India's national team players have been on the road for close to four months after a full tour of New Zealand in February was followed by the second edition of the IPL.
National team coach Gary Kirsten last week said mental fatigue could hamper India's chances of defending the title they won in South Africa in 2007, but former opener Srikkanth is confident the additional practice will prove invaluable.
In today's world, every nation is playing non-stop cricket, he said. It is tough on the players, but it's something that can't be helped. You have to get used to it and carry on in a professional way.
I agree that IPL was hectic for the cricketers, but it also gave them a lot of match practice and exposure.
Keeping in mind the World Cup, the event was really useful. There were so many close games, the kind which toughens up players. I'm very happy with the intensity the players have shown.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Ishant Sharma
First bit of advice from a coach
Always respect your opponents.
First boots
My first pair were Ace spikes, which my father bought for Rs 650. The first time I went to the club they said I couldn't bowl in the rubber sneakers I had as I would slip on the turf. The spikes lasted one year, but the initial feeling of getting into something new was very good.
First time I sent the stumps flying in Tests
It was a great feeling when I bowled Morne Morkel in the Kanpur Test. I really like the idea of getting a batsman bowled because it boosts your confidence, and you can get more aggressive.
First cricketing souvenir
The cricket ball with which I got my debut wicket, which was against Bangladesh. I got it signed by Anil bhai [Kumble]. He wrote, "Well done. Many more."
First car
A Honda Civic - my first major purchase after I began playing international cricket.
Always respect your opponents.
First boots
My first pair were Ace spikes, which my father bought for Rs 650. The first time I went to the club they said I couldn't bowl in the rubber sneakers I had as I would slip on the turf. The spikes lasted one year, but the initial feeling of getting into something new was very good.
First time I sent the stumps flying in Tests
It was a great feeling when I bowled Morne Morkel in the Kanpur Test. I really like the idea of getting a batsman bowled because it boosts your confidence, and you can get more aggressive.
First cricketing souvenir
The cricket ball with which I got my debut wicket, which was against Bangladesh. I got it signed by Anil bhai [Kumble]. He wrote, "Well done. Many more."
First car
A Honda Civic - my first major purchase after I began playing international cricket.
Gautam Gambir
First time I broke a bat
The first time I broke a bat was in neighbourhood galli [street] cricket. It was a brand new bat. I hit the first ball and immediately the handle just came off.
First time I was worked over by a fast bowler
It's happened only once so far. It was by Andrew Flintoff in Mohali last year, on the second day of the Test. It was the quickest and nastiest spell of short-ball bowling I ever faced.
First time I played the bowler, not the ballAgainst Glenn McGrath in my debut Test. Perhaps I was in awe of him. I was picked up easily in the slips. It occurred once again, against Shaun Pollock a couple of years later during an ODI, but now I focus on the ball.
First left-hand batsman I was impressed with
Sourav Ganguly. I just liked everything about him, especially his off-side play. I wanted to be just like him.
First autographed bat
My first and only autographed bat was of Sachin Tendulkar. I took one of his MRF bats in Chennai in 2005, before the Test against Sri Lanka. I wanted it as a souvenir. He was generous enough to give me a note as well: "Score lots of runs".
The first time I broke a bat was in neighbourhood galli [street] cricket. It was a brand new bat. I hit the first ball and immediately the handle just came off.
First time I was worked over by a fast bowler
It's happened only once so far. It was by Andrew Flintoff in Mohali last year, on the second day of the Test. It was the quickest and nastiest spell of short-ball bowling I ever faced.
First time I played the bowler, not the ballAgainst Glenn McGrath in my debut Test. Perhaps I was in awe of him. I was picked up easily in the slips. It occurred once again, against Shaun Pollock a couple of years later during an ODI, but now I focus on the ball.
First left-hand batsman I was impressed with
Sourav Ganguly. I just liked everything about him, especially his off-side play. I wanted to be just like him.
First autographed bat
My first and only autographed bat was of Sachin Tendulkar. I took one of his MRF bats in Chennai in 2005, before the Test against Sri Lanka. I wanted it as a souvenir. He was generous enough to give me a note as well: "Score lots of runs".
Dale Steyn
First time I drew blood by hitting a batsman
I hit Craig Cumming, the New Zealand opening batsman, in the face (in Centurion in the 2007-08 series) and he's never played Test cricket again.
First time I didn't sleep because I was excited about performing the next day
My debut Test. I can't remember having closed my eyes even for a moment.
First batsman who made me feel helpless
Actually two: Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, when they built the world-record partnership against us on my first trip to Sri Lanka in the very first Test. I can't remember the exact number of runs [624, for the third wicket] but it was a ridiculous amount. Mahela was on his way to breaking the record for the highest Test score, and we felt really helpless for two-and-a-half days.
First bowler about whom I thought, "I want to bowl like him"
Allan Donald. Before I even knew how Donald bowled, my friends in primary school had already named me "White Lightning" [Donald's nickname]. When I got to know who "White Lightning" was, I wanted to be like him.
First time I bowled in someone else's shoes
Polly [Shaun Pollock] used to be my shoe sponsor in my early years in Test cricket. I played my debut in my spikes but once he realised how bad they were, he started to give me his used boots.
I hit Craig Cumming, the New Zealand opening batsman, in the face (in Centurion in the 2007-08 series) and he's never played Test cricket again.
First time I didn't sleep because I was excited about performing the next day
My debut Test. I can't remember having closed my eyes even for a moment.
First batsman who made me feel helpless
Actually two: Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, when they built the world-record partnership against us on my first trip to Sri Lanka in the very first Test. I can't remember the exact number of runs [624, for the third wicket] but it was a ridiculous amount. Mahela was on his way to breaking the record for the highest Test score, and we felt really helpless for two-and-a-half days.
First bowler about whom I thought, "I want to bowl like him"
Allan Donald. Before I even knew how Donald bowled, my friends in primary school had already named me "White Lightning" [Donald's nickname]. When I got to know who "White Lightning" was, I wanted to be like him.
First time I bowled in someone else's shoes
Polly [Shaun Pollock] used to be my shoe sponsor in my early years in Test cricket. I played my debut in my spikes but once he realised how bad they were, he started to give me his used boots.
England Team
It's not impossible that England will spring a surprise in this tournament, merely improbable. But even that is an improvement on their prospects in years gone by.
Strengths
Home advantage might seem a spurious benefit in a 20-over thrash, but England have at least spent the early part of the summer reminding themselves how to take wickets. Their new-ball attack of Broad and James Anderson are as close to the top of their game as they ever have been, while the confidence in the current squad is best exemplified by the irrepressible Graeme Swann, who fine-tuned his second string by smacking 90 not out from 47 balls against Derbyshire last week.
Weaknesses
There's no Andrew Flintoff - and while his impact is less dramatic than in years gone by, his absence does mean four fewer overs of bat-rattlingly accurate pace, and one less go-to man for those crucial overs at the death. And then, of course, there is the question of focus. Are England really bothered with this tournament, or are their eyes already trained on Cardiff on July 8?
(Lack of) X-Factor
In every other format, you would surely have to nominate Kevin Pietersen as England's king-pin. But as the man himself admitted last week: "I'm not very good at Twenty20, am I?" His highest score in 35 matches (international, domestic and IPL included) is 79, against Zimbabwe in 2007. Younis Khan said on Sunday that 120 balls is actually a very long time to bat. You sense that Pietersen, ever manic at the crease and in a hurry to impose himself, hasn't yet allowed himself the time to realise this.
Key player(s)
Regardless of his lack of success (and dodgy Achilles heel permitting), Pietersen is, of course, crucial to England's fortunes. So too is a man who has taken on board many of his same cocky characteristics, Ravi Bopara. He was England's stand-out performer at the IPL with a sensational 84 from 59 balls for King's XI Punjab, and he translated that confidence into back-to-back hundreds in the West Indies Tests last month.
T20 form guide
Six victories, nine defeats, in 15 matches since 2005, though nothing has ever topped that heady first contest against Australia at the Rose Bowl.
Squad: Paul Collingwood (capt), James Anderson, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Andrew Flintoff, James Foster, Robert Key, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Eoin Morgan, Graham Napier, Kevin Pietersen, Owais Shah, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann, Luke Wright
Strengths
Home advantage might seem a spurious benefit in a 20-over thrash, but England have at least spent the early part of the summer reminding themselves how to take wickets. Their new-ball attack of Broad and James Anderson are as close to the top of their game as they ever have been, while the confidence in the current squad is best exemplified by the irrepressible Graeme Swann, who fine-tuned his second string by smacking 90 not out from 47 balls against Derbyshire last week.
Weaknesses
There's no Andrew Flintoff - and while his impact is less dramatic than in years gone by, his absence does mean four fewer overs of bat-rattlingly accurate pace, and one less go-to man for those crucial overs at the death. And then, of course, there is the question of focus. Are England really bothered with this tournament, or are their eyes already trained on Cardiff on July 8?
(Lack of) X-Factor
In every other format, you would surely have to nominate Kevin Pietersen as England's king-pin. But as the man himself admitted last week: "I'm not very good at Twenty20, am I?" His highest score in 35 matches (international, domestic and IPL included) is 79, against Zimbabwe in 2007. Younis Khan said on Sunday that 120 balls is actually a very long time to bat. You sense that Pietersen, ever manic at the crease and in a hurry to impose himself, hasn't yet allowed himself the time to realise this.
Key player(s)
Regardless of his lack of success (and dodgy Achilles heel permitting), Pietersen is, of course, crucial to England's fortunes. So too is a man who has taken on board many of his same cocky characteristics, Ravi Bopara. He was England's stand-out performer at the IPL with a sensational 84 from 59 balls for King's XI Punjab, and he translated that confidence into back-to-back hundreds in the West Indies Tests last month.
T20 form guide
Six victories, nine defeats, in 15 matches since 2005, though nothing has ever topped that heady first contest against Australia at the Rose Bowl.
Squad: Paul Collingwood (capt), James Anderson, Ravi Bopara, Stuart Broad, Andrew Flintoff, James Foster, Robert Key, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Eoin Morgan, Graham Napier, Kevin Pietersen, Owais Shah, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann, Luke Wright
Srilankan Team Ready for Battle
The ICC World Twenty20 represents an opportunity for Sri Lanka to put behind them the miseries of the last few months. The attack on their team bus in Lahore in March and the armed conflicts in the country have meant the team and the nation have had little to cheer recently. Kumar Sangakkara and Co have the chance to give the country some happy moments over the next couple of weeks.
It's Sangakkara's first series as captain, but he has with him a team which has enough matchwinners to make the debut a memorable one. There's plenty of flair in a batting line-up that has, apart from the captain himself, Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan. The bowling attack, led by Muttiah Muralitharan and Lasith Malinga, has the firepower to be formidable in any conditions, and the team has several swift movers, ensuring that fielding is hardly a liability.
With a 13-8 win-loss record in Twenty20 internationals, Sri Lanka also have one of the better stats in this format. Defeats against Pakistan and Australia deprived them of a semi-final spot in 2007, but with such a balanced line-up they have every chance of making the last four this time.
Being in a tough group - Australia and West Indies are the others in Group C - means they must find form immediately and beat at least one of those two teams to move into the Super Eights. If they make that cut, though, they'll find themselves in the relatively easier group, with Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh as possible group mates.
Strengths
A bowling attack which includes Muralitharan, Malinga, and Ajantha Mendis must fancy their chances against any batting line-up in any conditions. Nuwan Kulasekara and Farveez Maharoof should find the England conditions in June to their liking too, which suggests batting teams will be hard-pressed to post big totals against them. Sri Lanka's top four batsmen are a formidable lot too, and Jayasuriya will be keen to prove that his poor form in the IPL was an aberration.
Weaknesses
The top order is superb, but Sri Lanka have been hit in the past by the lack of batting firepower down the order - it's quite revealing that their run rate of 8.85 in the last six overs of twenty20 internationals is worse than the six other top teams. Chamara Silva, Maharoof and the rest of the lower-order batsmen will need to pull their weight and ensure that their late-overs batting isn't a liability.
X-factor
The starts that Sanath Jayasuriya provides with the bat could go a long way in determining how far Sri Lanka progress in the tournament. Jayasuriya's recent form hasn't been flash - he scored 221 in 12 innings in the IPL - but his ability to turn on the switch can never be underestimated.
Key players
Muralitharan is an obvious matchwinner in the Sri Lankan team, but in conditions likely to assist swing and seam, Lasith Malinga could be more than a handful. He had an outstanding IPL, taking 18 wickets at an economy rate of 6.30, but he'll also need to keep an eye on his radar - his 26 wides were the most by any bowler in the tournament.
Twenty20 form guide
Sri Lanka's record in this format over the last 12 months has been patchy - though they've won three out of five, two of those victories were against Zimbabwe and Canada. What will give them more encouragement is the form of their players in the IPL: Muralitharan and Malinga were terrific, while Dilshan was one of the most consistent batsmen and finished with the fifth-highest aggregate.
Squad: Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Jehan Mubarak, Chamara Silva, Indika de Saram, Angelo Mathews, Farveez Maharoof, Nuwan Kulasekara, Thilan Thushara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Lasith Malinga, Isuru Udana.
It's Sangakkara's first series as captain, but he has with him a team which has enough matchwinners to make the debut a memorable one. There's plenty of flair in a batting line-up that has, apart from the captain himself, Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan. The bowling attack, led by Muttiah Muralitharan and Lasith Malinga, has the firepower to be formidable in any conditions, and the team has several swift movers, ensuring that fielding is hardly a liability.
With a 13-8 win-loss record in Twenty20 internationals, Sri Lanka also have one of the better stats in this format. Defeats against Pakistan and Australia deprived them of a semi-final spot in 2007, but with such a balanced line-up they have every chance of making the last four this time.
Being in a tough group - Australia and West Indies are the others in Group C - means they must find form immediately and beat at least one of those two teams to move into the Super Eights. If they make that cut, though, they'll find themselves in the relatively easier group, with Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh as possible group mates.
Strengths
A bowling attack which includes Muralitharan, Malinga, and Ajantha Mendis must fancy their chances against any batting line-up in any conditions. Nuwan Kulasekara and Farveez Maharoof should find the England conditions in June to their liking too, which suggests batting teams will be hard-pressed to post big totals against them. Sri Lanka's top four batsmen are a formidable lot too, and Jayasuriya will be keen to prove that his poor form in the IPL was an aberration.
Weaknesses
The top order is superb, but Sri Lanka have been hit in the past by the lack of batting firepower down the order - it's quite revealing that their run rate of 8.85 in the last six overs of twenty20 internationals is worse than the six other top teams. Chamara Silva, Maharoof and the rest of the lower-order batsmen will need to pull their weight and ensure that their late-overs batting isn't a liability.
X-factor
The starts that Sanath Jayasuriya provides with the bat could go a long way in determining how far Sri Lanka progress in the tournament. Jayasuriya's recent form hasn't been flash - he scored 221 in 12 innings in the IPL - but his ability to turn on the switch can never be underestimated.
Key players
Muralitharan is an obvious matchwinner in the Sri Lankan team, but in conditions likely to assist swing and seam, Lasith Malinga could be more than a handful. He had an outstanding IPL, taking 18 wickets at an economy rate of 6.30, but he'll also need to keep an eye on his radar - his 26 wides were the most by any bowler in the tournament.
Twenty20 form guide
Sri Lanka's record in this format over the last 12 months has been patchy - though they've won three out of five, two of those victories were against Zimbabwe and Canada. What will give them more encouragement is the form of their players in the IPL: Muralitharan and Malinga were terrific, while Dilshan was one of the most consistent batsmen and finished with the fifth-highest aggregate.
Squad: Kumar Sangakkara (capt), Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Jehan Mubarak, Chamara Silva, Indika de Saram, Angelo Mathews, Farveez Maharoof, Nuwan Kulasekara, Thilan Thushara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis, Lasith Malinga, Isuru Udana.
Monday, June 1, 2009
How the groups were made in ICC T20
The 12 teams competing in this year's World Twenty20 are the nine Full-Member countries and three Associates who made it to England through the qualifying tournament, which was held in . They have been divided into four groups of three each based on their seeding, which depended on their standings in the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007 (for the teams that took part in it). Since India were champions they were seeded first, their opponents in the final, Pakistan, were ranked second, while the losing semi-finalists Australia and New Zealand were seeded third and fourth. The top four seeds were then put in four different groups for this year's tournament.
The best among the rest, South Africa, were seeded fifth and put in the same group, D, as the team seeded fourth -New Zealand - while Sri Lanka and England, the 6th and 7th seed, were placed in groups C and B. Had West Indies at least finished eighth in 2007, there would not have been a 'group of death' this year. But they did not even win a single game, losing to Bangladesh because of an inspired innings from Mohammad Ashraful, and were seeded 11 and placed in Group C. Bangladesh, who qualified for the Super Eights in 2007 but didn't win a game in that round, were eighth and put in India's group.
The best among the rest, South Africa, were seeded fifth and put in the same group, D, as the team seeded fourth -New Zealand - while Sri Lanka and England, the 6th and 7th seed, were placed in groups C and B. Had West Indies at least finished eighth in 2007, there would not have been a 'group of death' this year. But they did not even win a single game, losing to Bangladesh because of an inspired innings from Mohammad Ashraful, and were seeded 11 and placed in Group C. Bangladesh, who qualified for the Super Eights in 2007 but didn't win a game in that round, were eighth and put in India's group.
Group A - India (1), Bangladesh (8), Ireland (9) Group B - Pakistan (2), England (7). Netherlands (10) Group C - Australia (3), Sri Lanka (6) West Indies (11) Group D - New Zealand (4), South Africa (5), Scotland (12)
Each team will play the other in its group during the preliminary round and the top two will qualify for the Super Eights. What this means is that either Bangladesh or Ireland, or both, are assured of a place in the second stage, while one of Australia, Sri Lanka and West Indies will crash out after round one, leading to the possibility of another group of death in the next World Twenty20, in the Caribbean in 2010.
If two teams in a group have equal points at the end of the first round, the one with more wins will be placed higher. If they have equal points and the same number of wins, a likely scenario, then the team with the higher net run-rate will be ranked higher. Should net run-rate also fail to separate the sides, then the one with the higher number of wickets taken per balls bowled in the group stage in which results were achieved, will be preferred. And if the teams remain in a deadlock, then the winner of the group match between the sides will prevail. If all of the aforementioned tie-breakers fail, the teams will be separated by drawing lots.
And should the weather in England wreck all the three matches of a particular group, the top two seeded teams in the group will progress. No points, however, will be carried forward from the group stage into the Super Eights.
The Super Eights
The teams in the Super Eight will be designated as A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 C2, D1, D2 depending on which group they qualified from. If the top two seeds from a group qualify, they will be seeded 1 and 2 respectively for the Super Eight regardless of which team actually finished first and second in a group during the first round. For example, if Bangladesh are first and India are second in Group A, Bangladesh will still be A2 while India will remain A1 for the Super Eight because India were seeded 1 while Bangladesh were 8. However, if the third seeded team in the group knocks out a higher seed, it will take the place of the knocked-out opponent. For example, if Bangladesh and Ireland qualify from Group A, then Ireland will be A1 for the Super Eight stage. If India and Ireland qualify, then Ireland will be A2.
During the Super Eight, the teams will be split into two groups of four - A1, B2, C1 and D2 are in the first group, while A2, B1, C2 and D1 are in the second. Each team will play the others in its pool with the top two from each group qualifying for the semi-finals. If teams are tied on points in a Super Eight group then the same parameters which were used to break a tie in the preliminary stage will be used, the difference being that only the Super Eight matches will be taken into consideration for most wins, net run-rate etc.
If all of the matches of a Super Eight group are ruined by rain, the teams will be ranked on basis of most points, most wins, net run-rate during the group stage and the top two will go through. If the teams still cannot be separated the semi-finalists will be picked based on the original seeding for the tournament.
A one-over eliminator, or Super Over, will be used to break a tie in a semi-final, if one should occur. However, if weather prevents the Super Over from taking place after a tie, the team which progresses to the final will be determined by looking at who has the most wins, better net run-rate, higher number of wickets per balls, the only difference being that this time both group and Super Eight matches will be taken into consideration.
The final, however, has no such provisions. If the final is tied, the match will be decided by a one-over eliminator. If the eliminator cannot take place because of bad weather, then the two finalists will be declared joint winners.
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