New Delhi: India’s Twenty20 World Cup flop show notwithstanding, MS Dhoni remains one of the best skippers in international cricket and it is unfair to criticise him on the basis of just one bad tournament, said Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan.

World’s highest Test wicket-taker both in Tests and ODIs, who plays under Dhoni in the Indian Premier League champion side Chennai Super Kings, said he was amused to see the outrage that greeted India’s early exit from the showpiece event in the West Indies.

“He is one of the best captains. He won the IPL for Chennai Super Kings. A week later India were knocked out of the World Cup and in India when you win you are the best but when you lose you become the worst,” Muralitharan quipped.

“But you cannot become the worst in just a week. The media cannot bring him down like that,” the off-spinner said.

Apart from the team’s poor batting and fitness, critics attributed India’s dismal show to Dhoni’s uninspiring captaincy as well. Muralitharan said India cannot be overnight labelled a bad team as it has proved itself in the Test and ODI arena.

“They don’t lack skill. They are the number one in Tests and number two in ODIs. You cannot reach there if you don’t have the skills,” he reasoned on the sidelines of a function to announce the Indian International Film Academy (IIFA) awards which would be held in Sri Lanka this year.

“Twenty20 is a game anybody can win on his day. While in Tests and ODIs, there is time for you to come back. There is no such thing in Twenty20. India had a good team but they lost the grip after winning two matches initially. In Twenty20 you need a bit of luck also.”

“England was the best team and they won the title but Australia won all their matches and lost in the final. It just shows that you need some luck too. Like in IPL, the game can change in just one over,” he said.

As for the IPL post-match parties, which Dhoni had blamed for exhausting players, Muralitharan said he never attended any of them. “No, I don’t think it’s fair to blame the IPL. I never attended the parties. As a franchisee, we never attended those parties. So, I cannot say,” he said.

Nursing a groin now, the ace off-spinner is all set for a comeback in next month’s Asia Cup. “I will be there at Asia Cup. I am fine now,” he said.

Muralitharan will quit the game after 2011 ODI World Cup in the sub-continent and the 38-year-old veteran of 132 Tests and 334 One-dayers said he wants to sign off on a high. “I never dreamt of getting what I have got. I have everything and I want to go on a high, instead of when I am down,” he said.

via: Yahoo

ICC World Twenty20 – Final match

Australia v England, 16 May 2010

England won by 7 wickets (with 18 balls remaining)

	Australia innings (20 overs maximum)		R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
	SR Watson	c Swann b Sidebottom	2	3	3	0	0	66.66
	0.5 129.9 kph, bowled’im! Played it on, lands on a good length just outside off stump and there is a hint of inward movement, Watson got forward, tried to defend it into the off side, got an inside edge to rattle the stumps 2/1
	DA Warner	run out (Lumb)	2	11	4	0	0	50.00
	4.3 87.9 kph, brilliantly taken! Excellent reflexes from Jayawardene at slip, it’s tossed up a hint this time and Warner’s eyes lit up, tried to blaze it through the off side, the ball turned away to take the outside edge and Jayawardene, among the best slip fielders in the game, reacted superbly to snap it moving to his right 30/3
	MJ Clarke*	c Collingwood b Swann	27	35	27	2	0	100.00
	2.3 108.2 kph, that was unneccessary, change of pace this time, a slower one bowled on a length on the off stump, Haddin was targeting the deep midwicket boundary, was early into the shot, ended up getting a leading edge and the ball landed safely into the palms of the only MP playing international cricket 20/2
	BJ Haddin†	c †Kieswetter b Sidebottom	1	2	2	0	0	50.00
	10.6 88.5 kph, Randiv’s super day continues, Clarke makes room to cut, he misses and the off bail is on the floor, there’s some confusion whether the ball hit stumps or whether it was the keeper’s gloves that dislodged the bail, replays show the ball hit the top of offstump, and Clarke has to go 67/5
	DJ Hussey	run out (Wright/†Kieswetter)	59	73	54	2	2	10925
	4.4 87.8 kph, another one goes! Randiv’s on a hat-trick. Failed to pick the straighter one, flighted outside off stump, Hussey turned the face to play it through midwicket, stepped out of the crease, missed and Sangakkara did the rest 30/4
	CL White	c Broad b Wright	30	21	19	4	1	157.89
	MEK Hussey	not out	17	26	10	2	0	170.00
	SPD Smith	not out	1	3	2	0	0	50.00
	Extras	(b 1, lb 2, w 4, nb 1)	8
	Total	(6 wickets; 20 overs)	147	(7.35 runs per over)

	Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
	RJ Sidebottom	4	0	26	2	6.50	(3 w)
	0.5 to Watson, 129.9 kph, bowled’im! Played it on, lands on a good length just outside off stump and there is a hint of inward movement, Watson got forward, tried to defend it into the off side, got an inside edge to rattle the stumps 2/1 2.3 to Haddin, 108.2 kph, that was unneccessary, change of pace this time, a slower one bowled on a length on the off stump, Haddin was targeting the deep midwicket boundary, was early into the shot, ended up getting a leading edge and the ball landed safely into the palms of the only MP playing international cricket 20/2
	TT Bresnan	4	0	35	0	8.75	(1nb)
	SCJ Broad	4	0	27	0	6.75	(1 w)
	4.3 to Warner, 87.9 kph, brilliantly taken! Excellent reflexes from Jayawardene at slip, it’s tossed up a hint this time and Warner’s eyes lit up, tried to blaze it through the off side, the ball turned away to take the outside edge and Jayawardene, among the best slip fielders in the game, reacted superbly to snap it moving to his right 30/3 4.4 to DJ Hussey, 87.8 kph, another one goes! Randiv’s on a hat-trick. Failed to pick the straighter one, flighted outside off stump, Hussey turned the face to play it through midwicket, stepped out of the crease, missed and Sangakkara did the rest 30/4 10.6 to Clarke, 88.5 kph, Randiv’s super day continues, Clarke makes room to cut, he misses and the off bail is on the floor, there’s some confusion whether the ball hit stumps or whether it was the keeper’s gloves that dislodged the bail, replays show the ball hit the top of offstump, and Clarke has to go 67/5
	GP Swann	4	0	17	1	4.25
	MH Yardy	3	0	34	0	11.33
	LJ Wright	1	0	5	1	5.00

	England innings (target: 148 runs from 20 overs)		R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
	MJ Lumb	c DJ Hussey b Tait	2	6	4	0	0	50.00
	2.3 145.2 kph, he’s found fine leg, some more bounce on this delivery, shorter and he tried to pull it behind square, got way too much elevation and not much distance, Steven Smith accepted it gleefully in the deep 16/1
	C Kieswetter†	b Johnson	63	72	49	7	2	128.57
	4.5 147.7 kph, he’s given him! Jayasuriya tries to swing that across the line, Nannes had bowled it full on middle, the batsman missed and thereafter there was no real doubt as to where that was heading, Australia have the upper hand 26/3
	KP Pietersen	c Warner b Smith	47	59	31	4	1	151.61
	3.3 153.5 kph, gone! That came onto him quickly, dropped it short on middle and leg, tried to hook it past square leg, was a little late in playing that, it caught the glove and Haddin made no mistake behind the stumps 18/2
	PD Collingwood*	not out	12	15	5	1	1	240.00
	6.2 132.3 kph, outstanding catch by Cameron White! Short and Dilshan, it seemed, had played a delightful cut, it was uppish and White, stationed at point, flung himself to his left, his wrong side, to clasp that with both hands, superb stuff, it’s his day 48/4
	EJG Morgan	not out	15	11	13	0	1	115.38
	Extras	(lb 1, w 8 )	9
	Total	(3 wickets; 17 overs)	148	(8.70 runs per over)

	Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
	DP Nannes	4	0	29	0	7.25
	2.3 to Jayawardene, 145.2 kph, he’s found fine leg, some more bounce on this delivery, shorter and he tried to pull it behind square, got way too much elevation and not much distance, Steven Smith accepted it gleefully in the deep 16/1 4.5 to Jayasuriya, 147.7 kph, he’s given him! Jayasuriya tries to swing that across the line, Nannes had bowled it full on middle, the batsman missed and thereafter there was no real doubt as to where that was heading, Australia have the upper hand 26/3
	SW Tait	3	0	28	1	9.33	(1w)
	3.3 to Sangakkara, 153.5 kph, gone! That came onto him quickly, dropped it short on middle and leg, tried to hook it past square leg, was a little late in playing that, it caught the glove and Haddin made no mistake behind the stumps 18/2
	MG Johnson	4	0	27	1	6.75	(2w)
	SPD Smith	3	0	21	1	7.00
	6.2 to Dilshan, 132.3 kph, outstanding catch by Cameron White! Short and Dilshan, it seemed, had played a delightful cut, it was uppish and White, stationed at point, flung himself to his left, his wrong side, to clasp that with both hands, superb stuff, it’s his day 48/4 6.6 to Mathews, 141.9 kph, Australia are on top, pitched up and he sensed an opportunity, was trying to clear extra cover but ended up slicing it straight to David Hussey running in from deep cover 49/5 16.2 to Mendis, bowled’im, Australia have thrashed Sri Lanka, full on middle, makes room to strike that over extra cover, misses and the stumps take a beating 87/10
	SR Watson	3	0	42	0	14.00	(1w)
	11.4 to Kapugedera, bowled’im! Flat, quicker and bowled full and he failed to connect, tried to force it through the leg side, missed and it crashed into the stumps 73/6 13.3 to Chandimal, Sri Lanka are sinking now, tossed up, his eyes light up, charges down the track to dismiss him over long-on, it turns away to beat the swing of the bat and Haddin does the rest 83/8
	15.2 to Malinga, Malinga holes out, tossed up delivery on the off and he wishes to send it into the stands behind deep midwicket but finds Steve Smith who takes it calmly running a few steps from wide long-on 84/9

“We got beaten by a good side. England outplayed us. We got to credit them for the performance, though we are disappointed not to win. They are a great Twenty20 side, with a lot of talent,” said Clarke after his side’s seven-wicket defeat in the summit clash here.

Clarke said England had executed their bowling plans very well to restrict Australia to 147 for six. “England executed their bowling strategy very well. We lost three wickets very early in the innings and struggled there on. Though we eventually made 147, we were definitely 50 runs short against them,” said Clarke.

He said Australia could hold their head high despite the defeat as they had played some outstanding cricket throughout the tournament.

“We could be disappointed, but we could hold out heads high. They boys have done very well and played good cricket through the championship. We had one of the greatest games in Twenty20 internationals in the semi-final against Pakistan,” he said.

“We got so much individual talent that I am certain that Australia could improve in this format of the game. We have worked hard over the last 12 months, so we are getting there. We can only get better from now on,” he added.

Clarke conceded that he was not in great form during this ICC World Twenty20 but said it is for the selectors to decide on his batting slot or on the captaincy.

“I know I haven’t been in great nick during this competition. It is for the selectors to sit and decide whether I am the best number three batsman in the Twenty20 format or good enough to continue as captain,” he said.

England, chasing 148 to win, after reducing a previously unbeaten Australian side at this tournament to eight for three, saw Kieswetter (63) and Pietersen (47) put on 111 for the second wicket at the Kensington Oval.

They eventually won with three overs to spare when captain Paul Collingwood struck Shane Watson for a boundary as his side finished on 151 for three. It was the first time England had won a major international one-day event after losing in three World Cup finals (1979, 1987 and 1992) and the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy.

Pietersen, who completed an 8,000 mile round trip back to England to attend the birth of his first child during the event, was named man-of-the-tournament after several matchwinning innings, and Kieswetter the man-of-the-match.

“I had a little kid on Monday and this trophy here,” Pietersen said. “But this trophy goes to all the lads.” “The more you play, the more you win and the more it becomes a habit, like the great Australians. This team is hungry for success, we want to win.”

Kieswetter, who made his Twenty20 international debut at this event, said: “It’s been a great experience, to play against the Australians in the final makes it all much better.”

Australia captain Michael Clarke said his side had failed to post a competitive total. “I don’t think we scored enough runs,” said Clarke. “I think you’ve got to give credit to England, they outplayed us today. We’ve played really well throughout the whole tournament. We’re obviously disappointed in the final to not get the result but I think we should hold our heads high.

England, who held Australia to 147 for six, saw Kieswetter and Pietersen dominate the Aussie quicks after Michael Lumb’s early exit. Pietersen, who faced 31 balls, with a six and four fours, was out when he hoisted leg-spinner Steven Smith to David Warner on the long-off boundary.

And, worryingly for England, 118 for two became 121 for three when Kieswetter was bowled by left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson, having faced 49 balls, with two sixes and seven fours. But Collingwood and former Ireland batsman Eoin Morgan (both 15 not out) saw England home.

Earlier, David Hussey’s 59 kept Australia in the match during an innings where the next best score was Cameron White’s 30. Kieswetter and Pietersen were in commanding form against Australia’s quicks, with Kieswetter, a former South Africa Under-19 international, striking two fours in as many balls off left-armer Dirk Nannes and cover-driving express quick Shaun Tait.

At the 10-over halfway mark, England were 73 for one compared to Australia’s 47 for four. Australia badly needed a breakthrough but, in Tait’s comeback over, Pietersen drove him over his head for a boundary and then struck an even more impressive six high over long-off to bring up England’s hundred.

David Hussey’s 59 kept Australia in the match during an innings where the next best score was Cameron White’s 30. Together with White, David Hussey – missed on 25 – put on fifty for the fifth wicket and then shared a stand of 47 with his brother.

David Hussey was run out in the last over, going for a second run, by Luke Wright’s throw from long-on to Kieswetter. He faced 54 balls with two sixes and two fours.

Left-arm quick Ryan Sidebottom took two wickets for 26 runs from his maximum four overs and off-spinner Graeme Swann a miserly one for 17. England had a sensational start after Collingwood won the toss.

Sidebottom struck third ball when Watson edged an intended cut, which was dropped by Kieswetter only for first slip Swann to hold the rebound. Then two for one became seven for two when Warner was run out having made just two after failing to beat Lumb’s under-arm direct hit.

The collapse continued when Brad Haddin (one) was caught down the legside by diving opposing gloveman Kieswetter off Sidebottom. Haddin then risked disciplinary action by pointing to his thigh after being given out by umpire Billy Doctrove.

via: yahoo

Set a huge 192, to win, Australia were 158 for seven with two overs remaining and needing another 34 runs for victory. But, in Clarke’s words, a “freakish performance” from Michael Hussey dug Australia out of a seemingly impossible position at the Beausejour Stadium.

The left-handed Hussey made an unbeaten 60 off only 24 balls, with six sixes and three fours, to guide the side into Sunday’s final against old rivals England at Barbados’s Kensington Oval with just a ball to spare.

Asked if he could believe what had happened, Australia captain Clarke said: “I can believe it because of the guy (Michael Hussey) sitting beside me. Him and Whitey (Cameron White who revived the innings with a rapid 43) had an amazing day.

“I honestly felt Pakistan had scored 15 runs too many. But with the batting we have in the team, you just can’t write us off. That’s what today has shown. Hussey showed today we’re never beaten, until the game is actually over we are never beaten. Today was a freakish performance from an unbelievable cricketer, in any form of the game. He just never gave up.”

Australia needed 18 to win off the last over, from off-spinner Saeed Ajmal. Mitchell Johnson took a single off the first ball and then Hussey took over. He pulled Ajmal for six, struck him over long-on for six more, brought the scores level with a four and thumped another six for good measure as Australia finished on 197 for seven.

The man-of-the-match faced just 24 balls, but hit six sixes and three fours. Hussey had come in after brother David had fallen to leave Australia 105 for five in the 13th over. But the elder Hussey refused to be cowed and together with Johnson, who made a mere five, put on an unbroken 53 in just 16 balls.

“I think that’s probably the best feeling I have ever had on a cricket field,” said Hussey. “Particularly in such a big game, when I was having so many doubts, I had a feeling it wasn’t going to be day when balls kept lobbing over us in the field.”

Asked what his approach had been against Ajmal, Hussey replied: “I was just trying to slog every ball for six. I knew he would try to spear a few fast yorkers in. If he’d done that, I’d have been in trouble, but he just missed his length.”

Pakistan coach Waqar Younis refused to criticise his side after they had piled up 191 for six, on the back of fifties from brothers Kamran (50) and Umar Akmal (56 not out). “I don’t think we went wrong anywhere,” said the former fast bowler.

“We did a good job, but you’ve just got to give credit to the Australians for the way they batted. Cameron White’s innings, I thought that set the tone and then Hussey did the real damage. I still can’t believe it. It was an unbelievable innings; you just don’t see many like that around…the way he struck the ball was just amazing. I can’t really blame anyone. All you can do is just smile about it. You can only try your best. I thought we did our best. What else can you do?”

Waqar added: “Saeed Ajmal has been our best bowler in this entire tournament and in the last couple of years. You cannot really blame him.”

via: yahoo

ICC World Twenty20 – 2nd semi final

Australia v Pakistan, 14 May 2010

Australia won by 3 wickets (with 1 ball remaining)

	Pakistan innings (20 overs maximum)		R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
	Kamran Akmal†	c Warner b Johnson	50	41	34	6	2	147.05
	9.4 140.8 kph, What a catch from Warner! Stunning! Kamran falls after an awesome knock. He drove this one uppishly towards deep cover where Warner rushed forward and threw himself forward to take the catch 82/1
	Salman Butt	c Warner b Smith	32	48	30	4	0	106.66
	11.1 86.8 kph, Warner again. The openers are gone now. Salman went down on his knee to swing it over square-leg but found the man in the deep. Warner moved to his left to take a running catch. Australia trying their best to get back 89/2
	Umar Akmal	not out	56	43	35	2	4	160.00
	Shahid Afridi*	c †Haddin b DJ Hussey	8	12	9	0	0	88.88
	14.2 94.1 kph, Big moment this. Afridi is gone. IT was a full delivery outside off and Afridi tried to heave it away but ended up slicing it towards point. WAtson came in, Haddin rushed out and both collided but Haddin takes it. He was the man with the gloves and it was his catch. 114/3
	Khalid Latif	c Warner b Nannes	13	8	6	1	1	216.66
	16.6 144.5 kph, Warner again. Simple catch this time. It was the short delivery around off stump, Latif tried to pull but was in no position for it. The ball lobbed of the edge to mid-off 145/4
	Abdul Razzaq	run out (†Haddin/Tait)	12	10	7	0	1	171.42
	19.5 from Tait, Razzaq is run out It was a wide outside off and they again tried to steal the bye but this time Haddin relayed the throw to the bowler who hurled down the stumps at the non-striker’s end 189/5
	Misbah-ul-Haq	run out (Tait)	0	1	0	0	0	-
	19.6 Tait to Umar Akmal, Misbah is run out almost yorker length delivery,mistimed to the bowler.. Misbah had charged across, Umar stays there and puts his head down .. And Mitch does the rest. 191/6
	Extras	(b 10, lb 1, w 9)	20
	Total	(6 wickets; 20 overs)	191	(9.55 runs per over)

	Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
	DP Nannes	4	1	32	1	8.00	(2w)
	16.6 to Khalid Latif, 144.5 kph, Warner again. Simple catch this time. It was the short delivery around off stump, Latif tried to pull but was in no position for it. The ball lobbed of the edge to mid-off 145/4
	SW Tait	4	0	25	0	6.25	(2w)
	MG Johnson	4	0	37	1	9.25	(1w)
	9.4 to Kamran Akmal, 140.8 kph, What a catch from Warner! Stunning! Kamran falls after an awesome knock. He drove this one uppishly towards deep cover where Warner rushed forward and threw himself forward to take the catch 82/1
	SR Watson	2	0	26	0	13.00	(1w)
	SPD Smith	2	0	23	1	11.50
	11.1 to Salman Butt, 86.8 kph, Warner again. The openers are gone now. Salman went down on his knee to swing it over square-leg but found the man in the deep. Warner moved to his left to take a running catch. Australia trying their best to get back 89/2
	DJ Hussey	3	0	24	1	8.00	(2w)
	14.2 to Shahid Afridi, 94.1 kph, Big moment this. Afridi is gone. IT was a full delivery outside off and Afridi tried to heave it away but ended up slicing it towards point. WAtson came in, Haddin rushed out and both collided but Haddin takes it. He was the man with the gloves and it was his catch. 114/3
	MJ Clarke	1	0	13	0	13.00

	Australia innings (target: 192 runs from 20 overs)		R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
	DA Warner	c Umar Akmal b Mohammad Aamer	0	2	2	0	0	0.00
	0.2 142.5 kph, Warner is gone for a duck. They are dancing in the aisles. It was the full length delivery going away from Warner who cuts it straight to backward point. That boy Umar again! What a start for Pakistan. What a tame dismissal. A very soft shot. 1/1
	SR Watson	c Abdur Rehman b Mohammad Aamer	16	13	9	2	1	177.77
	2.3 143.4 kph, What a moment this. The openers are back in the hutch. Pressure. Watson has hit a full delivery straight to long-on! The Pakistan dug-out is celebrating. The fans are screaming in joy. Enter Pup. The Australian captain is in the middle. What can he do now? 26/2
	BJ Haddin†	st †Kamran Akmal b Abdur Rehman	25	24	20	2	1	125.00
	7.2 93.5 kph, Stumped! Haddin went dancing down the track but the ball curved past him. It dipped rapidly on the advancing Haddin, gripped the surface and broke away to Kamran who does the rest. Third wicket down and Australia are wobbling here in St Lucia. 58/3
	MJ Clarke*	st †Kamran Akmal b Shahid Afridi	17	19	19	2	0	89.47
	8.2 106.5 kph, The Pakistan captain knocks out his counterpart. Stumped! What a strike. Clarke went down the track for the big hit but met thin air: Afridi hurled it quicker, dragged back the length, kept it flatter and Clarke tried to swipe it across the line but missed. Very good work from Kamran. The bails were off in a flash. 62/4
	DJ Hussey	c & b Abdur Rehman	13	16	9	0	1	144.44
	12.3 106.8 kph, Another twist. Another wicket. Pakistan keep the heat on. This one was flighted on the leg and middle and Hussey thought .. I will push it to midwicket and get a single and give the strike to White. Mistake. The ball was slower in pace, it grips and straightens and perhaps stops a touch on Hussey who gets a leading edge back to the bowler. Gone! Michael Hussey walks in. 105/5
	CL White	c Mohammad Hafeez b Mohammad Aamer	43	31	31	0	5	138.70
	16.3 141.7 kph, Is this the moment of the chase? And would you believe it, it was a full toss that did the trick for Pakistan. A full toss on the off stump line. White’s eyes opens up and he tries to smash it through the line to long-off. Perhaps that was the mistake. He couldn’t find enough power behind it and couldn’t clear long-off. But what an innings this has been from White. Great to watch. Superb under pressure. But he is gone now. 139/6
	MEK Hussey	not out	60	38	24	3	6	250.00
	SPD Smith	st †Kamran Akmal b Saeed Ajmal	5	2	4	1	0	125.00
	17.1 91.8 kph, Ajmal can be such a difficult bowler to get away in these circumstances. Those tantalizing doosras. It landed on the middle stump line, Smith was down the track and actually tried to loft it over the off-side which perhaps indicates that he thought it might be the doosra. But no wood on leather. The ball goes past the flashing blade and to Kamran Akmal who very calmly takes off the bails. Ajmal celebrates. What a lovely delivery 144/7
	MG Johnson	not out	5	15	3	1	0	166.66
	Extras	(lb 7, w 5, nb 1)	13
	Total	(7 wickets; 19.5 overs)	197	(9.93 runs per over)

	Bowling	O	M	R	W	Econ
	Mohammad Aamer	4	0	35	3	8.75	(2w)
	0.2 to Warner, 142.5 kph, Warner is gone for a duck. They are dancing in the aisles. It was the full length delivery going away from Warner who cuts it straight to backward point. That boy Umar again! What a start for Pakistan. What a tame dismissal. A very soft shot. 1/1 2.3 to Watson, 143.4 kph, What a moment this. The openers are back in the hutch. Pressure. Watson has hit a full delivery straight to long-on! The Pakistan dug-out is celebrating. The fans are screaming in joy. Enter Pup. The Australian captain is in the middle. What can he do now? 26/2 16.3 to White, 141.7 kph, Is this the moment of the chase? And would you believe it, it was a full toss that did the trick for Pakistan. A full toss on the off stump line. White’s eyes opens up and he tries to smash it through the line to long-off. Perhaps that was the mistake. He couldn’t find enough power behind it and couldn’t clear long-off. But what an innings this has been from White. Great to watch. Superb under pressure. But he is gone now. 139/6
	Abdul Razzaq	2	0	22	0	11.00
	Abdur Rehman	4	0	33	2	8.25	(1nb)
	7.2 to Haddin, 93.5 kph, Stumped! Haddin went dancing down the track but the ball curved past him. It dipped rapidly on the advancing Haddin, gripped the surface and broke away to Kamran who does the rest. Third wicket down and Australia are wobbling here in St Lucia. 58/3 12.3 to DJ Hussey, 106.8 kph, Another twist. Another wicket. Pakistan keep the heat on. This one was flighted on the leg and middle and Hussey thought .. I will push it to midwicket and get a single and give the strike to White. Mistake. The ball was slower in pace, it grips and straightens and perhaps stops a touch on Hussey who gets a leading edge back to the bowler. Gone! Michael Hussey walks in. 105/5
	Saeed Ajmal	3.5	0	46	1	12.00	(1w)
	17.1 to Smith, 91.8 kph, Ajmal can be such a difficult bowler to get away in these circumstances. Those tantalizing doosras. It landed on the middle stump line, Smith was down the track and actually tried to loft it over the off-side which perhaps indicates that he thought it might be the doosra. But no wood on leather. The ball goes past the flashing blade and to Kamran Akmal who very calmly takes off the bails. Ajmal celebrates. What a lovely delivery 144/7
	Shahid Afridi	4	0	34	1	8.50
	8.2 to Clarke, 106.5 kph, The Pakistan captain knocks out his counterpart. Stumped! What a strike. Clarke went down the track for the big hit but met thin air: Afridi hurled it quicker, dragged back the length, kept it flatter and Clarke tried to swipe it across the line but missed. Very good work from Kamran. The bails were off in a flash. 62/4
	Mohammad Hafeez	2	0	20	0	10.00

But, initially through Cameron White, who made 43, and Hussey’s unbeaten 60, they recovered and will now face old rivals England in Sunday’s final at Barbados’s Kensington Oval.

Australia needed 18 to win off the last over, from off-spinner Saeed Ajmal. Mitchell Johnson took a single off the first ball and then Hussey took over. The left-hander pulled Ajmal for six, struck him over long-on for six more, brought the scores level with a four and thumped another six for good measure as Australia finished on 197 for seven in pursuit of 192.

The man-of-the-match faced just 24 balls, but hit six sixes and three fours. Hussey had come in after brother David had fallen to leave Australia 105 for five in the 13th over. But the elder Hussey refused to be cowed and together with Johnson, who made a mere five from three balls, put on an unbroken 53 in just 16 balls. “This game of cricket just keeps amazing me every day,” Michael Hussey said. “I can’t believe it, it’s one of the best feelings of my career.”

Cameron White sparked the initial revival, with 43 off 31 balls, including five sixes, and Michael Hussey said: “Cameron has batted really well all tournament, we needed someone to change the momentum and he did that really well.”

Elated Australia captain Michael Clarke said: “Michael Hussey is an absolute freak…Once Cameron got out I thought it was going to be really tough but with Hussey in you never know.”

Defeated Pakistan captain Shahid Afrid added: “It was a very good (Pakistan) total but the way White and Hussey played, they played mature and good innings. We perhaps lost it in the last over but Ajmal has bowled really well in this tournament.”

Opener Kamran Akmal’s 50 and younger brother Umar’s even more rapid 56 not out came against an Australia side, yet to lose at this tournament, which had thrashed them by 34 runs in a first round group match.

Left-arm quick Mohammad Aamer, who led the attack with three wickets for 35 runs, removed Australia openers David Warner (nought) and Shane Watson (16).

And when wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal completed two neat stumpings off left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman and leg-spinner Afridi to dismiss Brad Haddin and captain Michael Clarke respectively, Australia were 62 for four inside nine overs.

David Hussey and White staged a brief revival before the former was caught and bowled by Rehman. White though kept swinging away but when he drove an Aamer full toss straight to Mohammad Hafeez, Australia were 139 for six in the 17th over. Australia though, thanks to Michael Hussey, kept going to seal a superb come-from-behind win.

Pakistan, sent in by Clarke after rain delayed the start, saw their innings start with a Dirk Nannes maiden. But Kamran Akmal and left-hander Salman Butt (32) shared a first-wicket stand of 82 as Australia’s pace trio of Nannes, Shaun Tait and Johnson failed to make an early breakthrough.

Nannes’s second over saw the match’s first boundaries when Kamran Akmal, stepping away to leg, lofted him high over the covers. Next ball he drove straight down the ground for another four.

Kamran Akmal was severe on Watson, driving the medium-pacer’s first ball back for a huge six. Akmal then took two more boundaries off Watson to complete a fine fifty off just 32 balls with two sixes and six fours.

But he was out for 50 after Warner, running round from the extra-cover boundary, took a fine diving catch off Johnson. Umar Akmal smashed Johnson for two enormous sixes, the second a crunching pull over midwicket that saw him to fifty in just 29 balls, with four sixes and two fours.

via: Yahoo

Zirakpur: Despite being disappointed with the early ouster of the Indian cricket team from the ongoing ICC World Twenty20 in West Indies, Sachin Tendulkar still considers them as the No.1 team.

“We have to remain positive; ups and downs are part of life, not only in cricket but everywhere. We have to ignore all the negative aspects and look forward to improve our performance,” said Tendulkar, when asked about the patchy performance of the Indian team in the ICC World Twenty20.

“There is always some room for improvement. I know that it’s disappointing but we have to look ahead, we should not forget that India is the number one team in the world,” he said.

On the issue of the Indian batsmen’s weakness against rising deliveries, Tendulkar said: “Players know their responsibility very well. We have to look for options to tackle the short-pitch balls. Gambhir (Gautam Gambhir) is still the same person, he has not changed.”

Asked why he has kept himself away from ICC World Twenty20, Tendulkar said: “In 2007, I opted out of the World Cup because I thought that I was not fully fit to play at that time. But later I preferred to keep myself away from it because I did not want to disturb the winning combination of the team.”

Sachin had enjoyed a good run in the recently concluded third edition of Indian Premier League (IPL). Mumbai Indians, under his captaincy, had reached the finals but lost to Chennai Super Kings.

“IPL cricket has both advantages and disadvantages. Many cricketers return to their form after playing in it,” stated Tendulkar.

On his record ODI double century against South Africa earlier this year, he said: “I never count my records and I only consider them as my contribution to the team. Making 200 was good but it was quite normal. We want to win the 2011 World Cup. It is the dream of the whole country. We have to improve upon our weaknesses and capitalise on our strengths.”

via: Yahoo

But after England cruised into the final on Thursday thanks to a seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka, dominating in all areas, Collingwood finally pulled back from his mantra.

“Let’s be honest, there aren’t too many areas we can improve on,” he told reporters.

“We just need to keep the same mentality, and that’s going to be the hard thing, going into a big game.

“But the boys keep responding. Every time we talk about it off the pitch, we analyse the opposition strengths and weaknesses and we keep executing our plans.”

England had Sri Lanka at 36 for three at the end of the six ‘power play’ overs and they never let their grip slip after that ideal start.

“I’m going to sound like a broken record but the bowlers have adapted superbly well again after we lost the toss on what I thought was a very good pitch,” he said.

“The fielding was spot on, we held our catches and restricted them to a score that was obviously very gettable on that surface. I’m just delighted that we ‘turned up’ in such a pressurised situation,” he said.

In the final, England will face Australia or Pakistan, who meet in Friday’s other semi-final.

“I think everybody on the outside would want to see an England- Australia game but you’ve got to be careful, Pakistan are still a very dangerous side, you’ve got to show them a lot of respect, they are the world champions,” he added.

“So no matter who we come up against we are going to have to continue to play the way we have played and hopefully that will be good enough.

“We’ve got ourselves into the position where we wanted to be – in the final but we’ve won nothing yet so we are just delighted that we’ve got here.”

India won both their group games but lost to Australia, West Indies and Sri Lanka in the second stage. Besides their difficulties in tackling bouncers – a weakness exploited by their opponents – India were ordinary in terms of their fielding and running between the wickets.

“The guys who have been found to be uncomfortable against the short ball should be sent to the NCA, where they will be able to practice against the short ball, either through a bowling machine or maybe with some of the younger bowlers bowling to them from say 18 to 16 yards,” Gavaskar told the news channel CNN-IBN. “They are under contract with the BCCI so nobody can actually claim that they need a break they don’t need a break if they haven’t performed, they need to go to the NCA and hone their skills against the short ball.”

Several other former India players criticized the team’s performance, saying it was not adequately prepared to succeed in a tournament where the quality of cricket was considerably higher than the IPL. MS Dhoni, the captain, said the constant traveling associated with the IPL and it’s after parties took a toll on the body.

There was just a five-day gap between the IPL final and the start of the World Twenty20, giving the players barely enough rest, but Gavaskar, a member of the IPL’s governing council, didn’t blame the IPL for India’s performance.

“If that was the case then Sri Lanka would not have been in the semi-final, or England and Australia. A lot of Australian players were in the IPL so I don’t think that is an issue at all,” he said. “It’s just the fact that T20 is a format where you have got to be good on the day and if you are not good on your day, you lose. I don’t think much should be read into the fact that the players were playing IPL, if anything playing in the IPL meant that they had lot more practice than the other teams.”

Former players like Madan Lal and Mohammad Azharuddin felt Dhoni was making excuses by referring to the IPL parties and Gavaskar concurred. “I don’t think that is an excuse at all. I think that is a very poor excuse used by people to say that IPL parties were the reason for the team not performing here. Tell me one thing, there were no parties here were they? So how can you say that the team performed badly in the Caribbean because of parties in India?”

Continuing on the fall-out of India’s exit, Gavaskar chose not to comment on coach Gary Kirsten’s alleged statement that he was fitter than some of the team members, saying he would rather wait for Kirsten to communicate his thoughts officially to the BCCI. However, Gavaskar threw his weight behind Dhoni, with the Indian media speculating on his future as captain of India in the limited-overs formats.

“MS Dhoni has done the best that he could. I still think he is the best bet as far as captaining the country is concerned. He has not quite had the luck he had when he had started with the India captaincy.”
via:cricinfo