Darren Bravo ruled out of World Cup

West Indies batsman Darren Bravo has been ruled out of the World Cup due to a low-grade tear to his left hamstring. Bravo suffered the injury while completing a quick single during West Indies' win over Pakistan in Christchurch last week.

 

The injury had ruled him out of the side's matches against Zimbabwe and South Africa, but he was expected to make a comeback against India in Sydney on March 6. A team source, however, revealed on Thursday that the batsman was still unable to run and was taking longer than expected to recover.

West Indies will announce a replacement later this week.

More to follow...

Source : espncricinfo

TENDULKAR PLEASED WITH THE QUALITY OF CRICKET IN ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP 2015

World Cup winner and ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Ambassador Sachin Tendulkar has predicted that the event will be even more competitive as it progresses after the first 10 days produced exciting and entertaining cricket.

Talking to the ICC on the sidelines of India versus South Africa match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday, the maestro advised the sides and the players to find and maintain the right balance so that they remain fresh and ready for the big matches and yet maintain any momentum they have established early in the tournament. 

“It’s been exciting. You’ve already seen a couple of surprises. The teams have played competitive cricket,” Tendulkar, who is the record-holder for most runs and hundreds in One-Day Internationals (ODIs), said.

“The standard has been good, and that is what people want to witness. I feel as the tournament progresses it’s going to produce some fantastic cricket and we’re looking forward to it.

“I think to have the same successful combination going all the way is going to be the key and to find that balance between staying fresh and not overburdening yourself with additional practice sessions. You just need to find that right balance.

“If somebody’s not playing well, then obviously that guy needs to go out and hit as many balls as possible in the nets or bowl as many balls as possible. But if everything is going well, then it’s important to have that energy and peak at the right time.”

Tendulkar, who was the player of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2003, said ODIs were now producing more runs and centuries due to changes in playing conditions as well as the emergence of the Twenty20 format.

“We’ve been witnessing high‑scoring games because of two reasons. One is because the rule has changed. There is one less fielder outside the circle. So, that makes a huge difference. The game opens up completely and that becomes difficult for bowlers to consistently find those areas to work because there is one less fielder which forces you to bowl different lengths and different lines.

“The second point is also the introduction of T20 format, which has allowed the batters to play more risky shots, play innovative shots, and the guys regularly practice these shots in the nets.

“How many times in the ‘80s or ‘90s did you see someone playing a reverse sweep off a fast bowler, which happens in today's cricket? If batsmen have to chase at eight runs an over, it’s not something beyond their reach, because in T20 you play 20 overs with asking run-rate sometimes of nine or even more than that. So it’s just the mental set‑up and the belief that even if it goes to nine runs and over, we can still hit that target,” said the India icon who retired from cricket in November 2013.

Speaking about his journey as a 14-year-old ball boy to ICC Cricket World Cup Ambassador and the experience of not being involved in an ICC Cricket World Cup as a player for the first time in 23 years, Tendulkar said: “First of all, I’d like to thank ICC for nominating my name as Ambassador of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and 2015. I remember I was a 14‑year‑old boy and I was sitting outside the dressing room as a ball boy in the ICC Cricket World Cup 1987. So, from there to become the Ambassador of the ICC Cricket World Cup is a special journey and I'm excited.

“This is a new experience to me where I’m watching an ICC Cricket World Cup match from the stands. The atmosphere is fantastic. Absolutely, it is something that I have experienced but not sitting in the stands. I was always on the other side of the fence. To be sitting in the stands and to feel this atmosphere is incredible.

“Being a World Cup Ambassador I’m supposed to be neutral, but my heart says something and my brain says something. So, I’ve got to stick to my heart and support India.”

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Pakistan Need To Find Best XI Early

Pakistan have an impressive World Cup record with one title, one runners-up finish and four semi-final appearances over the last ten editions of the tournament. However, the 1992 champions arrive at this year's tournament after a string of below-par performances in the ODI format in recent times. In this episode of CONTENDERS, former India captain Rahul Dravid and former South Africa captain Graeme Smith analyse Pakistan's chances to upset the apple-cart and replicate the glory of 1992. Can the young batsmen find consistency? Can the bowling attack cope with the loss of Saeed Ajmal? And can veterans such as Misbah-ul-Haq, Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi rise to the occasion?

What they said about…

The lack of aura around the side, compared to previous years Dravid: They lack those big-ticket players or game changers which you would associate the Pakistani team of the past. Smith: They're looking for stability, looking for someone who can create some consistency. The younger generation of batters hasn't quite stepped up to the plate in terms of consistent performances.

Saeed Ajmal's absence

Smith: Every batsman in every team is breathing a sigh of relief that Ajmal is not around. Believe me, I wish I could go play a Pakistan team without Ajmal in it.

Drawing inspiration from the 1992 win

Dravid: In 1992 also, they started off very badly and they struggled for a while with a similar kind of team in which they had a lot of young players but who later on went to become absolute legends for Pakistan. So Pakistan can only hope that history repeats itself.

Smith: When you go back to 1992, a charismatic captain. Who can forget Wasim Akram in the final of the tournament? And they had some x-factor. That's what they need to find now, early in the tournament, find their best eleven.

Misbah, the captain

Dravid: You can just sense that he has a lot of respect from the players in the team. They respect that he brings that stability to the team. He's been able to work really well with the board and with the coaching staff. And makes the best of the situation he finds himself in. So you can't fault him on his effort and he's trying to do the best that he can. Smith: He comes across as very serious, very methodical, and I think my favourite quote by him is, "My name is Misbah, my nickname is Misbah." You know that sums up the personality Fawad Alam's exclusion

Dravid: He seems to have a fantastic record, but for some reason they don't seem to pick him. I read somewhere, that they think that his game wasn't going to be good enough in Australian conditions. That's a presumption and they're playing a lot of games in New Zealand.

Afridi and the big stage

Dravid: It's almost like when he goes out to bat, there's this red mist that comes over him, he just swings at everything. But I've seen him play a different kind of game. I've seen him play sensibly at times and construct innings. But it just hasn't happened of late for some reason or the other. Smith: He's going to be a key performer, he has huge experience, with 350+ ODIs. That's immense. They are going to need more from him in this tournament.

Umar Akmal's role

Dravid: If he can turn that obvious ability and become a run-hungry consistent batsman for Pakistan, sure enough he'll find a spot. He could bat at No. 4 consistently, or at 3 or 5, or bat anywhere really if he wants to. Smith: He's one of those cricketers, who comes in and plays some good shots, gets to 25 or 30 and you think this guy is going to do something special. But he'll just get out to a soft shot or won't really follow through on the innings and continue his good work.

Source : Fantasy Cricket Pk