The Battle of the Void

And we have a new champion after more than a decade.Credit to the Indian cricket team!But that's stale news,ain't it?The hottest news in India and Pakistan and in the cricketing world for the last 6 days has been that India and Pakistan are to meet in the second semifinal of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 in Mohali.

Let's warm up a bit.We saw two damp quarter finals and two scorchers.Pakistan and Sri Lanka had thumping wins over West Indies and England on the first and last matches of the last 8,respectively.The margin was same - 10 wickets.But the other two interceding the former ties were as good as it gets.India beat the defending champions Australia in a match of swinging fortunes,living up to its reputation.Tension from ball one,neither teams letting the other run away with the match for almost the whole of it.On 24th March,Motera saw a story of standing up and getting counted when it matters.Ricky Ponting battled poor form with the bat to produce a gem of a ton,which turned out to be his World Cup swansong.M S Dhoni stood up to display some proactive captaincy becoming of his stature as a highly rated leader in world cricket,right from picking Suresh Raina in the XI ahead of Yusuf Pathan.As it turned out later,Raina had to come out as a most decisive pawn when Dhoni departed leaving India at 187-5 with 74 runs still to get to win and the jitters surely set in.He and Yuvraj Singh did an excellent job in overcoming the panic triggered by Gambhir's 'planned' and suicidal run out.Yuvraj Singh continued his superb run in the cricket field,having earlier claimed two important wickets in the Australian innings,to hit the threatening pair of Lee and Tait out of the attack and forcing the Kangaroos to play the game at his pace.Raina then virtually ended the match by hitting the very first ball of the batting powerplay taken in the 46th over,off a wounded Lee who had to be reintroduced into the attack,for a six,following it with a four off the first ball of the following over from Tait.

Actually,I kinda started feeling sad for Ponting.You could notice his dejection,sensing the end of his illustrious World Cup record.The player to have featured in the most number of matches in World Cups,spanning over 5 editions - 1996,1999,2003,2007 and 2011,he never saw his team fail to make the final before,lifting the last three Cups,with him as the captain in the last two.This was a rude crash for him,he barely managed to contain his emotions at the presentation ceremony after being knocked out.

New Zealand,in the following match,rank underdogs in Dhaka,pulled off a stunner.With the Oz sent home,the South Africans were the best bet till then to fill their shoes.Not many would have given the Kiwis much chance after they set a modest target of 230.The Proteas began well despite the awkward loss of Hashim Amla early on.Smith failed yet again to build on his start,still Kallis and de Villiers exuded a sense of assurance.But once Kallis was sent back with a swift palming by Jacob Oram at the deep mid wicket boundary,somehow the panic set in.New Zealand did field like springing tigers that day,and with Martin Guptill brilliantly running out AB de Villiers,the procession started.None of the later batsmen,save Francois du Plessis,showed stomach for fight.Two heavyweights eliminated in two days.

Yet,Sri Lanka started as favourites and remained so till a middle order collapse saw them slide from 160-1 to 169-4.Muttiah Muralidharan bowled for the last time in an international match on home soil and wrapped it up appropriately with the wicket of Styris of his last delivery.Dilshan and Sangakkara are in ominous form,but the lower middle order have looked vulnerable.So last eve,when Thilan Samaraweera and Chamara Silva were left out with a late challenge from the never say die Black Caps,the 49 runs then needed to reach the finish line of 218 looked like a sweat.Silva hit two boundaries off Ryder to release the pressure momentarily,only for Southee to rattle his stumps to keep the game alive.An injured Angelo Mathews then screwed the visitors' hopes by hitting a few lusty blows to wrap it up,helped by 5 wides sent down the leg side by Andy McKay.So for the first time in World Cup history,the final is gonna be an all-Asian affair.


Also for the first time,India fights Pakistan for a place in the final.Need we say more.Right from the instant Yuvraj hit Lee for the winning boundary,it was as if the fantasies of the average cricket fan came realised.The mother of all cricket matches is to start a few minutes later in a historical battle zone.A lot of stories have a cocked up in the background of this match in the last 6 days.The experts have speculated their fill.Most of them,barring a few like Imran Khan,understandably,have sided with India.My emotions as an Indian are bound to be with India,but my cricket sense acknowledges that Pakistan have greater momentum.They have been playing as a team while India have managed to strike it right only on the last match.Pakistan bowlers have impressed with their low economical rates,but a reason for that might be the fact that they played a lot of their cricket in this Cup in slow wickets in Sri Lanka,while wickets in India have been traditionally flatter and truer.But India's inability to put pressure on the opponents by failing to pick up early wickets in an area of concern.Strategically,Indians need to be more wary of Ajmal than Afridi,I feel,with India being likely to field 3 left handed batsmen.But will Pakistan play Shoaib Akhtar?We'll know.

Head to head in Mohali,Pakistan enjoys the advantage,While India have triumphed over Pakistan in all their World Cup clashes.One way or the other,history will be rewritten.Once the match starts,make no mistake,sparks will fly,6 days have been a long wait.Both teams will have a third invisible party to contend with.I need not name it,call it what you may,you have been feeling it for days.It's India vs. Pakistan,need we say more?

Last match.But whose?

Here we are in what Ravi Shastri says the business end of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.You are tempted to think it's 3 matches to laying your hands on the coveted ultimate prize,but it's more of having to fight to live the day now.No surprises as to the composition of the last 8.But Pakistan have done remarkably well to top Group A,as coming into the tournament not many would have fancied them to beat Australia and Sri Lanka.Notably,they ended Australia's unbeaten run in World Cups since they were last beaten by none other Pakistan in the Group League stage of the ICC World Cup 1999.And what a show they put up yesterday!They started favourites but to dismiss the West Indies by 10 wickets...fantastic.Now Ashok Malhotra says he won't be surprised if they lift the Cup.I said the same after they beat Sri Lanka!

Bangladesh,on the other hand,in Group B,were so close,yet so far from booking a knockout berth.They finished with 6 points from 4 matches,same as the Windies,but the unfathomable manner in which they surrendered to the latter,which was repeated in their last game against South Africa cost them dear.The cricketing following in Mirpur,Dhaka would have been crestfallen.But cricket has its own way of leveling things,it's said.West Indies,after being stoned at the same venue,whether mistakenly is a question of potential controversy,had to return to play Pakistan for the first Quarter Final.And the crowd favourite,as they have been always,Pakistan 'returned' the humiliation the Carribeans had inflicted on the home team earlier,bowling them out for a paltry 58.A look at yesterday's Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium,and you could sense the thrill of being avenged.

I have been in Bangladesh quite a few times and I have noticed that they take their cricket very seriously.I was there when Bangladesh earned for the first time the ticket to play in a World Cup,the 1999 edition,after they beat Scotland in the semifinal of the ICC Trophy and eventually were crowned champions by beating Kenya in a rain truncated match spanning two days.The celebrations that followed the last two wins were memorable.Political separation from the Indian mainland and then Pakistan never dampened the spirit of cricket a wee bit.Even when the Bangladesh cricket team had not yet made their arrival at the big scene,the population had their favourites,namely India and Pakistan,the majority inclined towards the latter.An India-Pakistan clash attracts as much excitement as you can find in India and Pakistan.So,we can safely say that this tournament is still very much alive in the hearts of the Bangladesh cricket fan.

Let's now shift focus on the present.If there were one terribly unpredictable tie in the Quarter Final line up,it's this one.Australia versus India.A wagerer's delight.Evenly matched sides,both having had their shares of clicks and misses.The Indians have been flashy and scratchy.The lower order has added to the worries regarding bowling.Three consecutive failures to capitalise on a formidable platform from the top order and failing to play out the 50 overs while setting the target.Pluses include the sterling touch Tendulkar is in and likelihood to fire in big matches and the all-round form of Yuvraj Singh.Zaheer Khan has been consistent with the ball but the same cannot be said about the rest of the bowling.Munaf Patel is playing because we dare play anyone else,therefore missing a genuine wicket taking option there.A word about him.I strongly feel that the communication between him and the captain isn't the best.I noticed in the matches against England and South Africa that Munaf tends to relax concentration and persistence against lower order batsmen,which proved costly in both matches,Ajmal Shehzad hitting him for a straight six in the former match and Johan Botha punishing him in the latter.He needs to understand that in today's cricket the 'tail-enders' are no mug with the bat,and Johan Botha is only a genuine all-rounder coming in at no.8,it is the duty of the skipper,and the coach,off the field,to ensure this.Over-reliance on spinners has not yet been convincingly answered by Harbhajan Singh,who's bowling well in patches but nowhere near his threatening best.Ravichandran Ashwin was pretty impressive the last day and offers Dhoni an option with the new ball,but was finally included in the playing XI only after a dismal show by Nehra including his shocking last over,rather 4 deliveries,of the South Africa match.I had written earlier that Dhoni has his qualms about playing two specialist right arm off spinners in the team,but Chawla has been anything but consistent with his line and length.

Australia too haven't been firing on all cylinders yet.They started cautiously and convincingly,showing glimpses of flamboyance of the old Australian sides,only for the graph to slip in the last few matches.Brett Lee has been their star performer with the ball,with Tait providing some bursts here and there.The loss of Bollinger haven't helped them,either.But the middle overs management is a worry as their spinners haven't been mention-worthy.Ponting hasn't been in the best of form,but we know him to be one who rises to the big occasion.Shane Watson and Brad Haddin are always threatening to take the game away in the first few overs,but they have shown their frailties once they have been bogged down by some tight bowling.Michael Clarke is known to have a good record against India in India,and Mike Hussey as a replacement for Bollinger no doubt strengthen the batting.It's to be seen how quickly he adjusts to the conditions,though Pakistan match was a tease for him,coming back from his hamstring layoff.

The big question that precedes the match is whether Virender Sehwag will feature in the XI today.He has been reported to be uncertain.It would be most unfortunate if he misses today's match.Because who knows it may be India's last match this edition.He certainly wouldn't like to let go watching by the sidelines.Neither would the cricketing community.

And that's the dismaying prospect.I came across a post on Facebook wondering if this match will be Sachin Tendulkar's last appearance in a World Cup.Shivering,isn't it?It is only coupled by a reasonable assumption that this World Cup is going to the last for Rick Ponting,too.So who bows out today?Sachin or Ricky?

This is also an occasion for India to set the record straight.They have lost to the Kangaroos every time they have met after their triumph over the Aussies in the 1983 World Cup in Chelmsford in their second league encounter.Since then,the Oz have been victorious over the Men In Blue in 1987,1992,1996,1999 and twice in 2003.The last time these two met in a World Cup was the 2003 edition Final at the Wanderers,Johannesburg,where Australia brutally crushed India's hopes of regaining the title.

And with Pakistan waiting for today's winners in the Semifinals,what could be a more mouth watering prospect than an Indo-Pak semifinal?Come 2:30 pm on the clock,Sardar Patel Stadium,Motera,Ahmedabad is going to witness an emotional occasion by all means.

The Group of Death

Andre Russell was nearly destined to be the character of the match.

244 was always a challenging ask on paper when the England - South Africa humdinger is fresh memory at the same venue,Chennai.Then,a Ga(y)le roared up the English Channel and threatened vanquishment.England had to Tread( )well,it could have been well England's Swa(n)nsong.

Switch to 118-5 and 150-6,hopes for a Windies win fast diminishing.Enter Russell,who had picked up 4 wickets earlier.He also caught the eye for some weird reasons,when he,being a seamer at that,almost completely stopped in his run up just before jumping on to the popping crease 2-3 times in the English innings - umpire Steve Davis nearly ruled a 'dead' ball on the first such instance - only to proceed on finishing the delivery,catching the batsman wide unaware.Fortunately.he didn't dismiss anyone in any of those instances,otherwise it could have sparked a major controversy regarding the laws of cricket,the match being such a crucial one to the fate of these teams in the Cup.Now,he chose to try his luck with the willow.And boy,he played the unlikely co-saviour,beside the seasoned Ramnaresh Sarwan to take them 22 runs adrift of knocking the John Bulls out.

Only to lose the final 4 wickets for 3 runs.Russell,however,featured in another drama when Jonathan Trott claimed to caught him off Swann just inside the boundary,but repeating TV replays came back inconlusive,and it was something in between a benefit of doubt and a calculation of the possible,the probable and the eveident that some part of Trott's sleeve touched the line which saved the batsman.He,then,led the final procession of the Carribeans out of the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.Just when the West Indians looked they would cruise through,England say,hang on,we are in no mood to catch the morning's flight to Dubai.

Group B is still so so open.We need just another upset of South Africa by Bangladesh,who'd be so disappointed tonight,and we would have India,West Indies and England fighting for the remaining two spots for the quarters.Then,if India beat West Indies in the last Group League encounter,India and England go through,joining South Africa,who are already sitting pretty after they beat Ireland.If West Indies win,they advance,with the net run rate deciding between India and England.In case they share points,India are out of harm's way,with the net run rate factor dangling between England and West Indies.And if South Africa beat Bangladesh,the co-hosts' hope going through vanish in thin air as the huge advantage the Windies enjoy in terms of the net run rate would,barring an apocalyptic Calypso,ensure them the fourth slot from Group B.

Kick In The Ass

Still fresh cranks the second upset,to be proper,of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.Bangladesh did almost everything to make sure they lost the match last night after making progress chasing 226 against England.For the first time any team was chasing under lights in Chittagong in an ODI,and at one stage the hosts were 155-3.Thanks to some harakiri committed by Imrul Kayes and Shakib-al Hasan,and a devilish spell from Ajmal Shehzad,they slipped to 169-8.The spectators - Bangladeshi supporters - had started vacating the stands,and soon,it was half empty.Though the hosts were very much ahead of the required rate at that time,not many would have really believed that the last two wickets were gonna see them through.

And then,as a friend put it,cricket happened.Mahmudullah and the number 10 batsman,Shafiul Islam,had other ideas.The required rate was creeping up,but they showed sense not take undue risk,took their time to weather the Shehzad burst as England pressed for the kill.By the time he was finished,Bangladesh required 33 off the last 5 overs.It was an astounding experience to witness how the batsmen held their nerves and England kept on losing theirs,especially James Anderson.In the end,the unbelievable happened,something that would put the South African performance in Chennai to shame,with an over to spare and without any more casualties.

Group B is being stretched wider and wider.If there had to be a 'Group of Death' in this Cup,it always had to be this one.But only because 5 of the 7 teams in this Group are Test playing nations,where the other one has 4.But thanks to England,this pool is really turning out to be a slippery trough.

Look at the matches they have featured in.Started with the Netherlands running them long,then the tie of swinging fortunes with India which would perhaps be one of the most important factors in determining the fate of the Group.Then came Ireland,down in the gutters 111-5 chasing 327,only for the storm named Kevin O'Brien to blow the cross-border rivals off.To make matters more interesting,they chose to shock South Africa,who were expected to shoo them off,and did so for the greater part of the match,only to collapse from 124-3 to 127-7 and choke 6 runs short of the 172 run target.

After last night,it's pretty hard to predict the qualifiers from this group to the knockout stage.England have played themselves into worry.As the points table stands,Bangladesh and even Ireland have a fair chance of making it to the quarters,at the expense of England.Both Bangladesh and Ireland have South Africa and the Netherlands to contend with,while England have West Indies.If Bangladesh beat Netherlands,and England lose to West Indies,as looks enormously possible,Bangladesh will have edged out England.However,Ireland will have a chance if they manage an upset over South Africa,and win it against the Netherlands,as their net run rate is healthier than that of Bangladesh.On the other hand,if England lose,Bangladesh have a upper hand over them and South Africa lose the upcoming matches including today's,the English will go through only in the event where Ireland loses to the Netherlands.So,unless they win their last match,it's too much of a pickle for England.But then again,the word 'possible' is reaching new heights this Cup,as we saw in the Group A encounter between Pakistan and New Zealand,92 runs ARE 'possible' in the last 4 overs of an innings!

To focus on today's big match,it has been billed for long as the match deciding the Group topper.South Africa started well,only to justify their ineluctable 'chokers' tag in their last match.India,on the other hand,have been the only unbeaten team of this pool,but scratchy at best.Serious worries with the bowling attack,unlike the Proteas who seem to have struck upon the right mix of variety and potency.While Imran Tahir,their newest recruit,has been pretty impressive,Piyush Chawla,his Indian counterpart in the right arm leg-break department has struggled to settle into a consistent rhythm.It's reported that he's likely to be fielded again ahead of Ashwin amidst pressure to play the latter.Yuvraj Singh did a good job in saving us the blushes in the last two matches,both in batting and bowling.Fielding is not yet upto the mark.It's interesting to note that the first two matches,India batted first and blasted the opponents.The next two,shivers ran down the spine while chasing modest totals against two of the least fancied teams.

Maybe the real problem doesn't lie with the batting or bowling prowess,or the combination,rather it may lie in the psyche,the intent or the lack of it.It was so evident in the England match,where the body language more tha anything else was more than disappointing,coupled with Dhoni's insipid captaincy.

The optimist would say there hasn't been enough motivation for the Indian team to play to potential yet.But today,it is South Africa we are up against.This is different.Perhaps this is the kick in the ass we have been missing.Let's hope it brings the Men In Blue out with all guns blazing in Nagpur.De ghuma ke!