Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Messi or Ronaldo?

ZURICH, Dec 8: Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo was given a chance to defend his World Player of the Year title on Monday when he was named on the shortlist for this year’s accolade.

Argentina’s Lionel Messi, Brazil’s Kaka, the 2007 winner, and Spanish pair Andres Iniesta and Xavi completed the shortlist for the title which will be awarded by soccer’s governing body FIFA on December 21. All five nominees play for Spanish clubs—Ronaldo and Kaka for Real Madrid and Xavi, Messi and Iniesta for Barcelona.

It’s time for the slam bang stuff

NAGPUR, Dec 8: Having crowned themselves the number one team in Test rankings, India would look to assert their supremacy in the shortest format as well when they clash against Sri Lanka in the first Twenty20 International on Wednesday.

The 2-0 triumph and the number one Test ranking also gives India a psychological edge over the visitors, who are still licking their wounds after being spanked by an innings by the home team in two consecutive Test matches.

India have made a few changes in their squad, resting pace spearhead Zaheer Khan and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and calling up youngsters Ashok Dinda and R Ashwin. With Test specialists Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman not considered any more for the limited-over clashes, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan and Rohit Sharma would shore up the middle-order along with Yuvraj Singh and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.