Kolkata Knight Riders thrash Pune Warriors India by 7 wickets

NAVI MUMBAI: A challenging wicket provides a gripping contest. Not necessarily between the teams but at least between the bat and ball. This was on display when Pune Warriors tried to spoil Kolkata Knight Riders' party at the DY Patil stadium on Thursday night.


The 'contest' was largely limited to first innings only. And it meant Pune's aspiration to beat the Big Brother remained just a wish.
Kolkata Knight Riders hammered them by seven wickets with more than three overs to spare. The win gives them a remote chance to finish in the top-two and qualify for the 'soft' semifinal (winner goes to final, loser plays the quarters) if Mumbai lose to Rajasthan.

Pune will visit Delhi for the Saturday game in a match to avoid wooden-spoon while Adam Gilchrist's Kings XI Punjab are almost out of play-off contention due to their inferior net run rate.

Yusuf Pathan made use getting promotion despite being clueless on many occasions. Batting at No. 4, he made 29 off 25. Surprisingly, the fours came behind point before a trademark six off Bhuvnesh Kumar over long-on.

Captain Gambhir (54, 46b, 7x4s) was his usual self: crafty yet quiet; effective but not belligerent. The target of 119 was a child's play for his team. Pune's sloppy fielding came as unwanted bonus and without enough runs on the board, leggie Rahul Shrama wasn't a big weapon.

Kolkata won the toss, opted to bowl and restricted Pune Warriors to 118 for seven. Yuvraj Singh batted at No. 6 and top scored with 24 off 26 with two fours.

The wicket unexpectedly behaved a bit differently and assisted the spinners more. And that led to some odd happenings. The spin troika of Yusuf, Shakib Al Hasan and Iqbal Abdulla bowled 11 overs between them and conceded 51 runs for five wickets.

KKR's specialist paceman L. Balaji was 'introduced' to the attack in the 20th and last over and took two wickets. Gambhir, who rotated his bowlers superbly, gave two overs on a trot to his pacemen just once despite having the likes of Balaji, Brett Lee and Jacques Kallis in his ranks.

When Robin Uthappa came in to bat, he faced a slip and silly point. Even his 'dot' ball (immediately after Balaji failed to judge his catch at deep mid-wicket) was applauded by non-striker and former KKR captain Sourav Ganguly.

Ganguly took 19 balls before hitting his first boundary. He ran 12 singles of his own and ran his partners' 12 runs too.

During the drinks break, KKR bowling coach Wasim Akram was seen inside the ropes having a chat with his wards.

Though off-spinner Yusuf gave KKR the first wicket (Jesse Ryder playing amateur dolly to long-off), it was the 'visitors' left-arm spinners Abdulla and Shakib who were a treat to watch.

Abdulla's first ball turned sharply as Manish Pandey tried to search for it. A ball in the same over held its line and had him lbw. Shakib bowled tight line and had Calum Ferguson stumped with a ball that dipped in and turned away sharply. Despite all this, the batsmen had their moments.

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Indian Grand Prix could be moved to December

NEW DELHI: If Bernie Ecclestone manages to have his way, the Indian Grand Prix, scheduled for October 30 as the second-last race of the 2011 season, might be moved to December 4, the Formula One season's finale.

Keen to let Bahrain Grand Prix back into the schedule after protests in the kingdom made racing action impossible earlier in the year, F1 boss Ecclestone, world body FIA and Bahrain officials are in discussions and according to Autosport, a motorsports website, Indian officials have been asked to look at a race date change to help accommodate the race at Sakhir.

Jay Pee Sports International, which is developing the 5.14 km-long Buddh International Race Circuit, has not been informed officially. "We've also just read online reports regarding this development.

"We haven't heard anything from the FIA till now. As far as JPSI is concerned our homologation is on August 1 and race is on Oct 30," said the spokesperson.

A decision on Sakhir race will be taken on June 3 but the big bosses want the end of season schedule reshuffle sorted out before that.

If the race at Sakhir happens, there would be a two-week gap before the Abu Dhabi GP on November 13, after which the young driver test would take place from November 15-17. Brazil would then keep its current November 27 date, with India hosting the race on December 4.

FIA president Jean Todt said at the Turkish Grand Prix two weeks ago that he was happy to give Bahrain more time.

"We completely sympathise with the problems that are happening, and we all understand that it would not have been possible to keep the Sakhir Grand Prix as the first race of the championship," he said.

"I think if you are in a difficult situation, you need support. That is our responsibility. We need to give some support and it will penalize nobody to have a final answer by June 3."

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Tiger Woods still remains biggest sports celebrity: Forbes

MIAMI: Tiger Woods has not finished a tournament atop the leaderboard in 18 months. Nonetheless, Forbes says the world's former No. 1 golfer remains the biggest celebrity in the sports world.

Woods is No. 6 on Forbes' annual "Celebrity 100" compilation of the most powerful people or groups in the entertainment business, the highest rank of any of the 19 athletes who made the list.

Miami Heat star LeBron James is 10th, up 18 spots from a year ago, and the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant was at No. 14 for the second straight year.

Lady Gaga tops Forbes' overall rankings, followed by Oprah Winfrey, Justin Bieber, U2 and Elton John.

Woods will fall out of the top 10 in golf's world ranking next week, the first time he'll be 11th or lower since 1997. His last tournament win was at the 2009 Australian Masters.

His star power apparently remains nearly as bright as ever.

Woods was No. 5 on Forbes' list in 2010, when the magazine estimated his annual earnings at $105 million - $30 million less than what it estimated him to make over the most recent 12-month period. Even after taking major endorsement hits following the scandal that ended his marriage, Woods still made $22 million more than Bryant in the past year, Forbes said.

Forbes listed James' earnings at $48 million, up $5 million from the previous year, and ranked him No. 2 behind only Winfrey in terms of media visibility. Forbes said its formula includes pretax income for the year ending May 1, media visibility and social media power through Facebook and Twitter.

Tennis star Roger Federer was 25th on the list, placing him fourth among athletes.

The Heat had two of the top 100, with Dwyane Wade (No. 57) joining James. And the New York Yankees also had two mentions, with Alex Rodriguez at No. 49 and Derek Jeter at No. 69, tying him with actress Julia Roberts.

Other sports figures on the list: David Beckham and Phil Mickelson (tied at No. 35), Cristiano Ronaldo (No. 43), Rafael Nadal (No. 46), Tom Brady (No. 55), Dwight Howard (No. 59), Lionel Messi (No. 62), Peyton Manning (No. 72), Maria Sharapova (No. 80), Serena Williams (No. 84), Venus Williams (No. 86) and Danica Patrick (No. 96).

Combined, Forbes said the 19 athletes on the list this year earned a combined $647 million.

Among those from the sports world who were ranked in 2010 but fell off the most recent Forbes celebrity list were Michael Jordan (20th in 2010), Floyd Mayweather (31st), Shaquille O'Neal (52nd), Manny Pacquiao (55th) and Lance Armstrong (65th).

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Vijender to tie the knot with Delhi girl Archana

CHANDIGARH: This is one news likely to break a million hearts. Olympic bronze medallist boxer Vijender Singh, known as much for his powerful punches as for being a heartthrob, has been knocked out by love. After a series of denials, Vijender has finally admitted he is all set to marry "long-time friend" Archana Singh, who is Delhi-based, at his village Kaluwas in Bhiwani on May 17. Arrangements for the wedding are already underway and the reception is scheduled for May 18.

The 25-year-old Vijender, known as 'India's David Beckham' abroad, returned on Sunday after winning a bronze in the Arafura Games, and says he and Archana, 23, decided to take the plunge just a few days back. "It's a new chapter of my life and I am obviously excited. It's a bout in which loss is victory. After thinking over it for a long time, both of us decided to get married. It is a private occasion and I hope my privacy is respected," Vijender told TOI on Sunday. His father Mahi Pal Singh, agreeing that the match was a "hush-hush" affair, added: "Both have been friends for quite some time now. In keeping with his wishes we have given our consent to the love marriage."

Wedding cards have already been sent out to "very few near and dear ones". Vijender's coaches and fellow campers at NIS Patiala got the invite only on Sunday after Vijender's return from Australia, where he won in the 81kg category for the first time.

Presently working in the British Embassy in Delhi, Archana is the daughter of a Congress activist, Surinder Singh, from Muzaffarnagar in UP. Coach Gurbax Singh said, "Vijender called up today morning to invite me for the wedding. His friends and fellow boxers are eagerly waiting for the party. I wish him all the best in a new phase of his life."

"We want to keep it a low-key affair," Vijender's father said.

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Olympic marathon champion Wanjiru dies after jumping from balcony

NYAHURURU: Kenyan Olympic marathon champion Samuel Wanjiru was killed when he jumped off the balcony of his home late on Sunday, police said on Monday.

Police said they were trying to ascertain whether the 24-year-old - the first Kenyan to win the Olympic gold in the marathon at Beijing in 2008 - had deliberately killed himself by jumping off the balcony at his home in Nyahururu, a town in the Rift Valley, some 150 km (94 miles) northwest of the capital Nairobi.

Jaspher Ombati, the regional police chief for the area, said Wanjiru appeared to have suffered internal injuries after the fall and was confirmed dead by doctors at a nearby hospital.

"I can confirm that Wanjiru is dead. It is not yet clear whether it was a suicide or if he jumped out of rage, or what caused him to fall to the ground," Ombati said.

"He jumped from his first floor balcony to the ground. He was bleeding from the nose and the mouth, and may have suffered internal injuries," the police chief said.

Ombati said police were investigating a possible love triangle that could have been behind the death of Wanjiru, a former winner of the Chicago and London marathons.

Ombati said the athlete's wife Triza Njeri had come home to find Wanjiru in bed with another woman, had locked the couple in the bedroom and ran outside.

Wanjiru then leapt from the balcony, he said. Ombati said Njeri and Wanjiru's female companion are assisting police in investigating the death.

Last December, Wanjiru was charged in court with threatening to kill Njeri and illegal possession of an AK-47 assault rifle.

Njeri later withdrew her accusation of attempted murder against him in court, saying the couple had reconciled.

He also suffered minor injuries from a car crash in January when he swerved to avoid an oncoming truck, hit a pot hole and rolled his car.

Wanjiru defied the heat of Beijing in 2008 to triumph in an Olympic record time at the games held in China.

As a young man, Wanjiru moved to Japan in 2002 to attend high school after winning a cross country selection trial in Kenya.

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Swapnali Yadav makes swimming history

MUMBAI: Twelve-year-old Andheri girl Swapnali Yadav created history yet again when she became the youngest-ever to win the women's category in the Kimberley National Lake Argyle Swim in Kununurra, Western Australia. Besides being the youngest, she's also the first Indian to win the event.

The Andheri lass had won the first Kimberley National Lake Argyle Swim that was held on April 30 in Australia's second-biggest artificial lake.

Swapnali was a special invitee for the 20km Open swim in the 80km picturesque lake, which is infested by about 35,000 crocodiles. She took 7 hours, 7 minutes and 24 seconds to finish overall second. "It was a real challenge," said Swapnali of Bombay Cambridge school, Andheri. "But I was confident of completing the swim. My dream is to represent India in the Olympics and swim the English Channel." The feat also earned her a place in the Limca Book of Records. She is being trained by Raju Palkar.

TOI

Injury-hit India chase hat-trick of Azlan Shah titles

IPOH (Malaysia): Battling with a spate of injuries and non-selection of two star players - Sandeep Singh and Sardara Singh - double defending champions India will seek to complete a hat-trick of titles at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament that begins on Thursday.

Five-time gold medallists at the Azlan Shah Cup, India were adjudged joint winners along with South Korea last year when the final was disrupted by bad weather.

The Indians had earlier won the cup outright in 2009, and they currently share the tournament record of five titles with Australia, who are seeking to test their new crop of players ahead of next year's London Olympics.

The seven-nation round-robin tournament, which will end with a title showdown on May 15 between the top two placed teams, also feature Asian Games champions Pakistan, Asian Games silver medallists Malaysia, Great Britain, South Korea and New Zealand.

Pakistan and hosts Malaysia have retained the bulk of the Guangzhou Asian Games squad.

Last year's gold medal at the Asian Games has provided a new-found belief to the Pakistan side, which had not won any significant title since the 1994 World Cup, while Malaysia are now reaping the dividends of investing in young players over the past few years.

Injured former captain Rajpal Singh and Tushar Khandekar's absence could affect the Indian team's strike power, while the decision to keep out Sandeep and Sardara will put additional pressure on India's defence.

Sandeep and Sardara were not considered for selection as they did not secure sanction from the national federation before proceeding to play in the Belgian League. The duo also did not report for a preparatory camp in New Delhi ahead of the tournament.

Seasoned striker Arjun Halappa will lead the Indian team, which will be banking a lot on its midfield in the event, which is also seen as a preparatory tournament for next year's Olympic qualifiers to be held on its soil.

The shock semifinal loss to Malaysia in the Asian Games has forced India once again to play the Olympic qualifiers.

In 2008 Beijing Games, eight-time champions India had failed to feature in the starting line-up of the Olympics for the first time in 80 years.

India's chief coach Harendra Singh, expectedly, said the competition here would be tough as most of the teams are looking to fine-tune their line-ups in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics.

Incidentally, Harendra was deputy to former chief coach Jose Brasa at the Asian Games and was widely criticised for announcing his resignation in the middle of the event after India's semifinal defeat to Malaysia.

Even though Indian hockey officials were reported to be in favour of a foreign coach, Harendra was again put in charge as they could not find a replacement for Brasa.

Warming up for the tournament with a 5-3 victory over New Zealand on Tuesday, the Indians are bracing to take on South Korea in their tournament-opener on Thursday followed by a game against Britain 24 hours later.

Ahead of Thursday's match, the Indians will be taking heart from the fact that they had defeated South Korea to claim the Asian Games bronze in Guangzhou.

Much to the liking of India, the Koreans are persisting with a young team as they are presently in a transition phase with several established players set to fade away soon.

In the warm-up game against New Zealand, India scored from penalty corners through Dhananjay Mahadik (2), Rupinder Pal Singh (2) and Baljit Singh Chandi, while Matt L'Huiller slammed home a hat-trick in his debut game for the Black Sticks.

Among other teams in fray, Britain draws a majority of its players from the England line-up, which won the European Cup two years ago and made the semifinals of the 2010 World Cup in New Delhi.

It will be India's first encounter against the British side since the Commonwealth Games semifinals when the Indians fought back gallantly in the closing stages of the match to score a win.

Asian Games champions Pakistan, three-time Azlan Shah winners, are backing themselves to reclaim the title after eight years.

Hosts Malaysia, who have never won the tournament, are looking to improve upon their three silver medals, while Australian coach Ric Charlesworth is hoping to test his second-string side in the absence of half a dozen players from his 2010 squad that became the first team to clinch the World Cup, Champions Trophy and Commonwealth Games in the same year.

The Azlan Shah Cup was the only event last year where the Australians failed to emerge on top of the pedestal.

Tournament fixtures:

May 5: Pakistan vs New Zealand, India vs South Korea, Britain vs Malaysia.

May 6: Pakistan vs South Korea, India vs Britain, Australia vs Malaysia.

May 8: India vs Australia, Britain vs Pakistan, South Korea vs New Zealand.

May 9: Australia vs Pakistan, Britain vs New Zealand, India vs Malaysia.

May 11: New Zealand vs Malaysia, Australia vs South Korea, India vs Pakistan.

May 12: Australia vs Britain, India vs New Zealand, South Korea vs Malaysia.

May 14: Britian vs South Korea, Pakistan vs Malaysia, Australia vs New Zealand.

May 15: Final.

Bob Houghton likely to 'quit' by weekend

NEW DELHI: Referees and linesmen the world over are subject to the choicest abuse by irate players, coaches and fans. Like it or not, it's part of their job. But seldom would have an abuse saved a football federation like Dinesh Nair's racism charge against India's football coach Bob Houghton has rescued the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

As things stand, a golden handshake between the AIFF and Houghton is now only a matter of time - even as early as this weekend.

Sources within the federation cite that officials are quite keen to leverage the racism charge to get rid of the South Africa-based Englishman with immediate effect, as continuing to foot the coach's $30,000 per month salary until his contract ran out in 2013 was causing a huge dent to their already fragile financial condition. Summarily sacking him would also entail paying the entire amount - something to the tune of over Rs 3.2 crore.

It is likely that the removal of Houghton would be delivered shortly, and the see-off will comprise no more than four month's salary as compensation and no further mention of the charge brought up by Nair during the friendly against Yemen in Pune last October.

While Kushal Das, general secretary of the AIFF allayed any such notions insisting that "Bob Houghton's reply (to the racist abuse charge) was still being examined, and no decision had been arrived at", they are eager to see off the matter before the current month is out, because dragging it until May would mean paying the coach another month's salary. Another reason being cited for the apparent rush is that one of the federation's top officials will be unavailable for the remainder of the month due to personal reasons without whom Houghton's ouster cannot be manoeuvred.

When contacted, Houghton who is currently in Goa, refused to comment.

With the AIFF apparently still awaiting the Rs 7.5 crore second installment of the Rs 31 cr deal with their main sponsors (as per the understanding the first installment amount is being used to conduct the I-League), sources indicate that the mood within the cash-strapped federation is very uneasy.

Secure in the knowledge that Houghton would be worried if the charge showed up in an otherwise impressive resume, and subsequently harm his employment opportunities which centres around Asian and African teams, the AIFF promptly played up Nair's charge.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that Houghton may have an offer to coach the Hong King national side, and is keen to get out of the Indian mess as soon as possible. In fact, it is understood that the offer for a negotiated compromise may have come from Houghton's lawyers itself, something that the federation is willing to take up given its precarious financial condition.

On the face of it, it seems another coach has fallen to Indian football's ways. This time the players' favourite Houghton.

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Delhi to host hockey Champions Trophy from December 3,2011

LAUSANNE: The prestigious Men's Champions Trophy Hockey tournament will be held in New Delhi from December 3-11, the FIH announced on Friday.

Top eight countries of the world, including Olympic champions Germany and 2010 World Cup winners Australia, will take part in the tournament.

The other countries to participate in the tournament are the Netherlands, England, Spain, South Korea and Pakistan, besides hosts India.

According to the official dates announced by the FIH for nine major events this season and next year, the FIH Women's Champions Trophy will be held in Argentina from January 28-February 5.

The FIH Champions Challenge I will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa from November 26-December 4.

New Delhi will also host the first of the 2012 London Olympics qualification tournaments for men and women from February 15-26.

Six men's and six women's teams will battle out for a lone spot each in the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Three 2012 Olympic qualification tournaments will have three host nations with a men's and women's tournament running at the same time.

The next Olympic qualification tournament will take place from March 14-25, 2012 in Beerschot, Belgium. It will be followed by the third Olympic qualification tournament in Kakamigahara, Japan from April 25-May 6.

The trio of joint tournaments is the final opportunity for teams to qualify for 2012 Olympic Games with the winner of each men's and women's event earning a place in London.

The teams assigned to the qualification tournaments will not be known until the completion of all of this year's continental championships, which will be after the Pan American Games, scheduled to finish on October 29.

Winners of the five Continental Championships earn an automatic berth to the 2012 London Olympics.

Following the continental championships, teams that do not automatically earn a berth to the Olympics will be placed into one of the three qualification tournaments, depending on where they finish in their continental championships and how many places their continental federation has been allocated for the Olympic qualification tournaments.

"The 2012 season will be one of the busiest and most important in recent history. Our regular schedule will be supplemented with the Olympic qualifiers and of course the Olympic Games themselves, making it non-stop hockey during the year," said FIH President Leandro Negre.

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Paes-Bhupathi clinch Miami title, become World No.1

MIAMI (USA): Adding to the joy of India's cricket World Cup triumph, veteran tennis players Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi won their second title of the season by clinching the Sony Ericsson Open to become number one in the ATP World Tour Doubles team rankings.

Third seeded Bhupathi and Paes rallied to beat second seeded Belarusian-Canadian pair of Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor 6-7(5), 6-2, 10-5.

IOC issues a warning

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has cautioned the Union Sports Minister that the proposed sports legislation could threaten India's participation in international events, especially the Olympic qualifiers and Olympic Games, if stipulations being imposed on the National Olympic Committee and National Sports Federations (NSFs) were not modified so as to respect the autonomy of the Olympic Movement.

In a letter to Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports (Independent Charge), Ajay Maken, on Tuesday, the NOC Relations Director of the IOC, Pere Miro, stated that it was not the IOC's intention to interfere directly in the process of legislation formulation by the Government of India.

However, he pointed out, organisations of the Olympic Movement in India — the NOC and National Federations in particular — would be “directly impacted and affected by this new sports legislation.”

Miro stated that the internal operations (including the composition of the bodies, decision-making mechanisms, holding of meetings, election process, age limit, if any, number of terms for the elected office-bearers, mechanisms for resolving disputes etc.) should come under the jurisdiction of the sports organisations.

Ind vs Aus: Sehwag doubtful for quarterfinal against Australia

AHMEDABAD: Uncertainty remained on the availability of dashing opener Virender Sehwag for India's make-or-break World Cup quarterfinal match against defending champions Australia on Thursday, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said on Wednesday.

"We will take a call on Virender Sehwag late this evening or tomorrow morning before the start of the game. All the others are fit and available for selection," Dhoni said at the match-eve media conference at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera.

Sehwag, who lit up the tournament with a breathtaking 175 against Bangladesh in the opening match at Mirpur on February 19, missed India's last Group B tie against the West Indies at Chennai on March 20 after aggravating his old knee problem during the course of the tournament.

He played last against South Africa at Nagpur on March 12, scoring a half century.

Dhoni said the Indian team would certainly miss Sehwag if he is unable to play on Thursday against the world's top-ranked ODI outfit.

"It's really good to have Virender Sehwag opening the innings. He can play an aggressive game. He can change the course of the game in the first five overs, give the team the kind of momentum that is needed," said Dhoni.

On Tuesday, the Delhi dasher did not take part in the warm-up session but later joined the team in the batting practice for half an hour.

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Pak vs WI: West Indies blown away by Pak spin

MIRPUR: With every passing game, Pakistan's form is looking more ominous. Their skipper Shahid Afridi has led from the front and been devastating with his leg-breaks, ensuring that from dark horses before the tournament, Pakistan are now one of the favourites.

On Wednesday, they pulverized past a hapless West Indies to sail convincingly into the semifinal, fashioning a 10-wicket win after spinning out Darren Sammy's men for a mere 112 at the Shere-e-Bangla stadium.

They now await the winner of the India-Australia game in Ahmedabad on Thursday. This is the sixth time in 10 World Cup campaigns that Pakistan have booked a place in the last four. A combination of effective spin bowling and dismal technique did the Windies in.

Afridi was again at the forefront, grabbing 4/30 to destroy any hopes of a batting recovery after Mohammad Hafeez prised out two early wickets.

Once Chris Gayle fell early, the Windies fell apart, and it was obvious some veterans in the team were also past their prime. They simply failed to get the scorecard moving after being reduced to 16/3 before Afridi came to the party and wrecked their hopes further.

At one point, Afridi was on the verge of a hat-trick when he dismissed Kieron Pollard and Devon Thomas off successive deliveries. Chanderpaul played a lone hand, remaining unbeaten on 44, but he too did not look his best. The Windies lost out on everything but the toss.

Hafeez followed up his impressive bowling display with a fluent, unbeaten 61 when Pakistan chased, notching up his maiden World Cup half-century and the Man of the Match award in the bargain. The Windies were so dispirited after their batting effort they failed to dislodge Kamran Akmal too.

The West Indies will return with a bagful of worries. Their team composition needs a rethink, and their batsmen must learn to cope with spin. Four of their batsmen were trapped in front of the wicket. Overall, the team struck only seven boundaries while Hafeez himself notched up ten fours.

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We will keep Sachin on 99 tons: Ponting

AHMEDABAD: Apart from aiming to do everything right with a view to pull off a coup against hosts India at the Motera on Thursday, Australian captain Ricky Ponting also has a prayer on his lips that Sachin Tendulkar does not get his 100th hundred against them.

"Sachin has had an amazing couple of years. His last 15 months have been unbelievable. It's absolutely inspirational for everyone, but we only hope the 100th ton doesn't come on Thursday. He'll be doing everything to make sure he gets it, and we'll be doing everything to make sure he stays on 99 for a bit longer," said the Australian captain.

All Ponting is concerned at the moment is Thursday's match and nothing less than a win.

"It doesn't get any bigger, playing India in the quarterfinal in India. It's one of the biggest games I have played as captain. It's going to be enjoyable and exciting. Like us they too will be a bit anxious about the outcome of the game as well," he said.

"Thursday's match will not be about individuals, not about Ponting and Sachin. India are one of the favourite teams, and if we want to win the World Cup we have to win on Thursday."

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Ind vs Aus: India on the edge as Men in Blue face Australia

AHMEDABAD: This is it. Hold your breath when India take on Australia on Thursday, for there will be no second chances. The biggest stage, and the crucial moment, has arrived.

Where India and Australia stand in ODIs/World Cup

Reputations are at stake for MS Dhoni and his beleaguered counterpart Ricky Ponting. India lost to Australia in the 2003 World Cup final and endured an awful campaign in 2007, but the scales have tilted since. This isn't the invincible Australia of old. Rather than a sublime and uplifting battle between two powerhouses of the international game, current form indicates this second quarterfinal might be more of a scrap.

Neither side has been awe-inspiring in the build-up to this moment. Both have obvious chinks in the armour just waiting to be exploited, and both need to shed the blow-hot, blow-cold approach which has characterized their campaign so far.

Then there's the enormous pressure breathing down their necks, especially Dhoni's men. India are playing at home and millions expect nothing less than victory. The backlash, in case of defeat, will be painful. Australia have dominated this stage for so long that this bunch of players wouldn't like to be remembered as children of a lesser god. Whichever team can raise its game now will go through to meet Pakistan.

As many as six players in Dhoni's current squad were losing finalists in 2003 and will be looking to make amends. It's a great opportunity to settle an old score. Yet, making a statement of intent might not be easy, even though the Motera is expected to be dry and spin-friendly. India's bowling, apart from Zaheer Khan, has been ordinary. Time and again, they have faltered in the Batting Powerplay. Even the middle-order has collapsed twice. Australia's pacers can be a handful. Can the sight of a familiar opponent get the competitive juices flowing?

The issue of Virender Sehwag's fitness is another complication the team could have done without. The opener is struggling with a troublesome knee and Dhoni said a call on his availability would be taken in the morning. Sehwag, however, spent a lot of time at the nets fielding and batting, and seems more likely to play than not.

The Australians too have been anything but impressive. Ponting's time seems to be running out. His form and confidence is under the scanner and his fierce temper has shown through. Controversy and bad blood seems to be hounding the Aussies and they've been forced to maintain a quieter profile. The loss to Pakistan meant drawing the curtains on a 34-game unbeaten streak in this tournament and this loss of aura is a boost for opponents.

Will this be India's turn to deliver a knockout blow?

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Ind vs Aus: Tendulkar, Ponting get ready for final World Cup duel

AHMEDABAD: The quarterfinal clash between Australia and India, on Thursday, is not only about who stays in the hunt for the title but also about two of game's modern day greats Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting squaring off in a World Cup game for what appears to be one last time.

The two ageing warriors would like to stamp their superiority and propel their side to the last four stage on March 24 at Motera's Sardar Patel Stadium.

Neither of the two is expected to be around in 2015 when the next edition is scheduled to be held Down Under.

In the previous meeting between the two sides in the World Cup, that took place in the summit clash of the 2003 edition in Johannesburg, Ponting came out trumps with his unbeaten century took the game away from India even before the Men In Blue came out to bat.

Ponting's blistering 140 not out, in only 121 balls with a staggering eight sixes and 4 fours, had propelled Australia to an imposing 359 for two.

Chasing the huge Australian total, Tendulkar could score only 4 and despite Virender Sehwag's run-a-ball 82, India fell well short of the target and Australia walked away with cricket's most coveted prize for the second edition running.

On Thursday, in front of a vociferous 50,000-strong crowd, the Indian master has the chance to make ample amends for what happened eight years ago and also step into the record books as the first batsman to have scored 100 centuries combined in both forms of cricket - Tests and ODIs.

Tendulkar has had a very good tournament individually, with superbly crafted tons against England and South Africa at the league stage, though both efforts could not power India to victories, with the first match tied and the second ending in a narrow defeat.

Ponting, on the other hand, has had a horrendous run with the bat. In six matches, he has mustered a miserly 102 runs with 36 being his best effort at a poor average of 20.40, less than half his 358-match career average.

Ponting's ODI average in India against the hosts is also an impressive 44.86 from 24 games, but the second and last of his two hundreds in this country was notched eight years ago in Bangalore.

The Tasmanian has looked a pale shadow of his domineering style and is under tremendous pressure to keep his captaincy though teammate Michael Hussey felt otherwise.

Hussey brushed aside reports in Australia that Ponting's captaincy was at stake, at a media conference here today and said the entire team was backing the struggling skipper.

"No worries at all. He has been fantastic, best man for the job and has been for a long time. He's certainly got the full support of all team members," Hussey said.

Ponting has also been lambasted in the media for losing temper on the field of play and off it too, as well as for not walking after clearly edging behind the stumps while Tendulkar did the exact opposite a day later and was hailed for his sportsmanship.

"He's been criticized over minor things. They have been blown out of proportions. He's been playing well and just like a champion rises to the occasion at the right time, on Thursday we will see the best of Ricky Ponting," Hussey said in his skipper's defence.

In five duels against Australia in World Cups, Tendulkar's best effort thus far has been a splendid innings of 90 in a league game at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium in 1996, and his average against them is a modest 28.20 spread over four World Cups.

Thursday's match provides both these stalwarts, among the all-time great batsmen in the game, a last chance to impose their stature in head-to-head battles in the premier ODI tournament.


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This is the most important tournament of my life: Sachin

AHMEDABAD: Finally, the word is out. Sachin Tendulkar has conceded that this is the most important tournament of his life.

Typical of the man, though, he has made sure that his feelings have remained in the private domain. TOI had to dig deep to find out how much importance he attaches to this World Cup.

Having started his WC career in 1992, he has featured in as many as six World Cups, including the ongoing one. By 1996, he had not only become the bulwark of the Indian batting but also the most feared player as far as the opposition went.

While he has broken virtually every record out there, he has always longed for the one missing crown: the World Cup title. He missed out the T20 world title when he, and Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly, withdrew from the tournament in South Africa and Mahendra Singh Dhoni scripted a memorable victory.

At 37, he knows it's a now or never opportunity. It's generally believed this could be his farewell World Cup and he realizes nothing could be sweeter than winning it at home. It would complete his mission in cricket and make him the greatest player the game has seen, if he already isn't that.

"Yes, it is the most important tournament of my life," Tendulkar had told his closest friends, and most in the team are also aware of his determination.

Like always, though, he is making sure that it doesn't become a self-before-team cause. "Everyone wants the team to do well," he has told his mates. "I need to focus all my energies on how to go about doing my job."

What remains unsaid is that this is the perfect setting not only for him but also the team. India, of course, take on mighty Australia in the quarterfinals on Thursday. If they get past them, they might well face Pakistan in the semis. And then South Africa (if form and odds don't go awry). Seems daunting.

Tendulkar, though, is clearly driven. He has worked hard for the tournament and you could see him straining every sinew on Tuesday too, here at the Motera. He happily spent a few hours under the blazing sun so that his body is not caught napping on match day.

That's not all. He has watched most of the other games closely, in the sanctity of his hotel room. He has been doing his homework and devising his own strategies.

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How the teams stack up in the World Cup quarterfinals

1st quarterfinal: Pakistan vs West Indies
Venue: Dhaka
Date: March 23

Pakistan's form: Inconsistency has been Pakistan cricket's second name. However, in this tournament they seem a determined lot. They lost to New Zealand but raised the bar against bigger teams like Sri Lanka and Australia to top Group A. Will West Indies be easy pickings?

What makes them dangerous: Their unpredictability. With them, the opposition doesn't know what's in store. Pakistan have a potent bowling attack which can dismantle any batting line-up, as Sri Lanka and Australia already know. With the bat, they have enough experience in the middle order too.

Players to watch out for: Skipper Shahid Afridi, who has led with vigour and panache and also been extremely effective with his leg-breaks: 17 scalps at 11.47 make him the highest wicket-taker in the tournament. His tally includes two five-wicket hauls too. Seamer Umar Gul is the other man in form and is equally dangerous both with the old and new ball.

West Indies' form: Patchy so far. They still haven't beaten any Test team except Bangladesh in the last two years. Looked threatening against minnows but struggled against the big boys like England, India and South Africa. Have often failed to hold their nerves in crunch situations.

What makes them dangerous: They are a compelling blend and have quite a few match-winners. Players like Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Devon Smith and Darren Bravo can take the game away from the opposition within no time. They have a good bowling attack which can be effective under any conditions. Besides, they are a vastly improved fielding unit.

Players to watch out for: Openers Chris Gayle (162 runs @ 54) and Devon Smith (293 @ 48.83) have provided solidity to the West Indies batting lineup while Kieron Pollard (179 runs, SR 158.40) has given the team momentum lower down. Kemar Roach (13 wickets @ 12) and Sulieman Benn (12 wickets @ 19.83) have been instrumental with the ball.

2nd quarterfinal: India vs Australia
Venue: Ahmedabad
Date: March 24

India's form: Have blown hot and cold so far. Haven't clicked as a unit at key moments and that cost them dearly against South Africa and England. Bangladesh, Ireland and Netherlands did not pose much threat while the West Indies surrendered meekly. Scope for improvement given they are one of the favourites.

What makes them dangerous: The batting. The top seven is probably the most potent in the world. If they click as a unit, they have the ability to tear apart any bowling attack and bat the opposition out of the game. Crowd support and knowledge of local conditions are other factors that can work for the team.

Players to watch out for: Yuvraj Singh (284 runs @ 94.66 and 9 wickets @ 25.22) has held the middle order together with great responsibility. Openers Sachin Tendulkar (326 @ 54.33) and Virender Sehwag (327 @ 65.40) have also made their starts count. Zaheer Khan (15 wickets @ 14.86) has been right on the money and has provided the breakthroughs whenever needed.

Australia's form: The Australian juggernaut was on a roll before they being confronted with a spirited Pakistani side. With rain disrupting the game against Sri Lanka, they haven't beaten any big team except New Zealand. They were also stretched by minnows Canada and Kenya.

What makes them dangerous: Australia are a good all-round side and most of their players are multi-utility players. They know what it takes to perform in pressure-cooker situation too. Many players in the side were the part of the 2007 World Cup and 2009 Champions Trophy winning teams.

Players to watch out for: Michael Clarke has been the man in form with an average of 112.50. Openers Shane Watson (265 runs@53) and Brad Haddin (279 runs @ 55.80) are doing the job perfectly and so are the pace trio of Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait, who share 32 wickets among them.

3rd quarterfinal: South Africa vs New Zealand
Venue: Dhaka
Date: March 25

South Africa's form: Have looked the most complete team. Have covered most of the bases and that has reflected in their performance. Unlike other teams, they crushed minnows Netherlands and Ireland with precision. They were ruthless against Bangladesh and West Indies while clinching victory out of the jaws of defeat against India. Their only loss came against England in Chennai.

What makes them dangerous: They have a man for every job. Their batsmen provide enough cushion for their pacers, who are the best in the world. This time, they have variety in their attack too and the spinners have stood up to be counted.

Players to watch out for: Hashim Amla (299 runs @ 49.33) and AB De Villiers (318 runs @ 106) have been in the form of their lives. The spinning duo of Robin Peterson and Imran Tahir has taken the oppositions by surprise, sharing the bulk of the spoils during the league stages.

New Zealand's form: New Zealand's form has been patchy. They were brilliant in all departments against Pakistan in Pallekele but were ordinary against Australia and Sri Lanka. Against the minnows, they were dominant.

What makes them dangerous: New Zealand have quite a few match-winners in their side. On their day, players like Ross Taylor, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, Scott Styris, Jacob Oram can single-handedly win matches. They have a good record in ICC tournaments too.

Players to watch out for: Ross Taylor (245 runs@ 81.66) loves subcontinent conditions. Unlike his other teammates, he enjoys facing spin and is equally effective at the crease even when the ball is reversing. Opener Martin Guptill too has been solid. Tim Southee (14 wickets @ 15.07, eco: 3.95) has been a revelation.

4th quarterfinal: Sri Lanka vs England
Venue: Colombo
Date: March 26

Sri Lanka's form: Are bigger than the sum of their parts and one of the top favourites. Except for the loss against Pakistan, the Sri Lankans have been very clinical. Besides crushing the minnows and New Zealand, were looking good against Australia too before rain marred the tie.

What makes them dangerous: Team combination. The top order is getting runs, the pacers are among wickets and the spinners are always a force to reckon with. So far, the middle order hasn't contributed.

Players to watch out for: Kumar Sangakkara is the leading run scorer in the tournament. Muttiah Muralitharan has shown glimpses of his old form too.

England's form: Watching England has been as exciting as it has been frustrating. They huffed and puffed to victory against The Netherlands, lost to Ireland and Bangladesh but beat South Africa in a thriller and played one of the most exciting games of the tournament against India. They clinched another thriller against the West Indies, winning from an almost impossible situation. Is luck on their side this time?

What makes them dangerous: Just like Pakistan, England have been an unpredictable side. On paper, they look one of the best teams and have so far shown the ability to hold their nerves in crunch situation. Fringe players have risen to the occasion. England are a bunch of fighters who never give up.

Players to watch out for: Man-in-form Jonathan Trott (336 runs) has shown he has a good head on his shoulders. Spinner Graeme Swann (12 wickets @ 20.66) is showing his worth in conditions that favour batsmen more than bowlers.

India are better off facing world champs than Lanka at Motera

MUMBAI: For the most part, on Sunday evening, India would have been tempted to take the easy route ahead: lose to West Indies and avoid Australia in the quarterfinal.

After all, the world champions are a daunting mission, even if they are not in full flow; but the fact is India probably have a much better chance to quell Australia in Ahmedabad than the other option: Sri Lanka

The Lankans would surely have been trickier: their batting is versatile while their bowling has a mysterious ring to it, thanks to the three Ms: Malinga, Murali and Mendis. The Motera track would also have suited them better.

On paper, it would have been an equal battle, no doubt, with India even starting as slight favourites. But that itself would have been the tricky part: India would have slipped into complacency and could easily have ended up with egg, or worse, on their faces.

Now, they will be on their guard: they know giving Australia even a slim chance, a minor opening, is akin to jumping off a cliff. : India, themselves, are a dangerous side when they are pushed into a corner, when nothing but a victory can salvage them.

There are, however, better reasons for being more comfortable against Australia: first and foremost, the aura around them has long been busted; secondly, they don't even have the right balance or wherewithal to claw out of squishy holes.

After the defeat against Pakistan, they would even be somewhat tentative; this is the best time to hit them, before they recover their poise or arrogance. They have a flourishing top order and a menacing pace attack too; but the middle order lacks the old assurance, even with the return of Mike Hussey.

Most importantly, their spin component might not be good enough to stop the Indian run-machine. If India can survive the opening spell, or don't lose too many early wickets, they can reasonably expect to avenge the 2003 WC humiliation. Harbhajan, Ashwin and Yuvraj can then complete the final rites of Australia's demise.

In the other quarters, Pakistan are unexpectedly looking the most assured; they may have lost one match too but they don't look disjointed or dispirited at all. It almost looks like the quibbling before they came here didn't even happen.

West Indies will have to get everything right at the start itself to pull off an upset. They need a towering performance from either Gayle or an over-powering one from Roach; otherwise, they are too brittle to finish off a match. They have already disintegrated under pressure, not once but twice.

South Africa face an unpredictable Kiwi side and will begin a little more confidently. They will, however, feel the world closing in on them: it is the knockout stage and they know things can go awfully wrong any time now. They have, no doubt, the strongest line-up, with enough firepower in pace and variety in spin. New Zealand won't find it easy to get past them.

Sri Lanka probably have the easiest match; England have clearly looked tired and uninspired. They have the players to make one last lunge for it but do they have the chutzpah for it? Worse, they will be playing Sri Lanka at home, which is never an easy proposition; and despite the presence of Swann, they might get trapped in a spin tangle.


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So, the possible semifinal line-up: India vs Pakistan and South Africa vs Sri Lanka.

India are bookies' favourite to lift World Cup

MUMBAI: India might face the monumental task of overcoming four-time champions Australia in the quarterfinal at Ahmedabad on March 24, but for bookies, MS Dhoni & Co are the runaway favourites to win the 2011 World Cup.

Top betting site Ladbrokes is offering odds at 3/1 for India to lift the trophy on April 2 in Mumbai. In other words, a bet of Rs 1,000 on India will earn you a profit of Rs 3,000 if Team India justifies its billing. Another leading betting website, Williamhill, also tips the hosts to win the Cup. While India get top billing at 3/1, South Africa, at 10/3, are the next close favourites. Another betting site, www.bet365.com, gives South Africa, at 3/1, the top billing, with India only slightly behind at 10/3.

At Ladbrokes, India gets favourable odds at 8/13 to beat Australia on Thursday night, while for the Aussies, the figure is 5/4. Williamhill too tips India, at 4/6, to vanquish the Oz (6/5). South Africa, who topped Group B, the pool in which India were placed, and Sri Lanka are the other teams favoured to win the crown, says Ladbrokes. The Proteas enjoy odds of 7/2, while the Lankans are tipped at 9/2.

If Ladbrokes' estimation comes true, India are likely to meet Lanka or South Africa in the final. For both eventualities, the odds are at 5/1.

As for the other quarterfinals, Shahid Afridi's Pakistan are tipped to beat the West Indies at Mirpur. South Africa, the bettors think, should not have a problem against the Kiwis at Mirpur, while Lanka are expected to have it easy against England at Colombo.

If the Cup goes the bookies' way from here, it should be an India versus Pakistan semifinal at Mohali, with Dhoni's boys making it to the summit clash.

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