Build Up to India Pakistan WC 2015 clash

          BUILD UP TO THE EPIC INDO-PAK CLASH WC CLASH

When India clash with Pakistan in their first group match of the 2015 World Cup at the Adelaide Oval, they would surely be looking forward to maintain their sweet record of never being defeated by their arch rivals at this grand stage. This clash has always been a fascinating one for the fans, bureaucrats and every possible human being that follows the game, even in a slightest manner. A recent video published by Star Sports is a perfect example of how anticipated this clash is and the hype that is being generated out of it. The anticipated number of viewers for this clash is mammoth 15% of the world’s population. Jesus!!! Both teams would fancy their chances as neither have been putting their best foot forward coming into this world cup.

India have been playing cricket down under for the past couple of months now but are yet to register their first win. After suffering a 0-2 series loss in the Test matches against the hosts, the no. 2 ranked side in the world was expected to fare much better in the triangular series which also featured England. But the team displayed a sorry figure and lost three matches while one match was washed out. Though the perennial poor performers, our bowlers, have held their reputation in the entire series by leaking runs too easily, our batsmen too have not held their forte and display the same aggression and application that was on show during the test series. The middle order looks brittle and shallow while the top is too reliant on Virat Kohli. Even the presence of experienced duo of Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni fails to bolster the lineup. Three early wickets and India seriously lack the resilience to bat out the whole quota of 50 overs. As a result, the openers are bound to play a vital role if the defending champions are to reach anywhere close to their previous feat in 2011. Dhawan has been a shadow of himself during the entire tour while Rohit Sharma’s injury woes seem unending. Both the batsmen need to click together to bolster our chances as was visible during the Champions trophy in England.

On the other hand, Pakistan too has its own stock of worries (they should have for Christ sake). After being recently thrashed 2-0 by New Zealand, this unpredictable side had a major boost when ICC cleared their ace spinner, Saeed Ajmal of bowling. Ajmal was reported of suspect action and had earlier withdrawn from the mega event to undergo corrections in his action. However, the good news did not last for long as Mohd Hafeez was ruled out the event due to a leg injury. Hafeez had been a mainstay for the team and was among the top allrounders currently before he too was reported and suspended for illegal action. Pakistan already have lost premier bowlers Umar Gul and Junaid Khan owing to injuries and Hafeez’s exclusion does not send a right message for the team’s fortunes. PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) has named Nasir Jamshed as Hafeez’s replacement which diminishes Ajmal’s chances of making to the squad.

Both sides have a lot on their table which makes this contest more exciting and a must watch. So, mark your calendars and wait in excitement for this epic clash only on Star Sports Network. Listeners can also tune into All India Radio for match commentary. The match starts at 0900 Hrs on 15^th February at the historic Adelaide Oval.    

  

6 bowlers to watch out for in World Cup 2015

            

"Make 'em hard and fast." This is the simple message that has been given to the Australian pitch curators. Going by this, one can expect feisty and spirited efforts by some world class bowlers in the midst to shape their teams’ fortunes. Apart from the ground conditions, use of two new balls from each end will surely encourage captains to prioritize quicker bowlers. So it did not come as a surprise when most teams (Including ones who usually depend on spinners) decided to pack their squads with pacers. Let’s have a look at the 6 bowlers who are more likely to inch their team closer to winning the ultimate prize, the CRICKET WORLD CUP 2015.

    1. Mitchell Johnson (Australia)

The dream destroyer and menace creator, Mitchell Johnson, is expected to repeat the havoc that he has wrecked in the last 18 months. Possessing such a champion bowler who more often than not takes a wicket in his first spell and returns with fruitful result even in the middle and slog overs is likely to prove a vital cog in boosting home team’s chances. Early wickets are the key in any format and Johnson’s exploits along with Mitchell Starc would provide an added advantage to already talent rich side. Apart from his fiery pace and control of line and length, the tension that he creates in the opposition’s mind does most of the damage. Johnson, the spearhead of the bowling attack, might very well inspire his team to lift their 5^th title and 1^st on the home turf.  

    2. Trent Boult (New Zealand)

Trent Boult has become a major asset for the co-hosts in recent times and along with his new ball partner Tim Southee, the pair is likely to wreck havoc and create the same kind of impact which is expected from the Australian pair of Johnson and Starc. Bolt, who idolizes Wasim Akram, can swing the ball both ways and the very fact that he gets rid of the batsmen with strong technical aspects with his late swing makes him even a bigger threat going into the world cup. With New Zealand being touted as a major title contender, Boult’s performances will surely put the co-hosts on right path.

    3.  Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka)

Now this might come as a surprise. Guys, don’t be bewildered by my choice. Of late, Herath has been a mainstay of the Sri Lankan bowling line up and more importantly, a genuine wicket taker.  The possession of ‘carrom ball’, where he flicks the ball through his fingers, makes him even more potent. Herath has the uncanny ability of breaking crucial partnerships as well as drying up the runs in the middle overs with his precise and immaculate line and length. The common worry among all Sub Continent teams would be defending totals on the huge Australian grounds. This is where, Herath, in tandem with Malinga, can see Sri Lanka through difficult times and enable smooth progress at least to the semis.

    4. Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka)

No team would have ever been as relieved as would be Sri Lanka after Lasith Malinga was declared fit for the mega event. The impact that he creates with his deadly yorkers and clever change of pace is second to none. He is arguably the best death bowler ever to play the game and his ability to change the course of the match on its head in a space of few deliveries is unparallel. I am sure his spell against South Africa in 2007 World Cup where he took 4 wickets in as many balls is still fresh in our minds. Even with their batting prowess, Sri Lanka would have been the half the side in absence of their spearhead. On the other side, it should be duly noted that Malinga is returning from a long layoff and expecting him to set the stage on fire immediately would be too harsh. However, if he performs to even half of his abilities, Sri Lanka would be tough nut to crack given their remarkable run in ICC tournaments.

    5.  Morne Morkel (South Africa)

The 6’5’’ lanky pacer hailing from the rainbow nation is being touted to change the misfortune of his team’s consistent failure to win ICC tournaments. The pace and bounce on Aus and NZ pitches will ideally assist Morkel to devastate opposition’s batting line up in company of Steyn, Parnell and Abbott. Most batsmen find it very difficult to gauge the bounce he extracts from that height and would take some skill to counter him if he finds the right rhythm. Morkel has often been accused of bowling too short and as most people believe, Morkel is yet to showcase the impact that a 6’5’’ bowling at 145 case can create and this might be opportunity for him to make himself count and spoken in the same breath as his champion compatriot Dale Steyn.

6.  Mohammad Irfan (Pakistan)

Mohammad Irfan, at a towering height of 7’1’’, is the tallest player to play international cricket and has not been shy in taking every possible advantage of this feature. Barring his fitness concerns, Irfan is almost unplayable at times when he is at his peak. The loss of key compatriots Umar Gul and Junaid Khan has shifted the burden of getting off Pakistan to good starts with the ball entirely on him. In a recent interview, Irfan said that he wants to emulate what the great Wasim Akram did for the nation in 1992 edition. In order to achieve that feat, he will have to bowl out of his skins with prominent support from the other end and more importantly, stay fit across the whole tournament.

5 batsmen to watch out for in the World Cup 2015

The Cricket World Cup 2015 bonanza is knocking on the door and the fire power with the bat is set to shape each of the teams’ destinies. The current rules in this format such as restriction of fielders outside the 30 yard circle and 15 overs of power play have shifted the balance in the batsman’s favour. In this section, we will have a look at the 5 batsmen that need to be watch out for:

1. David Warner (Australia)

David Andrew Warner, a dynamic (pocket dynamite as he is often referred to) left-handed opening batsman and the first Australian cricketer to be selected for a national team in any format without any experience in first-class cricket has been no less than a revelation for the hosts and puts them in the position of biggest contender to lift the cup along with South Africa. The consistency and temperament that Warner has showcased in the last couple of years by converting those quick fiery 30’s and 40’s into match winning knocks has been simply exemplary and jaw-dropping. He has provided the hosts with a luxurious cushion by laying a solid platform in double quick time. When a team scores  130 in first 20 overs as often as Australia have been doing of late, they are bound to achieve a match winning total at most times. Warner, holds the key for realization of Australia’s dreams of conquering the cup on their home turf and has given a kick start with his brilliant century in the warm up match.

2. Kane Williamson (New Zealand)

Kane Williamson is simply the man for New Zealand, the proud co-hosts. Kane’s ability to acclimatize to any situation and still bring the best out of himself has seen the transformation of his team from being the dark horses to title contenders. In the eight ODIs New Zealand played against Sri Lanka and Pakistan since Christmas, Williamson hit 407 runs at 67.8. Since the start of the test summer, he's hit 657 runs at 93. Since last January, Williamson has hit 1177 ODI runs in 17 innings - three centuries, nine half centuries, only three scores under 25, none in single figures, and is averaging 69.2 for that period. And on it goes.  (Stats Courtesy: NzHerald.co.nz). The fact that Kane plays a perfect foil to his captain Brendon McCullum’s aggressive instincts caters very well to co-hosts chances in the mega event. Kane’s good tournament with the willow could very well see New Zealand lift their first silverware after being ousted at the semi finals stage several times.

3. AB De Villiers (South Africa)

Mr. 360, as he is admirably called, is the arguably the best and most significant player on the planet. His recent fireworks against the hapless West Indies, where he scored the fastest hundred in this format was a treat to watch and I am sure that no genuine cricket fan would have been amazed by his feat. While he has parted away with the wicket keeping gloves, captaincy and being a premier batsman of the team along with Amla has his hands full. It has been often said at previous editions too but the composition of the Proteas in this edition with the likes of AB’s class makes them genuine contenders to lift the World Cup.

4. Steven Smith (Australia)

The resurgence of Steven Smith in the last 18 months has been simply unbelievable. The fact that he recently won the Allan Border medal and being announced as Australia's Test and One-Day International Player of the Year sumps up the rich vein of form Steve has been in lately. His purple patch does not seem to end anywhere near soon and his ability to rotate strike with utter ease at an amazing strike rate makes him an ideal partner for the attacking trio of Warner, Finch and Watson.
   

5. Angelo Mathews (Sri Lanka)

The Sri Lankan skipper is the one to watch out inspite the presence of stalwarts like Sangakkara and Jayawardene. The senior players in this team are on the verge of retirement and hence the resurgence of Angelo as a genuine match winner, both with bat and ball (more so with bat, I must add) has enabled Sri Lankans to breathe a sigh of relief. Angelo provides the optimum balance that a side can desire for which in turn, bolster their chances significantly to reach the semis at least.