Sharukh Khan performing at IPL opening ceremony
Watch India vs Pakistan semi final match Live streaming
Friday, April 8, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Hotels to show India-Pakistan match on big screens
The commercial city is all set for the Wednesday's World Cup semi-finals between India and Pakistan. Several hotels will entertain their guests with the match on big LCD screens.
A businessman who rents out LCD screens said all the screens have been booked in advance. "At least six big hotels in the city have made arrangements to show the match live," he added.
Rahul Dev Banarjee, manager of a hotel on Gokul Road here, said they have put up two screens, one each in banquet hall and poolside, in the hotel. The hotel, which charges an entry fee of Rs 350, will treat them to a lavishly spread dinner. "We are expecting around 250 guests on the D-Day," he added.
Chandrashekar, manager of another hotel located near Court Circle, said they have put up two big screens, one each in garden and restaurant.
Police commissioner K Ramachandra Rao said special squads have been formed to to maintain law and order and to check illegal activities during the match.
ICC Cricket World Cup Live India vs Pakistan: Pakistan begin on a firm footing
Pakistan begin their chase well after bowling out India for 260 in the semi final match of the World Cup at Mohali. Both Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez negotiate the opening ten overs without taking many chances and are able to stay above the net required run rate.
The duo both struck boundaries in tandem to blunt India’s pace attack led by Zaheer Khan. Indian skipper has already brought in the other seamers in Munaf Patel and Ashish Nehra and despite a few close calls, the openers have largely been unfazed in playing their strokes.
India's Innings
It was a 300-plus wicket. India, however would be satisfied with the 260 runs that it managed in the crucial semi final match at Mohali. This after Pakistan’s Wahab Riaz struck terror in the middle-order to end the innings with five wickets.
Sachin Tendulkar top-scored for the hosts with 85 after Virender Sehwag gave his team an aggressive start. He looked in fine touch but was eventually removed by Riaz who found his legs in front of the stumps. Tendulkar though kept his composure and struck together a decent partnership of 60 with Gautam Gambhir.
Riaz though came back with a vengeance and despite several dropped catches of Tendulkar, he ensured no other batsman settled in to script a twist in the bowling dominated tale.
Riaz though came back with a vengeance and despite several dropped catches of Tendulkar, he ensured no other batsman settled in to script a twist in the bowling dominated tale.
Though the average score batting first in a day and night match here is 254, Indians would need their strategy of playing an extra seamer to pay dividends once Pakistan begin their chase.
India bat against Pakistan in World Cup semi final
India made one change from the side that beat champions Australia by five wickets in the quarter-finals, with left-arm quick Ashish Nehra replacing off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin as the hosts opted for a three-man pace attack.
Pakistan, who thrashed the West Indies by 10 wickets in their last eight clash, were unchanged and that meant there was no recall for erratic fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.
India batting great Sachin Tendulkar came into this match needing just one more century to become the first man to score a hundred international hundreds.
The 37-year-old has 51 Test centuries and 48 one-day international tons to his credit.
India have won all four previous World Cup matches between the arch-rivals.
The winners of this encounter will face Sri Lanka, who beat New Zealand by five wickets in Colombo on Tuesday, in Saturday's final in Mumbai.
All three remaining teams in the tournament have won the World Cup once, with India triumphing in 1983, Pakistan in 1992 and Sri Lanka in 1996.
India: Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt/wkt), Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel
Pakistan: Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal (wkt), Asad Shafiq, Younus Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi (capt), Abdul Razzaq, Wahab Riaz, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal
Umpires: Simon Taufel (AUS) and Ian Gould (ENG)
TV umpire: Billy Bowden (NZL)
Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SRI)
Pitch conditions: Renowned as a good batting surface, it usually also has plenty of pace and bounce for fast bowlers too.
ICC Cricket World Cup: Tendulkar's chancy knock powers India to 260-9
Sachin Tendulkar's chancy 85 powered India to 260-9 against a Pakistan side which seemed overwhelmed by the hype built around Wednesday's World Cup semi-final and the 'cricket diplomacy' surrounding it.
Sitting in the VIP box, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yusuf Raza Gilani watched on as Tendulkar enjoyed a series of let-offs.
Playing in his sixth World Cup, Tendulkar had an lbw decision overturned on appeal, was dropped by Misbah-ul-Haq, Younus Khan and Umar Akmal, while stumper Kamran Akmal also missed a half-chance.
Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi, also the hapless bowler on three of those four occasions, could only hold his head in dismay as his team mates squandered opportunity after opportunity to cut short Tendulkar's 115-ball stay that had 11 fours in it.
On a belter of a wicket at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni had little hesitation in opting to bat first and he must have felt vindicated when Virender Sehwag (38) tore into the Pakistani attack.
The right-hander smashed five fours to milk 21 runs off Umar Gul's second over, thus blunting Pakistan's pace spearhead but India could not make the most of the flying start.
Wahab Riaz (5-46) trapped the opener leg before in the sixth over to end the 48-run opening stand and soon the boundary flow dried up.
The 68-run second wicket partnership between Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir (27) consolidated India's position but it was not without toil.
Mohammad Hafeez ended the blossoming partnership by removing Gambhir and Riaz returned to claim Virat Kohli (9) and the in-form Yuvraj Singh with successive deliveries to reduce the co-hosts, cruising merrily at 116-1 at one stage, to 141-4.
Suresh Raina's (36 not out) middle order cameo took India past the 250-mark.
India could have been in a bigger hole but Misbah dropped Tendulkar at mid-wicket, Younus grassed one at cover and Umar Akmal showed the same sloppiness, spilling one at mid-wicket.
Earlier in his innings, Tendulkar used a review to successfully overturn an lbw decision that had gone against him.
Just when it seemed nothing can stop the 37-year-old prolific run-getter from scoring his 100th international century, Afridi caught the Indian off Saeed Ajmal's bowling, keeping his pre-match promise to deny Tendulkar the milestone.
Sitting in the VIP box, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yusuf Raza Gilani watched on as Tendulkar enjoyed a series of let-offs.
Playing in his sixth World Cup, Tendulkar had an lbw decision overturned on appeal, was dropped by Misbah-ul-Haq, Younus Khan and Umar Akmal, while stumper Kamran Akmal also missed a half-chance.
Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi, also the hapless bowler on three of those four occasions, could only hold his head in dismay as his team mates squandered opportunity after opportunity to cut short Tendulkar's 115-ball stay that had 11 fours in it.
On a belter of a wicket at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni had little hesitation in opting to bat first and he must have felt vindicated when Virender Sehwag (38) tore into the Pakistani attack.
The right-hander smashed five fours to milk 21 runs off Umar Gul's second over, thus blunting Pakistan's pace spearhead but India could not make the most of the flying start.
Wahab Riaz (5-46) trapped the opener leg before in the sixth over to end the 48-run opening stand and soon the boundary flow dried up.
The 68-run second wicket partnership between Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir (27) consolidated India's position but it was not without toil.
Mohammad Hafeez ended the blossoming partnership by removing Gambhir and Riaz returned to claim Virat Kohli (9) and the in-form Yuvraj Singh with successive deliveries to reduce the co-hosts, cruising merrily at 116-1 at one stage, to 141-4.
Suresh Raina's (36 not out) middle order cameo took India past the 250-mark.
India could have been in a bigger hole but Misbah dropped Tendulkar at mid-wicket, Younus grassed one at cover and Umar Akmal showed the same sloppiness, spilling one at mid-wicket.
Earlier in his innings, Tendulkar used a review to successfully overturn an lbw decision that had gone against him.
Just when it seemed nothing can stop the 37-year-old prolific run-getter from scoring his 100th international century, Afridi caught the Indian off Saeed Ajmal's bowling, keeping his pre-match promise to deny Tendulkar the milestone.
Live India vs Pakistan: Raina makes most of slog overs
Suresh Raina lashes out against Pakistan after Wahab Riaz reduced Indian batting order to smithereens on a batsmen friendly pitch at Mohali.
Though he began on a slow note, Raina has shifted gears quickly and looks to take on the opposition as India opt for the batting powerplay in the final five overs of the innings.
Harbhajan too struck a few boundaries to get the Indian fans at the stadium cheering again, but was stumped eventually on the bowling of Saeed Ajmal.
Ind vs Pak: Zaheer scalps Akmal for first breakthrough
Zaheer Khan gave India the first breakthrough when he had Kamran Akmal caught by Yuvraj Singh at backward point in their World Cup semifinal clash at the PCA stadium in Mohali on Wednesday.
The breakthrough came after Pakistan got off to a good start with an opening stand of 44 runs.
Earlier, Sachin Tendulkar rode his luck as India made 260/9.
India's total would have been considerably less had not Tendulkar been dropped four times on his way to top-scoring with 85 -- an innings that still left him one shy of a hundred international hundreds.
Wahab Riaz kept Pakistan in the match with an impressive display of left-arm fast bowling on his way to a career-best 5/46.
The 25-year-old's performance was all the more admirable as he would have been omitted had Pakistan recalled veteran fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.
But Riaz, who took a wicket in his first over and later struck twice in two balls, was a constant threat as he surpassed his previous best of three for 22 against Bangladesh in Dhaka three years ago
"I think 260 will be enough. The wicket's taking spin and if we bowl in the right places it will be very difficult for them," said Suresh Raina, who finished unbeaten on 36.
Virender Sehwag made a typically brisk start after India captain MS Dhoni won the toss, with 21 runs coming off Umar Gul's second over -- the paceman's eight costing 69 in all.
However, a bowling change saw Riaz strike fifth ball when he had Sehwag, hitting across the line, lbw for 38 including nine boundaries.
Tendulkar, opening with Sehwag, subsequently square-drove Riaz for four to become the first batsman ever to score 400 runs in World Cups.
But off-spinner Saeed Ajmal nearly had him out twice in successive balls for 23, a reviewed lbw and tight stumping call both going against Pakistan.
Then, on 27, Tendulkar pulled Pakistan captain and leg-spinner Shahid Afridi hard to short mid-wicket only for Misbah-ul-Haq to drop the two-handed catch.
And Tendulkar was dropped again, on 45, when he mistimed a drive off Afridi and Younis Khan at mid-off failed to hold on.
Tendulkar completed a 67-ball fifty with his eighth boundary, off Afridi, before Riaz struck again.
He had Virat Kohli fending to Umar Akmal at backward point and next ball clean bowled Yuvraj Singh, the hero of India's quarter-final win over champions Australia, for nought on the batsman's home ground with a swinging full toss.
Dhoni survived the hat-trick after the ball just missed his outside edge.
Tendulkar was given a third reprieve by Pakistan on 70 when wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal failed to hold a tough chance off an edged Afridi leg-break.
And he was on 81 when a leaping Umar Akmal at short mid-wicket dropped a checked drive against off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez.
However, Afridi -- who had vowed Tendulkar would not reach the landmark score in this match -- ended his innings when he took a sharp catch at short extra-cover off a hard-hit drive against Ajmal.
Tendulkar faced 115 balls with 11 fours.
When Riaz returned he had Dhoni lbw for 25 to leave India 205 for six before completing his five-wicket haul when Zaheer Khan was caught behind.
The winner of this match will face Sri Lanka in Saturday's final in Mumbai.
The breakthrough came after Pakistan got off to a good start with an opening stand of 44 runs.
Earlier, Sachin Tendulkar rode his luck as India made 260/9.
India's total would have been considerably less had not Tendulkar been dropped four times on his way to top-scoring with 85 -- an innings that still left him one shy of a hundred international hundreds.
Wahab Riaz kept Pakistan in the match with an impressive display of left-arm fast bowling on his way to a career-best 5/46.
The 25-year-old's performance was all the more admirable as he would have been omitted had Pakistan recalled veteran fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.
But Riaz, who took a wicket in his first over and later struck twice in two balls, was a constant threat as he surpassed his previous best of three for 22 against Bangladesh in Dhaka three years ago
"I think 260 will be enough. The wicket's taking spin and if we bowl in the right places it will be very difficult for them," said Suresh Raina, who finished unbeaten on 36.
Virender Sehwag made a typically brisk start after India captain MS Dhoni won the toss, with 21 runs coming off Umar Gul's second over -- the paceman's eight costing 69 in all.
However, a bowling change saw Riaz strike fifth ball when he had Sehwag, hitting across the line, lbw for 38 including nine boundaries.
Tendulkar, opening with Sehwag, subsequently square-drove Riaz for four to become the first batsman ever to score 400 runs in World Cups.
But off-spinner Saeed Ajmal nearly had him out twice in successive balls for 23, a reviewed lbw and tight stumping call both going against Pakistan.
Then, on 27, Tendulkar pulled Pakistan captain and leg-spinner Shahid Afridi hard to short mid-wicket only for Misbah-ul-Haq to drop the two-handed catch.
And Tendulkar was dropped again, on 45, when he mistimed a drive off Afridi and Younis Khan at mid-off failed to hold on.
Tendulkar completed a 67-ball fifty with his eighth boundary, off Afridi, before Riaz struck again.
He had Virat Kohli fending to Umar Akmal at backward point and next ball clean bowled Yuvraj Singh, the hero of India's quarter-final win over champions Australia, for nought on the batsman's home ground with a swinging full toss.
Dhoni survived the hat-trick after the ball just missed his outside edge.
Tendulkar was given a third reprieve by Pakistan on 70 when wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal failed to hold a tough chance off an edged Afridi leg-break.
And he was on 81 when a leaping Umar Akmal at short mid-wicket dropped a checked drive against off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez.
However, Afridi -- who had vowed Tendulkar would not reach the landmark score in this match -- ended his innings when he took a sharp catch at short extra-cover off a hard-hit drive against Ajmal.
Tendulkar faced 115 balls with 11 fours.
When Riaz returned he had Dhoni lbw for 25 to leave India 205 for six before completing his five-wicket haul when Zaheer Khan was caught behind.
The winner of this match will face Sri Lanka in Saturday's final in Mumbai.
Pakistan off to a steady start
Are 260 enough runs on the board to defend against Pakistan? Or are India 20 runs too short to play the finals against Sri Lanka this weekend?
Questions on the minds of almost 28,000 people at Mohali's PCA stadium and about a billion others elsewhere in the country as India finished their innings at 260 for 9 in the second semi-final of the cricket World Cup. Questions that shall be answered in the next few hours, with Pakistan out to bat and scoring at about five runs an over having lost opener Kamran Akmal.
The India innings saw as much drama as possible in 50 overs.
It was an India innings that saw as much drama as possible in 50 overs. And much of that drama revolved around Sachin Tendulkar, who led a charmed life on his way to 85, surviving two close appeals and four dropped catches before being caught by Shahid Afridi, bowled Saeed Ajmal. Too soon for comfort, skipper MS Dhoni, at 25, fell to Wahab Riaz.
Dhoni was Riaz's fourth scalp; he ended with five. Local boy Yuvraj Singh was out on a duck, first ball to Wahab Riaz too. He also got the wickets of Virat Kohli and Zaheer Khan.
The sub-continent came to a standstill as national anthems played and India won the toss and chose to bat first.
When Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag walked out to bat, almost 28,000 voices rose as one to cheer. A few hours into the match, the cricket has been exciting. There was a collective sigh of disappointment as Virender Sehwag got out after a blistering innings, there were two back-to-back heart-in-the-mouth moments as Sachin survived two close appeals and reviews. Pakistan also dropped him at score 27, 45, 70 and 81. Before finally catching him at 85.
Before Sachin, the dismissal of Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli and Yuvraj in rapid succession already had the match in balance. Sachin and Dhoni attempted to rebuild but the tumble continued after Tendulkar's departure. Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan and then finally Ashish Nehra, run out on the penultimate ball, fell at regular intervals.
Among those on the edge of their Mohali stadium seats are Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and wife, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi, daughter Priyanka Gandhi with her husband Robert Vadra. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha Meira Kumar is there, as are a number of ministers.
The Ambani brothers, Mukesh and Anil, are at the PCA stadium with their families and Kingfisher Airlines owner Vijay Mallya is watching with son Sidharth.
Aamir Khan and director wife Kiran Rao are representing Bollywood. Also Rahul Bose, Vivek Oberoi and Dino Morea watching some live action at Mohali.
To cheer the Pakistan team, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has led a large delegation to Mohali. The two Prime Ministers met the teams at the PCA stadium before the start of the match.
Mr Gilani, accompanied by his wife Fauzia, was received at the defence airport by Union Minister of State for Communication, Sachin Pilot, and Pakistan's High Commissioner, Shahid Malik, among others.
Before leaving Islamabad for India, Mr Gilani thanked Dr Singh for inviting him to the match, and said that he's "looking forward to a great game." He also said he believes "this match will bridge the gap" between India and Pakistan.
The large delegation accompanying Mr Gilani includes controversial Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who publicly warned his country's cricket team against match-fixing, provoking fierce criticism both within and outside Pakistan. The team is using the Taj hotel in Chandigarh as its base.
Team Singh includes Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon. Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, as well as Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi are not part of the official delegation but are attending the game. They will also attend the dinner that Dr Singh is hosting at 7.30 pm tonight for the Pakistani delegation at the stadium.
Mr Gilani and Dr Singh are watching the game from a VVIP box, but are expected to exit a little later to hold informal talks.
Last week, in a move that surprised many, Dr Singh formally invited Mr Gilani and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to watch the match with him. Mr Gilani accepted the invitation over the weekend.
Speaking to NDTV before the match, Dr Manmohan Singh said this was a "great opportunity to take spirit of friendship forward." Mr Gilani said he was looking forward to a great game and hoped the best team won.
Questions on the minds of almost 28,000 people at Mohali's PCA stadium and about a billion others elsewhere in the country as India finished their innings at 260 for 9 in the second semi-final of the cricket World Cup. Questions that shall be answered in the next few hours, with Pakistan out to bat and scoring at about five runs an over having lost opener Kamran Akmal.
The India innings saw as much drama as possible in 50 overs.
It was an India innings that saw as much drama as possible in 50 overs. And much of that drama revolved around Sachin Tendulkar, who led a charmed life on his way to 85, surviving two close appeals and four dropped catches before being caught by Shahid Afridi, bowled Saeed Ajmal. Too soon for comfort, skipper MS Dhoni, at 25, fell to Wahab Riaz.
Dhoni was Riaz's fourth scalp; he ended with five. Local boy Yuvraj Singh was out on a duck, first ball to Wahab Riaz too. He also got the wickets of Virat Kohli and Zaheer Khan.
The sub-continent came to a standstill as national anthems played and India won the toss and chose to bat first.
When Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag walked out to bat, almost 28,000 voices rose as one to cheer. A few hours into the match, the cricket has been exciting. There was a collective sigh of disappointment as Virender Sehwag got out after a blistering innings, there were two back-to-back heart-in-the-mouth moments as Sachin survived two close appeals and reviews. Pakistan also dropped him at score 27, 45, 70 and 81. Before finally catching him at 85.
Before Sachin, the dismissal of Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli and Yuvraj in rapid succession already had the match in balance. Sachin and Dhoni attempted to rebuild but the tumble continued after Tendulkar's departure. Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan and then finally Ashish Nehra, run out on the penultimate ball, fell at regular intervals.
Among those on the edge of their Mohali stadium seats are Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and wife, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi, daughter Priyanka Gandhi with her husband Robert Vadra. The Speaker of the Lok Sabha Meira Kumar is there, as are a number of ministers.
The Ambani brothers, Mukesh and Anil, are at the PCA stadium with their families and Kingfisher Airlines owner Vijay Mallya is watching with son Sidharth.
Aamir Khan and director wife Kiran Rao are representing Bollywood. Also Rahul Bose, Vivek Oberoi and Dino Morea watching some live action at Mohali.
To cheer the Pakistan team, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has led a large delegation to Mohali. The two Prime Ministers met the teams at the PCA stadium before the start of the match.
Mr Gilani, accompanied by his wife Fauzia, was received at the defence airport by Union Minister of State for Communication, Sachin Pilot, and Pakistan's High Commissioner, Shahid Malik, among others.
Before leaving Islamabad for India, Mr Gilani thanked Dr Singh for inviting him to the match, and said that he's "looking forward to a great game." He also said he believes "this match will bridge the gap" between India and Pakistan.
The large delegation accompanying Mr Gilani includes controversial Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who publicly warned his country's cricket team against match-fixing, provoking fierce criticism both within and outside Pakistan. The team is using the Taj hotel in Chandigarh as its base.
Team Singh includes Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon. Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, as well as Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi are not part of the official delegation but are attending the game. They will also attend the dinner that Dr Singh is hosting at 7.30 pm tonight for the Pakistani delegation at the stadium.
Mr Gilani and Dr Singh are watching the game from a VVIP box, but are expected to exit a little later to hold informal talks.
Last week, in a move that surprised many, Dr Singh formally invited Mr Gilani and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to watch the match with him. Mr Gilani accepted the invitation over the weekend.
Speaking to NDTV before the match, Dr Manmohan Singh said this was a "great opportunity to take spirit of friendship forward." Mr Gilani said he was looking forward to a great game and hoped the best team won.
The Semifinal: India strike, Pakistan loses 2 wickets
Pakistan began well in their answer to India's humble total of 260, a figure the home team struggled to put on board with no significant contributions from any batsman -- except Sachin Tendulkar -- nor a good partnership.
Pakistani openers Mohammed Hafeez and Kamran Akmal mixed strokeplay with cautious pushes and kept the scoreboard ticking in the initial overs. But Akmal went soon for 19 off 20 balls caught at point by Yuvraj Singh off a sharp delivery by Zaheer Khan.
Pakistan lost their first wicket at 43 in the eighth over.
On Mohali's flat batting pitch, the Indian score is probably 20 to 30 runs short according to experts.
Sachin Tendulkar made a scratchy 85 but not without surviving two referrals and four dropped catches.
India made one change, dropping offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin and bringing in pacer Ashish Nehra. This might prove costly since Pakistani spinner Saeed Ajmal picked up two wickets in his 10 overs. He gave away 44 runs. Shahid Afridi was wicketless but conceded only 45.
Wahab Riaz took a career-best 5 for 46 as Pakistan restricted India to a reachable 260-9 despite an atrocious fielding performance in Wednesday's high-stakes World Cup semifinal.
The left-arm paceman struck at crucial junctures, accounting for a dangerous looking Virender Sehwag and an in-form Yuvraj Singh among others, as the famed Indian batting struggled against his swing.
Pakistani openers Mohammed Hafeez and Kamran Akmal mixed strokeplay with cautious pushes and kept the scoreboard ticking in the initial overs. But Akmal went soon for 19 off 20 balls caught at point by Yuvraj Singh off a sharp delivery by Zaheer Khan.
Pakistan lost their first wicket at 43 in the eighth over.
On Mohali's flat batting pitch, the Indian score is probably 20 to 30 runs short according to experts.
Sachin Tendulkar made a scratchy 85 but not without surviving two referrals and four dropped catches.
India made one change, dropping offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin and bringing in pacer Ashish Nehra. This might prove costly since Pakistani spinner Saeed Ajmal picked up two wickets in his 10 overs. He gave away 44 runs. Shahid Afridi was wicketless but conceded only 45.
Wahab Riaz took a career-best 5 for 46 as Pakistan restricted India to a reachable 260-9 despite an atrocious fielding performance in Wednesday's high-stakes World Cup semifinal.
The left-arm paceman struck at crucial junctures, accounting for a dangerous looking Virender Sehwag and an in-form Yuvraj Singh among others, as the famed Indian batting struggled against his swing.
Power play players at Mohali
India and Pakistan, the arch rivals, had not played each other since the Mumbai terror attacks in November 2008.
Despite the strained relations, the question that everybody was asking was could sports play the healer? Well, so it seems!
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's invite to Pak Premier Yusuf Raza Gilani was called 'Aman ka chakka' by the Pak media.
So, as the titans faced each other at the World Cup semi final encounter at Mohali on Wednesday, the list of spectators included some of the biggest names from both the nations.
Despite the strained relations, the question that everybody was asking was could sports play the healer? Well, so it seems!
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's invite to Pak Premier Yusuf Raza Gilani was called 'Aman ka chakka' by the Pak media.
So, as the titans faced each other at the World Cup semi final encounter at Mohali on Wednesday, the list of spectators included some of the biggest names from both the nations.
Five-star Wahab shines in Mohali
MOHALI, India: Umar Gul, Pakistan’s pace spearhead, flopped terribly. Shoaib Akhtar was not picked in the playing eleven while Abdul Razzaq, bowling at a gentle pace, was totally unthreatening.
The Greenshirts desperately needed someone to come forward and deliver the goods against India in their high-voltage World Cup semifinal against India. It was Wahab Riaz, who answered their call.
The tall left-armer finished with career-best figures of 5-46 that helped Pakistan to bounce back after India were given a flying start by Virender Sehwag (38). Wahab’s victims included the explosive Indian opener as well as the in-form Yuvraj Singh (0) and Indian captain MS Dhoni (25).
In fact it was Wahab’s double strike off consecutive balls in the 26th over that allowed Pakistan to fight their way back into the match. Wahab, 25, first scalped Virat Kohli (9) and then shattered Yuvraj’s stumps off the very next ball to leave India in trouble at 141-4. It left the packed crowd at PCA Stadium shell-shocked as Pakistan celebrated the prized wicket of Yuvraj, winner of four man-of-the-match awards at this World Cup.
When Wahab had tail-ender Zaheer Khan caught by Kamran Akmal behind the stumps in the final over for his fifth wicket, he dropped to the ground and sealed a kiss on the pitch that he will remember for the rest of his life.
Wahab, who has picked 27 wickets from 17 One-day International appearances, began this World Cup as a part of Pakistan’s second string as Shahid Afridi opted to have Akhtar in the pace attack along with Gul and Razzaq. He featured in Pakistan’s Pool A game against Canada in Colombo but only because Akhtar was rested that day.
But he was finally given a regular slot in the attack after Akhtar fell apart during Pakistan’s 110-run hammering at the hands of New Zealand at Pallekele.
In the lead-up to Wednesday’s semifinal, calls were made from experts for Akhtar’s inclusion. Pundits like Imran Khan and Wasim Akram believed Pakistan needed Akhtar’s experience. Wahab, however, proved on Wednesday that sometimes passion and commitment is all you need to succeed.
Though the Lahore-born Wahab made his ODI debut in 2008, it was in his first Test at The Oval in England last summer that he shot to limelight with match-winning figures of 5-63 in the first innings.
However, a few weeks later Wahab was under suspicion for an alleged role in the spot-fixing saga that involved three of Pakistan’s leading cricketers – Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt. He was questioned by Scotland Yard detectives before being cleared of any wrongdoing.
All those bitter memories became a distant past for the fast bowler as he basked in the glory of his five-wicket haul in front of a houseful at Mohali. Even Shoaib Akhtar, sitting solemnly in the dressing room, was clapping with admiration. Perhaps, he knew that the better man got the opportunity to play the big game.
The tall left-armer finished with career-best figures of 5-46 that helped Pakistan to bounce back after India were given a flying start by Virender Sehwag (38). Wahab’s victims included the explosive Indian opener as well as the in-form Yuvraj Singh (0) and Indian captain MS Dhoni (25).
In fact it was Wahab’s double strike off consecutive balls in the 26th over that allowed Pakistan to fight their way back into the match. Wahab, 25, first scalped Virat Kohli (9) and then shattered Yuvraj’s stumps off the very next ball to leave India in trouble at 141-4. It left the packed crowd at PCA Stadium shell-shocked as Pakistan celebrated the prized wicket of Yuvraj, winner of four man-of-the-match awards at this World Cup.
When Wahab had tail-ender Zaheer Khan caught by Kamran Akmal behind the stumps in the final over for his fifth wicket, he dropped to the ground and sealed a kiss on the pitch that he will remember for the rest of his life.
Wahab, who has picked 27 wickets from 17 One-day International appearances, began this World Cup as a part of Pakistan’s second string as Shahid Afridi opted to have Akhtar in the pace attack along with Gul and Razzaq. He featured in Pakistan’s Pool A game against Canada in Colombo but only because Akhtar was rested that day.
But he was finally given a regular slot in the attack after Akhtar fell apart during Pakistan’s 110-run hammering at the hands of New Zealand at Pallekele.
In the lead-up to Wednesday’s semifinal, calls were made from experts for Akhtar’s inclusion. Pundits like Imran Khan and Wasim Akram believed Pakistan needed Akhtar’s experience. Wahab, however, proved on Wednesday that sometimes passion and commitment is all you need to succeed.
Though the Lahore-born Wahab made his ODI debut in 2008, it was in his first Test at The Oval in England last summer that he shot to limelight with match-winning figures of 5-63 in the first innings.
However, a few weeks later Wahab was under suspicion for an alleged role in the spot-fixing saga that involved three of Pakistan’s leading cricketers – Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt. He was questioned by Scotland Yard detectives before being cleared of any wrongdoing.
All those bitter memories became a distant past for the fast bowler as he basked in the glory of his five-wicket haul in front of a houseful at Mohali. Even Shoaib Akhtar, sitting solemnly in the dressing room, was clapping with admiration. Perhaps, he knew that the better man got the opportunity to play the big game.
Pakistan begin on a firm footing
Pakistan begin their chase well after bowling out India for 260 in the semi final match of the World Cup at Mohali.
Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez both strike boundaries in tandem to blunt India's pace attack led by Zaheer Khan.
Indian skipper has already brought in the other seamers in Munaf Patel and Ashish Nehra and despite a few close calls, the openers have largely been unfazed in playing their strokes.
Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez both strike boundaries in tandem to blunt India's pace attack led by Zaheer Khan.
Indian skipper has already brought in the other seamers in Munaf Patel and Ashish Nehra and despite a few close calls, the openers have largely been unfazed in playing their strokes.
Indians, Pakistanis bond during tense clash
Tens of thousands of Indians and a handful of Pakistanis packed the stadium for their cricket World Cup clash on Wednesday in a friendly atmosphere that belied diplomatic tensions between the countries.
"We love the people of India as we share the same roots and the same passion for the game among other things," said elated Pakistani fan Ali Salman, who crossed into India via the only road link, the Wagah crossing.
"I managed to get a ticket through my friends in India. I can't thank them enough," the 32-year-old from Lahore told AFP as he made his way into the stadium through tight security.
"We arrived yesterday and the atmosphere at Wagah was electrifying. There were fans who were cheering for both India and Pakistan."
Barkha Sen, a 40-year-old Indian entrepreneur from nearby Chandigarh, said the match offered her a chance to extend a hand of friendship across the border.
"It is one of those rare opportunities that we must utilise to make friends. If I come across anyone from Pakistan, I am going to invite them home for a cup of tea," she said.
Both national anthems were respected by fans, though the overwhelmingly Indian crowd cheered every dropped catch by the Pakistanis who failed to take at least five chances during the Indian innings.
The loudest cheer was reserved for India's talismanic cricketer, record-setter Sachin Tendulkar, who hoped to score his 100th international hundred in the game but fell 15 short.
Cricket has frequently been the victim of poor relations between the neighbouring nations, with tours blocked for years because of bad-blood, but it has also been used to build trust and confidence.
In 2004, India toured Pakistan for a full Test series for the first time since 1989 as part of a diplomatic initiative called the "Friendship Series". Many Indian fans reported being welcomed like long-lost brothers.
On Wednesday, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani watched the game together from the VIP enclosure and greeted the players in a high-profile exercise in regional bridge-building.
"To see the prime ministers of both countries shake hands with players will remain etched in my memory," said Shyam Shankar, an Indian software engineer who drove to Mohali for the match from New Delhi.
"Cricket can be a great healer and help mend relations with our neighbours. We should play each other more often."
Tickets to the game at the 30,000-capacity stadium were limited for the general public, partly due to the large reservations for VIPs, sparking a furious scramble for places.
Divya Pandove, a 24-year-old Indian studying software engineering, flashed her ticket to one of the VIP enclosures with glee as she made her way into the stadium.
"I think I have been very lucky. It had become a status symbol to be able to have a ticket for this match. I am going to tell all my friends by putting it on Facebook," she said.
A bevy of Bollywood stars added a dash of glamour to the occasion.
Top actor Aamir Khan was flanked by his wife Kiran Rao in the VIP enclosure, as were Vivek Oberoi, Rahul Bose, Preity Zinta, Dino Morea and popular Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi.
India's ruling political dynasty was also out in force, with the Italian-born head of the ruling Congress party Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul both in attendance.
Only a few Pakistan fans could be seen in the public areas of the stadium, though family members of leading politicians such as former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had VIP tickets.
Heavily-armed policemen were deployed at a series of checkpoints surrounding the stadium, meaning fans faced a long wait in heat and humidity to take their seats.
There were barricades at traffic intersections, manned by machine-gun wielding security forces, and policemen were confiscating all but essential items from fans.
"We love the people of India as we share the same roots and the same passion for the game among other things," said elated Pakistani fan Ali Salman, who crossed into India via the only road link, the Wagah crossing.
"I managed to get a ticket through my friends in India. I can't thank them enough," the 32-year-old from Lahore told AFP as he made his way into the stadium through tight security.
"We arrived yesterday and the atmosphere at Wagah was electrifying. There were fans who were cheering for both India and Pakistan."
Barkha Sen, a 40-year-old Indian entrepreneur from nearby Chandigarh, said the match offered her a chance to extend a hand of friendship across the border.
"It is one of those rare opportunities that we must utilise to make friends. If I come across anyone from Pakistan, I am going to invite them home for a cup of tea," she said.
Both national anthems were respected by fans, though the overwhelmingly Indian crowd cheered every dropped catch by the Pakistanis who failed to take at least five chances during the Indian innings.
The loudest cheer was reserved for India's talismanic cricketer, record-setter Sachin Tendulkar, who hoped to score his 100th international hundred in the game but fell 15 short.
Cricket has frequently been the victim of poor relations between the neighbouring nations, with tours blocked for years because of bad-blood, but it has also been used to build trust and confidence.
In 2004, India toured Pakistan for a full Test series for the first time since 1989 as part of a diplomatic initiative called the "Friendship Series". Many Indian fans reported being welcomed like long-lost brothers.
On Wednesday, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani watched the game together from the VIP enclosure and greeted the players in a high-profile exercise in regional bridge-building.
"To see the prime ministers of both countries shake hands with players will remain etched in my memory," said Shyam Shankar, an Indian software engineer who drove to Mohali for the match from New Delhi.
"Cricket can be a great healer and help mend relations with our neighbours. We should play each other more often."
Tickets to the game at the 30,000-capacity stadium were limited for the general public, partly due to the large reservations for VIPs, sparking a furious scramble for places.
Divya Pandove, a 24-year-old Indian studying software engineering, flashed her ticket to one of the VIP enclosures with glee as she made her way into the stadium.
"I think I have been very lucky. It had become a status symbol to be able to have a ticket for this match. I am going to tell all my friends by putting it on Facebook," she said.
A bevy of Bollywood stars added a dash of glamour to the occasion.
Top actor Aamir Khan was flanked by his wife Kiran Rao in the VIP enclosure, as were Vivek Oberoi, Rahul Bose, Preity Zinta, Dino Morea and popular Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi.
India's ruling political dynasty was also out in force, with the Italian-born head of the ruling Congress party Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul both in attendance.
Only a few Pakistan fans could be seen in the public areas of the stadium, though family members of leading politicians such as former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had VIP tickets.
Heavily-armed policemen were deployed at a series of checkpoints surrounding the stadium, meaning fans faced a long wait in heat and humidity to take their seats.
There were barricades at traffic intersections, manned by machine-gun wielding security forces, and policemen were confiscating all but essential items from fans.
India vs Pakistan Semi Final: Pakistan cruising, 70-2
Pakistan cruised to 70 for two in their World Cup semifinal against India at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali on Wednesday.
India vs Pakistan Semi Final live Streaming here
India vs Pakistan Semi Final live Streaming here
India vs Pakistan Semi Final Live Cricket Match Score,Updates and Predictions
Experts said, calling the game of "Mothers of the final." India vs Pakistan match is a type of war that comes when every man who is a cricket fan, enjoy this game as final heartbeat.Every man wants to enjoy this match as World Cup and when the game started to take people and its position as a world war to see and enjoy this game.
Today's match is very important for both teams and both countries because their people will not see their team fan lost.a Cricket Fans just want to see this game and desided to see this game in all conditions.
Yesterday, the rain had fallen in Mohali today may therefore be falling.Today Mohali stadium became a wall of soldiers because people eventhough warning terrorist group wants to enjoy the match between such a warning.
ICC Cricket World Cup, 2nd semi-final: India v Pakistan Cricket match will be played at Mohali on Mar 30, 2011.
India's best players
Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj SinghYuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina
Pakistan's best players
Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal, Umar Gul
TOSS PREDICTION
India 52%, Pakistan 48%. People believe that India can win this match.
MATCH PREDICTION
India 52%, 48% in Pakistan. India could win the game that people's opinions.
The Match will begin at 14:30 local time (09:00 GMT)
India: Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam GambhirGautam Gambhir, places Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (Captain & WK), Suresh Raina, R Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer KhanZaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra
Pakistan: Kamran AkmalKamran Akmal (WK), Hafiz Mohammad Asad Shafiq Khan Younis, Misbah-ul Haq, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi (captain), Abdul RazzaqAbdul Razzaq, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz.
India vs Pakistan live stream Semi Final cricket online tv
india vs pakistan live stream People often say that Ashes is the biggest cricket rivalry but people in Asia would strongly disagree and the reason for that is India and Pakistan cricket matches which always attract huge attention not only in home countriese but also people living abroad have hug.
Watch India vs Pakistan Semifinal Online Live – World Cup 2011
India vs Pakistan has always been a treat match for people of these two nations. The build-up is usually very huge and the pressure will be on both sides to win and get into the World Cup Finals which will be played at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.
India and Pakistan go a long way in the World Cup with India having been able to defeat Pakistan in all 4 instances including the famous 1996 and 2003 World Cup matches victories.
The India vs Pakistan match has a huge billing and will definitely be one of the best matches of this World Cup. The Pakistan side haven’t yet scored big runs and most of their wins have come thanks to the bowlers. On the other hand, the Indian batsmen have struck some sort of form with most of the top order and middle order except for Dhoni hitting half centuries in the last match.
The Indian batsmen will have to score really well against Pakistan to guarantee a win and the Indian bowlers will have to make up for their lackluster performance by bowling good line and length.
Overall, the India vs Pakistan match is definitely going to be a thriller to watch. Tune in on Wednesday to watch the India vs Pakistan match at the Mohali stadium in Punjab. You can also watch the India vs Pakistan semifinal match live online using the links below.
The ICC World Cup 2011 will be broadcast live on ESPN Star Sports and Star Cricket. You will be able to catch up on live action here.
India vs Pakistan live: India sets 261 runs target before Pakistan
However, Sehwag fell prey to newcomer Wahab Riaz for 38 runs. Before getting out, Sehwag hammered Pakistan bowling spearhead Umar Gul for five boundaries in an over.
Indian batting maestro was riding on heavy luck. He was given six drop chance but failed to score his 100th international ton. He was dismissed for 85 runs.
Wahab Riaz bowled dream spell of his career. He took five wicket haul in a crucial game.
Earlier, Wahab Riaz provided double blow to India by dismissing Kohli and Yuvraj (0) in one over.
After fiery start, India lost opener Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir.
Wahab Riaz provided first breakthrough to Pakistan when he dismissed dangerous Sehwag. Sehwag scored 38 runs of 25 deliveries.
India received second jolt when Mohammad Hafeez got rid off Gambhir for 27 runs.
Earlier, Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the crucial toss and elected to bat first against Pakistan in the second semifinal of Cricket World Cup 2011.
Dhoni has made one change in the side. Spinner R Ashwin paved the way for pacer Ashish Nehra. Dhoni feels that Pakistan side is good against spinners.
On the other hand, Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi said that toss will not affect the result of tie. He said that there are no changes in the Pakistan side. The same team, which played against West Indies will play today.
Afridi said that this is biggest encounter of his career.
Teams:
Ind: Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Ashish Nehra
Pak: Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal, Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Wahab Riaz, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal
Live India vs Pakistan: Zaheer strikes for India
Both openers in Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez began with boundaries and looked to take on the pace trio of Zaheer, Munaf Patel and Ashish Nehra but it was the experienced head in Zaheer that persisted with his line and forced the error. Yuvraj at point completed the rest, much to the cheer of the Mohali crowd here.
India's Innings
It was a 300-plus wicket. India, however would be satisfied with the 260 runs that it managed in the crucial semi final match at Mohali. This after Pakistan’s Wahab Riaz struck terror in the middle-order to end the innings with five wickets.
Sachin Tendulkar top-scored for the hosts with 85 after Virender Sehwag gave his team an aggressive start. He looked in fine touch but was eventually removed by Riaz who found his legs in front of the stumps. Tendulkar though kept his composure and struck together a decent partnership of 60 with Gautam Gambhir.
Riaz though came back with a vengeance and despite several dropped catches of Tendulkar, he ensured no other batsman settled in to script a twist in the bowling dominated tale.
Though the average score batting first in a day and night match here is 254, Indians would need their strategy of playing an extra seamer to pay dividends once Pakistan begin their chase.
India V Pakistan 2011 Cricket World Cup: Live Stream
India will expect a big score from any of Tendulkar, Sehwag, Gambhir, Singh, Dhoni or Kohli. Even Pathan can be expected to deliver an innings reminiscent of his match-winning 123 off 96 balls against New Zealand in December.
India hold the mental edge heading into their fifth World Cup match against their sub-continent neighbours, having won all four previous clashes.
But Pakistan have beaten India the two times these countries met on this ground in the ODI format – in 1999 and 2007 – with the most recent fixture seeing Pakistan chase down India’s total of 321 to win with one ball to spare.
Pakistan’s bowlers have a mammoth task before them, but Gul, Riaz, Razzaq and Afridi have the potential to restrict the power hitting in the Indian top-order.
Plenty of runs, plenty of noise, plenty of drama. India to march on.
Key Men
Virender Sehwag – A proven big-stage performer, Sehwag can not only score runs but belt the cover off the ball to make batting easier for the stars to come in behind him. Sehwag averages 40-plus in World Cup matches with a strike rate of 104.95 – an ominous statistic for the Pakistan strike bowlers.
Shahid Afridi - Batsman, bowler, captain, talisman. There is very little that Afridi does not do in the Pakistan shirt and his team will be depending on him to produce the goods once more. He has taken 21 wickets (@10.71) and will need to add to this tally to restrict a strong Indian batting line-up.
Cricket World Cup - Yuvraj v Afridi – India vs Pakistan
Venue: Mohali Date: Wednesday, 30 March (1000 BST)
Coverage: Highlights on BBC Two (see listings), Red Button & online at 2200 GMT (UK only); live Test Match Special commentary (BBC 5 live sports extra, Radio 4 LW and online); text commentary online and mobiles; live on Sky Sports
Wednesday's titanic semi-final between India and Pakistan could hinge on the contest between two great entertainers who have reinvented themselves as ruthlessly efficient performers at this World Cup.
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi and India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh have often been derided as "Hollywood" cricketers, capable of turning on the style when conditions suit them, but just as likely to go missing when their teams need them most.
However, by curbing some of their natural instincts and performing with a new maturity, the duo have taken their games to new heights.
SHAHID AFRIDI
Shahid 'Boom Boom' Afridi earned his nickname for smashing the ball out of the ground with a ferocity and regularity the game had rarely seen.
These days the big scores are few and far between, but the Pakistan captain's capacity to make an explosive impact on games make his moniker as fitting as ever.
Now it is the show-stopping quality of Afridi's bowling that is clearing the bars.
Highlights - Pakistan power past West Indies
In seven matches at the 2011 Cricket World Cup, he has taken 21 wickets at a staggering average of 10.71.
Having only taken four or more wickets on five occasions 312 one-day internationals, he has achieved the feat four times in seven matches at the tournament.
His ability to intersperse conventional leg-spinners with googlies, top-spinners and quicker deliveries on the slow, low, wickets of the subcontinent have rendered him nigh-on unplayable and been the single biggest factor in Pakistan's run to the semi-finals.
Afridi's combination with paceman Umar Gul, who has 14 wickets, has helped the side overcome the shortcomings of an inconsistent batting line-up to beat Sri Lanka, Australia and the West Indies en route to the last four.
With his constant flow of wickets, Afridi has largely led by example, but his leadership has also caught the eye for the way he has galvanised a notoriously fractious squad and imbued them with more energy and efficiency in the field.
"Everybody is standing behind him at the World Cup," said Pakistan batsman Misbah-ul-Haq.
"I think there are always differences in opinion but we always talk to the captain about what he thinks. He's really good at that.
Ind vs Pak: Kohli, Yuvraj, Tendulkar fall, India six down
Scorecard | Match in Pics | In Pics: Indian fans in Mohali
Special Coverage: India Pakistan Semi Final
Riaz first had Virat caught by Umar Akmal at backward point and on the next delivery, clean bowled the in-from Yuvraj with a superb reverse swinging yorker.
Pakistani fielders dropped Sachin Tendulkar twice and he made them pay by hitting his 95th ODI half-century.
Tendulkar was first dropped by Misbah-ul-Haq at mid-wicket when he was on 27 and a few overs later Younis Khan dropped a simple catch at mid-off when Tendulkar was at 45. The unlucky bowler at both times was Pakistani captain Shahid Afridi.
India lost their second wicket when Mohammad Hafeez had Gautam Gambhir stumped by Kamran Akmal.
Sachin Tendulkar and Gambhir brought up the Indian 100 in the 16th over.
Tendulkar took India to 73/1 in 10 overs after the dismissal of Virender Sehwag.
Tendulkar survived two close calls in Saeed Ajmal's second over. On the fourth delivery, the ball hit Tendulkar on the pads, the Pakistani players appealed and umpire Ian Gould raised his finger. Tendulkar opted for the review and the replays showed that the ball was going down the leg side. The decision was overturned.
On the next delivery, Tendulkar missed the doosra while playing a front foot shot and Kamran Akmal took off the bails in a flash. Square leg umpire Simon Taufel went for the third umpire and the replays showed that Tendulkar had brought his right foot down in the crease just in time.
Wahab Riaz trapped Sehwag plumb in front of the wicket after India got off to a fiery start.
Sehwag hit 9 fours in his 25-ball 38 and his onslaught started when he hit five fours off Umar Gul's second over as India got off to a flying start.
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and opted to bat as India made one change to the side that beat Australia in the quarterfinals, bringing in pacer Ashish Nehra in place of spinner R Ashwin.
Pakistan have made no change to the team that beat the West Indies in the quarterfinals, deciding against including mercurial pacer Shoaib Akhtar despite widespread speculation before the match.
Teams:
India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (c), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, Ashish Nehra
Pakistan: Shahid Afridi (c), Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal+, Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Wahab Riaz, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal.
Umpires: Simon Taufel and Ian Gould (both on-field), Billy Bowden (third umpire), Rod Tucker (fourth umpire). Ranjan Madugalle (match referee).
ICC Cricket World Cup Ind vs Pak: Special prayers offered in Dhoni's city
"Special prayers were performed in the morning for India's victory. Goddess Durga has blessed Dhoni and we believe that India will win the World Cup under his captainship," said Manoj Panda, priest of Deori temple in Tamar near Ranchi.
Dhoni's fans also went to Deori temple, which the cricketer often visits.
"We arrived here for the special prayers. India will reach the final by defeating Pakistan," said Sandeep, a fan of Dhoni.
Pujas were also performed in other temples of Jharkhand for the Indian team's success.
Ind vs Pak: PCA stadium all geared up for crunch tie
He said there was always pressure in hosting such a mega match, but added they were happy to play host to the two neighbouring countries.
On the VVIPs coming here, Pandove said that "UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar, ICC president and Union Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, Pakistan Cricket Board chief Ejaz Bhat among others, are watching the match."
Pandove said that Bangladesh Cricket Board secretary Mehbubullah Anam, Cricket Sri Lanka secretary Nishant Ranatunga and several former cricketers will be present. Chairman of Indian Selection Committee Kris Shrikkanth reached on Tuesday.
Pandove advised the fans coming to watch the match to reach the stadium well in time and be seated by 12 pm in view of the movement of the top dignitaries.
India vs Pakistan World Cup semi-final : ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
Whether there will be anyone on the other end of the phone to take their call remains in serious doubt. Yes, the entire Indian subcontinent will be closed for business today as India take on Pakistan in the second semi-final of the World Cup .
Cellphones the world over will finally fall silent as call centres across the land are emptied of salesmen. It may not be an official national holiday but it will be a de facto day of anxious "leisure" for everyone from Kanyakumari in the South to Sost in Northern Pakistan. Well, I say everyone. If the media is to be believed there is one group of selfless individuals who, nobly and altruistically, will use the unique opportunity provided by a cricket match to solve the bitter disputes that have bedeviled Indo-Pak relations for 54 years. Apparently delegations from the Home Offices of both countries have been working round the clock in the days leading up to the match to thrash out a series of agreements that Prime Ministers Yousuf Raza Gilani and Manmohan Singh can rubber stamp after a gentle, civilized day at the cricket.
There is even talk of a limited prisoner exchange. But can it really be that half acentury of rivalry is about to be replaced so easily by a fraternal accord that will usher in a bright new dawn? Let us examine the entrenched positions of both sides. In the Green corner sits Gilani. For the best part of 30 years now his men have stuck to a rigid and unshakable faith in the power of reverse swing bowling, backed up by explosive, ludicrously gifted, but entirely unpredictable batsmen . Frequently Pathans from the unruly mountain districts of Pakistan, they have terrorized players around the world with their unfathomable methods and weapons of rapid wicket taking ability, even on the slow, low surfaces of India.
Suspecting that they were falling behind in this arms race to control the middle overs of a One Day International, the Indians began developing their own retaliatory response at the turn of the century in the shape of Zaheer Khan. He is now fully tested and at the height of his destructive powers. But he sits alone within the Indian arsenal as sadly later models, such as the Sreesanth, the Munaf Patel and most especially the Ashish Nehra have been fitted with faulty stump tracking radar. It's , therefore, hard to see the Indians agreeing to lay down their Zaheer Khan without demanding the decommissioning of both Umar Gul and Wahab Riaz. Even then hardliners in Singh's cabinet are unlikely to rest until the currently mothballed Shoaib Akhtar is included in a fully comprehensive disarmament proposal.
Fortunately both PMs can find common ground on the use of spinners with each side sporting models that claim to be 31 years old. Suspicions remain in India that Shaheed Afridi was developed a good four years before his off spinning counterpart Harbhajan Singh, and that he has also been fitted with vastly improved wrists since his last outing in a World Cup, but hopes remain high that this won't constitute an irreconcilable stumbling block to negotiations, in part because India have finally unveiled their own spin bowling upgrade in the shape of Ravichandran Ashwin. Ashwin has recently replaced Piyush Chawla who has been sent back to the manufacturer to fix what is hoped to be only a temporary malfunction whereby every ball he bowls lacks guile or the slightest threat.
India vs Pakistan: National Mohaliday
On the eve of the semifinal in Mohali, India’s mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton took the back seat, and the task of delivering the team talk fell on Sachin Tendulkar.
The veteran of six World Cups — during which India have got the better of Pakistan in four games — probably sensed it would be counterproductive to dwell for too long on the obvious significance of the match ahead.
Sources close to the team said Tendulkar’s talk was short but very effective. He essentially asked the boys to be calm and to stick to their natural game.
“He went back to the 2003 group game at Centurion. He spoke about how he had refused to fall into the short ball trap that the Pakistani quicks Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar had laid for him, and instead played his natural game,” said a source. Tendulkar smashed 98 off 75 balls as India chased down Pakistan’s 273 with six wickets and over four overs to spare.
India vs Pakistan: Bollywood stars make a beeline to Mohali to cheer for Team India
Those who will be at the stadium to see this crucial contest include actors Aamir Khan, Suniel Shetty, Rahul Bose, Dino Morea, filmmaker Kunal Kohli and Siddharth Mallya among others.
"Really excited to go to Mohali for the match. This game is going to be a wicked one. All the Best to Boyz in Blue," actress Preity Zinta said on micro-blogging site Twitter.
"Just landed in Mohali...I have never seen so many aircrafts waiting to land on one small airstrip..INDIA all the wayyyyyyy!!!," actor Vivek Oberoi said.
Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar tweeted, "Off to Mohali to support Team India. My hearty wishes for Men in Blue. We will win today. Vande Matram."
Arpita Khan, sister of superstar Salman Khan said, "In Mohali just left for the ground...so excited. Come on India come on Yuvi. India will win. Yuvi all the way."
Actor Riteish Deshmukh says, INDIA-PAK is going to be a tough match. "Hope its a cracker of a match."
Top B-town celebrities including megastar Amitabh Bachchan, son Abhishek, Salman Khan, Arjun Rampal, Lara Dutta and others, have however, chosen to get glued to their TV sets to enjoy this historic 2011 World Cup game.
Amitabh said, "All asking, if I am going to Mohali for the match .. no I am not.. I am working... and neither is Abhishek going. Team relaxed rahe, bas yahi dua hai."
Actress Priyanka Chopra, says, "Go Indiiiiaaaa. On the sets of 'Agneepath'...shooting till late evening. Gonna be glued to TV every chance I get. Full excitement....a billion prayers and wishes. Just do what you do best. Make us proud! Jai Hind."
Actor Arshad Warsi says, "unfortunately I will miss the match as I will be in air when the match is on. My gut feel is that India is winning.
Shilpa Shetty, who is in Dubai, says, she can't wait for the match. "Butterflies in my stomach, wonder what players must go through... shudder!"
"Office working but I am certain the TV will be on with intermittent yelling and cheering. Fun," Dia Mirza said.
Besides, several sports personalities too are cheering for Team India.
Australian bowler Shane Warne said, "Big game today India vs Pakistan. Tough to choose a winner. Leaning towards whoever bats first. India to win in a thriller - just !!!!."
While all rounder Yuvraj Singh posted a tweet saying, "All dear ones in the stadium.. Pl inspire us by singing our national anthem loudly.. Jai Hind."
Formula One motor racing driver from India, Narain Karthikeyan, said, "Don't stress too much guys, its just another match. U WILL ROCK!!! GO TEAM INDIA!!!."
Indian tennis player Sania Mirza, who married Pak cricketer Shoaib Malik, said, "Good luck Team India...more than a billion wishes are with you..give it your all."
India vs Pakistan: Celebrities, commoners post last minute online messages
An excited Sania Mirza, Indian tennis player, tweeted early Wednesday: "Okkkk...here we gooo...good luck Team India..more than a billion wishes are with you...give it ur all..(sic)".
Film personality Pritish Nandy similarly tweeted: "Pakistan's bowlers vs India's batsmen: that's the real battle today".
Actor Rahul Bose tweeted that he was on his way to Mohali to watch the match. Kunal Kapoor, another Bollywood actor, tweeted that the tension was "unbearable".
The hype over the match reached a crescendo Wednesday as a lot of cricket buffs took leave from work to watch the match. They did not forget to post their online updates, of course.
Abhinav Singh, an advertising professional, said: "This is one match I just couldn't have missed. So I applied for casual leave and thankfully my boss was understanding enough to grant me the day off! I have called over a few friends to my place so that we can watch the match together and root for India."
Sara Mishra, a student, posted on Facebook: "The big day is here! Good luck Team India! I am sure you will bowl them over".
Author Chetan Bhagat also rooted for the home team on Twitter, saying: "Alright men in blue, d-day today! Cream pak, so they finally realise why partition was a bad idea (sic)."
To all the maddening hype around, Bhagat said: "I know the match is getting overhyped, but it's ok. We get few such moments of national unity. We are one today."
Aamir Khan in Mohali to watch India vs. Pakistan cricket match
Reports say that in order to host his cricketparty Aamir has cut short his shooting time for Reema Kagti’s upcoming film.
A source stated “Aamir has always been a huge cricket fan and nothing is bigger than an India vs Pakistan match. Amir wanted to seethe match, so he spoke to Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar and asked them to reschedule the shoot for a day.”
The source claims, “In fact he also has taken a day off for the finals on the 2nd. Aamir has a close set of friends and he has invited them to his house.”
“The guest list includes Amin Haji, Kunal Kapoor, Sharman Joshi, Raju Hirani and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. Imran Khan will obviously be watching the crucial match at his Mammu jaan’s house,” the sourceadded.
Shah Rukh Khan cancels shoot for match- In the mean time, Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan too, has cancelled all his shoots and appointments in order to watchthe match at his residence Mannat along with his close friends.
His guest list includes Hrithik Roshan, Karan Johar, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay and wife Maheep Kapoor, Chunky and Bhavna Pandey.
India vs Pakistan Semi Final match Cricket World Cup 2011, Live Score Card
ONE OF the biggest days in the history of Cricket has now arrived. The Godfather of all cricket matches is about to be played as the India vs Pakistan semi final takes place in Mohali at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium on Wednesday, March 30 from 2:00 pm onwards.
Millions of cricket-crazy fans from across the globe have already started cheering for their heroes to do well in the super match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. They are praying for the victory of their favourite team at temples, mosques, gurudwaras, and churches.
The winner of the India vs Pakistan second semi final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 will play against Sri Lanka on Saturday, April 2, at India's finance capital Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. In the first semi final match of the Cricket World Cup 2011 on Tuesday, March 29, Sri Lanka won by five wickets at R. Premadasa Stadium, in Colombo, and reached its second successive final of the Cricket World Cup.
Prior to the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan semi final match in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, last night, the weather in Mohali raised the heart beats of Indian and Pakistani cricket fans. Mohali witnessed some heavy rain and thunderstorms on Tuesday.
According to the Mohali weather report, on Wednesday, March 30, in the afternoon the sky will mostly be sunny, and Mohali temperature will be around 41°C, however, there will be a chance of little rain by the evening.
The two captains, MS Dhoni and Shahid Afridi, will come to the middle of Punjab Cricket Association Stadium for the important toss of the second semi final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 at 2:00 PM and live action for the battle for final will start from 2:30 PM IST
Millions of cricket-crazy fans from across the globe have already started cheering for their heroes to do well in the super match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. They are praying for the victory of their favourite team at temples, mosques, gurudwaras, and churches.
The winner of the India vs Pakistan second semi final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 will play against Sri Lanka on Saturday, April 2, at India's finance capital Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. In the first semi final match of the Cricket World Cup 2011 on Tuesday, March 29, Sri Lanka won by five wickets at R. Premadasa Stadium, in Colombo, and reached its second successive final of the Cricket World Cup.
Prior to the much-anticipated India vs Pakistan semi final match in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, last night, the weather in Mohali raised the heart beats of Indian and Pakistani cricket fans. Mohali witnessed some heavy rain and thunderstorms on Tuesday.
According to the Mohali weather report, on Wednesday, March 30, in the afternoon the sky will mostly be sunny, and Mohali temperature will be around 41°C, however, there will be a chance of little rain by the evening.
The two captains, MS Dhoni and Shahid Afridi, will come to the middle of Punjab Cricket Association Stadium for the important toss of the second semi final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 at 2:00 PM and live action for the battle for final will start from 2:30 PM IST
PAKISTAN VS INDIA: WASIM AKRAM FEELS YUVRAJ SINGH’S WICKET WOULD BE CRUCIAL FOR THE MEN IN GREEN ICC Cricket World Cup
Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram suggested Shahid Afridi and his bowlers to get rid of in-form India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh as early as possible during their ICC World Cup 2011 semi-final in Mohali on Wednesday if they hope to reach the tournament final in Mumbai on 2 April.
“Shahid Afridi and team will have to bowl intelligently to him (Yuvraj),” said the legendary pacer while talking to a cricket website. “They will have to stop his run-flow and that's the only way I think Yuvraj can be stopped.”
Akram said that the stylish Punjab batsman has shown great attitude in the World Cup so far and is eager to play long innings. He further added that Yuvraj has converted good starts to fifties and a century which he felt could be disastrous for Pakistan if they did not dismiss him early.
The 29-year-old Chandigarh player has so far earned four Man of the Match awards and has compiled a tally of 341 runs at a astounding average of 113.66 besides claiming 11 scalps at a bowling average of 24.63.
The former Pakistan great also hailed the Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni for his judicious and smart captaincy and admired his horses-for-courses strategy.
India’s bowling attack has apparently been their weak link in the showpiece event so far. However, Wasim Akram warned Pakistan batsmen not to take Indian attack lightly. He said that the Zaheer Khan-led bowling brigade of co-hosts is doing pretty well. The best thing about Indian attack, according to the former Pakistan seamer, was their variety.
Akram singled out India’s spearhead pacer, Zaheer Khan for praise. He said that Khan has been bowling well over the past two years but his length has been perfect in the ongoing World Cup.
When asked about the pressure of crowd on the teams, Akram reckoned India would be more under pressure since they are the hosts.
“India will be the team under pressure, not Pakistan. The media in India is big and strong. The pressure created by them is simply mind-boggling and then there are a billion people with massive expectations,” said the legendary pacer.
India vs Pakistan: Yuvraj urges fan to sing national anthem loudly in ICC Cricket World Cup
India's star batsman Yuvraj Singh has requested the countrymen to inspire the home team by singing the national anthem loudly before their high-profile World Cup semi-final clash Pakistan at the PCA stadium here today.
"Request all people in the stadium to inspire us by singing national anthem loudly," Yuvraj tweeted.
"Jai Hind, Good night," Yuvraj signing off. India will take on Pakistan in the second semi-final of the World Cup in the PCA stadium, which will also be attended by Prime Ministers of both the countries.
India vs Pakistan match fever grips celebrities
Indian middle order batsman Yuvraj Singh has asked cricket fans in the stadium to sing national anthem loudly to support the Team India.
“Sing Jana Gana loudly to boost the morale of Team India,” Yuvraj Singh tweeted ahead of the cricket’s ultimate battle at PCA ground in Mohali.
India vs Pakistan: Live commentary and score card
Several Bollywood fraternity have also wished best of luck to Team India on microblogging website Twitter.
“Sing Jana Gana loudly to boost the morale of Team India,” Yuvraj Singh tweeted ahead of the cricket’s ultimate battle at PCA ground in Mohali.
India vs Pakistan: Live commentary and score card
Several Bollywood fraternity have also wished best of luck to Team India on microblogging website Twitter.
Preity Zinta: Good Luck Team India!!!
Amitabh Bachchan: "All asking, if I am going to Mohali for the match .. no I am not.. I am working... and neither is Abhishek going. Team relaxed rahe, bas yahi dua hai (praying that the team keeps it cool).
Amitabh Bachchan: "All asking, if I am going to Mohali for the match .. no I am not.. I am working... and neither is Abhishek going. Team relaxed rahe, bas yahi dua hai (praying that the team keeps it cool).
Sonakshi Sinha: Best of luck India.. De ghumaaakeee!!!! hehehehaaa
Sunil Shetty: Today’s match is one of the best matches.
Vivek Oberoi: Wish that India win the match against Pakistan.
Madhur Bhandarkar, who will watch the match live from Mohali tweets: My heartily wishes for the men in blue. We will win today-Vande Matram
Arshad Warsi: "unfortunately I will miss the match as I will be in air when the match is on. My gut feel is that India is winning."
Arshad Warsi: "unfortunately I will miss the match as I will be in air when the match is on. My gut feel is that India is winning."
Shilpa Shetty: who is in Dubai, says, she can't wait for the match. "Butterflies in my stomach, wonder what players must go through... shudder!"
Dia Mirza: "Office working but I am certain the TV will be on with intermittent yelling and cheering. Fun."
Dia Mirza: "Office working but I am certain the TV will be on with intermittent yelling and cheering. Fun."
Pritish Nandy: It is the real battle between Indian batsmen and Pakistan bowlers.
Sania Mirza: "Okkkk...here we gooo...good luck Team India..more than a billion wishes are with you...give it ur all..(sic)".
Shane Warne: "Big game today India vs Pakistan. Tough to choose a winner. Leaning towards whoever bats first. India to win in a thriller - just !!!!."
Actor Rahul Bose tweeted that he was on his way to Mohali to watch the match. Kunal Kapoor, another Bollywood actor, tweeted that the tension was "unbearable".
Shane Warne: "Big game today India vs Pakistan. Tough to choose a winner. Leaning towards whoever bats first. India to win in a thriller - just !!!!."
Actor Rahul Bose tweeted that he was on his way to Mohali to watch the match. Kunal Kapoor, another Bollywood actor, tweeted that the tension was "unbearable".
The hype over the match reached a crescendo Wednesday as a lot of cricket buffs took leave from work to watch the match. They did not forget to post their online updates, of course.
Abhinav Singh, an advertising professional, said: "This is one match I just couldn't have missed. So I applied for casual leave and thankfully my boss was understanding enough to grant me the day off! I have called over a few friends to my place so that we can watch the match together and root for India."
Sara Mishra, a student, posted on Facebook: "The big day is here! Good luck Team India! I am sure you will bowl them over".
Author Chetan Bhagat also rooted for the home team on Twitter, saying: "Alright men in blue, d-day today! Cream pak, so they finally realise why partition was a bad idea (sic)."
To all the maddening hype around, Bhagat said: "I know the match is getting overhyped, but it's ok. We get few such moments of national unity. We are one today."
ICC Cricket World Cup: India Vs Pak: Game on at Mohali, a billion hearts pound
The national anthems, a pantheon of leaders and celebrities from both sides of the border, and a toss that India has won to choose to bat first against Pakistan in the second semi-final of the cricket World Cup.
It's game on at Mohali. And Sachin Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag have walked out to bat.
This after Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Dr Manmohan Singh met the two teams at the PCA stadium.
Mr Gilani, accompanied by his wife Fauzia, was received at the defence airport by Union Minister of State for Communication, Sachin Pilot, and Pakistan's High Commissioner, Shahid Malik, among others.
Before leaving Islamabad for India, Mr Gilani thanked Dr Singh for inviting him to the match, and said that he's "looking forward to a great game." He also said he believes "this match will bridge the gap" between India and Pakistan. (Watch: Match will bridge India-Pak gap: Gilani)
Captains MS Dhoni and Shahid Afridi have asked their teams to ignore the hype and focus on the game - a little tough to do, perhaps, given the circumstances. (Watch: Cricket above diplomacy, say both captains) The match has mass-produced hysteria on both sides of the border. And the "aman ka chhakka" diplomatic initiative launched by Dr Singh has added a new dimension.
The electric atmosphere crackled some more last night after rain began pounding Mohali, but this morning, the Sun was out. The Met department promises a clearer sky during the match. However, there is a slight possibility of a light shower in the evening. (Read & Watch: Clear sky in Mohali ahead of match)
A large delegation is accompanying Mr Gilani. His team will use the Taj hotel in Chandigarh as its base. The main players include controversial Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who publicly warned his country's cricket team against match-fixing, provoking fierce criticism both within and outside Pakistan.
Team Singh will include Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon. Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, as well as Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi are not part of the official delegation but will attend the game and the dinner that Dr Singh is hosting at 7.30 pm tonight for the Pakistani delegation at the stadium. (Read: Gosht Barra, Tawa ki Machhi for PMs' dinner)
At the stadium, Mr Gilani and Dr Singh will watch the game from a VVIP box, but are expected to exit a little later to hold informal talks.
Last week, in a move that surprised many, Dr Singh formally invited Mr Gilani and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to watch the match with him. Mr Gilani accepted the invitation over the weekend.
Sources say that there is no formal agenda or structure for the talks between the two Prime Ministers. This is the first time such high-level talks are being held since a group of 10 Pakistanis sailed into Mumbai in November 2008 and launched India's worst-ever terror attack.
Asked if he would try to move from playing "a one-day series to a longer series" during his talks with Dr Singh at Mohali, Mr Gilani replied: "Naturally when we go (to India), the talks will be held according to the opportunity."
It's game on at Mohali. And Sachin Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag have walked out to bat.
This after Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Dr Manmohan Singh met the two teams at the PCA stadium.
Mr Gilani, accompanied by his wife Fauzia, was received at the defence airport by Union Minister of State for Communication, Sachin Pilot, and Pakistan's High Commissioner, Shahid Malik, among others.
Before leaving Islamabad for India, Mr Gilani thanked Dr Singh for inviting him to the match, and said that he's "looking forward to a great game." He also said he believes "this match will bridge the gap" between India and Pakistan. (Watch: Match will bridge India-Pak gap: Gilani)
Captains MS Dhoni and Shahid Afridi have asked their teams to ignore the hype and focus on the game - a little tough to do, perhaps, given the circumstances. (Watch: Cricket above diplomacy, say both captains) The match has mass-produced hysteria on both sides of the border. And the "aman ka chhakka" diplomatic initiative launched by Dr Singh has added a new dimension.
The electric atmosphere crackled some more last night after rain began pounding Mohali, but this morning, the Sun was out. The Met department promises a clearer sky during the match. However, there is a slight possibility of a light shower in the evening. (Read & Watch: Clear sky in Mohali ahead of match)
A large delegation is accompanying Mr Gilani. His team will use the Taj hotel in Chandigarh as its base. The main players include controversial Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who publicly warned his country's cricket team against match-fixing, provoking fierce criticism both within and outside Pakistan.
Team Singh will include Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon. Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, as well as Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi are not part of the official delegation but will attend the game and the dinner that Dr Singh is hosting at 7.30 pm tonight for the Pakistani delegation at the stadium. (Read: Gosht Barra, Tawa ki Machhi for PMs' dinner)
At the stadium, Mr Gilani and Dr Singh will watch the game from a VVIP box, but are expected to exit a little later to hold informal talks.
Last week, in a move that surprised many, Dr Singh formally invited Mr Gilani and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to watch the match with him. Mr Gilani accepted the invitation over the weekend.
Sources say that there is no formal agenda or structure for the talks between the two Prime Ministers. This is the first time such high-level talks are being held since a group of 10 Pakistanis sailed into Mumbai in November 2008 and launched India's worst-ever terror attack.
Asked if he would try to move from playing "a one-day series to a longer series" during his talks with Dr Singh at Mohali, Mr Gilani replied: "Naturally when we go (to India), the talks will be held according to the opportunity."
India vs Pakistan World Cup semi final: PM receives Gilani at Mohali cricket stadium
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today received his Pakistan counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani at the cricket stadium here where they will watch the Indo-Pak World Cup semi-final and hold bilateral talks.
Gilani was received outside the reception area of the Punjab Cricket Association stadium by Singh who was accompanied by ICC President Sharad Pawar, BCCI President Shashank Manohar and PCA chief I S Bindra.
India Vs Pak: Game on at Mohali, a billion hearts pound, ICC Cricket World Cup Live Scorecard
The national anthems, a pantheon of leaders and celebrities from both sides of the border, and a toss that India has won to choose to bat first against Pakistan in the second semi-final of the cricket World Cup.
It's game on at Mohali. And Sachin Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag have walked out to bat.
This after Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Dr Manmohan Singh met the two teams at the PCA stadium. (Watch)
Mr Gilani, accompanied by his wife Fauzia, was received at the defence airport by Union Minister of State for Communication, Sachin Pilot, and Pakistan's High Commissioner, Shahid Malik, among others.
It's game on at Mohali. And Sachin Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag have walked out to bat.
This after Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Dr Manmohan Singh met the two teams at the PCA stadium. (Watch)
Mr Gilani, accompanied by his wife Fauzia, was received at the defence airport by Union Minister of State for Communication, Sachin Pilot, and Pakistan's High Commissioner, Shahid Malik, among others.
Before leaving Islamabad for India, Mr Gilani thanked Dr Singh for inviting him to the match, and said that he's "looking forward to a great game." He also said he believes "this match will bridge the gap" between India and Pakistan. (Watch: Match will bridge India-Pak gap: Gilani)
Captains MS Dhoni and Shahid Afridi have asked their teams to ignore the hype and focus on the game - a little tough to do, perhaps, given the circumstances. (Watch: Cricket above diplomacy, say both captains) The match has mass-produced hysteria on both sides of the border. And the "aman ka chhakka" diplomatic initiative launched by Dr Singh has added a new dimension.
The electric atmosphere crackled some more last night after rain began pounding Mohali, but this morning, the Sun was out. The Met department promises a clearer sky during the match. However, there is a slight possibility of a light shower in the evening. (Read & Watch: Clear sky in Mohali ahead of match)
A large delegation is accompanying Mr Gilani. His team will use the Taj hotel in Chandigarh as its base. The main players include controversial Interior Minister Rehman Malik, who publicly warned his country's cricket team against match-fixing, provoking fierce criticism both within and outside Pakistan.
Team Singh will include Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon. Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, as well as Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi are not part of the official delegation but are attending the game. They will also attend the dinner that Dr Singh is hosting at 7.30 pm tonight for the Pakistani delegation at the stadium. (Read: Gosht Barra, Tawa ki Machhi for PMs' dinner)
Mr Gilani and Dr Singh will watch the game from a VVIP box, but are expected to exit a little later to hold informal talks.
Last week, in a move that surprised many, Dr Singh formally invited Mr Gilani and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to watch the match with him. Mr Gilani accepted the invitation over the weekend.
Sources say that there is no formal agenda or structure for the talks between the two Prime Ministers. This is the first time such high-level talks are being held since a group of 10 Pakistanis sailed into Mumbai in November 2008 and launched India's worst-ever terror attack.
Asked if he would try to move from playing "a one-day series to a longer series" during his talks with Dr Singh at Mohali, Mr Gilani replied: "Naturally when we go (to India), the talks will be held according to the opportunity."
ICC Cricket World Cup India and Pakistan begin contest
The tense buildup to what has been billed as "the mother of all World Cup matches" came to a spine-tingling climax on Wednesday when Sachin Tendulkar strode out to bat for India with Virender Sehwag.
Hundreds of people moved into their seats as soon as the gates opened, four hours before the blockbuster semifinal between archrivals India and Pakistan was due to begin. The match was sold out last week, but incredibly there were still a few ticket-holders missing as the match began due to intensive security checks at all entrances. The 28,000 tickets for the match were the most sought-after on the subcontinent.
Tendulkar, seeking his 100th international century, and Sehwag were greeted by a tumultuous roar as they walked out onto the pitch at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium.
Watching them was a host of Bollywood superstars, dignitaries and high-ranking politicians - including the Prime Ministers of both countries in what is being seen as a possible first step toward improved diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan.
Indian premier Manmohan Singh and Pakistan counterpart Yousuf Gilani were warmly cheered by the crowd as they walked onto the pitch following the national anthems. Singh shook hands with the Pakistan players before Gilani, while the roles were reversed as the pair met the India team.
With the two premiers in attendance, security was inevitably tighter than at any other match. Roads around the fortified stadium were closed, and anyone entering the ground had to negotiate several checks, with bags being meticulously searched for any dangerous or suspicious objects.
Police and soldiers on foot, on horse back and armored vehicles patrolled the fortified stadium, where a crush of fans had gathered. The sporting rivalry between the nations is as intense as any, but the match took on an added political significance when Gilani accepted Singh's invitation to watch with him.
"I am going there to show solidarity with our team, with their team and to promote cricket," Gilani said.
While the historic meeting occurs in the VIP box at the PCA Stadium, the sellout crowd had their eyes trained on the pitch, most of those eagerly hoping national sporting icon Tendulkar can score a century. There were small pockets of Pakistan fans waving the green and white flag, but they were almost invisible in a sea of Indian supporters. Tendulkar, whose face adorns posters across the city, was dismissed for 99 by fast bowler Umar Gul in his last match against Pakistan at Mohali in 2007.
India defeated Australia to set up the showdown with Pakistan and prompt a desperate scramble for tickets. The match has been sold out for more than a week but that didn't stop people queuing at the ticket office in the days before the match, hoping that more seats might be released.
On the black market, tickets reportedly fetched up to 100 times their face value.
Those who weren't fortunate enough to get their hands on a ticket watched on big screens set up around nearby Chandigarh, which came to a standstill for the game.
Police have also relaxed a ruling banning people living near the ground from climbing on their roofs to get a birds-eye view.
Businesses across the country shut down for the afternoon - in the knowledge that productivity would undoubtedly drop to zero anyway.
The government decreed a half day in Pakistan, meaning work stopped at noon so that people could watch the match.
India vs Pakistan: Empty offices and full restaurants, it's midweek Sunday in Lahore
It was all play and no work here Wednesday as cricket-crazy residents of Lahore , the capital of Punjab province that is the Pakistani city closest to Mohali, rushed to catch the India-Pakistan clash on their TV sets, teaming up with friends and family at home or in restaurants.
"What's the great fuss about India-Pakistan match? If Pakistan loses, would there be riots in the city?" Hilary Alexander, fashion director of the Daily Telegraph who is here for the first time for the PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week, asked curiously.
Nusrat Jamil, director of Latitude PR firm, replied: "Well no, nothing like that. There might be some tyre burning on the roads. But why are you thinking like that? Let's look at it this way - if Pakistan wins, there will be celebrations on the road and you will see how much the country loves this sport."
Just like in India, several restaurants here have put up big screens out in the open. There are enough options for people to pick and choose, so no one is complaining.
Imran Khan, a banker, watched the match at his friend's place. "We are sure it will be all smiles. Indian team is no doubt better than us, but we are playing as a team, hence we are going to win," Imran told IANS. "Watching game with friends and with food and great drinks is fun. It's like having a Sunday in the middle if the week."
The excitement reached such a frenzy that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani declared half-day holiday in government offices in Punjab province while the Sindh government went a step further and announced a public holiday.
In private firms, people worked overtime Tuesday to ensure they left office Wednesday in time to catch the clash of the Titans on their television sets.
Like in India, prayers were being offered for Pakistan's win.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has announced that each member of the team would be given 25 acres of land if they qualify for the final.
The official outfit of the Pakistan cricket team was selling like hot cakes with the price of a T-shirt, normally priced between Rs.25-500, soaring to Rs.1,700.
"It just gives a feel of patriotism and that you are with the team by cheering for them. There is an immense sense of pride associated with the feel of wearing cricket team jersey. We hope we win, this will make the effort worth it," said Buram Khan, a student.
"What's the great fuss about India-Pakistan match? If Pakistan loses, would there be riots in the city?" Hilary Alexander, fashion director of the Daily Telegraph who is here for the first time for the PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week, asked curiously.
Nusrat Jamil, director of Latitude PR firm, replied: "Well no, nothing like that. There might be some tyre burning on the roads. But why are you thinking like that? Let's look at it this way - if Pakistan wins, there will be celebrations on the road and you will see how much the country loves this sport."
Just like in India, several restaurants here have put up big screens out in the open. There are enough options for people to pick and choose, so no one is complaining.
Imran Khan, a banker, watched the match at his friend's place. "We are sure it will be all smiles. Indian team is no doubt better than us, but we are playing as a team, hence we are going to win," Imran told IANS. "Watching game with friends and with food and great drinks is fun. It's like having a Sunday in the middle if the week."
The excitement reached such a frenzy that Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani declared half-day holiday in government offices in Punjab province while the Sindh government went a step further and announced a public holiday.
In private firms, people worked overtime Tuesday to ensure they left office Wednesday in time to catch the clash of the Titans on their television sets.
Like in India, prayers were being offered for Pakistan's win.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has announced that each member of the team would be given 25 acres of land if they qualify for the final.
The official outfit of the Pakistan cricket team was selling like hot cakes with the price of a T-shirt, normally priced between Rs.25-500, soaring to Rs.1,700.
"It just gives a feel of patriotism and that you are with the team by cheering for them. There is an immense sense of pride associated with the feel of wearing cricket team jersey. We hope we win, this will make the effort worth it," said Buram Khan, a student.
Watch India vs Pakistan live - free streaming online here of ICC world cup 2011
More than 20 million watch Americans India vs Pakistan live have multiple ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Social Security numbers online (SSNs) associated score with their highlights name in commercial records according to a new study announced in December from ID Analytics, Inc. The study found that rather than serving as a unique identifier, more than 40 million SSNs are associated with multiple people.
6.1 percent of Americans have at least two SSNs associated with their name. More than 100,000 Americans have five or more SSNs associated with their name.
Dr. Stephen Coggeshall, chief technology officer, at ID Analytics said. “Most of these cases of duplication are likely due to simple data entry errors as opposed to deliberate falsification. Nevertheless, organizations expose themselves and their customers to risk if they solely rely on the SSN to verify an individual.”
India vs Pakistan
ID Analytics analyzed 290 million Social Security numbers, and found that 1 in 7 are associated with more than one name. Anywhere from 3-4 million names are directly used to commit fraud.
MSNBC reported the same study showed 140,000 SSNs are connected to 5 or more people and 27,000 SSNs are connected to 10 or more people.
Some of these secondary SSNs are the result of typos where an administrator may incorrectly enter a digit and then that secondary SSN is now connected to a person’s credit going forward.
In other cases it is deliberate fraud. When the same person is shown using multiple Social Security numbers on purpose then a flag is raised.
Consumers often find out their SSN is compromised as a result of being denied credit or when bill collectors call them for non payment.
Watch India vs pakistan Live!! ICC Cricket worldcup 2011 HD Stream Today
More than 20 million watch Americans India vs Pakistan live have multiple ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Social Security numbers online (SSNs) associated score with their highlights name in commercial records according to a new study announced in December from ID Analytics, Inc. The study found that rather than serving as a unique identifier, more than 40 million SSNs are associated with multiple people.
6.1 percent of Americans have at least two SSNs associated with their name. More than 100,000 Americans have five or more SSNs associated with their name.
Dr. Stephen Coggeshall, chief technology officer, at ID Analytics said. “Most of these cases of duplication are likely due to simple data entry errors as opposed to deliberate falsification. Nevertheless, organizations expose themselves and their customers to risk if they solely rely on the SSN to verify an individual.”
India vs Pakistan
Watch India vs Pakistan Cricket World Cup 2011 online live - streaming here
ID Analytics analyzed 290 million Social Security numbers, and found that 1 in 7 are associated with more than one name. Anywhere from 3-4 million names are directly used to commit fraud.
MSNBC reported the same study showed 140,000 SSNs are connected to 5 or more people and 27,000 SSNs are connected to 10 or more people.
Watch India vs Pakistan Cricket World Cup 2011 online live - stream here
Some of these secondary SSNs are the result of typos where an administrator may incorrectly enter a digit and then that secondary SSN is now connected to a person’s credit going forward.
In other cases it is deliberate fraud. When the same person is shown using multiple Social Security numbers on purpose then a flag is raised.
Consumers often find out their SSN is compromised as a result of being denied credit or when bill collectors call them for non payment.
Pakistan vs India Match live Streaming Espn,Star Cricket ,Geo Super
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ICC Cricket World cup 2011 the biggest cricket event of this year will start from 19th February 2011 – 2nd April 2011. This time ICC world cup 2011 is jointly hosted by India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (no Pakistan). ICC Sold its rights of broadcasting for 2011 Cricket World Cup for around US$ 2 Billion to ESPN Star Sports. It would be broadcasting all around the world in about 220 countries. ESPN Star Sports to stream World Cup live on website.
For the first time, the Cricket World Cup will be broadcast in High Definition (HD) format. Live matches will also be shown by 3G mobile streaming for the first time.
WATCH LIVE TV>>>>> CLICK HERE
Country/ICC World CUP Broadcaster(s)
Afghanistan : Ariana Television Network: Lemar TV
Australia : Nine Network, Fox Sports
Pan-Africa : South African Broadcasting Corporation
Bangladesh : Bangladesh Television
Singapore : Star Cricket
West Indies : Caribbean Media Corporation
Canada : Asian Television Network
Europe (Except UK & Ireland) : Eurosport2
China : ESPN Star Sports
India : ESPN Star Sports, Star Cricket, DD National mostly India matches
Jamaica : Television Jamaica
Middle East : Arab Radio and Television Network
Nepal : ESPN Star Sports
Fiji : Fiji TV
New Zealand : Sky Sport
Pacific Islands : Sky Pacific
Pakistan : GEO Super, Pakistan Television Corporation
South Africa : Supersport, Sabc3 Sport
Sri Lanka : Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation
United Kingdom : Sky Sports HD, Zee Caf
Ireland: Sky Sports HD, Zee Caf
USA : Willow Cricket, DirecTV, Dish Network
WATCH LIVE TV>>>>> CLICK HERE
ICC Cricket World cup 2011 the biggest cricket event of this year will start from 19th February 2011 – 2nd April 2011. This time ICC world cup 2011 is jointly hosted by India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka (no Pakistan). ICC Sold its rights of broadcasting for 2011 Cricket World Cup for around US$ 2 Billion to ESPN Star Sports. It would be broadcasting all around the world in about 220 countries. ESPN Star Sports to stream World Cup live on website.
For the first time, the Cricket World Cup will be broadcast in High Definition (HD) format. Live matches will also be shown by 3G mobile streaming for the first time.
WATCH LIVE TV>>>>> CLICK HERE
Country/ICC World CUP Broadcaster(s)
Afghanistan : Ariana Television Network: Lemar TV
Australia : Nine Network, Fox Sports
Pan-Africa : South African Broadcasting Corporation
Bangladesh : Bangladesh Television
Singapore : Star Cricket
West Indies : Caribbean Media Corporation
Canada : Asian Television Network
Europe (Except UK & Ireland) : Eurosport2
China : ESPN Star Sports
India : ESPN Star Sports, Star Cricket, DD National mostly India matches
Jamaica : Television Jamaica
Middle East : Arab Radio and Television Network
Nepal : ESPN Star Sports
Fiji : Fiji TV
New Zealand : Sky Sport
Pacific Islands : Sky Pacific
Pakistan : GEO Super, Pakistan Television Corporation
South Africa : Supersport, Sabc3 Sport
Sri Lanka : Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation
United Kingdom : Sky Sports HD, Zee Caf
Ireland: Sky Sports HD, Zee Caf
USA : Willow Cricket, DirecTV, Dish Network
* * ICC Cricket World Cup: On or off shoot, B-Town celebs catch India-Pakistan match
Some actors like Shah Rukh Khan have planned get-togethers, while a host of actors like Aamir Khan, Vivek Oberoi, Rahul Bose and Preity Zinta, among others, are in Mohali to watch the clash live, said a source.
Shah Rukh has invited Karan Johar, Arjun Rampal, Hrithik Roshan and Chunkey Pandey at his Bandra house Mannat, and actress Priyanka Chopra might join them after wrapping up her shooting for the "Agneepath" remake.
Popular singer Shaan will host his friends Babul Supriyo and music composer Pritam Chakraborty at his place to cheer for India.
The frenzy is such that actors like Riteish Deshmukh and Arshad Warsi, who are currently in Macau for the shooting of "Double Dhamaal", have planned to watch the showdown at an eating joint.
"In Macau for the shoot of Double Dhamaal -IND-PAK match-the enitre unit is going to raid an Indian restaurant to watch the match-GD Luck INDIA," Riteish posted on Twitter.
Meanwhile, actors Sophie Choudry and Genelia D'Souza are cribbing about being stuck in shooting during the much-awaited semifinal.
"All my friends are either at the match or watching it in a big gang...But I'm stuck shooting!! Gonna sneak into my van whnever I can! Go Indiaia!" tweeted Sophie.
Genelia, who was hoping to get half a day off from the shooting of a film she hasn't named, posted: "So I don't think I'm going 2get a half day, still hoping my director has a change of heart else I'll hav 2 catch it during breaks in my van."
Many like Neil Nitin Mukesh and actress Anushka Sharma have decided to slouch on their couches at home for the match.
"I am really excited about India-Pakistan match. I am watching it with my brother at my home. Everything is on hold for the match. I hope we will win," said Anushka.
One wonders what the Bachchan clan is up to, as Abhishek had recently commented: "I am not going to watch the match. In my house, we are very superstitious. Whenever we watch television, we lose, so I will be sitting, waiting for my friends to call me and update me on the scores."
Pakistan vs India semi final match Live updates
First over
Umar Gul opens the bowling for Pakistan with Virender Sehwag on the batting end.
The stadium is packed to full capacity.
After the national anthems, the prime ministers of both countries go down to the pitch and meet with the players.
Nationals anthems of both countries play while the stadium stands in silence.
Teams make their way down to the pitch.
Toss: India has won the toss and has elected to bat.
Twitter trends for the match: #Mohali #cwc2011 #Pakistan #India #indiasvpak #semifianl
Ashish Nehra has replaced Ravichandran Ashwin in the linup for India.
Pakistan has not made any changes in their team.
Pakistan:
Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal, Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Saeed Ajmal
India:
V Sehwag, SR Tendulkar, G Gambhir, V Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, SK Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Z Khan, MM Patel, A Nehra
Yesterday, Sri Lanka beat New Zealand and will face the winner of today’s match on April 2, 2011.
The cricket fever is running high on both sides of the border. With the premiers on both countries attending the showdown, security arrangements at Mohali have been tightened.
Pakistan has never beaten India in a World Cup match. Hearts are beating fast to see if this will be changed today.
Shahid Afridi’s men should use “music therapy” to calm their nerves before Pakistan face India in Wednesday’s high-pressure World Cup semi-final, former captain Javed Miandad suggests, Reuters reported.
ICC Cricket World Cup ad rates soar before India vs Pakistan match
Media agencies say broadcaster ESPN Star is demanding between Rs 15 lakh to Rs 18 lakh per 10 seconds. It's a huge jump from the Rs 3.5 lakh for 10 seconds it charged at the league level. While some doubt whether ESPN Star will get what it wants, others are certain advertisers will pay up.
"India-England match was about 12 to 13 ...and it's India-Pakistan, it's semifinal, it's knock out...so between 15 and 20, if it is a good contest, is a safe bet," said MEC India MD T Gangadhar about the Television Rating Points.
So far, the tournament has delivered. The six India league matches did average ratings of 9.51, while non-India matches averaged close to 1.5 TRPs.
Broadcast sponsor Vodafone says response to live match coverage on mobiles has been 5 times higher than what the IPL garnered last year. Ground sponsor LG has received 50,000 applications for its cheer-leading squad. But will these guys buy more air-time?
"As an advertising platform the world cup rating for me would be, 5 or 5 and a half on 10, but as a sponsorship platform it is far more valuable to us," said LG India CMO LK Gupta.
"We could promote things differently if India gets into the finals and ride on the sentiment that Indians will have. After all, more than 50 million Indians were watching the India-England match. I am sure that the number will be higher when we go along. Unlikely though that we will buy more air time," said Vodafone Brand Communication VP Anuradha Agarwal.
The 42 league matches reached over 175 million households in the country, which is 48 per cent more than the previous world cup, and 30 per cent higher than IPL-3.
Media planners say available inventory for the finals will be sold only after the two finalists are penciled in. And if India is one of them, spot rates will go through the roof.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Preview: Sri Lanka vs New Zealand Semi Final match Cricket World Cup 2011
THE ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 has now almost reached its final destination. In the first Semi Final of the ongoing Cricket World Cup, Sri Lanka will meet New Zealand at R. Premadasa Stadium, in Sri Lankan capital Colombo on Thursday, March 29.
In the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup also, Sri Lanka and New Zealand had met in the first Semi Final match played at Sabina Park, Kingston in Jamaica, where the Lankans had won that match by 81 runs. Then, Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene had scored a brilliant 115 runs, whereas all time great spinner Muttiah Muralitharan sent four Kiwis batsman back to the pavilion.
In the last league match of Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the Lankans defeated Kiwis by a big margin of 112 runs at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 18th.
In the journey to the Semi Final of the Cricket World Cup 2011, Sri Lanka started the campaign against qualifier Canada with a big victory. In the next match, they lost against Pakistan in a close match by 11 runs.
The Lankans won by nine wickets against another qualifier Kenya in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. In its fourth match against defending champion Australia, the match was washed away due to rain. In the fifth match Sri Lanka routed Zimbabwe by 139 runs.
In its Quarter Final match, Sri Lanka thrashed the English team by 10 wickets at R Premadasa Stadium, in Colombo on Saturday, March 26. Both Sri Lankan openers Tharanga and Dilshan knocked a brilliant hundred.
New Zealand, which is playing its fifth Semi Final in the Cricket World Cup is in full rhythm in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. They have lost two matches in the group league one against Australia by seven wickets and another against host Lankans.
New Zealand team won two matches by the margin of 10 wickets against minnows of the group, Kenya and Zimbabwe. In the third Quarter Final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the Kiwis defeated one of the strongest contenders of the tournament South Africa by 49 runs.
Withboth the teams having strong batting, who ever wins the toss will like to bat first at R Premadasa Stadium. Sri Lankan crowd will definitely cheer for their country in the first Semi Final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. In this situation, it will be very interesting to see whether New Zealand will be able to make first appearance in the finals of the Cricket World Cup.
Here are the Sri Lanka and New Zealand squads in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011:
Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), Mahela Jayawardene (vice capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath.
New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (capt), Hamish Bennett, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Jamie How, Brendon McCullum (wk), Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson, Luke Woodcock.
In the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup also, Sri Lanka and New Zealand had met in the first Semi Final match played at Sabina Park, Kingston in Jamaica, where the Lankans had won that match by 81 runs. Then, Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene had scored a brilliant 115 runs, whereas all time great spinner Muttiah Muralitharan sent four Kiwis batsman back to the pavilion.
In the last league match of Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the Lankans defeated Kiwis by a big margin of 112 runs at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on March 18th.
In the journey to the Semi Final of the Cricket World Cup 2011, Sri Lanka started the campaign against qualifier Canada with a big victory. In the next match, they lost against Pakistan in a close match by 11 runs.
The Lankans won by nine wickets against another qualifier Kenya in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. In its fourth match against defending champion Australia, the match was washed away due to rain. In the fifth match Sri Lanka routed Zimbabwe by 139 runs.
In its Quarter Final match, Sri Lanka thrashed the English team by 10 wickets at R Premadasa Stadium, in Colombo on Saturday, March 26. Both Sri Lankan openers Tharanga and Dilshan knocked a brilliant hundred.
New Zealand, which is playing its fifth Semi Final in the Cricket World Cup is in full rhythm in the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. They have lost two matches in the group league one against Australia by seven wickets and another against host Lankans.
New Zealand team won two matches by the margin of 10 wickets against minnows of the group, Kenya and Zimbabwe. In the third Quarter Final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the Kiwis defeated one of the strongest contenders of the tournament South Africa by 49 runs.
Withboth the teams having strong batting, who ever wins the toss will like to bat first at R Premadasa Stadium. Sri Lankan crowd will definitely cheer for their country in the first Semi Final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. In this situation, it will be very interesting to see whether New Zealand will be able to make first appearance in the finals of the Cricket World Cup.
Here are the Sri Lanka and New Zealand squads in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011:
Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), Mahela Jayawardene (vice capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Nuwan Kulasekara, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath.
New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (capt), Hamish Bennett, James Franklin, Martin Guptill, Jamie How, Brendon McCullum (wk), Nathan McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor, Kane Williamson, Luke Woodcock.
The super semi-final: India vs Pakistan
India have set a semi final date with Pakistan on March 30 at Mohali. India ousted defending champions Australia after beating them by 5 wickets in the 2nd quarter-final at Ahmedabad.
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi on Wednesday said that his team were unnerved by the prospect of playing India, whom they have never beaten in the World Cup, in the semi final in Mohali.
"If we happen to clash with India, we won't lack crowd support because (Pakistani) people will come from across the border to watch the match in Mohali," Afridi told MiD DAY.
Pakistan booked their semi-final berth by crushing the West Indies by 10-wickets in the first quarter final on Wednesday.
India have a 4-0 head-to-head record against Pakistan in World Cup matches but Shahid Afridi was confident of turning the tables. "India maybe the world's best team but we are capable of beating them," he said.
"This (Pakistani) side has a lot of focus. Today we achieved our first objective of winning the quarter final. The second objective is (winning) the semi-final. We are taking one step at a time."
Afridi took heart from the fact that the PCA stadium in Mohali had been a happy hunting ground for Pakistan. "Mohali has been good for us. In 2007-08, we won chasing a 300-plus target. In 2005, Kamran Akmal and Abdur Razzaq helped us draw a Test which we could have lost," he said.
Afridi contributed to the huge win over the West Indies, bagging fours wickets for 30 runs off 9.3 overs to consolidate his position as the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 21 wickets. The West Indies were bundled out for 112, their third lowest World Cup total, with more than six overs remaining. Off spinner Mohammad Hafeez, who shared the new ball with Umar Gul, picked two wickets in four balls and then made made 61 off 64 balls to lead the successful chase.
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi on Wednesday said that his team were unnerved by the prospect of playing India, whom they have never beaten in the World Cup, in the semi final in Mohali.
"If we happen to clash with India, we won't lack crowd support because (Pakistani) people will come from across the border to watch the match in Mohali," Afridi told MiD DAY.
Pakistan booked their semi-final berth by crushing the West Indies by 10-wickets in the first quarter final on Wednesday.
India have a 4-0 head-to-head record against Pakistan in World Cup matches but Shahid Afridi was confident of turning the tables. "India maybe the world's best team but we are capable of beating them," he said.
"This (Pakistani) side has a lot of focus. Today we achieved our first objective of winning the quarter final. The second objective is (winning) the semi-final. We are taking one step at a time."
Afridi took heart from the fact that the PCA stadium in Mohali had been a happy hunting ground for Pakistan. "Mohali has been good for us. In 2007-08, we won chasing a 300-plus target. In 2005, Kamran Akmal and Abdur Razzaq helped us draw a Test which we could have lost," he said.
Afridi contributed to the huge win over the West Indies, bagging fours wickets for 30 runs off 9.3 overs to consolidate his position as the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 21 wickets. The West Indies were bundled out for 112, their third lowest World Cup total, with more than six overs remaining. Off spinner Mohammad Hafeez, who shared the new ball with Umar Gul, picked two wickets in four balls and then made made 61 off 64 balls to lead the successful chase.
India vs Pakistan World Cup semi-final: Fans scramble for tickets
Scores of fans could be seen moving around the stadium hoping desperately to grab a ticket from somewhere.
On Tuesday itself, the PCA had announced that 14,000 tickets at its disposal had been sold to the public through the designated bank and its counters and asked the fans not to approach them now.
However, fans are not prepared to give up. "I have been coming here since Monday, but have not been able to get any ticket," said Vikas Sharma, a young executive with a private company.
Allegations that black marketers are making a killing have been flying thick and fast.
"The tickets are available, but if you pay Rs 3,000 for a Rs 250 ticket and shell out Rs 10,000 for a Rs 1,000 ticket. Those selling in black have managed to purchase tickets in bulk," alleged Ram Kumar, a bank officer in Chandigarh.
"The semi-final match is going to be mother of all battles, in a way even bigger than the finals. Genuine fans should not be deprived of watching the match and police should take tough action against those selling in black," he said.
A good number of fans are also expected to come here from across the border to support Pakistan.
Representatives of some corporates willing to pay astronomical amounts could be seen making a beeline outside the PCA in their desperate bid to get tickets of the prized boxes.
Meanwhile, with top dignitaries from India and Pakistan expected to be there to watch the match, top police brass reviewed the security arrangements that will be put in place.
Nearly 2,000 cops are expected to be deployed in and around the PCA stadium as part of security measures, police sources said.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sent an invite to his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani and President Asif Ali Zardari to watch the match.
"We are also expecting many other top dignitaries from the two countries and therefore maximum security will be in place for the match," a Punjab police official said.
Hotel Taj in Chandigarh, about 12km from here, where the two teams are staying has been turned into a fortress with 1,000 cops deployed for security.
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