India still second in ICC ODI rankings but players rise

DUBAI: The number one tag still eludes them but newly-crowned world champions India have closed the gap on top-placed Australia even as the team's in-form players moved up in the individual standings of the latest ICC ODI rankings issued on Monday.

India (121) are now just seven points behind Australia, even though Micheal Clarke's men have the chance to increase the lead over the 2011 champions as they have a three-match series against Bangladesh starting next week.

World Cup runners-up Sri Lanka have remained third but with an increase in ratings points of two, taking Kumar Sangakkara's side to 118 points, while South Africa sit in fourth, the ICC said in a statement.

In the individual rankings, Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir have moved up. Tendulkar has risen a place to ninth while Gambhir's hard-fought 97 runs against Sri Lanka in the final of the World Cup has seen the 29-year-old rise four places to 10th.

Sri Lanka's Tillekeratne Dilshan has risen to his career best ranking to date and is occupying the third position on the rankings after scoring the most runs in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 - a total of 500.

Sangakkara still occupies the fourth place while India's Yuvraj Singh, the Player of the World Cup, remained in joint 17th place with Australia captain Ricky Ponting, the latter having risen six places.

Other batsmen moving in the right direction include England's Jonathan Trott in fifth (up by four places), South Africa's Jacques Kallis in 12th (up by three places), Ross Taylor in 19th (up by one place), Upul Tharanga in 26 (up three places), Mahela Jayawardena in 28th (up by three places), India's Suresh Raina in 31st place (up by four places), Misbah-ul-Haq in 36th place (up by three places) and Jesse Ryder in 42nd (up by 13 places).

South African duo of Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers continue to occupy the top two positions.

In the rankings for ODI bowlers, Sri Lanka's Ajantha Mendis is one of the big movers with the spin bowler rising nine places to take the eighth place, a position he last occupied in 2009.

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi has climbed five places to ninth, while India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has risen two places to sit 18th on the list.

Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal has rocketed up nine places to 20th, while just outside the top-20 Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga has risen three places and is now sitting in joint 25th position with South Africa's Johan Botha.

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori leads Zimbabwe's Ray Price by 23 ratings points with England's Graeme Swann in third and South Africa's Dale Steyn in fourth.

The only change in the top five of the all-rounders list is the drop of South Africa's Jacques Kallis to fifth and the ascension of Yuvraj to the fourth place.

Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan leads the field with Shane Watson of Australia in second, Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi in third.

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ICC confirms 2015 and 2019 World Cups will be 10-team affairs

MUMBAI: On a day when the minnows or the 'smaller' teams of world cricket received a huge encouragement with new Australian captain Michael Clarke backing their presence in the World Cup, their worst fears were confirmed.

Addressing the media on Monday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) CEO Haroon Lorgat confirmed that the game's governing body, after a meeting of its executive board, was firm in its decision to make the 2015 and the 2019 World Cups into 10-team affairs.

The 2015 World Cup will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, while the 2019 event will be held in England. Both the tourneys, thus, would be pruned down, considering that the recent tournament had 14 teams and lasted more than a month.

The 2015 event will comprise the existing 10 full members, while spots in the 2019 edition of the Cup will be determined on the basis of qualification. This is certainly a jolt for associate teams like Ireland and Holland, who impressed everyone during the World Cup recently, often punching above their weight. They may have to wait till 2019, probably even longer, to play in the game's premier event.

Lorgat felt that it could be a case of deja vous, as the 2015 event in Australia and New Zealand could repeat the format of 1992, when the Antipodes last hosted the championship.

Nine teams contested a round-robin league and the top four qualified for the semis. "The executive board will take a final decision on the format when it meets in October, but it has reconfirmed that it will be a 10-team competition, a reduction from the current 14 teams. The 1992 tournament was a nine-team tournament and we may replicate that," he said.

Earlier, Clarke, before leaving for Dhaka, where the Aussies will play Bangladesh, said: "I really enjoy seeing the minnow teams getting an opportunity. We've seen throughout this World Cup there were a few upsets where there was some great cricket played." While Clarke's viewpoint came as a breath of fresh air after his predecessor Ricky Ponting openly remarked that there should be a limit to the number of teams in the Cup, the ICC's decision should come as a body blow to cricket in associate nations.

Almost everyone would agree that Ireland, who beat England powered by a brilliant hundred by Kevin O' Brien, played better than a woeful Zimbabwe. Sadly, Zimbabwe, being a full member, will get to play in 2015 automatically, while the Irish will miss out.

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ICC confirms giving India original World Cup trophy

Mumbai, April 4 (ANI): The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday rubbished some erroneous and mischievous media reports that the ICC had presented India with a duplicate World Cup trophy at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.

In a statement, the ICC confirmed that the trophy was original and the one that was always intended to be presented to the winner of the event.

It said: "There is no question that this was a replica. The trophy presented to India indeed carries the specific event logo of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and has always been the cup that the 14 teams were playing for."

"The trophy seized by Mumbai customs is the promotional, perpetual trophy which remains in the keeping of ICC at its headquarters in Dubai. It carries the generic ICC corporate logo rather than the logo specific to the 2011 event. That trophy will be reclaimed today and will travel back to Dubai with ICC staff as was always intended," a media release said.

Muralitharan takes blame for India's win over Sri Lanka

London, April 4 (ANI): The highest wicket taker in one-day internationals and Tests, Muttiah Muralitharan, has blamed himself for India's dominating win over Sri Lanka in last Saturday's World Cup final in Mumbai, as he failed to take any wicket.

As India celebrated its six wicket win over Sri Lanka, the visiting team returned home to largely deserted streets and to pointed questions about playing Murali in a "sentimental farewell" when he was not fully fit.

Murali battled knee, hamstring and groin problems during the World Cup, and was never remotely near full fitness, The Guardian reports.

Muralitharan was not so lucky as other legend Sachin Tendulkar, who fulfilled his long dream of winning the World Cup.

Having quit Test cricket last year and announcing that he would quit all forms of the game after the World Cup, the spin wizard went wicketless in his 350th and final One-day International to finish with 534 wickets (he has 800 in Tests) during his 19-year international career.

Muralitharan said: "We got enough runs on the board - 274 was a good score - but we couldn't crack their batting, especially in the middle part."

"The spinners didn't take enough wickets, that was the main reason. If I or Suraj [Randiv] had taken a few wickets, the story would have been different."

Another record? 68 million watched World Cup final

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Team India's victory at Wankhede will not only go down in history as one of the greatest cricketing victories for the country, but also as one of the most viewed sporting events on television ever.

An unprecedented 67.6 million people watched the gripping final that had most Indians at the edge of their seats. The number of viewers on Saturday—according to the data collated by audience measurement agency aMap—has surpassed the Indo-Pak semi-final that was perhaps the most anticipated match of the tournament for the subcontinent audience. The number of viewers for the semi-final was 67.3 million. The other semifinal—Sri Lanka vs New Zealand—paled in comparison with only 32 million viewers.

Incidentally, TRP viewership for India matches leaped from 3.7 before the quarterfinals to 6.4. About 53 million watched the India vs Australia clash in the quarter-finals. aMap vice-president Jinita Shah said, "Yesterday's viewership broke all records. Every Indian was glued on to TV to see the big win. Viewership increased almost four times on Saturday.'' According to aMap, 64% of cable and satellite homes watched the Men in Blue clinch the World Cup. The average viewership rating for the final was 13.6, which peaked at 21.4 during the end of the match—higher than the high-voltage Indo-Pak encounter at Mohali. However, most industry watchers will wait for the TAM ratings that most media agencies subscribe to for a full analysis.

The aMap data, though, is an indication of the unprecedented viewership that the final clocked. The average time spent recorded on the match was an impressive 187 minutes.

"The World Cup finals will break all records possible as far as cricket viewership or any other programme in recent times is concerned. Peaks could touch ratings of 40 and average would be higher than 30. Considering India won and it happened in India while the contests were well fought, this World Cup has given the sponsors the biggest returns compared to other years," said Ajit Varghese, MD of Maxus, which bought media for brands like Vodafone, Fiat, Nokia and Hero Honda among others.

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India beat Sri Lanka to win ICC World Cup 2011

MUMBAI: An inspired India on Saturday night regained the coveted World Cup after 28 years as they suppressed Sri Lanka with a six-wicket victory in a nerve-wrecking final to script a glorious new chapter in their cricketing history.

Chasing 275 for a historic win, the Indians held their nerves as they rode on Gautam Gambhir's 97 and Mahendra Singh Dhoni's unbeaten 91 to overhaul the target with 10 balls to spare and send the cricket-crazy nation into a frenzy.

The vociferous, jam-packed crowd at the Wankhede stadium erupted in wild celebrations as Dhoni hit the winning six runs to give India their biggest cricketing moment and crown themselves the ODI world champions, in addition to being the number one Test team.

The World Cup title triumph, coming as it did after more than two decades, was doubly special for Sachin Tendulkar since it was the only silverware missing from his collection.

It was also a fitting farewell to coach Gary Kirsten, for whom it was the last day in office as the Indian coach.

It was a momentous Saturday night marked by high emotion and poignant scenes as India, for long the game's financial power, stamped their supremacy on the field as well, eight years after Sourav Ganguly's team had made an abortive attempt to scale the pinnacle.

The players, many of them with tears in their eyes, rushed to the ground to hug each other as Dhoni finished it off in style by hitting a six, as fire crackers lit up the evening sky to mark the moment.

The highlight of the Lankan innings was Mahela Jayawardene's rollicking 103 as Sri Lanka capitalised on the batting powerplay to post a decent 274 for six.

Electing to bat after winning the toss, Jayawardene used his vast experience to good effect and anchored the Lankan innings together.

The islanders, desperate to regain the coveted cup after nearly 15 years, lost wickets at regular intervals against the Indians, who were spurred on by a vociferous jam-packed crowd.

The Indian bowlers were disciplined in the first half of the innings but conceded as many as 63 runs in the batting powerplay to undo all the good work.

Apart from Jayawardene's 88-ball knock, captain Kumar Sangakkara (48) Tillakaratne Dilshan (33) and Nuwan Kulasekara (32) were the other notable performers.

The Indian innings began on a disastrous note as the destructive Virender Sehwag was dismissed in the very second ball of the innings with paceman Lasith Malinga scalping the prized wicket.

Sehwag was hit on the pads by an incoming delivery by Malinga as he went for a flick. Umpire Aleem Dar ruled him out before he asked for review but television replays showed that the ball would have hit the stumps.

Tendulkar, playing in what probably is his last World Cup game, entertained his home crowd with a couple of delightful boundaries while Gambhir also looked for runs at the other end.

The Indians suffered a huge jolt went Malinga struck again by dismissing the champion batsman as he snicked an away-going delivery and captain Sangakkara latched on to a low catch. A hushed silence descended on the Wankhede stadium as he started his walk back to the pavilion.

Gambhir drove Kulasekara for a boundary in the extra cover region to notch up 4000 ODI runs while Virat Kohli also pulled the bowler to the boundary in the same over.

Gambhir was lucky to get a reprieve in spinner Suraj Randiv's first over when Kulasekara dropped him at the long off region.

The third-wicket pair of Gambhir and Kohli put on 83 runs before Dilshan broke the partnership by taking a brilliant acrobatic return catch.

The out-of-form Dhoni came ahead of Yuvraj to keep the left-right combination going and was immediately given two 'lives' by the Lankans -- first Sangakkara messing up a stumping chance off Muralitharan and then Dilshan dropping a return catch as he collided with non-striker Gambhir.

Dhoni, however, made the most of the Sri Lankan lapses to rediscover his form which had deserted him in the mega event.

Dhoni and Gambhir scored at a brisk pace to keep India in the hunt.

The pair stitched 109 runs for the fourth wicket before Gambhir paid the price for a horrendous stroke, just three runs short of what would have been a well-deserved century.

Gambhir made room to cut the ball but missed it completely to see his stumps dislodged.

Earlier, both the Indian new ball bowlers bowled a tidy line and length and did not allow the Sri Lankan openers to get off to a flying start while the fielding was also sharp.

Pace spearhead Zaheer's first three overs were maidens and that put some pressure on the two Lankan openers who were not being able to capitalise on the powerplay overs.

Dilshan broke the stranglehold by hitting the first boundary of the innings in the 5th over by pulling Sreesanth to the square leg fence.

In the same over, he produced a delightful cut to the point for his second boundary.

Tharanga looked completely out of sorts at the other end as he found it difficult to find the gaps as Zaheer bowled a searching length right through his opening spell.

Zaheer drew first blood in his fourth over by evicting Tharanga with an outgoing delivery and Virender Sehwag holding on to diving catch at first slip much to the delight of a capacity crowd at the stadium. Tharanga scored just two runs off 20 balls.

The Lankans could manage just 31 runs in the first ten overs, their lowest in the tournament. That was largely because of Zaheer's excellent first spell of 5-3-6-1.

Dilshan and Sangakkara put on 43 runs for the second wicket before Harbhajan Singh struck for his team by getting rid of Dilshan (33), who scored 500 runs in the tournament.

Dilshan went for a sweep but the ball hit his gloves and lobbed onto his stumps to trigger off wild celebrations in the galleries.

Sangakkara and Jayawardene then took upon themselves the task of rebuilding the innings and the duo scored at a decent pace to steer the team to a comfortable position.

Yuvraj Singh, who had a dream tournament with both the bat and the ball, was introduced into the attack in the 22nd over but the two experienced batsmen were not really troubled by his left arm spin.

It was Yuvraj who finally broke the 62-run third wicket partnership which was assuming dangerous proportions by dismissing Sangakkara who tried to cut a wide ball outside the off stump but only succeeded in edging the ball to Dhoni behind the stump. His knock of 48 came off 67 balls and contained five boundaries.

It was left to the well-settled Jayawardene to hold the innings together and he found an able ally in Thilan Samaraweera to take the Sri Lankan total close to the 180 mark.

Yuvraj was again instrumental in breaking the fourth- wicket partnership by accounting for Samaraweera. Umpire Simon Taufel turned down the leg before appeal but the Indians went for the referral and television replays showed that the ball would have hit the stumps.

New batsman Chamara Kapugedera did not survive long as he offered a simple catch to Suresh Raina at extra cover off a slower delivery from Zaheer, leaving the visitors in a spot of bother at 182 for five.

Jayawardene and Nuwan Kulasekara then teamed up ensure that Sri Lanka had a competitive total on the board as they went about accumulating runs in the batting powerplay, which was taken in the last five overs.

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Munaf Patel.

Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Mahela Jayawardene, Upul Tharanga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Kapugedera, Suraj Randiv, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan.

Umpires: Simon Taufel (AUS) and Aleem Dar (PAK)
TV umpire: Ian Gould (ENG)
Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL)

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Dhoni's Devils are World Champions

The wait has ended, and a new legend has been born. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his intrepid warriors now stand atop a pedestal hitherto occupied only by Kapil's Devils, and India has become only the third country after Australia and the West Indies to win the World Cup more than once.


The glorious images of this magical evening at Mumbai are destined to be replayed millions of times on TV and the Net, and no matter what happens in Dhoni's remarkable career from here, his place in the Indian cricketing pantheon is assured.

Meanwhile, all of India exulted lustily on Saturday night, and the celebrations are going to continue for a long, long time. This, after all, is a party that was 28 years in the making.

After three successive damp squibs (in 1999, 2003 and 2007), Saturday finally produced a match worthy of a cup final. Team India created history by bucking it - not once but thrice over. No team had ever won a World Cup on home ground, no side had ever successfully chased a target in excess of 250 in a World Cup final, and no squad had ever won after a player in the opposite side had hit a century in a final.

But there's something about this squad - where previous teams would have crumbled, they soak up pressure and kep on scrapping, which explains why India are now ranked No. 1 in both Tests and ODIs.

Set 274 to win after Mahela Jayawardene scored a sublime 103 off 88 balls, India stumbled as Sehwag was trapped LBW by Malinga off the very second ball of the innings.

Sachin Tendulkar looked in sublime touch, racing to 18, but he then edged Malinga and Sangakkara came up with a peach of a catch. Tendulkar walked off to a standing ovation. A few hours later, he would be carried around all teary-eyed, to a rapturous reception, but at that moment few would have bet on it.

Gambhir and Kohli set about rebuilding the innings, while ensuring the asking rate never got out of hand. But the match still hung in the balance when Kohli fell to a superb return catch by Dilshan, with the score 114/3. Another quick wicket could have sent the innings into a death spiral.

Enter Dhoni. The skipper had struggled through the tournament. But when the chips were down, he made a statement of intent that resounded around the world.

Why India won

Superb fielding: India completely outfielded Lanka, with the fielders saving at least 30 runs. Yuvraj, Kohli and Raina outstanding

Restricted Lanka to 274: Sreesanth leaked runs and 63 runs were scored in the last 5 overs, but otherwise India bowled well. Zaheer’s opening spell of 5-3-6-1 was superb

Smart chase: The batsmen never let the asking rate climb too much. Dhoni's promoting himself ahead of Yuvraj proved a masterstroke

Why Sri Lanka lost

Flawed selection: The Lankans blundered, picking Kulasekara and Randiv ahead of Mendis

Sanga's error: Should have attacked with Malinga when Dhoni came to the crease, not waiting till he was well set

MSD's sound cricketing logic

Dhoni's move was backed by sound cricketing logic - it ensured that a left-right partnership would continue at the crease. Besides, having kept to Muralitharan and having played him in the nets during the legendary spinner's stint with Chennai Super Kings, Dhoni was probably better equipped to handle him than Yuvraj. But it was still a gamble.

It worked - and won India the match. Dhoni nudged and nurdled, ran hard, played the occassional big shot and constantly talked to Gambhir, calming him down when the Delhi batsman played a risky shot. The two put on a century stand - India's first ever in a World Cup final, and it looked as if India would canter home.

There was to be one more twist. Gambhir had some lucky moments, with Kulasekara dropping a tough chance when he was on 30, but had batted steadily to get to 97 when he played an ugly heave and was bowled. It was the highest score by an Indian on Saturday (incidentally, Gambhir had also top scored with 75 when Indian won the World T20) but his wicket at that stage gave Lanka a glimmer of hope.

It was a glimmer that man of the match Dhoni and man of the tournament Yuvraj snuffed out with brutal efficiency. There were some hiccups in the running between wickets, and Dhoni struggled with his back, but he was determined to see India home and he did - fittingly, with a magnificent six that showed he can still summon the dasher in him.

It was a fabulous ending to a day when much threatened to go wrong, starting with the toss. Both Dhoni and Sangakkara were convinced they had won the toss. Match referee Jeff Crowe, who had also presided over the farcical spectacle of the 2007 World Cup final ending in near darkness, said he hadn't heard Sangakkara's call. A re-toss took place, Sangakkara won and had no hesitation in batting first.

Given the fact that seven of the previous nine World Cup finals had been won by the team batting first, it was a cruel blow. India's best hope now lay in keeping Sri Lanka down to a manageable total. But Mahela Jayawardene had other ideas. Playing perhaps the most important match of his life, the elegant veteran paced his innings superbly. He purred along, all silken grace, at a run a ball through most of his innings before exploding towards the end to bring up a well-deserved century.

It didn't help that Sreesanth, picked ahead of Ashwin, leaked 52 runs from 8 overs. To make matters worse, Kulasekara slammed 32 off 30 balls and Perera bludgeoned 22 off just 9 as Lanka raced to 274/6 off 50 overs. A whopping 63 runs were scored in the batting powerplay during overs 46-50, turning what would have been a par score into a daunting one.

It was the best batting powerplay for the Lankans throughout the tournament. In a cruel irony, it was scored in the same match in which they scored their least runs during the mandatory first 10-over powerplay - just 31 runs coming off the first 10 overs as Zaheer befuddled the openers with a superb spell and induced a snick from Tharanga which was superbly snapped up by a diving Sehwag. Zaheer had three maidens in his first spell of 5 overs, in which he conceded just 6 runs while taking a wicket.

The other bowlers, with the exception of Sreesanth, put in disciplined spells and were backed up by some of the best fielding ever displayed by an Indian side. Raina and Kohli were outstanding as usual, Yuvraj turned back the years with a superb show and even 38-yearold Tendulkar flung himself around to cut off boundaries. Unfortunately for India, Jayawardene went from strength to strength. Seventeen runs came off Zaheer's ninth over and 18 off his 10th, including a last-ball six by Perera that rubbed salt into gaping wounds. For eight years, Zaheer has been haunted by the ghosts of the 2003 final, in which he conceded 15 runs off his very first over. He finished this Cup final with 2 wickets for 60 runs off 10 overs, but this time, there was to be a happy ending both for him and India.

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Men in Blue party all night after World Cup triumph

MUMBAI: The victory celebrations didn't end with the ceremony and trophy presentation at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday night. Like most of the country, Team India partied hard into the night, finally hitting the sack only way past dawn at around 7.30 am on Sunday.

The party was in three stages. First there was an impromptu bash with the Taj Mahal Tower's guests, then a party among the teammates themselves outside their rooms and finally a bigger bash at the Zodiac Grill with family and friends.

The Indian team had left the Wankhede to reach the hotel at around 12.15 am. When the guests in the Taj Tower came to know that the victorious players were arriving - and being sneaked into the hotel through the backdoor - they knew where to gather so that the Men in Blue wouldn't miss them. And they didn't!

The moment the players walked in, chants of "Indiaaa, Indiaaa" greeted the team at decibel levels that could be heard as far away as the Gateway. The hotel had been barricaded to not let in outsiders and what followed inside were maniacal celebrations.

The hotel's leading chef, Hemant Oberoi, had baked a special cake in the shape of the World Cup for the team. The players cut the grand chocolate cake at the Starboard, a portside bar with a maritime theme housed at the lobby level.

Once that was done, the bubbly flowed. The players and the hotel guests popped the finest of Moet & Chandon Magnum and the party began. Indian and continental delicacies were served and the players were drenched in champagne.

The party went on in the lobby for close to an hour.

The hotel receptionists, floor managers, security men, bell boys, attendants and other employees had no choice but to stand and watch the pandemonium as the guests partied with the cricketers like there was no tomorrow. Champagne was sprayed, cake scattered, seats were climbed over; there was shouting, yelling and singing of 'Saare jahan se achcha.'

Every guest wanted a picture. This, they knew, was going to be their best brush with cricketing glory. The Taj, lit in blue to go with Team India's colour, added to the mood and it was only after the players began making repeated requests for their share of privacy that they were allowed to go up to their rooms in the heritage wing of the hotel.

Once they reached their floor, the teammates went to their respective rooms, refreshed themselves and came back to party by themselves at the lobby of the same floor.

It was already 2.30 am by then. That, perhaps, was the first time since lifting the Cup that Dhoni's bunch of world beaters could soak in their moment of truth and let what they had achieved through the evening sink in. They stayed there for around another hour, in their very private huddle, where emotions ran high and tears flowed.

It was important to get a grip over themselves before moving any further into the night and the players did just that. At around 3.30 am, they walked into the Zodiac Grill, where the Taj had even prepared a dance floor for the team members and their personal guests, including family and friends.

It was 7 am by the time they returned to their rooms, tired enough to hit the sack. On arrival, they were greeted with congratulatory notes on beds crisply made up with white linen.

Expectedly, the cricketers, their support staff, coaches and officials of the International Cricket Council had a late meal on Monday, with some placing orders up to their rooms. They then gathered on the Taj Chambers terrace for a photo-op with the Cup before heading to Raj Bhavan for high tea with the President of India.

It was 3.30 pm when they got into the bus to head to Walkeshwar.

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World Cup trophy with Indian team is original, says ICC

MUMBAI: The ICC on Monday rejected reports that the World Cup with the Indian team is a replica and maintained that it is the original trophy after controversy broke out over news that that it was a fake that was presented to the team on Saturday.

Media reports said that the Cup given to Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his team was a fake and that the original was lying with the customs in Mumbai over non-payment of duties.

Several former cricketers expressed dismay over the alleged goofup by the ICC and the BCCI.

Following these reports, the ICC came out with a statement this morning saying that the trophy presented to the Indian cricket team is original.

"Contrary to some erroneous and mischievous media reports, the ICC can confirm that the trophy presented to India at Wankhede Stadium on Saturday was the original ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 trophy and the one that was always intended to be presented to the winner of the event," the ICC statement read.

"There is no question that this was a replica. The trophy presented to India indeed carries the specific event logo of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and has always been the cup that the 14 teams were playing for," it added.

The ICC said the Cup in the customs' custody is the "perpetual trophy" which is used for promotional purposes.

"The trophy seized by Mumbai customs is the promotional, perpetual trophy which remains in the keeping of ICC at its headquarters in Dubai. It carries the generic ICC corporate logo rather than the logo specific to the 2011 event. That trophy will be reclaimed on Monday and will travel back to Dubai with ICC staff as was always intended," the governing body said.

Customs sources also admitted that they did not know whether the trophy with them is the original or not.

"We don't know whether it is the original Cup or a replica. But we will release it after payment of 35 per cent customs duty," sources said.

The Cup has been in the forefront of the celebrations by the entire Indian nation with players even posing with it along with President Pratibha Patil at the Raj Bhavan on Sunday.

Dhoni has been photographed and caught on television cameras carrying the replica to the iconic Gateway of India opposite the team hotel on Sunday.

Man of the Tournament, Yuvraj Singh, has been kissing the replica repeatedly in delight.

The confusion over whether the Cup was original or not caused quite a furore with former Indian players criticising the ICC.

"The ICC should have been able to get the trophy to Mumbai long ago. Whatever problems were there, they should have been sorted out months ago. It's very difficult to believe that the World Cup trophy is not available to be given to the winning team. It seems bizzare," said Arun Lal.

"It is absolutely outrageous that a replica was handed to the team," added Atul Wasan.

Another former cricketer and member of parliament Kirti Azad blamed ICC president and union minister Sharad Pawar for the fiasco.

"The ICC cannot pay Rs 22 lakh (customs duty) and they have taken Rs 45 crore tax exemption and they are earning Rs 600 crore. I am very disappointed with Mr Pawar. He has been a disappointment," he said.

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Privilege & honour to serve India, says Kirsten

Gary Kirsten ended his term as the Indian team coach on a euphoric note, guiding the country to a historic World Cup triumph at the Wankhede stadium on Saturday. Speaking to TIMES NOW's Boria Majumdar, the coach said that it was his privilege and honour to serve team India.


He said, "The world cup win is a fantastic achievement and a dream for all. The credit of this win should go to the players, who have handled the expectations placed on them very well. It has been a fantastic experience to be a part of this team."

Kirsten's success mantra lay in giving as much space as they desired to the top Indian players. When asked about the same Kirsten modestly said that that the effort was always on the part of the players and he along with Paddy were just supporting them and understanding them.

"The players put in a lot of hard work. We were prepared to listen to them and worked really hard in understanding them. We gave them all they wanted from us to achieve the success they needed," said the former Proteas opener.

On his equation with Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, Kirsten said that it was his honour and privilege to work with him. He added, "It has been a privilege to work with one of the greatest sporting role models I have come across. He is a fantastic team man and works really hard on his game. He takes nothing for granted in his preparations."

When the South African took over the reins, Indian cricket was on the recovery trail after the tumultuous tenure of Greg Chappell, but as he prepares to leave, Kirsten surely has several reasons to rejoice.

During his hugely successful and path-breaking tenure, India have risen to the summit of Test cricket, by claiming the number one spot, before winning the ultimate prize of the limited-over game - the coveted World Cup.

Staying well in the background and not trying to steal the limelight, Kirsten had charted the glorious path for the Men in Blue.

The former Proteas opener, a dour and doughty batsman, brought to the coach's job single-minded dedication and devotion as well as steely determination that helped India scale one peak after another.

India needed Kirsten's calm and assured presence after their shock exit shock exit in the 2007 World Cup and how well he delivered.

It's significant to note that Kirsten's tenure also coincided with the re-emergence of champion batsman Sachin Tendulkar after being troubled by a spate of injuries.

Spearhead Zaheer Khan also rediscovered his form during Kirsten's tenure and has played a major role to the team's success.

The coming-of-age of Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh, after his own spell of self-doubt, apart from the emergence of youngsters like Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina - in the limited overs format - during his the South African's time also helped India become a superpower.

Though Kirsten can take pride in the fact that Indian batting wears an assured look, in both Tests (with the likes of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman around), the same cannot be said of the team's bowling resources because of loss of form and a spate of injuries.

That would be one of the biggest challenges for the man who takes over the reins from Kirsten.

But for now, the South African should bask in glory of his boys' success.

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Sachin, Zaheer, Yuvraj make it to ICC's team of the World Cup

NEW DELHI: Their crucial contribution in guiding India to their first World Cup title in 28 years on Saturday fetched the trio of Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan a place in the International Cricket Council's Team of the Tournament.

Kumar Sangakkara has been named the captain of this team of 12 that also features three Sri Lankans -- Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Muttiah Muralitharan.

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who won the man of the final award, however, didn't make it as his performance with the bat wasn't up to the mark before the summit clash.

According to a media release by ICC, the team was chosen by a select group of experts who were given the task of picking a balanced side for sub-continental conditions on the basis of performances in the tournament. Statistics were used but were not the sole basis for selections.

Pakistan has only one representative in captain Shahid Afridi while South Africa's AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn also found a berth in the side.

Shane Watson was the only Australian representative while New Zealand pacer Tim Southee was named the 12th man. No England player featured in the team.

Some of the other names that were discussed included Ross Taylor and Jacob Oram of New Zealand, Jonathan Trott and Graeme Swann of England, Ireland's Kevin O'Brien, Kemar Roach and Kieron Pollard of the West Indies, Imran Tahir of South Africa, Upal Tharanga and Lasith Malinga of Sri Lanka and the Netherlands' Ryan ten Doeschate.

ICC's team of the World Cup (in batting order):

Sachin Tendulkar (IND), Tillakaratne Dilshan (SRI), Kumar Sangakkara (SRI, capt/wkt), Mahela Jayawardene (SRI), AB de Villiers (RSA), Yuvraj Singh (IND), Shane Watson (AUS), Shahid Afridi (PAK), Dale Steyn (RSA), Zaheer Khan (IND), Muttiah Muralitharan (SRI)

12th man: Tim Southee (NZL)

Wankhede Stadium Mumbai

General Information About Wankhede Stadium Mumbai:

* Location: D Road, Churchgate, Mumbai
* Established: 1974
* Seating Capacity: 45,000
* Floodlights: Yes
* Specialty:International Cricket Matches
* End Names: Garware Pavilion End, Tata End
* Home Team: Mumbai
* Owner: Mumbai Cricket Association
* First Test: India vs. West Indies – Jan 23-29, 1975
* First ODI: India vs. Sri Lanka – Jan 17, 1987
* First Match Played: January 23, 1975 – West Indies beat India by 201 runs
* Last Match Played: March 18, 2006 – England beat India by 212 runs
* Matches Played: 21
* Matches Tied: 0
* No Result: 6
* Most Successful Team: India
* Wins by Team Batting First: 10
* Wins by Team Batting Second: 5
* Most Prolific Batsman: Sunil Gavaskar (1122 Runs)
* Highest Individual Score: 242 by Clive Lloyd
* Most Prolific Bowler: Anil Kumble (38 Wickets)
* Best Bowling Analysis: 7/48 by Harbhajan Singh

More Information About Wankhede Stadium Mumbai:

Wankhede Stadium is the largest cricket stadium in Mumbai. Wankhade Stadium was the outcome of some disputes over ticket allocations that arose between the Cricket Club of India, the owner of Brabourne Stadium and Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). In 1973, after the Test between India and England, the dispute became severe and at the initiative of S.K. Wankhede, a politician and the Secretary of MCA, a new stadium was built near the Churchgate in South Mumbai. Wankhede Stadium got test status in 1974, when it hosted a match between India and the touring West Indies. It is the largest cricket stadium in Mumbai. Wankhede Stadium was born out the dispute between Cricket Club of India and Bombay Cricket Association. Wankhede Stadium has seen some wonderful display of both batting and bowling. It was here that Sunil Gavaskar made his fighting 205 against the fearsome West Indian bowling attack in 1978-79 series. In 1980 Ian Botham won the admiration of the fans in Wankhede Stadium by his wonderful display with a century and three wickets. Also an integral part of these wonderful memories is Ravi Shastri six sixes in first class cricket. Today, Wankhede Stadium has taken over Brabourne Stadium in all respect; with a whopping sitting capacity of 45,000 audiences the stadium offers a top-end cricketing spectacle. Wankhede Stadium is a cricket stadium that was established in 1975. Nobody knew that a dispute between the Cricket Club of India (CCI) and Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) would result into the largest cricket stadium in Mumbai. In 1973, a dispute over ticket allocations cropped up, after the test match between India and England. It became so severe that S.K. Wankhede (a politician and the Secretary of MCA) instantly took the decision of making a new stadium at Churchgate in South Mumbai (or Bombay). One of the two major cricket grounds in the city of Mumbai, Wankhede stadium was established in 1974, in a record time of 6 months. It is barely a few kilometers away from Brabourne stadium, the next cricketing venue in Mumbai. Before the establishment of Wankhede stadium, Brabourne stadium used to host all the Test matches allocated to Mumbai. The Bombay Cricket Association had a dispute with the authorities (the Cricket Club of India) of Brabourne stadium. Consequently, it decided to build its own stadium, which is now called Wankhede stadium. In the present time, Wankhede stadium is the venue for a number of important Test and ODI matches. Read on to know more about the stadium. Wankhede stadium has been hosting international cricket matches since 1975, the first being the Test in the 1974-75 season, when the West Indies toured India. Since then, it has taken over from Brabourne as the main cricketing venue in the city. In 1995, Wankhade stadium underwent an up-gradation drive, during which, floodlights were installed to provide excellent lighting for the day and night cricket matches hosted by it. The stadium holds a special place, because no other India cricketing venues have produced as many legendary cricketers as the Wankhede stadium has. Wankhede stadium has seen some classic sports and it has been witness to great innings like Gavaskar’s 205 against the Windies and Kallicharan’s 187 in the same game in the 1978-79 series. It was the same ground where all round heroics like Ian Botham’s century and thirteen wickets in the Jubilee Test unleashed complete mania in 1980 when England won by ten wickets. The highest score by an Indian at Wankhede remains Vinod Kambli’s 224 against England in 1992-93 in only his third Test. Incidentally Ravi Shastri’s six sixes in an over off Baroda’s Tilak Raj en route to the fastest double-hundred in first-class cricket was on this ground in 1984-85. Mumbai, the cricket capital of India, has seen Test matches played at three different grounds. The Bombay Gymkhana ground hosted the first ever Test in India, in 1933-34 against England. After WW-II, the Cricket Club of India’s Brabourne Stadium was used for 17 Tests. However, due to a dispute between the CCI and the Bombay Cricket Association, the BCA built the 45000-capacity Wankhede Stadium, less than a mile away from the Brabourne Stadium. It staged its first Test in the 1974-75 season when the Windies toured India. Clive Lloyd scored an unbeaten 242 and in Pataudi’s last hurrah, India lost by 201 runs. The Test also featured a crowd disturbance after a fan who rushed onto the ground to greet Lloyd was treated roughly by the police. India’s first victory here was posted against the New Zealand two seasons later. The stadium has been witness to great innings like Gavaskar’s 205 against the Windies and Kallicharan’s 187 in the same game in the 1978-79 series and all round heroics like Ian Botham’s century and thirteen wickets in the Jubilee Test in 1980. which England won by ten wickets. The highest score by an Indian at Wankhede remains Vinod Kambli’s 224 against England in 1992-93 in only his third Test. Incidentally Ravi Shastri’s six sixes in an over off Baroda’s Tilak Raj en route to the fastest double-hundred in first-class cricket was on this ground in 1984-85. The home ground of Sachin Tendulkar, no other Indian venue has produced as many legendary cricketers as the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai has. Barely a few meters away from the Brabourne Stadium, the Wankhede was constructed in a record 6 months time. Hosting internationals since 1975, the Wankhede Stadium, with a capacity of close to 50,000 has been witness to some epic performances –Ian Botham’s century and 13 wickets in the Jubilee Test in 1980 – the first time anyone had done the double of a century and 10 wickts in the same match – perhaps the stand out moment among many. The Wankhede was also the host to Ravi Shastri equalling Sir Gary Sobers’ feat of six sixes of an over in a First Class match. The stadium, now home to the IPL team Mumbai Indians, will undergo a reconstruction, so as to accommodate many more people for the Final of the 2011 World Cup, which it is scheduled to host. The seaside situation of the Wankhede stadium means that the swing bowlers get a fair amount of assistance during the early part of each day. The pitch has traditionally been full of runs, but it does help the spinners during the last couple of days, and in the last Test played on the ground, against Australia in 2005, the ball spun viciously from early on and this, coupled with low bounce, helped India win in under three days even though almost a whole day was lost to rain. The Wankhede stadium has stands named after famous Mumbai cricketers like Vijay Merchant, Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar. The cricket pitch of Wankhade Stadium is bowler’s favorite with spinners having an edge. It has also pace friendly track. Proximity to the sea ensures spin and bounce to the spinners on the ground. In the year 1995, Wankhede Stadium was upgraded to host day and night matches as well. Wankhede Stadium has adequately honored India’s cricket’s legend and hence the main gates to the ground are named after Polly Umrigar and Vinoo Mankad. The stands are named after famous Mumbai cricketers like Vijay Merchant (West stand), Sunil Gavaskar (East stand upper) and Sachin Tendulkar (North stand).

Owing to the proximity to the sea, Wankhede Stadium has ample sea breezes blowing through it; this aids the faster bowlers with early swings. Wankhede Stadium has a wonderful batting pitch and usually produces high scoring matches.When it comes to test matches, the Wankhede generally offers assistance to swing bowlers, during the early part of each day. However, as the Test match progresses, precisely during the fifth day of the match, the stadium becomes a vicious turner, making a fourth innings run-chase extremely difficult for a team. This is probably because of its proximity to the sea. The pitch is largely a spinner and pace friendly track. It offers spin and bounce to spin bowlers and swing to fast bowlers during the day time. This makes the matches more challenging for the team, which is on a run chase. This is the reason why some of the stadium has witnessed some of the most incredible Test innings in the history of cricket. Currently, the stadium is home to IPL team Mumbai Indians. Nowadays, Wankhede Stadium has ousted Brabourne Stadium in all respects. It has become the main cricket venue in the city and always stands in competition to host an international match in India. With a seating capacity of 45,000 spectators, the coliseum tenders a spectacular sight of cricket. The sports ground has been testimony to the great innings, for instance Gavaskar’s 205 and Kallicharan’s 187 in the 1978-79 series. It is the same stadium, which offered the grounds to the laudable events like Ian Botham’s century, thirteen wickets in the Jubilee Test and the win of England by ten wickets in 1980. Vinod Kambli is the highest scorer amongst Indian players, with 224 runs at the stadium, while Ravi Shastri had six sixes in an over on this ground in 1984-85. Its fine cricket pitch has been the favorite of spinners with its pace friendly track. As a fitting tribute to the famous test cricketers from Mumbai, Wankhede Stadium’s stands have been named after Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar and Vijay Merchant. Being close to the sea, the ground proffers spin and bounce to the spinners and swing to fast bowlers. In 1995, Wankhede Stadium was upgraded with lights, to host day and night matches. Subsequently, it made the venue for an India-Australia match in the 1996 Cricket World Cup. The coliseum has been assigned to host the finals of 2011 Cricket World Cup; due to this it would undertake a major renovation. livescore.warofcricket.com provides information on Wankhede Stadium Mumbai and other Grounds around the World.

Records at Wankhede Stadium Mumbai:

* The highest Test total at the Stadium is 604/6 declared by the West Indies against India in the 1974/75 season.
* The lowest Test total at the Stadium is 93, scored by Australia, when it played against India in the 2004/05 season.
* India scored the highest ODI total at the Stadium. The team scored 299/4 against Sri Lanka in the 1986/1987 season.
* Bangladesh scored the lowest ODI total at the Stadium. The team was 115 all out, when it competed with India in the 1998 season.
* Ravi Shastri’s six sixes in an over off Baroda’s Tilak Raj en route to the fastest double-hundred in first-class cricket was on this ground in 1984-85.
* The highest partnership scored at the Wankhede stadium is 298. D.B. Vengsarkar and R.J. Shastri partnered to put the score on the board, for India against Australia in the 1986-87 season.

How to Reach Wankhede Stadium Mumbai:

One can easily reach Wankhede Stadium by boarding buses or trains, or by hiring autos or taxis from the city.This stadium is very near to Churchgate station, just walkable distance of 10 to 15 minutess. But if you are coming from outside India (i.e coming from Mumbai Airport) then the distance is long and need to catch a local train heading towards south of Mumbai (Western Railway) Churchgate Station. Alternately there are options for cool cabs and taxi from Airport.This is one of the most prestigious stadiums of the country. It is located at Mumbai, in Maharashtra. Airway serves as a heavy mode of transport because the Mumbai International Airport lies close to the Stadium. The Church Gate railway station is at around 30 minutes driving distance from the stadium which helps the people visiting here to come by trains. People can also come by buses, cabs and private cars. Board a local or hire a taxi/auto or bus

Cricket Recoard At Wankhede Stadium Mumbai

Wankhede Stadium is the largest cricket stadium in Mumbai. Wankhade Stadium was the outcome of some disputes over ticket allocations that arose between the Cricket Club of India, the owner of Brabourne Stadium and Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). In 1973, after the Test between India and England, the dispute became severe and at the initiative of S.K. Wankhede, a politician and the Secretary of MCA, a new stadium was built near the Churchgate in South Mumbai. Wankhede Stadium got test status in 1974, when it hosted a match between India and the touring West Indies. It is the largest cricket stadium in Mumbai. Wankhede Stadium was born out the dispute between Cricket Club of India and Bombay Cricket Association. Wankhede Stadium has seen some wonderful display of both batting and bowling. It was here that Sunil Gavaskar made his fighting 205 against the fearsome West Indian bowling attack in 1978-79 series.

A look back at all the nine World Cup finals

June 21, 1975 at Lord's

West Indies captain Clive Lloyd (102) became the first batsman to score a century in a World Cup final, helping his side post 291-8. Australia were 233-9 before the last-wicket pair of Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson added 41. The fightback ended when Thomson was run out.

Brief Scores: West Indies 291-8 in 60 overs (Clive Lloyd 102, Rohan Kanhai 55, Gary Gilmour 5/48, Jeff Thomson 2/44) beat Australia 274 in 58.4 overs ( Ian Chappell 62, Alan Turner 40, Keith Boyce 4/50) by 17 runs.

June 23, 1979 at Lord's

The West Indies rode on Richards's 138 not out to reach 286-9. England failed to force the pace and were bowled out for 194. Their last eight wickets fell for 11 runs, with Joel Garner doing the damage with 5-38.

Brief Scores: West Indies 286-9 in 60 overs (Vivian Richards 138 not out, Collis King 86, Phil Edmonds 2/40, Ian Botham 2/44, Mike Hendrick 2/50, Chris Old 2/55) beat England 194 in 51 overs ( Mike Brearley 64, Geoff Boycott 57, Joel Garner 5/38, Michael Holding 2/16, Colin Croft 3/42) by 92 runs.

June 25, 1983 at Lord's

India, who had won just one match in the previous two editions, stunned the Windies when they defended a modest 183 by dismissing their rivals for 140.

Brief Scores: India 183 in 54.4 overs (Krishnamachari Srikkanth 38, Andy Roberts 3/32, Malcolm Marshall 2/24, Michael Holding 2/26, Larry Gomes 2/49) beat West Indies 140 in 52 overs (Vivian Richards 33, Mohinder Amarnath 3/12, Madan Lal 3/31, Balwinder Sandhu 2/32) by 43 runs

Nov 8, 1987 at Kolkata

The match will be remembered for England captain Mike Gatting's ill-timed reverse-sweep that led to his dismissal at a crucial stage. The Australians did not look safe after scoring 253-5 as England were 135-2 at one stage until Gatting's hara-kiri.

Brief Scores: Australia 253-5 in 50 overs ( David Boon 75, Mike Veletta 45 n.o., Eddie Hemmings 2/48, Neil Foster 1/38) bt England 246/8 in 50 overs (Bill Athey 58, Allan Lamb 45, Mike Gatting 41, Steve Waugh 2/37 & Allan Border 2/38) by 7 runs

March 25, 1992 at Melbourne

Pakistan captain Imran Khan led from the front, top-scoring with 72 to help his side post 249 for six. England faltered against leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed (3-41) before being all out for 227.

Brief Scores: Pakistan 249-6 in 50 overs (Imran Khan 72, Javed Miandad 58, Inzamam-ul-Haq 42, Pringle 3/22, Ian Botham 1/42) beat England 227 in 49.2 overs (Neil Fairbrother 58, Wasim Akram 3/49, Mushtaq Ahmed 3/41, Aaqib Javed 2/27) by 22 runs.

March 17, 1996 at Lahore

Sri Lanka comfortably chased a 242-run target. Aravinda de Silva's superb 107 not out and skipper Arjuna Ranatunga's clever use of his spinners were the highlights of Sri Lanka's win.

Brief Scores: Australia 241-7 in 50 overs ( Mark Taylor 74, Ricky Ponting 45, Aravinda de Silva 3/42) lost to Sri Lanka 245/3 in 46.2 overs (Aravinda de Silva 107 not out, Asanka Gurusinha 65, Javed 2/27) by seven wickets

June 20, 1999 at Lord's

Shane Warne virtually reduced the final to a no-contest when he grabbed four wickets in what turned out to be his last World Cup appearance. Pakistan were bowled out for 132 before Adam Gilchrist smashed a brisk half-century in Australia's emphatic win.

Brief Scores: Pakistan 132 in 39 overs (Ijaz Ahmed 22, Shane Warne 4/33, Glenn McGrath 2/13, Tom Moody 2/17) Australia 133/2 in 20.1 overs (Adam Gilchrist 54, Mark Waugh 37 n.o.) by 8 wkts.

March 23, 2003 at Jo'burg

Ricky Ponting virtually batted India out of the match when he hammered an unbeaten 140 to help his side post 359-2. India were restricted to 234 despite Virender Sehwag's 82.

Brief Scores: Australia 359-2 in 50 overs (Ricky Ponting 140 not out, Damien Martyn 88 not out), Adam Gilchrist 57, Harbhajan 2/49) beat India 234 in 39.2 overs (Virender Sehwag 82, Rahul Dravid 47, Glenn McGrath 3/52) by 125 runs

April 28, 2007 at Barbados

Australia became the first team to win a third successive World Cup, thanks to Gilchrist's rapid 149, the highest in the final. Sri Lanka, chasing a rain-revised target of 269 in 36 overs, finished at 215-8 in semi-darkness.

Brief Scores: Australia 281-4 in 38 overs (Adam Gilchrist 149, Matthew Hayden 38, Lasith Malinga 2/49) beat Sri Lanka 215-8 in 36 overs (Sanath Jayasuriya 63, Kumar Sangakkara 54, Michael Clarke 2/33, Andrew Symonds 1/6) by 53 runs (D/L method).

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Ind vs SL: Nehra may miss World Cup final against Sri Lanka

MUMBAI: Left-arm medium pacer Ashish Nehra, who picked up two wickets and ended up the most economical Indian bowler following a superb spell in the semifinal against Pakistan, is learnt to be out of the World Cup with a fractured finger.

Nehra may not take part in the final, but neither the Indian team manager Ranjib Biswal nor ICC spokespersons could confirm the development. Apparently, the bowler hurt his finger while fielding against Pakistan.

In case Nehra's out, it is to be seen if India would seek a replacement. In the event they go for a replacement, then Ishant Sharma is likely to come in as Praveen Kumar, who was in the original eleven but opted out due to injury, is still recuperating.

The team could also decide against a replacement as it has enough bench strength at the moment which includes S Sreesanth and R Ashwin.

It is being seriously perceived that Ashwin is likely to make the final 11 on Saturday and, therefore, a replacement may not be needed at all. However, these aspects will unfold only after Nehra is officially ruled out.

It is also learnt that India's number three batsman Gautam Gambhir is also battling a minor injury. However, there has been no update on him either.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan side is grappling with its own problems. Veteran left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas and crafty off-spinner Suraj Randiv have been sent an SOS by the team management to join the squad as cover for injured all-rounder Aneglo Matthews (hamstring) and legendary off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (hamstring and knee).

Vaas, a member of the 1996 side that won the Cup and also part of their campaigns in 1999, 2003 and 2007, was initially included in the 30-man probables, but was left out.

Randiv is yet to play in a World Cup and is unfortunately remembered for his deliberate no-ball against India which denied Virender Sehwag a century in an ODI last August.

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India are in good shape ahead of final, says Imran

NEW DELHI: For many the semifinal is the final before the final. The summit clash is just one step away and all the hard work along the way can easily turn to a naught. Add all the hype, the politics, the history that goes into an India-Pakistan tie and what you get is a contest waiting to boil over.

Down the years, some of the semifinals in the World Cup have been most thrilling. In the inaugural edition in 1975, Australia bowled out England for 93 but then slipped to 39/6 before Gary Gilmour pulled them through. In 1992, Pakistan looked all but buried against New Zealand before Inzamam-ul-Haq hurricane half-century powered them into the final. It was Australia's turn again to pull off the Houdini act in 1996 and 1999 editions.

Under Mark Taylor the men from Down Under were on their way out in 1996 at Mohali with West Indies cruising at 165/2 chasing 208 to win before Shane Warne spun his team to a five-run win.

In the next edition, Lance Klusener's two boundaries left South Africa with just one run to win off three balls with one wicket standing before a maniacal run-out helped the Aussies secure a tie and entry into the final.

Out of all these clashes, only Pakistan in 1992 and Australia in 1999 went on to clinch the title which indicates not all teams have the wherewithal to recover from a draining semis encounter. Pakistan's 1992 World Cup winning captain Imran Khan, however, feels that India are in a good shape going into the final.

"The pressure of playing in a semifinal is much greater than that in the final. As India and Pakistan faced off in the semifinals the pressure just multiplied," Imran Khan said on Thursday. "India have gone through the test by fire. My advice to them will be to just enjoy the final," the former Pakistan all-rounder said.

Former Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga, the last non-Australian to lift the World Cup in 1996, agreed with Imran. "The pressure on India will be far less as compared to what it was on Wednesday. It is good to see both the Asian favourites competing in the final," Ranatunga, who was in the capital as part of Idea's Champions of the World initiative, said.

Kapil Dev, India's only World Cup-winning skipper, believed that both India and Pakistan played well below their par in the semifinals in Mohali. "Both teams played extraordinary cricket to reach the semis but they failed to play up to their potential. India need to go out and passionately play the final. The pressure will be there but it is important to enjoy the final," he said.

The weight of expectations might have lifted after the Pakistan win but Mahendra Singh Dhoni should not settle for anything less than the title.

Captains' Pick

Kapil Dev: Being an Indian and with the final taking place here, I will definitely favour India to win. But the Lankan players are dangerous and they are playing as a team.

Imran Khan: India will go on to win with the great self-belief they have built up after the win on Wednesday. Sri Lanka though will be expected to put up a much bigger fight.

Arjuna Ranatunga: I think it is 50-50 at this stage. I am a little concerned about the Lankan middle-order, though. Tillakaratne Dilshan has been phenomenal, with his batting, bowling and fielding, Upul Tharanga has performed well and Kumar Sangakkara has been consistent, but Mahela Jayawardene has failed to fire since the Canada match and the middle-order is struggling. But my heart still says Sri Lanka will win.

Allan Border: I believe Sri Lanka have the capability to upset India. They have a strong bowling attack with three quality spinners in Rangana Herath, Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan. Indians showed their susceptibility in facing quality spin bowling in Mohali.

Clive Lloyd: I've always said that catches win matches - Pakistan's mistakes came back to haunt them. The team that gets all disciplines right will have the edge. I am still slightly tilted towards India.

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World Cup final tickets going for Rs 1.25L

MUMBAI: For the World Cup final, it all boils down to simple economics: demand versus supply. So, cricket fans are willing to shell out Rs 1.25 lakh for a ticket in the West Avenue stand, the actual price of which is Rs 37,500.

Blackmarketeers are making huge profits by selling tickets for a seat inside the Wankhede Stadium for Saturday. The selling price is nearly 10 times the actual price. Fans insist that the tickets are worth their weight in gold.

Prices in the black market shot up dramatically on Wednesday night when India defeated Pakistan in the semifinal at Mohali. According to sources, the cheapest ticket in the east-west stand, which is priced at Rs 1,500, is selling for nothing less than Rs 18,000. The Rs 5,000 north-stand ticket is priced in the black market at Rs 36,000.

''The Holy Grail are the VIP and VVIP tickets,'' said one source, who insisted that there are two such types of seats on sale for Rs 2.5 lakh. ''Even politicians are jostling for tickets,'' said the source.

It's not only local politicians and businessmen who have allegedly joined the hunt for a World Cup final ticket. College students, too, form a large chunk of buyers. A student from N M College said, ''I bought a ticket in the Sachin stand worth Rs 15,000 for Rs 35,000 last Sunday.''

He got it cheaply as India had at the time not yet bagged a place in the final. The student said his faith in the Indian team helped him get a good deal. ''On Thursday, my friends wanted to purchase the cheapest tickets in the east-west stands. These cost only Rs 1,500, but the agent is asking for Rs 20,000. The agent had only one ticket to sell.''

The same ticket that the N M student purchased for Rs 35,000 now costs Rs 85,000. A marketing executive who describes himself as a die-hard cricket fan said he willingly shelled out the amount for a place in the stadium.

Police say most of the blackmarketeers were people involved in the betting racket. ''Once we started a drive against bookies, most fled to the outskirts. Those who remained behind are making a killing selling tickets,'' said police, issuing a warning to watch out for forged tickets being sold at phenomenal prices.

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Sachin vs Murali - a farewell battle to cherish

MUMBAI: Legends Sachin Tendulkar and Muttiah Muralitharan face-off in a mouth-watering duel for the last time when India and Sri Lanka clash in the World Cup final on Saturday.

The contest between the world's leading batsman and highest wicket-taker in their final appearance in cricket's showpiece event will add spice to the big game at the Wankhede stadium.

Muralitharan, who turns 39 next month, will leave international cricket after the World Cup with more Test (800) and one-day (534 so far) wickets than any bowler in history.

Tendulkar's batting skills have not diminished even as he celebrates his 38th birthday next month, but he is unlikely to make a record seventh World Cup appearance in 2015.

A World Cup title has eluded the Indian star despite being the sport's most successful batsman with a record 32,785 runs and 99 centuries in Test and one-day cricket.

Muralitharan tasted World Cup glory in his maiden appearance in 1996 when Arjuna Ranatunga's men stunned Australia in the final in the Pakistani city of Lahore.

The ageing superstars have led from the front in this tournament to carry their teams into the final.

Tendulkar's 464 runs in eight matches are just three behind Sri Lankan Tillakaratne Dilshan's record tally of 467, while the wily Muralitharan has claimed 15 wickets despite battling injuries.

Muralitharan has soldiered on bravely over the past six weeks despite being afflicted by hamstring and groin injuries, a side strain and a troublesome knee.

An appreciative Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara said winning the World Cup for Muralitharan has motivated his team.

"Murali is a legend to bowl virtually on one leg and still get wickets," the captain said.

"He is the icon of Sri Lanka, on and off the field, a fantastic human being and a great team man."

The off-spinner is the only player from either side to enjoy a World Cup triumph.

Tendulkar was 10 years old when India won the tournament under Kapil Dev in 1983, while five of his current teammates - Ravichandran Ashwin, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Piyush Chawla and Munaf Patel - were not even born.

India's South African coach Gary Kirsten, who played against Tendulkar in the 1990, regards the batting star as his hero and the "backbone" of the team.

"It has been an absolute honour and previlege to share the same dressing room as Sachin," said Kirsten, who will step down as coach after the final to spend more time with his family.

"There is nothing to teach Sachin. In fact, I have learnt a lot myself just watching him prepare for a game. He is my hero."

Win or lose, fans will relish the sight of the two old warriors battling under the hot sun. They do not make cricketers like them any more.

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India vs Sri Lanka: Bollywood gears up for World Cup final showdown

MUMBAI: All the three Khans will be going to watch India play Sri Lanka in the finals on April 2. Shah Rukh Khan, just after India's batting, said that 260 was not a bad score and if Team India wins "no one can stop me from going to the finals at Wankhede".

Salman Khan, who was partying at Poison and watching the match, said that he had no plans of going for the semifinals. But he said, "I will try and go for the finals. Cricket is a very unpredictable game and with Pakistan in the semifinals I felt India toh gayee."

Aamir Khan was at the semifinals in Mohali. The actor is expected to be at the finals too.

Some other celebrities like Abhishek Bachchan tweeted: "Well done India—diya ghumake."

Arshi Hashmi from Pakistan who works with Women Beyond Borders said, "Well, people are certainly sad but another side to look at it is that the cup will remain in South Asia. The Indian team played very well. It is also important that nobody was talking about Pakistan."

"Once the team started performing well, suddenly the whole country got involved and we really enjoyed the feeling of being one. I hope and pray that this feeling of unity and involvement with the country with positive approach will continue. South Asia will be the World Cup champion and that's the good part," Hashmi added.

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Deflated Pakistan fans blame Misbah for India loss

ISLAMABAD: Disappointed Pakistani cricket fans on Wednesday blamed a sluggish Misbah-ul-Haq for defeat in the World Cup semifinal thriller with arch-rivals India.


India defeated Pakistan by 29 runs in an action-packed match to set up a World Cup final showdown with Sri Lanka in Mumbai on Saturday, leaving fans across cricket-loving Pakistan dejected.

"We lost because of Misbah, as he did not score well when it was most required," angry fan Awais Shakir said on Islamabad's main Jinnah Avenue as thousands of disappointed viewers were leaving screenings of the match.

"He just wasted time on the pitch."

Fans in other Pakistani cities which ground to a halt for the game also criticised Misbah, who scored a lacklustre 56 from 76 balls. His slow play pushed the Pakistan towards defeat before the 50th over.

For schoolteacher Hazrat Ali, it was disappointing -- but not the end of the game.

"Defeat and win is part of the game. Our team will win next time," he said.

In Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, engineer Mohammad Ali said: "It was a great contest all along and the day belonged to India. However Misbah and Younis Khan were very lazy."

The government had declared a half-day holiday in offices and schools to enable the cricket-mad population to enjoy the game.

Special prayers were offered in mosques and at homes, and people recited verses from the Koran, praying to Allah to guide the Pakistani team to victory.

By the evening all major roads in several Pakistani cities were gridlocked with cars, motorcycles and jubilant revellers, but the festive atmosphere turned tense as the Pakistani batting line began to fall before India.

Power cuts sparked protests by hundreds of angry spectators who blocked a main highway in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir.

Motorists listened to the commentary on their car radios and shouted out the latest score to passers-by at a busy intersection in Islamabad.

Excitement reached fever pitch as shopkeepers flogged green T-shirts, caps and souvenirs, and networking sites Facebook and Twitter buzzed with comments on the wickets' falls and player's performance -- and prayers for the squad.

Young people were seen wearing the green T-shirts of the Pakistani squad, their faces painted in the nation's green and white, in the northwestern city of Peshawar, while large national flags flew from buildings, houses and cars.

In the eastern city of Lahore, which borders with India, more than 20,000 Pakistanis thronged the Gaddafi stadium to witness the match on large screens. Entry was free and people formed long queues to get in.

In Karachi residents blocked many roads and set up huge screens to watch the live broadcast from the Indian town of Mohali.

By the end of the day, 30 people were brought to hospitals across Karachi after being wounded by stray bullets fired during the festivities, hospital officials said.

Even prison authorities in the city made special arrangements for inmates to watch the match and gave Indian team shirts to some 200 Indian prisoners.

In Rawalpindi, revellers danced to drums in a market and shouted "Long live the Pakistan team", "We will win" and "Give your best, we are with you".

Whenever an Indian wicket fell, people jumped and danced in jubilation and fired gunshots into the air.

In Islamabad people gathered around screens -- including a huge screen mounted on the Stock Exchange building -- letting out screams of excitement when a player hit a four or faced a fierce delivery.

Large crowds, including women and children, gathered at the lush green Fatima Jinnah park and waved Pakistani flags in support of their team, while elsewhere, the streets were deserted after midday.

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