Sports Thursday, June 6, 2019 15 India fans eager for Kohli & Co to emulate ‘Kapil’s Devils’ at Lord’s AFP Singh Dhoni in 2011 at Mum- SOUTHAMPTON (UNITED KINGDOM) bai’s Wankhede Stadium and are among the fancied sides alongside INDIA fans said they would settle hosts England and Australia. for nothing less than World Cup India are beginning their glory as Virat Kohli’s team began campaign after nearly a week their campaign against South Af- of World Cup action and fans rica at Southampton on Wednes- flocked to Southampton in blue day. shirts, painted faces and colourful Kapil Dev led India to their outfits. first World Cup title in 1983 at “We will follow the team. Lord’s, whipping up a national There is Dhoni, there is Kohli, frenzy that boosted the profile of there is Rohit Sharma. We will cricket in the country. certainly make the semi-finals,” Thirty-six years after “Kapil’s said British-based Rina Singh. Devils” defied heavy odds to beat “India are always a force to two-time champions West Indies, reckon with in World Cups. If we a horde of Indian fans arrived in can get the better of England in Southampton hoping to witness one of the knockouts then we are a successful start to the tourna- there.” ment. Cheered by a sea of blue in “We have heard stories of Ka- Southampton, Kohli said the fans pil lifting the Prudential Cup at could play a key role. Lord’s by our father, now we want “The crowd support will be to witness the feeling,” said Anup massive for us -- lots of people Kumar, an Indian fan who trav- who live here and lots who are elled down from London to see travelling here,” Kohli said after the match. losing the toss. “Kohli can do it for sure,” the All 10 teams will play each 32-year-old banker added. other in the round-robin tour- India last won the 50-over nament to decide the four semi- Indian fans during their team’s match against South Africa at Southampton on Wednesday. (AFP) competition under Mahendra finalists. Oz ready for WI ‘short stuff’ Thriller on the cards today given the super form of both teams Skipper Holder South Africa’s David Miller in action in the backdrop of an empty section of the stands at plays down the Rose Bowl in Southampton, England, on Wednesday. (AFP) Australia rivalry Vaughan REUTERS the game. We didn’t get a full NOTTINGHAM (ENGLAND) allotment. But having said laments that, we’ve got a little bit of WEST Indies captain Jason knowledge about the ground, empty seats Holder is playing down his how the wicket plays.” team’s traditional rivalry with Pakistan beat World Cup AFP Australia ahead of the Cricket favourites and hosts Eng- SOUTHAMPTON (UNITED KINGDOM) World Cup match between land in their second match the sides at Trent Bridge on and Holder is not getting FORMER England captain Thursday. carried away. Michael Vaughan bemoaned West Indies beat Aus- “As I said, it’s a wide-open the number of empty seats tralia in the first World Cup tournament,” he said. “All 10 at the World Cup match be- final in 1975 and although the teams are capable of lifting the tween India and South Africa fortunes of the once all-con- World Cup. That’s why we’re at Southampton on Wednes- quering Caribbean team have here, they’re the 10 best teams day, adding his voice to criti- declined, the history between in the world. cism of the tournament’s the sides should ensure a com- “So I wouldn’t get into the ticketing arrangements. pelling game. games that have been played. There were several banks “It’s always been a great ri- I just want to keep moving of unfilled seats when play valry between West Indies and forward. We’ve got Australia started at 10:30 am local time Australia,” Holder told report- tomorrow, and that’s our next (0930 GMT) with India, one ers on Wednesday. hurdle, and that’s what I want of the best-supported teams in “I think everybody is ex- to focus on. world cricket, in the field. pecting a really good contest. “It’s just a matter of play- “Such a shame there are We’re up for the challenge. I ing good cricket on any given so many empty seats,” said think they’re up for the chal- day. We want to execute in Vaughan, commentating for lenge as well. all three departments. We BBC Radio. “They keep saying “I’m not caught up with the just want to be as positive as it’s sold out but where are the rivalry. It’s a matter for us to we possibly can be. Intent tickets?” go into tomorrow’s game look- is something that we spoke The crowd swelled when In- ing to execute our plans and about in the dressing-room.” dia captain Virat Kohli, arguably beat Australia.” Both teams West Indies have had fit- the biggest star in the game, was Australia’s captain Aaron Finch faces head coach Justin Langer in the nets during a training session at Trent Bridge in Nottingham, England, on won their opening matches of ness concerns over destruc- batting, but there were still no- Wednesday, on the eve of their 2019 Cricket World Cup match against the West Indies. (AFP) the tournament, West Indies tive opening batsman Chris ticeable gaps in the stands. crushing Pakistan by seven Gayle and all-rounder Andre Claire Furlong, the Inter- REUTERS dies is to have various strate- game having won the previous in their second game at Trent wickets at Trent Bridge. Russell. “I think the beauty national Cricket Council’s gen- NOTTINGHAM (ENGLAND) gies on hand to counter bowl- one in 2015. However, Finch Bridge, a venue which saw the “We obviously had one with both of those guys is eral manager of communica- ing attacks as teams could warned against complacency highest one-day international game here before,” Holder they’ve played enough crick- tions, told AFP that the match AUSTRALIA are prepared adjust very quickly in the tour- especially against dangerous score of 481 runs racked up said. “We bowled 22 overs in et,” Holder said. had drawn a capacity crowd of for some hostile short bowl- nament. West Indies opening batsman last year when England beat more than 17,000. ing from West Indies in their “I think if you just stick Chris Gayle who is set to retire Australia. Furlong pointed to the second game at Trent Bridge, to one plan, then teams get at the end of the tournament. Asked about whether that long queues for food outlets captain Aaron Finch said on top of you pretty quickly “I think when you come up particular day was a talking and other attractions on the on Wednesday. or they adjust quick enough,” against someone as dangerous point for some of the Austral- concourses behind the stands West Indies shot Pakistan Finch told reporters during a as Chris, you have to be pre- ian players, Finch downplayed as one reason why not every out for a dismal 105 in their training session. pared, like I said before, that the experience. seat was taken. The length of World Cup opening game last “I think if you over-attack he’s going to hit boundaries,” “I think just before we cricket matches mean it is not week in a devastating spell, and continue to go too short Finch added. turned up to the training yes- uncommon for spectators to exploiting the weakness of the or you continue to go too “So I think it’s important terday, a few boys talked about be out of their seats even when Pakistani batsmen. full, whatever it might be, it’s that you come prepared to take their previous experiences play is in progress. “The match They then wrapped up a about your follow-ups from the contest to him because he here, which obviously haven’t is a 17,200 sell-out. We haven’t seven-wicket victory over the them balls.” definitely does that the other been overly pleasant, but we’re had a turnstile count yet but all 1992 world champions. Australia are chasing a way.” Both teams have won in the home change rooms, day there have been a couple of But Finch said the key to record sixth World Cup win their opening games and are which is a first for everyone, West Indies’ captain Jason Holder (centre) talks to his players during a thousand milling around the beating a resurgent West In- in the 50-over edition of the looking to build momentum which is nice,” he said. training session at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Wednesday. (AFP) concourses,” Furlong said. Inspired Kiwis dismiss Bangladesh for 244 REUTERS SCOREBOARD Henry for 25 and Tamim skied LONDON a simple catch to mid-wicket BANGLADESH: Total: (all out; 49.2 overs) ........................... 244 off Lockie Ferguson for 24. NEW Zealand bowled tightly Tamim Iqbal c Boult b Ferguson ........................ 24 Fall of wickets: 1-45 (Sarkar), 2-60 (Iqbal), 3-110 Shakib and Mushfiqur Soumya Sarkar b Henry ..................................... 25 (Rahim), 4-151 (Shakib), 5-179 (Mithun), 6-197 and fielded with high inten- Shakib Al Hasan c Latham b De Grandhomme . 64 (Mahmudullah), 7-224 (Hossain), 8-235 (Miraz), Rahman added 50 for the sity to restrict Bangladesh to a Mushfiqur Rahim run out ................................... 19 9-244 (Mortaza), 10-244 (Saifuddin) third wicket but the stand modest total of 244 all out in Mohammad Mithun c De Grandhomme b Henry 26 Bowling: Henry 9.2-0-47-4 (1w), Boult 10-0-44-2 ended when Mushfiqur was their Cricket World Cup day- Mahmudullah c Williamson b Santner ..............