Indian selectors humiliated

The five National selectors, headed by K. Srikkanth, returned to their respective homes after being humiliated in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Their ‘mysterious' absence at the Punjab Cricket Stadium (PCA) in Mohali was not to be missed on Wednesday as India clashed with Pakistan in the World Cup semifinal. 

The selectors, who had confirmed room bookings at the Taj, were denied accommodation by the hotel authorities. PCA sources confirmed that the selectors were turned back by the hotel despite holding confirmed bookings. 

The hotel, which has a tie-up with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), was facing unprecedented demand for rooms. The hotel did not offer any alternative arrangement and the selectors —Srikkanth, Yashpal Sharma, Narendra Hirwani, Raja Venkat and Surendra Bhave — were left with little choice. 

The selectors lost little time in leaving Chandigarh. They drove back overnight to Delhi and were watching the match from their homes instead at Mohali. It is learnt the hotel authorities had transferred the room bookings to the International Cricket Council (ICC) even though the selectors' accommodation was the responsibility of the BCCI. The selectors had reported at 3 p.m. and had left the city four hours later by road. 

The fiasco, claimed a PCA source, was due to a tussle between the BCCI and the ICC over ticket allocation and hotel bookings. The selectors are often known to fetch for themselves from the airport to the hotel or the stadium but this was a first as far as accommodation was concerned. 

The last time a National selector was humiliated was Hirwani when he was evicted from a hospitality box during an Indian Premier League match (IPL) but surprisingly chose to suffer the indignity without any protest. 

Incidentally, the selection committee includes two members — Srikkanth and Yashpal — of the 1983 World Cup winning team. The selectors, undoubtedly, deserved better treatment for having done a decent job of the responsibility entrusted to them.

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The crucial first 15 overs, and mysterious Misbah

As it turned out, almost all the experts read the wicket wrong. MS Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar admitted as much in the post-match presentation, and from the scores it's obvious that run-making was a lot more difficult on this Mohali pitch than it was expected to be. The team composition and the early overs suggested a score of around 300 would be a par total, but later events showed it was another subcontinent track on which run-scoring against the hard new ball was much easier.

In that context, the difference between the two teams was the runs they scored in the first 15 overs, when the ball was new. Pakistan's top three played useful cameos too, but none of them exploded in the manner that Virender Sehwag had. Sehwag's 25-ball 38 allowed India to rack up 99 in the first 15 overs, compared to Pakistan's 70. The difference of 29 was exactly the margin by which Pakistan lost the match, which means in the remaining 35 overs, the two teams scored exactly the same number of runs. Of course, the approaches of the two teams at the start were obviously different since Pakistan knew the target in front of them, but Pakistan struggled as much as India did in the middle overs. What made their case worse was the fact that they got no reciprocal help from the Indian fielders, or from the dew which was expected to set in later in the evening.

Misbah's mystery innings
Misbah-ul-Haq's strike rate at the end of his innings was 73.68; Tendulkar's rate for his 85 was 73.91. That, perhaps, is as good an example as any to illustrate the fact that stats without context is meaningless. Misbah's inexplicable go-slow through the first half of his innings resulted in the asking rate climbing to unmanageable proportions, and it also forced the other batsmen to take risks that might otherwise have been unnecessary. He tried to make up for it later, but apart from helping him reach a personal landmark and improving his strike-rate, his late hits counted for little. 

Overall, Misbah played out 42 dot balls, which was the most among Pakistan's batsmen. In his first 42 balls, he scored only 17 and played 27 dots. During this period, Pakistan's asking rate went up from 6.07 to 8.45. Younis Khan's sluggish innings didn't help either - add his 13 from 32 balls to Misbah's 17 in his first 42, and Pakistan have every reason to feel their two most experienced batsmen didn't serve them well: in those 74 balls, the two batsmen got a grand total of 30 runs, with no boundaries. Even with the power-hitters to follow, that was a bridge too far.

A spell to remember
The batsmen's poor effort ensured that a wonderful bowling performance by Wahab Riaz went in vain. He became only the second bowler, after Venkatesh Prasad, to take a five-for in an India-Pakistan World Cup match. He joins eight other Pakistan bowlers to have taken a five-for in an ODI against India.

More stats
This is India's first World Cup semi-final win at home in three attempts. They'd lost to England in 1987, and to Sri Lanka in 1996. However, they've won both their World Cup semi-final matches away from home (in 1983 and 2003).

Tendulkar has won nine Man-of-the-Match awards in World Cups, which is easily the highest. Three of those have been against Pakistan: he'd also won the prize against them in 1992 and in 2003.

Sehwag and Dhoni joined five other Indian batsmen to score 1000 ODI runs against Pakistan. Tendulkar leads with 2474 runs at an average of 39.90.

It was only the second time in his ODI career that Yuvraj Singh was dismissed for a golden duck - the first instance was against Kenya nearly ten years ago.

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Tendulkar knock takes India to the World Cup final

Pakistan began well in their answer to India's fighting total of 260 but lost both openers Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez for 70 runs. 

Openers Mohammed Hafeez and Kamran Akmal mixed strokeplay with cautious pushes and kept the scoreboard ticking in the initial overs. But Akmal was dismissed for 19 runs off 20 balls caught at point by Yuvraj Singh off a sharp delivery by Zaheer Khan. 

Pakistan lost their first wicket at 43 in the eighth over. India pulled back the free scoring a bit and in the 16th over, an increasingly impatient Hafeez went for a wild shot and was caught behind by M S Dhoni. Munaf Patel scalped him. 

At 103 runs for 2 wickets, when it seemed like Pakistan was going to take the match away from India, Yuvraj Singh delivered two fatal blows in the nick of time. He first bowled Shafiq for 30 runs, followed by Younis Khan for 13 runs - caught by Raina. 

Harbhajan Singh replaced Yuvraj in the 34th over and promptly bowled Umar Akmal off his first delivery. Akmal made 29 runs off 24 balls. 

Razzaq was sent packing in the 37th over, bowled by Munaf Patel. He had made 3 runs off 9 balls. 

When Pak had scored 184 runs, captain Shahid Afridi was caught by Sehwag after having scored 19 runs for 17 balls, off the bowling of Harbhajan Singh. Afridi was looking to strike a mighty blow over extra cover but just managed to hit it in the air for the fielder to pull off an easy catch. 

Wahab Riaz did not bother the scorers for too long. He was all at seas playing against the Indian bowlers and Nehra put him out of his misery, having him caught by Tendulkar after he scored 8 (14). 

The next wicket was not long in coming. Umar Gul was also dismissed by Nehra, caught plumb lbw for 2(3). Although the batsman went in for the video review, the decision was clearly going to go against him. The almost-yorker length ball caught him just above the ankles. Pakistan at that time needed 53 runs off 24 balls. 

On Mohali's flat batting pitch, the Indian score is probably 20 to 30 runs short according to experts. 

India struggled to put on board 260 with no significant contributions from any batsman nor a good partnership. 

Sachin Tendulkar made a scratchy 85 but not without surviving two referrals and four dropped catches. 

India made one change, dropping offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin and bringing in pacer Ashish Nehra. This might prove costly since Pakistani spinner Saeed Ajmal picked up two wickets in his 10 overs. He gave away 44 runs. Shahid Afridi was wicketless but conceded only 45. 

Wahab Riaz took a career-best 5 for 46 as Pakistan restricted India to a reachable 260-9 despite an atrocious fielding performance in Wednesday's high-stakes World Cup semifinal.

The left-arm paceman struck at crucial junctures, accounting for a dangerous looking Virender Sehwag and an in-form Yuvraj Singh among others, as the famed Indian batting struggled against his swing.

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Trying to stay away from the distractions: Dhoni

Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni says the team is trying to keep away from all distractions ahead of the much-awaited World Cup semifinal against Pakistan here on Wednesday.

 

Dhoni said at a news conference on the eve of the match that the hype surrounding the encounter had little effect on the team.

We all know it's a big tournament and we have prepared a lot for it and it's better to take one game at a time. We are playing the semifinals but the most important thing is how you prepare yourself irrespective of what stage it is. I think one needs to prepare for every game in the same way and that is what we have been doing," he said.

The Indian captain said his players are aware of what is expected of them.

"We are not getting involved in any other thing and that is what is important. You need to know what you are expected to do and we are expected to play good cricket. It is not happening for the first time," he said.

Dhoni, who led India to the inaugural World Twenty20 triumph beating Pakistan, said they are trying to keep the pressure at bay.

"When you talk of the hype and pressure, one thing for sure - either you are thinking about it or you are not thinking about it. I don't think it helps you perform. So what's not helping you perform needs to be kept away," he said.

Dhoni admitted he is wary of the Pakistani bowling attack.

"They have a very good attack, they have bowlers who can bowl quick and at the same time they have spinners who can bowl really well. They also have some part-timers who can contribute. Since they have a couple of bowling all-rounders in (Abdul) Razzaq and (Shahid) Afridi, it gives them the liberty to play with more than five bowlers," he said.

On Afridi, who is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 21 scalps, Dhoni said: "He has been bowling really well and if you see his performance you will find it really interesting. Especially the time he took to take the first 100 wickets and the second 100 wickets in ODIs."

Dhoni, who has scored only 154 runs from 10 matches in this World Cup, says he is happy the way he is batting.

"I feel that I have been batting quite well. Just that some of the situations have not been great to play flamboyant cricket. In a couple of innings where we were chasing, I wasn't able to bat freely. I think the last game (against Australia) was an ideal game where I could have scored more. But it doesn't always go according to your plan."

Dhoni refused to tag the Wednesday's match as the most crucial game of his career.

"I don't believe in comparisons. I have said that a few times before. Because in a cricketer's life, you will have instances where you will feel that this is the most important game. But as you move on in life and the longer you play, more often than not you forget how you feel before a big game. In 2007 (World Twenty20 final against Pakistan), I don't remember how I felt before the semifinal or the final."

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Cricket-India and Pakistan battle nerves to clinch final ticket

Fierce rivals India and Pakistan will have to deal with huge expectations from their cricket-crazy fans when they clash on Wednesday for a place in the World Cup final.

Anything but a win will be a shock for either set of supporters when the neighbours, who have fought three wars since their 1947 independence, meet in Mohali under a heavy security blanket.

The presence of the prime ministers of both countries in the stands will also add a political fervour to the match.

"The biggest, distinguished guests will be there to see the game, but they are here to enjoy cricket, so we have to be at our best," India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni told reporters on the eve of the match.

India will bank on their powerful batting line-up while Pakistan will pin hopes on their bowling variety in the match which has gripped the sub-continent's imagination.

Batting mainstay Sachin Tendulkar will have another shot at glory when he walks to the crease needing one more century to complete a hundred international tons.

With the flamboyant Virender Sehwag as his partner, Tendulkar will look to wrest early control for India at the top.

Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, in-form Yuvraj Singh, Dhoni and Suresh Raina will complete a strong batting line-up and Pakistan would need to make the new ball count.


FITNESS STRUGGLE

Speedster Umar Gul and captain Shahid Afridi have been the main strike-force for Pakistan and they might be tempted to play Shoaib Akhtar, who will retire after the World Cup, as another wicket-taking option.

Shoaib, 35, who is known for his raw pace, is struggling to get fit for the high-profile match.

Pakistan's batting, on the other hand, has failed to set the tournament alight as none of the batsmen have registered a century yet.

But despite that, the team notched up confidence-boosting victories against Sri Lanka and Australia in the group stages and went on to maul West Indies by 10 wickets in the quarter-finals.

Afridi, the highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 21, is confident the team is not solely reliant on its bowling attack.

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Not clash of the century, it’s just a game: Yuvraj Singh

India’s inspirational all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has urged fans to tone down the hype around the semi-final match against Pakistan and enjoy it as a game of cricket. "I don't believe this is the game of my life, or the clash of the century, and all that jazz,” he said. “It is a game, which is there to be won.Yes, emotions will be high, and that is not new.” And was he even willing to contemplate a reverse? 

"Well, we’ll prepare well, give our best, and leave the rest to destiny. A loss will be disappointing, to say the least. But let it be just a game.”

Yuvraj is confident that India’s unbeaten World Cup record against Pakistan and the players’ temperament will carry them through to the final.

"I think our clashes against Australia, South Africa and the high-pressure games in the IPL have all contributed to help us control our emotions better,” he said.

During this World Cup so far, Yuvraj has collected four man-of-the-match awards — the latest in the quarterfinal against Australia — something that did not appear likely at the beginning of this tournament given his recent form.

He says Sachin Tendulkar played a crucial role in regaining his form. “Tendulkar has seen it all, and he'd always tell me to believe in my abilities and just concentrate on preparing well, rather than worrying about the results.”

He said, “I’m a proud man and would never want to be a baggage for the team. That is where bowling helped. The runs had dried up, but I was getting wickets or bowling economically, and that kept me afloat.”

Yuvi’s left-arm spin, in fact, has earned him the nickname ‘Bishen’ from his teammates. The name elicits regular chuckles at team practice. “I just hope Bishen paaji doesn’t get to know about this!”

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Dhoni's unnerving equilibrium

The modern India is predominantly an India of stability, a point that can and often does get swamped by all the sound and fury of Indian cricket. Since Sourav Ganguly took over as captain in March 2000, India has had just four full-time captains for all formats. The more recent India is that of MS Dhoni, who has mostly kept his counsel and preferred to win matches rather than get involved in the screaming and shouting around him since 2007 when he took over as Twenty20 and ODI captain.

It sounds unremarkable but how Pakistan would love that kind of unremarkable, where the biggest controversy of the last four, five years has been that of a divisive coach, one that would struggle to make it to the back pages of most newspapers in Pakistan.

Since Ganguly took over, Pakistan has had nine full-time captains in all forms of the game. In the time that Dhoni has led India, they've had five alone. If India has been Dhoni's, Pakistan has been everyone's and, sadly, no one's. Currently it is Shahid Afridi's and it isn't a bad one. But it could be anyone's tomorrow: Misbah, Younis, Razzaq, Malik, Akmal even, who knows?

For many reasons to the outsider, Dhoni remains the most compelling personality in the Indian side, not just because of the way his game has become unrecognisable from what it was when he emerged. In the permanently overheated milieu in which he operates, where a haircut is a mass-spectator sport, he has not been seen celebrating topless at Lord's and he has not been so consumed by the job that he has had to relinquish it. Both Ganguly and Rahul Dravid had endearing qualities as captain but Dhoni's equilibrium is startling. It is actually unnerving.

Sure, there is probably much more to him than that. He is smart that much is certain, perhaps too smart, in the way we in the subcontinent might call him chaaloo and just the number of brands that piggyback off him is ludicrous. There is nothing wrong with that and none of it is actually important because the central point, from here, is that he is MS Dhoni, captain of India, and he has remained that way for some time and probably will do for sometime more.

He hasn't given up the captaincy, he's not been caught out spot-fixing. If he's had run-ins with the board, they haven't been big enough to change the status quo. If he's had problems with the players, they haven't been bad enough to inspire revolts. He has even managed to take most of the catches that have come his way. He is mostly unquestioned as captain, given the time and space to build a side, no matter whether it has been successful or not. Whether it has happened by design, or default, it has happened. If you know only chaos, stability soon acquires its own myth.

It may become harder in time of course, when time is called on possibly the greatest middle order the game has seen, but that is for another day. It is a fact that no Indian captain has been able to call upon as rich a bounty of talent as have the last few, and especially Dhoni.

When you have a man such as Virender Sehwag, for example, as your opening gambit in any game, half the game is often won. Sehwag has not just been a reminder of Pakistan's problems with openers but he has been a particularly insensitive and brutal one, each innings as abrupt and disorienting as a slap on the face. Few batsmen, maybe Brian Lara on occasion, have been as dismissive of Pakistan's pride - their fast bowlers - as Sehwag has; triples, doubles, big hundreds, all to go with some of the best sledges.

So Dhoni has led arguably the greatest Indian Test side - but not a great one - and an ODI side that hasn't progressed as much as it should have after early promise. It remains a formidable one particularly at home and it might yet win a World Cup. But the one thing that has held them back is the one thing that has sustained Pakistan over the years: a class fast bowler or two.

India has started producing some finally but they haven't yet worked out what to do with them. One from RP Singh, Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma should currently be much more than they actually are: forgotten, mad and underachieving, respectively. Some edge is missing. Maybe they are too pampered too soon, or over-coached. A little bit of struggle is never a bad thing for a fast bowler.

Still there has been Zaheer Khan, himself a tale of redemption fast bowlers can learn from. The comparisons with Wasim Akram are probably unfair to both, but a Zaheer spell is as compelling to witness as one from Mohammad Asif, where the real craft of fast bowling is obvious and apparent. Ball by ball a batsman is worked on, one this way, one that, one shorter, one a change of pace, one reversing, one not; the modern day batsman is such a protected and empowered brute that anytime he is made to look timid and embarrassed is a special moment. The one to get rid of Michael Hussey in the quarter-finals will stand among the deliveries of the tournament.

Now Indians are more like what they imagined Pakistanis to be in the 80s and 90s, in their long-haired, moustachioed pomp. Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Sreesanth, Gautam Gambhir are a different breed to the well-behaved, mild-mannered Clark Kents that mostly made up India in the 80s. Now there is attitude, aggression and square-ups.

But there doesn't seem the rawness. Somehow it seems manufactured because, the argument goes from Pakistan, if it was real it would naturally lead to a level of crazy only Pakistan have ever attained. Ganguly's aggression came from a natural place inside. For those who followed, the sense still can't be removed that where Pakistan used - and still use - that undirected energy and testosterone to win matches, here it is used to sell cola as well.

All except Dhoni who remains hinged. And still sells cola.

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'Pakistan must guard against Yuvraj'

Dhoni’s captaincy has been smart. He has kept teams guessing with his team selection, writes Wasim Akram.

Nobody could have asked for a better ICC Cricket World Cup semifinal than India versus Pakistan . It is the mother of all battles and the world will be watching every ball of it. I have been reading quite a few opinions by former players, saying India will be the favourites, but in matches where mental preparedness and the ability to soak pressure transcend cricketing skills, I would not like to stick my neck out.

Having said that, India will be the team under pressure, not Pakistan. The media in India is big and strong. The pressure created by them is simply mind-boggling and then there are a billion people with massive expectations. The fact that Pakistan is playing away from home is an advantage. Given the high security at Mohali, the Pak team has been largely confined to its practice sessions and the hotel. Hence, there will be no dearth in focus.

India will be on a high after beating Australia and Pakistan will do well to forget the cakewalk against the West Indies . The dismal Caribbean performance took the importance out of a World Cup quarterfinal. Well, a win is always good and if it comes convincingly, nothing like it.

Beating Australia was no mean job. India rode some stunning performances and I think Yuvraj Singh was outstanding. Before the World Cup started, almost every one said Yuvraj was over and out, but I always said he was one good innings away from striking a purple match..

Yuvraj has shown great attitude. He is eager to play long knocks and he has converted good starts to fifties and a century. Yuvraj has understood the virtue of being consistent and trust me, he is only going to get better. Unfortunately, that is not good news for Pakistan . Shahid Afridi and team will have to bowl intelligently to him. They will have to stop his run-flow and that's the only way I think Yuvraj can be stopped.

If Yuvraj has been brilliant, MS Dhoni's captaincy has been judicious and smart. I admire his horses-for-courses methods and the decision to leave out Yusuf Pathan and retain Suresh Raina was a great move. It is never easy to drop a match-winner like Pathan but Raina's partnership with Yuvraj proved to be decisive against the Aussies. Now, you don't know whether he will play Raina or Pathan in the next match. So, Dhoni has created doubt in the mind of the opposition think-tank. He is keeping everybody guessing. That's smart, indeed!

I think the Indian bowlers are doing pretty well. Restricting Australia to 260 was no mean task. Zaheer, Ashwin everybody are doing their jobs and the attack has a lot of variety. Zaheer has been bowling well since the last two years but in this World Cup, he has been unplayable at times. Zaheer's length is perfect, he is coming around the wicket and bowling well. For a left-hander to come around the wicket means Zaheer has got a lot of confidence.

As we approach D-Day, I sincerely urge fans of both India and Pakistan to enjoy the moment. This is the first time India and Pakistan are meeting in a World Cup semifinal. The stakes are high but we must keep our emotions in check.

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Dhoni refuses to equate Mohali SF with T20 final

Life has come full circle for MS Dhoni 

Or, has it?

In 2007, not long after assuming captaincy, he led India to a five-run win over Pakistan in Johannesburg; it enabled India lift the inaugural T20 World Cup. 

World Cup coverage

Four years on, Dhoni and his men face the same opposition on a bigger stage -- a World Cup semi-final.

And the Men in Blue have a similar task ahead -- beat Pakistan to move a step closer to that second world title, one that has proved elusive for the last 28 years, since that memorable triumph in 1983.

Asked if Wednesday's match in Mohali is the biggest in his career, Dhoni was a tad philosophical. 

 

"I don't believe in comparisons," he quipped, adding, "I have said this a few times earlier as well, because in a cricketer's life you will have instances when you will feel that this is the most important game.

Dhoni plays down hype before semi-final clash

 

"But, as you move on in life, the longer you play, more often than not, you forget how you feel before a big game." 

India's captain proceeded to elaborate his point. 

"Maybe, in a certain period, say three years, you forget everything. I don't know how I felt before the semi-final or the final in the 2007 T20 World Cup.

"So what you tend to do, what you have to, be in the present. 

"You feel that this is the most important game, but a few years down the line your views may change and you may believe another game was more important." 

Words of wisdom from a captain who has led Team India to considerable success since that memorable triumph in South Africa four years back. 

If India gets past Pakistan, sure, Dhoni may just have something else to say!

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India-Pakistan World Cup semifinal takes cricket to another dimension

Sachin Tendulkar features prominently on a big, handpainted advertisement hanging over a rickety conveyer belt at the Chandigarh Airport, a promotional campaign inviting World Cup visitors to "Watch countries fight to protect their boundaries."

Looking around Mohali two days before the epic World Cup semifinal between archrivals India and Pakistan, it's obvious the government and police are taking the message literally, and very seriously.

Police and soldiers, some heavily armed, some carrying bamboo canes, are omnipresent around the Punjab Cricket Association ground, venue for the match. Some are in armoured vehicles and four-wheel drives, others on horseback.

Mostly turban-wearing Sikhs, they're stationed at every intersection along the 10-kilometre route from team hotels to the stadium, scouring the nearby scrub for any signs of a security threat, and guarding every road and pedestrian entry to the venue.

The stakes are high, with the winner progressing to the April 2 final at Mumbai.

The tension is much higher than usual for a World Cup semifinal, however, given it is Pakistan's first match in India since the November 2008 terror attacks which killed 166 people in Mumbai and were blamed on Pakistan-based militants.

The prime ministers of India and Pakistan will sit together to watch the match in a rare show of sporting diplomacy between nuclear-armed and cricket-obsessed neighbours.

Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has accepted an invitation from his Indian counterpart, Manmohan Singh, to watch the match, adding to the security presence.

"There is no one in the country who does not want to be here in Mohali. There is more excitement than a final," Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab state, told a news conference Monday.

He said the high-level politicians and other high-profile guests and cricket fans would be safe.

"All arrangements have been made from the police point of view," he said.

Up to 1,000 protesters aiming to use the heavy media presence at the stadium to highlight a grievance with their local government employer was rapidly dispersed on Monday, with authorities on high-alert following an alleged bomb hoax at the stadium late the previous day.

A police bus had its windscreen smashed and bricks and debris littered the road near the stadium. But within an hour there was no trace of any incident.

Vague reports of possible terror threats have come and gone throughout the tournament, but no match will be more heavily controlled than this.

GPS Bullar, Mohali's Senior Superintendent of Police, told local media that 2,200 police were on cricket-related details, along with paramilitary forces and commandos.

In New Delhi, India and Pakistan began two days of diplomatic talks amid a surge in good will before the semifinal.

India and Pakistan share some cultural, religious and language ties, but have fought three wars since the 1947 partition by Britain. Peace talks stalled after the Mumbai attacks.

Officials and the media expect the shared passion for cricket will help encourage peace talks that were frozen after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

Indian news channels have offered almost nonstop pre-match coverage since India beat three-time defending champion Australia in Ahmedabad last Thursday to advance to the match against Pakistan, which had cruised through with an easy quarterfinal win over West Indies in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The positive vibe is being relayed on the other side of the border, too.

"This latest chapter in cricket diplomacy represents a rare chance for the two countries to patch up relations that have been strained since 2008," the Express Tribune reported.

Pakistan team manager Intikhab Alam urged the public not to think of the match as anything more than an on-field battle, saying the contest shouldn't be built up for any negative political reasons.

The local advertising gurus probably didn't account for Pakistan reaching the semifinal, if the banner at the airport was any indication. On it, Tendulkar was depicted playing a classic cut shot, with children and an elderly woman waving Indian flags. The bowler and fielder were in Australian uniforms. The painted stadium was decorated with the flags of the three co-hosts — India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka — along with those of Australia and South Africa, no doubt the early favourites to reach the semifinals.

Instead, it is Pakistan riding high after beating both Australia and Sri Lanka in the group stage. But Shahid Afridi's squad is at a disadvantage, with India playing at home and having a 4-0 record in World Cup meetings with Pakistan.

When Tendulkar walks onto the PCA ground in quest of his 100th international century and in pursuit of a World Cup title — the only major accolade to elude him in a two-decade career, the stadium will be full and the city will be overflowing.

On Monday, there were no vacancies at hotels.

Tickets have been sold out for days, but that hasn't stopped hundreds of people queuing outside the stadium ticket office desperate to buy any seats that come back for sale. That's hardly likely, given the demand and the fact that some tickets on the black market are being offered for 100 times the original price.

The cyber crime branch of the Chandigarh police arrested a software engineer who was trying to sell five Mohali match tickets online at extremely inflated prices, news channel CNN-IBN reported. The man was expected to spend 14 days on remand.

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Divine assistance: Fasting, praying for the success of Team India

From February 19 onwards, Sakshi Dhoni has been fasting every day the Indian cricket team has played a match in this World Cup. She would continue her fast on Wednesday, when India plays Pakistan in the second semifinal, in the hope that this routine will culminate on April 2, when the final takes places in Mumbai.

While Indian skipper MS Dhoni's wife performs her vows, Yuvraj Singh's mother Shabnam, too, has been interceding with the Gods. She has completed many rounds of visits to religious places in Chandigarh-her hometown and the venue of the India-Pakistan game -- praying for the success of her son and the Indian team.

Those prayers have borne fruit so far: Yuvraj has been in sublime batting touch, scoring 341 runs in seven matches so far at an average of over 113. He has also taken 11 wickets and is a serious contender for the Player of the Tournament award.

Attacking opener Virender Sehwag can also count on pleas for divine assistance from his mother Krishna. After scoring 175 runs in the tournament opener against Bangladesh, Sehwag has gone off the boil somewhat. He missed the game against the West Indies due to injury and has scored just one half-century in the match against South Africa that India lost.

But she is confident that he will come good against Pakistan, a team against which he has enjoyed good success. The last time India and Pakistan played in a world cup match-Centurion in 2003-Sehwag teamed up with Sachin Tendulkar to set up an easy win.

"Viru is baar koi bada dhamaka karega," she says.

Krishna will not travel to Mohali for the match because she is nervous about watching her son play. She has not seen a single World Cup game live; only recorded clippings. There will be no exceptions, not even for one of the biggest cricket matches that will be played in India. "I get very tensed," she says.

Instead, she will stay at home and pray for her son and the Indian team.

Dhoni's wife is not nervous about watching him play, but she does not hang around either every time India is in action. It's her way of giving him space to concentrate on the biggest tournament of his life.

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Indian eyes on Yuvraj as he reaches home ground for World Cup semifinal against Pakistan

Yuvraj Singh started the World Cup assured of a place in the playing eleven but unsure of his role and batting position in India's powerful team.

By the time he reached his home ground Sunday to prepare for the World Cup semifinal against archrival Pakistan, he has proven to be the team's key match-winner. It was no surprise that he was the most sought after by fans in a city where cricket is overshadowing everything, and he duly obliged by signing autographs at a practice session.

Yuvraj has been voted 'man of the match' four times in the tournament, including in the quarterfinal win over three-time defending champion Australia.

Yuvraj took 2-44 with his left-arm spin and smashed an unbeaten 57 to help carve out the five-wicket win over Australia at Ahmedabad.

At the start of the tournament, 29-year-old Yuvraj was in a three-way battle with Suresh Raina and Yusuf Pathan for two batting slots.

Raina had played some important knocks over the past year while Pathan was in terrific form on a recent tour of South Africa. On the other hand, Yuvraj was only just settling in after a horrible previous season.

It was his part-time bowling that ensured Yuvraj a place, leaving the other two vying for the remaining slot.

"Yuvraj can be very useful with the ball," captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said as the tournament commenced. "We are hoping that he can partly fill up for the fifth bowler as we play with only four specialist bowlers."

Yuvraj did not get to bat in the opening game against Bangladesh, in which he also went wicketless in seven overs.

But he was unstoppable from then on, shining with both bat and ball.

He has a highest of 113 in the tournament against the West Indies in a total of 341 runs in six innings, including four half-centuries. He has also taken 11 wickets, including a career-best 5-31 against Ireland.

Yuvraj agreed after the Australia match that this was proving to be the best phase of his life.

"Yes, it is. These are the kind of moments you live for, as a cricketer," he said.

After a 2010 plagued by injuries, Yuvraj's body seems to be holding together. He was seen playing football during an optional practice session with his left knee strapped for precaution on Sunday, a testimony to the tough times.

Back to playing at No. 4 or No. 5 depending on what his team's needs are, Yuvraj says he knows what his role now is, even though India has suffered some batting collapses.

"I am expected to finish games and I am enjoying doing that," he said.

Fans who have followed his fortunes since he played in the state's under-19 and Ranji Trophy sides will be expecting something special from him here, too.

In his younger days, he was more widely known in the Punjab as the son of India allrounder Yograj Singh, who was a famous local personality after working in Punjabi language movies when he quit cricket. There's little doubt now who the most famous of that particular Singh family is.

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WC Cricket Semi - Why India Should Fear Pakistan

This one isn’t for the faint-hearted. A match tipped to be the greatest ever played between the two arch rivals, has already been in the limelight for it’s high-volatile atmosphere, both on and off the field. When India’s man of the moment, Dr. Manmohan Singh meets his counterpart, the two cricket-mad nations will lock horns in a mouth-watering clash, where only  the fittest will survive.

Little does the Indian nation know that this Pakistani outfit aren’t pushovers. The team that absorbs pressure the best will emerge victorious. This will go down as a match where there will be no room for error and where the emotional aspect comes into play.

Both teams are on the backdrop of remarkable victories thereby making this encounter a must-witnessed one. The pre-match pressure has been enormous and the whole nation has taken this match into deep patriotic feelings.

But the sorry part is that only one will rule the roost and the other will face extreme humiliation and a breakdown of tears. Such has been the build-up to this much-anticipated clash between two cricketing giants having the political and geographical scenario between the two well etched in one’s mind.

But what makes this ‘once in a life-time match' so watched out for? Definitely because it is an Indo-Pak match-up and the thrilling part being that it is a serious World Cup Semi Final showdown. Wednesday’s clash is destined to become an opportunity for one of the two teams to retain the support of fans after their disappointing exits in the previous World Cup.

By far the best match yet, India will have to buckle up their resources in order to put brakes on a rampaging Pakistani team. Uncertainty in result is the key feature of this game. However the hope is that it doesn’t turn out to be a damp-squib and that there will be a fighting effort from both sides. A possible shock news headline looms large and both would like to ensure that the other will face some amount of competition, if not better. 

This time around, possibly, India will face the heat especially because of the fact that Pakistan is fine-tuned in all their departments. If India wants to escape casualty then the following areas need to be pondered upon:

The Afridi Factor

Arguably, he has been the best performing captain in this world cup indicated clearly by his wicket tally (21), the most by a bowler as yet. Added to that his creativity in leadership and gambling nature makes him a potent force to deal with. His quickish, fiesty leg-breaks have been the nightmares of many a batsmen and his uncanny knack of picking up wickets when the situation demands, instills fear even  amongst the best in business. Shahid Afridi has been the binding force behind the team's overall success. He will be a hard nut to crack.

Spin Winners

Pakistani spinners are spin wineers, very much in contrast to the performance of the Indian spinners. While Pakistani tweakers have come to the fore with match winning credentials, their counterparts are struggling for wickets even on helpful sub-continental turf pitches. Afridi, Ajmal, Rehman and even part-timer Hafeez have been among the wicket-takers, while India can only boast of the best bowling figures for them and that too by a non-regular, Yuvraj Singh.

Cool Gul

Not one bowler, not even the Lee’s and Steyn’s , have used the swing to good effect like Umar Gul has. A strike bowler of his nature has the ability to swing the bowl both ways and is a brilliant exponent of reverse swing and toe-crushing Yorkers. Indians may find it tough to come to terms with his bowling largely because now Gul is a changed and consistent bowler which was not the case a year or so back.

Deserving Finalists

Yes, this is very much true. Pakistan has put up stellar performances than India in this WC edition. Their complacency may get the better of them, take the example of their group match against New Zealand where they squandered a potential victory and proved their 'unpredictable' tag right. But the way they fought back with convincing wins over Australia and West Indies makes them a dominating unit and they will be hoping that their unpredictable nature goes their way.

The Emotional Side

A Pakistani victory will be a fitting to their horrific political and economic condition back home and being the only team to be stripped of international match rights they would want to prove a point that cricket is there to stay in the terror-struck nation. An unstable political environment has resulted in a  negative impact on the sports field with the cricketers getting into all kinds of controversies and allegations. Their trophy showcase is badly in need of a new moulded entrant and of all that Pakistan has suffered and faced in recent years, a victory for Pakistan is bigger than a victory for India. The fans and the cricketing world expects Pakistan to get back to good conditions and the best way to answer the prayers of millions back home is to reach out for glory.

All in all, its going to be a belter of a contest with the Indian batsmen versus the Pakistani bowling going to be the treat for the eye. The battle-lines have been drawn, the bugle blared and a war-situation very much on the cards.

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For Kapil, Yuvraj will make the difference

Yuvraj Singh’s imperious performances in the World Cup have come as a pleasant surprise to many cricket fans who have seen the player slip in and out of the team for many years due to injuries and poor form.  However, one man who’s not surprised by Yuvraj’s brilliant run is the 1983 World Cup winning captain, Kapil Dev. Describing the Chandigarh player as India’s ‘Most Valuable Player’ of the World Cup, the former all-rounder said Yuvraj - a virtuoso talent often shrouded in a cloak of indolence - has not been given his due by the fans. 

“Many people have been surprised by Yuvraj’s good run in the World Cup. Over the past year he has had a few injuries and his form wasn’t the best, and many were quick to forget what a unique talent he is. However, I don’t think any cricketer, past or present, ever had the slightest doubt. Yuvraj is a match-winner. He’s been India’s MVP so far,” Kapil told HT on Sunday.

The former India captain was confident Yuvraj - who has scored 341 runs at an average of 113 and taken 11 wickets with an economy rate of less than five runs per over - could again make the difference in the semifinal against Pakistan at his home ground in Mohali.

While he did not wish to make any predictions, he felt India at least had a slender advantage. “Taking a look at the lineup, nobody would have thought Pakistan would reach this far. But, to their credit they’ve played as a unit and shown great teamwork.

“India have the advantage of playing at home. I don’t think it should put any added pressure on them. In fact, playing in front of home fans will work to India’s advantage,” he said.

On what could be the decisive factor, he said: “It will be a test of nerves. The team that manages to keep their composure will win.”

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India vs Pakistan: Calm before the storm

Despite a World Cup semifinal looming over them, the Indian players took a relaxed approach to training at the VCA Stadium on Sunday. Their schedule comprised a football game, a light fielding session and then a game of volleyball, but no intense cricket drills. 

It wouldn’t be inaccurate to say that the way they trained was reminiscent of their lead-up to the game against Ireland in the group stages. A high-stakes India-Pakistan knockout is a world away from a match against an associate team, but as was the case in that match, the Indians have a long gap before Wednesday’s encounter. The Indian team, throughout the tournament, has trained precisely according to their requirements, even if this makes them look — to the casual viewer — like they are casual about practice. 

As MS Dhoni engaged in an animated discussion with chief curator Daljit Singh, pointing at a patch of grass on a good-length area, Sachin Tendulkar walked in with four brand new bats, and began knocking them in. “Call me if you are in trouble, I will be there,” he announced as the rest of his teammates chased a football around the outfield. 

Tendulkar’s services were soon required to counter the over-aggressive Suresh Raina on the left flank and he left yoga instructor Manoj Kumar with precise instructions on knocking the bats in. 

Keeping pressure at bay


Another man, wearing a white bib, was making his presence felt. Mike Horn, the famous motivational speaker who worked with the team during its preparatory camp ahead of the World Cup, was asked to address the team again ahead of its semifinal clash, a game bound to test their nerve even more than their skill. Horn had one-on-one chats with several players before he played fielder while Virat Kohli and Dhoni took their turns with the new bats. 

Quite contrary to that is the Pakistan approach towards training. The Pakistan team arrived in the morning and, after a lengthy game of football, settled for extensive fielding drills and eventually a full-fledged net session. The team sweated it out for close to four hours on Sunday morning after their four-hour Saturday evening session and are scheduled to have another lengthy session tomorrow. There was extra focus on fielding with coach Waqar Younis imploring his boys to stay as low as possible while rushing in towards the ball. 

“We believe in training extra hard and we have been spending close to four hours every day during the entire tournament. This has worked for our boys and nobody has ever complained about anything. They all are enjoying it,” says manager Intikhab Alam. 

They have different approaches to practice sessions, but both India and Pakistan have one common goal-winning the World Cup. Unfortunately, there will be just one winner.

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Taufel, Gould to officiate in high-octane India-Pakistan semis

Ian Gould

Australia's Simon Taufel and England's Ian Gould will be the on-field umpires for the high-voltage World Cup semifinal between India and Pakistan in Mohali on Wednesday. New Zealand's Billy Bowden will be the third umpire and Australian Rod Tucker the fourth umpire. Sri Lanka's Ranjan Madugalle will be the match referee.

Simon Taufel

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has also announced the umpires for Tuesday's semifinal between Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

Steve Davies of Australia and Pakistan's Aleem Dar will be the on-field umpires while Marais Erasmus of South Africa and West Indies' Billy Doctrove have been chosen as the third and fourth umpire.

England's Chris Broad will be the match referee.

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Ganguly is 'The warrior Prince' in new docu-feature

Former teammates such as Sachin Tendulkar and known rivals, including Australian skipper Ricky Ponting, will open up on the enigma called Sourav Ganguly in a docu-feature on the ex-India cricket captain titled 'The Warrior Prince'.

ESPN/STAR Sports network, the official broadcaster for the ongoing cricket World Cup, will broadcast the docu-feature on March 27.

The 80-minutes docu-feature, directed by Mitali Ghoshal who has been a cricket journalist herself, has Amitabh Bachchan lending his voice for narration in major parts of the film and has Ganguly's world-record holder partner in one-day cricket Tendulkar speaking about him.

Currently preparing for the semifinal of the World Cup, Tendulkar has recalled his feelings about the 2003 World Cup, when India reached the final in South Africa after a gap of 20 years.

"I have fond memories about 2003 world cup. Initially the team wasn't playing well but after two-three games we organised ourselves."

"The team got momentum and we suddenly realized that we were in the final and that to a World Cup final. Those two months just flew by, as we all got together, trained hard and focused ourselves on the tournament. Sourav as the captain understood the strength and weakness of every individual and handled the team well," said Tendulkar.

The film has the Ganguly-Greg Chappell spat, which has been a much talked-about point in Indian cricket.

Both Ganguly and Chappell have spoken about the issue and despite differences the Australian has stated, "Maybe I also could have done things differently."

Rahul Dravid will also have his share of say in the film. The 1996 World Cup winning Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga, Ponting have also shared their views in the film about various traits of Ganguly, both as a cricketer and captain.

Among his former teammates, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh, will speak about the Ganguly in the film.

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Team India arrives in Chandigarh

Led by skipper M.S. Dhoni, the Indian cricket team arrived here Saturday amidst tight security for the World Cup semi-final clash against Pakistan at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium in Mohali Wednesday. Indian players, including Sachin tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina, Zaheer Khan and Gautam Gambhir, reached hotel Taj amidst tight security cover. 

Security personnel were lined up on both sides of the road between the Chandigarh airport and the hotel.

Traffic was stopped at various points and diverted to alternate routes to make way for the team bus and the escort vehicles.

The stretch of road in front of the Taj hotel was also closed to traffic. 

"Around 1,000 police officials have been deployed both inside and outside the hotel. This is a very crucial time and we cannot take any chance. The Chandigarh police are well-prepared to handle any kind of emergency situation," Senior Superintendent of Police H.S. Doon said. 

He added: "We have issued a list of do's and don'ts to the players and team officials. We have told them to inform us at least four hours in advance if they want to go out of the hotel. Sufficient security will be provided to the players."

Pakistan team has already reached hotel Taj Friday.

With a houseful sell-out of tickets, the PCA Stadium is expecting jam-packed stands, including scores of Pakistani fans, for the match.

Built in 1992, the PCA Stadium, at Mohali near Chandigarh, can accommodate 28,000 spectators.

This World Cup, it has hosted two league matches.

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