Canada captain Ashish Bagai relished "home" support as he led his team to a much-needed World Cup win over fellow minnows Kenya before an array of family and friends in New Delhi.
Bagai, born in the Indian capital, emigrated to Canada with his family as an 11-year-old but still has strong ties with the country of his birth.
His connections were evident on Monday as members of his family cheered vociferously from the stands at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium.
"It was indeed a special win for us as it came in front of the Delhi crowd which wanted us to do well," said Bagai, after the day-night match, which finished in a five-wicket win for Canada.
"I had my entire family present. My grandparents, parents and cousins, about 50 people were cheering us. It was good to have them, it was great!"
Bagai's captain's knock of 64 not out was complemented by Jimmy Hansra, another Indian-born member of the Canadian squad.
Hansra, born in Ludhiana in the northern state of Punjab, hit a sparkling 70 that included seven fours and two sixes as Canada overhauled Kenya's 198 with 27 balls to go.
Bagai said the win would spur his team to perform well in their remaining group matches.
"We are looking to use this as a spark for the second half of the first round. My goal now is to get the batsmen who are performing to be consistent and leave the first round on a high."
The victory was Canada's first in four matches and only the second ever in a World Cup after the 60-run triumph against Bangladesh in the 2003 edition.
Kenya skipper Jimmy Kamande was left to rue missed opportunities.
"I will not hide it. It definitely is the most disappointing of our tournament losses," he said.
"I still believe we should have done much better against Canada. Man to man, they were not as strong as our previous opponents, so the loss is hurting now."
Kenya next take on holders Australia on March 13 and Kamande said his side would draw positives from the Canada game.
"If we analyse the whole game, we were at 57 for five and from there on, to reach 198 was a good recovery."
"We go to Bangalore to play the Aussies. Whatever we did against Canada, we hope to build on that. We have to improve on each and every aspect of the game and give it our best shot."
Showing posts with label cricket headlines 08 March 2011 latest cricket news. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cricket headlines 08 March 2011 latest cricket news. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
England have little to fear in Chittagong
England will not expect to encounter cricket's equivalent of the historic Chittagong Uprising when they clash with Bangladesh in the World Cup on Friday.
It was in this port city in 1930 that the Indian war of independence gained momentum when a group of revolutionaries launched armed attacks on British facilities in what came to be known as the Chittagong Uprising.
The only backlash England will encounter is from rattled opponents who need to win the crucial group B match to stay in contention for a place in the quarter-finals.
Andrew Strauss's men, who arrived in town on Monday escorted by armed guards, will relish their return to the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium on the outskirts of Chittagong.
England won both the solitary Test match and one-day international they have played in the stadium, which took over from the MA Aziz ground as Chittagong's international venue in 2006.
On the tour of Bangladesh last March, England cruised to a 45-run victory in the one-day international with Craig Kieswetter smashing a century and seamer Tim Bresnan finishing with 4-28.
In the subsequent Test match, England romped home by a massive 181 runs with off-spinner Graeme Swann claiming five wickets in each innings.
Chittagong, a bustling city with a population of around three million, is decked out to honour World Cup teams from England and the Netherlands, who play the hosts on March 14.
Walls and road markers have been freshly painted, billboards have sprung up to welcome the cricketers and streets are lined with light decorations.
Even taxis and buses have been painted with slogans exhorting Bangladesh cricketers to defeat their opponents.
Cricket fever has gripped Chittagong despite the national team's lacklustre display so far and sell-out crowds are expected to watch the two matches at the refurbished 18,000-capacity stadium.
Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal, who hails from Chittagong, said he looked forward to playing in his home town.
"I love playing here, playing in front of friends and family," the swashbuckling batsman said. "There is no extra pressure, I just want to do well in a World Cup match in my own city."
"The tournament being played here is a very big deal for me and everyone who lives here. The World Cup will take Chittagong to the next level. I am very happy for the city."
Tamim hoped there would be no repeat of the unsavoury incidents in Dhaka after Bangladesh crashed to their lowest one-day total of 58 against the West Indies last Friday.
The West Indies and Bangladesh team buses were stoned by angry fans and skipper Shakib Al Hasan's home in Magura town was also attacked.
"My request to the public is that they should not do such silly things," said Tamim. "We win one day, we lose one day, these things happen in cricket."
"Fans need to support us in good and bad times."
It was in this port city in 1930 that the Indian war of independence gained momentum when a group of revolutionaries launched armed attacks on British facilities in what came to be known as the Chittagong Uprising.
The only backlash England will encounter is from rattled opponents who need to win the crucial group B match to stay in contention for a place in the quarter-finals.
Andrew Strauss's men, who arrived in town on Monday escorted by armed guards, will relish their return to the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium on the outskirts of Chittagong.
England won both the solitary Test match and one-day international they have played in the stadium, which took over from the MA Aziz ground as Chittagong's international venue in 2006.
On the tour of Bangladesh last March, England cruised to a 45-run victory in the one-day international with Craig Kieswetter smashing a century and seamer Tim Bresnan finishing with 4-28.
In the subsequent Test match, England romped home by a massive 181 runs with off-spinner Graeme Swann claiming five wickets in each innings.
Chittagong, a bustling city with a population of around three million, is decked out to honour World Cup teams from England and the Netherlands, who play the hosts on March 14.
Walls and road markers have been freshly painted, billboards have sprung up to welcome the cricketers and streets are lined with light decorations.
Even taxis and buses have been painted with slogans exhorting Bangladesh cricketers to defeat their opponents.
Cricket fever has gripped Chittagong despite the national team's lacklustre display so far and sell-out crowds are expected to watch the two matches at the refurbished 18,000-capacity stadium.
Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal, who hails from Chittagong, said he looked forward to playing in his home town.
"I love playing here, playing in front of friends and family," the swashbuckling batsman said. "There is no extra pressure, I just want to do well in a World Cup match in my own city."
"The tournament being played here is a very big deal for me and everyone who lives here. The World Cup will take Chittagong to the next level. I am very happy for the city."
Tamim hoped there would be no repeat of the unsavoury incidents in Dhaka after Bangladesh crashed to their lowest one-day total of 58 against the West Indies last Friday.
The West Indies and Bangladesh team buses were stoned by angry fans and skipper Shakib Al Hasan's home in Magura town was also attacked.
"My request to the public is that they should not do such silly things," said Tamim. "We win one day, we lose one day, these things happen in cricket."
"Fans need to support us in good and bad times."
Dhoni wants easy ride against Dutch
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni wants to have an easy game against the Netherlands on Wednesday after surviving some anxious moments at the World Cup.
The Indians cantered to an 87-run victory against Bangladesh followed by a high-scoring tie with England and a tense five-wicket victory over upstarts Ireland.
"It has been a good start for us so far," Dhoni told reporters Tuesday ahead of the clash against the Dutch at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.
"We saw a tight game, a close game and a good one. We are now looking forward to an easy game against the Netherlands."
"We want to make the most of this game and especially in the departments where we want to see an improvement. We should not really be thinking about the result but the process, what are the things we want to get out of it."
Dhoni accepted that the bowling had not been up to the mark but backed his under-fire attack to come good as the tournament progressed.
"We would like to improve a bit in our bowling especially when a batsman sets in, how to put pressure on that particular batsman and push him into playing a big shot and get him out."
"I don't mind who is taking the wickets as long as the team is winning. To target a particular bowler is difficult. Bowlers are also under pressure as there has been a lot of talk about it.
"But they are showing signs of improvement and I am hopeful they will peak at the right time."
Dhoni said all-rounder Yuvraj Singh's form with the ball was a bonus for the side as that afforded the luxury to play an extra batsman.
"I am a big fan of Yuvraj. He bats at number four or five. He can play aggressively or be defensive if the situations so demands."
"He is a big asset to the team. He also has to fill in the job of the fifth bowler which he has done brilliantly till now."
The burly left-hander excelled as a part-time spinner, taking 5-31 against Ireland before making an unbeaten 50 under pressure to become the first player to achieve the double feat in the World Cup.
Dhoni replied cheekily when asked about the controversial umpire decision review system.
"Many times we have just taken the DRS for the heck of it before the 50 overs run out to see what happens. We don't mind using them instead of taking it back unused to the dressing room."
The Indians cantered to an 87-run victory against Bangladesh followed by a high-scoring tie with England and a tense five-wicket victory over upstarts Ireland.
"It has been a good start for us so far," Dhoni told reporters Tuesday ahead of the clash against the Dutch at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.
"We saw a tight game, a close game and a good one. We are now looking forward to an easy game against the Netherlands."
"We want to make the most of this game and especially in the departments where we want to see an improvement. We should not really be thinking about the result but the process, what are the things we want to get out of it."
Dhoni accepted that the bowling had not been up to the mark but backed his under-fire attack to come good as the tournament progressed.
"We would like to improve a bit in our bowling especially when a batsman sets in, how to put pressure on that particular batsman and push him into playing a big shot and get him out."
"I don't mind who is taking the wickets as long as the team is winning. To target a particular bowler is difficult. Bowlers are also under pressure as there has been a lot of talk about it.
"But they are showing signs of improvement and I am hopeful they will peak at the right time."
Dhoni said all-rounder Yuvraj Singh's form with the ball was a bonus for the side as that afforded the luxury to play an extra batsman.
"I am a big fan of Yuvraj. He bats at number four or five. He can play aggressively or be defensive if the situations so demands."
"He is a big asset to the team. He also has to fill in the job of the fifth bowler which he has done brilliantly till now."
The burly left-hander excelled as a part-time spinner, taking 5-31 against Ireland before making an unbeaten 50 under pressure to become the first player to achieve the double feat in the World Cup.
Dhoni replied cheekily when asked about the controversial umpire decision review system.
"Many times we have just taken the DRS for the heck of it before the 50 overs run out to see what happens. We don't mind using them instead of taking it back unused to the dressing room."
Stand-in skipper Taylor savours New Zealand win
Stand-in skipper Ross Taylor Tuesday said New Zealand would savour their first win of the 2011 World Cup over a Test nation after his batting blitz helped down Pakistan.
Taylor celebrated his 27th birthday by smashing 131 in 124 balls with a whopping seven sixes to take his side to a total of 302-7 in their 50 overs at the Pallekele stadium.
He was helped out by Nathan McCullum, who hit 19 in just 10 balls, and Jacob Oram, who hit 25 in nine balls, including three sixes, off a shell-shocked Pakistan attack.
Pakistan never looked like getting the runs after slumping to 66-6 and were eventually all out for 192, losing by 110 runs.
Taylor, captaining in place of Daniel Vettori, who had to leave the field after hurting his knee, praised his bowlers for destroying Pakistan's top order.
When asked what was said in the dressing room between innings, Taylor said: "I think we didn't want to be complacent. We thought that it was probably only a par total.
"I think it probably nipped around a little bit with the dew and the way that Abdul Razzaq (62) came out and batted very well our bowlers couldn't quite hold onto the ball at the end there, but we're pleased with the result."
Man-of-the-match Taylor said he had struggled early in his innings but McCullum and Oram had showed him the way.
"The way that Nathan came in and then Jake came in it almost showed me the way to play and just back myself and a few came out of the middle, so I was pretty happy," he said.
Before he had even opened his account, Taylor received a huge let-off when an edge flew between wicket-keeper and first slip, and the same over 'keeper Kamran Akmal put down a straightforward chance when he was on eight.
"I had a bit of luck early on which I put down to my birthday but towards the end there I hit a few boundaries which was pretty sweet," said Taylor.
Towards the end of his innings Taylor signalled for a new bat and he revealed the one he had been using had suffered damage before the match.
"I cracked it in the nets a couple of days ago. It seemed to go OK today but hopefully the new one can be just as good," he said.
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said his side, which previously had a 100 percent record in the competition, had under-performed.
"I don't have any excuse. I know we didn't bowl well, we didn't field well, we missed opportunities and I think the fielding is the area where you can easily win a lot of games."
He said Taylor had benefited from being given a chance early in his innings, calling for his team to be more focused.
"I'm totally confident of my team and confident in myself that we're not going to repeat this performance," he said.
"I think we should be more focused on what we did wrong in this game so we should learn from these things."
Taylor celebrated his 27th birthday by smashing 131 in 124 balls with a whopping seven sixes to take his side to a total of 302-7 in their 50 overs at the Pallekele stadium.
He was helped out by Nathan McCullum, who hit 19 in just 10 balls, and Jacob Oram, who hit 25 in nine balls, including three sixes, off a shell-shocked Pakistan attack.
Pakistan never looked like getting the runs after slumping to 66-6 and were eventually all out for 192, losing by 110 runs.
Taylor, captaining in place of Daniel Vettori, who had to leave the field after hurting his knee, praised his bowlers for destroying Pakistan's top order.
When asked what was said in the dressing room between innings, Taylor said: "I think we didn't want to be complacent. We thought that it was probably only a par total.
"I think it probably nipped around a little bit with the dew and the way that Abdul Razzaq (62) came out and batted very well our bowlers couldn't quite hold onto the ball at the end there, but we're pleased with the result."
Man-of-the-match Taylor said he had struggled early in his innings but McCullum and Oram had showed him the way.
"The way that Nathan came in and then Jake came in it almost showed me the way to play and just back myself and a few came out of the middle, so I was pretty happy," he said.
Before he had even opened his account, Taylor received a huge let-off when an edge flew between wicket-keeper and first slip, and the same over 'keeper Kamran Akmal put down a straightforward chance when he was on eight.
"I had a bit of luck early on which I put down to my birthday but towards the end there I hit a few boundaries which was pretty sweet," said Taylor.
Towards the end of his innings Taylor signalled for a new bat and he revealed the one he had been using had suffered damage before the match.
"I cracked it in the nets a couple of days ago. It seemed to go OK today but hopefully the new one can be just as good," he said.
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said his side, which previously had a 100 percent record in the competition, had under-performed.
"I don't have any excuse. I know we didn't bowl well, we didn't field well, we missed opportunities and I think the fielding is the area where you can easily win a lot of games."
He said Taylor had benefited from being given a chance early in his innings, calling for his team to be more focused.
"I'm totally confident of my team and confident in myself that we're not going to repeat this performance," he said.
"I think we should be more focused on what we did wrong in this game so we should learn from these things."
England seek new openings after Pietersen exit
Resurgent England need to find a new opening partnership for Friday's World Cup clash against Bangladesh after Kevin Pietersen's exit, but coach Andy Flower isn't giving the game away.
Flower declined to reveal skipper Andrew Strauss' new opening partner, hinting there could be a different choice for each game depending on the conditions.
"It does not have to be the same man for the rest of the tournament," the coach said.
"You need different qualities to open the batting against Bangladesh than you do against Australia. We are going to have to be flexible."
"We're not going to let you or the opposition know who it's going to be, but we've got a clear idea of who we want for the game against Bangladesh."
The choice is likely to be limited to Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara or wicket-keeper Matt Prior, who are all essentially middle-order batsmen but capable of having a hit at the start.
Bell is an accomplished batsman and Bopara scored a man-of-the-match winning 60 against South Africa, but it could be the hard-hitting Prior who opens the innings against Bangladesh.
Flower's dilemma for Friday's Group B clash against Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium in Chittagong was brought into sharp focus with the loss of Pietersen as they move towards securing a place in the quarter-finals.
Pietersen will miss the rest of the tournament to undergo a hernia operation.
England, who have five points from four games, need a win against the co-hosts or in their last league match against the West Indies in Chennai on March 17 to enter the knock-out rounds.
The free-stroking Pietersen had revelled as Strauss' opening partner, contributing stands of 105, 68 and 91 in the first three matches.
The only time the duo failed together was on Sunday against South Africa when left-arm spinner Robin Peterson, given first use of the new ball, dismissed Strauss third ball and Pietersen off the sixth.
The chaotic start did not prove costly as England, restricted to 171, hit back to bowl out the Proteas for 165 on a turning wicket in Chennai.
Pietersen has been replaced by former Irish batsman Eion Morgan, who is expected to arrive in the port city later on Tuesday, a rest day for the entire squad.
Left-handed Morgan, 24, was in the original 15-man squad before he was withdrawn due to a finger injury and replaced by Bopara.
The pressure on Friday will be entirely on the hosts, who need a win to stay in contention for the quarter-finals.
Bangladesh, who crashed to their lowest total of 58 in the last game against the West Indies, have just one win from three matches and are languishing in sixth place in the seven-team group.
Flower declined to reveal skipper Andrew Strauss' new opening partner, hinting there could be a different choice for each game depending on the conditions.
"It does not have to be the same man for the rest of the tournament," the coach said.
"You need different qualities to open the batting against Bangladesh than you do against Australia. We are going to have to be flexible."
"We're not going to let you or the opposition know who it's going to be, but we've got a clear idea of who we want for the game against Bangladesh."
The choice is likely to be limited to Ian Bell, Ravi Bopara or wicket-keeper Matt Prior, who are all essentially middle-order batsmen but capable of having a hit at the start.
Bell is an accomplished batsman and Bopara scored a man-of-the-match winning 60 against South Africa, but it could be the hard-hitting Prior who opens the innings against Bangladesh.
Flower's dilemma for Friday's Group B clash against Bangladesh at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury stadium in Chittagong was brought into sharp focus with the loss of Pietersen as they move towards securing a place in the quarter-finals.
Pietersen will miss the rest of the tournament to undergo a hernia operation.
England, who have five points from four games, need a win against the co-hosts or in their last league match against the West Indies in Chennai on March 17 to enter the knock-out rounds.
The free-stroking Pietersen had revelled as Strauss' opening partner, contributing stands of 105, 68 and 91 in the first three matches.
The only time the duo failed together was on Sunday against South Africa when left-arm spinner Robin Peterson, given first use of the new ball, dismissed Strauss third ball and Pietersen off the sixth.
The chaotic start did not prove costly as England, restricted to 171, hit back to bowl out the Proteas for 165 on a turning wicket in Chennai.
Pietersen has been replaced by former Irish batsman Eion Morgan, who is expected to arrive in the port city later on Tuesday, a rest day for the entire squad.
Left-handed Morgan, 24, was in the original 15-man squad before he was withdrawn due to a finger injury and replaced by Bopara.
The pressure on Friday will be entirely on the hosts, who need a win to stay in contention for the quarter-finals.
Bangladesh, who crashed to their lowest total of 58 in the last game against the West Indies, have just one win from three matches and are languishing in sixth place in the seven-team group.
Kenya's Mishra enjoys passage to India
Tanmay Mishra has only faint memories of his family packing their bags and leaving Mumbai for Kenya in the early 1990s but cricket and education ensured the tie with India was never really severed.
Mumbai has served a dual purpose for Mishra. In Sachin Tendulkar, the city's favourite son, Mishra found a role model. He also attended college in India's financial capital to gain a management degree which should come in handy in the future.
After Monday's half-century against Canada, albeit for a losing cause, the 24-year-old Kenyan middle order batsman has all the more reason to ponder how kind India has been to him.
"My family migrated in the early 1990s, dad has got a business there, but our initial upbringing was in Mumbai," Mishra told Reuters in an interview before the match.
"I was 5-6 years (old) then. I remember I was very fluent in Marathi, even mom says so. I still understand it but that's it," he said it, corking and uncorking an energy drink bottle absent-mindedly at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.
"I did come back for my business management course in a Mumbai college, then went back to Kenya and started working hard on my game."
Not surprisingly, Mishra looks up to a Mumbaikar for inspiration.
"Obviously I grew up idolising Sachin, like so many others. Everyone likes him," he said.
"Among the Kenyan players, it had to be Steve Tikolo, one of the best cricketers (to come out from non-test playing nations).
"I also like to watch (Virender) Sehwag, who is so explosive. Sachin and Sehwag are the players I like to watch batting."
Sehwag was considered a Tendulkar clone early in his career but Mishra said he only drew inspiration from the Indian stalwart and never tried to ape him.
"I didn't try to model my batting on someone. You can watch someone and imbibe them but at the end of the day you got to be yourself. Everyone has their own ability and strength. I trusted mine."
Mishra is somewhat sad that Kenya would not get to play India in the group stage and they are not expected to proceed further.
"When you come to this part of the world, you expect to play against teams like India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh. It does not get bigger than this."
"We did play Sri Lanka and got an idea. We would have liked to play India but we have to wait I guess."
Mumbai has served a dual purpose for Mishra. In Sachin Tendulkar, the city's favourite son, Mishra found a role model. He also attended college in India's financial capital to gain a management degree which should come in handy in the future.
After Monday's half-century against Canada, albeit for a losing cause, the 24-year-old Kenyan middle order batsman has all the more reason to ponder how kind India has been to him.
"My family migrated in the early 1990s, dad has got a business there, but our initial upbringing was in Mumbai," Mishra told Reuters in an interview before the match.
"I was 5-6 years (old) then. I remember I was very fluent in Marathi, even mom says so. I still understand it but that's it," he said it, corking and uncorking an energy drink bottle absent-mindedly at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium.
"I did come back for my business management course in a Mumbai college, then went back to Kenya and started working hard on my game."
Not surprisingly, Mishra looks up to a Mumbaikar for inspiration.
"Obviously I grew up idolising Sachin, like so many others. Everyone likes him," he said.
"Among the Kenyan players, it had to be Steve Tikolo, one of the best cricketers (to come out from non-test playing nations).
"I also like to watch (Virender) Sehwag, who is so explosive. Sachin and Sehwag are the players I like to watch batting."
Sehwag was considered a Tendulkar clone early in his career but Mishra said he only drew inspiration from the Indian stalwart and never tried to ape him.
"I didn't try to model my batting on someone. You can watch someone and imbibe them but at the end of the day you got to be yourself. Everyone has their own ability and strength. I trusted mine."
Mishra is somewhat sad that Kenya would not get to play India in the group stage and they are not expected to proceed further.
"When you come to this part of the world, you expect to play against teams like India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh. It does not get bigger than this."
"We did play Sri Lanka and got an idea. We would have liked to play India but we have to wait I guess."
I feel like a bowling all-rounder now: Afridi
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi, who is the leading wicket-taker in the ongoing World Cup with 14 wickets, on Monday said his success as a bowler has a lot to do with his changed mindset.
"There is no magic involved in my bowling now it is just that I have now started seeing myself as a bowling all-rounder rather than a batting all-rounder. I am now paying a lot of attention to my bowling since last year and I have worked hard on it and that is why it is getting me results now," Afridi said.
Afridi said the favourable conditions in Sri Lanka, where Pakistan are playing their home matches, have also contributed to his success.
"The pitches are slow but give grip to the wrist spinners and the odd ball tends to jump up from a good length and that is what makes batsmen unsure about what to do next."
Afridi said he had always carried a lot of pressure on himself as a batsman and at times ignored his bowling capabilities.
"But now I am giving a lot of time to my bowling and I am practicing a lot in the nets even when I was not playing I kept on bowling in the nets to gain accuracy and confidence."
Afridi, who scored two centuries in the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka last year, admitted he was not happy with his own batting form.
"But I try to now look at a role where I come in final few overs and get quick runs for the team that is what I am best at doing."
Afridi said the biggest honour for him was to lead the team in the World Cup.
"It is a dream come true for me and now one dream remains and that is to win the tournament for my people. The Pakistani nation has been through lot of rough times recently and everyday you just hear distressing news from our country that is why I desperately want to win this World Cup and give some joy to our people who deserve to celebrate something and be happy and proud with our performances."
Afridi said there is unity in the team and that will help them do well in the mega event. "In the past the captain was always under fire if he lost he was held responsible and if he won he took the credit but this time I have told the players that we are playing as a unit and if we perform badly we all take responsibility for it and if we do well we all take credit for it."
"Captaincy has never been an easy job in Pakistan cricket but it is something that drives me and I feel good when I see our players gelling together and performing as a unit. I am confident this will get us through this tournament," he said.
"There is no magic involved in my bowling now it is just that I have now started seeing myself as a bowling all-rounder rather than a batting all-rounder. I am now paying a lot of attention to my bowling since last year and I have worked hard on it and that is why it is getting me results now," Afridi said.
Afridi said the favourable conditions in Sri Lanka, where Pakistan are playing their home matches, have also contributed to his success.
"The pitches are slow but give grip to the wrist spinners and the odd ball tends to jump up from a good length and that is what makes batsmen unsure about what to do next."
Afridi said he had always carried a lot of pressure on himself as a batsman and at times ignored his bowling capabilities.
"But now I am giving a lot of time to my bowling and I am practicing a lot in the nets even when I was not playing I kept on bowling in the nets to gain accuracy and confidence."
Afridi, who scored two centuries in the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka last year, admitted he was not happy with his own batting form.
"But I try to now look at a role where I come in final few overs and get quick runs for the team that is what I am best at doing."
Afridi said the biggest honour for him was to lead the team in the World Cup.
"It is a dream come true for me and now one dream remains and that is to win the tournament for my people. The Pakistani nation has been through lot of rough times recently and everyday you just hear distressing news from our country that is why I desperately want to win this World Cup and give some joy to our people who deserve to celebrate something and be happy and proud with our performances."
Afridi said there is unity in the team and that will help them do well in the mega event. "In the past the captain was always under fire if he lost he was held responsible and if he won he took the credit but this time I have told the players that we are playing as a unit and if we perform badly we all take responsibility for it and if we do well we all take credit for it."
"Captaincy has never been an easy job in Pakistan cricket but it is something that drives me and I feel good when I see our players gelling together and performing as a unit. I am confident this will get us through this tournament," he said.
Dutch skipper cooks far-fetched recipe to upset India
Dutch captain Peter Borren has conceived an intriguing recipe to upstage India on Wednesday which requires borrowing Ireland's discipline, backing it with home-grown talent and then leaving it to the game's vagaries.
On paper, the World Cup Group B contest looks a mis-match featuring tournament favourites India and a Dutch squad, which is essentially made up of a handful of professionals and a host of amateurs trying to make an impact in one-day cricket's biggest stage.
Borren said his men were capable of pulling off an upset as they had come close to beating England earlier in the tournament.
"We will take inspiration from the Irish side which has secured a win (against England) in this tournament... Ireland are a very disciplined side. Hope we can learn something from them," he said.
"We need to bowl a disciplined line and do some extraordinary catching and fielding. Cricket is a funny game and our talented team is capable of creating an upset."
"We are looking to get wins here and we need to be at our very best tomorrow. (Fellow non-test playing nations) Ireland and Canada have managed a win in the event and now we are looking to have one under our belt."
On paper, the World Cup Group B contest looks a mis-match featuring tournament favourites India and a Dutch squad, which is essentially made up of a handful of professionals and a host of amateurs trying to make an impact in one-day cricket's biggest stage.
Borren said his men were capable of pulling off an upset as they had come close to beating England earlier in the tournament.
"We will take inspiration from the Irish side which has secured a win (against England) in this tournament... Ireland are a very disciplined side. Hope we can learn something from them," he said.
"We need to bowl a disciplined line and do some extraordinary catching and fielding. Cricket is a funny game and our talented team is capable of creating an upset."
"We are looking to get wins here and we need to be at our very best tomorrow. (Fellow non-test playing nations) Ireland and Canada have managed a win in the event and now we are looking to have one under our belt."
Flower surprised over Pietersen's departure from World Cup
England head coach Andy Flower has expressed surprise at Kevin Pietersen's departure from the World Cup with a hernia injury only 48 hours after the team's medical staff had cleared him to play.
Pietersen is expected to undergo surgery next week to repair the hernia and will be out of action for at least six weeks. He wrote on Twitter on Monday that he was "absolutely devastated".
The England batsman complained of pain after the six-run victory over South Africa on Sunday, and said he could not continue playing.
"The medical advice was that this hernia problem Kevin's got wouldn't get significantly worse and he was at no risk of damaging himself further, therefore it was a pain management situation," said Flower.
"Kevin says it has got worse, pain-wise, and he can't carry on playing like this. So it was a pretty simple decision to replace him," The Telegraph quoted him, as saying.
"He's had this problem for weeks. We have been managing it for a number of weeks. The very clear medical advice was that he wasn't going to tear it or damage it permanently by playing on. After playing against South Africa, his feeling was it was too sore to play international cricket," Flower added.
Asked if he thought Pietersen could play through the pain, Flower replied: "I empathise with anyone with a serious injury. You never know exactly what they're feeling, so you've got to listen to what they're saying. Of course we're disappointed to lose him. He's a world-class player."
Pietersen has denied recent reports that he will retire from 50-over cricket at the end of this World Cup but this injury casts doubt on his future in this form of the game.
Pietersen is expected to undergo surgery next week to repair the hernia and will be out of action for at least six weeks. He wrote on Twitter on Monday that he was "absolutely devastated".
The England batsman complained of pain after the six-run victory over South Africa on Sunday, and said he could not continue playing.
"The medical advice was that this hernia problem Kevin's got wouldn't get significantly worse and he was at no risk of damaging himself further, therefore it was a pain management situation," said Flower.
"Kevin says it has got worse, pain-wise, and he can't carry on playing like this. So it was a pretty simple decision to replace him," The Telegraph quoted him, as saying.
"He's had this problem for weeks. We have been managing it for a number of weeks. The very clear medical advice was that he wasn't going to tear it or damage it permanently by playing on. After playing against South Africa, his feeling was it was too sore to play international cricket," Flower added.
Asked if he thought Pietersen could play through the pain, Flower replied: "I empathise with anyone with a serious injury. You never know exactly what they're feeling, so you've got to listen to what they're saying. Of course we're disappointed to lose him. He's a world-class player."
Pietersen has denied recent reports that he will retire from 50-over cricket at the end of this World Cup but this injury casts doubt on his future in this form of the game.
Injured Stuart Broad out of World Cup
England fast bowler Stuart Broad has been ruled out of the rest of the World Cup due to a side strain, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Tuesday.
Broad, 24, will join teammate Kevin Pietersen on the sidelines after picking up the injury during his four-wicket haul in England's six-run win over South Africa in Chennai on Sunday.
Seamer Chris Tremlett is expected to replace Broad, but the ECB will need to apply to the World Cup technical committee first.
The ECB said Broad will leave Chittagong for home in the next 48 hours for further assessment that will "determine his recovery and rehabilitation timescale".
The ECB's chief medical officer Nick Peirce said the side strain was a new problem for Broad, who suffered an abdominal injury during the recent Ashes tour of Australia which caused him to miss the last three Tests.
"Stuart felt some discomfort following the South Africa match and our initial assessment indicated a strain to his left side," Peirce said in the ECB statement.
"Subsequent scans have confirmed a significant side strain injury - where the muscle attaches the rib - that will rule him out of the remainder of the World Cup."
"This is a new injury, separate from the abdominal tear suffered during the Ashes, that requires a period of recuperation and rehabilitation and the duration of this recovery period will be determined following further assessment in the UK."
It is the second injury blow for England inside 24 hours after star batsman Pietersen left for home to undergo a hernia operation.
Pietersen will be replaced by Eoin Morgan.
Broad, 24, will join teammate Kevin Pietersen on the sidelines after picking up the injury during his four-wicket haul in England's six-run win over South Africa in Chennai on Sunday.
Seamer Chris Tremlett is expected to replace Broad, but the ECB will need to apply to the World Cup technical committee first.
The ECB said Broad will leave Chittagong for home in the next 48 hours for further assessment that will "determine his recovery and rehabilitation timescale".
The ECB's chief medical officer Nick Peirce said the side strain was a new problem for Broad, who suffered an abdominal injury during the recent Ashes tour of Australia which caused him to miss the last three Tests.
"Stuart felt some discomfort following the South Africa match and our initial assessment indicated a strain to his left side," Peirce said in the ECB statement.
"Subsequent scans have confirmed a significant side strain injury - where the muscle attaches the rib - that will rule him out of the remainder of the World Cup."
"This is a new injury, separate from the abdominal tear suffered during the Ashes, that requires a period of recuperation and rehabilitation and the duration of this recovery period will be determined following further assessment in the UK."
It is the second injury blow for England inside 24 hours after star batsman Pietersen left for home to undergo a hernia operation.
Pietersen will be replaced by Eoin Morgan.
Pakistan on brink of World Cup quarter-finals
Pakistan came into the World Cup besieged by a corruption scandal and doubts over Shahid Afridi's captaincy but they now stand on the verge of the last eight with the tournament's only perfect record.
Inspired by Afridi, who has led from the front with a tournament-high 14 wickets, Pakistan sit on top of Group A with six points after wins over Kenya, Sri Lanka and Canada.
Now they face New Zealand in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, on Tuesday, who are in fourth place in the group with two wins.
Pakistan started their World Cup bid under a cloud after former Test captain Salman Butt and pacemen Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer received lengthy bans on charges of corruption relating to last year's Lord's Test against England.
But they have regrouped and Afridi, who is also known for his devastating hitting, has turned the side into genuine contenders for their first World title since 1992.
Amid the focus on the 31-year-old, Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq urged his team-mates to take the pressure off Afridi, who took 5-16 against Kenya and followed up with four wickets against Sri Lanka and five against Canada.
"It's really very good for a team that its captain is doing well, but other players are also required to play well, take responsibility and ease pressure off the captain," said Misbah.
Misbah said Afridi has led from the front in the tournament.
"I think in all conditions, especially here, Afridi is a difficult bowler to handle, he has got variation and doesn't give the batsmen time. With that kind of aggression he has led from the front," he added.
Misbah said Pakistan's recent one-day series win over New Zealand would count for nothing.
"We have done well against them in World Cups and in the recent series there but that win will count for nothing as it's a new game at a new place," said Misbah, of Pakistan's 3-2 win in New Zealand last month.
Pakistan are set to bring in paceman Shoaib Akhtar after resting him for the previous match against Canada, while left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman is also available after missing that game due to a leg muscle injury.
New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori said he was aware of how good Pakistan's bowling attack could be.
"They can probably defend any score because of the nature of their bowlers. They bring a lot to the table," he said.
New Zealand, who lost to Australia by seven wickets but eased past Kenya and Zimbabwe by 10 wickets in each game, have four points after three matches.
"It's a matter of stepping up against the harder teams," said Vettori, whose country has lost six World Cup matches against Pakistan since winning their first in 1983.
The hill town of Kandy has suffered from persistent rains and the only international match here, a Test between Sri Lanka and the West Indies in December, was drawn without a single innings completed in five days.
The warm-up matches before the World Cup were also moved because of bad weather.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has criticised Bangladeshi fans for stoning the West Indies team bus after the home side was humiliated against the Caribbean side, in an apparent case of mistaken identity.
The attack on the West Indies bus was "undesirable" and such behaviour could affect Bangladesh's chances of hosting further major events, Hasina told a political rally late Monday.
The Prime Minister urged fans to be patient after any home defeat, saying it was "not acceptable that you will garland the players if they win and pelt them with stones if they lose," she said.
Inspired by Afridi, who has led from the front with a tournament-high 14 wickets, Pakistan sit on top of Group A with six points after wins over Kenya, Sri Lanka and Canada.
Now they face New Zealand in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, on Tuesday, who are in fourth place in the group with two wins.
Pakistan started their World Cup bid under a cloud after former Test captain Salman Butt and pacemen Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer received lengthy bans on charges of corruption relating to last year's Lord's Test against England.
But they have regrouped and Afridi, who is also known for his devastating hitting, has turned the side into genuine contenders for their first World title since 1992.
Amid the focus on the 31-year-old, Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq urged his team-mates to take the pressure off Afridi, who took 5-16 against Kenya and followed up with four wickets against Sri Lanka and five against Canada.
"It's really very good for a team that its captain is doing well, but other players are also required to play well, take responsibility and ease pressure off the captain," said Misbah.
Misbah said Afridi has led from the front in the tournament.
"I think in all conditions, especially here, Afridi is a difficult bowler to handle, he has got variation and doesn't give the batsmen time. With that kind of aggression he has led from the front," he added.
Misbah said Pakistan's recent one-day series win over New Zealand would count for nothing.
"We have done well against them in World Cups and in the recent series there but that win will count for nothing as it's a new game at a new place," said Misbah, of Pakistan's 3-2 win in New Zealand last month.
Pakistan are set to bring in paceman Shoaib Akhtar after resting him for the previous match against Canada, while left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman is also available after missing that game due to a leg muscle injury.
New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori said he was aware of how good Pakistan's bowling attack could be.
"They can probably defend any score because of the nature of their bowlers. They bring a lot to the table," he said.
New Zealand, who lost to Australia by seven wickets but eased past Kenya and Zimbabwe by 10 wickets in each game, have four points after three matches.
"It's a matter of stepping up against the harder teams," said Vettori, whose country has lost six World Cup matches against Pakistan since winning their first in 1983.
The hill town of Kandy has suffered from persistent rains and the only international match here, a Test between Sri Lanka and the West Indies in December, was drawn without a single innings completed in five days.
The warm-up matches before the World Cup were also moved because of bad weather.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has criticised Bangladeshi fans for stoning the West Indies team bus after the home side was humiliated against the Caribbean side, in an apparent case of mistaken identity.
The attack on the West Indies bus was "undesirable" and such behaviour could affect Bangladesh's chances of hosting further major events, Hasina told a political rally late Monday.
The Prime Minister urged fans to be patient after any home defeat, saying it was "not acceptable that you will garland the players if they win and pelt them with stones if they lose," she said.
India eye Dutch feast on way to quarters
India will look to wrap up a convincing victory over rock-bottom Netherlands in the World Cup on Wednesday and virtually make sure of their quarter-final berth.
India are the only team who have yet to taste defeat in their group and that record is unlikely to be broken against the under-performing Dutch who have still to register a win.
The host nation are on top of Group B with five points. England have as many points but have played a game more and have a worse run rate while West Indies and South Africa have four points each.
But thanks to some topsy-turvy results in the group and the tied game against England, India are technically not assured of a place in the last eight as yet.
A strong performance against the Dutch will not only give India a strong net run rate but also pave their way to the knockout round.
The only weak link for the Indians has been their bowling which has been exposed time and again.
India's frontline bowlers failed to find much success against a spirited Ireland and had it not been for a five-wicket haul by part-time spinner Yuvraj Singh, they could have been in trouble.
Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, however, tried to play down the indifferent form of his bowlers.
"We are showing signs of improvement, which is good," he said.
"I feel it's important to peak at the right time because it's a long tournament so definitely what we have seen is slow and gradual improvement on the bowling side."
Yuvraj's show with the ball might tempt Dhoni to leave out an off-colour leg-spinner Piyush Chawla and bring in attacking off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
Former Australian Test batsman Mark Waugh said India's strong batting compensated for their lack of specialist bowling options.
Writing in the Times of India, he said: "The batsmen compensate their bowling arsenal and on paper, under these conditions, they possess one of the best batting line-ups in the tournament."
"India do have the option of going in with five bowlers in place of the four that they usually prefer. I do not, however, think that is necessarily the right way to go about it because Yuvraj Singh can do a good job as a fifth bowler and bowl his quota," he added.
The home side are unlikely to be tested against the Netherlands, who ran England close in their opener, thanks to a sparkling 119 from Ryan ten Doeschate, but have since struggled.
The Dutch scored an impressive 292 against England but slumped to a huge 215-run defeat to the West Indies and lost by 231 runs against South Africa.
Skipper Peter Borren said Wednesday's game at New Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla stadium would be a tough proposition.
"India are a tough side as their batting line-up has some unbelievable cricketers," said Borren.
"It's going to be a real challenge for us to play against them in India. Hopefully, we can do a little bit better against India than we did against South Africa."
India are the only team who have yet to taste defeat in their group and that record is unlikely to be broken against the under-performing Dutch who have still to register a win.
The host nation are on top of Group B with five points. England have as many points but have played a game more and have a worse run rate while West Indies and South Africa have four points each.
But thanks to some topsy-turvy results in the group and the tied game against England, India are technically not assured of a place in the last eight as yet.
A strong performance against the Dutch will not only give India a strong net run rate but also pave their way to the knockout round.
The only weak link for the Indians has been their bowling which has been exposed time and again.
India's frontline bowlers failed to find much success against a spirited Ireland and had it not been for a five-wicket haul by part-time spinner Yuvraj Singh, they could have been in trouble.
Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, however, tried to play down the indifferent form of his bowlers.
"We are showing signs of improvement, which is good," he said.
"I feel it's important to peak at the right time because it's a long tournament so definitely what we have seen is slow and gradual improvement on the bowling side."
Yuvraj's show with the ball might tempt Dhoni to leave out an off-colour leg-spinner Piyush Chawla and bring in attacking off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
Former Australian Test batsman Mark Waugh said India's strong batting compensated for their lack of specialist bowling options.
Writing in the Times of India, he said: "The batsmen compensate their bowling arsenal and on paper, under these conditions, they possess one of the best batting line-ups in the tournament."
"India do have the option of going in with five bowlers in place of the four that they usually prefer. I do not, however, think that is necessarily the right way to go about it because Yuvraj Singh can do a good job as a fifth bowler and bowl his quota," he added.
The home side are unlikely to be tested against the Netherlands, who ran England close in their opener, thanks to a sparkling 119 from Ryan ten Doeschate, but have since struggled.
The Dutch scored an impressive 292 against England but slumped to a huge 215-run defeat to the West Indies and lost by 231 runs against South Africa.
Skipper Peter Borren said Wednesday's game at New Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla stadium would be a tough proposition.
"India are a tough side as their batting line-up has some unbelievable cricketers," said Borren.
"It's going to be a real challenge for us to play against them in India. Hopefully, we can do a little bit better against India than we did against South Africa."
Sri Lanka anxious to avoid Zimbabwe slip-up
Sri Lanka cannot afford to be complacent in their World Cup clash against lowly Zimbabwe on Thursday, knowing an upset would leave them in danger of missing out on the knockout phase.
The 1996 winners and 2007 runners-up have five points from four games and need a win to ensure they reach the quarter-finals. They face extra pressure because their last match is away against New Zealand in Mumbai.
Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara realises the importance of victory over Zimbabwe, against whom Sri Lanka have won all four World Cup matches in previous tournaments.
"Our focus is on the immediate game so it doesn't really matter where you finish up. You need to beat every single team to get into the final, and to win the World Cup," said Sangakkara, whose team lost to Pakistan and saw their match against Australia abandoned due to rain.
Sri Lanka piled up 332-7 in their big win over Canada but failed to chase down Pakistan's 277-7, before knocking Kenya over for a paltry 142 with paceman Lasith Malinga taking a career-best 6-38, including a hat-trick.
Sangakkara defended his batsmen, especially opener Tillakaratne Dilshan.
"In cricket you have instances where not everyone shines every day. You always get matches where certain people shine and some don't," said Sangakkara, who was 73 not out when the rain washed out the Australia match.
"I think batsmen go through certain phases. The most important thing at all times in high-performance situations is to maintain equilibrium, make sure that your emotions remain the same at all times."
"Dilshan has been our best performer over the last few years. He has won us so many games so we just want him to go out and we want him to be focused and keep his aggression," he said.
The skipper said he was surprised at his team's World Cup schedule but insisted playing New Zealand in India would not be a problem.
"You can't change things beyond your control. It was a surprise that that was the only game we are playing outside our country being the host."
"Usually, the host nation plays at home, but that's the way the game goes."
Sri Lanka are likely to bring in paceman Dilhara Fernando for his first match in the World Cup.
Zimbabwe, smarting from their ten-wicket defeat against New Zealand, hope Vusimuzi Sibanda, a replacement for the injured Sean Williams, bolsters the batting line-up.
Captain Elton Chigumbura said the side needed to eradicate batting errors.
"It is always hard against a bigger team. The way we started with our batting (against New Zealand), it is always hard to come back from losing three to four quick wickets in the first 15 overs."
"It is more about the technical errors, so we need to overcome those errors and be up to the challenge."
Zimbabwe, with two points from three matches, need a win to maintain a realistic chance of reaching the quarter-finals.
The 1996 winners and 2007 runners-up have five points from four games and need a win to ensure they reach the quarter-finals. They face extra pressure because their last match is away against New Zealand in Mumbai.
Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara realises the importance of victory over Zimbabwe, against whom Sri Lanka have won all four World Cup matches in previous tournaments.
"Our focus is on the immediate game so it doesn't really matter where you finish up. You need to beat every single team to get into the final, and to win the World Cup," said Sangakkara, whose team lost to Pakistan and saw their match against Australia abandoned due to rain.
Sri Lanka piled up 332-7 in their big win over Canada but failed to chase down Pakistan's 277-7, before knocking Kenya over for a paltry 142 with paceman Lasith Malinga taking a career-best 6-38, including a hat-trick.
Sangakkara defended his batsmen, especially opener Tillakaratne Dilshan.
"In cricket you have instances where not everyone shines every day. You always get matches where certain people shine and some don't," said Sangakkara, who was 73 not out when the rain washed out the Australia match.
"I think batsmen go through certain phases. The most important thing at all times in high-performance situations is to maintain equilibrium, make sure that your emotions remain the same at all times."
"Dilshan has been our best performer over the last few years. He has won us so many games so we just want him to go out and we want him to be focused and keep his aggression," he said.
The skipper said he was surprised at his team's World Cup schedule but insisted playing New Zealand in India would not be a problem.
"You can't change things beyond your control. It was a surprise that that was the only game we are playing outside our country being the host."
"Usually, the host nation plays at home, but that's the way the game goes."
Sri Lanka are likely to bring in paceman Dilhara Fernando for his first match in the World Cup.
Zimbabwe, smarting from their ten-wicket defeat against New Zealand, hope Vusimuzi Sibanda, a replacement for the injured Sean Williams, bolsters the batting line-up.
Captain Elton Chigumbura said the side needed to eradicate batting errors.
"It is always hard against a bigger team. The way we started with our batting (against New Zealand), it is always hard to come back from losing three to four quick wickets in the first 15 overs."
"It is more about the technical errors, so we need to overcome those errors and be up to the challenge."
Zimbabwe, with two points from three matches, need a win to maintain a realistic chance of reaching the quarter-finals.
Picturesque Pallekele makes Cup bow
Sri Lanka's Pallekele stadium made its World Cup debut on Tuesday, playing host to a match between Pakistan and New Zealand after heavy rains wreaked havoc on previous international fixtures.
Incessant rain late last year forced officials to postpone a one-day series involving the West Indies and Sri Lanka, including a match at the stadium, with a capacity of around 30,000.
It was rescheduled but the rains did not relent and Pallekele eventually lost out, with the matches played elsewhere in January and early February.
Sri Lanka and the West Indies did manage to get a Test match under way at the stadium, near Kandy, in early December but rain prevented the completion of a single innings.
Two World Cup warm-up matches were also moved away because of bad weather, as the blight continued.
"Finally we have made it," said student Karuna Devi. "Rains have played spoilsport and we were fearing it would come again, but it didn't come about."
Kandy, situated amid hills on the Kandy plateau in central Sri Lanka, is famous for its rains.
But basking in bright sunshine on Tuesday, fans from Pakistan, New Zealand, England, and even the United States came in numbers to watch the action.
"I have come from Peshawar and am enjoying the atmosphere," said lawyer Adnan Khan, hoping for a Pakistan win to take them to the quarter-finals.
"I have a visa for India so that I can watch the quarters if Pakistan play there."
Martin Harris, wrapped in a New Zealand flag, was enjoying his day.
"It's double delight in one ticket," said Harris. "It's great to watch cricket in this beautiful stadium."
Ilyas Ahmed, who had come from London with his family, said watching the World Cup was his dream.
"I had planned to go to the West Indies in 2007 but after Pakistan fell in the first round I didn't go. Now my wish to watch a World Cup match has come true," said Ahmed, decked out in the green and white of Pakistan.
Organisers said they expect a packed stadium when Sri Lanka play Zimbabwe at Pallekele on Thursday.
Incessant rain late last year forced officials to postpone a one-day series involving the West Indies and Sri Lanka, including a match at the stadium, with a capacity of around 30,000.
It was rescheduled but the rains did not relent and Pallekele eventually lost out, with the matches played elsewhere in January and early February.
Sri Lanka and the West Indies did manage to get a Test match under way at the stadium, near Kandy, in early December but rain prevented the completion of a single innings.
Two World Cup warm-up matches were also moved away because of bad weather, as the blight continued.
"Finally we have made it," said student Karuna Devi. "Rains have played spoilsport and we were fearing it would come again, but it didn't come about."
Kandy, situated amid hills on the Kandy plateau in central Sri Lanka, is famous for its rains.
But basking in bright sunshine on Tuesday, fans from Pakistan, New Zealand, England, and even the United States came in numbers to watch the action.
"I have come from Peshawar and am enjoying the atmosphere," said lawyer Adnan Khan, hoping for a Pakistan win to take them to the quarter-finals.
"I have a visa for India so that I can watch the quarters if Pakistan play there."
Martin Harris, wrapped in a New Zealand flag, was enjoying his day.
"It's double delight in one ticket," said Harris. "It's great to watch cricket in this beautiful stadium."
Ilyas Ahmed, who had come from London with his family, said watching the World Cup was his dream.
"I had planned to go to the West Indies in 2007 but after Pakistan fell in the first round I didn't go. Now my wish to watch a World Cup match has come true," said Ahmed, decked out in the green and white of Pakistan.
Organisers said they expect a packed stadium when Sri Lanka play Zimbabwe at Pallekele on Thursday.
England may shuffle again with Morgan at World Cup
Eoin Morgan's arrival into England's World Cup squad as an emergency replacement for the injured Kevin Pietersen looks set to herald another reshuffle in the batting lineup by coach Andy Flower.
Pietersen played just four matches at opener after replacing Matt Prior in the role but is returning to Britain to have hernia surgery.
Flower said that Morgan could come straight into the team for Friday's Group B match against tournament co-host Bangladesh. With the coach highlighting Morgan's past contributions at No.5, Ravi Bopara may move up from the position to open alongside captain Andrew Strauss. Morgan will only arrive in Chittagong on Tuesday but Flower said the former Ireland batsman will be ready to play after recovering from the broken finger that caused him to be replaced by Bopara in the original 15-man squad.
"We'll get him straight into the nets," Flower said. "He's a very skillful player and a pretty no-nonsense guy. I can envisage him playing straight away. He's 100 percent fit."
Speaking en route between India and Bangladesh, Flower said Morgan was a good alternative to the ultimately irreplaceable Pietersen. "They're both world-class performers," Flower said.
"Certainly Morgan's contributions to England's limited-overs wins have been significant, most especially since he's batted No. 5 for us."
"One door closes and another opens."
Flower would not confirm which of Bopara, Prior or Ian Bell would open against Bangladesh, which is desperate for victory after losing two of its first three matches, but acknowledged that those were his options.
"We've got a clear idea of who we want for the game against Bangladesh," Flower said. "I don't think it does have to be the same for the rest of the tournament. Because opening against Bangladesh requires a different set of skills from opening against Australia."
The left-handed Morgan was initially told he needed surgery on the finger he broke in a one-day international in Adelaide but the injury healed quicker than expected.
He follows Australia's Mike Hussey in making it to the tournament as an injury replacement after being originally ruled out injured. Morgan did not play in the Ashes and then averaged just 17.66 from six innings with a top score of 30 in the one-day series loss to Australia that preceded the World Cup.
But his quick improvisation and ability to change the pace of an innings still make him arguably England's best one-day batsman. "As the tour wore on, they're quite tricky situations for batsmen who aren't getting a go," Flower said.
"You're not in the hurly burly of competition that's keeping you sharp. Then you're thrown into the pressure situation of one-day games and you get a couple of reasonable balls, maybe make a couple of mistakes, and all of a sudden you're in terrible form or it's perceived as terrible form."
"I think he's a very skillful player. He keeps things very simple in his own head and I trust him to be OK."
Flower said England had been forced to call upon Morgan after Pietersen felt the pain from his hernia worsen after playing in Sunday's six-run win over South Africa.
Team medics had hoped to manage the injury and postpone surgery until after the tournament. Pietersen faced just three balls and scored two runs before becoming the second opener to fall inside the first over, but bowled eight overs on a spin-friendly pitch to help England successfully defend 171.
Pietersen will be unable to play for the Deccan Chargers despite the team having paid $650,000 for him in the Twenty20 IPL auction, but is scheduled to be fit for England's first summer test against Sri Lanka starting May 26. The IPL begins April 8, six days after the World Cup final.
"The IPL will be too soon for him," Flower said. "The guy's got a hernia. I've seen the scan myself and it's very obvious he's got a problem and needs to sort it out. The timing is not ideal."
Pietersen played just four matches at opener after replacing Matt Prior in the role but is returning to Britain to have hernia surgery.
Flower said that Morgan could come straight into the team for Friday's Group B match against tournament co-host Bangladesh. With the coach highlighting Morgan's past contributions at No.5, Ravi Bopara may move up from the position to open alongside captain Andrew Strauss. Morgan will only arrive in Chittagong on Tuesday but Flower said the former Ireland batsman will be ready to play after recovering from the broken finger that caused him to be replaced by Bopara in the original 15-man squad.
"We'll get him straight into the nets," Flower said. "He's a very skillful player and a pretty no-nonsense guy. I can envisage him playing straight away. He's 100 percent fit."
Speaking en route between India and Bangladesh, Flower said Morgan was a good alternative to the ultimately irreplaceable Pietersen. "They're both world-class performers," Flower said.
"Certainly Morgan's contributions to England's limited-overs wins have been significant, most especially since he's batted No. 5 for us."
"One door closes and another opens."
Flower would not confirm which of Bopara, Prior or Ian Bell would open against Bangladesh, which is desperate for victory after losing two of its first three matches, but acknowledged that those were his options.
"We've got a clear idea of who we want for the game against Bangladesh," Flower said. "I don't think it does have to be the same for the rest of the tournament. Because opening against Bangladesh requires a different set of skills from opening against Australia."
The left-handed Morgan was initially told he needed surgery on the finger he broke in a one-day international in Adelaide but the injury healed quicker than expected.
He follows Australia's Mike Hussey in making it to the tournament as an injury replacement after being originally ruled out injured. Morgan did not play in the Ashes and then averaged just 17.66 from six innings with a top score of 30 in the one-day series loss to Australia that preceded the World Cup.
But his quick improvisation and ability to change the pace of an innings still make him arguably England's best one-day batsman. "As the tour wore on, they're quite tricky situations for batsmen who aren't getting a go," Flower said.
"You're not in the hurly burly of competition that's keeping you sharp. Then you're thrown into the pressure situation of one-day games and you get a couple of reasonable balls, maybe make a couple of mistakes, and all of a sudden you're in terrible form or it's perceived as terrible form."
"I think he's a very skillful player. He keeps things very simple in his own head and I trust him to be OK."
Flower said England had been forced to call upon Morgan after Pietersen felt the pain from his hernia worsen after playing in Sunday's six-run win over South Africa.
Team medics had hoped to manage the injury and postpone surgery until after the tournament. Pietersen faced just three balls and scored two runs before becoming the second opener to fall inside the first over, but bowled eight overs on a spin-friendly pitch to help England successfully defend 171.
Pietersen will be unable to play for the Deccan Chargers despite the team having paid $650,000 for him in the Twenty20 IPL auction, but is scheduled to be fit for England's first summer test against Sri Lanka starting May 26. The IPL begins April 8, six days after the World Cup final.
"The IPL will be too soon for him," Flower said. "The guy's got a hernia. I've seen the scan myself and it's very obvious he's got a problem and needs to sort it out. The timing is not ideal."
Broken bat inspires Taylor assault
Birthday boy Ross Taylor destroyed the Pakistan attack in a devastating display of power hitting on Tuesday - and revealed he had done it all with a broken bat.
Taylor, celebrating his 27th birthday, hit 131 in 124 balls with a whopping seven sixes to take his side to a total of 302-7 in their 50 overs at the Pallekele stadium.
He was helped out by Nathan McCullum, who smashed 19 in just 10 balls, and Jacob Oram, who hit 25 in nine balls, including three sixes, off a shell-shocked Pakistan attack.
Before he had even opened his account, Taylor received a huge let-off when an edge flew between wicket-keeper and first slip, and the same over 'keeper Kamran Akmal put down a straightforward chance behind the stumps when he was on eight.
"I had a bit of luck early on which I put down to my birthday but towards the end there I hit a few boundaries which was pretty sweet," said Taylor.
He said it had been tough going early on.
"They're very good exponents of reverse swing. I played and missed a lot but hopefully we can learn from the way they bowled and keep them to a minimum."
Towards the end of his innings Taylor signalled for a new bat and he revealed the one he had been using had suffered damage before the match.
"I cracked it in the nets a couple of days ago. It seemed to go OK today but hopefully the new one can be just as good," he said.
Taylor said New Zealand's approach had been to establish themselves before launching a blitz at the end of their innings.
"One of our strengths is the power we have down the bottom and it showed today with the way Nathan McCullum batted and Jake (Oram). We had a bit of impetus to go into it so it was really good."
"I think it's probably a par total from where we were but hopefully we can get some early wickets and you never know," he added.
Taylor, celebrating his 27th birthday, hit 131 in 124 balls with a whopping seven sixes to take his side to a total of 302-7 in their 50 overs at the Pallekele stadium.
He was helped out by Nathan McCullum, who smashed 19 in just 10 balls, and Jacob Oram, who hit 25 in nine balls, including three sixes, off a shell-shocked Pakistan attack.
Before he had even opened his account, Taylor received a huge let-off when an edge flew between wicket-keeper and first slip, and the same over 'keeper Kamran Akmal put down a straightforward chance behind the stumps when he was on eight.
"I had a bit of luck early on which I put down to my birthday but towards the end there I hit a few boundaries which was pretty sweet," said Taylor.
He said it had been tough going early on.
"They're very good exponents of reverse swing. I played and missed a lot but hopefully we can learn from the way they bowled and keep them to a minimum."
Towards the end of his innings Taylor signalled for a new bat and he revealed the one he had been using had suffered damage before the match.
"I cracked it in the nets a couple of days ago. It seemed to go OK today but hopefully the new one can be just as good," he said.
Taylor said New Zealand's approach had been to establish themselves before launching a blitz at the end of their innings.
"One of our strengths is the power we have down the bottom and it showed today with the way Nathan McCullum batted and Jake (Oram). We had a bit of impetus to go into it so it was really good."
"I think it's probably a par total from where we were but hopefully we can get some early wickets and you never know," he added.
Taylor stars as New Zealand outclass Pakistan
Birthday boy Ross Taylor's unbeaten century helped New Zealand defeat Pakistan by 110 runs in a Group A match. Taylor celebrated his 27th birthday in grand style as he hit eight boundaries and seven huge sixes en route to his fourth one-day century as New Zealand amassed 302-7 in a Group A match against Pakistan at the new Pallekele Stadium.
Pakistan needed a positive start in their run chase, but Tim Southee and Kyle Mills ensured Shahid Afridi's team were never in the contest and reduced them to 45 for 5 inside 15 overs. Southee dismissed Mohammad Hafeez, who lost a review when he challenged a LBW decision, Kamran Akmal (who had a match to forget) and Misbah-ul-Haq; while Mills accounted for Ahmed Shehzad and Younis Khan. Jacob Oram then got into the act and clean bowled captain Shahid Afridi to leave Pakistan tottering at 66 for 6.
Umar Akmal showed glimpses of his immense potential in his 38, but just when he was looking comfortable at the crease, Nathan McCullum had him caught by Oram at deep midwicket. And, when Abdur Rehman, was also trapped in front by Nathan McCullum with Pakistan 125 for 8, it looked as though New Zealand could bowl out Afridi's team for less than Taylor's 131 not out. But, Abdul Razzaq (62) and Umar Gul (34*) gave Pakistan supporters something to cheer about with their 66-run partnership for the ninth wicket. During his innings, Razzaq became only the fourth player after Sanath Jayasuriya, Jacques Kallis and Shahid Afridi to complete the double of 5000 runs and 250 wickets in ODIs.
While Razzaq and Gul were in the middle, Pakistan may have harboured hopes of an improbable win, but Scott Styris dismissed the veteran all-rounder and Shoaib Akhtar in the space of three balls as Pakistan was bowled out for 192. Southee (3-25) was the most successful New Zealand bowler, while Mills, Styris and Nathan McCullum took two wickets each as Pakistan slumped to their second heaviest defeat in the World Cup.
New Zealand was far superior than Pakistan in all departments of the game in a lopsided match. However, a major concern for New Zealand would be the knee injury to skipper Daniel Vettori early in Pakistan's innings which forced him to leave the field.
The win lifted New Zealand to the top of Group B with six points from four matches and a Net Run Rate of +1.848; while Pakistan, despite having the same points from as many matches are second with a NRR of +0.760.
Earlier, Taylor had two reprieves in the 14th over bowled by Akhtar when Pakistan wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal failed to attempt a catch and then made matters worse by dropping a sitter in the same over. At the time, Taylor was on zero and eight respectively, and he made Pakistan pay dearly for the "birthday gifts" as he picked up the pace in the last five overs of New Zealand's innings.
At one stage, New Zealand appeared to be on course to score around 240-250, especially after the batting power play taken in the 42nd over saw the Black Caps score 37 runs for the loss of two wickets. But, Taylor, who had largely been kept in check until that point broke the shackles and took the Pakistani bowlers to the cleaners.
Taylor started the carnage in the 47th over, which was ironically bowled by Akhtar. He hit two boundaries and three massive sixes, two of those over deep midwicket, as Akhtar was hit out of the attack after conceding 28 runs. The third of those sixes brought up Taylor's century off 117 balls, and his first since October 2008. Taylor struggled early on in his innings, but was determined to see off the storm, and did so even if it meant appearing "ugly" at the crease. But, as he gained in confidence, Taylor started to look the world-class cricketer he is, and once he reached his half-century off 78 balls, the New Zealand vice-captain played more freely, the fruit of which was seen in the last four of the Black Caps' innings.
Taylor, who scored a career-best 131 not out off only 124 balls (his last 62 runs came in 16 balls), then hit three sixes and two fours in the 49th over bowled by Razzaq, which cost Pakistan 30 runs. Left-arm spin bowler Rehman (1-60), who shared the new ball with Akhtar and impressed in his first two spells, was taken to the cleaners by Oram, and conceded 34 runs in his ninth and 10th overs, as New Zealand scored 92 runs in the last four overs. Taylor and Oram (25 in 9 balls) added 85 runs in only 22 balls as the pair sapped the spirit and fight out of the Pakistani players.
Pakistan, though, had the ideal start to the match when Akhtar clean bowled Brendon McCullum in the fourth ball of the match after being hit for a six off the previous delivery, which happened to be one of the three front foot no-balls the 'Rawalpindi Express' bowled in his first spell. Jamie How, who replaced the unwell Jesse Ryder, found the going tough and scratched around for a 29-ball 4, before the impressive Gul trapped him plumb in front. Martin Guptill (57), who scored his second consecutive half-century and Taylor then repaired the early damage by putting on a 57-run partnership for the third wicket, but took more than 16 overs to do so, as Pakistan's bowlers controlled the flow of runs with commendable help from the fielders. Hafeez then trapped James Franklin plumb in front, which the batsman reviewed, but then had to walk back to the dressing room when the TV umpire upheld on-field umpire Daryl Harper's initial decision as NZ slipped to 113 for 4 in the 30th over.
Styris, who was also dropped by Kamran off Afridi and Taylor then added 62 runs for the fifth wicket with the veteran all-rounder scoring 27 before he was trapped in front by Gul, who also clean bowled Nathan McCullum after being hit for a six with New Zealand 210-6 in the 46th over. It was to be all downhill though for Pakistan from here on as Taylor and Oram had fun at the bowlers' expense.
Gul (3-32) was the pick of Pakistan's bowlers by a long mile; and while Afridi took his 15th wicket of the 2011 World Cup when he clean bowled Guptill conceded 55 runs. Akhtar (9-0-70-1) and Razzaq (4-0-49-0) had a match to forget with the ball.
Pakistan needed a positive start in their run chase, but Tim Southee and Kyle Mills ensured Shahid Afridi's team were never in the contest and reduced them to 45 for 5 inside 15 overs. Southee dismissed Mohammad Hafeez, who lost a review when he challenged a LBW decision, Kamran Akmal (who had a match to forget) and Misbah-ul-Haq; while Mills accounted for Ahmed Shehzad and Younis Khan. Jacob Oram then got into the act and clean bowled captain Shahid Afridi to leave Pakistan tottering at 66 for 6.
Umar Akmal showed glimpses of his immense potential in his 38, but just when he was looking comfortable at the crease, Nathan McCullum had him caught by Oram at deep midwicket. And, when Abdur Rehman, was also trapped in front by Nathan McCullum with Pakistan 125 for 8, it looked as though New Zealand could bowl out Afridi's team for less than Taylor's 131 not out. But, Abdul Razzaq (62) and Umar Gul (34*) gave Pakistan supporters something to cheer about with their 66-run partnership for the ninth wicket. During his innings, Razzaq became only the fourth player after Sanath Jayasuriya, Jacques Kallis and Shahid Afridi to complete the double of 5000 runs and 250 wickets in ODIs.
While Razzaq and Gul were in the middle, Pakistan may have harboured hopes of an improbable win, but Scott Styris dismissed the veteran all-rounder and Shoaib Akhtar in the space of three balls as Pakistan was bowled out for 192. Southee (3-25) was the most successful New Zealand bowler, while Mills, Styris and Nathan McCullum took two wickets each as Pakistan slumped to their second heaviest defeat in the World Cup.
New Zealand was far superior than Pakistan in all departments of the game in a lopsided match. However, a major concern for New Zealand would be the knee injury to skipper Daniel Vettori early in Pakistan's innings which forced him to leave the field.
The win lifted New Zealand to the top of Group B with six points from four matches and a Net Run Rate of +1.848; while Pakistan, despite having the same points from as many matches are second with a NRR of +0.760.
Earlier, Taylor had two reprieves in the 14th over bowled by Akhtar when Pakistan wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal failed to attempt a catch and then made matters worse by dropping a sitter in the same over. At the time, Taylor was on zero and eight respectively, and he made Pakistan pay dearly for the "birthday gifts" as he picked up the pace in the last five overs of New Zealand's innings.
At one stage, New Zealand appeared to be on course to score around 240-250, especially after the batting power play taken in the 42nd over saw the Black Caps score 37 runs for the loss of two wickets. But, Taylor, who had largely been kept in check until that point broke the shackles and took the Pakistani bowlers to the cleaners.
Taylor started the carnage in the 47th over, which was ironically bowled by Akhtar. He hit two boundaries and three massive sixes, two of those over deep midwicket, as Akhtar was hit out of the attack after conceding 28 runs. The third of those sixes brought up Taylor's century off 117 balls, and his first since October 2008. Taylor struggled early on in his innings, but was determined to see off the storm, and did so even if it meant appearing "ugly" at the crease. But, as he gained in confidence, Taylor started to look the world-class cricketer he is, and once he reached his half-century off 78 balls, the New Zealand vice-captain played more freely, the fruit of which was seen in the last four of the Black Caps' innings.
Taylor, who scored a career-best 131 not out off only 124 balls (his last 62 runs came in 16 balls), then hit three sixes and two fours in the 49th over bowled by Razzaq, which cost Pakistan 30 runs. Left-arm spin bowler Rehman (1-60), who shared the new ball with Akhtar and impressed in his first two spells, was taken to the cleaners by Oram, and conceded 34 runs in his ninth and 10th overs, as New Zealand scored 92 runs in the last four overs. Taylor and Oram (25 in 9 balls) added 85 runs in only 22 balls as the pair sapped the spirit and fight out of the Pakistani players.
Pakistan, though, had the ideal start to the match when Akhtar clean bowled Brendon McCullum in the fourth ball of the match after being hit for a six off the previous delivery, which happened to be one of the three front foot no-balls the 'Rawalpindi Express' bowled in his first spell. Jamie How, who replaced the unwell Jesse Ryder, found the going tough and scratched around for a 29-ball 4, before the impressive Gul trapped him plumb in front. Martin Guptill (57), who scored his second consecutive half-century and Taylor then repaired the early damage by putting on a 57-run partnership for the third wicket, but took more than 16 overs to do so, as Pakistan's bowlers controlled the flow of runs with commendable help from the fielders. Hafeez then trapped James Franklin plumb in front, which the batsman reviewed, but then had to walk back to the dressing room when the TV umpire upheld on-field umpire Daryl Harper's initial decision as NZ slipped to 113 for 4 in the 30th over.
Styris, who was also dropped by Kamran off Afridi and Taylor then added 62 runs for the fifth wicket with the veteran all-rounder scoring 27 before he was trapped in front by Gul, who also clean bowled Nathan McCullum after being hit for a six with New Zealand 210-6 in the 46th over. It was to be all downhill though for Pakistan from here on as Taylor and Oram had fun at the bowlers' expense.
Gul (3-32) was the pick of Pakistan's bowlers by a long mile; and while Afridi took his 15th wicket of the 2011 World Cup when he clean bowled Guptill conceded 55 runs. Akhtar (9-0-70-1) and Razzaq (4-0-49-0) had a match to forget with the ball.
Pietersen adds to World Cup injury woes
Superstar batsman Kevin Pietersen became the latest victim of the injury-cursed World Cup on Monday, dealing a blow to England's hopes as well as to the lustre of the sport's showpiece tournament.
Pietersen will head home to undergo a hernia operation that he had been hoping to postpone until after the competition.
But after looking troubled during Sunday's six-run win over his native South Africa in Chennai on Sunday, where he made just two off three balls, the 30-year-old will go under the knife immediately.
Pietersen is the 14th player to be replaced at the World Cup as the gruelling international schedule takes its toll on the game's top stars.
He first complained of the problem after the 6-1 ODI defeat to Australia on the eve of the World Cup which immediately followed the Ashes triumph.
Pietersen, who in common with the majority of his English colleagues has been on the road virtually non-stop for over four months, played in all of England's opening group games at the World Cup.
He made 39 against the Netherlands, 31 in the game against India, 59 during the embarrassing loss to Ireland before finishing with two in the narrow victory over South Africa.
England, who will ask for Eoin Morgan as a replacement, will now be under scrutiny as far as the recovery of their prized asset is concerned.
Pietersen is due to earn around $650,000 (400,000 pounds) playing for the Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League which starts after the World Cup.
However, England would like their star batsman to be well-rested ahead of a busy home season of international cricket, featuring series against Sri Lanka and India.
The first Test against Sri Lanka starts in Cardiff on May 26.
England are second in Group B after Sunday's win, just behind India who ended Ireland's hopes of another upset with an efficient five-wicket victory in Bangalore.
Yuvraj Singh starred with bat and ball, making an unbeaten 50 to follow his five wickets.
"I'm just happy about how I am hitting the ball. My responsibility is to bat till the end whether we are batting first or chasing a target," said Yuvraj.
"I missed quite a bit of cricket over a year and a half due to injuries and now to come back and play my part in victories is very satisfying."
Defeat to England sent South Africa, still searching for a first World Cup title, spinning from top spot to fourth place in the table after they failed to chase down a 172 target in Chennai.
They were cruising at 63 without loss before a collapse once again raised questions over their brittle temperament.
"That's not predictable at all, is it?" said skipper Graeme Smith sarcastically, when questioned about South Africa's composure.
"Pressure? We've handled ourselves in some tough situations over the last few years, I don't think pressure is our weakness."
Monday's action at the World Cup is distinctly low-key with Group A whipping boys Kenya and Canada playing for pride at New Delhi.
Pietersen will head home to undergo a hernia operation that he had been hoping to postpone until after the competition.
But after looking troubled during Sunday's six-run win over his native South Africa in Chennai on Sunday, where he made just two off three balls, the 30-year-old will go under the knife immediately.
Pietersen is the 14th player to be replaced at the World Cup as the gruelling international schedule takes its toll on the game's top stars.
He first complained of the problem after the 6-1 ODI defeat to Australia on the eve of the World Cup which immediately followed the Ashes triumph.
Pietersen, who in common with the majority of his English colleagues has been on the road virtually non-stop for over four months, played in all of England's opening group games at the World Cup.
He made 39 against the Netherlands, 31 in the game against India, 59 during the embarrassing loss to Ireland before finishing with two in the narrow victory over South Africa.
England, who will ask for Eoin Morgan as a replacement, will now be under scrutiny as far as the recovery of their prized asset is concerned.
Pietersen is due to earn around $650,000 (400,000 pounds) playing for the Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League which starts after the World Cup.
However, England would like their star batsman to be well-rested ahead of a busy home season of international cricket, featuring series against Sri Lanka and India.
The first Test against Sri Lanka starts in Cardiff on May 26.
England are second in Group B after Sunday's win, just behind India who ended Ireland's hopes of another upset with an efficient five-wicket victory in Bangalore.
Yuvraj Singh starred with bat and ball, making an unbeaten 50 to follow his five wickets.
"I'm just happy about how I am hitting the ball. My responsibility is to bat till the end whether we are batting first or chasing a target," said Yuvraj.
"I missed quite a bit of cricket over a year and a half due to injuries and now to come back and play my part in victories is very satisfying."
Defeat to England sent South Africa, still searching for a first World Cup title, spinning from top spot to fourth place in the table after they failed to chase down a 172 target in Chennai.
They were cruising at 63 without loss before a collapse once again raised questions over their brittle temperament.
"That's not predictable at all, is it?" said skipper Graeme Smith sarcastically, when questioned about South Africa's composure.
"Pressure? We've handled ourselves in some tough situations over the last few years, I don't think pressure is our weakness."
Monday's action at the World Cup is distinctly low-key with Group A whipping boys Kenya and Canada playing for pride at New Delhi.
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