India vs Pakistan: Mohinder Amarnath expects India to beat Pakistan

New Delhi: Indian Former cricketer Mohinder Amarnath expects India to beat Pakistan in their blockbuster ICC World Cup 2015 opener at the Adelaide Oval on Sunday.

Though they have a stronger ODI record against India, Pakistan have never been able to beat the defending champions in five World Cup contests to till date, the last of which came four years ago in the semi-final at Mohali India.

“There is not much more difference between the two asian teams. Both have good individual best players but I will go with the records. India has always done and played well against Pakistan in all World Cup matches. But incase if India wins this time, it will be because of their batting and not their bowling,” Amarnath told INDIANS on the sidelines of a Royal Stag Perfect Strokes in the event.

Which is interestingly, this will be India’s first World Cup fixture against Pakistan which will not feature batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, who retired from One-Day Internationals (ODI) in 2012. Sachin Tendulkar, who has been roped in as the ICC World Cup 2015 ambassador and he played in all India matches against their arch-rivals in the 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003 and 2011 editions of the mega event World cup.

“Sachin Tendulkar has been a great player but every player has to retire and you can’t get a replacement of his place anywhere. Particularly Not only him but players like Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, V.V.S. Laxman, Yuvraj Singh are irreplaceable,” added Amarnath, who was man-of-the-series during India’s 1983 World Cup triumph victory. 

Mumbai Indians IPL 2013 Team Squads

Captain: Ricky Ponting

Coach: John Wright

City: Mumbai, Maharashtra

Owner: IndiaWin Sports Pvt Ltd (Stake: 98.3%), Teesta Retail Pvt Ltd (Stake: 1.7%)

Founded: 2008

Home ground: Wankhede Stadium (Capacity: 35,341), DY Patil Stadium (Capacity: 55,646)[2]

Chief executive: Nita Ambani

IPL wins: 0 (Runners-up 2010)

CLT20 wins: 1 (2011)

Official website: mumbaiindians.com

List of Indian Players in MI Team for IPL 6

• Abu Nechim Ahmed
• Akshar Patel
• Aditya Tare
• Aiden Blizzard
• Ambati Rayudu
• Amitoze Singh
• Dhawal Kulkarni
• Dinesh Karthik
• Dwayne Smith
• Glenn Maxwell
• Harbhajan Singh
• Jacob Oram
• Jalaj Saxena
• James Franklin
• Kieron Pollard
• Lasith Malinga
• Mitchell Johnson
• Munaf Patel
• Nathan Coulter-Nile
• Philip Hughes
• Pawan Suyal
• Pragyan Ojha
• Ricky Ponting
• Rishi Dhawan
• Rohit Sharma
• Sachin Tendulkar
• Suryakumar Yadav
• Sushant Marathe
• Yuzvendra Singh Chahal

Mumbai Indians IPL 2012 Team Squads

Mumbai Indians Team Squads IPL 2012

Captain: Harbhajan Singh (c)



Indian Players: Sachin Tendulkar, Abu Nechim Ahmed, Aditya Tare, Ambati Rayudu, Amitoze Singh, Apporv Wankhade, Dhawal Kulkarni, Dinesh Karthik, Jaydev Shah, Kuldeep Yadav, Munaf Patel, Pawan Suyal, Pragyan Ojha, Rahul Shukla, Rohit Sharma, Sujit Nayak, Suryakumar Yadav, Sushant Marathe, Tirumalasetti Suman, Yuzvendra Singh Chahal, Rudra Pratap Singh

International Players: Aiden Blizzard, Richard Levi, Clint McKay, David Johan Jacobs, James Franklin, Kieron Pollard, Lasith Malinga, Herschelle Gibbs, Mitchell Johnson, Robin John Peterson, Thisara Perera

Coach: Robin Singh

• IPL Update News
• Indian Premier League 2012 Team Squads
• Indian Premier League 2012 Match Schedules
• IPL 2012

Cricket Update News: Cricket Photos of the Week Jan 29,2012

Cricket Update News :  Brett Lee of the Sydney Sixers leaves the ground with a bloody nose during the T20 Big Bash League semifinal against Hobart Hurricanes at Blundstone Arena.

The scoreboard shows England were bowled out for 72 runs as Pakistan defeated England in the second cricket test match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi Jan 28, 2012.

Graeme Smith of South Africa celebrates his century, his first in ODIs over two years, against Sri Lanka at the Wanderers Stadium on Jan 22, 2012 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Ishant Sharma of India runs in to bowl during the first day of the fourth cricket match against Australia in Adelaide Test.
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Sachin Tendulkar of India grimaces after their loss in the the fourth Test match against Australia at Adelaide Oval on January 28, 2012 in Adelaide.

India's Sachin Tendulkar poses with fans before he prepares for training at the nets prior to the opening day of cricket against Australia in Adelaide.

Virat Kohli of India dives to avoid being run out on 99 during the 3rd day of their fourth test cricket match against Australia in Adelaide January 26, 2012.

Australian captain Michael Clarke walks with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after winning the series 4-0 against India in Adelaide test.

Ricky Ponting of Australia restrains Virat Kohli of India as he argues with Australian players during day three of the fourth match on January 26, 2012 in Adelaide Test.

Kirsten may join Mumbai Indians after India stint

Johannesburg, Jan 26 (PTI): India coach Gary Kirsten is not in the running for a similar job in the South African side but could be involved with Mumbai Indians in the IPL, a report said on Wednesday.

According to the report, Kirsten's good rapport with Sachin Tendulkar could lead to the former South African opener being appointed in a top position in Mumbai Indians which is to appoint a director of coaching before the IPL IV.

"Indian cricket had hoped to persuade Kirsten to change his mind about not renewing his contract, but gave up on it this week. Future options for Kirsten could involve the Indian Premier League," a report in The Times said.

"The close relationship that Kirsten has with Sachin Tendulkar may lead to co-operation between the two at the Mumbai Indians, who are expected to appoint a director of coaching before the next IPL season," it said.

"Kirsten could easily take up such a position while still developing his international academy that is in the planning stage at Claremont Cricket Club in Cape Town," it added.

Kirsten, who will quit as India's coach after the World Cup ends in April, is reluctant to take up the Proteas job when caretaker Corrie van Zyl steps down, also in April.

The report also said current India bowling coach Eric Simons could not be ruled out as a possible candidate to replace Kirsten.

"The Indian cricket board has not yet started a process to recruit a successor to Kirsten, but it is not unlikely that it will approach Simons as a candidate. Simons, a former Proteas all-rounder and national coach, was highly regarded by the Indian team when he came aboard this summer," the report said.

Meanwhile, the South African coaching job is likely to go to Duncan Fletcher. The former England coach has been advising the South Africans and it is understood he would be available.

Fletcher's coaching credentials would be hard to resist for Cricket South Africa, whose chief executive Gerald Majola recently promised a 'big name' for the job when Van Zyl's term ends, the report said.

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Cricket: Tendulkar rest to break record

Sachin Tendulkar is set to become the most capped test cricketer while India plays Sri Lanka in the third and final match.
The 37-year-old batting huge, who is the most creative run getter in both tests and one-day internationals and who has the most number of centuries in both versions, will exceed former Australia captain Steve Waugh when he plays his 169th test.
"It has been a very long journey. The 169th test. I still remember the first test match that I played against Pakistan," Tendulkar said today. "Very happy that I have had the freedom of such a long journey at international level and this was my dream. To play for India was my dream and getting to play 169 test matches is unbelievable."

TEST APPEARANCES - ALL TIME LEADERS

168 - Sachin Tendulkar (India)
168 - Steve Waugh (Australia)
156 - Allan Border (Australia)
146 - Ricky Ponting (Australia)
145 - Shane Warne (Australia)
141 - Rahul Dravid (India)
140 - Jacques Kallis (South Africa)
134 - Mark Boucher (South Africa)

Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag balanced India

Second Test, Colombo,(day three):

Sachin Tendulkar hit his 48th Test century and Virender Sehwag made 99 to boost up India's hopes of avoiding defeat in the second Test against Sri Lanka. India, chasing 642-4 declared, began well until Sehwag fell to Suraj Randiv, just one run withdrawn of a 21st Test ton.

Murali Vijay (58) and Rahul Dravid (3) were both out in quick sequence. But Tendulkar's stylish 108 not out in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 141 with debutant Suresh Raina (66*) helped India to 382-4 by close of play.

Scoreboard:

Sri Lanka 642-4 dec v India 382-4

Sachin Tendulkar* 108(181)

Suresh Raina* 66(133)