SL vs NZ: Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by 5 wickets to enter World Cup final

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka reached the World Cup final with a five-wicket win against New Zealand on Tuesday as veteran off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan said goodbye to his home crowd.

Sri Lanka, set a modest 218 to win, wobbled in the middle before reaching their target in 47.5 overs with Tillakaratne Dilshan (73) and skipper Kumar Sangakkara (54) setting the foundation at a packed R Premadasa stadium.

Muralitharan took his 534th wicket off his last ball on home soil as New Zealand were bowled out for a below-par score of 217 in 48.5 overs.

Muralitharan, who last year retired from Tests after finishing as the highest wicket-taker with 800, now aims to win his second title -- after being part of the 1996 Cup winning squad -- in Saturday's final in Mumbai.

Sri Lanka, cruising along at 160-1, lost four wickets in the space of 25 runs to raise fears of an unlikely defeat before Thilan Samaraweera (23 not out) and Angelo Mathews (14 not out) guided them home with an unbroken 35-run stand.

The victory took Sri Lanka into their second successive World Cup final, after finishing runners-up to Australia in 2007, as a capacity 35,000 celebrated with firecrackers.

Sri Lanka play the winners of Wednesday's semifinal between India and Pakistan in Mohali.

New Zealand, who for the sixth time failed in a World Cup semi-final, seemed to be succumbing like England did during their 10-wicket quarterfinal defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka, but they staged a brave rearguard action.

It was 34-year-old Dilshan who was once again in rampaging mood, taking the co-hosts to 40 by the eighth over in the company of Upul Tharanga who fell after scoring a 31-ball 30 with four boundaries and a six.

Dilshan then found an equally aggressive and in-form partner in captain Sangakkara as they added 120 for the second wicket, before Dilshan played straight into the hands of Jesse Ryder off Tim Southee.

Dilshan hit 10 boundaries and a six during his 93-ball knock.

Sri Lanka then lost Mahela Jayawardene (one) and Sangakkara in the space of eight runs and then Chamara Silva (13) before the team held their nerve.

Dilshan also became the top run-getter of the tournament with 467.

It was Ajantha Mendis (3-35) and Lasith Malinga (3-55), along with Muralitharan (2-42), who kept New Zealand under control after Daniel Vettori won the toss and opted to bat.

Scott Styris, who top scored with 57, added 77 for the fourth wicket with Ross Taylor (36) but the Sri Lankan bowlers never allowed them to run away with a big total, dismissing the Kiwis in 48.5 overs.

Styris and Kane Williamson (22) added 42 in the batting powerplay but New Zealand lost their last seven wickets for just 56 runs.

Sri Lanka once again dismissed hard-hitting Brendon McCullum through a spinner when left-armer Rangana Herath bowled him in the eighth over for 13.

Martin Guptill (39) and Jesse Ryder (19) took the total to 69 before Muralitharan had the big left-hander caught off a quickish delivery.

Soon it became 84-3 when Malinga bowled Guptill with a ferocious yorker after the opener had hit three boundaries off 65 balls.

Styris hit five boundaries during his 77-ball knock.

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Michael Clarke appointed Australian captain

SYDNEY: Michael Clarke was appointed Australia's Test and one-day captain on Wednesday, a day after Ricky Ponting bowed to pressure and quit after the country's World Cup exit.

Long seen as heir-apparent, the stylish batsman, who turns 30 on Saturday, will jump into the role immediately, leaving this week for a tour of Bangladesh.

Ponting will also be on the plane, taking orders from his former deputy, after being named in the squad to play three one-dayers.

Shane Watson will be Clarke's vice-captain with Cameron White remaining the Twenty20 skipper.

"First of all can I say what an honour it is to be named captain and also a huge surprise to see Ricky stand down," Clarke said at a press conference.

"I was very much unaware of where he was at and didn't know he was going to stand down. It was a huge surprise to me.

"I know Ricky will allow me to do my job to the best of my ability," he added. "We want to be the best team in all forms and that is going to take time."

His Test reign will start in August when he skippers a tour of Sri Lanka.

Clarke, though, is not popular with Australian fans, and polls published Wednesday showed how cool the public are to him.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, only 26 percent of 21,000 respondents in an online poll favoured him to be the new captain.

In the Sydney Daily Telegraph, a survey of 8,500 readers placed him a distant third behind Shane Watson and Michael Hussey.

Ponting insisted Clarke was the right man for the job, and vowed to give him all the support he needed.

"He has done nothing wrong when has stood in for me over the past few years and his record in T20 cricket speaks for itself," he said in a column for The Australian newspaper.

"I will be there in the background for him if he needs me, but from today the Test and one-day teams will be his and I will be one of many players who follow him onto cricket grounds all over the world."

Asked how he will feel taking orders from a man who used to be his deputy, Ponting replied: "I've taken orders most of my life, I'm pretty used to it."

Clarke was also endorsed by cricket legend Richie Benaud.

"I'd have Clarke, he's vice-captain, he's done well the times he's been captain," Benaud told the Nine Network.

Clarke made his professional debut for New South Wales as an 18-year-old in the 1999-2000 Australian domestic season.

He made the jump to the national one-day team in January 2003 against England at Adelaide and was chosen to make his Test debut against India at Bangalore in October 2004.

He thumped 151, helping Australia to victory, invoking comparisons to past Australian greats Doug Walters and Mark Waugh.

Since then, he has gone on to play 69 Tests, scoring 4,742 runs, including 14 centuries, with an average of 46.49. A slow left-arm orthodox bowler, Clarke has captured 21 wickets.

In the one-day game, he has collected 188 caps and 5,928 runs at an average of 43.58, with 52 wickets to his name.

A part-time underwear model and a regular in the social pages, Clarke was formerly engaged to model Lara Bingle and controversially returned to Sydney during Australia's tour of New Zealand in March 2010 for "personal reasons".

It followed Bingle deciding to sue her former lover Brendan Fevola for disseminating naked pictures of her, which ended up in a women's magazine.

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Chennai cops send Rs1.6 crore World Cup bill to BCCI

CHENNAI: When the World Cup euphoria is over, and the Board of Cricket Control in India sits down to square away the accounts, they will have to set aside Rs 1.60 crore to Chennai police. That's the bill for all the anti-aircraft guns, crouching commandos, and hovering choppers deployed by the city police during Chennai matches. "We have prepared the bills to be sent to BCCI," a police officer said.

Following the terror threat, city police prepared a detailed bandobust scheme to give extensive security for the players during the matches. The players were escorted to the hotel from Chenani airport by armed policemen in a tourist bus. The security at the hotel was also tight. One whole floor was cordoned off by the police where the players were stayed. Players had the cautious eyes of cops watching over them even during net practice.

City police arrived at the figure of Rs 1.6 crore based on the number of policemen deployed inside and outside the stadium for player security. This included armed policemen escorting the players from the hotel to the stadium, as well as those who provided security in the hotel.

For the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches conducted in MAC Stadium in 2010, city police had collected Rs 1.06 crore from IPL office bearers. "This is routine for the city police. For the world cup, we will collect the money from BCCI," city police commissioner T Rajendran told TOI.

Five international cricket matches including the India - West Indies match was held in the MAC Stadium, apart from a practice match held prior to the world cup, which started on March 19, 2011. During the India - West Indies match, city police roped in coast guard and defence personnel for security. The defence personnel were armed with anti-aircraft guns and placed inside the stadium premises. "The sharp shooters were there to quickly bring down suspicious aircraft flying above," a police officer said.

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Ind vs Pak: Dhoni urges team-mates not to get distracted by media hype

MOHALI: All the members of the Indian team are fit for Wednesday's World Cup semifinal clash against Pakistan, according to captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who strongly urged his teammates not to get distracted by the hype surrounding the high-voltage clash and just focus on the game.

Dhoni said Indo-Pak cricket matches tend to generate such media hype and it was important for the players not to get sucked into the frenzy and lose focus of the task at hand.

"Well, we know the kind of hype media India-Pakistan matches generate. We are not getting involved in all this. We need to know what we are expected to do and focus on that," Dhoni said at the pre-match media conference.

"All this is part of cricket and we have to accept it. But the key is not to get involved. We will have the biggest distinguished guests (referring to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan PM Yousuf Raza Gilani) to see the match, we have to be at our best," Dhoni said.

Asked whether the excessive hype would affect the Indians who are playing at home, the Indian skipper said, "It is not really affecting us. We all know it is a big tournament and we have prepared a lot. Our preparations have been the same like what we have done in the past few days."

Dhoni was not unduly worried about his batting form and reckoned that he had just not got opportunities to score big though he has been striking the ball well.

Asked specifically if pressure of captaincy was taking a toll on his batting, Dhoni responded: "It is only a cricketing aspect, nothing to do with form. I have been batting quite well. Sometimes the situations are not great to play flamboyant cricket. In the Bangladesh match, such a situation was there but I didn't get to bat."

"If you are batting at No 5, 6, or 7, you don't get to bat much if the top order scores. I think the last game (against Australia) was ideal but it went straight to a fielder. It does not go your way always. Form has not been a worry," he added.

Asked whether all the players in the squad were fit, Dhoni said "as of now, everybody seem to be fit. Hopefully they will be fit."

On whether this was his biggest match as captain, Dhoni said he did not believe in comparisons .

"In a cricketer's life there will be many instances, this is no doubt an important match. After some time you forget. I have forgotten how we were feeling before the semifinal and final in 2007. Three years down the line, every game is different.

"At the end of the day, it remains a 50 overs game, you have to be at your best. You have to maintain the intensity for 100 overs to win the game," the Indian skipper said.

Dhoni admitted that the presence of the Prime Ministers of both India and Pakistan and cricket being used as a tool for politics could serve as distraction.

"That will be a distraction if I think of how we can help in bringing about a political change. I have been given job to lead the side and I have to do that to the best of my ability," he said.

The Indian captain said one team had to lose in the end and fans have to take the result of the match in the right spirit.

"Somebody has to lose, irrespective of all the political talk and cricketing hype. At the end of 30th March, one team loses. It does not happen in cricket along, it happens in all sports," Dhoni pointed out.

"The good thing is we are all unaware of what is happening. Not watching the television is helping. It's a honour to lead the side. If you take it as a pressure job, you will find yourself in a pressure cooker," he said.

On the Pakistan team, Dhoni said they have a good bowling attack with their seamers and spinners doing a good job in the tournament.

"They have a good bowling attack. Their seamers and spinners are doing a good job, the part-timers are also doing well. In sub-continental conditions, these players play a role. All-rounders like Abdul Razzak and (Shahid) Afridi give them the liberty to play extra bowlers," he said.

On the Mohali track, the Indian captain said he could not comment on the wicket as he has not seen the track yet.

"Not seen the wicket, so I can't comment. In Mohali, most of the time it is in favour of batsmen," Dhoni said.

Dhoni also said that his Pakistan counterpart Afridi has been bowling really well in the tournament.

"He has been bowling really well and has been the pick of their bowlers...But irrespective of the bowler, we have to treat the ball on merit and respect the good deliveries, he said.

Ind vs Pak: Akhtar doubtful for World Cup semifinal

MOHALI: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi on Tuesday said that retiring pacer Shoaib Akhtar is racing against time to be fit for the World Cup semifinal against India and is a doubtful starter for the high-profile match to be played at the PCA stadium on Wednesday.

Akhtar has played just three games in the tournament before being dropped but current and former Pakistan players have been calling for the experienced pacer's return in the playing eleven in a bid to unsettle the Indian batsmen.

Afridi, however, said that the team management will take a call on the temperamental pacer later in the day.

"Shoaib is not 100 per cent (fit). He is trying his level best to play and we will decide on him in the evening," Afridi said during the pre-match press conference.

The 35-year-old Akhtar, who has played 163 ODIs for Pakistan, also received support from teammates Umar Gul and Misbah-ul-Haq.

The Pakistani skipper seemed to have started mind games when he said that pressure will be more on India compared to his team during the match.

"We are not the most favourite team for this competition. India is the most favourite and we have played above expectations. We are enjoying our cricket," Afridi said.

"If you know how to handle it, there is no need to panic. I think we will enjoy playing here," he said when asked if the match was being seen more as a battle of nerves.

Admitting that it is always a big challenge to play against India in their home turf, Afridi said his team was up for the task at hand.

"This game is very important for both the sides. We have prepared well for this game and we are confident," he said.

Apart from a place in the April 2 World Cup final at stake, Wednesday's match will also witness cricket diplomacy with Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and his India counterpart Manmohan Singh attending the game.

And Afridi said the sport has and will always build the bridge between the two nations, who have not played a bilateral series since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

"I think it's a great sign for both countries and sports, especially cricket always brings these two countries together," Afridi said.

Afridi said he was honoured to represent and lead Pakistan in the match.

"I am a cricketer first, then a diplomat and ambassador or whatever you may call," he said.

Afridi also held the media responsible for strained relations between the two neighbouring countries.

"Media ki vajeh say India, Pakistan kay relations itney kharab huvein hein (it is because of the media that relations between the two sides have deteriorated)," he lamented.

He also sought to blame the media for twisting his comments on Sachin Tendulkar, who is just one away from reaching the milestone of 100 international tons.

Praising the Mohali track, Afridi said to an extent it would be correct to say that Wednesday's contest would be between Pakistan's strong bowling attack versus India's formidable batting line-up.

Afridi, who is the highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 21 scalps, said he has transformed as a bowler.

"My focus has been on bowling," the all-rounder said. He also praised the controversy-ridden Pakistan team for its impressive display in the tournament.

"The guys have been doing a good job over the past 7-8 months. The team has played as a unit," Afridi said.

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Dhoni plays down India-Pak hype

All the members of the Indian team are fit for Wednesday's World Cup semifinal clash against Pakistan, according to captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who strongly urged his teammates not to get distracted by the hype surrounding the high-voltage clash and just focus on the game.

Dhoni said Indo-Pak cricket matches tend to generate such media hype and it was important for the players not to get sucked into the frenzy and lose focus of the task at hand.

"Well, we know the kind of hype media India-Pakistan matches generate. We are not getting involved in all this. We need to know what we are expected to do and focus on that," Dhoni said at the pre-match media conference.

"All this is part of cricket and we have to accept it. But the key is not to get involved. We will have the biggest distinguished guests (referring to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan PM Yousuf Raza Gilani) to see the match, we have to be at our best," Dhoni said.

Asked whether the excessive hype would affect the Indians who are playing at home, the Indian skipper said, "It is not really affecting us. We all know it is a big tournament and we have prepared a lot. Our preparations have been the same like what we have done in the past few days."

Dhoni was not unduly worried about his batting form and reckoned that he had just not got opportunities to score big though he has been striking the ball well.

Asked specifically if pressure of captaincy was taking a toll on his batting, Dhoni responded: "It is only a cricketing aspect, nothing to do with form. I have been batting quite well. Sometimes the situations are not great to play flamboyant cricket. In the Bangladesh match, such a situation was there but I didn't get to bat."

"If you are batting at No 5, 6, or 7, you don't get to bat much if the top order scores. I think the last game (against Australia) was ideal but it went straight to a fielder. It does not go your way always. Form has not been a worry," he added.
© PTI

Ponting quits as Australia cricket captain

Ricky Ponting quit as Australia's Test and one-day captain Tuesday, bowing to pressure after their World Cup exit, but said he hoped to extend his career as his country's most prolific batsman.

Ponting, 36, who led Australia in more than 300 Test and one-day matches, insisted there was no "tap on the shoulder" to step down and said he remained available for selection. He endorsed deputy Michael Clarke as his successor.

"I have thought long and hard about what Australian cricket needs. Now is the right time for the next captain to assume the responsibility for both the Test and one-day teams," he told a press conference.

Ponting is Australia's most successful Test captain and their leading Test run-scorer, and lies second only to India's Sachin Tendulkar on the all-time list of Test centurions.

But his record, straddling a transition period after the retirement of a host of greats, is tainted with three Ashes series defeats to England, along with occasional flashes of petulance.

Ponting said last week's World Cup quarter-final loss to India -- ending their 12-year reign as champions -- prompted his move, which also comes just three months after the latest Ashes loss brought strident calls for change.

"The fact that we went out of the World Cup when we did was the main reason," he said, while denying he had been forced out by Cricket Australia. "I will go on the record and say that I have had no tap on the shoulder from anybody, this has been a decision that has been wholly and solely made by me."

Ponting added that he was excited by the prospect of being unburdened by the captaincy and rediscovering his world-beating batting form.

His fighting 104 in Thursday's quarter-final was Ponting's first hundred in 39 international innings across all formats.

"Today is a new start for me and I am very excited about the future," he said.

"I will give my complete support to our new captain and continue to do my best to set the best possible example for my team-mates and emerging cricketers alike.

"I proved to myself the other day that I still have what it takes to play a good international innings and that was something that was really important to me."

Ponting endorsed his deputy Clarke as the next captain, starting with the three one-day match tour to Bangladesh in April.

"Absolutely. I think that is the way it will go, for the sheer fact that he (Clarke) has done a terrific job in almost every game he has had the chance to captain for Australia," he said.

"I think he's growing into the leadership role and I would totally endorse Michael Clarke as the next captain."

Ponting has been under growing pressure since earning the dubious distinction of becoming the only Australian skipper to fail to win the Ashes three times, and said he was proud of how he responded. "It's something I've had to deal with over the last six to eight months. There's been a lot of those questions out there about me, about my leadership, and even my batting at different times," he said.

"The thing that I am really proud about is how I have handled it and how I responded with the bat in the last game, under probably the most pressure that the team and I have been under for a long time, was really satisfying."

He did not say when he might retire altogether.

"I have not put a finish date or time on when my international career will be over. I haven't written off playing in the 2013 Ashes and to have another crack at winning another Ashes series in England," he said.

Ponting stands as one of the modern-day cricketing greats, amassing 12,363 runs in 152 Tests at 53.52, and 13,288 runs in 359 one-day internationals.

He has won more Tests as captain with 48 than any other Australian and has the astonishing success rate of almost 72 percent as the country's one-day leader, winning 164 of his 228 games.

"Ricky Ponting has been an outstanding batsman, one of the best to wear the baggy green," Cricket Australia chairman Jack Clarke said.

Cricket Australia meet later Tuesday to discuss who will succeed Ponting, with Clarke the overwhelming favourite.

© AFP

Indo-Pak security tight ahead of W.Cup semi-final

New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori believes the semi-final should mark the start of bigger achievements.

The Black Caps have never progressed beyond the World Cup semi-finals in five previous attempts, but Vettori hoped his team move on from their upset quarter-final win over South Africa.

"I think we need to move on pretty quickly from that South Africa game," said Vettori of New Zealand's 49-run win at Dhaka.

"It was obviously a tremendous result for us but Sri Lanka is a completely different prospect. It's a different game so we need a different game plan and a better game plan if we want to succeed." The world record breaking off-spinner, who will retire after the World Cup, has been carrying a hamstring injury and also picked up a knee problem in the quarter-final win over England.

But the 38-year-old, who has 800 Test wickets and 532 ODI victims, is so crucial to Sri Lanka, that Sangakkara could be tempted to gamble.

"Murali and everyone is trying to get him fit enough to play, it's no use thinking about the final and saving him for other games," said Sangakkara of Muralitharan who took 4-25 in the group stage win over New Zealand.

Sangakkara said the spinner, who played in the 1996 World Cup winning team, will be crucial to his team's hopes of making the April 2 final in Mumbai.

"This is the crunch game and if he can play that'll be great for us, but if that doesn't work out for us, we've got enough cover to make sure that we are still a solid winning side," said Sangakkara. Around 100 commandos belonging to Punjab's Special Security Group, trained by Israeli counter-terrorism experts, will also be on duty.

People living close to the 30,000-capacity PCA stadium in Mohali were left fuming at what they termed was "too much attention just for a game of cricket".

"It has become a nightmare for us to reach and leave our homes," said Vijay Khanna.

"I shudder to think what will happen on match day when the build-up is like this. I am thinking of going on a short trip and escape the madness."

Hotel guests in Mohali and nearby Chandigarh, meanwhile, also complained of midnight security sweeps of their rooms.

In Colombo, Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara admitted that even a half-fit Muralitharan could be risked in Tuesday's semi-final against New Zealand. More than 2,000 mounted police and commandos threw a tight security blanket around Mohali on Tuesday ahead of the World Cup semi-final clash between India and Pakistan.

But despite the significance of Wednesday's game, there was only one match consuming interest in Sri Lanka where Muttiah Muralitharan was playing his last international on home turf, the semi-final against New Zealand.

India's last-four encounter against Pakistan will be the first meeting between the two arch-rivals on Indian soil since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

Although relations are still tense, the match has become a diplomatic lever with Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani accepting an invitation from his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh to attend the match.

"We are leaving nothing to chance. The security will be multi-layered," said Mohali's Senior Superintendent of Police G.P.S. Bhullar.
© AFP

Aussie PM praises 'great bloke' Ponting

Australia's Prime Minister Julia Gillard praised Ricky Ponting as a "great bloke" Tuesday as former players also hailed the batsman, who stepped down as the country's Test and one-day captain.

Gillard said she had called to congratulate Ponting on his achievements, after he quit the captaincy in the wake of last week's World Cup exit at the hands of India.

Ponting is Australia's most successful Test captain and its leading Test run-scorer, but was under growing pressure after losing his third Ashes series against England and relinquishing his team's 12-year hold on the World Cup.

"To play that kind of role for Australia is an enormous privilege and I know from talking to Ricky today that he has felt that privilege," Gillard told reporters.

"He's our greatest batsman after (Don) Bradman... I think all of us would wish him well in whatever he chooses to do for the balance of his life.

"He's still a very young man but many, many accolades are going to flow in the direction of Ricky Ponting today and in the coming days and let me lend my voice to congratulate a great bloke and fantastic cricketer."

Australian Cricketers' Association President and former team-mate Michael Kasprowicz said Ponting, who remains available for selection, had made an outstanding contribution as skipper.

"Ricky has been a magnificent team leader who has excelled in all forms of the game in all kinds of conditions," Kasprowicz said.

"On countless occasions he has carved an innings of strength to truly lead from the front on the big stage and was an inspirational figure to play under."

Former England captain Michael Vaughan said via Twitter: "Respect to Ricky Ponting. Never easy giving up something that you love doing. Lots of runs still in him though. Bowlers beware."

Cricket Australia chairman Jack Clarke paid tribute to Ponting's leadership.

"Ricky Ponting has been an outstanding batsman, one of the best to wear the baggy green," Clarke said in a statement.

"His leadership as captain has been outstanding and I sometimes think his brilliance with the bat has overshadowed his fine work as captain.

"Those close to the team know his true worth in guiding his players and setting a personal example of commensurate professionalism, particularly in recent years following the retirement of so many greats of the game." Former Australian skipper Kim Hughes believed Ponting can follow in the footsteps of Indian great Sachin Tendulkar and improve as a player after relinquishing the captaincy.

"I still feel that he possibly thinks he's got another year or two good cricket left in him at either one-day or Test cricket and maybe without the burden of the captaincy that he can do justice to that," Hughes said.

Cricket Tasmania chairman Tony Harrison, whose island state -- Ponting's birthplace -- won this season's domestic Sheffield Shield, said cricket was strong there because of the ex-captain's contribution to the game.
© AFP

SL vs NZ: Sri Lanka may exploit worn pitch with three spinners

MUMBAI: Sri Lanka may exploit a pitch used three days earlier and employ three specialist spinners for the second match in a row in Tuesday's World Cup semifinal against New Zealand in Colombo.

To New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori's consternation, the match will be played on the pitch used in last Saturday's quarterfinal against England.

"They told us we are playing on the same one as England which is very surprising for us," Vettori told a news conference on Monday. "We would have thought it is mandatory to prepare a fresh wicket, but obviously not."

Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara said pace bowler Nuwan Kulasekara, who did not play against England, had performed well against New Zealand.

"Playing three spinners is a question we have to ask ourselves today. Nuwan Kulasekara has done exceptionally well against New Zealand every single time he has gone out there so he is a strong contender to play," he said.

"But the role of spinners seems to overshadow the role of pacers due to the matches being played in pitches where a lot of matches have been already played."

New Zealand have a good overall one-day record against Sri Lanka, due primarily to their home matches where green pitches and cool weather provide alien conditions for Asian teams.

The reverse will apply on Tuesday with heat, stifling humidity and a low, slow pitch.

To compound New Zealand's difficulties, Sri Lanka have the best-balanced attack in the tournament with Lasith Malinga's fast, slingy yorkers supplementing the spin attack.

MURALITHARAN DOUBT

Sri Lanka will decide in the morning whether or not to play Muttiah Muralitharan, who is suffering from knee and quadricep problems.

Sangakkara said there no question of resting Muralitharan in anticipation of a final in Mumbai on Saturday between the winners of Wednesday's clash between India and Pakistan.

But he said Sri Lanka still had plenty of spinning options if Muralitharan, who will retire from international cricket after the tournament, was not available.

New Zealand will need everything to go in their favour if they are to become the first team from their nation to advance to the final in six attempts.

Their bowling is usually disciplined, if not especially penetrative, and the fielding was exceptional in the quarter-final win over South Africa,

Vettori's main concern is his team's inconsistency. "We need quickly to switch off from South Africa, it's obviously a tremendous result for us but Sri Lanka is a different prospect so we need a different game plan and a bigger game plan if we want to succeed here," he said.

"We have been so up and down with our performances. When we have won well, we backed it up with a poor performance.

"So, that has been the majority of talk within the team that we can't afford to be up and down in the knockout stages. We have had our up performance and we have to make sure we have another one in the bag because we know how strong Sri Lanka can be in their home conditions."

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Ind vs Pak: India, Pakistan get ready for showdown with dew respect

MOHALI: Alfred Hitchcock would have been fascinated by the thrilling build-up to this game. As he once said, there is no terror in a bang, only in the anticipation of it. In fierce testimony to the compelling power of sport to excite and evoke, the Punjab Cricket Association stadium has been the epicentre of national anxiety for days now. With just a day left for this World Cup semifinal to get underway, the cultural twists, political turns, local unrest and logistical nightmares are all reaching a crescendo. It has been an exercise in anger management for security personnel too.

As hope gave way to despair and serpentine queues in front of ticket booths dissolved into a stone-pelting mob with a fury and agenda of its own, it seemed the lead actors were calmly cohabiting a pocket universe of their own. Cushioned from the shrill overtones of cross-border congeniality this match-up has acquired, the cricketers themselves got down to the serious business of scripting a new chapter in their rivalry.

For starters, both teams chose to have animated conversations with the curator. Pakistan's manager Intikhab Alam, coach Waqar Younis and captain Shahid Afridi confabulated with those in the know, and sources indicated India's think-tank had had separate discussions. Reading the conditions, and how the end-of-season Mohali pitch will behave - whether it will facilitate strokeplay throughout or slow down towards the end of the game - will have a huge bearing on their strategies.

Pakistan even made plans for a fielding practice in the evening, and it'll help them gauge the dew factor too. Infamous for their butter-fingered inclinations, the team's training sessions have seemed more intense and thorough than India's. Seeing Pakistan sweat it out has been indication enough of the magnitude of the encounter.

Munaf or Nehra?

For the hosts, though, it's all about maintaining the tempo and revising last-minute plans. The two-seamers/two-spinners combo seems to have worked well against Australia, and MS Dhoni has, in the past, appeared reluctant to change winning lineups. But does he go with Munaf Patel, whose impact seems to have diluted into the tournament, or chose to field the now-on-now-off Ashish Nehra? Although Sreesanth was his usual ebullient self in the nets, it appears unlikely he will have any role to play. Nehra had a diligent nets session, bowling his heart out and even indulging in some batting practice.

The Munaf conundrum, and whether it will be wise to continue opening with Ravichandran Ashwin's spin, are the twin quandaries the team management must decide fast. Harbhajan Singh, though restrictive, hasn't been the wicket-taking option the team would like him to be and the coaches took time out for a special session, getting India's main off-spinner to bowl at a stump and reminding him whenever the delivery landed short.

Sachin takes leaf out of Pakistan's book

The batting heavyweights, on whose shoulders rest India's World Cup hopes, seemed more intent on finetuning their art and getting a feel of bat on ball in this first nets session since their arrival. As the chorus grows for Tendulkar to deliver on his 100th ton, the batsman himself chose to take a leaf out of Pakistan's training handbook and play deliveries directed at a granite slate, to cope with faster deliveries and unpredictable seam movement.

The usual throwdowns from coach Gary Kirsten were there too, but the attention was hogged by a left-handed nets bowler who hurled the ball into the slate as Sachin used an older bat to knock the bouncing deliveries away. The other opener, Sehwag, too followed suit.

There's a reason why the routines for both teams have veered slightly away from the norm. In spite of the clamour and conflicting motivations, the cricketers will eventually have to hold centrestage, and preparations must be precise.

World Cup put out of bounds for news channels

NEW DELHI: Putting a spanner in the coverage of the much-awaited India-Pakistan cricket semifinal, the ICC has unexpectedly cancelled the media accreditation of television channels. The decision has been strongly criticized by TV channels as "infringement of media rights".

An e-mail sent by ICC to TV channels on Sunday said, "Please be advised that your accreditation has been cancelled for Wednesday's ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 semifinal match between India and Pakistan in Mohali. You will therefore not be granted a media match-day ticket and will not be allowed to enter the ground. In addition, you will not have access to any event-related activities such as pre and post-match media conferences and team training sessions."

The move comes on the back of allegations by the ICC that TV channels were using more TV footage than was agreed upon. An ICC spokesman said, "There have been serious violations of news access guidelines, as well as media terms and conditions, which the non-rights holders had signed on and agreed to abide by while applying for media accreditation for the ICC Cricket World Cup."

The News Broadcasters Association has reacted strongly to this restrictive step. "The last two-three days, news broadcasters were getting threatening letters from the ICC asking them to sign an undertaking which was restrictive and unacceptable at this crucial juncture of the World Cup. The issue was discussed in the board meeting and all broadcasters have decided to voluntarily desist from accessing the match venue or availing any other accreditation benefits. We are all united in this," Annie Joseph, secretary general, NBA said.

Reacting to the media ban Shazi Zaman, Broadcast Editor's Association president said, "ICC is withdrawing accreditation of the entire electronic media. This means that we are deprived of covering not just the match but also the Indo-Pak political event. This is an infringement of media rights."

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Ind vs Pak: New bats for Sachin Tendulkar?

MOHALI: Sachin Tendulkar is known to prepare assiduously before any match. He never leaves anything to chance and covers all bases before getting into the thick of the battle. Now that India are just two wins away from one of his most cherished goals - the World Cup crown - the batting maestro must be preparing even harder.

On Sunday, one got a sneak peak into his plans for the semifinal against Pakistan, and possibly the final on April 2, when he brought to the ground a fresh supply of bats. Tendulkar is very fastidious about his willows and wants them to be in perfect shape so that he can heap maximum damage on the bowlers.

The gleaming new bats needed some breaking up so he, after doing a few knock-downs himself, asked the yoga trainer Manoj Kumar to give them some hits.

Thus, while Tendulkar played football with teammates, Kumar kept hitting balls with the bats for close to an hour.

Tendulkar came back to continue the routine himself before Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli also got a taste of the master's new weapons of mass destruction.

Will Tendulkar be employing one of these new bats in the semifinal against Pakistan? We will know shortly. Maybe, his 100th international century (he is just one short) will come through a brand new bat.

PCA officials go into hiding

The tickets for India-Pakistan matches always come at a premium but if it happens to be a World Cup match and that too a semifinal clash the stakes are bound to rise.

And with it rises the expectations from the host association to oblige as many people as it can. But as far as Punjab Cricket Association is concerned, it has thrown in the towel.

Such is the demand for tickets and passes that a majority of the PCA officials have gone into hiding for the past two-three days and are surfacing just to keep the operational activities going.

The mobile phones have been switched off for the last two days and hardly anyone knows from where they were operating during that time.

Expectant visitors to PCA joint secretary GS Walia's office are greeted by a huge lock. Unable to bear the pressure, PCA officials have gone to the extent of even requesting some of its members to voluntarily return the tickets so as to accommodate more number of guests and promised that they will be accommodated somewhere else. Not surprisingly, no one has come forward till now.

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Cricket Australia sets Ponting captaincy deadline

SYDNEY: Under-fire Australia captain Ricky Ponting was given just three days to decide his future on Monday as selectors said the next one-day squad would be announced on Wednesday.

Ponting, who let slip Australia's 12-year grasp on the World Cup last week - just three months after their heavy Ashes defeat - has already hinted that he may step down.

Cricket Australia said a squad for next month's three-match one-day tour of Bangladesh was expected to be announced on Wednesday, effectively setting a deadline for the veteran skipper.

Ponting, 36, returned home on Sunday following Australia's quarterfinal exit from the World Cup at the hands of India, saying he was considering his position this week.

"I'll have the opportunity over the next couple of days to reflect on where things are headed for me and certainly what direction I feel things are heading for the betterment of Australian cricket," the Test and one-day captain told reporters.

"I have to really decide what I think is right for me and the team going forward."

Australia play three one-day matches against Bangladesh on April 9, 11 and 13, with Ponting previously stating that he wanted to lead the team on the tour.

But Ponting has since suggested he could quit as captain, saying he was prepared to play on under the likely leadership of his deputy Michael Clarke and bat anywhere in the order.

"I see myself as a leader around the group, simple as that, whether I'm captain or not I still think I've got a lot to offer as far as leadership qualities go," he said.

Though heartened by support of teammates and senior officials, Ponting said he was "absolutely" prepared to drop down the order and step down as captain "if that's what they (CA) and I believe is the best way forward".

Ponting, who has been under attack since the 3-1 Ashes series defeat to England, scored a fighting 104 but it was not enough to prevent India from knocking the champions out in last Thursday's quarterfinal in Ahmedabad.

He has now presided over the end of Australia's 12-year run as World Cup champions after his third Ashes series defeat as captain to England.

Ponting, who has been captain for nine years, had a difficult World Cup, taking a reprimand from the International Cricket Council after smashing a dressing-room TV in a fit of fury after being run out against Zimbabwe.

He was also criticised for angrily throwing the ball to the ground after colliding with teammate Steven Smith during their victory against Canada, and for failing to walk in the group match defeat by Pakistan.

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India finally get things right

MOHALI: World Cups are usually won by teams which have a settled look about them. If a side is chopped and changed too often in the middle of a long-winding mega event, then you can be sure it's not the filly you are going to put your money on.

One major obstacle the Indian campaign in this World Cup was facing till the quarterfinal purported to the team combination. The eleven they fielded for most group games did not always inspire confidence. The logic behind picking up a certain player at the cost of another was also not passing muster. The up-and-down performance added fuel to the selection fire.

Thankfully, the much-celebrated and heavily-discussed victory over Australia not only put India into the semifinals, it also gave the eleven a virtually final shape, consequently giving the team management peace of mind. This is one big plus India will be taking into the semifinal against Pakistan, a clash which is being called 'the final before the final.'

Before the Australia clash, the Indian combination was looking like a work still in progress with a few players, notably Piyush Chawla and Yusuf Pathan, not really making it count despite getting several opportunities. Pacers Ashish Nehra and Sreesanth too flopped in their maiden appearances. Experiments regarding the batting order were not working either.

But the Ahmedabad triumph saw things fall into place even though it took longer than what MS Dhoni probably would have in mind -- you cannot keep experimenting with the team composition till it's knockout time.

There were two major gains for India in the quarterfinal tie - R Ashwin more or less settled the debate over who the second mainline spinner would be; and Suresh Raina's gutsy cameo made it almost certain that he would be the seventh batter in the team, who is slotted to come at No.7 but may come in earlier if need arises.

As things stand now, the only player from the Ahmedabad XI who looks a bit shaky is Munaf Patel, who has found the going tough in these conditions. But it is likely that he will be preferred over Nehra and Sreesanth unless the management decides to come up with a surprise.

The selection here will probably be based on who is likely to give away least runs and keep the pressure on and not on who can get wickets. Munaf had bowled some impressive spells in South Africa during the one-day series in January on pitches suiting his style of bowling. Mohali is known to help pacemen with bounce and movement. Maybe, Munaf will extract something from the track and make his presence felt at the PCA Stadium.

Having a settled side lessens the burden on the think-tank which can then spend its energies on other aspects of preparation and planning. It's better for the players too as they can prepare without any uncertainty clouding their minds.

The Indian squad which trained at the ground here on Sunday for about two hours looked a happy, animated bunch while playing football and volleyball.

This augurs well as the pressure is immense. And anything which helps lessen the stress must be welcome. The firming-up of the eleven would surely have helped.

Misbah is hoping bits-and-pieces Pakistan will come up trumps against the more star-studded Indians.

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‘Guru is not my solo hit’

Once hailed as the crown prince of Bollywood, the hits have lately dried up for Abhishek Bachchan, but that doesn’t stop the actor from denying that Guru, one of his biggest hits, was all about his acting.

Now with the Bachchan scion’s two back-to-back solo films, Game and Dum Maaro Dum, fans and critics alike are eagerly waiting to see whether the actor can come out of his bad patch.

Though there are other lead actors in the films (Game also features Jimmy Shergill while Dum Maaro Dum has Prateik Babbar and Rana Daggubati), the fact remains that Abhishek is leading from the front in each of these films.

However, the man himself is unwilling to get carried away with the theory that he alone will be shouldering the responsibilities of the films and instead challenges the notion behind a film being slotted as a multi-starrer or a one-star affair.

“People come and tell me that Guru has been a huge solo hit in my career. How can they say that? I don’t consider Guru as my solo hit,” Abhishek says despite the fact that the film has been his crowning glory over the years.

“You tell me. What’s the definition of a solo film? Is it one where there is one hero doing all the talking? Then how can you forget other great actors like Mithun Chakraborty and Madhavan in the film? It was the collective effort of everyone involved that made Guru a hit,” says Abhishek modestly.

Tell him that going by industry reports, the film is considered as his hit more than anyone else’s and he immediately shoots back, “If that’s the case then Dhoom as well as Dhoom 2 should also be called just my hits, right?”

Abhishek adds with a smile, “After all John and Hrithik were villains in these films and I was the hero so they should be called my solo hits, right? I am not saying they should be. All I am saying is that people need to decide the terminology they wish to use in order to differentiate between solo movies and multi-starrers.”

Ajay's the most bankable B'wood actor

This will definitely make everyone get up and notice this man. Ajay Devgn starrer Singham has been sold for approximately 12 crores! That too only in Bombay territory. And, with this development, Ajay Devgn becomes the costliest horse in the derby of Bollywood.

Another film by the rocking Golmaal 3 duo, Ajay Devgn and Rohit Shetty, it is bought by Rakesh Sippy's Raksha Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

Not going deep into the 'business' details of it, Rakesh Sippy says, "I would not like to comment on the price as it's a business call but yes, we have bought the film.

I have seen the original South Indian version of Singham. The combination Ajay Devgn and director Rohit Shetty works for me." To add, Salman Khan's Dabangg too was sold for the same price of 12 crores as Ajay's Singham.

With huge amounts riding on him, Ajay is seemingly the most bankable star in the industry. For one, 2010 is clearly a proof of this.

Of the six releases last year, Ajay delivered four hits with Golmaal 3, Raajneeti, Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai and Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge?.

Also, Rakesh Sippy reasons why Devgn rocks, "Ajay has not been stagnant. He has done different genres of films. I also distributed Golmaal 3.

Although Aakrosh was disappointing at the box office, Golmaal 3 and Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai did exceptionally well in Mumbai.

He is a dependable actor. He has even experimented in the genre of comedy with Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge?, Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji and Golmaal 3."

Testimonials

Trade expert Taran Adarsh says, "When he started out, he was known to do only action films but if you look at his body of work over the years, he has proved his versatility. In fact, last year itself he proved that he is an all rounder and has the quality of a fine actor.

With Singham, Ajay is back in action, which is his forte, plus it is Rohit Shetty. I think it will be unbeatable! Ajay is going back to his roots after experimenting and being proved successful."

Opining on the return of the action flicks genre, Taran further adds, "Action films are back and they make a terrific start. Gone are the days when people said that action films would not work in multiplexes.

Dabangg did phenomenal in single screens as well as multiplexes and so will Singham. Now, when every actor is going towards action films, Ajay has already mastered the art."

Editor of Box Office India Vajir Singh says, "Singham is one of the hottest films in the trade today.

The formidable team of Rohit Shetty and Ajay has an unmatched box office record. The film was a blockbuster down South and Ajay is an apt choice for the film.

Rohit is known for his action sequences and together they will have a killer action film this year."

Speaking about Ajay, Vajir Singh added, "Ajay is one of the few intelligent actors in Bollywood. He understands the business and knows the ideal release periods.

He has comprehended the formula of making films within a stipulated budget and knows his audience. His box office record of last year proves that."

So directors and producers out there, it's time to go and grab this man!

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SL vs Eng: England elect to bat against Sri Lanka

NEW DELHI: England won the toss and chose to bat in the last of the World Cup quarterfinals against Sri Lanka at the R Premadasa stadium on Saturday.

England kept the same side which beat the West Indies in their last Group B match, still keeping paceman James Anderson on the bench and playing with two off-spinners in Graeme Swann and James Tredwell.

Sri Lanka included left-arm spinner Rangana Herath for paceman Nuwan Kulasekara as the only change in the squad which beat New Zealand by 112 runs to give them three frontline spinners.

The weather could play a major role with rain expected in the evening.

Teams

Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Mahela Jayawardene, Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Angelo Mathews, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath.

England: Andrew Strauss (capt), Eoin Morgan, Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara, Matt Prior, Tim Bresnan, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Luke Wright, Chris Tremlett.

Umpires: Billy Doctrove (WIS) and Simon Taufel (AUS)

TV umpire: Tony Hill (NZL)

Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)

Pitch conditions: The R. Premadasa stadium pitch has tinge of grass and since it has been unused since the Pakistan-Australia match, it looks fresh. It is likely to help batsmen but will take slow turn as the match progresses.


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Armed forces, police close ranks for World Cup final

MUMBAI: The city police has discussed in detail security arrangements for the World Cup final match at Wankhede stadium on April 2 with the National Security Guard (NSG), the Air Force, the Navy and the Army. The security arrangement is said to be twice as tight as that during US president Barak Obama's visit last year.

The trigger for the stringent measures is an input from security agencies that terrorists could try and attack the event. The police are not ruling out the possibility of air and water strikes. Accordingly, the venue has been declared a no-flying zone during the match; the Air Force will be ready to shoot down any suspicious aircraft which violates the order. The Navy and Coast Guard, on their part, will monitor the sea.

NSG and Force One commandos will be posted at strategic positions near the stadium in ready position for counter-terrorism operation. Marine commandos (MARCOS), too, will also be on standby. The city police will engage choppers for the movement of security personnel. The police have requested all disaster cells of the government to be in a standby position during the match.

Rajkumar Vhatkar, deputy commissioner of police and Mumbai police spokesperson, said, "There is no specific terror input related to the match. But we have a general input that terrorists could try to disrupt the event. Therefore, we are adopting all security measures possible along with the Air Force, the Navy and the Army."

The police has decided to allow just 70 vehicles belonging to VVIP and VIPs inside the stadium parking on the day of the World Cup final. No police vehicles, even those of top-most officers, will be allowed.

Plainclothes policemen have been keeping a close watch on people visiting the area around the stadium since the past few days, and verifying the backgrounds of those they find suspicious.

Vhatkar said the police are ensuring that no suspect can enter the stadium with any kind of weapon or explosive. Policemen, who will be deployed on security bandobast duty inside and around the stadium, will be given a biometric identity card to ensure that no anti-national element can enter the stadium in a fake police uniform.

The city police recently received the fresh input regarding a terror threat. They started conducting surprise checks at various localities in Mumbai and its neighbouring districts since the past four days.

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WC semi-final googly: Mumbai to Chandigarh air fares triple

MUMBAI: Air fares between Mumbai and Chandigarh shot through the roof since Thursday, following India's entry into the World Cup semi-final against Pakistan. A day after the Indian team beat the Aussies, fares to Chandigarh—the venue of the semi-final match—quickly tripled. India will take on Pakistan next Wednesday at Mohali, Chandigarh.

City-based tour operators have seen a sudden surge in demand for bookings to Chandigarh, an otherwise low-key sector. The usual one-way fare between Mumbai and Chandigarh is between Rs 6,000 and Rs 8,000. However, on the day of the match, the highest fare available is anywhere between Rs 18,000 and Rs 22,000. Mumbai has only three direct flights to Chandigarh and they are left with very few seats for the coming Wednesday. "Just after India's victory, I booked at least eight people to Chandigarh on a one-way fare of more than Rs 20,000," said Rajesh Rateria, managing director, Cirrus Travels. "The fares are high for Wednesday as most people want to fly out, watch the match and return on Thursday." Tour operators said the fact that there are few flights to Chandigarh from the city aided the fare rise.

"Compared to Delhi, Mumbai has only three direct flights to Chandigarh," said a Fort-based travel agent. "The fare between Delhi and Chandigarh is much lower because nine flights operate daily between these destinations. Also, people can drive down to Chandigarh in four hours."

Tour operators said there were still some reasonably priced flights to Chandigarh. However, they halt at two places before reaching the destination; their flight duration is more than 10 hours. "There are flights available via Indore and Delhi for Rs 7,000 to Rs 10,000," said another tour operator.

Due to the high fares, tour operator Jay Bhatia has been asking his clients to book for Tuesday to Delhi instead, and then cab it up to Chandigarh. "There are more than 15 flights between Mumbai and Delhi at a reasonable Rs 3,000-5,000." Travel agents said fares have been high for places where India has been playing. "Just before the India-South Africa match in Nagpur, fare to Nagpur was around Rs 14,000 instead of Rs 5,000-7,000," Rateria said.

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