in good touch. The gap between matches will help players recover from niggles which are bound to happen. It means every team will be in good shape for their matches." said the whirlwind wicket keeper batsman.

"A side that plays consistently well over the next six weeks will do well." said the maverick captain, who is the last in the world to underestimate adversaries.

"I welcome the other teams and hope they will enjoy our hospitality. The interest in cricket in this part of the world is unmatched. I am sure everyone will have a great time."

The captain of the defending champions, R Ponting, said that WC is a pinnacle in the sport and hoped that it will be a great spectacle for players and fans.

"On behalf of the 13 other captains, I welcome the cricket fraternity to the World Cup. It is the pinnacle of our sport and we will make sure it is a spectacle to remember."

Graeme Smith, skipper, SA agreed totally with Dhoni that it will be closely contested WC.

It is Indi Commandos Kerala !

Kochi team at last has a name - Indi Commandos Kerala.

This is a new fancy name and a good one. Mahela is the captain of Indi Commandos Kerala. His vast experience will stand him in good stead in establishing ICK.



Let us not forget IPL, while being in the midst of WC fever !

Grand inauguration in Dacca !

As Cricket is the only Religion which unites all in the subcontinent, the Inauguration at Dacca went on well.

Despite the boring speeches by the politicians, a massive 25 K crowd enjoyed the grand ceremony. Bollywood Music, Bryan Adams show, Bangladesh Music and cultural shows by Lankan artists etc impressed all.

The whole ceremony was moving, as it was fascinating. Sonu Nigam crooning an English song and Shankar-Ehsan-Loy impressed with the WC song.

Sheikh Hasina, the PM of Bangladesh, declared the WC 2011 open. This was BD's defining hour, when the whole world's attention was drawn to this culturally rich nation.

1971 saw the birth of Bangladesh and she is rising in all spheres. In cricket, her side is showing signs of class. She is also rising economically with an estimated GDP of $ 105 billion.

There are complaints that the 50 over format is dying but such a theory looked out of place in beautiful Bangladesh. When Shakib al Hasan arrived in a well decorated cycle rickshaw, the crowd roared. No captain got such a reception.

Tomorrow, for the opener, the stadium will be full.

More than one billion eyes will be riveted on the opener tomorrow, as BD takes on mighty India ! To India, it is a grudge match, as they were beaten by BD in the 2007 WC. This defeat sent shock waves through India to such an extent that Dravid, the captain, was sacked from the Indian team ! Susbequent loss to SL and other teams eroded the value of the 2007 Indian team. The 2003 team under Ganguly, had performed creditably, losing only in the finals to formidable Australia ! The 2007 WC performance was the worst by an Indian team, after Kapil Dev brought the WC in 1983.
The players' houses were stoned !

Meanwhile, Afridi has said that South Asian crowds make Pak feel at home. His team has many ardent supporters amongst the South Asians and hopefully Pak will do well before them. He is not bothered about the fact that there are no matches in Pak ! One of the most dangerous outfits in One Day Internationals, Pak can uspet any team on their day ! They have a knack of exploding and imploding, but then they will explode at the right time !

1983 changed Indian Cricket : Sachin

The course of Indian cricket was changed by the epochal triumph of India in 1983. Kapil Dev became a popular name in every household. It seems Kapil was born to resurrect Indian cricket.

Sachin was eloquent about his experiences of that magnificent victory. He was a boy of ten years then.

"Winning the World Cup in 1983, against heavy odds, was a huge achievement; perhaps the greatest in the history of Indian cricket! The significance of that win is that it changed the course of Indian cricket forever."

"There were unbelievable scenes in my building and the neighbourhood on that historic night when India won the World Cup. People were dancing on the streets and bursting firecrackers everywhere.

"As a 10-year-old who knew very little about the game, I got immersed in the mood and enjoyed the victory with my friends till the early hours of the morning. Looking back, like me, I am sure there are millions of other Indians whose success stories have revolved round that one great performance," says the wonder batsman.

The 1983 win gave the Indians immense confidence. Gone was the inferiority complex which lurked within. Prior to 1971 when Gavaskar entered the arena, most of the Indian players were simply extolling West Indian, Australian and English talent. ('O what a ball Hall or Gilchrist bowled'). After the entry of Gavaskar, who proved that records can be broken by Will Power and determination, self respect crept into the Indian psyche. Gavaskar, in the 1971 Windies tour, scored 774 runs in five Tests, which announced his class !

"Our lives changed after 1983", said Kapil."We got love and affection from everywhere". He advised Dhoni to "change your lives similarly and also the lives of more than one billion".

Spin strikes again !

Now NZ are 173/6. Spin struck as Chawla, Bajji, Ashwin all bowled well and NZ are heading for defeat.

We have said that the Indian spin attack has immense variety with Chawla, Bajji and Ashwin as frontline spinners and Pathan, Sehwag, Yuvraj and Raina as part time.

Ashwin struck when the score was 94, removing Guptill for 38. Brendon McCullum was run out brilliantly by Raina. NZ batsmen now seem to be all at sea against spin.

Bowled out for 243. With the spin trio picking up 2 wickets.

Even though the warm up games are not important, they give us a pattern. The opposing teams now will not dare to give India first batting. The pitch normally favours the swing bowlers initially and later on during the latter hours it aids spin. So spin is going to be the main weapon of the sub contintental teams. Imran Tahir of SA, Krejza of Aus etc can also be dangerous on turning tracks. Bowlers win matches. A great spell of bowling, by any bowler, can turn the scales. Gilmour's 6-14 and Nehra's 6-23 gave their sides victory in the WCs.

India proves her batting strength

India are at the moment ( 0411 PM ), 160/3, in the warm up match against NZ, at Chennai.

Sehwag and Sachin were clean bowled and India were 42/2. Then came India's young talent, Kohli. He has just smashed 50 and Gambhir is on 36. Gambhir survived a chance, as Franklin dropped him.

Sachin was bowled by a slower ball from Southee and Sehwag was bowled by Oram. Kohli flashed at a wide ball from Oram and was snapped behind the wicket by McCullum. Gambhir is not out on 54 off 63 balls. Run Rate - 4.96.

In the other warm up match, England were 142/5 and then finally managed 243, thanks to Prior, who scored 78. Trott scored 57. Canada are now 227/9, needing 17 runs for a win, with one wicket remaining.

No, no upset. England won by 16 runs.

In the powerplay, India played well and seven fours came off it. But Gambhir was snapped behind off Southee for 89 off 81 balls. India 216-4 !

This is going to be the biggest WC ever, as almost 40 K people turned up at Bangalore and Chennai.

Now India has advanced to 235/4 off 41 overs and a total of over 300 seems achievable. The Chairman of Selectors, K Srikanth was seen applauding as the Indian batsmen ran up a mammoth 360/5 at Chennai.

Raina hit Oram for three sixes and got his 50 off 26 balls. Dhoni silenced his critics with a superb 108 not out, with three sixes.

'Formidable batting' and 'mediocre bowling' - that is how the media sums up the Indian team. Is this theory true ? We will know about it in 45 days time.

The buzz in the India media is that "Will this be Kohli's WC?" and "Will India avenge her 2007 defeat?"

SA appear formidable !

SA crushed Australia in a warm up game by 9 wickets.

We have warned all teams about SA. They have five world class batsmen in Amla, Smith, Kalli, Duminy and De Villiers. They have two world class fast bowlers in M Morkel and Styen. All teams beware !

Smith was confident when he said that he will lift the Cup ! On paper, they appear to be formidable with the form of their batsmen and fast bowlers.

Imran Tahir is their secret weapon. In both warm up matches, they have won.

Clarke, the Aussie skipper, said the warm up games do not count. His opinion was seconded by Amla.

"Obviously the result did not go the way we would have liked but again we all understand that they are practice games. It's more about giving boys an opportunity than about winning." said Clarke.

"A practice game is a practice game. So it's important to maximize the chance to give everybody the opportunity to bat and bowl, and more importantly, to get used to the conditions."

"We play Zimbabwe in a week's time. Everybody had a bit of a run around and seen the conditions. So it's about preparing well for the next six days to be in right shape before the game against Zimbabwe."

"Spinners probably gonna play a big part in the tournament. All the players have their plans against spin bowling and we have good players of spin bowling."

"But there are obviously areas we need to improve."

"I think we know enough about both India and South Africa. They are very good one-day teams and we have played good amount of cricket against them."

Amla said that warm up games are merely warm up games. "It is a warm-up game, you don't play 15 all the time.

They are a very good team and certainly beating them gives a lot of confidence but, as I said, it's a warm-up game."

The master SA batsman said Aussies cannot be written off. "Australia are a very good team. They are just coming off from a series win against England. As I said both teams were experimenting and trying to find the right combination. Once the competition starts you will see everybody giving their 100 per cent."

"I don't think we have too many concerns about unprepared pitches. I think the pitches will be fine. Coming to the sub-continent you got to expect to play lot of spinners. We are kind of expecting the wickets to turn.Fortunately, we been here quite a number of times in the last 2-3 years."

Most accomplished player is Sachin : Imran

Imran refused to compare Bradman with Sachin, but said Sachin is the most accomplished player in the WC.

"I played the first World Cup in 1975 and have been following it since then. According to me this is the best ever Indian side playing in a World Cup." said the ex Pak skipper.

"This is the best batting line-up in the world. You have Sachin, Sehwag, MS Dhoni, Yusuf Pathan and the batting depth will play a crucial role."

Asked about the weakest link, the Indian pace attack, the giant allrounder said "When I saw Ishant Sharma bowling initially, I felt that at last India has got a genuine pace bowler who can run through any batting order. But two years since then when I saw him, I could see flaw in his bowling action."

Sachin should win the WC for India : Kapil

Kapil Dev said that the maestro should win the WC for his countrymen. The media hype that the Indian team should consecrate the WC to Sachin as a parting gift will only put pressure on Sachin !

If you put pressure on one player and if he has a bad day in office, the team chokes. And the last thing we want is chokers.

When a billion eyes are riveted on you on TV, when your performance is watched by every man in the street, you are undoubtedly under pressure. Why add more pressure by dreaming ?

Before 1983, India was faring badly in sports. Psychologists attribute this 'phenomenon' to the fact that India was ruled by the British Empire and the Mughal Empire. The onslaught of two mighty civilisations ! An inferiority complex had crept into the Indian psyche. If not for some illustrious sages, Indian culture, philosophy and sciences would have gone into oblivion ! To overcome this inferiority complex, this massive pressure in the mind, they needed success as nothing succeeds like success !

It is said that after 1983, Indian cricket was never the same again. From London, cricket travelled Eastwards and found a commercial home in India. The 1983 victory came as a big relief to a suppressed nation, who had no excellence in sports, barring hockey. (Even in hockey, they had come down in world rankings). Indian industry and Bollywood, politicians and the men in the street seized this opportunity and the tag of world champions to catapult India as a world cricketing power to be reckoned with !

200 million TV households today mean more than half a billion viewers. Advertisers find this an enormous audience to broadcast their ads. Hence ad revenues are peaking Gate collections are rising, as more people are interested in the shorter versions of the game. A WC ticket is priced at 4800 INR or 3800 INR. Even for IPL, tickets are above 1000 INR onwards! Sony got the WC telecast rights for $2 b and Nimbus IPL rights for $ 1 billion !

This is an even Cup. Look at SA. They beat Australia by 9 wickets. This is the second consecutive defeat of Australia. But no problem. Australia is Australia and they will sort out their problems.

When we do SWOTs of all teams, we find that they are all balanced. Eight teams will participate in the quarter finals and the team which gives the most consistent performance - three great days in office - wins the Cup !

India has 80% chance : Prasanna

The spin legend, E A S Prasanna, feels that India has 80% chance.

Prasanna, who was part of the famous spin quartet ( Bedi, Chandra, Venkat ) gave some good tips to the Indian spinners.

Tips to Chawla

Chawla should bowl from closer to the stumps and the crease. Not wide of the stumps and away from the crease. That is why he did not get lbw decisions in his favour.

Tips to Bajji

"He should flight the ball with more deception. He is now our number one spinner and should attack the batsmen without thinking of containing them.

"His aim should be to get the batsman out, not contain him."

He felt that Ashwin may not get much opportunities.

Prasanna scalped 189 wickets in 49 Tests with his indippers and controlled flight. His advice should be revered.

He disagreed with the majority view that Indian bowling is relatively weak when compared to the formidable batting lineup.

"There is a lot of variety in our bowling. The attack will revolve around Zaheer Khan. He has good supporting bowlers in Shantakumaran Sreesanth and Ashish Nehra, besides Munaf Patel. And then we have part time bowlers like Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag."

This is vintage Dhoni. He just hit 5 consecutive fours and seven on the trot. Raina hit three sixes in an Oram over. India 298/4 off 45 overs!

Cricket matches are won in the Mind !

Imran supported Dhoni's statement that warm up matches are actually unnecessary, as the Indian team is already fatigued.

Dhoni said that the Indian team was not motivated enough, when that side could only score 214. Extolled as a formidable batting line up, some batsmen were all at sea against the Aussie fast bowlers !

Imran said that the statement about fatigue is not true. When you come to know that this is the Cup, all fatigue walks away. Cricket is 50% physical and 50% mental. The whole world is watching you, your countrymen are scrutinising you. ( Dhoni later on clarified that he did not mention fatigue. All he said was that there was too much cricket and warm up matches were not the need of the hour ).

All wars are won in the Mind ! Sport is surrogate war, said Orwell. War is a biological necessity, an outlet for the human desire to compete and excel.

Determination, sang-froid, Will Power - all these are necessary qualities for a team to win. The mentally tough triumph ultimately.

Steve Waugh's determination was responsible for Australia lifting the Cup in 1999. From a miserable position, Steve Waugh catapulted Aussies to dizzying heights. When Gibbsy dropped him, he is reported to have said "You have just dropped the World Cup, my son" ! Not only did Waugh score a century in that match, but went on to claim the cup. Kapil's Dev determination in 1983 was legendary. Kapil knew that on such a track, 183 was a fighting total. The breakthrough came when Sandhu clean bowled Greenidge with a superb off cutter. Clive Lloyd was on injured on the right foot and Kapil Dev told Madan Lal to make him play from the front foot! The ploy worked as Lloyd was out, at 66/5 ! The match was almost over !

Ganguly tips Pak as dark horse

Pak is a good team. Look at their lower order. Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzak, Shahid Afridi. Players who can change the game !

Their bowling is good. Shoaib, Umar Gul, Riaz, Ajmal and Razzak. Their ability to reverse swing makes them a dangerous side.

Their top batsmen Younus Khan and Misbah are well experienced. That is the dark horse, Pak, for you.

Dont take them lightly. Boom Boom said he is expecting an India Pak final !

Chawla may be in !

It seems Chawla will be in for the first match against BD at Mirpur.

Indians believe in the 7/4 theory ( seven batsmen and four bowlers ). Zaheer and Bajji are definitely in the eleven. Sreeshant proved to be far better than below par Nehra or off colour Munaf. Who will be the fourth bowler?

As per Imran, leg spinners are vital in a side, as they are attacking bowlers. Only India has a quality legspinner. It seems Chawla will be leading the Indian attack. His googlies and flippers are the talk of India.

He bowled India from a near impossible situation.

The warm up match gives us a pattern. Indian batsmen all at sea against the Aussie quicks, middle order exposed and India triumphing with spin. Ponting is worried, as the pitches in Lanka will also aid spin. But then Ponting is a professional, and he will sort out all problems. Remember Graham Gooch getting Bombay spin bowlers bowl to him for 4 days and then sweeping Maninder to victory ? The Aussies may try to do the same !

Dean Jones was on TV saying that the Indian batsmen are uncomfortable against the fast rising ball, the ball that comes onto their chin. Indians should sort out these problems !

There are many who said Chawla was not a good selection, as he has not played in Tests and ODIs for India in the last 2 years. But then he is playing for Surrey and is active in the IPL. Just because he did not gain the favour of the selectors does not mean he has no talent ! He is not a rabbit with the bat, either. The selectors are such a comic bunch that selected V Saha as a batsman in a Test match !

Pak needs Cup desperately : Akthar

"We are a hurt side" said S Akthar " and we want to win the WC badly"

"Obviously we are very hurt inside by whatever has happened to us. Pakistan need to win this World Cup at any cost. It will bring the charm back for people in Pakistan."

Imran Khan had rated Amir and Asif as two of the best swing bowlers in the world. Incredible talent. It is unfortunte that they are not there in the WC.

"We are unfortunate that they are not there." said the demon fast bowler.

"But what can we do now? We have got to move on. I think whatever pace attack we have is good enough to win matches."

The tearaway fast bowler says they are one of the best equipped sides in the world, with their talent in reverse swinging the ball, particularly in the death overs.

"We have the bowlers who can bowl at the death and we can restrict the sides. The main thing is that the ball is going to reverse swing as the match progresses. That is where I think Pakistan's strength lies."

He said Sachin and other match winners are dangerous. Gayle,Bram Villiers, Kallis, Ponting, Pollard etc can change the match with centuries.

He said the Pak strategy will be to keep Sachin and other match winners under pressure, get them out quickly, so that they wont change the game for their sides.

India favourites : White

Australian pinch hitter, Cameroon White, says India are favourites.

"The Indian team is obviously full of very good players playing in their own backyard, in their own conditions, so everyone in the cricketing world understands why India would be a favorite."

"We are playing well, but the Indian and many other teams have a lot of good players and they are probably favorites"

Not many spectators for SA- AUS warm up match !

You expect people to flock to the ground when there is a warm up match between the World Champions and potential World Champions. That is not true. There are no takers for this match.

This highlights a sad state of affairs - that veiwership goes down when India is absent.

My friend put the TV off when AUS were 90/1 (thinking that India will lose) and only when he heard the news at 1030 PM did he know that India had won ! Many did the same when AUS were strongly placed at 100/1 ! TV viewership also goes down when India is facing defeat !

Boom Boom ( Afridi ) was right when he said that a dream final between Pak and India will attract billions of viewers.

In 1983, a nation of 1 billion was inspired when India won the WC. Indian cricket was never the same again. The WC win came as a big relief to a tottering nation, plagued by corruption and lack of infrastructure !

Cricket is Religion in India. There is a massive build up for the Good Luck India campaign and Industry, Bollywood and all people are supporting this campaign.

Meanwhile, Bayliss, the SL coach says SL will play with seven batsmen and four bowlers. Will India do the same ?

Yesterday Gavaskar was on TV, saying that India will do the same. His logic is that seven batsmen are capable of putting up 350 plus total ! Ajay Jadeja differed from him, saying that bowlers win matches.

The Indian selection appears to be all right, as Chawla and R Ashwin bowled India to victory in the warm up match. Only problem is that these two are devoid of WC experience. There was the problem of Sreeshant being dropped, but now he is in and he proved that he is the best of the seamers in the last match ! So now the 15 are there because of merit.

Dhoni went on to say that he expects more runs from Chawla. Ashwin scored 25 not out. He has scored two first class hundreds and seven fifties. Chawla has scored a century in first class cricket and his highest in List A is 93.

The hour findeth the man !

All calculations can go wrong in this glorious game. It is said that the hour findeth the man.

In the semi against NZ, NZ was in the driver's seat, when Inzamam unleashed his power, scoring 60 off 36, to seal the fate of the match.

Sandeep Patel's 51 no off 36 balls in the semifinal against England was another game changer.

So was Jadeja's 50 against Pak. Sachin's 98 against Pak cannot be far away ! ( It is said that India and Sachin were under massive pressure and that Sachin did not sleep for 12 nights and then he launched his blitzkreig ! )

Not to mention the brilliant hundreds of Clive Llyod, Viv Richards, Ponting, A De Silva, Gilchrist etc.

It is truly said that the hour findeth the man !

Experience may count, but not always. We do not know who are going to be the game changers in the open World Cup.

The most consistent team - with three consecutive wins - will win the WC. Will Power therefore is one of the great qualities. Where there is a Will, there is a Way ! Iccha Shakthi is Kriya Shakthi !

Even though many ignore yesterday's match, dismissing it as a warm up match, India beat the World Champions ! It is a big morale booster for the Indians. It exposed both India's & Aus' weaknesses. Aus has the best bowling in the world and India the best spin bowling. The batsmen from both sides were all at sea and Chawla proved to be the man of the hour !

WC and the Transits of Jupiter

We find that Jupiter transited the favourable 5th, in 1983, when India (33/1 favourites) won the WC, creating one of the biggest upsets in world sport.

In 2007, Jupiter transited the adverse 6th House, which saw the inglorious exit of India.

In 2003, Jupiter traversed the adverse 3rd House, which saw India becoming the finalists, but losing to mighty Australia.

In 1999, Jupiter transited the adverse 12th House, which saw India not performing well.

In 1996, India were defeated by SL in the semis. Jupiter transited the adverse 8th.

Only in 1983 was the favourable transit India received. She won the WC.

In 2007, Jupiter transited Australia's favourable Ninth, or the House of Fortune. She won the Cup.

Jupiter is a King Maker. Of course planetary periods and sub periods have their say, along with the transit of Saturn.

Jupiter is the make or break planet. His favourable transits can give one the laurel and unfavourable transits, brickbats !

Great spell by Chawla

Many criticised Chawla's selection. Except one expert. Imran Khan !

Imran said it is a wise decision as other teams do not have a quality legspinner.

Imran was proved right as Chawla spun out the Aussie middle order. He bowled Clarke for a duck and then removed White. He then removed D Hussey for a duck and Callum Ferguson was taken for 8.

Now Australia are 175/8, in dire straits.

India has won by 38 runs ! Bajji took three wickets and Ashwin one.

Not formidable batting, but it was great spin bowling which won this warm up match for India. It is certainly a morale booster. There is no captain in the world like Dhoni who has such spin resources. Three main spinners in Chawla,Ashwin and Bajji and four part time in Yuvraj, Pathan, Sehwag and Raina. Sachin may not bowl because of the elbow !

Ranatunga had the same resources in 1996, a huge advantage on the subcontinental tracks, when he restricted Australia to 241 using Murali, Dharmasena, Jayasuria and A De Silva in the Final, which SL won !

Forgive the Indian batting implosion !

One billion Indians were a disappointed that the Indian batting imploded at 214. The only cheer was a good, sedate 54 from Sehwag.

Ashwin was 25 not out and Yousuf chipped in with 32, with two sixes. Positives are both Sehwag and Pathan, pinch hitters, were very careful.

The Indian supporter is a bit disappointed that India's formidable batting ( may be on paper ) were bowled out within 44 overs !

More than 1.2 billion people expected a 300 plus total, given India's good batting. Gambhir has not played cricket for a while. Also Sehwg, but Sehwag is now in form.

It was bad luck that Dhoni dragged a ball onto his stumps. Gambhir tried to glide a ball and was caught.

Sreeshant impressed with his bowling. He is a lion hearted cricketer and gives everything.

Chawla ran and took the catch to dismiss Shane Watson off the bowling of Sreeshant.

Aussies can win 4th title : Clarke

The vice-captain of the formidable Kangaroos, M Clarke, was pretty confident that Aussies will retain the silverware.

"Our ODI form has been pretty consistent over the last 12 months. We have
really played some pretty good cricket and it was great to win the ODI
series against England. We can take a lot of confidence out of that,
especially after the tough start to the summer we had." Clarke said

"Our team is a lot different to what was there in 2007 but the guys are
playing some good one-day cricket of late and we are confident that if we
can continue to play the way we did throughout the summer, we can have a
really good crack in this tournament."

"We have got very good individual players in our side. We have got lot of
talent in our side but to win the World Cup the team must play together.
It's not individual brilliance; it's about the team performing consistently
throughout the tournament.

"To win such a tournament, you have to be at your best all throughout and it
will decide the winner of this World Cup,"

Admitting that the subcontinental tracks favour spin, Clarke said Aussies
will rise to the occasion.

"I think the wickets are going to be pretty slow, similar to what was there
in the West Indies. One good thing is that we are playing this tournament in
the subcontinent as many guys in our team are experienced of playing in
these conditions because of IPL, Champions League Twenty20 and international
duties."

He said the Aussies do not lack spinners.

"We have got a few good spinners in Jason Krejza, Steven Smith. Jason has
had a lot of success in the subcontinent.

But if I am required to bowl, I will look forward to that. I enjoy bowling
anywhere in the world, especially in these conditions."

He said the Kangaroos are a well balanced side.

"We have Cameron White, David Hussey and probably Steven Smith. They have
shown that they have the power to clear the fences. With the fast outfield
and good wickets, chasing eight runs an over is quite gettable in the last
10 overs these days."

"I think we have a very good opening combination in (Shane) Watson and
(Brad) Haddin because both can play positively and bat very well together.
The combination has been successful for a while now,"

"Our four fast bowlers will be important for us. Brett Lee has been a
wonderful bowler and has been successful for Australia for a long time. So
his experience is going to be certainly needed in these conditions. John
Hastings and Watson can provide that variation and change of pace in the
middle overs. We tried to cover as many bases as possible."

Clarke will be the Aussies best bet against spin.

"Spinners will definitely play a big part in these conditions throughout the
World Cup and it's important that I do play well against the spin bowling. I
guess I have had some success against spin in the past. But it's important
for all of us to adapt and adjust on different pitches and against different
teams and bowlers. It's important to play well as a batting unit against
spin bowling."

He said he will not take the warm up matches lightly.

"I think it's great to play as much cricket in these conditions before the
first game in the tournament. We are playing two very good teams in India
and South Africa and we want to win both the games. Every time we take the
field, we want to win," averred the great batsman.

David Hussey says the recent series gave him a lot of confidence.

"The one-day series against England is sort of a breakthrough series for me.
I really enjoyed it. I had little bit of success but what was more
satisfying that we won the series convincingly. I also enjoyed bowling in
the ODI format," said David.

He admitted he is under pressure, particularly when his brother M Hussey is not there in the side, but then pressure is always there when you play for Australia.

"Every time you play for Australia, there is lots of pressure involved and
playing in the World Cup is intense pressure. What I am looking forward to
is not to disappoint Mike. He will be watching us play back from Perth and I
am sure he will be supporting us."

Indo Aus Final : Saurabh Tiwari

S Tiwari, the dashing IPL player, predicts an India Aus final at Mumbai.

See the way England scored 332, with J Trott scoring 137 no and then Aussies won, scoring 334 !

Look at the formidable Indian batting and you will agree with him ! Raina, who has scored centuries in all three formats of the game may have to sit out.

India, barring the S A tour, has performed creditably for the last two years. In the ODI series against SA, India lacked Sachin, Sehwag and Gambhir.

SL and England will reach semis, according to the pinch hitter.

He said that Bajji is a good pinch hitter like Pathan and can sent be up the order, depending on the situation.

He said Yuvraj is a game changer. He is a bit disappointed that he cant participate in this WC. "Obviously, World Cup is a dream for any player and I am bit disappointed."

"However, I have time on my hand to represent the country in the World Cup and will continue to improve my performance to ensure a berth in a future World Cup team," he said.

Proteas will be finalists : Pollock

That SA will be finalists is a foregone conclusion. That issue can never be in doubt, according to ex SA captain, S Pollock.

He thinks that the era of Australian dominance is over, leaving the place wide open for mighty South Africa. Aussies instilled fear in the opposition. Warne, Gilchrist and Hayden and others created tension in the minds of the opponents. Australia has not found replacements for these stalwarts. Hence the chances of SA are bright.

India is under considerable tension as the host nation. Aussies have many problems and will miss M Hussey. Paki side is like the French Rugby team. He would have favoured the English, but there is something missing in them. NZ is never a threat. WI is so weak that they are simply making up the numbers. Who else can halt formidable SA ?

He said it is easy for SA to survive the group phase and " it needs only three great performances to become world champions". The semi final jinx will be broken ! With world class fast bowlers and batsmen in their side, it will be easy walk for SA !

"There is no other team to be afraid of."

"In previous tournaments Australia instilled fear in its opponents because of their domination. This time that is not the case. That is why South Africa have a good chance of returning as world champions."

He said the same team which defeated India 3-2 will be in action in the subcontinent. SA seems to be the only side confident of taking the Cup. G Smith said "We will lift the Cup".

The position of the heavens for RSA

Astrologically, even though Jupiter's second transit is favourable, SA will have to cross many a hurdle. Saturn's 8th transit is adverse. The 12th lord Moon's transit can be troublesome. SA has to be wary of the subcontinental teams, who can be dangerous on subcontinental tracks. Jupiter and the Moon in 6/8 positions from each other indicate sudden vicissitudes. Anyway, good luck, South Africa !

Razzak equally good

When we study the best allrounders in the game, like S Watson and Y Pathan, we have to take allrounder into consideration, Abdul Razzak of Pak !

He is a very useful allrounder and can be devastating in one day cricket !

It is true that Shane Watson is the numero uno allrounder along with Pathan of India. Both of them singlehandedly can win matches for their teams. So can Razzak !

He is both cunning with ball and bat. He can be an effective third seamer for Pak and a useful attacking bat.

Pak is an unpredictable team and Shaun Pollock compared them to the French Rugby team ! They may be unpredictable but on their day, they can devastate the opposition !

WC win will bring cricket back to Pak : Waqar

Pak coach Waqar opined that if Pak wins the WC, cricket will come back to Pak. This is the cherishe desire of 250 m Pakis.

Great is the prayer of this nation of 250 million. They know they are highly talented and admits that India is equally talented. Indian batting pitted against Pak bowling has been the motto so far. They have a better attack and India has a better batting line up. When we do SWOT, we find that all teams have strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats. If Luck = Opportunity + Preparation, India and Sachin cannot get a better chance. Also Pak ! If their great bowling of Akthar, Gul, Riaz, Razzak and Ajmal strikes on the subcontinental pitches, the opposition will be in trouble. If the formidable Indian batting clicks, God save the opposition !

The X Factor always worries cricketing pundits. Both teams are well prepared. Pak is under immense pressure and I will be the first person to laud them, as they face great odds. They have to play the final in India. They are up against formidable Australia, South Africa and India. Ponting said recently that SA and India are the powerhouses of cricket. These teams will not let go of the WC, without great fights.

Aussies are the defending champions. Smith said confidently that SA will lift the Cup. With such great bats as Amla, De Villiers, Smith and Duminy and with Steyn and Morkel, they are a formidable side !

From the Australian Moon Sign, Jupiter transits the 12th. She is running the period of Venus major and Jupiter minor. This indicates adversities but Jupiter is well fortified in Sag. The going will not be so easy for them but then they have all round ability to block any opposition. Good Luck, Australia !

Win the WC for India : Waugh

Steve Waugh is of the opinion that the Indian team should win the WC for their countrymen, and not for one player.

Waugh masterminded the World Cup victory in 1999. Aussies were in dire straits when S Waugh scored a superb hundred in the semis against SA. From then onwards, it was Australia, Australia all the way.

"I think that is not the right approach. You can't win the World Cup playing for just one person. You play for the team, for the country. The game is bigger than any individual." said the Aussie legend.

"Tendulkar may not be the star of the tournament but he is going to play key roles in crucial moments."

All feel that since expectations are high, India is under tremendous pressure.

"Pressure is a good thing and as a captain it's a great thing that Dhoni is under pressure. India and Dhoni should embrace it," said Waugh.

As pointed out by Imran, dew may be a major factor in day-night matches and Waugh knows that too.

"Dew will play a major factor and toss too, from the quarter-final stage, will be crucial."

About Hussey's omission, Waugh said "It's a big loss. Hussey should have been in the team and prepare him for the quarterfinals, but that provides an opportunity to others. His brother (David) is pretty good."

The veteran said India is the favourites "This Indian side is very confident, very experienced, and their aggressive approach has made a big difference besides having Gary Kirsten as coach."

Even though the Aussie image is tarnished in Tests because of the Ashes loss, Waugh said that still they are numero uno in ODIs.

"For the moment let's focus on limited overs game. We have won three World Cups on the trot and we are still the number one ranked side in ODIs, so taking all this into factor, we can say that Australia is still one of the favourites."

He said the top performing bowlers will be Malinga, Bajji, Styen, Swann and Lee.

Pace can win or lose for Aussies !

Aussies bank on their fast bowling trio of Lee, Tait and Johnson, with Bollinger and Hastings to support.

Ponting has already warned India that he will unleash Tait and Lee at 150 kph, to unsettle their batsmen.

But the fact that they are bowling on subcontinental pitches blunts their pace advantage.

Undoubtedly Australia and SA have the best pace atttack. SL has the best spin attack and India, a formidable batting line up.

Merit is merit and luck is luck. We find that only when Luck is allied to Merit, can victory emerge.

How closely linked are Luck and Merit
Never to these fools doth occur
The Philosopher's Stone, if they have it
The Stone would lack the Philosopher ! ( Goethe )

Luck has been defined by many.

Luck = Opportunity + Preparation
Luck = Care + Diligence


Why India is the 3/1 favourites


Because the matches are on subcontinental pitches
India has the best batting line up
India has maximum all rounders ( similar to the formidable 1996 SL team )
India gets one month rest + one more month rest before the quarter finals. The trio of Gambhir, Sachin and Sehwag did not play in SA, because of the impending WC.

etc

Why SL is ranked second

SL has the best spin attack
A good top order


etc

Why Aussies and England ranked third

Both have got good pace attacks
A good top order

Why Pak is 8/1 favourites

They have a good pace attack.
A good top order.

etc

Why SA are 11/2 favourites.


SA has a formdible side, no doubt, but devoid of WC experience.
They have to break the semi final jinx.

I will try to bat the entire 50 overs : Sehwag

Sehwag said he is looking eagerly for the opener against BD at Dacca. He said he likes to bat the entire 50 overs. ( If he bats 50 overs, he can overtake Sachin's 200 no ).

"I think I have never played 50 overs in one-day cricket. The maximum I have played is 43 or 44 overs. But this time I will try to bat 50 overs and give a good start to the team. I have been unsuccessfully trying this for the last 10 years and the effort is still on and will be there," said the opening wonder.

His captain and coach have asked him to play his natural game, despite the pressure of the situation. This is a glorious trait of both Dhoni and Kirsten, they tell the players not to be pressurised unduly.

"I think nobody is telling me what to do, that's the good part of our team. The coach and captain just allow me to bat the way I bat. So, they are not putting any pressure on me. They said you just go and play your natural game. If you score runs we are happy and if you don't score runs then also we are happy," the dashing batsman opined.

"My role is to go out there and enjoy myself and give a good start to the team. If I score 20 runs in 10 balls or 100 in 70, 80 balls I am happy with that," he added.

"For the last three years, I was in a good frame of mind. I have changed a little bit. Now I give respect to the new ball. I make sure that I spend four-five overs before taking on the bowlers and try to give a good start.

"I know that I have Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Yusuf Pathan, Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina in the middle-order, so I can go after the bowling straight from the first ball. But now I am trying to look for three-four overs and ensure that I give a good start to the team."

"I think we lost just one or two games against Bangladesh, one in the World Cup and may be one in Bangladesh only. So, our record against Bangladesh is very good. We know that in the last World Cup, we lost to them, so we are waiting for the match against Bangladesh. We are charged up for the game and hopefully, we will do well against them this time," said the destroyer of bowlers.

Asked whether he has recovered fully from his shoulder injury that cut short his South Africa tour, he said, "I am taking regular treatment, so hopefully, I will be completely fine."


Horoscope of Sehwag

Sehwag was born with Leo rising. Leo represents the Lion in Astrology. His Venus is retrograde, equivalent to exaltation and combines with Mars, the sports planet. He is born in a Vipareetha Raja Yoga, as the 8th lord Jupiter is exalted in the 12th. Exalted Jupiter guarantees that he can shine on any day. He was out of the Indian team for a while and then came back and scored a triple century. The eighth lordship of Jupiter has catapulted him to great heights. He has scored two triple centuries, unachieved by any Indian so far. On his day, he is a matchwinner. Exalted Jupiter always inspires him and even if you drop him for one year, he will come back and score a triple century ! At the moment he is running Jupiter's period, Saturn's subperiod till 12-07-2013 . It was in Jupiter's period he scored 293 against SL. We wish him well during this period. Good Luck, Sehwag !

Ads to cost more if India make it to the finals

Now the ad rate for a ten second spot is just 4 lakhs. It may be six fold if
India makes it to the title stage.

ESPN Star Sports may rake in crores, if India moves through to the Finals.

If India reach the finals, it will be 24 lakhs per ten second spot. ( 52
K dollars ). Two hours of adverstising time and the beneficiary gets $37.5
m.

Sanjay Kailash , ESPN Software India Pvt Ltd executive vice-president (Ad
Sales & New Media) said. "If India does well and reaches the knockout stages, ad
spot rates could jump up significantly, as high as five to six times of the
existing rate."

Kailash said that the inventory of ads on the national channel,DD, is sold out, adding that rates on DD are less than that of Star Cricket

Those who have signed up as sponsors on DD include Tata Motors, Pidilite, Hero Honda, Parle, ITC, Jaype Cement, and Pepsi.

Naveen Khemka, senior vice-president of ZenithOptimedia said."If India makes
it to the semis, then increased demand will be seen from new advertisers who
have not bought already. Rates will be more driven by the demand and ESPN
will want to maximise given that they are already the last two or three
matches".

ESPN has made more than 75 cr from ad spots on DD and it is targeting 750 cr from
the WC on its own.

Jupiter in Pisces, in the 9th, can only indicate progress. Not only the World Cup, but IPl IV will also be a great success. More viewerships, more sponsors coming in, more ad revenue, more gate collection - all are guaranteed by the positions of Saturn and Jupiter, transit-wise !

Watch out SA, India : Ponting

Ponting said that the most dangerous teams are South Africa and India. He, however, ruled out any favourites, saying that this is an even Cup.

"Who is the favourite right now, I am not really bothered because a number of teams have the ability to win the cup. In this sort of tournament there are a number of teams who can win. India and South Africa probably are the standout teams.

They are the powerhouses of international cricket.

"Pakistan and New Zealand are never too far away in ICC events. Sri Lanka, in these conditions, are as good an ODI side in the game around," Ponting said.

He said unnecessary speculations dont count much.

"I don't really care where we start the tournament. It's irrelevant. I think going into the last World Cup there was negativity around us. We lost the Commonwealth Bank series and lost to New Zealand. So there were a few doubts around our team but we went there and won the World Cup. I don't think it really matters too much what's happening in the lead-up."

But he is pleased with the 6-1 win against England.

"We are pretty confident coming into the World Cup just beating a pretty good English side 6-1. We are really in good shape and confident... momentum is around our team.

"I don't care. Who the favourite is. I don't know whether there is such a thing around in tournament like this.

He said the absence of Mike Hussey is a big loss for Aussies. Krejza and C Ferguson coming to the Australian team can only strengthen the team.

With Lee, Tait, Bollinger, Johnson and Hastings, Australia has one of the best fast bowling attacks in the world. If her batting clicks, she may retain the Cup !

Australia won the Cup twice under this talented batsman's leadership. Aussies have an enviable record of winning the Cup four times.

Afridi under advice from Imran, Wasim

The experienced Imran and Wasim Akram have advised Afridi. "Union is strength and team spirit is the best spirit", said the veterans. Afridi's flamboyance is tempered by wise counsel.

"Yes I spoke to Imran Khan and Wasim Akram as I idolise them for their exploits for Pakistan cricket and both were very supportive and gave some sound advice." said the aggressive Pak captain.

Imran told him to keep the spirits in the Pak camp alive and lead from the front with some inspiring all round performance.

"Imran said unity would be the key to success in the tournament and if the players had self-belief and stuck together in the World Cup, they would achieve wonders."

"Imran's other advice was to be prepared for injury problems in the tournament and not to get discouraged. He said Pakistan had proved everyone wrong by winning the 92' tournament."

"Imran bhai also advised that we should be careful about the dew factor in the tournament as most of the matches are day and night fixtures and in March and April he pointed out that this was a major issue in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in the evening."

Akram advised him to back his players all the time and not to criticise any of his players in public.

"Wasim's contention was this way the players even if they were struggling for form retained their confidence which was the key to winning the World Cup."

Akram said this Pak team has the ability to win the Cup.

"He also reminded me that in such a long event it was necessary to remain focused all the time and not to give up even if they were some bad results along the way."

Inspiring performance from the leader is a major factor. A sleeping Indian team was woken from its slumber by the powerful hitting of its captain, Kapil Dev, who scored 175 no against Zim at Turnbridge Wells and this knock turned the team around.

Ranatunga's inspiring batting and leadership was responsible for the 1996 WC victory.

Clive Lloyd's magnificent hundred at the final sealed the fate of the 1975 Cup. Also Ponting's 140 against India in 2003.

If the captain leads from the front, then any team will be inspired and will play superlative cricket. If on the other hand, lacklustre leadership and performance from the captain can only show the team the way out !

Spinners may play major role

On the subcontinental pitches, normally spin bolwers prosper. Stats has it that three spinners in 1987 and four in 1996, finished amongst top six bowlers in WCs. Kumble, the leg spinner, was the most successful bowler in 1996, with 15 wickets.

Ranatunga used spin effectively in the 1996 final, restricting the Aussies to 241, using his spinners, Murali, Dharmasena, Jayasuria and A De Silva.

In the 1996 semi final, WI were 165-2, comfortably placed, needing just 208 to win. Then Shane Warne bowled Aussies to victory, with a great spell of 4/36 in just nine great overs !

Talented Shakib Al Hasan and Abdul Razaak, the BD spinners, may also play pivotal roles in this WC, along with H Singh of India, Swann of England, Vettori of NZ and Ajmal of Pak.

Murali, the only 1996 WC player in the SL team, has won many a victory with his superb off spin bowling ! He quit Test with a bag of over 800 wikets and is also the leading wicket taker in ODIs.

No wonder the Indian selectors selected three main spinners, along with the allrounders Pathan, Sehwag, Raina and Yuvraj.

Murali is the best offie at the moment. He has a deceptive doosra which turns away from the right hander and bamboozles him, when he is looking for a conventional offbreak.

Harbhajan also has proved that he is a difficult bowler to get away in the subcontinental conditions, with a tidy length, which can reign in batsmen in the middle overs. He is likely to be the only main spinner in the Indian team, with part time spinners, Pathan, Sehwag and Yuvraj.

Swann is another dangerous offie. Did he not take 15 wickets Down Under ?

Bedi rates Swann as an excellent bowler. "Swann is an outstanding bowler. He is the best off-spinner at the moment."

"The fact that he attacks makes him extraordinary. He has a nice, clean action and I think he should do really well. His performance in the Ashes should boost his confidence."

Vettori is the leading bowler in ICC Rankings in ODIs. He can be dangerous on the subcontinental spinning tracks. Saeed Ajman knows no introduction. He can also be dangerous on the s c pitches !

Boom Boom dreams of an Indo Pak final !

Afridi, the mercurial Pak skipper, has said that his dream is a Pak- India final at Mumbai. This will draw billions of viewers.

He says that the subcontinental teams are the best in the tournament.

"There is a possibility that Pakistan and India play the final of the World Cup and if that happens it would be ideal for the World Cup, one-day format and for the game of cricket."

The neighbours are in separate groups and the format has been arranged in such a way that they are not eliminated early. Both of them were eliminated early in the 2007 WC, which proved to be a financial disaster.

Even though Pak boasts about superiority, they are yet to beat India in the WC. The last time they clashed was in Bangalore, in 1996, when India beat them by 39 runs. Psychologists attribute this phenomenon of Pak losing to India in WC matches, to pressure or fear of defeat.

Contradicting the Orwellian Theory that sports is surrogate war, the dashing Paki said that sports can unite both countries.

"Both India and Pakistan have to play above their potential to reach the final but it would be ideal for billions of people around the world."

Both the cricketing powers have not clashed after 26/11, when the Mumbai incident took place.

"We would love to beat India in India and in a World Cup match because we have never done this before and this could be a great motivation."

People of both the nations love cricket and I don't see any threat.

"But yes, if the atmosphere is highly charged it would definitely spur both the teams on and bring out the best in the players from both the sides."

"I know that this beautiful game has the charm and the power to bring the nations closer," he said.

"What we have seen in the past is an ample proof of that. When India came here in 2004, people from both sides came closer and when we toured India we were welcomed by their people, so it's a mutual love for the game."

While Afridi maintained that this is an open Cup with no favourites as such, Waqar, the coach was fair when he said India is the current favourites and SA has been playing well and Australia can still win.

Waqar said his team can also triumph.

"If you ask me, this team has the potential to win. For sure they have the potential to win the World Cup," he said.

"The main thing is to give it your best and the best results will come."

We can upset any team : Gayle

At the moment, they may be underdogs, but they can upset any team in the world.

Clive Lloyd's team in 1975 and 1979 was formidable, with four fast bowlers bowling around 150 kph.

Now the present team do not have such fiery pacemen. But still they have Pollard and Gayle, two of the most feared batsmen in ODIs and T20s.

Gayle has sounded warning that they can upset any team. All teams beware. According to Border, there is one player who can singlehandedly win the Cup. And that is Gayle.

But then cricket is such a glorious game of Chance that no bookie will give good odds to a team who banks on two or three players only. Hence the 20/1 favourites position.

Gayle and the newly appointed captain Darren Sammy say that WI will reach the quarter finals. Allan Border is of the view, that if Gayle is not contained, other teams will lose the Cup !

Said the colossal hitter " We want to get the record straight this time. There are a lot of expectations from people back home. We want to go all out for them. This is my third World Cup. I'm treating it like my final Cup."

"The West Indies have a legacy of winning and I want to give my best to win matches for us".

"We go in as the underdogs. But we want to be the team that upsets biggies and the one that gets through to the quarter-finals".

"Yes, we have had some difficult times these past few months, but its behind us. The seniors and the juniors in the team are united to win games in this tournament."

"We are a bit fresher than other teams I suppose, having spent more time indoors than on the field. This is my first World Cup and like many other young people in my team I am excited to have the chance to restore our cricket legacy." said the triple centurion.

Murali & Mendis, a formidable duo!

Murali and Mendis can be devastating on the subcontinental pitches. They can change the game at any moment.

Not that other teams do not have spinners. But Murali and Mendis can be matchwinners on turning tracks.

SL has a bright chance and they are the 4/1 favourites. With Mahela, Dilshan and Sanga leading batting and with Malinga and Kulasekhara as pacers, they are well placed with the home advantage.

Their only problem seems to be the middle order. If they can sort out this problem, they can reach the finals, as they did last time.

We can lift Cup : Murali

The world's greatest offspinner, Murali, is of the view that SL can repeat 1996 !

"The day we won the cup in 1996 was the happiest day. It is because of that our cricket has come this far. It's been 15 years since 1996 and we can't dwell in the past. The teams are different. You can never compare generations.

"In 2003 we entered semis and in 2007 we entered finals.

We had good teams but we could not win the cup. But this team I think we have a chance." said the master spinner.

It is to be noted that SL became world champs, when she hosted the mega event. This time also she is co hosting and Sanga, the SL skipper, believes that will work to their advantage.

"I think every World Cup is a great opportunity to win it no matter where you play. This one playing in our neck of the woods probably gives us a slighter edge than the other teams," the southpaw said.

Now Lanka has two new stadiums and the Lankans have not had access to these stadiums. They are more or less new to them. But then Sanga is the last man to be worried on that front.

"There is no point in us being concerned about that because our mental approach has to be, regardless of getting an experience on the wickets, there is a World Cup to be played and played well," said the master wicket keeper batsman.

Bowling in the Powerplay crucial : Afridi

Bowling in the powerplay can be important, feels the Pak skipper, Afridi.

"We are working hard on improving our bowling and options for the final power play overs for this World Cup. This is an area we need to improve".

"We have completed 90 per cent of our preparations for this big competition and if everyone puts up his hand we will do very well in the World Cup. If we are successful it will be to the credit of the entire team and if we fail this would also be responsibility of entire team because cricket is a total team game not a one-man show," said the brilliant allrounder.

He said that the Pak team will overcome pressure. "In the World Cup it is all about how well a team handles pressure and coming out of this pressure is what success is all about. I think we have a good combination ready for the World Cup."

He said he will silence his critics with good, superlative performance. "I think that is the best to answer those who are criticising you."

Nehra an unsung hero : Bajji

Ashish Nehra is one of the less talked Indians who can turn around a game, says Bajji.

Himself a game changer and a mercurial off-spinner, Bajji feels that India has many matchwinners.

"Good thing is everyone in this team has won matches for us in recent times. So India is in business even with its last men."

Nehra won the game for India in a WC match against England, devastating England with a 6-23, the third best performance in the WC, after Gary Gilmour's 6-14 & Bichel's 7/20. ( Bond's 6-23 against the Kangaroos was also another great spell ).

He is the most unnderrated player. "Ashish shares the new ball, bowls in middle overs and is economical even in slog overs. He has picked up 59 wickets in the last two years in ODIs and it's no joke. His wicket of AB de Villiers in Johannesburg turned the tide in our favour. Yet nobody talks about him."

Such indifference and ignorance on the part of his critics do not shock Bajji. It keeps the lesser known forces of India in great shape, as it give less pressure on them.

"Personally for me, the high is to turn out in Indian jersey. That some critics have made a career out of criticising me doesn't upset me now".

"These purists don't realise that flighting the ball isn't such a clever idea now. You have men like AB de Villiers, Mahela Jayawardene and Younis Khan who would send a flighted delivery soaring into the orbit.

"You need to plan against batsmen, tailor yourself to situations and conditions. You need to know why the length on Indian pitches need to be fuller, why a little short of length on foreign pitches can aid your bounce.

"Give me some credit for knowing how to spin a ball. I am nearing 400 Test wickets," said the Indian No 8.

One billon Indian hopes flying on the wings of Sachin !

1.2 billion Indians love to win the Cup, aided by the exploits of Sachin.

He needs three more to make it 100 hundreds in international cricket. Can he do it this WC?

He holds all records, even the highest no of runs in WC ( 1796 runs ). All he needs is one more record. A century in the World Cup ( God willing, at the final at Mumbai, which is his home ground) !

While this wonder genius boy has given India all records, this honour has eluded him. We have seen Clive Lloyd powering WI to win in the final in 1975, Viv Richards doing the same thing in 1979 and De Silva doing the same in 1996. A century at the WC final ! A century, where it matters !

He holds a divine status in India. He is to the Indians

Their second Moses, whose extended wand
Divides the seas and shows the Promised Land !

About India's chances in the WC, all say "Everything depends on Sachin". Kapil Dev and others say do not put pressure on a single player ! So true, but then this may be his last Cup and he will definitely rise to the occasion, as he had done in the past !

"Everytime I go out, my country needs me", said this wonder boy.

According to Dhoni, this extra burden will not hurt India's chances at all and there is an imperative need to help Sachin complete his CV by delivering the country of over one billion its second World Cup title.

When India toured England, the then British Press said India was heavily reliant on Sachin. When India toured England again, BP called Sachin, Dravid and Ganguly as the Three Musketeers, with Azharuddin being D'Artagnon !

Now the scenario is different. India has enough players. There is the powerhouse Sehwag, who has scored two triple centuries !. Gambhir, Dhoni, Yuvraj are all centurions. Kohli is No 3 in ICC Rankings and Pathan is considered as one of the most destructive batsman in ODIs. Raina is the most promising young batsman in the world ( Akram ). Even Bajji, who cracked two centuries recently and who comes at No 8, bolster Indian batting ! That is why Kapil Dev said dont put pressure on Sachin unduly, as other players can also dazzle in this form of the game.

This Indian team has been compared to the formidable Sri Lankan team of 1996, when SL played with seven batsmen and two allrounders !

Till 09062011, Sachin is having the subperiod of Venus in Rahu major. So this covers the WC period. He has two planets exalted, Sun and Mars, which has made him a legend. His Jupiter is retrograde, equalling exaltation. Such positions favour the Little Master !

Junaid is the X Factor : Alam

Pak manager I Alam rued the loss of S Tanvir, but said that the replacement, Junaid Khan, is the X factor in Pak bowling.

"It is a blow to lose an experienced bowler so close to the World Cup but Junaid is a good prospect and bowls with pace. He could be useful on the tracks in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh."

"One could not rule out the surprise element that Junaid would bring to the World Cup squad," said the veteran spinner.

"We don't want half-fit players in the side and Tanvir has struggled with his knee problem even in New Zealand."

Junaid was overwhelmed with ecstacy when he learnt that he had been picked up up for the WC squad. Said Imran had inspired him.

"Imran Khan has always been my inspiration and idol and if I get a chance to
play a match, I will try to impress everyone and work hard."

PCB said that Junaid will replace Tanvir, who is not fully fit.

"The medical panel opined that though the recovery from a knee operation was
good, during the (New Zealand) tour it was observed that quick movements and
pickup with weight particularly on the operated knee is hindering his
mobility and requires him to take a few extra steps to balance himself
before throwing."

Still Paki pace attack is potent, with Akhta, Razzak, Riaz, Gul and Junaid.

Our bowling is one of the best : Strauss

Strauss said that the English bowling is formidable, with Anderson, Swann, S Broad, A Shahzad plus Chris Tremlett.

"Our bowling attack has been the basis of a lot of our one-day victories over the last 12 or 18 months".

"We have had a settled bowling unit who really know their roles really well and have bowled very well in tandem together.

"There is no doubt we missed that in Australia and I believe our bowling attack is a match for anyone in the world.

"They should be fit but they need to find some rhythm pretty quickly and the batsmen need to do their job," said the suave left hander.

"The atmosphere at the World Cup is going to be very intoxicating and very motivating. All the best players in the world will be there and ultimately only one team is going to walk away with that World Cup.

"We would have liked to have won the one-day series in Australia as preparation, but some of our players who have not been involved have had an opportunity to have a little bit of a rest through the fact that they were injured."

"They are going to come back into the fold and add a huge amount of impetus."

"We didn't do as well as we would have liked in the one-dayers and we won't hide away from that. Our aim when we went to Australia was to retain the Ashes and the fact that we did that and the style in which we did it speaks volumes for the players.

"But the nature of international cricket is you always move onto the next thing. When we are old and grey we will sit down and look over the footage of that Ashes series and still be very proud of what we achieved.

"It will go as one of the highlights if not the highlight of our careers. But now is not the time to look back on it.

Pietersen sounds warning !

Kevin Pietersen sounded a warning to the other teams that England are no pushovers.

According to this magnificent stroke player, England is ready for the big battle.

Earlier the well educated and polite A Strauss has sounded a warning, saying that the English bowling attack is one of the best in the world.

When we do a SWOT ( Strengths, Weaknessess, Opportunities, Threats ), we find that England are the current T20 champions and holder of the Ashes series. They beat Bangladesh and Pak in Tests. But the 6/1 drubbing they got from the Aussies have cast doubts over their ODI abilities with the result the bookies have given odds of 5/1. Still they are ahead of SA (11/2) and West Indies ( 10/1) !

If not for that drubbing they would have been second favourites at 4/1 !


"We're going to a World Cup, and World Cups are incredible events. We've had an incredible 12 months, winning would cap off the most remarkable 12 months in English cricket history," said the English master blaster.

"It doesn't matter if we've got three or four days (to prepare), that's exactly what we've got. We've got to focus our attention on being as positive as we can to go and do a job in India and that's exactly how the boys are feeling."

During the World Cup, he expects English performance to peak.

"We went out there to win the Ashes, we obviously achieved that. We put a lot of time, a lot of energy, a lot of concentration, a lot of dedication into winning the Ashes.

The ODI series did not go according to plan, he concedes.

"We want to win the World Cup, so our energies, our attention to detail now turns fully to India and we'll be on the money in India, don't worry about that".

He rues Morgan's loss.

"(It is a) huge loss. Morgs has been a fantastic member in the middle order for the last couple of years, he's done so well for England. He is someone who is going to be really missed in our middle order."

Format changed for financial success : Shetty

The 2007 World cup was a financial disaster. The main causative factor for that debacle was the early exits of the financial powerhouses of cricket, India and Pakistan.

The tournament director Shetty says the format was changed in this edition. This format ensures that the major teams go through to the quarter finals.

When India and Pak clash, the viewership will be maximum. If India and Pak exit early, as it did in 2007, the financial aspect of the tournament will collapse.

Asked by newspaper reporters whether the format was changed for the cricketing superpowers, Shetty said he cannot say no !

1500 crores are invested by sponsors and many sponsors have signed up. The ICC said it will protect the sponsors from ambush marketing.

Regarding Ambush Marketing, Lorgat, the CEO of ICC said " The stating point is that we will do everything necessary to protect rights of our commercial partners."

Ambush Marketing has been defined as a strategy wherein advertisers get advertised without paying any fees.

ICC has imposed restrictions on cricketers not to appear for any brands, which are archrivals of the WC sponsors. "We have a large team looking into it", said Lorgat.

The ICC has already signed sponsorship deals with LG, Reliance, Pantaloon, Sony, Pepsi, Reebok, Hero Honda, Emirates, Yahoo, Castrol and Money Gram.

Hyundai Motor India Ltd was also roped in on Tuesday, as an official car partner for the event, which will extend to the WC of 2015. HML will be spending 200 crores for promotional, advertising, marketing and ICC sponsorship.

Lorgat said that he expects more sponsorship revenues during this World Cup than during the last one.

Power hitting crucial : Hayden

Hayden feels that power hitting in the first 15 overs is important in this WC.

Hayden and Gilchrist launched a blitzkreig and hit the ball out of the ground in the last WC and that proved to be Australia's trump card.

"Gilly and I established ourselves as a great opening partnership and a really consistent partnership as well."

"Opening is still based on the same principles of power hitting and India's (Gautam) Gambhir and (Virender) Sehwag do that well. They are definitely the best. I think they are the most powerful unit.

"But I feel (Shane) Watson is also going to play a big part in this World Cup.""Getting off to a good start in the first 15 overs before the wicket starts to deteriorate is going to be critical during the World Cup," said the Aussie master batsman.

Steyn and Morkel represents the most deadly fast attack in the world and can be lethal on the placid subcontinental pitches.

"I have a good feel about the Sri Lankan attack of (Lasith) Malinga and (Nuwan) Kulasekara as well," Hayden said.

"Those two sides can be very damaging with the new ball and particularly South Africa.

"Sri Lanka and India I think are the most balanced units considering their spin options. I think (Muttiah) Muralitharan is naturally world class.

"He has been in World Cup finals before and this year I think is a big chance for Sri Lanka."

Kiwis bank on McCullum

McCullum is a glorious hard hitting batsman and is the trump card of the Black Caps.

Brendon shone in the tour of India, hitting a double century at Hyderabad.

Vettori does not want to play McCullum as a wicket keeper. We do not know why, as such an option will give Vettori an option to play an extra spinner.

The NZ skipper tried him at No 7, but the move did not come off. He thrives on fielding restrictions and comes in the top order of batting.

Although he could not change NZ's fortunes in the recent series, his role, either in the top order or as No 7 ( he can be a dangerous No 7 ), will be critical to NZ's fortunes in the WC.

NZ may have gone down in the 14 of their last 16 ODIs,, but she cannot be written off. She has good players in McCullum, Ryder, Taylor, Oram and can upset any team on their day.

They know that they will have to go the extra mile to win the Cup, as water does not boil at 99 degrees !

Vettori, the NZ captain, feels that "The responsibility is still on the top order; you look at most one-day games and the top four get the job done. The thing we've missed the most over the last year or so is that finishing ability."

John Wright said "What would solve all of that would be if we had batters in form and making hundreds. If we can have two batters playing significant innings, then everything is going to flow from that. We haven't had that and it needs to happen."

Like India in 1983, NZ can turn the tables at any moment, even though current form indicates that the Black Caps have to face heavy odds ( 20/1 ) in the cricketing extravaganza starting on Feb 19th, at Dacca.

Praveen's injury will not affect India : Bedi

B S Bedi, the spinning legend, said that the exclusion of Praveen will not affect India's chances adversely.

"One person cannot affect a team's chances. In fact, it is good that Praveen has been replaced before the start of the World Cup because rather than having played in just a couple of games and then spending rest of the tournament on bench, it is always better to have a fit player becoming a part of the team from the very first match," said the famous left arm spinner.

India's greatest drawback are great expectations from the fans, which has built up tremendous pressure. Huge burden of expectations from the cricket crazy, who will not tolerate anything but the World Cup !

Indian cricket crazy fans feel that this is the best Indian side ever, the best batting line up in the world, the best side with maximum experienced spinning allrounders who can revel in subcontinental conditions, with favourable home conditions, so why not ?

Costly mistakes will not be forgiven ?

"Everybody wants India to win the World Cup and so do I. I want it more so because this would be Sachin's last World Cup and I hope India win it. And I am sure Sachin will lead the team to that final victory," said the left arm spinner, who was dreaded in the 1970s.

The dream final happens to be in Sachin's home town Bombay, on his favourite Wankhede Stadium. You can imagine the tension built around and this has immense pressure on the Bombay wonder !

"All these might mean a lot of pressure on Sachin but it is nothing new for him. He has been handling pressure for the last 21 years, so I don't think it would affect him at all. In fact, his game is beyond such trivialities."

In 1983, Kapil Dev had nothing to lose, as India was defined as 100/1 favourites !

"In 1975 and 1979 editions of the World Cups, India were just participating in the mega-event with no hopes attached to it. But after the 1983 triumph, we actually started to compete at the international arena. And since then, the expectations only mounted."

"Ever since the expectations have been only growing and now it has almost reached its peak. I feel we have a peculiar tendency of either putting the team on a pedestal or throw it to ground, which is not good."

Besides the weight of expectations, the former spinner also raised concerns about the bowling department of the Indian team, saying that it was not up to the mark.

"India's bowling is not as penetrating as it is required to win the matches on its own. The bowling would require a brilliant fielding effort. Moreover, even batsmen will have to score at least 50 more runs than an expected good total to give some margin to the bowlers."

He expressed doubts about the 3 spinners in the side ."We have an extra spinner in our side. I feel two would have been enough on these subcontinent pitches. Instead, I think Rohit Sharma should have been included in the team."

Advantage Subcontinental Teams : Raina

India, Pak and SL will fight it out for the WC and the days of Australian dominance are almost over, says Raina.

Raina said he is happy to be included in the WC squad. He missed out on the 2007 squad and playing in the WC is a dream come true.

"I see this World Cup as a fight among the sub continental teams -- Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India. England can also be the real challengers. They are doing well, especially after their success in the Ashes.

"This is a fresh World Cup and in the last four years other teams have also improved a lot as compared to the Aussies. It's important to get a good start in the tournament," said the stylish southpaw.

"It's all about making it to the semis. I hope if we can make it to the last four stage, then we will definitely be in the final. We have some very good players now. It's very important to reach the semis".

"I think this is the best ever Indian side...we have the best batsman in Sachin Tendulkar and with Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir there as well at the top, the batting is very strong," said Raina.

Raina faces an uphill task, competing with the inform Pathan and Kohli. Which speaks volumes about the Indian batting line up !

"Gary Kirsten and Dhoni have been doing great with the side. He (Kirsten) is the best coach and 'captain cool' Dhoni is the best skipper.

"With Sreesanth back in the side, the pace attack looks very good, while in Harbhajan (Singh) leading the spin armoury along with (Ravichandran) Ashwin and (Piyush) Chawla, it looks a fully balanced line-up."

Raina holds the record of being the first Indian to score centuries in all three formats of the game.

"It's (finishing a game) not easy. You have to read the situation well. Any miscalculation can go horribly wrong. You have to rotate the strike and at the same time it's very important to play your natural game", said he.

"I've been scoring for the Indian team. I am finishing the games well. It's true that I am scoring in the 30s. But batting at 6 or 7, those are valuable runs when you have to play for the team's cause," said the allrounder.

"I've been batting at different positions. Be it at No 3, 4, or at 5 and 6 as in last few years. I've improved as a batsman."

Is No 7 very important ?

I used to hear that the No 3 is very important in Test Cricket. Look at the sides and you will find that the No 3 is one of the best batsmen in the side.

Now there are talks that the No 7 is equally important. Not in Test, but in ODIs.

Experts say the No 7 player is a game changer. He can make a change, a contribution of 30/40 runs in the slog overs with some hefty blows and if the top order collapses, then he can be relied upon to bat out the complete 50 overs ! He should be a good bowler, who can support the main bowlers. In short, an effective allrounder.

Let us analyse who are the No 7s of major teams.


Kieron Pollard - He can be one of the deadliest batsmen in the slog overs. In a CL T20 match, he powered his team to victory singlehandedly. He sends even good length deliveries into the orbit. He is WI's secret weapon, their open weapon being Gayle ! He can bowl well too !

Shahid Afridi - He is one of the most dangerous hitters in the world. In an ODI, I watched him hit a six off the first ball he faced ! A dangerous pinch hitter and an excellent spinner. He is third in ICC Rankings as an allrounder.

Paul Collingwood - He may be struggling for form, but he can still send the ball out of the park at any time. He can time his innings to perfection and can bowl seam as well.

Angelo Mathews - A hefty hitter and a good medium pacer. He is the one of the most promising all rounders in the game. He can be SL's main weapon. He keeps the scoreboard ticking all the time and picks up a few wickets.

Yousuf Pathan - The whole world is stunned by the exploits of this Pathan, who knows no boundaries. With two ODI hundreds to his credit, he can be a Titan in this form of the game. He had shone in IPL matches, but now he is the rage in Indian cricket. Millions of cricket crazy Indians want him to loft India to victory !

High pressure neutrallises India's home advantage !

Great expectations are on the Indian team. Hence massive pressure.

If India wins, there is no problem. If India loses, the one billion Indian fans wont tolerate that !

India has never headed into a World Cup with such pressure. A good coach in Kirsten, with some good spinning allrounders and arguably the best batting line up in the world, India has to live upto her high expectations which millions of cricket crazy Indians have given her. Any loss will not be tolerated.

The format is favourable, there wont be any hasty elimination, which Dravid's men faced in 2007.

M Amarnath opined that the pressure on India will be more than on any other teams. "If you are doing well,it is great. Hell can break loose if you are not doing well".

When Sri Lanka beat India in the semifinals, in 1996, the crowds went bersek destroying all furniture in the stadium.

In 2007, after the Indian loss, Dravid's car was stoned and the walls of Kaif's residence were tarred.

Millions of cricket crazy Indians believe that the best scenario is that of Sachin holding aloft the WC, in the final at Mumbai ! What a fitting tribute it will be !

On paper, India looks strong, with a formidable batting line up. Are there any weaknesses ? Next six weeks will tell the story !

Bowling appears to be a bit weak and this can be India's Achilles heel. Will the bowlers strike for India ?

We advise the Indian team to let go of pressure and play positively. Those who fear die. We request Dhoni to go back to his fearless, swashbuckling days. We request Yousuf to be more cautious and try to build an innings. We request V Kohli to treat WC as another game. We request Yuvraj to silence his critics !

Similar to the 2003 team : Ganguly

Ganguly said that the current team is similar to the 2003 Indian team, which was fearless and almost won the Cup.

A strong batting line up like the 2003 team and fearlessness mark the characteristics of both teams. With such a combination, Ganguly feels that India can make it to the finals.

"Like 2003, this time also we are in the right frame of mind, we have a settled side which has been doing well for sometime now. The team is equally good and strong and have the potential to go all the way."

"We have a very strong batting line-up with a lot of match-winners in the side. It's a very strong side."

"Personally, I don't believe in terming any favourites.

It's a tournament where last three games -- quarterfinal onwards -- will make a difference. Australia, India and South Africa look very strong."

"I see Pakistan as dark-horse, Sri Lanka too can be very strong in these conditions. Also, I expect Bangladesh to put up some good shows. They are an improved side now. But I see all the top teams making the last eight stage. From there on it can be anybody's game on a given day".

About his team which lost to Australia in the finals, Saurav added, ""We had a very good and strong side and we played well throughout the tournament. We beat every team except for Australia (in the final). We played fearless cricket. All players were in form, the way the team got together was excellent."

It was disappointing not to win the Cup in 2003 as we had the side.,"

About India's debacle in the Carribean in 2007, he said "2007 was a different story. We were never there. We did not start well and the team was dealt a huge blow after going down to Bangladesh. Thereafter the team lacked confidence and that became the turning point. The team was not settled with players going in and going out. There was an air of uncertainty."

"The format was such that only two team from the groups could make the cut. After losing to Bangladesh, we were on the back-foot and it was difficult to recover," he recalled.

"This time, the format is very good and allows every team a fair chance. Even if you had one bad day, there is time to recover."

"Mahendra Singh Dhoni has done very well as captain. He backs his teammates, supports them which helps in bringing the best of the side. Also, he has a very good side under him," he said.

"The batting is really strong with the likes of Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni. I hope things go well and it's important from India's point of view that players remain fit through out the long tournament," Ganguly added.

Spinning allrounders can play a pivotal role : Baig

Abbas Ali Baig, who zoomed into the cricket arena with a century on debut for India, feels that the spinning allrounders - Yuvraj, Sehwag, Pathan & Bajji - can play a big role on the spinning tracks of India.

Come March and the subcontinental pitches will deteriorate under the blistering heat. This happens when Sun transits Aquarius and Pisces. The WC opens on Feb 19 and ends on Apr 2. On Apr 8 the IPL IV starts and ends on May 28. On May 29, the Rainy Season starts, the Kala Varsha, when the Sun transits the 15th degree of Taurus.

So the organisers have planned it meticulously, under the immense heat, which may be more than 40 degrees.

During this hot season, it is only natural that the subcontinental pitches aid spin and the team which have the maximum spinning allrounders - a fact proven by Sri Lanka - have bright chances of lifting the Cup.

Baig said that the spin allrounders compensate for the lack of firepower in the pace bowling department. India's strengths are a good batting line up and spin allrounders. Her weaknessess are lack of genuine fast bowling and sometimes fielding !

"Absolutely, they have a big role. There is Yusuf Pathan, who is a genuine all-rounder. There is Yuvraj (Singh), (Virender) Sehwag, and Harbhajan Singh, who has actually turned into a mature batsman.

"The lower order batsmen also have to chip in. The lower order batsmen have supported the frontline bastmen, which was not the case earlier. They certainly have a role to play in Indian conditions," said the dashing strokemaker.

"If you look at Indian bowling. It does not have the firepower like that of batting....except for Zaheer. It's not up to the mark and may not be able to deal with the situation," he said.

"But having said that. Anything can happen in cricket and anyone can rise to occasion."

"No doubt, batting is our main strength. We have enough firepower. On an unusual day, it may collapse. But it take us the whole way on Indian pitches.

"Our fielding has also improved. I think we are among the best in world with lot of youngsters in the side. On paper batting is our strength. So we will have to produce runs and save some on the field," said the veteran.

"I would have picked either Pragyan Ojha or Murali Kartik. One of them would have been an ideal choice in place of Piyush Chawla. I would also have gone for an extra stumper. Parthiv Patel is a good batsman and wicketkeeper," he averred.

He advised Dhoni to be fearless and calm.

"Until now he has been a relaxed captain and has maintained his cool demeanour. But certainly World Cup is different. He is clear and bold and have to size up the situation and take on the opposition. I think these traits will remain with him and he can come out (with flying colours)."

He disagreed with others, that the young Indian players will be under immense pressure, as they are devoid of WC experience. Others say that only the tried and tested can perform well in the World Cup.

"Virat (Kohli) has been doing well and I don't think he should feel pressure. Harbhajan is not the kind of guy, who will let pressure damage his performance.

"But yes, Yuvraj Singh need to silence his critics. His performance (in the recent past) has been under cloud".

"Play for fun and enjoy the game."