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p17 2_Layout 1 2/3/15 8:58 PM Page 1 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2015 SPORTS Emotions to run high for Indo-Pak tie in Adelaide NEW DELHI: Cricket is just a game, but over the Kashmir region they both clave in Delhi on Monday. less nights. “The dressing room atmos- roast us and fans would pelt stones at try telling that to the 22 players who will claim, clash on a cricket ground. “It completely locks out 1.3 billion phere is always tense,” said the feisty off- our house,” said the 34-year-old. walk out for the India v Pakistan World Pakistan, champions in 1992, have nev- people. The tension is unbearable and spinner who could not make the cut for His team mate from the 2011 squad, Cup match in Adelaide on Feb 15. er beaten twice winners India at a World the players’ effort level doubles. We this year’s World Cup. Piyush Chawla, said the pressure does The Pool B contest was sold out in 20 Cup. could never beat India in World Cup but, “Much before the dressing room, you not come from the team management. minutes and no other team in world Many of their fans would not mind God willing, that would soon happen,” think about it in your hotel room. Before “It comes from elsewhere. Even family sport will be under as much pressure as their team crashing out from the World said the quick known as the ‘Rawalpindi last World Cup’s match in Mohali, I could members and friends remind us it’s a the two that day with 1.3 billion unfor- Cup early, providing they beat their Express’. not sleep the night before, thinking match against Pakistan,” said the 26- giving cricket-crazy fans following the neighbors. The rivalry assuming the A veteran of many such contests, what if we lose. year-old leg-spinner. contest ball by ball. Emotions run high Orwellian concept of serious sport - war Harbhajan Singh was part of the even- “Fortunately we won the next day “Fielding in the deep, you often hear every time the south Asian neighbours, minus shooting. “For many, it’s bigger tual champion Indian team who beat and again I could not sleep, this time the crowd behind warning you ‘better who have fought three wars since inde- than World Cup,” former Pakistan speed- Pakistan in the 2011 semi-final at because I was so overjoyed. “A defeat win this match or it won’t be easy to get pendence and share frosty relations ster Shoaib Akhtar told a cricket con- Mohali, a contest that gave him sleep- against Pakistan means media would out of the stadium’.” —Reuters Minnows better prepared to cause World Cup upsets MUMBAI: International Cricket Council their first win over a test-playing nation (ICC) Chief Executive David Richardson last year. predicted an open World Cup yester- The ICC arranged a familiarisation day, saying the associate members are tour of Australia for them last year dur- well prepared to upset major teams in ing which they played matches against the tournament. Four second-tier local sides to gain much-needed expe- nations-Afghanistan, Ireland, United rience of the conditions Down Under. Arab Emirates and Scotland-will join The governing body also appointed the 10 full members for the 11th edi- Dav Whatmore, who coached Sri Lanka to their 1996 World Cup win, to help the four minnows prepare for the tourna- ment in Australia and New Zealand. “The associates and the way they are prepared for this tournament, any other country will be silly to take them light- ly,” Richardson told Reuters in a tele- phone interview. “If they do, there’s a real chance of an upset being caused. They will be the underdogs in most of the matches but a surprise or two can impact the group standings. “If you are South Africa, they will want to make sure they finish top of the group because they would want to avoid a difficult quarter final. Any upset will have profound effect on the tour- nament,” said the former Proteas stumper-batsman. The 14 teams have been divided into two groups for the World Cup with four teams from each pool advancing to the knock-out stages. The 55-year-old Richardson is confi- dent the upcoming tournament would NAPIER: New Zealand celebrate winning the ANZ ODI trophy after winning both ODI’s against Pakistan after the second one-day international eclipse all the earlier editions and the cricket match. —AFP new playing conditions would further lift the standard of the game. Two new balls and an extra fielder Pakistan punished as inside the circle during the non-power- play overs will be used for the first time in a World Cup which, Richardson hopes, will also encourage attacking cricket. Black Caps run riot “The use of two new balls will give the seam bowlers a chance and the fielding restrictions changed the one- NAPIER: New Zealand flayed Pakistan’s attack on Ehsan Adil fared little better against the New eight overs. The 24-year old finally fell for 112 to day game quite considerably,” said the way to a crushing 119-run win during the Zealanders, taking one wicket but going for 8.5 Irfan but Ross Taylor then stepped into club a Richardson. second one-day international in Napier yester- an over. Mohammad Irfan was the sole bowler 70-ball century in his 150th one-day internation- “It’s much more attacking and there day. The win means the Black Caps take the who appeared remotely threatening, finishing al, smashing Bhatti onto the roof of the stands. with two for 52. With Pakistan’s front-line attack Taylor appeared in danger of remaining are many more boundaries scored. The series 2-0 and maintain momentum ahead of this month’s World Cup, while Pakistan look in failing , captain ul-Haq was forced to call on his stranded in the 90s in the final over, but a six and old days of trying to contain batsmen disarray after two poor displays. part-timers. a four in the final two balls took him to 102. and bowl dot balls is becoming very The New Zealanders ran riot after winning But Younis Khan, Haris Sohail and Ahmed Pakistan’s openers Mohammad Hafeez and difficult and the only way of containing the toss and electing to bat, ending their innings Shehzad had no answers, taking only one wicket Shehzad made an excellent start chasing down scoring is to attack and try and get at 369 for five, their highest ever score against between them at the cost of 93 runs. the mammoth total, notching half centuries at a wickets. Pakistan. little over a run a ball. “So we are seeing a far less of those Kane Williamson top-scored with 112, Ross AGGRESSIVE START Shehzad went for 52 dancing down the wick- predictable games where it follows a Taylor finished 102 not out with a boundary off McCullum set the tone for the hosts with a et to attack spinner Nathan McCullum but hol- pattern.” the last ball and opener Martin Guptill also con- typically aggressive cameo of 31 before Guptill ing out to the man on the boundary. It also means there were no clear tributed 76. and Williamson brought up New Zealand’s 100 Younis Khan could only manage 11 as the run favorites this time for Richardson. In contrast, Pakistan medium pacer Bilawal off 18.2 overs. rate steadily crept higher, reaching almost 9.6 at “What is great about this event is that Bhatti recorded the worst bowling figures in the They both cruised to half centuries, with New the half-way mark. Hafeez (86) and dangerman probably for the first time ever, with country’s ODI history, leaking 93 runs off his ten Zealand on 152 at the half-way mark. Williamson Shahid Afridi (11) both went as they lashed out due respect to the other teams, at least overs without taking a wicket. stepped on the gas after Guptill was dismissed trying to lift the pace and when ul-Haq departed six of the teams realistically have a Bhatti was far from the only underperformer for 76, moving from 63 to 100 in the space of on 45 it was all over. —AFP PERTH: Australian Mitch Marsh chance of winning the tournament,” he and captain Misbah ul-Haq said his team needed acknowledges the crowd in this file pho- to make huge improvements for the World Cup. to. —AFP said. SCOREBOARD “That’s never been the case. There “We’re nowhere near our best. We need to improve a lot in virtually everything, we need to tion of the tournament from Feb. 14- have always been one or two really NAPIER, New Zealand: Complete scoreboard in the second and final one-day international between New March 29. strong favourites going into the event. improve our batting and bowling, and especially the death bowling.” Zealand and Pakistan at McLean Park in Napier yesterday: While Ireland stunned Pakistan and Yes there have been surprises from time His New Zealand counterpart Brendon England at the 2007 and 2011 World to time but in this case on their day any New Zealand Y. Khan c Southee b N.McCullum 11 McCullum was thrilled at his side’s form ahead of M. Guptill c Bhatti b Shehzad 76 M. ul-Haq c Taylor b Southee 45 Cups respectively, minnows of the teams can beat any other the tournament, where they are looming as a Afghanistan defeated Bangladesh in team.”—Reuters B.