Hussey's World Cup in doubt after surgery

Australian batsman Michael Hussey had surgery on an injured hamstring, putting him in serious doubt for Australia's World Cup title defence.

Team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said scans showed Hussey had torn a hamstring tendon from his left knee during Sunday's one-day win against England, making it unclear if he will make the World Cup starting next month.

"Whilst the injury appeared to be minor at the time and soon after the game, scans have since revealed that he has avulsed (torn) one of the hamstring tendons from the attachment point at inner side of his knee," Kountouris said.

"As such, Michael had corrective surgery today. The recovery time and availability for the ICC (International Cricket Council) World Cup will be dependent on his progress with the rehabilitation program in the coming weeks."

Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said a decision on Hussey would be delayed until as late as possible before the tournament in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

"It is a severe injury and we will make a decision closer to departure date," Hilditch said.

Hussey had been named in Australia's 15-man World Cup squad just hours earlier. Australia, aiming for a record fourth successive title, open against against Zimbabwe on February 21, although the quarter-finals are a month later.

The normally durable 35-year-old left-hander is certain to miss the rest of the seven-match one-day series against England and there was speculation he could be sidelined for at least six weeks.

Australia were also hit by the news that captain Ricky Ponting is racing to be fit after breaking a little finger during the heavy Ashes defeat to England.

"I'm hoping to be right for the start of the World Cup," said Ponting, 36, whose finger is still in a splint.

"My finger's coming along okay, I guess. I haven't been able to do anything for the last couple of weeks post-surgery, but I've got a bit more movement now."

Hussey, considered a key member of Australia's World Cup squad, has been replaced by Shaun Marsh for the next three one-day internationals against England, a team statement said.

He appeared to damage the knee taking a quick second run during Australia's successful chase of England's 294 total during the opening one-day match in Melbourne.

Hussey pulled up awkwardly, but continued his innings without a runner. Batting partner Shane Watson later dismissed the problem as just "hamstring stiffness".

Hussey was a member of Australia's World Cup-winning team in 2007, when he played 10 of their 11 matches, including the final, but made just 87 runs at 17.40 and wasn't needed with the bat in five of those games.

The one-day World Cup has taken on added significance for Australia who are desperate for results after their hammering in the Ashes Test series against England.
© AFP

Rhodes accepts to continue coaching Kenya

Former South African batsman Jonty Rhodes has accepted to continue his coaching role with Kenya until the start of the Cricket World Cup, officials said on Tuesday.

Rhodes, who first worked with the team during a three-week training camp in Pretoria last November, is expected to arrive in Nairobi this week to join the team, which is currently on a tour of India for a series of build-up matches.

Cricket Kenya (CK) Chief Executive Tom Sears said the former Proteas star fielder will be with the squad during their final preparations for the World Cup, when they travel to an ICC High Performance Camp in Dubai on January 30, and in Sri Lanka, where Kenya will play a series of warm-up matches.

"Jonty will be a tremendous asset to the squad during the final phase of our preparation," he said.

"We are doing everything we can to ensure our squad arrive at the World Cup in a position to fulfil their undoubted potential and Jonty's involvement will be a key part of that" he added.

Pakistan's World Cup squad excludes Yousuf

Pakistan left out experienced batsman Mohammad Yousuf from their final 15-man squad for next month's World Cup hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

The selectors also surprisingly deferred naming the squad's captain, raising doubts over whether all-rounder Shahid Afridi will lead the side after Pakistan's 2-1 defeat in the Twenty20 series against New Zealand last month.

Thirty-six-year-old Yousuf was deemed not fit enough to warrant a place in the squad after he was last month named in the 30-man preliminary team.

His future was thrown into doubt last week after he was omitted from the one-day team due to play a six-match series in New Zealand from January 22.

Yousuf retired in protest over an indefinite ban imposed on him by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in March following a disastrous tour of Australia in which Pakistan lost all its matches under his leadership.

However, he came out of retirement in July and was sent to England after his ban was revoked, featuring in the last of four Tests and in the one-day matches.

Yousuf also played the last of five one-day matches against South Africa in Pakistan's neutral venue series in United Arab Emirates in November before he was forced to pull out of the Tests due to a recurring groin injury.

He has so far scored 9,720 runs in 288 one-day matches, including 386 in World Cup matches in 1999, 2003 and 2007.

With Yousuf's exclusion the squad is largely inexperienced, with only seven players having featured in previous World Cups.

Afridi, Abdul Razzaq and Shoaib Akhtar are the only survivors of Pakistan's runners-up finish in the 1999 tournament.

Pakistan will be without key players Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer who were all provisionally suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on charges of spot-fixing during team's tour to England last year.

A decision on their case is due on February 5 and the PCB last week said they can be included in the team if absolved.

Another player, Kamran Akmal, who was also under suspicion of match-fixing, was included after being reportedly cleared by the ICC, but all-rounder Shoaib Malik and leg-spinner Danish Kaneria failed to get clearance.

Both Malik and Kaneria, part of the 2007 World Cup team, are also reportedly under suspicion of match-fixing.

Pakistan, who won the World Cup title in 1992, are placed in Group A of the 14-team event to be played between February 19 to April 2. They open their campaign against Kenya at Hambantota on February 23.

Squad: Shahid Afridi, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanveer, Ahmed Shahzad

ICC World Cup: Set back for BCCI, customs waivers withdrawn

NEW DELHI: The government on Monday withdrew customs duty exemption on import of goods by the BCCI or bodies certified by it following non-compliance of mandatory requirements.

This follows the sports ministry de-recognising BCCI as a national sports federation or the apex body for cricket in India.

The move comes ahead of the World Cup which will be co-hosted by the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) from February 19.

"...it is informed that henceforth BCCI would not be eligible to avail itself of duty exemption under notification no 21/2002 customs dated 1.3.2002 or any other customs notification.

"Thus goods imported by BCCI or certified by BCCI for import are not entitled to any exemption benefit which is available to sports goods or equipment or consumables imported or certified by a national sports federation (NSF) or apex body," central board of excise and customs (CBEC) said in a circular.

The decision, according to Deloitte India Indirect Tax leader Prashant Deshpande, "is a setback to the stakeholders associated with the forthcoming World Cup proposed to be staged in India who would now be visited with a customs duty burden of up to 26.85 per cent on sports requisites".

The circular said that the concessions were withdrawn as BCCI did not submit the necessary documents to the ministry of youth affairs and sports.

"The ministry of youth affairs and sports has informed that the BCCI has not complied with the mandatory requirements of submitting the necessary documents to the government for annual recognition as a national sports federation (NSF)/apex body for the game of cricket in India", the circular added.

In view of the non-compliance, the BCCI would cease to be a NSF or the apex body for cricket with immediate effect, it added.

India along with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka is organising the ICC World Cup Cricket 2011 which is being co-hosted by BCCI.

ET

Ivanovic bows out in Australian Open first round

MELBOURNE: Former world number one Ana Ivanovic made a shock early exit from the Australian Open on Tuesday, beaten in the first round by Russian Ekaterina Makarova in three sets, 3-6, 6-4, 10-8.

The Serbian starlet looked on track for an easy win when she cruised through the first set, but from there on the Russian controlled the match as Ivanovic's mental frailties resurfaced.

Ivanovic, the 2008 French Open champion and a beaten finalist here in the same year, showed her fighting qualities by saving five match points in a marathon third set.

However, she never gained the upper hand and the 22-year-old Makarova finally closed it out with a forehand winner to break serve in the 18th game of a 91-minute decider.

It was a disappointing result for Ivanovic, who finished 2010 in strong fashion, winning two of her last three tournaments on the back of an improved fitness level and looked set to climb back up the rankings this year.

However, the 23-year-old was forced to withdraw from her final warm-up tournament for the first Grand Slam of the year when she suffered a stomach injury during the mixed teams Hopman Cup in Perth earlier this month.

While Ivanovic was left rueing yet another early Grand Slam exit, the 49th-ranked Makarova said it was the biggest win of her career, having been beaten by Ivanovic in straight sets at last year's US Open in their only previous meeting.

"I am so happy," she said. "It is the first time I played such a long match. She's an unbelievable player and it was really tough.

"I'm so happy I beat her."

Read more: Ivanovic bows out in Australian Open first round - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/events-tournaments/australian-open-2011/top-stories/Ivanovic-bows-out-in-Australian-Open-first-round/articleshow/7311343.cms#ixzz1BNr6429V

3rd ODI: India's top order batsmen need to find form

CAPE TOWN: Having levelled the five-match series with a thrilling one-run victory in the last game, an injury-hit India go into the third one-dayer against South Africa on Tuesday with the form of the top order batsmen continuing to be a worry.

The batting has come a cropper in both the matches so far and the visitors managed to pull off an incredible victory at the New Wanderers on Saturday mainly because of the efforts of the bowlers, especially pacer Munaf Patel.

The Indians have suffered a big jolt with Sachin Tendulkar returning home because of a hamstring injury, further weakening the batting line up which has plenty of talent but has not come to terms with the pacy tracks in South Africa yet.

Tendulkar's injury has added to India's cup of woes as three key players -- Virender Sehawag, Gautam Gambhir and Praveen Kumar -- have already been ruled out of the series due to injuries.

Thanks to some superb bowling, India managed to defend a low total of 190 in the second ODI and yet again the onus is on bowlers to deliver the goods for the team on a Newlands track which was expected to assist the quick bowlers.

India would look to pace duo of Zaheer Khan and Munaf Patel to not only get wickets but to check the Proteas batsmen so that the batters have an easy job to do, in case they bat second.

Spin spearhead Harbhajan Singh has done his bit by putting the brake on the scoring in the middle of the rival innings and yet again he has to ensure that not many runs leak during that stage, which played a part in India's series- levelling win at Johannesburg.

Batting has always been India's strong point but the form of the batsmen in the ongoing series is a big disappointment.

With seniors missing from the ranks, the youngsters, who have actually done well in the recent past, have not been able to cope with the conditions.

The middle-order, except for Yuvraj Singh in the last game, has just not clicked. Suresh Raina nor Rohit Sharma, who are both regarded as highly talented players, are not even pale shadow of themselves although they contributed with the ball as part-timers.

Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh have scored a fifty each so far and India need one of these youngsters to play a big knock tomorrow if the visitors hope of taking lead.

Lack of a good start has also put pressure on the middle order and India's problems have just compounded with Tendulkar's absence and India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni knows the importance of Yuvraj in that situation.

"His (Yuvraj's) role in the batting lineup is crucial. If we get good start then he can come and score quick runs and if we lose few wickets then he can control the game with a solid innings. He played very well in the match.

"It is important that Yuvraj gets into good form. He is now a decent all-rounder for us as he also bowls a few overs," Dhoni said.

Diminutive wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel has been sent as Tendulkar's replacement and it will be a big challenge for the left-hander to do the tough opening job in trying conditions, if he gets a chance on Tuesday.

It's time that Murali Vijay scores some runs to show his worth in the short format. He got into the side due to absence of both Sehwag and Gambhir but has not capitalised.

South African batsmen, specially the top-order, are in terrific form and an encore of the Johannesburg performance would be difficult for the Indian bowlers.

Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy are in good touch and captain Graeme Smith himself has struck form after a listless show in the drawn Test series.

It would require a really disciplined effort from Indian bowlers to nail the Proteas batsmen at home conditions.

Then India will also have to contend with the Proteas pace battery led by ferocious Dale Steyn.

The teams (from):

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain/keeper), Sachin Tendulkar, Murali Vijay, Yuvraj Singh, R Ashwin, Piyush Chawla, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Virat Kohli, Praveen Kumar, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, S Sreesanth.

South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Hashim Amla, Johan Botha, AB de Villiers (wicketkeeper), Jean-Paul Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, Colin Ingram, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

Read more: 3rd ODI: India's top order batsmen need to find form - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/india-in-south-africa/top-stories/3rd-ODI-Indias-top-order-batsmen-need-to-find-form/articleshow/7303289.cms#ixzz1BMSQM7ce

Ganguly surprised at Sreesanth's omission from World Cup squad

KOLKATA: With the selectors opting for a spin-oriented side for the World Cup, former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Monday said he was surprised to see in-form pacer S Sreesanth overlooked from the 15-man squad.

Ganguly termed it a gamble to pick only one wicketkeeper in skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni for the extravaganza that will continue in the sub-continent for about 40 days.

The selectors picked the World Cup squad in Chennai as they chose to include four medium pacers in Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Praveen Kumar and Munaf Patel, while for the wicketkeeper's slot they picked only Dhoni while ignoring Parthiv Patel, Dinesh Karthik and Wriddhiman Saha.

"It was a gamble by the selectors to pick one wicketkeeper in Dhoni. If he picks up an injury during the World Cup and is unable to keep, then who will stand behind the wicket?" Ganguly wondered questioning the selectors' decision.

The IPL discard also criticised the decision to ignore Sreesanth who had a memorable Test series in South Africa.

"It's really surprising to see Sreesanth out of the side despite his recent form and performance," he said here.

The exclusion of middle-order batsman Rohit Sharma also raised a few questions but Ganguly said the decision did not surprise him.

"He (Sharma) is a talented player. But it seems after getting enough chances he failed to gain the selectors' confidence. You have to perform at top level to get noticed. But he got many chances unlike many other talented youngsters but failed to impress."

Asked about the big hitting Yusuf Pathan's selection for the all-rounder's spot, Ganguly said: "I don't think he has already proved himself. However, he is the best possible choice we have right now."

Recalling his knock against New Zealand in the Bangalore turnaround, Ganguly said: "Yusuf can be a match winner. When he gets going, he can win any match single handedly. He is a very useful player in these conditions."

Ganguly, however, refused to pick any favourites to win the World Cup.

"Pressure will always be there. At this level the players are used to this situation. It's difficult to pick any particular team. India, Sri Lanka, Australia, South Africa, England - all these teams are doing well and are the favourites. It is their performance over the 40 days that will count," Ganguly said.

India are clubbed in Group-B in the world Cup along with Bangladesh, England, South Africa, West Indies, Ireland and The Netherlands.

India will play the inaugural match of the World Cup against Bangladesh in Mirpur on February 19.

Read more: Ganguly surprised at Sreesanth's omission from World Cup squad - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/icc-world-cup-2011/top-stories/Ganguly-surprised-at-Sreesanths-omission-from-World-Cup-squad/articleshow/7306685.cms#ixzz1BMS50MlN

Dhoni defends Chawla's inclusion in World Cup squad

CAPE TOWN: Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Monday defended Piyush Chawla's inclusion in India's 15-man World Cup squad, saying the leg-spinner's presence provides variety to the attack.

Chawla has been a surprise inclusion in the squad, announced on Monday by the Kris Srikkanth-led selection committee in Chennai.

"It is good to have Piyush in the side as he provides that variety to the attack. He is one guy who can bat a bit. He has scored decent runs in Ranji and also while playing in County circuit. If we plan to play with five bowlers, then he can be a handy number seven or eight batsman," Dhoni said on the eve of India's third ODI against South Africa.

Chawla has been picked despite not playing a one-dayer since July 2008, and Dhoni was aware of that.

"I would always say that playing in first class match or IPL match and playing in the international match is different. Piyush needs that international match practice," the India skipper said.

Names like Rohit Sharma, S Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma missed out on selection but Dhoni said that the reserve players should be in a proper frame of mind during the tournament.

"If you are in the reserve and if any batter or bowler gets injured then you are going to come in. So it is important to be in a good frame of mind," he said.

"Finally you can pick only 15 players. It is not like that you will not get chance. Have a look at the players out here. They were not featuring in the original list. At the end of the day you can pick only 15 players and somebody is going to miss out. So I would say that you should do well in whenever you get to play and then wait for your chance."

Dhoni said India need to improve their fielding and focus more on bowling at the death.

"We have to improve in the fielding department. If we get one odd run out or take few outstanding catch, it can turn the course of the game. At the same time we have to put in lot of thoughts and work on bowling in the death overs. When we are going to play in the sub continent, bowling in the death becomes crucial," he said.

In Sachin Tendulkar's absence, Virat Kohli, in all likelihood, will open with Murali Vijay, with Rohit Sharma coming in at number three in Tuesday's match, Dhoni said.

"We will be looking out for giving a few players an opportunity. Even otherwise we have lost quite a few players through injury. We have seven batsmen left here, so all of them will get exposure before the World Cup."

About not playing with the best XI since almost a year, Dhoni said, "It is a big blow that we are missing quite a few players from our main list. But this is not happening for the first time. In the last one year we have never played with our best 11. This has given opportunities to the youngsters.

"Some of them have grabbed them and are part of the World Cup squad. Here too, we have levelled the series and there are three more games to go. This is an opportunity for young players."

The skipper said that India's thrilling win in the last match is history and it's going to be a fresh start on Tuesday.

"Whether we win the last game or lose, I always think that each match is a fresh start. I would like to think about the problems we are facing, and how we are going to resolve those issues. We are concentrating on what we are supposed to do. I think both the teams are pretty equal. Whoever gets good start will make an impact on the game.

On the the wicket and toss, he said, "I think the ball does a bit under lights, so toss will be crucial. But honestly speaking, I don't know the exact scientific reason as why the ball does a bit under lights. It may be because of not having natural sunlight, or it could be because of sea breeze. "Even spinners can play major role. If we win the toss and they have to bat second, then they might not be that affected. If we bat second, then facing their fast bowlers under lights will be a huge challenge. South African bowlers become a bit more effective if they are bowling under lights," Dhoni said.

Asked about Parthiv Patel's selection for the current series, Dhoni said, "It depends on the situation of the series. I would love to get rest from one match. But it depends on the situation."

Read more: Dhoni defends Chawla's inclusion in World Cup squad - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/icc-world-cup-2011/top-stories/Dhoni-defends-Chawlas-inclusion-in-World-Cup-squad/articleshow/7306280.cms#ixzz1BMRbfRgM

Three spinners in World Cup squad, Rohit Sharma dropped

NEW DELHI: No major surprises in the India's final 15-member squad for the ICC cricket World Cup selected by the five-member selection panel led by K Srikanth in Chennai on Monday.

The list of 30 probables were pruned to half and no big star is left out of the final squad for the mega-event starting February 19.

The top-seven of the Indian batting-order -- Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni -- are in the team as expected and Yusuf Pathan take the all-rounder's berth.

The inspirational Zaheer Khan lead the pace attack and his pacer partners will be the trio of Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel and Praveen Kumar. S Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma failed to make the cut.

Harbhajan Singh will spearhead the slow bowling department with Piyush Chawla and R Ashwin as his spin partner. Amit Mishra and Pragyan Ojha were also vying for the slot.

Just a day before the selection meeting, doubts have arisen over Sachin Tendulkar's availability after he pulled out of the remainder of the ODI series in South Africa as a precautionary measure after sustaining a hamstring injury during Saturday's second match.

But going by indications, the injury is not serious and Tendulkar will be making his sixth World Cup appearance.

Squad

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt/wk), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Praveen Kumar, Yusuf Pathan, Piyush Chawla, R Ashwin, Ashish Nehra.

Read more: Three spinners in World Cup squad, Rohit Sharma dropped - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/icc-world-cup-2011/top-stories/Three-spinners-in-World-Cup-squad-Rohit-Sharma-dropped/articleshow/7303342.cms#ixzz1BHJLj9FA

Qatar, Uzbekistan into Asian Cup quarterfinals

STAFF WRITER 9:39 HRS IST

Doha (Qatar), Jan 17 (AP) Host Qatar reached the Asian Cup quarterfinals for the second time in its history Sunday following a 3-0 victory over Kuwait, and Uzbekistan advanced with a 2-2 draw that sent opponent China home.

Qatar, flying high following its winning bid to host the 2022 World Cup, needed a victory against winless Kuwait to ensure it advanced. Two first-half goals in five minutes set coach Bruno Metsu's side on its way and sent the crowd of 28,000 at Khalifa Stadium into delirious celebrations.

Across town, China fought back from a goal down to draw with Uzbekistan, but the team still finished third in Group A.

The early exit was the latest disappointment for the Chinese, which have struggled since qualifying for the 2002 World Cup, having also left the Asian Cup early in 2007.

Uzbekistan topped the group with seven points, one more than Qatar.

Three spots up for grabs in Indian World Cup squad

CHENNAI: It will be a story of three duels when the Indian World Cup squad gets selected in Chennai on Monday.

The fourth pacer, second spinner, and 15th member, these are the three areas that the selectors are set to look into in the course of the meeting.

While Ashish Nehra and S. Sreesanth are fighting for the third pacer's slot, Ravinchandran Ashwin and Piyush Chawla will cross swords for the second spinner's berth. Will the selectors go for Parthiv Patel as the second wicketkeeper or will it be the all-round abilities of Rohit Sharma that will help him clinch the 15th member's slot?

That will also be high on the agenda of the selectors Krishnamachari Srikkanth, Narendra Hirwani and Surendra Bhave---who will be in Chennai for the meeting. Yashpal Sharma and Raja Venkat will join in from Cape Town via teleconference with MS Dhoni and coach Gary Kirsten, also being part of the process.

Till Saturday, there was some doubt about Munaf Patel's berth in the squad, but his match winning spell of 4-29 against South Africa in Johannesburg has made him a frontrunner for the third seamer's slot in the squad. There is no doubt about Zaheer Khan while Praveen Kumar, despite an injury he suffered in South Africa, is likely to be fit. Now that Munaf has made an impact in South Africa, it will be difficult for the selectors to leave him out. "Munaf has done well in South Africa and that's a very good sign," a selection committee source gave the impression that the paceman is very well placed.

Nehra's fitness has been a concern, but it's common knowledge that Dhoni likes the Delhi paceman. His death bowling, too, is a big plus and the selectors may just decide to go with him. "Fitness has been a bit of an issue with our pacemen for a while...Let's see, how it goes. It will be a toss-up between Sreesanth and Nehra," the source added.

However, keeping the fitness issues in mind, if the selectors decide to go in with a fifth pacer, Sreesanth may come in as the 15th member at the expense of an extra wicketkeeper or the back-up batsman.

The top-seven of the Indian batting-order ---Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni --- select themselves and by the look of it, Yusuf Pathan, is going to take the all-rounder's berth. For a while Ravindra Jadeja was in contention, but his poor form with the bat has gone against the Saurashtra all-rounder in recent times.

There's no doubt about Harbhajan Singh and it's going to be interesting to see whether the selectors go with Ashwin or Chawla as the second spinner. At least two of the selectors are extremely impressed with Ashwin's performances of late, but skipper Dhoni is bound to put in a word for Chawla. "England and South Africa are in our group and the skipper feels they don't play spin too well. But can Chawla lead an Indian spin-attack in case Harbhajan is unfit for a game, that is a big question," the source said.

Ashwin has been "very impressive in all formats of the game" and he is bound to find backers in the meeting. Sections of the selection committee hopes that "Dhoni, too, will fall in line because he has seen how effective Ashwin can be while leading Chennai Super Kings".

"But at the end of the day, this is going to be a tough call. A few things do go haywire in the meeting like this," the source said.

A section of the selection committee feels that there's no point going in with two keepers for a tournament that is going to be played in the subcontinent. "In case of a freak injury to Dhoni on the day of the match, either Rohit or Kohli can be used as a back-up. And if the injury is serious, we can always look for a replacement," the source added.

If Parthiv doesn't make the cut, Rohit may find his way into the squad. He has scored a whopping 732 runs for Mumbai this season with an average of 122 and he has shown in South Africa that he can be a handful with the ball as well.

Come Monday afternoon, and one will know whether Rohit's dream of playing the World Cup in India will be fulfilled.

Likely Squad: Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni, Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, Yusuf Pathan, R. Ashwin (Piyush Chawla), Ashish Nehra (S Sreesanth), Rohit Sharma (Parthiv Patel).

Note: Sreesanth may come in if selectors decide to sacrifice extra wicketkeeper or back-up batsman.

Read more: Three spots up for grabs in Indian World Cup squad - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/icc-world-cup-2011/top-stories/Three-spots-up-for-grabs-in-Indian-World-Cup-squad/articleshow/7298175.cms#ixzz1BHIgqFxk

India's 15-member cricket World Cup team announced

India's 15-member cricket World Cup team announced | Dhoni to captain squad | Team to include Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, Ashish Nehra, Harbhajan Singh, Ashwin Kumar, Piyush Chawa

Read more: Three spots up for grabs in Indian World Cup squad - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/icc-world-cup-2011/top-stories/Three-spots-up-for-grabs-in-Indian-World-Cup-squad/articleshow/7298175.cms#ixzz1BHHercE2

Battered India need to sort out problems in second ODI

JOHANNESBURG: Thrashed in the first game in Durban, India would hope to put up a far more inspired display as they go into the second one-dayer against South Africa on Saturday with a few problems to sort out in both the bowling and batting departments.

The Indians did well by drawing the Test series 1-1 and then winning the only T20 game on Sunday, but the humiliating 135-run defeat in the first match came as a big blow for the visitors who have to regroup before its too late.

Already plagued by injuries to key players, nothing seemed to have gone right for Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men in Durban as both the batting and bowling left much to be desired.

The Indians have a track record of not doing too well in the first match on tours and Dhoni and his men will be looking to bounce back and level the five-match series 1-1 at the New Wanderers ground which is likely to aid the pace bowlers.

Already missing key players such as Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, the injury list has only grown longer with paceman Praveen Kumar also returning home because of an injury.

Paceman S Sreesanth is also recovering from an elbow injury, which forced him to sit out of the first match, and it remains to be seen whether the Kerala speedster is fit enough to take the field on the morrow.

Batting has been India's strength but the top order collapsed like a pack of cards to be reduced to 43 for four in the first match, and the team could never really recover from that jolt.

Sachin Tendulkar, returning to the Indian one-day fold after close to a year, has a big role to play and the champion batsman has to take up the responsibility of giving India a competitive total on the board.

The Indian line-up has a number of young but talented players such as Murali Vijay, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina but they have to fire when it matters most.

Kohli was the only batsman to score a half century in the last game unlike the South Africans who had three batsmen coming up with substantial contributions. The failure to build partnerships made India's chase all the more difficult.

For the off-colour Yuvraj Singh, it is the final chance to convince the selectors that he is the same destructive force which won India many a matches before the stunning slump in form.

Unlike the Indians, the South Africans put up a clinical show but captain Graeme Smith cautioned his teammates not to take the visitors lightly.

"I expect them to bounce back. We have to put our foot down in the next match," Smith said.

For the Indians, pacer Ashish Nehra was a big disappointment in Durban, and that forced captain Dhoni to use three part-time bowlers to try and contain the run flow.

But it is highly unlikely that the team management will drop him as the left-arm seamer had done well in the past.

"Honestly speaking, these are the four-five fast bowlers we have got. We do not have many options to play with. So we have to back them to do well. Whether they are in match practice or not what is important is that we take care of these bowlers and they should go in the World Cup without any injuries," Dhoni had said.

South Africa will miss prolific all-rounder Jacques Kallis, who is nursing an injury. The veteran has been the key player in the South African batting line-up and has been more than handy with the ball as well.

But the Proteas still have a good batting line-up with skipper Graeme Smith, the explosive duo of A B de Villiers and JP Duminy and the consistent Hashim Amla to anchor the middle-order. Amla, de Villiers and Duminy struck half centuries in the first match and will be looking to maintain that form.

The Indians are aware that they could have done much better in the first game and captain Dhoni has promised to bounce back in the series.

"We could have done better. When you are playing with four bowlers, you are under a bit of pressure, that if one of the bowler does not bowl well then you have to make those overs with the part timers."

"We can bounce back. We can play better cricket than this. That way cricket is good game as in every match you start afresh. We have to click as a unit to win matches," Dhoni said.

It is the final ODI series that India and South Africa play before the World Cup starting February 19, and both sides would look to settle their squads for the big event through these five matches.

Teams (from):

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain/keeper), Sachin Tendulkar, Murali Vijay, Yuvraj Singh, R Ashwin, Piyush Chawla, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Virat Kohli, Praveen Kumar, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel, Yusuf Pathan, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, S Sreesanth.

South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), Hashim Amla, Johan Botha, AB de Villiers (wicketkeeper), Jean-Paul Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, Colin Ingram, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

Match starts 1800 hrs (IST)

Read more: Battered India need to sort out problems in second ODI - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/india-in-south-africa/top-stories/Battered-India-need-to-sort-out-problems-in-second-ODI/articleshow/7282811.cms#ixzz1B5O9OYOq

KKR include Abdullah and Bisla in line-up for IPL 4

STAFF WRITER 14:18 HRS IST

New Delhi, Jan 14 (PTI) Kolkata Knight Riders have included Mumbai left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla and Himachal Pradesh wicketkeeper Manvinder Bisla in their line-up for the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League.

Abdulla, who scored his maiden first class century in the 2010-11 Ranji season, has signed a two-year deal with the Kolkata outfit, it was learnt.

"We have signed deals with Iqbal and Bisla," a KKR official said..

"We needed a specialist Indian spinner to accompany Shakib [al Hasan] and Yusuf Pathan and we are happy to get Iqbal," a Knight Riders spokesperson said.

Abdulla has been with the Knight Riders since the past three seasons, but played in only four games. He now returns as an uncapped signing.

Bisla, who made his IPL debut with Kings XI Punjab, would be playing in his second season.

Collingwood predicts India, SA, Aus, Eng to reach World Cup semis

DUBAI: With little more than a month to go for the ICC Cricket World Cup, England middle-order batsman Paul Collingwood has predicted that India, South Africa, Australia and his native country will make it to the semifinals of the mega-event starting February 19 in Dhaka.

"On current form I'd hope to put England into a semifinal, it would be hard to not put India in there with the strength in their batting and in home conditions - they'll be tricky to play against," Collingwood said in an exclusively chat with ICC Cricket World audio show.

"I always think Australia can't be ruled out since they've had a good history in this tournament and finally I'd pick South Africa as the fourth semifinalist. But you never know I may be well off the mark!" he added.

The 34-year-old batsman, who announced his retirement from Test cricket last week, also said that after their triumphant Ashes campaign, England would seek to carry on the winning momentum in the upcoming ODI series against Australia as well as the World Cup.

"It's a huge motivation to do well against Australia in all formats of the game. We want to keep the momentum going from the Test series and we want to carry that into the ICC Cricket World Cup. We want to finish the ODI series in Australia filled with confidence and ready to take on anyone at the World Cup," Collingwood said.

Read more: Collingwood predicts India, SA, Aus, Eng to reach World Cup semis - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/icc-world-cup-2011/top-stories/Collingwood-predicts-India-SA-Aus-Eng-to-reach-World-Cup-semis/articleshow/7278526.cms#ixzz1B06kN1YA

India could face ban from Olympics: IOC

LAUSANNE ( Switzerland): The International Olympic Committee's executive board warned India on Thursday that it could bar the country from the Olympics unless a spat over Indian sports chiefs is resolved.

The board said in a statement after a two-day meeting here that "a number of points still have to be resolved".

"Consequently if the situation does not evolve positively, the IOC executive board will consider taking appropriate measures and actions which might seriously affect the representation and participation of India at the Olympic Games and international sports events coming up," it added.

The IOC insisted that India's government had agreed at a meeting in Lausanne last June to adopt a jointly agreed draft constitution for the Indian Olympic Committee and respect its autonomy.

India clashed with the IOC last year over new rules limiting the tenures of the country's top sports officials, according to letters seen by AFP in May.

The Olympic body has the power to impose sanctions including suspending the country from its membership -- a move that would prevent it taking part in the 2012 London Olympics.

Read more: India could face ban from Olympics: IOC - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/others/India-could-face-ban-from-Olympics-IOC/articleshow/7278258.cms#ixzz1B06O8zX7

Nadal test in bid for Grand Slam glory

MELBOURNE: World number one Rafael Nadal faces a likely Australian Open semi-final with Robin Soderling or Andy Murray as he bids to become the first man in 42 years to hold all four major titles simultaneously.

Soderling and 2010 finalist Murray were placed in the top half of the draw on Friday as Nadal chases his fourth consecutive Grand Slam after stringing together wins at the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open last year.

The powerful Spaniard would become the first man since Australian Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four Grand Slam titles at once if he can win the Australian Open, which starts on Monday.

Nadal said while he was constantly reminded of that possibility, he did not feel the weight of history.

"Everybody asks me this question," Nadal told reporters on Friday.

"For me the pressure is the same every tournament and the pressure is my pressure, that I want to play well and do the right things.

"We will see what's going on, but (I don't feel) extra pressure."

Nadal's preparation has been hampered by illness and he said it was difficult to gauge how his performances early in the tournament would be affected by the setback.

"It is important to improve every day a little bit. A lot of times I didn't start a tournament playing my best and finished the tournament playing very good," he said.

"Sometimes you start very well, sometimes you don't play that well.

"It's very difficult to say if I'm ready or not ready."

Nadal will launch his title bid against Brazilian Marcos Daniel and could face Croatia's 15th seed Marin Cilic in the fourth round.

Sweden's Soderling, runner-up to Nadal at last year's French Open, has Italian Potito Starace first up, while Britain's Murray faces Slovakian Karol Beck.

Former champion Novak Djokovic was pitted in the bottom half of the men's draw with four-time champion Roger Federer.

The Serbian third seed, who beat Federer in the semi-finals of the 2008 Australian Open and went on to win the title, is in line for a semi-final with second seed Federer based on the seedings.

Federer has a first-round match against Slovakia's Lukas Lacko, while Djokovic lines up against Spaniard Marcel Granollers.

The feature first-round matchup is between two-time Grand Slam winner Lleyton Hewitt and Argentina's 27th seed David Nalbandian, whom the unseeded Australian defeated in the 2002 Wimbledon final.

Australia's Hewitt and Nalbandian have been locked in a fierce rivalry over the years, with matches including Davis Cup clashes and Grand Slam battles.

Hewitt beat Nalbandian in the 2002 Wimbledon final and in their epic 2005 Australian Open quarter-final, in which the Australian won 10-8 in the fifth set.

"It's a long rivalry through Davis Cups and on the tour and obviously they're not known as the best of friends," Hewitt's manager David Drysdale said.

"Both players will be desperately wanting to win this match badly, which is going to make it a hell of a first-round match."

Argentina's unseeded Juan Martin del Potro, who beat Federer to win the 2009 US Open final and is fighting back from a wrist injury, takes on Israeli Dudi Sela in the first round in Nadal's top half.

Read more: Nadal test in bid for Grand Slam glory - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/events-tournaments/australian-open-2011/top-stories/Nadal-test-in-bid-for-Grand-Slam-glory/articleshow/7283229.cms#ixzz1B04sHRyI

India's World Cup squad to be picked on January 17

MUMBAI: The final 15-member Indian squad for the forthcoming ICC Cricket World Cup in the sub-continent will be picked by the national senior selection panel on January 17.

"The selection committee is to pick the World Cup squad on the 17th at Chennai," a Cricket Board source said on Friday.

The selection panel, with Krishnamachari Srikkanth at the helm, has picked a preliminary squad of thirty members for the mega event, and the list would be pruned to the required number as per ICC regulations for the tournament.

The list of probables already picked by the selectors is as follows: M S Dhoni, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, S Sreesanth, Munaf Patel, Ishant Sharma, Vinay Kumar, M Vijay, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Ajinkya Rahane, Sourav Tiwary, Yusuf Pathan, Parthiv Patel, R Ashwin, Wriddhiman Saha, Dinesh Karthik, Shikhar Dhawan, Amit Mishra, Piyush Chawla, Cheteshwar Pujara, Pragyan Ojha, Praveen Kumar.

The World Cup is to be held in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh from February 19-April 2. India are placed in Group B in the preliminary phase along with co-hosts Bangladesh, England, South Africa, West Indies, Ireland and Netherlands.

India and Bangladesh will kick off the tournament in the latter's backyard - at the Sher-E-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

Read more: India's World Cup squad to be picked on January 17 - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/icc-world-cup-2011/top-stories/Indias-World-Cup-squad-to-be-picked-on-January-17/articleshow/7282466.cms#ixzz1B03IgGir

Asian Cup experience should spur India to move ahead: Hammam

DOHA: Asian Football Confederation President Mohammed bin Hammam said India's participation in the Asian Cup after a gap of 27 years could see the country taking the first step towards the glory days of the past when they were continental leaders.

India are taking part in the Asian Cup for the first time after 1984 and Bin Hammam forsees the country becoming a strong side in future tournaments.

"I am happy for India to play in Asian Cup after so many years, after long disappearance. I welcome them. The national association, the players and fans in India must be feeling excited that their team is playing in the Asian Cup. I do believe it is the start of the wake up call for India by all means and from here on they should move ahead," Bin Hammam said in an interview.

"India started football in Asia with the first official match being played there in 1854. In the recent past there has been strong development of football in Asia except for India. Football in India has changed from 27 years ago but many countries of the region had gone ahead of India and they have the chance to move forward now.

"In 1988, Japan played in the Asian Cup for the first time when it was held here in Qatar and they could not win a match and failed to get past the group stage. But in the next tournament in 1992, they were the champions. I have a feeling that the same can happen in the case of India. The federation and people of India want change in their football fortunes," said the Qatari, who was recently elected to his third four-year term as AFC chief.

"It is a myth," said Hammam, when queried about India lagging behind mainly due to acute lack of infrastructure in the country.

Asked about his views on FIFA chief Sepp Blatter's reported comments that India could be a potential candidate to host the World Cup in 2026 or after, Bin Hammam said, "Every country has a right and ambition to host big events like the World Cup. It is not in our hands. It is entirely in India's hands and not an external wish."

"If India wants to host the World Cup they will have to show in their bid that they are capable and ready. It depends on the determination of India to take up the challenge," he said.

The AFC chief, however, said India will have to address the issues of lack of football infrastructure if it has to host big international events.

Asked if India should bid for 2019 Asian Cup, Bin Hammam said, "India will have to be ready and naturally infrastructure will have to be developed in a way that it meets today's international football standards."

"Lot of things need to be done. Football is not played in isolation. Countries play against each other and clubs in Asia have become very professional and we know these things are not in India. These are no secrets.

"People know what Qatar have, the stadiums and the facilities which India do not have. It is a myth (why this is happening in India). They will have to address these issues. It is entirely the Indians who will have to do this and fix it. The Indian Clubs will have to be commercial entities if you want to progress further," he said.

Asked if FIFA would continue to support Indian football with projects like 'Win in India with India' started in 2008, Bin Hammam said, "Win Project moves from country to country but the $8 million FIFA gives is nothing. What will you do with it. This is just a small amount.

"What is important is that there will have to be mass participation in football and part of Indian football must be commercialised and businessmen will see opportunity to enter to football. Commercialisation of Indian football is a must and I am sure it will be a success," he said.

Bin Hammam said those clubs which do not fulfill AFC licensing criteria -- with deadline already over on December 2010 -- would not be allowed to take part in the next I-League.

"The AFC criteria apply to all clubs in all of Asia. It is not on Indian clubs only. The rules will apply. We want to transform part of India football into elite football, as international level football.

"But hardly 12 or 14 top clubs are there in a subcontinent like India. This I feel is just a small drop in a vast ocean. Indian clubs need to take the lead in this development," Hammam said.

Read more: Asian Cup experience should spur India to move ahead: Hammam - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/events-tournaments/asian-cup-2011/Asian-Cup-experience-should-spur-India-to-move-ahead-Hammam/articleshow/7275530.cms#ixzz1Aube0pjs

Nadal, Wozniacki top seeds for Australian Open

MELBOURNE (Australia): Rafael Nadal and Caroline Wozniacki will carry top seedings into next week's Australian Open, reflecting their No. 1 rankings in men's and women's tennis.

With seedings no longer done on organizers' discretion but purely on rankings, nine-time Grand Slam winner Nadal was named Thursday as leading the men's seedings from close rival Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Sweden's Robin Soderling.

Wozniacki heads the women's seedings from Vera Zvonareva, Kim Clijsters and Venus Williams.

Spain has three players among the top-10 men's seeds: Nadal, David Ferrer at No. 7 and Fernando Verdasco at No. 9. Andy Murray of Britain comes in at No. 5 and Andy Roddick of the United States - one of four seeded Americans - at No. 8.

Seedings:

Men:

1. Rafael Nadal, Spain. 2. Roger Federer, Switzerland. 3. Novak Djokovic, Serbia. 4. Robin Soderling, Sweden. 5. Andy Murray, Britain. 6. Thomas Berdych, Czech Republic. 7. David Ferrer, Spain. 8. Andy Roddick, United States. 9. Fernando Verdasco, Spain, 10. Mikhail Youzhny, Russia. 11. Jurgen Melzer, Austria. 12. Gael Monfils, France. 13. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, France. 14. Nicolas Almagro, Spain. 15. Marin Cilic, Croatia. 16. Mardy Fish, United States. 17. Ivan Ljubicic, Croatia. 18. Sam Querrey, United States. 19. Stanislas Wawrinka, Switzerland. 20. John Isner, United States. 21. Marcos Baghdatis, Cyrus. 22. Michael Llodra, France. 23. Nikolay Davydenko, Russia. 24. Ernests Gulbis, Latvia. 25. Albert Montanes, Spain. 26. Juan Monaco, Argentina. 27. David Nalbandian, Argentina. 28. Richard Gasquet, France. 29. Viktor Troicki, Serbia. 30. Thomaz Bellucci, Brazil. 31. Feliciano Lopez, Spain. 32. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Spain.

Women:

1. Caroline Wozniacki, Denmark. 2. Vera Zvonareva, Russia. 3. Kim Clijsters, Belgium, 4. Venus Williams, United States. 5. Samantha Stosur, Australia. 6. Francesca Schiavone, Italy. 7. Jelena Jankovic, Serbia. 8. Victoria Azarenka, Belarus. 9. Li Na, China. 10. Shahar Peer, Israel. 11. Justine Henin, Belgium. 12. Agnieszka Radwanska, Poland. 13. Nadia Petrova, Russia. 14. Maria Sharapova, Russia. 15. Marion Bartoli, France. 16. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Russia. 17. Aravane Rezai, France. 18. Maria Kirilenko, Russia. 19. Ana Ivanovic, Serbia. 20. Kaia Kanepi, Estonia. 21. Yanina Wickmayer, Belgium. 22. Flavia Pennetta, Italy. 23. Svetlanda Kuznetsova, Russia. 24. Alisa Kleybanova, Russia. 25. Petra Kvitova, Czech Republic. 26. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, Spain. 27. Alexandra Dulgheru, Romania. 28. Daniela Hantuchova, Slovakia. 29. Dominika Cibulkova, Slovakia. 30. Andrea Petkovic, Germany. 31. Lucie Safarova, Czech Republic. 32. Tsvetana Pironkova, Bulgaria.

Read more: Nadal, Wozniacki top seeds for Australian Open - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/events-tournaments/australian-open-2011/top-stories/Nadal-Wozniacki-top-seeds-for-Australian-Open/articleshow/7273846.cms#ixzz1AubGuAyP