twoplustwoisfour
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I never said it wasn't a good ground. It's just that Mohali is known for empty stands during test matches and inconsequential games
India vs Australia: CWC 2nd QTF, March 24
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I never said it wasn't a good ground. It's just that Mohali is known for empty stands during test matches and inconsequential games
MZUBAIR
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MuZammiL Dr. s[1]n;1597000 said:hahaah.. RaheeL Dear haLka haaTh rakhha kar in bharTi bachhon par ...
kuchh pata nahi ke kahan kahan pe jaLan mehsoos ho in indians ko .....
Bad comments !!!!
---------- Post added at 07:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:44 AM ----------
Oho...I was just saying it was a good ground....n just quoting u
EastWest
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sure..and if it is Ind vs WI in semi-final..then plz support us..
PoKeMon
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twoplustwoisfour
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Do you know how hollow it will sound? So you play the Semi-Final in India without any glitch, but won't play the final? Any reasons why?
Nirvana
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Look Man ,
Past game Doesnt count here .
I mean if India - Pak clash at Semis - and since Pakistan have not won a single match against India in WC . Does that means that Pak stand no chance against India ?
Ind vs Aus - both team have equal chance , forget all the past matches. Match is going to be a Killer
angel eyes
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Yuvraj, Sreesanth skip optional training, Sehwag fit
AHMEDABAD: All-rounder Yuvraj Singh and temperamental pacer S Sreesanth chose to give it a miss but all other members of India's World Cup squad slogged it out at the Sardar Patel Stadium during an optional training session on Tuesday.
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and senior batsmen such as Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag were among the players, who trained during the optional session ahead of their high-octane quarterfinal clash against the Australia on Thursday.
Opener Virender Sehwag, who was nursing a knee injury, went through the paces under the watchful eyes of coach Gary Kirsten and looked comfortable.
Sehwag had to sit out of Sunday's concluding group B game against West Indies in Chennai due to the knee injury. Sehwag's knee has been bothering him since the start of the World Cup.
Team India manager Ranjib Biswal said that all the players are fit for the Australia match.
"All players are fit and in good condition. All are looking forward to the key clash against Australia," Biswal told reporters here.
Sehwag had earlier skipped few sessions during the league stage of the tournament after flying to Delhi for an appointment with physiotherapist for a ribcage injury that he had picked up during an earlier training session.
Middle-order batsmen Suresh Raina or Yusuf Pathan will most likely make way for Sehwag against Australia. In Sehwag's absence, Gautam Gambhir had opened the innings with Tendulkar in their last match against the Caribbeans side.
The session started with a discussion between coach Kirsten and the players followed by a throwing exercise to improve concentration and accuracy. The training also included the regular net session.
Australia will have a net session later in the afternoon at the same venue.
India will go into the match on the back of an 80-run victory over the West Indies, while defending champions Australia saw the end of their 34-game unbeaten run in the World Cup, courtesy a four-wicket defeat by Pakistan in their concluding group A league fixture.
India had defeated the mighty Australians by 38 runs in a World Cup warm-up match in Bangalore on February 13.
AHMEDABAD: All-rounder Yuvraj Singh and temperamental pacer S Sreesanth chose to give it a miss but all other members of India's World Cup squad slogged it out at the Sardar Patel Stadium during an optional training session on Tuesday.
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and senior batsmen such as Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag were among the players, who trained during the optional session ahead of their high-octane quarterfinal clash against the Australia on Thursday.
Opener Virender Sehwag, who was nursing a knee injury, went through the paces under the watchful eyes of coach Gary Kirsten and looked comfortable.
Sehwag had to sit out of Sunday's concluding group B game against West Indies in Chennai due to the knee injury. Sehwag's knee has been bothering him since the start of the World Cup.
Team India manager Ranjib Biswal said that all the players are fit for the Australia match.
"All players are fit and in good condition. All are looking forward to the key clash against Australia," Biswal told reporters here.
Sehwag had earlier skipped few sessions during the league stage of the tournament after flying to Delhi for an appointment with physiotherapist for a ribcage injury that he had picked up during an earlier training session.
Middle-order batsmen Suresh Raina or Yusuf Pathan will most likely make way for Sehwag against Australia. In Sehwag's absence, Gautam Gambhir had opened the innings with Tendulkar in their last match against the Caribbeans side.
The session started with a discussion between coach Kirsten and the players followed by a throwing exercise to improve concentration and accuracy. The training also included the regular net session.
Australia will have a net session later in the afternoon at the same venue.
India will go into the match on the back of an 80-run victory over the West Indies, while defending champions Australia saw the end of their 34-game unbeaten run in the World Cup, courtesy a four-wicket defeat by Pakistan in their concluding group A league fixture.
India had defeated the mighty Australians by 38 runs in a World Cup warm-up match in Bangalore on February 13.
angel eyes
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Australia have enough firepower to beat India: Hussey
AHMEDABAD: The aura of invincibility remained inconspicuous by its absence through the league stage, but senior batsman Michael Hussey feels Australia still have the necessary firepower to knock pre-tournament favourites India out of the World Cup.
The two sides meet in a high-voltage quarterfinal clash at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera on Thursday.
"I don't really care (about general perception that Australia is no longer unbeatable). We have done particularly well in the sub-continent over the last few years. We have won quite a few series here.
"We go into this game with a lot of confidence because we have played well against India in Indian conditions in the last few years and won. I think we have a great chance," Hussey told reporters on Tuesday.
"We are very excited to be here. We have a great match against India. It's going to be a great spectacle for the fans in a packed stadium. It's a blockbuster match. We are looking forward to it," said Hussey, who was included in the team as a replacement for injured left-arm pacer Doug Bollinger.
Australia's 34-match winning streak in the tournament dating back to 1999 was snapped by Pakistan, who won their concluding Group A league clash in Colombo on Saturday, but the 35-year-old Hussey was optimistic about his team's chances and take that confidence further to retain their title.
"This is a huge game for us. Teams who win their quarterfinals, win well and take that confidence into the semifinals. We believe if we beat India we will have a great chance to go on to win the tournament," he said.
Hussey did not read too much into India's batting collapses against England, South Africa and the West Indies and said the Australians can put enough pressure on the home side's strong batting line-up and clinch the semifinal berth.
"We have to put pressure on all the Indian batsmen; they are fantastic players, no question about that. We have done well against India in the past in one-day cricket. We are sure it will continue in the next game.
"We have to go hard for every single run. It's going to be a tight game. We have to put pressure on the Indians. We have to really go hard and get as many runs and put the Indian fielders under pressure," said the left-handed batsman who has played 154 ODIs.
Hussey brushed aside reports in Australia that Ricky Ponting's captaincy is at stake, saying the entire team is backing the two-time World Cup-winning skipper.
"No worries at all. He has been doing this job for a long time. He's certainly got the full support of the team. He's been criticised over minor things. They have been blown out of proportions. He's been playing well and just like a champion rises to the occasion at the right time, on Thursday we will see the best of Ricky Ponting," he said.
Ponting goes into the tie with only 102 runs under his belt from six matches, with 36 being his highest score, in the tournament so far. He has also been criticised for losing temper on and off the field too.
Hussey warned the Indian batsmen to expect short stuff from his team's three-pronged pace attack.
"They would like to be aggressive, take quick wickets and baffle Indian batsmen with some short stuff," he said.
Despite the loss to Pakistan in their concluding group league fixture, Hussey did not expect too many changes in the playing eleven in the quarterfinal.
"I am not a selector but I don't anticipate many changes (as) it would be dangerous to change the combination too much," he pointed out.
He expected the wicket to be a slow turner and said his team would have to be well-prepared to counter it and the performance of the top three batsmen would give an indication of what total to set.
"The total depends on the conditions. Have to sum up those conditions quickly. Generally here it can be low and slow spinning sort of pitch. We have to prepare well for that. Communication from the top three batsmen will give us a bit of an indication about what sort of score would be a good score or par score and would try and work towards it," he said.
Hussey expected Zaheer Khan, India's leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 15 to his credit, to be the danger man after having grown in stature since the 2003 World Cup final, when his first over was a disaster against Australia at Johannesburg.
"He's a very experienced cricketer who knows his game very well. That's important for a cricketer, having experience and knowing your own game very well. Another thing is that he bowls well throughout the whole innings, with the new ball and is very skillful with the old ball too. He's a proven performer," he said.
Hussey said the Australians are well prepared for the hot conditions here as well as the length of the tournament.
"In Australia we are very well prepared. We make sure we train very hard. We make sure before tournament starts we will be 100 per cent fit in body and mind. It varies with different players," he remarked.
AHMEDABAD: The aura of invincibility remained inconspicuous by its absence through the league stage, but senior batsman Michael Hussey feels Australia still have the necessary firepower to knock pre-tournament favourites India out of the World Cup.
The two sides meet in a high-voltage quarterfinal clash at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera on Thursday.
"I don't really care (about general perception that Australia is no longer unbeatable). We have done particularly well in the sub-continent over the last few years. We have won quite a few series here.
"We go into this game with a lot of confidence because we have played well against India in Indian conditions in the last few years and won. I think we have a great chance," Hussey told reporters on Tuesday.
"We are very excited to be here. We have a great match against India. It's going to be a great spectacle for the fans in a packed stadium. It's a blockbuster match. We are looking forward to it," said Hussey, who was included in the team as a replacement for injured left-arm pacer Doug Bollinger.
Australia's 34-match winning streak in the tournament dating back to 1999 was snapped by Pakistan, who won their concluding Group A league clash in Colombo on Saturday, but the 35-year-old Hussey was optimistic about his team's chances and take that confidence further to retain their title.
"This is a huge game for us. Teams who win their quarterfinals, win well and take that confidence into the semifinals. We believe if we beat India we will have a great chance to go on to win the tournament," he said.
Hussey did not read too much into India's batting collapses against England, South Africa and the West Indies and said the Australians can put enough pressure on the home side's strong batting line-up and clinch the semifinal berth.
"We have to put pressure on all the Indian batsmen; they are fantastic players, no question about that. We have done well against India in the past in one-day cricket. We are sure it will continue in the next game.
"We have to go hard for every single run. It's going to be a tight game. We have to put pressure on the Indians. We have to really go hard and get as many runs and put the Indian fielders under pressure," said the left-handed batsman who has played 154 ODIs.
Hussey brushed aside reports in Australia that Ricky Ponting's captaincy is at stake, saying the entire team is backing the two-time World Cup-winning skipper.
"No worries at all. He has been doing this job for a long time. He's certainly got the full support of the team. He's been criticised over minor things. They have been blown out of proportions. He's been playing well and just like a champion rises to the occasion at the right time, on Thursday we will see the best of Ricky Ponting," he said.
Ponting goes into the tie with only 102 runs under his belt from six matches, with 36 being his highest score, in the tournament so far. He has also been criticised for losing temper on and off the field too.
Hussey warned the Indian batsmen to expect short stuff from his team's three-pronged pace attack.
"They would like to be aggressive, take quick wickets and baffle Indian batsmen with some short stuff," he said.
Despite the loss to Pakistan in their concluding group league fixture, Hussey did not expect too many changes in the playing eleven in the quarterfinal.
"I am not a selector but I don't anticipate many changes (as) it would be dangerous to change the combination too much," he pointed out.
He expected the wicket to be a slow turner and said his team would have to be well-prepared to counter it and the performance of the top three batsmen would give an indication of what total to set.
"The total depends on the conditions. Have to sum up those conditions quickly. Generally here it can be low and slow spinning sort of pitch. We have to prepare well for that. Communication from the top three batsmen will give us a bit of an indication about what sort of score would be a good score or par score and would try and work towards it," he said.
Hussey expected Zaheer Khan, India's leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 15 to his credit, to be the danger man after having grown in stature since the 2003 World Cup final, when his first over was a disaster against Australia at Johannesburg.
"He's a very experienced cricketer who knows his game very well. That's important for a cricketer, having experience and knowing your own game very well. Another thing is that he bowls well throughout the whole innings, with the new ball and is very skillful with the old ball too. He's a proven performer," he said.
Hussey said the Australians are well prepared for the hot conditions here as well as the length of the tournament.
"In Australia we are very well prepared. We make sure we train very hard. We make sure before tournament starts we will be 100 per cent fit in body and mind. It varies with different players," he remarked.
angel eyes
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Ind vs Aus: Tendulkar, Ponting get ready for final World Cup duel
AHMEDABAD: The quarterfinal clash between Australia and India, on Thursday, is not only about who stays in the hunt for the title but also about two of game's modern day greats Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting squaring off in a World Cup game for what appears to be one last time.
The two ageing warriors would like to stamp their superiority and propel their side to the last four stage on March 24 at Motera's Sardar Patel Stadium.
Neither of the two is expected to be around in 2015 when the next edition is scheduled to be held Down Under.
In the previous meeting between the two sides in the World Cup, that took place in the summit clash of the 2003 edition in Johannesburg, Ponting came out trumps with his unbeaten century took the game away from India even before the Men In Blue came out to bat.
Ponting's blistering 140 not out, in only 121 balls with a staggering eight sixes and 4 fours, had propelled Australia to an imposing 359 for two.
Chasing the huge Australian total, Tendulkar could score only 4 and despite Virender Sehwag's run-a-ball 82, India fell well short of the target and Australia walked away with cricket's most coveted prize for the second edition running.
On Thursday, in front of a vociferous 50,000-strong crowd, the Indian master has the chance to make ample amends for what happened eight years ago and also step into the record books as the first batsman to have scored 100 centuries combined in both forms of cricket - Tests and ODIs.
Tendulkar has had a very good tournament individually, with superbly crafted tons against England and South Africa at the league stage, though both efforts could not power India to victories, with the first match tied and the second ending in a narrow defeat.
Ponting, on the other hand, has had a horrendous run with the bat. In six matches, he has mustered a miserly 102 runs with 36 being his best effort at a poor average of 20.40, less than half his 358-match career average.
Ponting's ODI average in India against the hosts is also an impressive 44.86 from 24 games, but the second and last of his two hundreds in this country was notched eight years ago in Bangalore.
The Tasmanian has looked a pale shadow of his domineering style and is under tremendous pressure to keep his captaincy though teammate Michael Hussey felt otherwise.
Hussey brushed aside reports in Australia that Ponting's captaincy was at stake, at a media conference here today and said the entire team was backing the struggling skipper.
"No worries at all. He has been fantastic, best man for the job and has been for a long time. He's certainly got the full support of all team members," Hussey said.
Ponting has also been lambasted in the media for losing temper on the field of play and off it too, as well as for not walking after clearly edging behind the stumps while Tendulkar did the exact opposite a day later and was hailed for his sportsmanship.
"He's been criticized over minor things. They have been blown out of proportions. He's been playing well and just like a champion rises to the occasion at the right time, on Thursday we will see the best of Ricky Ponting," Hussey said in his skipper's defence.
In five duels against Australia in World Cups, Tendulkar's best effort thus far has been a splendid innings of 90 in a league game at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium in 1996, and his average against them is a modest 28.20 spread over four World Cups.
Thursday's match provides both these stalwarts, among the all-time great batsmen in the game, a last chance to impose their stature in head-to-head battles in the premier ODI tournament.
AHMEDABAD: The quarterfinal clash between Australia and India, on Thursday, is not only about who stays in the hunt for the title but also about two of game's modern day greats Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting squaring off in a World Cup game for what appears to be one last time.
The two ageing warriors would like to stamp their superiority and propel their side to the last four stage on March 24 at Motera's Sardar Patel Stadium.
Neither of the two is expected to be around in 2015 when the next edition is scheduled to be held Down Under.
In the previous meeting between the two sides in the World Cup, that took place in the summit clash of the 2003 edition in Johannesburg, Ponting came out trumps with his unbeaten century took the game away from India even before the Men In Blue came out to bat.
Ponting's blistering 140 not out, in only 121 balls with a staggering eight sixes and 4 fours, had propelled Australia to an imposing 359 for two.
Chasing the huge Australian total, Tendulkar could score only 4 and despite Virender Sehwag's run-a-ball 82, India fell well short of the target and Australia walked away with cricket's most coveted prize for the second edition running.
On Thursday, in front of a vociferous 50,000-strong crowd, the Indian master has the chance to make ample amends for what happened eight years ago and also step into the record books as the first batsman to have scored 100 centuries combined in both forms of cricket - Tests and ODIs.
Tendulkar has had a very good tournament individually, with superbly crafted tons against England and South Africa at the league stage, though both efforts could not power India to victories, with the first match tied and the second ending in a narrow defeat.
Ponting, on the other hand, has had a horrendous run with the bat. In six matches, he has mustered a miserly 102 runs with 36 being his best effort at a poor average of 20.40, less than half his 358-match career average.
Ponting's ODI average in India against the hosts is also an impressive 44.86 from 24 games, but the second and last of his two hundreds in this country was notched eight years ago in Bangalore.
The Tasmanian has looked a pale shadow of his domineering style and is under tremendous pressure to keep his captaincy though teammate Michael Hussey felt otherwise.
Hussey brushed aside reports in Australia that Ponting's captaincy was at stake, at a media conference here today and said the entire team was backing the struggling skipper.
"No worries at all. He has been fantastic, best man for the job and has been for a long time. He's certainly got the full support of all team members," Hussey said.
Ponting has also been lambasted in the media for losing temper on the field of play and off it too, as well as for not walking after clearly edging behind the stumps while Tendulkar did the exact opposite a day later and was hailed for his sportsmanship.
"He's been criticized over minor things. They have been blown out of proportions. He's been playing well and just like a champion rises to the occasion at the right time, on Thursday we will see the best of Ricky Ponting," Hussey said in his skipper's defence.
In five duels against Australia in World Cups, Tendulkar's best effort thus far has been a splendid innings of 90 in a league game at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium in 1996, and his average against them is a modest 28.20 spread over four World Cups.
Thursday's match provides both these stalwarts, among the all-time great batsmen in the game, a last chance to impose their stature in head-to-head battles in the premier ODI tournament.
angel eyes
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This is the most important tournament of my life: Sachin
AHMEDABAD: Finally, the word is out. Sachin Tendulkar has conceded that this is the most important tournament of his life.
Typical of the man, though, he has made sure that his feelings have remained in the private domain. TOI had to dig deep to find out how much importance he attaches to this World Cup.
Having started his WC career in 1992, he has featured in as many as six World Cups, including the ongoing one. By 1996, he had not only become the bulwark of the Indian batting but also the most feared player as far as the opposition went.
While he has broken virtually every record out there, he has always longed for the one missing crown: the World Cup title. He missed out the T20 world title when he, and Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly, withdrew from the tournament in South Africa and Mahendra Singh Dhoni scripted a memorable victory.
At 37, he knows it's a now or never opportunity. It's generally believed this could be his farewell World Cup and he realizes nothing could be sweeter than winning it at home. It would complete his mission in cricket and make him the greatest player the game has seen, if he already isn't that.
"Yes, it is the most important tournament of my life," Tendulkar had told his closest friends, and most in the team are also aware of his determination.
Like always, though, he is making sure that it doesn't become a self-before-team cause. "Everyone wants the team to do well," he has told his mates. "I need to focus all my energies on how to go about doing my job."
What remains unsaid is that this is the perfect setting not only for him but also the team. India, of course, take on mighty Australia in the quarterfinals on Thursday. If they get past them, they might well face Pakistan in the semis. And then South Africa (if form and odds don't go awry). Seems daunting.
Tendulkar, though, is clearly driven. He has worked hard for the tournament and you could see him straining every sinew on Tuesday too, here at the Motera. He happily spent a few hours under the blazing sun so that his body is not caught napping on match day.
That's not all. He has watched most of the other games closely, in the sanctity of his hotel room. He has been doing his homework and devising his own strategies.
AHMEDABAD: Finally, the word is out. Sachin Tendulkar has conceded that this is the most important tournament of his life.
Typical of the man, though, he has made sure that his feelings have remained in the private domain. TOI had to dig deep to find out how much importance he attaches to this World Cup.
Having started his WC career in 1992, he has featured in as many as six World Cups, including the ongoing one. By 1996, he had not only become the bulwark of the Indian batting but also the most feared player as far as the opposition went.
While he has broken virtually every record out there, he has always longed for the one missing crown: the World Cup title. He missed out the T20 world title when he, and Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly, withdrew from the tournament in South Africa and Mahendra Singh Dhoni scripted a memorable victory.
At 37, he knows it's a now or never opportunity. It's generally believed this could be his farewell World Cup and he realizes nothing could be sweeter than winning it at home. It would complete his mission in cricket and make him the greatest player the game has seen, if he already isn't that.
"Yes, it is the most important tournament of my life," Tendulkar had told his closest friends, and most in the team are also aware of his determination.
Like always, though, he is making sure that it doesn't become a self-before-team cause. "Everyone wants the team to do well," he has told his mates. "I need to focus all my energies on how to go about doing my job."
What remains unsaid is that this is the perfect setting not only for him but also the team. India, of course, take on mighty Australia in the quarterfinals on Thursday. If they get past them, they might well face Pakistan in the semis. And then South Africa (if form and odds don't go awry). Seems daunting.
Tendulkar, though, is clearly driven. He has worked hard for the tournament and you could see him straining every sinew on Tuesday too, here at the Motera. He happily spent a few hours under the blazing sun so that his body is not caught napping on match day.
That's not all. He has watched most of the other games closely, in the sanctity of his hotel room. He has been doing his homework and devising his own strategies.
angel eyes
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Why Team India should fear Australia
Four things about the Australians that India must be careful about on Thursday
Field Marshals: They may no longer possess the same era with many of their star batsmen and bowlers gone, but the Aussies are still up there with one aspect of their game which has always give them the edge over others-fielding. The best examples of this was Steven Smith's brilliant catch and a runout he effected during their game against Sri Lanka at Colombo. In a KO, such brilliance could clinch the deal at a critical moment.
Deadly Duo: In Shane Watson and Michael Hussey, Australia have two all-time great ODI cricketers. 'Watto' can smash the bowlers around the park and play a big, match-defining knock, while Hussey can finish of an innings or a match with ease. Watson, arguably the best all-rounder of this tournament, will feed off his experience of playing for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. Having missed out on the initial stages, Hussey would be hungry to get a big one now.
Pace Pack: In Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait, the Aussies have a lethal pace attack, that can trouble the best of batsmen. India, in fact, it could face their first big 'pace test' at Motera. While Lee and Tait will unleash searing pace, Johnson can move it around dangerously.
Big Match Experience: The Aussies have won three World Cups on the trot, four overall, and apart from that, have reached the finals twice. Skipper Ricky Ponting has played in four WC finals, and won three of them. The Aussies are masters in raising their game in big matches.
The numbers favour the Aussies
History: India have consistently raised their profile in the World Cup, from being the underdogs in the 1975 edition, to famously triumph in the 1983 Cup. Since then, they have been a force to reckon with. Australia made it to the finals in '75, and since then, they have turned into the team to beat in the World Cup. They completed a hat-trick of titles in 2007, and have clinched the crown four times. They have wona Cup in the sub-continent before, in 1987.
Big Blow: One of the biggest thrashings of the World Cup, particularly in a World Cup final, was Australia blowing India out by 125 runs at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on March 17. India goofed up at the toss, asking the Aussies to bat. Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting played one of the best innings of his career, and one of the best knocks ever in a WC final, as he smashed to power Oz to a huge total. A stunned India wilted under pressure.
Brief Scores: Australia 359/2 in 50 overs (Ricky Ponting 140*, Damien Martyn 88*, Adam Gilchrist 57; Harbhajan 2-49 ) beat India 234 in 39.2 overs (Virender Sehwag 82, Rahul Dravid 47, Glenn McGrath 3-52 ) by 125 runs.
Last Encounter: At Vizag, October 20, 2010
Brief scores: Australia 289/3 in 50 overs ( Michael Clarke 111*, Michael Hussey 69, Cameron White 89*, Ashish Nehra 2-57 )lost to India 292/5 in 48.5 overs Virat Kohli 118, Yuvraj Singh 58, Suresh Raina 71 not out; Clint McKay 3-55 ) by 5 wickets.
Record in last 5 ODIS : India 2, Australia 3
Four things about the Australians that India must be careful about on Thursday
Field Marshals: They may no longer possess the same era with many of their star batsmen and bowlers gone, but the Aussies are still up there with one aspect of their game which has always give them the edge over others-fielding. The best examples of this was Steven Smith's brilliant catch and a runout he effected during their game against Sri Lanka at Colombo. In a KO, such brilliance could clinch the deal at a critical moment.
Deadly Duo: In Shane Watson and Michael Hussey, Australia have two all-time great ODI cricketers. 'Watto' can smash the bowlers around the park and play a big, match-defining knock, while Hussey can finish of an innings or a match with ease. Watson, arguably the best all-rounder of this tournament, will feed off his experience of playing for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL. Having missed out on the initial stages, Hussey would be hungry to get a big one now.
Pace Pack: In Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait, the Aussies have a lethal pace attack, that can trouble the best of batsmen. India, in fact, it could face their first big 'pace test' at Motera. While Lee and Tait will unleash searing pace, Johnson can move it around dangerously.
Big Match Experience: The Aussies have won three World Cups on the trot, four overall, and apart from that, have reached the finals twice. Skipper Ricky Ponting has played in four WC finals, and won three of them. The Aussies are masters in raising their game in big matches.
The numbers favour the Aussies
History: India have consistently raised their profile in the World Cup, from being the underdogs in the 1975 edition, to famously triumph in the 1983 Cup. Since then, they have been a force to reckon with. Australia made it to the finals in '75, and since then, they have turned into the team to beat in the World Cup. They completed a hat-trick of titles in 2007, and have clinched the crown four times. They have wona Cup in the sub-continent before, in 1987.
Big Blow: One of the biggest thrashings of the World Cup, particularly in a World Cup final, was Australia blowing India out by 125 runs at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on March 17. India goofed up at the toss, asking the Aussies to bat. Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting played one of the best innings of his career, and one of the best knocks ever in a WC final, as he smashed to power Oz to a huge total. A stunned India wilted under pressure.
Brief Scores: Australia 359/2 in 50 overs (Ricky Ponting 140*, Damien Martyn 88*, Adam Gilchrist 57; Harbhajan 2-49 ) beat India 234 in 39.2 overs (Virender Sehwag 82, Rahul Dravid 47, Glenn McGrath 3-52 ) by 125 runs.
Last Encounter: At Vizag, October 20, 2010
Brief scores: Australia 289/3 in 50 overs ( Michael Clarke 111*, Michael Hussey 69, Cameron White 89*, Ashish Nehra 2-57 )lost to India 292/5 in 48.5 overs Virat Kohli 118, Yuvraj Singh 58, Suresh Raina 71 not out; Clint McKay 3-55 ) by 5 wickets.
Record in last 5 ODIS : India 2, Australia 3
Punjabbi Munda
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For me,if Sehwag gets his touch and plays 15-20 overs,things will be difficult for Australia,because Indian bowling has got it's form back and the spinners specially are doing well.
twoplustwoisfour
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Sehwag, Sachin and Gambhir have to play at least 30 overs between themselves. I don't trust our middle order.
Gentle Typhoon
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New Zealand bhul gaye? Ehna arrogance changa ni hega Imraan Khan.
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