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"Hey the world, now is the time to know Bangladesh" -- the mesmerising 'welcome song' is expected to set the stand on fire.
The welcome song is the inaugural item of the grand gala opening ceremony of the first ever World Cup Cricket, which kicks off on February 17, and it will depict the history of Bangladesh at Bangabandhu National Stadium in the capital, reports BSS.
This will be followed by the official 'theme song' -'De Ghumma Ke" to be sung in four languages.
The welcome song begins with "O Prithibi. Ebar eshey Banglake nao chiney.. O prithibi,. Ebar eshey Banglake nao chiney. (Hey the world. now is the time to know Bangladesh.).
The 5.40-minute-long 'welcome song' written by Zulfiqar Russell will be directed by famous music director and singer Ebrar Tipu. It is not yet finalised who will sing the song in Bangla but it is expected to be presented by Habib or Hridoy Khan while the English version will be sung by Mila and Elita.
The song is superbly composed asking the world that this is the time to know Bangladesh, its culture and heritage. Then the song depicts the 23-year arduous movement led by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman starting from 1952 Language Movement to War of Liberation in 1971.
In the concluding part, the song urges the visitors to come and witness the beauty of Bangladesh and its chanting mangrove forest and world famous sprawling coastline and people's mad desire to win.
Talking to the agency, music director Ebrar Tipu said, "Since the wording of the welcome song is about Bangladesh I have selected local music and instruments to complete this song."
"The music will include all local instruments starting from dotara to shehnai while the song will be composed with the mingling of classical, folk and modern tunes."
Bollywood's famous team of music directors Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy has composed the official theme song of World Cup 2011. They have composed the three versions of the song titled 'De Ghumaa Ke' in Bangla, Hindi and Sinhalese. The tournament, which will start on February 19, will be held in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The theme song 'De Ghumaa Ke' is a very passionate number aimed to create the fierce sense of competition and the strong desire to win. The term literally means 'Hit It Hard' and it is one word used by all the cricket fanatics for their favourite player and team.
Recently, most of us are awaited for the exciting, enthralling and sensational event the Cricket World Cup2011,which is just few days away from spreading its thrilling moments with all ooohhhss and aahhhsss for all the cricket fans to witness . The thing which makes it more special this time are the hosts, the three test playing nations of the sub continent for whom cricket is not just a mere game but it’s a religion. So, it is definitely going to be an awesome feeling to visualize the frenzied fanaticism of the millions of people, cheering for every single ball
The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup will be the tenth Cricket World Cup which will include 14 teams that will have a tussle from mid Feb to early April to prove who is the best to lift the dazzling trophy . The auspicious event of the Opening Ceremony will be held in Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh on February 17, 2011 that is two days prior to the first match of the World Cup. In all, there are 49 matches scheduled in the tournament and the ESPN-Star network which has won rights to broadcast the tournament live will facilitate all the cricket fans, to savor the feast of live match.
Though the cricket is said to be the game of uncertainties but lets try to check out the odds and chances of each team for winning this World Cup.
India:
India holding the tag of best Test team, and a second ranker in ODI is certainly one of the favorites to win the cup. They are currently on top of their form with everyone making healthy contributions to the team. The team management will certainly be happy with the way things are proceeding. A series whitewash by a second string Indian team against New Zealand will certainly boosts their confidence. A tough tour of South Africa will certainly help in appraise the strength and weakness of each player and would help them sort out before the world cup starts. One major cause of worry is the No.7 batsman. Even though Yousuf Pathan have almost cemented his place for the No.7, it will be interesting to see what is in the mind of Dhoni. The strength of this team is their batting with everyone is in top form. The major weakness in this Indian team is runs they leak in the death overs and the power plays. If at all they can contain the powerplays, there is no reason why India cannot win this cup. Moreover playing in home conditions will certainly improve their chances of winning the cup. This team is certainly an improved unit than the one played in 1996 which was a one man army and that man is still playing and is in form of his life. Mostly for Sachin this would be his last world cup and everyone would be hoping for a magical farewell for this deserving master !!
Sri Lanka:
Second of the three host countries in the tournament. The last time the cup was played in the sub continent they were the champions. Under the astute leadership of Arjuna Ranatunga, they romped home turning the phase of Srilankan cricket. 15 years later they are led by a similar astute captain, Kumar Sangakara. Bouyed by their success in Australia, their first series win down under, this team is certainly be one of the favourites to win the cup. Their main strength is their batting led by the classy Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakara. These two will be key if at all they have any chance of repeating 1996. Their bowling is equally strong with Nuwan Kulasekara leading the attack. He is one of the most consistent bowlers around. Since they will be playing all their matches in their home, it is an added advantage for the lions.
South Africa:
If at all they have to win the world cup, they have to hold their nerves. Famously called as “Chokers”, they will certainly be keen in removing the tag. There is no reason why they cannot win the cup given the bowling attack they posses. Steyn and Morkel are supposed to be the best of the current bowling attack in the world. Hashim Amla and AB Devillers are in form of their life and you have ever reliable Jacques Kallis and all these players are led by a brilliant and astute Graeme Smith who plays a major role with the start he gives. Even though they have the best new ball bowlers, there is no one to back up. They have Tsotobe, Parnell in the line up but not as lethal as Steyn and Morkel. Another big drawback is the absence of spinners in the team. Johan Botha is only spinner they have but he will be ineffective when he plays in sub continent.
Australia:
The performance at ashes, defeat in the hands on Sri Lankans and defending champions all add to the pressure. They are certainly not formidable as they were 4 years ago, but one cannot write away the Aussies for their ability to fight till the end. Their bowling looks strong with Bollinger, Harris, McKay, and Johnson. Their batting is equally strong with the likes of Watson, Ponting, Clarke and crisis man Hussey. The thing about the Aussies is the ability to rise to the occasion and nothing becomes demanding than a world cup. They would certainly want to play at home in 2015 as defending champions but recent form suggests they have difficult task ahead.
England:
Certainly on cloud nine after their performance in the first two test of the Ashes. They are at present playing brilliant cricket. They won their first ICC trophy when they lifted the ICC Twenty20 world cup in West Indies. Buoyed by their success they would like to repeat their feat in the 50 over format too. If at all they need to go through the quarter finals, the big man Kevin Pietersen should be continue his good form all through the tournament. Their bowling looks good with James Anderson and Graeme Swaan leading the attack. The crisis man Paul Collingwood should find purple patch before the world cup starts as he is one of the key member of the English team. Off all the players, Andrew Strauss should fire from all cylinders and lead from the front if at all they have any chance of making it to the semi finals. If they transform their test form into one dayers, no doubt they are a key contender to lift the trophy.
New Zealand:
Certainly not the kind of preparation they would have liked to have. A 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Bangladesh and another whitewash against the Indians. They have lost their last 9 ODI’s they have played. If at all they are to win the world cup, a miracle should happen and only 2 players can cause the miracle in their team, Daniel Vettori and Ros Taylor. Much will be depended on these two players if at all they have any chance of making it to the semi finals. Brendon McCullum will be a key player but his inconsistency should be a worrying factor for the Kiwis. Their bowling is good with the likes of Tuffey and Mills but I think it will be difficult for them to carry the burden on their shoulders.
Pakistan:
The most unpredictable team in cricketing history. If they play to their true potential, they are certainly world beaters but the infighting, spot fixing scandal, absence of Amir and Asif are going to be a serious blow in their preparation to the world cup. In the absence of the Amir and Asif, Umar Gul and Shoiab Akthar should lead the attack. But apart from these two, I don’t see any bowler giving good support to. Batting on paper looks strong with the likes of Younis Khan, Yousuf, Afridi, Umar Akmal but it all depends on the mood of the dressing room given the controversies surrounding the team. It is sad that the country which produced one of the greatest fast bowlers and all rounder is struggling with so many problems.
West Indies:
Any cricket follower and lover will certainly feel sad with the demise of once the greatest team to play cricket. The country which produced the greats like Richards, Marshal, Hall, Garner, Ambrose, Walsh, Lara is now struggling to even find a decent player. Apart from Gayle and Chanderpaul, I don’t see any one performing consistently. Not many would have thought Sammy to be the captain when he was not even a permanent player in the side. If at all they are make in to the semi finals or even quarter finals, Gayle, Chanderpaul and Roach should play to their full potential else it will be another disappointing world cup the West Indies.
Bangladesh:
They are a good one day unit and on their day they can create an upset which was evident from 2007 world cup. They are currently on a roll after defeating NZL 4-0 at home. Shakib al Hasan, Abdur Razzak, Tamim Iqbal are some of the key players whom the team look for if at all they need to reach the quarterfinal stage.
The ICC World Cup 2011 trophy was handed over to the Bangladesh Cricket Board last evening at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur on the outskirts of Dhaka. The cup which arrived in Dhaka by a special flight from India was taken around the city in a colourful road show before being handed over to the Bangladesh Cricket Board President AHM Mustafa Kamal. Bangladesh is co hosting the Cricket world Cup for the first time along with India and Sri lanka. The opening ceremony of the ICC World Cup 2011 will be held in Dhaka on 17th Feb. Eight matches, including the inaugural match between India and Bangladesh on19th February will be played in Bangladesh.
Album Name : De Ghuma Ke ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Official Theme Song Year : 2011 Song Name : De Ghuma Ke Music Director : Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy The countdown to cricket’s biggest tournament has already kicked off with just 47 days to go. When you talk about cricket, can Bollywood be far behind? Well, not really, and this time Bollywood would be making its presence felt through the musical trio of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. The trio have composed the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011′s official theme song. The song is titled ‘De Ghuma Ke’ which in itself is a passionate expression that creatively captures the fierce sense of competition and the desire to win…
The ICC World Cup 2011 trophy was handed over to the Bangladesh Cricket Board last evening at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Mirpur on the outskirts of Dhaka. The cup which arrived in Dhaka by a special flight from India was taken around the city in a colourful road show before being handed over to the Bangladesh Cricket Board President AHM Mustafa Kamal. Bangladesh is co hosting the Cricket world Cup for the first time along with India and Sri lanka. The opening ceremony of the ICC World Cup 2011 will be held in Dhaka on 17th Feb. Eight matches, including the inaugural match between India and Bangladesh on19th February will be played in Bangladesh.
NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council, the game's governing body, will haul into court companies and suspend players associated with unofficial endorsements during the upcoming World Cup as part of a range of measures launched to protect the interests of the event's sponsors.
"Taking action against perpetrators is not fun for us. We will have no option but go to court to protect our rights and those of our commercial partners," says ICC legal head David Becker.
The ICC has formed a 100 strong anti-infringement team to track those using directly or deceptively the name, logo and mascot of the event, due to start on February 19.
This includes legal teams stationed in three host countries: India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, apart from personnel dedicated to checking counterfeiting as well as online and mobile piracy. The ICC has also engaged Bangalore-based intellectual property rights firm Copyright Integrity International to monitor such instances.
In the case of cricketers, the ICC has published a guidance note listing the 'dos' and 'don'ts' on endorsements. For example, players are permitted to appear in endorsements in their personal capacity wearing casual clothes or cricket whites. Participants can also promote Indian Premier League franchises. In both cases, they cannot appear in advertisements using the World Cup logo and trademark or refer to the event.
These measures demonstrate the lengths to which the ICC has gone to shield sponsors of the World Cup from so-called ambush marketing. Pepsico , LG Electronics, Hero Honda Motors and Reliance Communications - the four main sponsors - along with Castrol, Reebok India, Emirates, Yahoo and Moneygram have collectively spent around 1,200 crore on sponsorship rights and advertising.
Sponsors have been allowed to use every facet of the tournament, be it the logo, mascot or a part of stadiums and field, to promote their merchandise. The spot near a bowler's run-up mark, for instance, will be split among the four principal sponsors.
Becker says action against ambush marketing is necessary to protect the exclusivity of official partners that have paid millions of dollars. "Without the revenues from our partners, there would be no World Cup. It is as simple as that," he says.
The ICC says it has taken care to inform the public and corporates on ambush marketing. The body has published notices in the media, issued guidelines and sent cautionary notices. It will resort to legal measures only after warning the culprits.
Despite these efforts, ICC says it has encountered hundreds of cases of ambush marketing in the past two months. Offences range from using the ICC and event logo and trademark on billboards, on the internet, in mobile phone applications, in computer games, on merchandise and in the print media.
Still, ad experts say they foresee few instances of ambush marketing in the stadiums or during the event because of the number of cricket tournaments in recent years, more so with the IPL to follow the World Cup. Santosh Desai, CEO of Future Brands, says it is not worth the trouble. But he presages marketing controversies in the case of cricketers. "Leakages happen in the case of players with multiple endorsements," he says.
For ICC, it will be tricky to ensure players stick by the rulebook on endorsements because it could be up against some of the game's biggest names, including icons.
ICC says players are bound by restrictions on commercial activity in the so-called Squad Terms to participate in the tournament. All cricket boards and Fica, the international player association, agreed to these terms in 2007, it said in the guidance note that clarifies endorsement permits. Violators will face sanctions ranging from fines to a tournament ban.
Becker says the note was issued after players and agents approached him. He did not name the players. "If you had to guess who they are, you would probably not be wrong," he says.
Indian cricketers have signed a raft of deals in the run-up to the event. Sachin Tendulkar entered into a three-year deal with beverages major Coca-Cola India in end-January. Days later, he signed endorsement contracts with Pune developer Amit Enterprises and apparel maker S Kumars Nationwide .
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India's captain, is spearheading rival PepsiCo's advertising campaign. On Tuesday, Dhoni entered into a deal with Sony Corp. Likewise, Virat Kohli has signed 7 deals in the past four months. Read More >>ICC Cricket World Cup
ICC World Cup 2011: Virender Sehwag says he is fit and ready
India’s destructive opening batsman Virender Sehwag has claimed that he has recovered from his shoulder injury and is ready for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2011 that gets underway on 19 February.
Sehwag missed the entire One-day series in South Africa due to a shoulder pain. Team India’s management wanted to rest Sehwag so that he could recover from his injury and get ready for Cricket’s flagship event.
Sehwag said, “I was feeling some pain in my shoulder. So I thought it was better to quit the South Africa one-dayers. I didn't want to get injured in South Africa tour and miss the World Cup. So I came back and went to Germany to see a couple of doctors. I got a couple of injections and now I'm fine.”
He is one of the most destructive batsmen in the world as he can take the opposition attack to the cleaners with utmost ease. The most important thing about his batting is the strike-rate at which he racks up his runs. His 7,380 One-day runs have come at a strike-rate of 103, averaging 34.
Furthermore, he has done reasonably well in the World Cups, amassing 463 runs at an average of 33. As the tournament is going to be played in the Subcontinent, Sehwag will have an extra advantage of the home conditions.
He said, “I am going to the National Cricket Academy and will spend a couple of days there, to check everything - if I can bowl and throw also but if I can't, then I'll let them know. But yes, at the moment I'm fully fit.”
India’s opening game against Bangladesh will be the curtain raiser of the ICC World Cup 2011. Sehwag has warned his team against complacency and is well aware of the fact that Bangladesh defeated them in the last World Cup. He said that it will be a revenge game for India and they will not take it lightly.
India’s vice-captain feels that they are one of the favourites to win Cricket’s most coveted trophy. He stated that his team has an upper hand against the stronger teams such as South Africa and England.
In the 2008 edition of the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia, there was one Pakistan cricketer who was being talked to by the team coach. He stood there listening attentively to what his senior had to say. A few yards away, a couple of journalists who were on tour covering the World Cup were listening as attentively to a support staff member of Pakistan's squad.
"Aap dekh rahe hain, kitni khamoshi se sun raha hai woh?" (Do you see how quietly he is listening to the coach?) The manager pointed out to journalists " Lekin jaise hi woh wicket par pahunchega, yeh apni marzi se sab kuch karega. (But he will do exactly what he wants once he reaches the wicket.)
The young lad who was being talked about was the talented Umar Akmal. Younger sibling of Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran, Umar is fast gaining a reputation of being one the most explosive batsmen of the modern day, slam-bang kind of a game. At the same time though, he has become infamous for throwing away his wicket when the team requires his presence on the field. But as the member of Pakistan support staff at the Under-19 World Cup rightly pointed out, Umar will do exactly what he feels is right when on the crease. But he is not the only Pakistan cricketer who go by their instincts. Pakistan is a land full of such cricketers.
And that's Pakistan cricket. Unpredictable! miles away from what wise men call rational! even erratic at times. Controversies and cricket in Pakistan are like inseparable sisters. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had not even named a skipper till about Friday afternoon. But there is something about the Shahid Afridi-led Pakistan squad. At no point, the team can be written off. For, they are the eternal comeback boys of World Cricket.
A classic case is the 1992 edition of the World Cup. For a cricket enthusiast and purists alike, this edition of the World Cup will be remembered for the dramatic comeback Pakistan made. This despite the fact that two of their star performers - fast bowler Waqar Younis and opening batsman Saeed Anwar were consumed by injury. But they had an inspirational skipper in Imran Khan. And when Pakistan lost 4 of their first 5 matches and were barely a defeat away from being eliminated in the first round, an inspirational speech by Imran turned it around. The dashing Pathan, legend has it, told his teammates to fight like cornered tigers. It inspired the team to win five successive matches, including, most famously, the semifinal against hosts New Zealand and the final against England.
Pakistan went through some heart-stopping moments in the semis against hosts New Zealand. But an unknown 22-year-old named Inzamam-ul-Haq smashed a 37-ball 60 to help Pakistan win the match and set up a title clash with England. In the years to come, Inzamam went to lead Pakistan to several memorable wins.
That's the beauty of Pakistan cricket. Once a player is inducted into the national squad, he is never awed by the situation, opponent, or even an individual. And just like the 22-year-old Inzamam, there have been many cricketers who have delivered when it mattered.
Abdul Razzaq is one such player. Over a decade after making his international debut, Razzaq may not be spoken in the same breath today as a Kieron Pollard or perhaps a Yusuf Pathan. But this right hander can be equally destructive on his day. He has shown it time and again right from the time he burst onto the international scene in 1999. True, Pakistan have had many heroes. Zaheer Abbas, Majid Khan, Imran Khan, Inzamam, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Saeed Anwar, Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmed, Shahid Afridi, to name a few, but one thing that tilts the scale in Pakistan's favour decisively is the selection of Afridi as skipper. Afridi, also a pathan like Imran, is an inspirational leader. On his day, he sure is a match-winner. Add to it his ability to back his teammates. Just like Imran could get his boys to deliver at crunch situations and at the highest level, Afridi can extract the same commitment and dedication from his teammates.
All other captains post the 1992 World Cup triumph have failed to command the kind of respect Afridi and Imran have. Wasim Akram may have been a super bowler, but throughout his career, he was embroiled in controversies. Inzamam could win a match on his own, but his mood swings never really allowed his teammates to feel comfortable. Javed Miandad was another batsman who could get his teammates to deliver. But he too was involved in unnecessary petty issues with players and the management. Younis Khan led the team to the World T20 crown from a hopeless situation but soon fell out with the others.
Rameez Raja, Saleem Malik and others who captained the team had some problem or the other. The Pakistan Cricket Board have added to the team's woes in their own way. Imran not only got the team together, he also backed his players if they had issues with the board. Afridi too in his own way has never ceased to express his feelings if he feels the PCB is in the wrong. Obviously, people like Imran and Afridi will be looked up upon by their teammates.
Pakistan's squad sure has the balance, but it will be Afrdi, who has to ensure he brings about the best out of his players. Pakistan sure have the right man on the hot seat.
How Pakistan gained the notorious tag line unpredictable!
1975: Only 18 ODIs were played before this World Cup. The teams were divided into two groups of four teams with each one the group playing the other once. Top from the group qualified for the semis. Pakistan were not one among the four semifinalists.
1979: For the first time Pakistan made it to the semifinal in this edition of the Prudential World Cup. They were pitted against West Indies for a place in the final, but Asif Iqbal's men fell short by 43 runs, chasing a target of 293. In the league stages, Pakistan had defeated the might Australians by 89 runs.
1983: They made it to the semifinals for a second time. But it was deja vu for Pakistan. Led by the powerful Imran Khan, Pakistan went down to Clive Lloyd's West Indies by eight wickets.
1987: Three semifinal appearances in a row. Hopes in Pakistan went soaring. And there could have been celebrations galore back at home had Pakistan not fallen short by 18 runs against Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium.
1992: Skipper Imran Khan had failed to shepherd his team into a World Cup final in back-to-back editions. And four defeats in five games suggested Pakistan would be eliminated in the first round itself. But Imran who had come out of retirement, delivered an inspirational speech. Pakistan won all the remaining matches to be crowned World Champions. Bingo! They were in an elite list now.
1996: They were on a high after their first World Cup triumph. But when pitted in the quarterfinal against India at Bangalore's Chinnaswamy Stadium, Aamir Sohail's men were pushed on the back foot by Bangalore boys Anil Kumble (3-48) and Venkatesh Prasad (3-45). Pakistan eventually fell short by 39 runs.
1999: In the semifinal against New Zealand, opener Saeed Anwar hammered a brilliant 113 to ensure Pakistan canter home with nine wickets to spare. They eventually lost to Australia in the final.
2003: A very bad edition for Pakistan. Elminated in the first round itself.
2007: Just like India, Pakistan also crashed out in the preliminary stages of this edition of the World Cup
New Delhi, Feb 1 (PTI) ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat believesnext month''s cricket World Cup will dismiss fears of thedemise of the 50-over format of the game and prove that allthree formats can co-exist.
Buzz up! "I think the talk of poor interest in 50-over cricket isoverstated. I firmly believe that all three forms of the game(Test, ODI and T20I) will co-exist and in fact thrive atinternational level," Lorgat told Espnstar.com.
"I hope that the ICC Cricket World Cup, being the game''sflagship event and cricket''s biggest prize, will add toreversing the poor perception of 50-over cricket as some ofthe recent matches already have.
"To be frank, the talk of a demise of 50-over ODI cricketis way out of whack with what we are experiencing. Players,spectators, TV viewers and administrators still see greatvalue in the ODI and I think we are very fortunate as a sportto have three viable formats that are so popular in their ownways. I can''t think of any other sport that enjoys such anembarrassment of riches in that way," he added.
Lorgat said 2011 will witness the most open andunpredictable ICC Cricket World Cup in history.
"This year''s event promises to be one of the most openand unpredictable in history. It seems to me that the topteams are all playing some wonderful cricket at present andthere is precious little to decide between them," he said.
"The Australians could make history by becoming the firstteam to win four in a row but they will be challenged as theyare not as dominant today as they were four years ago. Theother teams no doubt will sense an opportunity to wrestle ''TheCup that Counts'' from their tight grasp," he added.
The ICC CEO said the governing body doesn''t have plans totinker with the format of the game but it is ready to considerchanges if it is good for cricket.
"There are no plans to dramatically change the format ofthe 50-over game at international level. That said, weencourage our Members to experiment with different formats andinitiatives to see if there are ways it can be enhanced," hesaid.
"The ODI today has a very different look and feel to whatit was 40 years ago when the first match took place in 1971.
We have always embraced change and will continue to do so. Ifit''s good for ODIs we will consider it," he added.
The World Cup, which is being co-hosted by India, SriLanka and Bangladesh, will be starting from February 19 inDhaka.
NEW DELHI: The International Cricket Council, the game's governing body, will haul into court companies and suspend players associated with unofficial endorsements during the upcoming World Cup as part of a range of measures launched to protect the interests of the event's sponsors.
"Taking action against perpetrators is not fun for us. We will have no option but go to court to protect our rights and those of our commercial partners," says ICC legal head David Becker.
The ICC has formed a 100 strong anti-infringement team to track those using directly or deceptively the name, logo and mascot of the event, due to start on February 19.
This includes legal teams stationed in three host countries: India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, apart from personnel dedicated to checking counterfeiting as well as online and mobile piracy. The ICC has also engaged Bangalore-based intellectual property rights firm Copyright Integrity International to monitor such instances.
In the case of cricketers, the ICC has published a guidance note listing the 'dos' and 'don'ts' on endorsements. For example, players are permitted to appear in endorsements in their personal capacity wearing casual clothes or cricket whites. Participants can also promote Indian Premier League franchises. In both cases, they cannot appear in advertisements using the World Cup logo and trademark or refer to the event.
These measures demonstrate the lengths to which the ICC has gone to shield sponsors of the World Cup from so-called ambush marketing. Pepsico , LG Electronics, Hero Honda Motors and Reliance Communications - the four main sponsors - along with Castrol, Reebok India, Emirates, Yahoo and Moneygram have collectively spent around 1,200 crore on sponsorship rights and advertising.
Sponsors have been allowed to use every facet of the tournament, be it the logo, mascot or a part of stadiums and field, to promote their merchandise. The spot near a bowler's run-up mark, for instance, will be split among the four principal sponsors.
Becker says action against ambush marketing is necessary to protect the exclusivity of official partners that have paid millions of dollars. "Without the revenues from our partners, there would be no World Cup. It is as simple as that," he says.
The ICC says it has taken care to inform the public and corporates on ambush marketing. The body has published notices in the media, issued guidelines and sent cautionary notices. It will resort to legal measures only after warning the culprits.
Despite these efforts, ICC says it has encountered hundreds of cases of ambush marketing in the past two months. Offences range from using the ICC and event logo and trademark on billboards, on the internet, in mobile phone applications, in computer games, on merchandise and in the print media.
Still, ad experts say they foresee few instances of ambush marketing in the stadiums or during the event because of the number of cricket tournaments in recent years, more so with the IPL to follow the World Cup. Santosh Desai, CEO of Future Brands, says it is not worth the trouble. But he presages marketing controversies in the case of cricketers. "Leakages happen in the case of players with multiple endorsements," he says.
For ICC, it will be tricky to ensure players stick by the rulebook on endorsements because it could be up against some of the game's biggest names, including icons.
ICC says players are bound by restrictions on commercial activity in the so-called Squad Terms to participate in the tournament. All cricket boards and Fica, the international player association, agreed to these terms in 2007, it said in the guidance note that clarifies endorsement permits. Violators will face sanctions ranging from fines to a tournament ban.
Becker says the note was issued after players and agents approached him. He did not name the players. "If you had to guess who they are, you would probably not be wrong," he says.
Indian cricketers have signed a raft of deals in the run-up to the event. Sachin Tendulkar entered into a three-year deal with beverages major Coca-Cola India in end-January. Days later, he signed endorsement contracts with Pune developer Amit Enterprises and apparel maker S Kumars Nationwide .
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India's captain, is spearheading rival PepsiCo's advertising campaign. On Tuesday, Dhoni entered into a deal with Sony Corp. Likewise, Virat Kohli has signed 7 deals in the past four months. Read More >>ICC Cricket World Cup
Even before the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 4 are played out on the field, the two tourneys are pitched against each other in an advertising battle.
The two mega cricket events together have an estimated advertising spend of Rs 1,500 -1,700 crore. Of this, industry experts predict that IPL is expected to garner the bigger chunk. Average match ratings for previous editions of the IPL, as per television audience measurement (TAM), were twice that of World Cup. And with less than a fortnight to go for the World Cup, IPL, which kicks on April 8, has already managed to rope in 11 sponsors, compared to the World Cup’s eight. Apparently, the IPL’s history of strong viewership — particularly amongst the youth who seem to prefer IPL's shorter twenty over format over one-dayers – has found better traction with advertisers. “From the total corpus of IPL and World Cup advertising expenditure, the IPL should definitely bag 60-65%,” says Rohit Gupta, president, Multi Screen Media (MSM), which owns the Sony Television Channels bouquet in India, including Max, the official broadcaster of the IPL. “Ad rates for the IPL touch Rs 5.5 lakh per ten seconds, which is 20-25% higher than previous editions. Spots have been virtually sold off by now, despite the World Cup happening first. IPL’s popularity is evident from the fact that its average match ratings are close to 5, compared to around 2.5 for the World Cup,” Gupta adds.
ESPN, which will be broadcasting the ICC World Cup 2011, says the company does not disclose financials as a policy. However, an industry source, who did not want to be named, told FE that of the Rs 1,700 crore combined ad spend, the World Cup kitty would be close to Rs 750 crore. “You must take into account that the World Cup has 49 matches, compared to around 74 matches in the IPL. Also, the amount of airtime available in the World Cup is determined by the ICC, which is not the case for the IPL,” he adds.
Simba Toys gave birth to Stumpy, the official mascot of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. It was the brainchild of the BCCI to commemorate the tenth edition of the World Cup and create a face for the tournament that is brought to life in a plush three dimensional mascot. Stumpy, the elephant, embodies a friendly face of a 10-year old child.
Stumpy, the official 2011 World Cup mascot
Pradeep Parmar, marketing and product chief of the company manufacturing the mascot explained the association with the ICC. "We are a German company and one of the biggest dealers of toys in Europe. We however, established our India operations in late 2009 and wanted to know how to connect with the Indian masses," said Parmar. "We contacted the ICC and asked them if we could contribute in some way. The planning for the World Cup had just started at that time and it was gave us the right opportunity to enter the market. We are happy to get the global rights for the mascot," he added. The unique thing about Stumpy is its sporty look. Parmar said it's about a naughty kid, who loves to play cricket on the streets and going for a dip when it's hot. Being young he knows that he can't get it all right the first time or even the tenth, but the cricketers he looks up to have taught him to use his elephant strength and step-by-step determination to reach his goals. Needless to say, Stumpy has been well received. "The response to the toy has been phenomenal. Not just kids, but even adults are attracted to Stumpy. Most fans have already purchased it," said Parmar. "The mascot belongs to the ICC, it was their creation. They gave us a two dimensional image of the mascot. We made a three dimensional design and thus it evolved into a soft toy," said Parmar. The company has signed a two-year deal with the ICC. "Stumpy will have a life after the World Cup. If India wins, it is going to be major toy, everyone will want," Parmar signed off.
नई दिल्ली. इस बार भारतीय उप-महाद्वीप में हो रहे क्रिकेट के महासंग्राम विश्वकप में बल्लेबाजों की बल्ले-बल्ले रहेगी। सबसे बड़ी चुनौती होगी गेंदबाजों के सामने। एशियाई धीमी पिचों पर बेहतर प्रदर्शन करना रेगिस्तान में पानी ढूंढने जैसा बड़ा काम होगा, खासकर तेज गेंदबाजों के लिए। गेंदबाजों के लिए ये आंकड़े थोड़े सुकून देने वाले साबित हो सकते हैं। विश्वकप में गेंदबाजों के आंकड़े कुछ इस प्रकार से हैं- सर्वश्रेष्ठ गेंदबाजी प्रदर्शन ग्लैन मैक्ग्राथ (ऑस्ट्रेलिया) - नामीबिया के खिलाफ 2003 विश्वकप में मैक्ग्राथ ने 15 रन देकर 7 विकेट चटकाए। एंडी बिचेल (ऑस्ट्रेलिया) - इंग्लैंड के विरुद्ध 2003 वर्ल्डकप में 20 रन देकर 7 विकेट। विंस्टन डेवीस (वेस्ट इंडीज) - ऑस्ट्रेलिया के खिलाफ 1983 विश्वकप में 51 रन देकर 7 विकेट। गिल्बर्ट गिलमर (ऑस्ट्रेलिया) - इंग्लैंड के विरुद्ध 1975 में 14 रन देकर 6 विकेट। सर्वश्रेष्ठ गेंदबाजी औसत ग्लैन मैक्ग्राथ (ऑस्ट्रेलिया) - 39 मैचों में 18.19 की औसत। इमरान खान (पाकिस्तान) - 28 मैचों में 19.26 की औसत। मुथैया मुरलीधरन (श्रीलंका) - 31 मैचों में 19.69 की औसत। सर्वाधिक विकेट ग्रलैन मैक्ग्राथ (ऑस्ट्रेलिया) - 71 विकेट। वसीम अकरम (पाकिस्तान) - 55 विकेट। मुथैया मुलरीधरन (श्रीलंका) - 53 विकेट। आपकी राय गेंदबाजी के हर रिकार्ड पर ऑस्ट्रेलिया के मैक्ग्राथ का कब्जा है। इस विश्वकप कौन सा गेंदबाज इस रिकार्ड को तोड़ पाएगा। दक्षिण अफ्रीका का डेल स्टेन या भारत के हरभजन सिंह, या कोई और। कौन सा गेंदबाज करेगा वर्ल्डकप 2011 में सर्वश्रेष्ठ प्रदर्शन। अपनी राय सबके साथा शेयर करें।
Even before the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 4 are played out on the field, the two tourneys are pitched against each other in an advertising battle.
The two mega cricket events together have an estimated advertising spend of Rs 1,500 -1,700 crore. Of this, industry experts predict that IPL is expected to garner the bigger chunk. Average match ratings for previous editions of the IPL, as per television audience measurement (TAM), were twice that of World Cup. And with less than a fortnight to go for the World Cup, IPL, which kicks on April 8, has already managed to rope in 11 sponsors, compared to the World Cup’s eight. Apparently, the IPL’s history of strong viewership — particularly amongst the youth who seem to prefer IPL's shorter twenty over format over one-dayers – has found better traction with advertisers. “From the total corpus of IPL and World Cup advertising expenditure, the IPL should definitely bag 60-65%,” says Rohit Gupta, president, Multi Screen Media (MSM), which owns the Sony Television Channels bouquet in India, including Max, the official broadcaster of the IPL. “Ad rates for the IPL touch Rs 5.5 lakh per ten seconds, which is 20-25% higher than previous editions. Spots have been virtually sold off by now, despite the World Cup happening first. IPL’s popularity is evident from the fact that its average match ratings are close to 5, compared to around 2.5 for the World Cup,” Gupta adds.
ESPN, which will be broadcasting the ICC World Cup 2011, says the company does not disclose financials as a policy. However, an industry source, who did not want to be named, told FE that of the Rs 1,700 crore combined ad spend, the World Cup kitty would be close to Rs 750 crore. “You must take into account that the World Cup has 49 matches, compared to around 74 matches in the IPL. Also, the amount of airtime available in the World Cup is determined by the ICC, which is not the case for the IPL,” he adds.
Look out cricket online betting fans, cricket odds are now up for the 2011 Cricket World Cup. The event begins on the 19th of March, and will be hosted jointly by Sri Lanka, India, and Bangladesh.
India will be hosting the majority of the matches, with 29 out of the 46 matches. Sri Lanka will host 12 and Bangladesh 5.
The schedule has been reworked so that every team will play at least 6 matches. The top four teams from each group will then move on for a knock out stage, and those winners will move on to the semi-finals, and then final.
A record attendance is expected for this year’s games and an estimated 2 billion viewers will be tuning in from around the globe.
Set up your own cricket online betting site. Contact us today to learn more.
The official theme song for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 is De Ghumaa Ke, which translate roughly means hit it hard. The song will be played at the inaugural ceremony as well as during the first matches on the 19th.
Outright Cricket Odds
India 3/1 Sri Lanka 4/1 Australia 5/1 England 5/1 South Africa 11/2 Pakistan 8/1 West Indies 20/1 New Zealand 20/1 Bangladesh 33/1 Zimbabwe 200/1 Ireland 500/1 Netherlands 750/1 Canada 1000/1 Kenya 1000/1
Also available are elimination cricket odds:
Australia Stage of Elimination Group Stage 10/1 Quarter Final even Semi Final 12/5 Runner Up 6/1 Winner 5/1
Bangladesh Stage of Elimination Group Stage 10/1 Quarter Final 13/10 Semi Final 11/4 Runner Up 9/2 Winner 3/1
Canada Stage of Elimination Group Stage 1/50 Quarter Final 12/1 Semi Final 40/1 Runner Up 250/1 Winner 1000/1
India Stage of Elimination Group Stage 10/1 Quarter Final 13/10 Semi Final 11/4 Runner Up 9/2 Winner 3/1
Kenya Stage of Elimination Group Stage 1/50 Quarter Final 12/1 Semi Final 40/1 Runner Up 250/1 Winner 1000/1
Group A Cricket Odds for Qualification Sri Lanka 1/50 Australia 1/50 Pakistan 1/20 New Zealand 1/10 Zimbabwe 7/2 Canada 10/1 Kenya 10/1
Group B Cricket Odds for Qualification India 1/50 England 1/25 South Africa 1/25 West Indies 1/3 Bangladesh 5/4 Ireland 13/2 Holland 16/1
As the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 is about to begin in few days. Here is a little flashback on the record list of world cup history. These records including team records as well as individual records.
Highest Individual Score
1. Gary Kirsten (SA) 188* vs. UAE 2. Sourav Ganguly (IND) 183 vs. SL 3. Vivian Richards (WI) 181 vs. SL 4. Kapil Dev (IND) 175* vs. ZIM 5. Craig Wishart (ZIM) 172* vs. NAM
1. Glenn McGrath (AUS) 7/15 (7 Ovrs) vs. NAM 2. Andrew Bichel (AUS) 7/20 (10 Ovrs) vs. ENG 3. Winston Davis (WI) 7/51 (10.3 Ovrs) vs. AUS 4. Gary Gilmour (AUS) 6/14 (12 Ovrs) vs. ENG 5. Shane Bond (NZ) 6/23 (10 Ovrs) vs. AUS
Highest Team Total
1. IND 413 vs. BER 2. SL 398 vs. KEN 3. AUS 377 vs. SA 4. IND 373 vs. SL 5. NZ 363 vs. CAN
Lowest Team Total
1. CAN 36 vs. SL 2. CAN 45 vs. ENG 3. NAM 45 vs. AUS 4. SCO 68 vs. WI 5. PAK 74 vs. ENG
Largest Victory Margin (Rns.)
1. IND 257 vs. BER 2. AUS 256 vs. NAM 3. SL 243 vs. BER 4. AUS 229 vs. NED 5. SA 221 vs. NED
Largest Victory Margin (Wts.)
1. IND 10 vs. ZIM 2. WI 10 vs. PAK 3. WI 10 vs. ZIM 4. SA 10 vs. KEN 5. SL 10 vs. BAN
Some of world's biggest brands spend millions of dollars creating ads to run during the game, each vying for the title of most talked about. They often feature movie-like special effects or big name celebrities but the key ingredient is humour.
The first of this year's crop has been released ahead of Saturday's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers.
And they're big business: with a domestic television audience of around 90 million people, advertisers pay up to $3 million for a thirty second spot.
THE APEX body of cricket, International Cricket Council (ICC) has appointed umpires and match referees for the group stage of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, which is going to be held between February 19 to April 2 in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
The International Cricket Council has appointed Aleem Dar, who was ICC Umpire of the years 2009 and 2010, four-time ICC Umpire of the Year Simon Taufel along with Ian Gould, Billy Doctrove, Daryl Harper, Steve Davis, Marais Erasmus, Tony Hill, Asoka de Silva, Rod Tucker, Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Kumar Dharmasena, Bruce Oxenford, Asad Rauf, Amish Saheba and Shahvir Tarapore.
ICC also appointed Ranjan Madugalle, Chris Broad, Jeff Crowe, Roshan Mahanama and Andy Pycroft as match referees for ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. Here is the full list of umpires and match referees for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 until group stage.
Saturday 19 Feb – Bangladesh vs India (D/N), Dhaka- Steve Davis and Kumar Dharmasena, Billy Doctrove (third), Asad Rauf (fourth), Ranjan Madugalle (referee)
Sunday 20 Feb – New Zealand vs Kenya (D), Chennai – Rod Tucker and Marais Erasmus, Aleem Dar (third), Sudhir Asnani (fourth), Roshan Mahanama (referee)
Sunday 20 Feb – Sri Lanka vs Canada (D/N), Hambantota – Ian Gould and Shahvir Tarapore, Tony Hill (third), Daryl Harper (fourth), Chris Broad (referee)
Monday 21 Feb – Australia vs Zimbabwe (D/N), Ahmedabad – Asoka de Silva and Richard Kettleborough, Amish Saheba (third), Simon Taufel (fourth), Jeff Crowe (referee)
Tuesday 22 Feb – England vs Netherlands (D/N), Nagpur – Asad Rauf and Brice Oxenford, Kumar Dharmasena (third), Steve Davis (fourth), Ranjan Madugalle (referee)
Wednesday 23 Feb – Pakistan vs Kenya (D/N), Hambantota – Tony Hill and Nigel Llong, Daryl Harper (third), Shahvir Tarapore (fourth), Chris Broad (referee)
Thursday 24 Feb – South Africa vs West Indies (D/N), New Delhi – Simon Taufel and Amish Saheba, Asoka de Silva (third), Richard Kettleborough (fourth), Jeff Crowe (referee)
Friday 25 Feb – Australia vs New Zealand (D), Nagpur – Billy Doctrove and Kumar Dharmasena, Asad Rauf (third), Bruce Oxenford (fourth), Ranjan Madugalle (referee)
Friday 25 Feb – Bangladesh vs Ireland (D/N), Dhaka – Aleem Dar and Rod Tucker, Billy Bowden (third), Marais Erasmus (fourth), Roshan Mahanama (referee)
Saturday 26 Feb – Sri Lanka vs Pakistan (D/N), Colombo – Daryl Harper and Ian Gould, Nigel Llong (third), Tony Hill (fourth), Chris Broad (referee)
Sunday 27 Feb – India vs England (D/N), Bengaluru – Billy Bowden and Marais Erasmus, Rod Tucker (third), Aleem Dar (fourth), Roshan Mahanama (referee)
Monday 28 Feb – West Indies vs Netherlands, (D/N) New Delhi – Amish Saheba and Simon Taufel, Richard Kettleborough (third), Asoka de Silva (fourth), Jeff Crowe (referee)
Monday 28 Feb – Zimbabwe vs Canada (D), Nagpur – Asad Rauf and Bruce Oxenford, Steve Davis (third), Billy Doctrove (fourth), Ranjan Madugalle (referee)
Tuesday 1 Mar – Sri Lanka vs Kenya (D), Colombo – Tony Hill and Shahvir Tarapore, Ian Gould (third), Daryl Harper (fourth), Chris Broad (referee)
Wednesday 2 Mar – England vs Ireland (D/N), Bengaluru – Aleem Dar and Billy Bowden, Marais Erasmus (third), Rod Tucker (fourth), Roshan Mahanama (referee )
Thursday 3 Mar – South Africa vs Netherlands (D), Mohali – Asoka de Silva and Richard Kettleborough, Simon Taufel (third), Amish Saheba (fourth), Jeff Crowe (referee)
Thursday 3 Mar – Pakistan vs Canada (D/N), Colombo – Daryl Harper and Nigel Llong, Tony Hill (third), Ian Gould (fourth), Chris Broad (referee)
Friday 4 Mar – New Zealand vs Zimbabwe (D), Ahmedabad – Aleem Dar and Marais Erasmus, Rod Tucker (third), Billy Bowden (fourth), Roshan Mahanama (referee)
Friday 4 Mar – Bangladesh vs West Indies (D/N), Dhaka – Kumar Dharmasena and Steve Davis, Asad Rauf (third), Bruce Oxenford (fourth), Ranjan Madugalle (referee)
Saturday 5 Mar – Sri Lanka vs Australia (D/N), Colombo – Tony Hill and Ian Gould, Shahvir Tarapore (third), Nigel Llong (fourth), Chris Broad (referee)
Sunday 6 Mar – India vs Ireland (D/N), Bengaluru – Billy Bowden and Rod Tucker, Marais Erasmus (third), Aleem Dar (fourth), Roshan Mahanama (referee)
Sunday 6 Mar – England vs South Africa (D), Chennai – Simon Taufel and Amish Saheba, Asoka de Silva (third), Richard Kettleborough (fourth), Jeff Crowe (referee)
Monday 7 Mar – Kenya vs Canada (D/N), New Delhi – Asad Rauf and Billy Doctrove, Bruce Oxenford (third), Steve Davis (fourth), Ranjan Madugalle (referee)
Tuesday 8 Mar – Pakistan vs New Zealand (D/N), Pallekele – Daryl Harper and Nigel Llong, Ian Gould (third), Shahvir Tarapore (fourth), Chris Broad (referee)
Wednesday 9 Mar – India vs Netherlands (D/N), New Delhi – Bruce Oxenford and Steve Davis, Billy Doctrove (third), Kumar Dharmasena (fourth), Ranjan Madugalle (referee)
Thursday 10 Mar – Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe (D/N), Pallekele - Marais Erasmus and Nigel Llong, Tony Hill (third), Ranmore Martinesz (fourth), Chris Broad (referee)
Friday 11 Mar – West Indies vs Ireland (D), Mohali – Asoka de Silva and Shahvir Tarapore, Bruce Oxenford (third), Steve Davis (fourth), Roshan Mahnama (referee)
Friday 11 Mar – Bangladesh vs England (D/N), Chittagong – Daryl Harper and Rod Tucker, Aleem Dar (third), Enamul Hoque-Moni (fourth), Jeff Crowe (referee)
Saturday 12 Mar – India vs South Africa (D/N), Nagpur – Ian Gould and Simon Taufel, Billy Doctrove (third), Kumar Dharmasena (fourth), Ranjan Madugalle (referee)
Sunday 13 Mar – New Zealand vs Canada (D), Mumbai – Shahvir Tarapore and Bruce Oxenford, Steve Davis (third), Asoka de Silva (fourth), Roshan Mahanama (referee)
Sunday 13 Mar – Australia vs Kenya (D/N), Bengaluru – Asad Rauf and Richard Kettleborough, Billy Bowden (third), Amish Saheba (fourth), Andy Pycroft (referee)
Monday 14 Mar – Pakistan vs Zimbabwe (D/N), Pallekele – Nigel Llong and Tony Hill, Marais Erasmus (third), Ranmore Martinesz (fourth), Chris Broad (referee)
Monday 14 Mar – Bangladesh vs Netherlands (D), Chittagong – Aleem Dar and Rod Tucker, Daryl Harper (third), Enamul Hoque-Moni (fourth), Jeff Crowe (referee)
Tuesday 15 Mar – South Africa vs Ireland (D/N), Kolkata – Kumar Dharmasena and Billy Doctrove, Simon Taufel (third), Ian Gould (fourth), Ranjan Madugalle (referee)
Wednesday 16 Mar – Australia vs Canada (D/N), Bengaluru – Amish Saheba and Billy Bowden, Richard Kettleborough (third), Asad Rauf (fourth), Andy Pycroft (referee)
Thursday 17 Mar – England vs West Indies (D/N), Chennai – Asoka de Silva and Steve Davis, Shahvir Tarapore (third), Brice Oxenford (fourth), Roshan Mahanama (referee)
Friday 18 Mar – Sri Lanka vs New Zealand (D/N), Mumbai – Richard Kettleborough and Asad Rauf, Amish Saheba (third), Billy Bowden (fourth), Andy Pycroft (referee)
Friday 18 Mar – Ireland vs Netherlands (D), Kolkata – Simon Tuafel and Ian Gould, Kumar Dharmasena (third), Billy Doctrove (fourth), Ranjan Madugalle (referee)
Saturday 19 Mar – Australia vs Pakistan (D/N), Colombo – Tony Hill and Marais Erasmus, Nigel Llong (third), Tyron Wijewardena (fourth), Chris Broad (referee)
Saturday 19 Mar – Bangladesh vs South Africa (D), Dhaka – Daryl Harper and Aleem Dar, Rod Tucker (third), Enamul Hoque-Moni (fourth), Jeff Crowe (referee)
Sunday 20 Mar – Zimbabwe vs Kenya (D), Kolkata – Billy Doctrove and Kumar Dharmasena, Ian Gould (third), Simon Taufel (fourth), Ranjan Madugalle (referee)
Sunday 20 Mar – India vs West Indies (D/N), Chennai – Steve Davis and Bruce Oxenford, Asoka de Silva (third), Shahvir Tarapore (fourth), Roshan Mahanama (referee)
Below are the 14 teams and squads for the 2011 ICC World Cup to be held in Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. Australia: Shane Watson, Brad Haddin, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, David Hussey, Cameron White, Tim Paine, Steven Smith, John Hastings, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Brett Lee, Shaun Tait, Doug Bollinger. Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan, Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Shahriar Nafees, Raqibul Hasan, Mohammad Ashraful, Mushfiqur Rahim, Naeem Islam, Mahmudullah, Abdur Razzak, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Suhrawadi Shuvo. Canada: Ashish Bagai, Rizwan Cheema, Harvir Baidwan, Nitish Kumar, Hiral Patel, Tyson Gordon, Henry Osinde, John Davison, Ruvindu Gunasekera, Parth Desai, Karl Whatham, Khurram Chohan, Jimmy Hansra, Zubin Surkari, Balaji Rao. Standby: Hamza Tariq (for Tyson Gordon.) England: Andrew Strauss, James Anderson, Ian Bell, Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Eoin Morgan, Kevin Pietersen, Matt Prior, Ajmal Shahzad, Graeme Swann, James Tredwell, Jonathan Trott, Luke Wright, Michael Yardy. India: MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Praveen Kumar, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel, Piyush Chawla, R Ashwin. Ireland: William Porterfield, Andre Botha, Alex Cusack, Niall O'Brien, Kevin O'Brien, George Dockrell, Trent Johnston, Nigel Jones, John Mooney, Boyd Rankin, Paul Stirling, Albert van der Merwe, Gary Wilson, Andrew White, Ed Joyce. Kenya: Jimmy Kamande, Seren Waters, Alex Obanda, David Obuya, Collins Obuya, Steve Tikolo, Tamnay Mishra, Rakep Patel, Maurice Ouma, Thomas Odoyo, Nehemiah Odhiambo, Elijah Otieno, Peter Ongondo, Shem Ngoche, James Ngoche. Netherlands: Peter Borren, Wesley Baressi, Mudassar Bukhari, Atse Buurman Tom Cooper, Tom de Grooth, Alexei Kervezee, Bradley Kruger, Bernard Loots, Adeel Raja, Pieter Seelaar, Eric Swarczynski, Ryan Ten Doeschate, Berend Westdijk, Bas Zuiderent. Reserves: Tom Heggleman, Andrew Hoogstraten, Muhammad Kashif. New Zealand: Hamish Bennett, Martin Guptill, Jamie How, James Franklin, Kyle Mills, Brendon McCullum, Nathan McCullum, Jacob Oram, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor, Daniel Vettori, Kane Williamson, Luke Woodcock. Pakistan: Shahid Afridi, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal, Younis Khan, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Abdul Razzaq, Abdur Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanvir, Ahmed Shehzad. South Africa: Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, Johan Botha, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Colin Ingram, Jacques Kallis, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Robin Peterson, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Morne van Wyk. Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, 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. West Indies: Darren Sammy, Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Devon Smith, Sulieman Benn, Nikita Miller, Carlton Baugh, Andre Rusell, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Adrian Barath. Zimbabwe: Elton Chigumbura, Regis Chakabva, Charles Coventry, Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Sean Ervine, Gregory Lamb, Shingirai Masakadza, Christopher Mpofu, Raymond Price, Edward Rainsford, Tatenda Taibu, Brendan Taylor, Prosper Utseya, Sean Williams. Non-travelling reserves: Terrence Duffin, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Njabulo Ncube, Tinashe Panyangara, Vusimuzi Sibanda. Below are some pictures I have gathered of some of the stadiums the games will be played at.
One of the major sport extravaganzas, ICC World Cup 2011 is all set to start in less than a month. It starts with the opening match at Bangladesh’s Mirpur on Feb 19. The matches will be held during March and the final will played at the momentous Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on April 2.
The 2011 World Cup is being hosted yet again in India. Firstly, it was made-up to be hosted mutually by India-Pakistan however terrorist attacks mostly the firing on Sri Lankan team forced the authorities to move matches and give them to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The layout comprises 2 groups with 7 teams each. Four teams will be eligible from every group. These 8 teams will play subsequently 4 matches in the quarter finals. The four winners will play in the semi final at Colombo and Mohali on March 29 and March 30. The final will be played on April 2.
The Groups are divided into two: Group A including Australia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Canada and Kenya. On the other hand, Group B including England, India, South Africa, West Indies, Bangladesh and Netherland.
Here, full schedule of the ICC World Cup 2011:
* Thu 17 Feb 08:30 IST opening ceremony at Dhaka, Bangladesh
* Sat 19 Feb 02:00 PM IST IND vs BAN at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur * 2Sun 20 Feb 09:30 AM IST NZ vs KEN at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai * Sun 20 Feb 02:30 PM IST SL vs CAN at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota * Mon 21 Feb 02:30 PM IST AUS vs ZIM at Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium, Motera * Tue 22 Feb 02:30 PM IST ENG vs NED at Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur * Wed 23 Feb 02:30 PM IST PAK vs KEN at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota * Thu 24 Feb 02:30 PM IST SA vs WI at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi * Fri 25 Feb 09:30 AM IST AUS vs NZ at Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur * Fri 25 Feb 02:00 PM IST BAN vs IRE at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur * Sat 26 Feb 02:30 PM IST PAK vs Sl at R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo * Sun 27 Feb 02:30 PM IST IND vs ENG at Mumbai * Mon 28 Feb 09:30 AM IST ZIM vs CAN at Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur * Mon 28 Feb 02:30 PM IST WI vs NED at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi * Tue 01 Mar 02:30 PM IST SL vs KEN at R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo * Wed 02 Mar 02:30 PM IST ENG vs IRE at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru (Bangalore) * Thu 03 Mar 09:30 AM IST SA vs NED at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali * Thu 03 Mar 02:30 PM IST PAK vs CAN at R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo * Fri 04 Mar 09:30 AM IST NZ vs ZIM at Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium, Motera * Fri 04 Mar 02:00 PM IST BAN vs WI at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur * Sat 05 Mar 02:30 PM IST AUS vs SL at R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo * Sun 06 Mar 09:30 AM IST SA vs ENG at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai * Sun 06 Mar 02:30 PM IST IND vs IRE at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru (Bangalore) * Mon 07 Mar 02:30 PM IST CAN vs KEN at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi * Tue 08 Mar 02:30 PM IST PAK vs NZ at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy * Wed 09 Mar 02:30 PM IST IND vs NED at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi * Thu 10 Mar 02:30 PM IST SL vs ZIM at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy * Fri 11 Mar 09:30 AM IST WI vs IRE at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali * Fri 11 Mar 02:00 PM IST BAN vs ENG at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong * Sat 12 Mar 02:30 PM IST IND vs SA at Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur * Sun 13 Mar 09:30 AM IST NZ vs CAN at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai * Sun 13 Mar 02:30 PM IST AUS vs KEN at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru (Bangalore) * Mon 14 Mar 09:00 AM IST BAN vs NED at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong * Mon 14 Mar 02:30 PM IST PAK vs ZIM at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy * Tue 15 Mar 02:30 PM IST SA vs IRE at Eden Gardens, Kolkata * Wed 16 Mar 02:30 PM IST AUS vs CAN at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru (Bangalore) * Thu 17 Mar 02:30 PM IST ENG vs WI at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai * Fri 18 Mar 09:30 AM IST NED vs IRE at Eden Gardens, Kolkata * Fri 18 Mar 02:30 PM IST NZ vs SL at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai * Sat 19 Mar 09:00 AM IST BAN vs SA at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur * Sat 19 Mar 02:30 PM IST AUS vs PAK at R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo * Sun 20 Mar 09:30 AM IST ZIM vs KEN at Eden Gardens, Kolkata * Sun 20 Mar 02:30 PM IST IND vs WI at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai * Wed 23 Mar 02:00 PM IST A1 vs B4 (1st Quarter Final, C) at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur * Thu 24 Mar 02:30 PM IST A2 vs B3 (2nd Quarter Final, D) at Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium, Motera * Fri 25 Mar 02:00 PM IST A3 vs B2 (3rd Quarter Final, E) at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur * Sat 26 Mar 02:30 PM IST A4 vs B1 (4th Quarter Final, F) at R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo * Tue 29 Mar 02:30 PM IST Winner C vs Winner E (1st Semi Final) at R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo * Wed 30 Mar 02:30 PM IST Winner D vs Winner F (2nd Semi Final) at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali * Sat 02 Apr 02:30 PM IST SF1 vs SF2 (Final) at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
The International Cricket Council has ruled out the significant Eden Gardens in Kolkata as the venue for a key 2011 World Cup match between India Vs England after the stadium unsuccessful to meet the deadline for overhaul. The tickets of World Cup 2011 matches are available here
Two persons sustained "minor" injuries when a portion of a compound wall caved in at M A Chidambaram stadium here on Wednesday during sale of tickets for the 2011 ICC cricket World Cup matches on February 20, police said.
The incident occurred following a melee amongst the ticket-seekers, they said.
TNCA officials described the incident as "minor" and said ticket sales were not disrupted due to the mishap.
They said about 50 people of the nearly 3,000-odd strong crowd suddenly pushed towards the wall, resulting in a portion of it caving in.
The Cricket World Cup is just 17 days away, but there’s still a chance to get tickets for many of the first round matches, provided you don’t mind watching some of the less fancied teams.
Unsurprisingly tickets for India’s key games have been snapped up, though the shifting of India vs. England on Feb. 27 from Kolkata’s Eden Gardens to Chinnaswamy Stadium might free up a few, since some people won’t be able to change plans and travel to Bangalore.
The only India match for which tickets are still available is the Ireland game on March 6, also in Bangalore. It’s unlikely to be a classic, but you never know, bearing in mind Ireland dumped Pakistan out of the World Cup in 2007.
If you’re looking for tickets, check on the official World Cup Web site. There is a tickets section, which takes users through to a page run by Kyazoonga.com, the official ticketing partner for the World Cup. Hopefully they’ll have an easier time handling online traffic than the Commonwealth Games ticketing partner, IRCTC, the state-run railways reservations portal, did.
A quick hunt around the site shows that there are still tickets for some exciting clashes, including South Africa vs. England in Chennai on March 6 and Australia vs. New Zealand in Nagpur on Feb. 25. Tickets for the semis (in Colombo and Mohali) and final (Mumbai) are not on sale yet, but it’s possible to sign up on the official website so you can be alerted when they become available.
India is hosting the World Cup with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Tickets for matches in Sri Lanka can be bought on the official website, while Bangladesh has designated a number of City Bank and Agrani Bank branches as retail outlets.
For online purchases, local customers can use credit or debit cards, while those buying from outside India will need to use a valid international credit card. Tickets are delivered by courier, although the site FAQs don’t say whether they courier to international addresses. Tickets can also be picked up at the venue. If you’re in India already, I’d go for the courier option to avoid extra hassle at the stadium.
Fans can also buy tickets directly from the venues, though be prepared to queue and be wary of the dangers that seem to crop up whenever India hosts a major sporting event.
According to a NDTV report, a wall at Chennai’s Chepauk Stadium collapsed today as hundreds of people waited in line to buy tickets. Two people were injured, the report said. For the second time in as many weeks, the World Cup preparations veered along worryingly similar lines to the mess seen in the run-up to last October’s Commonwealth Games.
So much for learning the lessons from that debacle, and all the more reason to book tickets through the relatively safer Internet route. What could possibly go wrong? Actually, forget I asked that.
WITH 60 over format, white traditional costume & red cherry, the biggest colloseum of cricket started on June 7, 1975 in England. Yes the Cricket World Cup. The Cricket World Cup is an international One Day International (ODI) competition in men's cricket. Organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the tournament has taken place every four years since it was first held in 1975 in England. For the first three editions it was called as Prudential Cup which was consequently played in England.
History Of World Cup:
1975 : West Indies tasted the Glory of the First WC in 1975, continuing the trend in second edition as well in 1979. The 1975 world cup final was played between West Indies and Australia. Under the leadership of Clive Lloyd, WI won the finals by 17 runs. 1979: In 1979, again under the leadership of Clive Lloyd, West Indies reached the finals. This time, they defeated the host England by 92 runs. 1983: In 1983, a new rule of field circle within 30 yards away from stumps was introduced. It was mandatory to have 4 fieldsmen inside the circle at all times. Basking in the glory of victory for the first two Wc finals, West Indies entered the finals of third edition. To spoil their party and shatter their dream run, Kapil’s Devils gave a big jolt to Clive Llyod & co. We clearly remember the sight of Joel Garner falling flat on the ground and weeping following the defeat. 1987: By 1987, Reliance group had grown big time world wide. This was for the first time,the tournament was played outside England and moved to Indian Subcontinent and was called Reliance Cup. Considering the sub continental conditions, the format was reduced to a 50 over format. It was Australia who defeated Englandwith a close margin of 7 runs. 1992: The popularity of WC was immensely increasing. Considering that, 1992 event saw lots of changes in the format. The traditional whites made way to colored clothing. The red cherry was replaced by the white balls. Day & Night matches came into picture. South Africa was allowed to participate in the event following the end of the ban on them due to racism. Out of no where; Pakistan rose to the occasion and defeated England by 22 runs. To England’s plight, it was their third time defeat in the Finals. 1996: In 1996, the cup came back to the subcontinent. Under an inspirational leadership of Ranatunga, Srilanka emerged with flying colors due to their attacking cricket by flamboyant opening pair of Jayasuriya & Kaluwitharana and awesome Aravinda D’silva. They defeated Australia by 7 wickets in Finals at Lahore.
1999: In 1999 the event was hosted by England, with some matches also being held in Scotland, Ireland, Wales. Australia entered the Semifinals.There were many anxious moments in the match. The most famous incidence was when Herscelle Gibbs dropped a easy catch of Steve Waugh. Waugh was quick enough to tell him “You have dropped the World Cup Mate’ . In the final, Australia dismissed Pakistan for 132 and then reached the target in less than 20 overs, with eight wickets in hand.
2003: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya hosted the 2003 World Cup. Australia again featured in the finals. This time against India. This was for the first time after 1983 when India featured in finals of World cup. Australia made a quick fire 359 runs for the loss of two wickets, the largest ever total in a final, defeating India by 125 runs. It was at Wanderers where Ricky Ponting played a super attacking innings scoring an unbeatable 140 runs
2007: In 2007 the tournament was hosted by the West Indies. This cup saw some serious and shameful defeats for India and Pakistan. Bangladesh defeated India and entered to the second round for the first time and they later went on to defeat South Africa in the second round. Pakistan faced similar shameful defeat by the minnows Ireland. Following the defeat against Ireland, the Pakistani coach Bob Woolmer was found dead in his hotel room; it was later found out that he died of heart failure. Australia defeated Sri Lanka in the final by 53 runs (D/L), extending their undefeated run in the World Cup to 29 matches and winning three straight World Cups.
ICC Trophy Trophy Design: The current trophy is made of Silver and gold. The Golden Globe is held up by 3 Silver Columns. These columns are in shape of Stumps& Bails that represent 3 fundamentals of cricket ie, Batting, Bowling and fielding. The Globe characterizes cricket ball. It stands 60 cm tall & weighs approximately 11 kgs. The names of winners of previous editions are engraved on the base of the trophy. The original trophy is kept by ICC and a replica is awarded to the winning team Prior to 1999, different trophies were designed for each world cup. In 1999, the ICC world Cup trophy was created. It was designed in London by a team of craftsman from Garrard & Co in over 2 months.
Individual Performances: Swashbuckling Master blaster from India Sachin Tendulkar holds a bouquet of individual records in the World . Tendulkar has made more scores over fifty, hit more centuries and scored more runs than any other cricketer in World Cup history. In his 36 appearance in World Cup, he has 4 centuries, 13 half centuries against his name. In the bowling department, Australian Glenn McGrath (Pegion) dominates the individual bowling records, having featured for his country in four World Cups. He has taken more wickets at a higher strike rate with a better economy rate than any other bowler, and has the best individual bowling figures in the history of the tournament.7/15 is his best record and in his 39 appearance, he hs taken 79 wickets. Australians Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist lead the individual fielding records. Ponting is the leading fielder in terms of catches made, in both an individual World Cup tournament and in the competition's history. Wicketkeeper Gilchrist has made the most dismissals in a single match, an individual tournament and in World Cup history. Australia hold several team records, including those for the most wins, the highest win percentage, the most consecutive wins and are the current holders; they were undefeated in the 2007 Cricket World Cup campaign. Let’s wait and watch whats in store for every one in this world cup that will be held in the Subcontinent again. The opening ceremony will be held in Bangladesh and the Final match will be played at Mumbai's very own Wankhade. Till then lets keep our fingers crossed.
WELL TO start of with it is actually quite absurd that a sub-continent team playing in sub-continent won't have that much pressure to perform. The reasons are obvious, ravaged by spot fixing scandals and infighting, the Pakistan cricket fraternity is on a recovery mode. And no one really expects them to give that much of a fight. With Salman Butt, Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Amer suspended, the first choice bowling attack of Pakistan is gone. With the captaincy issue yet to be resolved, the team morale won't be that high. But still a sub-continent team in sub-continent cannot be ignored.
THE SQUAD
Shoaib Akhtar, Muhammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq, Umer Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Abdul Rehman, Saeed Ajmal, Umer Gul, Wahab Riaz, Sohail Tanvir, Ahmed Shehzad.
THE YOUNG BLOOD
Out of the 15 chosen, 8 are those who have never been part of an event of this importance. Clearly the Pakistan selectors did not have an option and leaving out Imran Nazir reaffirms the fact that they wanted to start afresh. If we start taking the replacements for the suspended tainted trio, Ahmed Shehzad is in for Butt and Shehzad is clearly a fire brand if there was any.
He has a distinction of playing at the highest level and then going back to represent Pakistan in the Under 19 World cup. He only has one gear and that is to clear the in-field any how, he is not afraid to take on the fastest of the bowlers and even on bouncy wickets he has played some magnificent shots on the rise. He won’t get that pace in sub-continent and moreover his 7 match experience might not be enough.
Umar Akmal, a prodigy in the making, probably a complete batsmen Pakistan have produced after the era of Saeed Anwar. Though Younis Khan is probably the best Pakistan has got at the moment. This would be the make or break tournament for Umar. And to utilise his complete ability he must be slotted at No.3 nothing below that.
Wahab Riaz, is the replacement for Mohhammed Asif and to be fair on him he is a decent catch from the bowling factory. He has not exactly filled in the shoes of Asif but his approach ahs been commendable and as with Umar it would be make or break trip that he would be making to India.
THE WORRIES
One the other hand there is Mohammed Hafeez, Pakistan selectors does seem to have a blind faith on this chap. With an average of 22 in 62 ODIs, how the hell he made it to the squad, only reason I can think of is, he is not swashbuckling as Shehzad so they assumed he would be the calmer and wiser partner. Mohammed Amer could have been the potent weapon for Pakistan instead they had to content themselves with the old potent weapons, Shohib Akhtar. As an old war veteran, it is not his pace or form which has made him survive this long, it’s probably his never say die attitude. And this never “say die attitude” unfortunately looks good on paper or say a blog only.
Being hit for an economy of more than 8 and again coming back to bowl the full quota of overs to end up with run rate of 7 does not fit the bill for never say die attitude. That plainly is poor bowling but Pakistan selectors as I mentioned earlier tend to assume a lot of things.
Kamran Akmal, putting Kamran in the slot is just because of the poor form he is in; he tried his hands as an opener then at number 3 with no effect. In recent times, he has been very successful in the sub-continent primarily against India and his being in form would be of prime importance. He is more like Suresh Raina of Pakistan, unpredictable yet assuring figure.
Inspirational Misbah Ul Haq, is a player of calibre but I doubt his big match playing credentials.
Abdul Razzak is more of confusion; unpredictability has hovered all around his cricketing career. Not as strong a bowler he used to be but he is the variation guy of the team. He can pack a punch and on a given day could be more barbaric than Yusuf Pathan, but its all about him clicking or not. Not exactly a worry but wont put him in chances section as well.
CHANCES
Here chances have to be read as Umar Gul and Shahid Afridi. Gul is the strike bowler, best exponent of death bowling and Shahid Afridi along with Saeed Ajmal, I think is the best spinning duo in the world cup. Classic ODI spinners, with one having the knack of picking up wickets and other choking down the batsmen. Younis Khan just cannot afford to have a bad day at the office as he would be the spine of Pakistani batting attack.
Semi-final could be the maximum they could reach but again unpredictability is what Pakistan cricket lives with.
THE TENTH edition of mega cricketing event ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 is going to start from February 19 at Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. Defending champion Australia and thirteen other nations will play a total of 49 matches at 13 venues during the 43 days long event.
A ten year old elephant, Stumpy is the official mascot of the 2011 Cricket World Cup. The winner and the runner-up teams of this mega event will get a total prize money of US$ 3 million and US$ 1.5 million respectively. ESPN Star Sports and Star Cricket would broadcast ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 across the globe. Here are some interesting and unique facts of the first World Cup Cricket, which was held from June 7 to June 21, 1975 in England.
First ever world cup match captains: Mike Denness (England) and S. Venkataraghavan (India)
First cricketer who scored a 100 in a world cup match: Dennis Amis (England) 137 runs against India
First cricketer who scored 150 in a world cup match: Glenn Turner (New Zealand) 171 runs (not out) against East Africa
First cricketer who scored a 50 in a world cup match: Keith Fletcher (England) 68 runs against India
First cricketer who hit a six in a world cup match: Keith Fletcher (England) against India
First cricketer who played full sixty overs in a world cup match: Sunil Gavaskar (India) against England at Lord's, London
First cricketer who scored a 100 in a world cup final: Clive Lloyd (West Indies)
First cricketer to claim a wicket in a world cup match: Mohinder Amarnath (India) of John Jameson (England)
First bowler who claimed 5 wickets in a world cup match: Dennis Lillee (Australia) against Pakistan
First bowler who claimed 5 wickets in a world cup final: Gary Gilmour (Australia)
First bowler who bowled a batsman in a world cup match: Madan Lal (India) bowled Dennis Amis (England)
First cricketer who was run-out in a world cup match: Ramesh Sethi (East Africa)
First wicket-keeper who picked a catch in a world cup match: Alan Knott (England) of Anshuman Gaekwad (India)
First wicket-keeper who stumped a batsman in a world cup match: Ken Wadsworth (New Zealand) stumped Frasat Ali (East Africa)
First cricketer to take a catch in a world cup match: S. Venkataraghavan (India) caught John Jameson (England)
First team which won by the margin of 200 runs in a world cup match: England against India at Lord's, London
First team which won by 10 wickets in a world cup match: India won against East Africa at Headingley, Leeds
First team which scored 300 runs in a world cup match: England against India at Lord's, London
First team which scored below 100 in a world cup match: Sri Lanka against West Indies at Old Trafford, Manchester
First cricketer who won Man-of-the-match in a world cup match: Dennis Amis (England)
First cricketer who won Man-of-the-match in a world cup final: Clive Lloyd (West Indies)
First umpires to officiate a world cup match: David Constant and John Langridge of England.
Guide to the venues for the 2011 World Cup which takes place in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh from February 19-April 2:
EDEN GARDENS (Kolkata, India)
Capacity: 80,000
Biggest ground in India and enjoys a status akin to the Lord's. Famous for its passionate and vocal crowd and has previously hosted World Cup matches in 1987 and 1996. Of late, spinners like Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble inspired famous victories against Australia and Pakistan. But its World Cup refurbishment was so far behind schedule that the February 27 game between India and England has been moved to another venue.
FEROZ SHAH KOTLA (New Delhi, India)
Capacity: 48,000
India leg-spinner Anil Kumble famously took his 10 Test wickets in an innings on this ground in 1999 against Pakistan. Kotla's future as an international venue was thrown in jeopardy in December 2009 when an ODI between India and Sri Lanka was abandoned due to a "dangerous" pitch.
WANKHEDE STADIUM (Mumbai, India)
Capacity: 45,000
Host of the final on April 2, the entire stadium was torn down and rebuilt from scratch. Proximity of the ground to the sea allows swing bowlers a fair amount of assistance early on. But the last one-dayer played in 2007 saw India beat Australia by two wickets after bowling out the visitors for 193 with left-arm spinner Murali Kartik picking six wickets for 27 runs off 10 overs.
M. A. CHIDAMBARAM STADIUM (Chennai, India)
Capacity: 50,000
The historic ground, better known as the Chepauk, has been rebuilt for the World Cup. Pakistan's Saeed Anwar scored 194 against India in an Independence Cup match in 1997 at this venue. The stadium is recognised for the sporting behaviour of its crowd, which is reputed to be one of the most knowledgeable and appreciative in the country.
PUNJAB CRICKET ASSOCIATION STADIUM (Mohali, India)
Capacity: 30,000
It was the venue for the thrilling 1996 World Cup semi-final in 1996 when Australia beat the West Indies by five runs. The pitch initially assisted pace bowlers, especially in Test matches, but it has subsequently settled down to become a batsman's paradise. The venue is considered to be one of the best in the country, with world-class facilities for practice, spectators as well as the media.
VIDARBHA CRICKET ASSOCIATION STADIUM (Nagpur, India)
Capacity: 45,000
The last one-dayer here saw India lose to Sri Lanka by three wickets despite having scored a competitive 301. Tillakaratne Dilshan stole the show with a 113-ball 123 studded with 12 fours and two sixes. The highest score on this ground was 354 by India against Australia in 2009, the hosts winning by a whopping 99-run margin. A very comfortable cricket venue.
SARDAR PATEL STADIUM (Ahmedabad, India)
Capacity: 54,000
It was renovated ahead of the Champions Trophy in 2006, when three new pitches and a new outfield were laid, and state of the art floodlights and covered stands were added. The pitch here used to aid bowlers but recent matches have seen a benign, batting beauty being rolled out for teams.
CHINNASWAMY STADIUM (Bangalore, India)
Capacity: 50,000
The venue has also hosted World Cup matches in 1987 and 1996 including the fiercely-fought quarterfinal between India and Pakistan in March, 1996. It has proved to be a lucky venue for visiting teams with South Africa, Australia and Pakistan winning crucial games here.
PREMADASA STADIUM (Colombo, Sri Lanka)
Capacity: 35,000
The Premadasa is the only ground in Colombo with floodlights, and Sri Lanka Cricket has spent nearly eight million dollars to renovate the stadium and relay the pitch. It is set to host seven World Cup matches, including the first semi-final.
PALLEKELE CRICKET STADIUM (Kandy, Sri Lanka)
Capacity: 35,000
Although it is a new facility put in place especially for the World Cup, the pitches at Pallekele have had matches involving Under-19 and A teams since November 2009. There haven't been any complaints over the pitch during these matches, leaving the organisers supremely confident about the venue.
MAHNIDA RAJAPAKSA INTERNATIONAL CRICKET STADIUM (Hambantota, Sri Lanka)
Capacity: 35,000
Another new stadium on Sri Lanka's southern tip. An unofficial Test between Sri Lanka and Pakistan A teams saw only 505 runs being scored before the match finished in a little over two days with the home team winning by 39 runs. As many as 22 wickets fell on the first day while 13 went down on the second but the curator insists it had nothing to do with the newly-laid turf wicket.
ZAHUR AHMED CHOWDHURY STADIUM (Chittagong, Bangladesh)
Capacity: 25,000
The stadium was one of the five purpose-built cricket grounds established in the run-up to the Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 2004. The last ODI in December last year saw the hosts beat Zimbabwe comfortably by six wickets while chasing a modest target of 189 runs.
SHER-E-BANGLA CRICKET STADIUM (Dhaka, Bangladesh)
Capacity: 25,000
The venue will host six World Cup matches, including two quarterfinals. The floodlights here had to be changed as they had the ones used for football matches. However, an ODI between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe was changed to a day game from a day-night one in December last year because the lights were not fully functional
नई दिल्ली. इस बार भारतीय उप-महाद्वीप में हो रहे क्रिकेट के महासंग्राम विश्वकप में बल्लेबाजों की बल्ले-बल्ले रहेगी। सबसे बड़ी चुनौती होगी गेंदबाजों के सामने। एशियाई धीमी पिचों पर बेहतर प्रदर्शन करना रेगिस्तान में पानी ढूंढने जैसा बड़ा काम होगा, खासकर तेज गेंदबाजों के लिए। गेंदबाजों के लिए ये आंकड़े थोड़े सुकून देने वाले साबित हो सकते हैं। विश्वकप में गेंदबाजों के आंकड़े कुछ इस प्रकार से हैं- 
FEROZ SHAH KOTLA (New Delhi, India) 