World Cup Updates For India, Pakistan and other Teams

[usman_mugal89]

Hello!
Allow me to Give Updates ON ICC World Cup 2007. You Can Contribute In This Thread Too By Sharing Your Comments. I'll Be Giving You Latest NEWS, VIEWS, WALLPAPERS, RECORDS MADE OR BROKEN And Lot of other stuff. Please Post Your Comments on this.....

[usman_mugal89]

Waqar tells Pathan to view old footage



MUMBAI, India • Former Pakistan pace spearhead Waqar Younis suggested struggling India seamer Irfan Pathan (pictured below) should view his old footage to draw inspiration ahead of next week’s World Cup.

The 22-year-old left-arm bowler’s confidence has been in tatters in recent months and he was sent home from the South Africa tour in December to regain his form in domestic cricket.

He returned one for 12 off six overs in the World Cup warm-up match against the Netherlands in Jamaica on Tuesday which India won by 182 runs.

But the talented seamer had bowled at a reduced pace against the minnows.

“My advice to him is to go back and look at his old footage because that might help find what is missing,” Waqar told reporters at a cricket function yesterday.

“That is the best thing to do when one is struggling.”

Pathan had in the past taken tips from Pakistan pace great Wasim Akram and former Caribbean speedster Andy Roberts.

“I think there is too much advice being given to him, too many people are talking to him,” said Waqar, who stepped down as Pakistan’s bowling coach in January due to differences with the board.

“I think one should leave him alone and allow him to sort his bowling out himself.

“Right now any advice will be detrimental. He has to view his old footage and boost himself.”

The 35-year-old Waqar expects one of the sub-continent teams India, Pakistan or Sri Lanka—to win the showpiece event due to the conditions in the Caribbean.

“I would definitely say one of the sub-continent teams will take it,” he said.

“I was just there in the West Indies, the wickets are definitely going to suit the sub-continent teams because they are more of a turner tracks like the ones we play on in the sub-continent.”

[usman_mugal89]

Woolmer in the eye of another storm


Controversy simply refuses to spare Pakistan cricket and this time coach Mr Bob Woolmer might be dragged into a possible case of copyright violation over the design of the team’s World Cup kits.
According to details, Pakistan’s World Cup kits were designed and manufactured in South Africa after Mr Woolmer, a former coach of the Proteas, and some of the players had complained about the quality of the previous one. Mr Woolmer also insisted on procuring the kits from South Africa, a well-informed source in the board said.
The coach allegedly passed on some of the designs made by a Pakistani company to Slazenger, and the foreign company used the same, despite those being copyrighted.
“Woolmer and the players had asked the Pakistan Cricket Board to have the new kits made in South Africa,” the PCB source said. “The allegation is that Woolmer passed on the same design to the South African company which has now used it for the World Cup,” he added.
The Pakistani youngster, who had originally created the design for the local manufacturer, is reportedly contemplating action over what he described as a copyright violation. The PCB officials held several meetings with Slazenger, with whom they had signed a contract last year for the playing kits and clothings.
“So much so that the PCB specifically ordered the material used to make the blazer and casual clothing for the World Cup made by Marks and Spencers in London,” the source said.

[usman_mugal89]

It’s painful to miss World Cup: Shoaib Akhtar

ISLAMABAD: Disgruntled Pakistan paceman Shoaib Akhtar on Thursday said his failure to make it to the World Cup in the Caribbean had caused him great pain.

“I am going through hell. I can’t describe it in words what it means to miss an event like the World Cup,” Shoaib said, a week after he was withdrawn from Pakistan’s squad on fitness grounds.

The 31-year-old paceman failed to recover from knee and hamstring injuries which ruled him out of the mega event starting with a match between Pakistan and the West Indies in Jamaica on March 13.

“I have been waiting for this event for two years and to play in a cricket-loving region like the Caribbean was my dream. Not being able to play in the World Cup is like taking all my dreams away,” he said.

Shoaib said he had played only one match in the West Indies in 2000 and was anxious to play because every fast bowler wanted to do well in the Caribbean, which is known as a fast bowlers’ paradise. “I am badly missing the atmosphere,” he added.

Shoaib’s new-ball partner Mohammad Asif was also pulled out of the 15-man squad due to an elbow injury, badly hitting Pakistan’s chances in the World Cup.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) claimed that the duo were withdrawn on fitness grounds.

But several newspapers last month reported that private tests, carried out while Shoaib and Asif were having their injuries reassessed in England, revealed they still had banned substances in their systems.

Pakistan had to withdraw them from the Champions Trophy in India in October last year after both tested positive for banned steroid nandrolone.

Shoaib was subsequently banned for two years and Asif for one year by an anti-doping tribunal in November. A month later, both were exonerated by an appeal committee on the grounds that they did not take the substances knowingly.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) challenged the ban overturn in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which is yet to announce a date for the hearing.

Shoaib said it was not new that people doubted his injury. “I have always played to the best of my abilities but people have doubted my integrity. My injuries are always doubted as if I am feigning it and I always had to prove that I am unfit,” he said.

“People don’t understand. Why would I not the play the game I love? I wanted to be in the Caribbean and I wanted to help my team win,” he added.

[usman_mugal89]

Records on Risk:
1. Most Wickets - Wasim Akram has the record of Most wickets in World Cup tournaments a total of 55 wickets. But this record can be broken by McGrath of Australia who has taken 45 wickets and needs only 11 wickets to break this record.

2. Most Matches Played: Wasim akram also holds the record number of matches played i.e. 38 matches. This record can be broken by Inzamam who need just 7 matches to break this record,Sachin can also break this record by playing 6 matches while Ricky Ponting and McGrath are also in the race and need 11 matches.

* Note: A team can play maximum of 11 Matches.

If You Know Any Other Record That is On Risk Or You Think That Will BeBroken In This world Cup. Please Reply.

[usman_mugal89]

“The Game of Love and Unity” – The Official Song for ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 (performed by Rupee, Shaggy and Faye-Ann Lyons) was launched on December in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.



“The Game of Love and Unity” – The Official Song for ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 (performed by Rupee, Shaggy and Faye-Ann Lyons) was launched on December in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.
On behalf of the artistes, entertainer Rupee stated: "It is a pleasure working on such a magnificent project. We are going to showcase the best of the Caribbean to the world, including our diverse creative talent and our hospitality when we host the tournament."
Rupee is the lead composer of the ICC CWC 2007 Official Song.Internationally-acclaimed artiste and Grammy Award winner, Shaggy, is best known for his hit singles "Oh Carolina", "It wasn't me", "Angel" and many others.Faye-Ann Lyons is rapidly establishing herself as a musical force to be reckoned with following her Trinidad and Tobago Road March winning song "Display".



Song Title: It's a Game of Love & Unity
Length: 4 Minutes 54 Seconds
Quality: 80 Kbps
Format: MP3
Size: 2.82 MB
Download: Click Here To Download (http://wc2007.sitesled.com/wc2007anthem_wc2007.net.tc.mp3)

[jerinbrunel]

Nice Idea... Keep it up.......

[Mac-X]

usman bhai can u tell me on which channel in Pakistan r they telecasting the World Cup warm up matches?

[usman_mugal89]

usman bhai can u tell me on which channel in Pakistan r they telecasting the World Cup warm up matches?

Currently They Were Telecasting The Matches On GEO Super And AAG TV. But The Warm up Matches Are Over. Now What They Will Do For Regular Matches is, If Both Matches Are On Same Time, They Will Show High Priority Match On GEO Super and The Other Match On AAG TV. Dont Know Where They Will Show The Third Match Cause Its Upto The Producers of GEO Network Wether They Want To Shiw A Third Match or Not. Cause GEO Have Contract With ESPN and SUPER SPORT. And TEN SPORTS Have Contract With ARY Digital Network. So They Have To Follow What The Host Channels Will Say.

[Mac-X]

thanx usman bhai, i really missed the warm up match between Pakistan vs SA, when Pakistan won. really would have loved to see it.. :( anywayz, the world cup will be starting tomorrow..!!! Yahooooooooooooooooo!

[zfrak]

And Pakistan has Lost their Opening Match in the WC against the Hosts Windies

I hope South Africa will be eliminated after the Super 8

[usman_mugal89]

England meet New Zeland in today’s Tie


England's Cricket World Cup opener against New Zealand today is too close to call, according to England allrounder Andrew Flintoff, a veteran of 115 one-day internationals.

``The two sides are pretty similar and had some success in the winter,'' Flintoff told a televised press conference in St. Lucia. ``It could be a great and intriguing contest.''

U.K. bookmaker William Hill can't separate the teams either, pricing both at 10-11 to win their Group C match. The day's other contest, between top-ranked South Africa and The Netherlands, is proving easier for bettors to forecast with the Proteas rated a 1-66 chance. Yesterday, Ireland tied Zimbabwe in the only surprise so far, and Sri Lanka crushed Bermuda.

England's match will be broadcast live from about 1.30 p.m. U.K. time, tempting office-bound cricket fans to take a long lunch or skip work for the afternoon. The Centre for Economics and Business Research estimates that the nation's productivity will drop 5 percent on England match days, cropping the $2.4 trillion U.K. economy by about 270 million pounds ($523 million) over the seven-week tournament.

``Watching cricket is one of the best ways of avoiding work known to man,'' said Douglas McWilliams, the report's author.

England, which hosted the first three World Cups, has never won the tournament and hasn't even reached a semifinal since finishing runner-up in 1992. Perennial losers in the game's shorter form last year, captain Michael Vaughan's team lifted their chances by winning a tri-nation competition also featuring New Zealand and Australia last month.

Anderson Scare

``The World Cup is a massive stage with every team playing with all their stars,'' Vaughan told reporters. ``If we get to the final and win that, it would be an amazing achievement.''

England paceman James Anderson faces a late fitness test after he broke the little finger of his bowling hand in training two days ago. Anderson took a hat-trick in the 2003 tournament.

``It depends how well he can protect it and how well he can do all the stuff in the nets and how he feels pain-wise,'' Flintoff said. ``We'll see how he rocks up in the morning.''

New Zealand, known as the Black Caps, has reached four semifinals. It came into the event buoyed by a 3-0 sweep of defending champion Australia, its neighbor and fiercest rival.

England and New Zealand have met six times at the World Cup, with the English winning the first three and the Black Caps the three most recent contests. Both suffered setbacks in warmup matches last week with England losing heavily to Australia, while New Zealand was upset by Bangladesh.

Source: Bloomberg

[usman_mugal89]

Ireland, Zimbabwe share thrilling tie





Group D rivals Ireland and Zimbabwe shared the spoils in their opening cricket World Cup match when a last-ball run-out by Ireland earned them a tie.

The game had looked lost for the Irish just a few overs before when the Zimbabweans, chasing 222 to win, needed just 15 runs from 36 balls with four wickets in hand.

However the African side could add only one more run as they lost three wickets in quick succession, leaving them needing nine runs off the final over.

They looked to have achieved the feat though, when facing the last ball of the match and needing only a single, but batsman Stuart Matsikenyeri missed a yorker from Andrew White and Ed Rainsford (1) was run out at the non-strikers end.

Earlier Ireland had struggled to come to terms with the bowling of the Zimbabwe side, with only opener Jeremy Bray making more than 30 runs.

Bray batted superbly however and compiled an excellent 115 to hold the Irish innings together and post a competitive total of 221-9.

Zimbabwe's reply looked on course after Vusi Sibanda (67) and Matsikenyeri (73 not out) both enjoyed impressive innings at the top of the order but their tail fell apart under pressure.

After the dismissal of Brendan Taylor (24) to an unfortunate run-out, Gary Brent (3) went with the score on 212 and Prosper Utseya (1) then Christopher Mpofu (0) both soon followed after a collective rush of blood to the head as they struggled to score.

That set up a pulsating final over, which went according to form for the first five balls until Ireland's heroics with the last delivery sent the green-clad hordes into wild celebrations.

[usman_mugal89]

Sachin joins Superman league



India will have a new comic hero. A character based on Tendulkar is set to hit bookstores - games and merchandise to follow.

Imagine Sachin Tendulkar as the saviour of the world -- fighting the baddies and averting catastrophes! Virgin Comics' new superhero character Master Blaster will have Sachin Tendulkar donning superhero garb and will hit the bookstores by September.

Master Blaster will also find its way to video and mobile games, besides the usual apparel and product merchandise, by the end of this year.

Sharad Devarajan, CEO, Virgin Comics, hopes that the Sachin effect will translate into a dramatic upswing in the sales of the comic books, when they hit the stores later this year.

"In a $40 billion character entertainment industry, Asian content is fast claiming its share, with Pokemon itself raking in close to $30 million last year," he says.

Master Blaster, a character that was conceptualised and developed in India, will soon join Virgin Comics' line up of Indian characters like Devi, Sadhu, Ramayana and Snakewoman.

"We are in the process of finalising the storyboards for Master Blaster, which will be followed by discussions to sell gaming rights and merchandising deals," adds Suresh Seetharaman, president, Virgin Comics.

Unwilling to reveal more about the storyline of Master Blaster, Devarajan adds, "It's not your typical man versus science story. The character has a mythical background but is very contemporary in outlook."

Both Seetharaman and Devarajan believe that exporting Indian characters will be a "profitable venture". Virgin Comics is planning to complete 2007 with a minimum of 10-12 Indian characters.

Says Devarajan, "By the end of this year, we expect to have 25 characters with Virgin Comics internationally, of which at least 10 will be Indian characters, developed out of India."

Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Comics is not your regular comic book factory. "What Virgin has in mind is a whole new take on Hollywood and Bollywood's time-tested relationship with the character entertainment business," points out Devarajan.

Until now, successful comic-to-film franchises, like Spiderman or Harry Potter began with characters, plots conceived by comic book artists whose stories were later acquired by studios and picked up by well-known directors.

Virgin is developing films with filmmakers, actors and musicians like John Woo, Guy Ritchie, Terry Gilliam, Dave Stewart and Duran Duran. Feature films based on Virgin Comics' characters are also in the works, including an animated feature, The Secrets of the Seven Sounds and The Sadhu starring Nicolas Cage.

Internationally, a comic title that sells 1 lakh copies a month is deemed a blockbuster while in India if even 5,000 copies move out in a month, it would be a good bargain for the comic book.

Source: Zee News Site

[usman_mugal89]

Cricket-mad India laps up World Cup


The cricket-crazy country is rooting for its team known popularly as the "men in blue" after the colour of their kit and the fever is peaking on the eve of the team's first match against Bangladesh on Saturday.


One fan in Jharkhand state has threatened to commit suicide if he is not allowed to sell his kidney to get the money needed for a ticket to the West Indies, where the tournament is being held. http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/south_asia_enl_1173944256/img/laun.jpg

Another fan, Zaheer Merchant, saved money to buy a 29-inch television set for the tournament and has literally put his life on hold for the next two months to watch the matches. http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42683000/jpg/_42683263_fanspostersap203.jpg
In pictures: Fan fervour

"My wife knows I am unavailable when cricket is on. I will be going in to work late so that I can stay up until late evening to watch the action. I haven't asked for any leave but I am expecting some illness in the next few days," he said.

Many companies, especially business outsourcing firms, have set up large screens in their cafeterias so that people can track the matches during work that begin late in the evening in India and continue into the early hours.

Indians are crazy about cricket and Bollywood movies and follow both with an almost religious passion.

It is common for people to walk up to complete strangers and ask "what's the score now?" and bond over beers at pubs debating whether captain Rahul Dravid made the right decision by changing the batting or bowling order.



Mania


India's matches are expected bring in television audiences in excess of 280 million.http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42683000/jpg/_42683267_mandirabedisariafp203.jpg
Shops are selling saris signed by the cricketers

And this has pushed big companies to cough up millions of dollars on special products and advertisements as part of their marketing campaign around the cricket frenzy.

An international credit card company hired Bollywood music directors Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy to compose a special "Inspire India" song that has been released on radio and a television commercial that exhorts the team to win.

A soft drinks giant launched a gold-coloured cola that, according to the company, "symbolises every Indian cricket fan's desire to bring home the gold-coloured World Cup trophy".

The cola company even organised a glitzy farewell evening for the team with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and actress Priyanka Chopra wishing them good luck.

To add to the excitement, an international sportswear brand has released its first-ever cricket advert on television which has become a talking point with fans of the game.

The advertisement shows a bunch of boys stuck in a traffic jam who suddenly begin playing cricket on the roof of a bus and passers-by getting involved in the game and playing it as well.


Mobile games, access to scores, match updates and cricket clips on cell phones, soft drinks, sporting merchandise, even special birthday cakes in various shapes related to the game - anything and everything at this point in time is related to the big cricketing event.

A juice shop in Mumbai has even begun serving juice in a replica of the World Cup trophy while a restaurant in Amritsar has gone blue by dressing its staff in the team's shirts.


Bollywood calling


Not to be left behind, Bollywood is launching three movies with cricket themes. http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42688000/jpg/_42688315_hairstyleap203.jpg
Indian fans are getting their hair styled after their idols

The first of them, called Hattrick, will be released this week - a comedy about five people whose lives revolve around the game.

Siddharth Roy Kapur of producers UTV said it was timed to chime with the public mood.

Mr Kapur also said he did not think the film would fail to attract audiences who would be too busy watching matches and live action at home.

"The quality of matches revs up in the later rounds such as Super Eight and the finals, rather than in the elimination rounds, and that's when we are trying to get people to watch the film."

There are two other films also based on cricket but they are still in production and are expected to be released later in the year.

Some multiplexes are also exploring the idea of showing the semi-finals and finals on the big screen.


Expensive destination


Travel agents, however, seem to have missed out on some of the initial action as not many people have chosen to travel all the way to the West Indies.http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42683000/jpg/_42683261_purisandbatap203.jpg
Fans sign messages wishing the team good luck

Most travel agents have introduced special packages and expect business to pick up closer to the finals but at present, it is all about answering queries.

A spokesman for Thomas Cook, Sachin Rampal, said the distance and cost of travel had been two major deterrents to people packing their bags and heading off to the West Indies.

"If it was South Africa, Europe or Australia, the response would have been better because these destinations are closer. It costs about 300,000-500,000 rupees ($6,800-$11,300) for the ticket alone and infrastructure in the West Indies in terms of hotels and places to stay is not all that good," he said.

Mr Rampal said they had received queries from some of their corporate clients who have shown interest in travelling in the latter stages of the World Cup and they expect other customers to do the same.

Amidst all this cricketing craze and advertising blitzkrieg, ad film maker Prahlad Kakkar says everyone has "completely lost the plot".

"No one is watching the game that they claim they are so crazy about, it's all about winning. There is so much pressure being put on the boys that if they buckle then it is all over," he said.

Mr Kakkar said while cashing in on the obsession of people around the game is all very well, the biggest sufferer is cricket itself because people will stop watching and enjoying it as soon as the Indian team loses.

As for the advertising millions riding on the event, Mr Kakkar said it is always a big gamble and most companies are aware that their two-month campaign could easily end in two weeks.

Meanwhile, the game goes on. While all the action is taking place halfway around the world from India, the country is tracking it ball by ball and the cheers sometimes may be loud enough for the team to hear.

COURTESY: BBC NEWS

[usman_mugal89]

Woolmer may continue as coach after WC, says PCB


http://geo.tv/news_images/eng/3-15-2007_3433_l.gif

KINGSTON: Bob Woolmer could stay on as Pakistan coach beyond his current contract, which expires in June, the country’s cricket board chairman said.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Nasim Ashraf said he planned to discuss Englishman Woolmer's future after the World Cup.



Asked by a foreign news agency if he thought Woolmer would extend his deal, Ashraf said: "I would not rule it out.

"Bob is contracted until June 30 as are the other members of our team management. We will sit down and discuss everything.

"I have had nothing but the greatest confidence in Bob Woolmer as a coach.

"Everything needs to be decided after this World Cup and it all depends on how we do here."


COURTESY: GEO NEWS

[usman_mugal89]

Inzamam missing Razzaq, Afridi



Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has said the team in the World Cup was severely missing all-rounder Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq, who were experienced to release pressure on the top order batsmen in One-day matches.

Inzamam said the absence of Razzaq and Afridi had put pressure on him, Mohammad Yousuf and Younis Khan in the middle order.

"We are missing them in this tournament," Inzamam said in Kingston, Jamaica where Pakistan lost to West Indies by 54 runs in the World Cup opener.

Razzaq was ruled out of the World Cup a week before the team's departure after he injured his knee during a practice session in Lahore while Afridi is serving a four-match ban which will end with Pakistan's match against Ireland on Saturday.

Inzamam said he was contemplating shuffling the batting order for the game against Ireland and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal might be promoted to open the innings while he himself might bat at number four position.

Inzamam conceded that his team had played badly against the hosts and the batting was a big let down.

"But I can assure you we will now pick ourselves up for the remaining two games of this first round and look to qualify for the Super Eight league stage."

The captain, who is already feeling the pressure of the huge expectations of a nation passionate about their cricket, also said fast bowler Mohammad Sami might come in for the out of form Rana Naved.

Pakistan will be locked against lowly placed Ireland and Zimbabwe in their last two games of the first round and unless there is a dramatic upset result or bad weather rules out play it looks set to qualify for the Super eight stage.

Inzamam said he had cautioned his players not to take the next two games lightly at all as any team in the competition could cause an upset at any time.

"I just want to appeal to my countrymen and women to keep supporting us and have faith in us. This team is very much capable of doing well in this World Cup. We just need to put in a collective effort."

Pakistan faltered badly in chasing a West Indies total of 243 runs in the first match and critics believe that the failure of Inzamam and coach Bob Woolmer to find a settled opening pair is adding to the problems in the batting as Imran Nazir again

[usman_mugal89]

History Of Cricket World Cup>>


The World Cup matches officially began in the year 1975 in England, with eight teams; the 6 Test playing nations England, Australia, New Zealand, West Indies, India, Pakistan along with Srilanka and East Africa. A huge success the first time round, the tournament has been taking place every four years since then, participated by major teams all over the world. However much earlier, an attempt at a World triangular tournament was made way back in 1912 between Australia, England and South Africa where all the matches were Test matches. The hosts England won.



A glimpse of the past World Cups..


World Cup 1975


Venue : Lords, England
Teams : England, Australia, New Zealand, West Indies, India, Pakistan, Srilanka and East Africa
Finals : Between West Indies led by Clive Lloyd and Australia led by Ian Chappell on June 21, 1975.
Winner : West Indies beat Australia for 17 runs
Score : 291 for 8 off 60 Overs
Man of the match : Clive Lloyd scoring 102 runs off just 85 balls
Sponsors : Prudential Insurance Company, hence called the Prudential World Cup



World Cup 1979


Venue : Lords, England
Teams : Australia, Canada, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Srilanka and West Indies
Finals : Between West Indies led by Clive Lloyd and England led by Mike Brearley on June 23, 1979.
Winner : West Indies beat England by 92 runs
Score : 286 runs for 9 wickets
Man of the match : Vivian Richards scoring an unbeaten 138 runs
Sponsors : Prudential Insurance Company, hence called the Prudential World Cup



World Cup 1983


Venue : Lords, England
Teams : Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Srilanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe
Finals : Between West Indies led by Clive Lloyd and India led by Kapil Dev on June 25, 1983.
Winner : India beat West Indies by 43 runs
Score : 183 runs all out off 54.4 Overs
Man of the match : Indian Vice Captain Mohinder Amarnath for picking 3 wickets for 12 balls. Also took 26 runs
Sponsors : Prudential Insurance Company, hence called the Prudential World Cup



World Cup 1987


Venue : Eden Gardens, Kolkata, India
Teams : Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Srilanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe
Finals : Between Australia led by Allan Border and England led by Mike Gatting on November 8, 1987.
Winner : Australia beat England by 7 runs
Score : 253 runs for 7 wickets off 50 Overs
Man of the match : David Boon scoring 75 runs
Sponsors : Reliance company, hence called the Reliance World Cup. Jointly hosted by India and Pakistan.


World Cup 1992


Venue : Australia
Teams : Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Srilanka, West Indies, Zimbabwe and South Africa
Finals : Between Pakistan led by Imran Khan and England led by Graham Gooch on March 25, 1992.
Winner : Pakistan beat England by 22 runs
Score : 249 runs for 6 wickets off 50 overs
Man of the match : Wasim Akram, who picked up three important wickets late in the England innings
Player of the tournament : New Zealand captain Martin Crowe for scoring 456 runs
Sponsors : Jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand called the Benson and Hedges World Cup.


World Cup 1996


Venue : Lahore, Pakistan
Teams : Australia, England, India, Kenya, New Zealand, Netherlands, Pakistan, South Africa, Srilanka, United Arab Emirates, West Indies and Zimbabwe
Finals : Between Srilanka led by Arjuna Ranatunga and Australia led by Mark Taylor on March 17, 1996.
Winner : Srilanka beat Australia by 7 wickets. For the first time in the history of the tournament, the team chasing won.
Score : 241 runs with 22 deliveries to spare off 50 overs
Man of the match : Aravinda da Silva for his unbeaten 107 runs
Player of the Tournament : Sanath Jayasurya for aggressive batman ship with runs at the amazing rate of 1.32 per ball faced.
Sponsors : Jointly hosted by India, Pakistan and Srilanka called the Wills World cup


World Cup 1999


Venue : Lords, England
Teams : Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Kenya, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Scotland, Srilanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe
Finals : Between Australia led by Steve Waugh and Pakistan led by Wasim Akram on June 20, 1999.
Winner : Australia beat Pakistan by 8 wickets.
Score : 133 runs in 29.5 overs to spare
Man of the match : Shane Warne for picking 4 wickets for 33 balls
Player of the tournament : South Africa's All rounder, Lance Klusener for scoring 281 runs at an average of 140.50, with his strike rate an amazing 1.22 runs per ball faced. He also captured 17 wickets, just three off the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, at an average of just over 20.
Sponsors : ICC World Cup hosted by England


World Cup 2003


Venue : Johannesburg, South Africa
Teams : Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, England, India, Kenya, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Scotland, Srilanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe
Finals : March 23
Winner : Australia beat India by 125 runs.
Sponsors : ICC World Cup jointly hosted by South Africa, Zimambwe and Kenya



World Cup 2007


Commencing : March-April 2007.
Venue : Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.
Teams : Australia, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Canada, England, The Netherlands, India, Ireland, Kenya, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa, Srilanka, West Indies and Zimbabwe.
Finals : April 18.
Winner : TBA
Sponsors : ICC World Cup jointly hosted by, LG Electronics, Pepsi, Hutch & Hero Honda (Official Global Partners). Indian Oil, Cable & Wireless and Scotia Bank (Official Sponsors)

[usman_mugal89]

Gibbs sets records galore


Wet weather delayed the start at Warner Park, but when play did get underway it rained fours and sixes as South Africa amassed a monumental 353 in 40 overs. Here are the highlights from the game.


Herschelle Gibbs made history by becoming the first batsman to hit six sixes in one-day internationals. The earlier record for most number of runs in an over was 30, which Sanath Jayasuriya managed twice, against Aamer Sohail (in Singapore (http://content-pak.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1995-96/OD_TOURNEYS/SINC/SL_PAK_SINC_ODI1_02APR1996.html) in 1995-96) and Chris Harris (at Sharjah (http://content-pak.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2000-01/OD_TOURNEYS/ARY/SCORECARDS/NZ_SL_ARY_ODI2_10APR2001.html) in 2000-01). Dan van Bunge's innocuous stuff meant that the bar has been upped significantly. (Click here (http://content-pak.cricinfo.com/db/STATS/ODIS/BATTING/ODI_BAT_MOST_RUNS_OVER.html) for a list of most runs in an over.)
Gibbs's seven sixes in the innings was only one less than the World Cup record for a single innings - Ricky Ponting had slammed eight in that memorable 140 not out (http://content-pak.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/WORLD_CUPS/WC2003/SCORECARDS/FINALS/AUS_IND_WC2003_ODI-FINAL_23MAR2003.html) in the World Cup final in 2003.
Gibbs was at his violent best, but by no means was he the only one to wreck havoc. Mark Boucher slammed 75 from 31 balls, and on the way notched up the fastest half-century in World Cups: he got to the mark off 21 balls, bettering Brian Lara's 23-ball effort against Canada at Centurion (http://content-pak.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/WORLD_CUPS/WC2003/SCORECARDS/POOL-B/CAN_WI_WC2003_ODI24_23FEB2003.html) in 2003. (Click here (http://content-pak.cricinfo.com/db/STATS/WC/BATTING/WC_BAT_FASTEST_100S.html) for the fastest 100s and 50s in ODIs.) Boucher's half-century was also the first by a South African wicketkeeper in World Cups.
South Africa's total of 353 for 3 is their highest World Cup score and the best total in a 40-over match, while it was also the fifth-highest by any team in all editions of the tournament. Their run-rate of 8.82 is the fourth-best in a World Cup innings, but the highest by a team batting first.
The 18 sixes that South Africa slammed in the innings is an ODI record too, going past Pakistan's earlier mark of 14 against Sri Lanka at Nairobi. (http://content-pak.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1996-97/OD_TOURNEYS/KCA-CT/KCA-CT-MATCHES/PAK_SL_KCA-CT_ODI6_04OCT1996.html)
This was also the first time there were three century stands in a single innings of a one-day international. After AB de Villiers's second-ball dismissal, Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis added 114 for the second wicket, Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs put together 105 for the third, while Kallis and Boucher added 134 for the fourth.
COURTESY: © Cricinfo
Links Also Added

[usman_mugal89]

Well Thats All For Today. Please Tell Me Wether I Am Posting Good Or You Want Some More. I Was Not Posting Here For Few Days Cause I Had My Computer Problems. But Now It Is A Bit Better So I Posted All Recent Posts At Same Time.


I Do A Lot Of Work To Find These Good News For You. If You Like Them, Please Encourage Me By Replying And Pressing Thanks Button.

[maddybosco]

What a day!!!

Pakistan knocked out and India lost to Bangladesh..

A day of the minnows in true sense

[zfrak]

But Hope the Indians Get back

[usman_mugal89]

Bad News In Cricketing Histories. I Will Post All One By One.

[usman_mugal89]

Bangladesh's Manjural dies in road accident


Bangladesh left-arm spinner Manjural Islam died in a road accident near Khulna town on Friday, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said.
Another first-class cricketer Sajjadul Hasan was also killed in the same accident, which occurred when a motorbike ridden by Manjural hit railings on a bridge at Kartikdanga, 380 km (234 miles) southwest of the capital Dhaka.
They were travelling to a nearby town after a domestic match at their Khulna home town, police said.
Manjural made his one-day international debut against England at Chittagong in November 2003 and took 23 wickets in 25 matches.
He also claimed five wickets from six tests after his test debut against Zimbabwe at Harare in February 2004.
Hasan, a batsman, scored 2,443 runs from 50 first-class domestic matches, according to the BCB.

[usman_mugal89]

Andrew Flintoff sacked as vice-captain



Andrew Flintoff: 'I was completely wrong'



Andrew Flintoff has admitted his conduct was "completely wrong" after being sacked as vice-captain and dropped for the World Cup match against Canada following a late night drinking session.

The Lancashire all-rounder was fined alongside five other players for staying out until the early hours of the morning at the Rumours nightclub nearby the team hotel following Friday's defeat by New Zealand.

But, after paying for his ill-judged antics with his place in the side against the minnows, Flintoff was contrite.

He said: "I know that what I did on Friday night was completely wrong and I have to take full responsibility for it.

"There can be no excuses on my part. I know I shouldn't have done what I did and I have to accept the punishment.

"To my team-mates and the England supporters that I let down, all I can say is that I am extremely sorry and assure everyone that I will be giving 110% for England for the rest of this tournament."

The players fined were James Anderson, Ian Bell, Jon Lewis, Paul Nixon and Liam Plunkett.

http://www.itv.com/news/storye39342241d0d3e6b3892b221f644a3ff.jpg
"I know that what I did on Friday
night was completely wrong and
I have to take full responsibility
for it" - Andrew Flintoff

[usman_mugal89]

Bob Woolmer dead


Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer died Sunday, reports said.

He was 58.

Woolmer was taken to hospital after he was found unconscious in his hotel room, according to officials.

"We have taken Bob Woolmer to the hospital and he is in the emergency ward. We don't know anything more at the moment," Pakistan team media manager Pervez Mir said, according to the Pakistan paper, The News.

A later flash confirmed that he was dead.

Pakistan were knocked out of the ICC Cricket World Cup on Saturday after a shock three-wicket defeat to Ireland

Woolmer was a fine Test player whose records did not do him justice. His batting prowess was a lot better than his average - 33.09 from 19 Tests - indicated.

His 149 against Australia at the Oval in 1975 bore witness to the fact that he should have scored more runs than the 1059 against his name.

It was as a coach, however, that Woolmer became really famous in the cricketing world. He was extremely successful as South Africa's national coach.

He used technology and did so visibly, being credited with bringing laptop computers into the dressing room.

PJ Mir, Pakistan's media manager, told TV channel ARYONE from the West Indies: "Bob Woolmer has passed away. I am speaking from the hospital and all the team management is also at the hospital.

"Doctors have pronounced Bob Woolmer dead. Bob has passed away and it is very shocking news to all of the team and the team management.

"Bob's family and wife were informed by the management about his condition when he was brought to hospital."

Woolmer was last seen in public when he addressed the post-match media conference at the Sabina Park ground.

Ironically, he talked of the stresses of the coaching job.

"Doing it internationally, it takes a toll on you - the endless travelling and the non-stop living out of hotels."

Sky Sports had earlier reported that Woolmer was found at 1045 local time (1545GMT) on the floor of his hotel room unconscious and with signs of vomiting.

An ambulance took him to the Kingston University Hospital.

Woolmer, who took charge of the Pakistan team in 2004, was seen late on Saturday night, but officials raised the alarm after not seeing him early on Sunday.

When they went to his hotel room, they saw he was unconscious.

In his playing career, Woolmer appeared for Kent in the English county championship and played 19 Tests for England.

Fate brought him to Pakistan in 2004 as coach, regarded the country's hottest post which had seen five changes since 1999 until his arrival.

He forged a strong relationship with captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and saw to it that the skilful cricketers always remained strong in basics.

Born in the Indian city of Kanpur in 1948, Woolmer missed the inaugural ICC Cricket World Cup in 1975 due to injury.

His playing career ended prematurely as he first joined Kerry Packer World Series Cricket and then went on rebel tours to South Africa in 1980s.

He steadily developed into a renowned coach, and was credited with pioneering the use of computers in cricket.

Pakistan face Zimbabwe on Wednesday in their final ICC Cricket World Cup group match.

Andrew Walpole, spokesman for the England team at the ICC Cricket World Cup, said: "Our thoughts are with Bob's family. This has come as a huge shock to all of the England team.

"He was a figure who commanded great respect within world cricket and he will be sorely missed."

[usman_mugal89]

Tributes to Bob Woolmer


Tributes to Bob Woolmer


The cricket world was shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer in Kingston on Sunday morning. A former England Test cricketer, Woolmer was one of the great modern coaches.

His fellow cricketers paid him rich tribute in the media, here are some of them.


Kapil Dev: "What can I say? This is shocking. I am still pinching myself to believe that he's gone. I just pray that his wife and children get the strength to bear this loss.

It is a great loss to the cricketing world.

Shoaib Akhtar: "My relationship with him could not have ever been understood by the media. I still can't believe it happened.

"And it happened so quickly. We can't do anything about it and it is huge tragedy for Pakistan cricket, a huge shock for the nation. I don't think I can take it very well."

Allan Donald: The news was pretty devastating, to be honest. He was a very, very close friend, actually more than as a coach.

"He was a very respected man. We were together with Warwickshire and South Africa.

"Bob was an extremely professional man, was an extremely soft person, gave his life to cricket and probably paid for it. He lived for cricket."

Waqar Younis: He was great for the game and has worked hard all his life.

"I have played with a lot of coaches but he was the best when it came to professionalism."

Michael Holding: My first tour was to England and we go back many years as cricketers and friends.

"I valued his company.

"It's a sad day for the sport and the cricketing fraternity.

"This is totally unexpected. I knew he was upset and under intense pressure but no one could have foreseen this.

"I send my condolences to his family."

[usman_mugal89]

Well I Didnt Liked This Statement But I Will Post It Here For Your Comments


Pak team killed him: Imran



LAHORE: Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan has said that Bob Woolmer died just because of the team’s loss against Ireland.

“Whatever the general public in Pakistan says, the fact is that Bob was not responsible for Pakistan’s defeat or any other loss that the team has faced because the coach’s job is simply to teach and instruct. The performance of the Pakistan team is a sheer responsibility of the captain and no one but Inzamam is responsible for the exit of the team from the world Cup. And the poor performance of the Pakistani team is the only cause of Woolmer’s cardiac arrest.”

Expressing his deep regrets, former cricket captain Asif Iqbal has said that Woolmer was a coach with a conscience and this great aspect of his character became the reason for his death.

“Bob had been under intense criticism ever since he had been appointed as the national coach, especially by the former coaches of the team. But the loss to Ireland was too extreme a shock for him to recover from.”

According to former opener Saeed Anwar, Woolmer was a very sensitive person and his team’s loss was a cause for his death.

“It is very sad that everyone found his unconscious body in the hotel room when it was too late.”

On Sunday, a huge crowd had gathered in front of Pakistani captain Inzamamul Haque’s Multan residence and chanted slogans of "Death to Woolmer, Death to Inzamam".

They also carried placards displaying the same chant.

President General Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz also expressed grief over the death.

[usman_mugal89]

Aussies shocked by Woolmer




The Australian camp have added their tributes to those pouring in for Bob Woolmer, who has died at the age of 58.

Ricky Ponting was fielding in his team’s World Cup match against Holland when he discovered the Pakistan coach - a former England Test batsman - had died.

Ponting said: “One of our 12th men bringing drinks out told us about it. Everyone just stood back in shock for quite a while.

“When I was out in the field I was thinking about lots of different things for probably the last 10 or 12 overs of the game.

“Everybody was immediately saddened by what we heard. We have played a game of cricket, but there are a lot of bigger things happening around the world.

“There always are. We sometimes get a bit carried away with what we do in sport.

“But when something like this happens it certainly rams home that there are other things around you all the time, happening.”

“For me personally and as a player of this team, we pass on our condolences to the Woolmer family and everyone he has known over the years.

Australia coach John Buchanan said: “For all of us involved in cricket, it’s a very, very sad day - and I’m very shocked to hear the news.

“Bob has been a person who has been around cricket for a heck of a long time, as a player and certainly as a coach across the array of different sphered coaching.

“I think he’s been a person who has certainly been outspoken on key issues, absolutely well-regarded by everybody - and from a coaching perspective, I think he’s left a huge legacy that we can all follow.

“Bob has been at the forefront of coaching for a very long time. He’s been an innovator; he’s been a creator; he had an interest in a global way to look at the game.

“As a coach, it’s always important not to tear the job apart but be prepared to look at other ways of doing things - and Bob has certainly done that.

“From coaching, his achievements are something we can all aspire to - and from a playing perspective, he’s influenced so many people. He’ll be a huge loss to cricket forever.”

[usman_mugal89]

Indian team condoles Woolmer's death



The Indian team has expressed shock and grief at the sudden death of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer.

"Captain Rahul Dravid, coach Greg Chappell and team members of the Indian team are deeply shocked and saddened by untimely death of Bob Woolmer who had a distinguished career in cricket as a player and coach for England, South Africa and Pakistan," the team said in statement in Port of Spain, Trindad on Sunday.

"He has left an indelible mark on the game that he loved and lived for. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to Bob's family, friends and all members of Pakistan team at this sad time."

Woolmer died in Kingston, Jamaica, where the Pakistan team was playing its first round group matches.

The former England batsman was declared dead by doctors in a local hospital where he was rushed to in the morning after being found unconscious in his hotel room.

His death came a day after Pakistan was eliminated from the World Cup following their stunning defeat to Ireland.