The Script of Fate

"I walked five hundred miles and I will walk five hundred more, just to be the man who walks a thousand miles and falls down at your door."

Sachin Tendulkar, too, has walked a thousand or perhaps a million miles before coming to Mumbai for this game. The most enviable story in the history of independent India started years ago in the background of India's maiden world cup win when a 10 year old schoolboy of Shardashram Vidyamandir thought that he should play for India one day. He had to wait for six more years to realize his dream and what happened after that is the most frequently recited folklore in world cricket.

In the six years, however, a tender-aged Sachin would travel from Bandra to Shivaji Park to practice cricket. The tiny boy would occasionally go to the MIG club and the Azad Maidan to play matches. He would have to travel hard across Mumbai just as any other common man in the city. He would love to eat the Vada Paav so much so that whenever Sachin scored a hundred, his friend Vinod Kambli would gift him one. He was, and most likely still is, a huge fan of sea food, particularly the Bombay Duck - a type of fish endemic to the city of Mumbai. Although Tendulkar started touring the world with team India at the tender age of sixteen, his connection to the city of Mumbai is undeniable. This is where he grew up. His food habits, his first lesson of cricket, his school, his coach, his family and friends, his house, his childhood, his faint memories of being a nobody all converge at the city of Mumbai.

It may be a play of fate, a diligently scripted classic, that has put the great Sachin Tendulkar before his home crowd, in his home city, to win the only glory in world cricket that has eluded him not once but five times. The story is similar to a warrior's who, after conquering the whole world, comes back home to fight the last battle of his life. Sachin Tendulkar's 100th hundred today might be the greatest subscript ever written. Truth is stranger than fiction and this could be the best chance for fate to take its powerplay and play the best it could.

You do not win the cup for an individual and win it for the team, and Sachin Tendulkar, by every stretch of imagination, is a player deserving to be a part of a world cup winning squad. Would it be the perfect climax to the greatest tale cricket has ever told the world, or will it be a morbid anti-climax that will reside painfully in the minds of many? About nine more hours separate us from finding the answer to this conundrum and we shall all be eagerly waiting for it to turn out our way.

Whatever happens today will not make me rate Sachin Tendulkar any lesser than what I do now. He is the only thing on the planet that has constantly challenged my atheism. After all, he is the greatest there was, there is, and there will ever be.

Whose Cup Is It Anyway?

This is the closest I have seen India to a world cup. Just to remind you, I started watching cricket in 1996, and although India has played a world cup final after that, only a play of fate or the magic of Sachin could have had them beat the mighty Aussies then. Both, as we know, did not work and India remained a deserving runner-up. Today, the 2nd of April, 2011 can be the greatest day in Indian cricket along with 25th June, 1983. Yes, this will be the first of the three finals that India have played where they will start as favourites. The excitement was never greater.

Although Sri Lanka are a competitive team in the subcontinent and it is very difficult to choose between the two teams, I think India will have a slight advantage. This advantage is much thinner than the one they had over Pakistan and perhaps just a little thinner than the one they enjoyed over Australia. Strange as it may sound, when it comes to rating Asutralia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka independently, I might put the Lankans right down the list. Maybe because I personally dislike their game or maybe because that is how things are. But when it comes to playing against India, as of today, I think Sri Lanka would have the best chance of winning against India among those three.

India and Sri Lanka are structurally so dissimilar that it is hard to accept that they are so closely matched when one considers the overall strength of both the teams. Indian batting, as we all have seen, is by far better than its Sri Lankan counterpart. On the spin-friendly pitch that Wankhede is going to produce, Sri Lanka will enjoy a great advantage over India when it comes to bowling. Murali, even a 50% fit Murali, can be more lethal than any other bowler in the world on such a track. As I had said in a few posts even before the start of the tournament, spin will always play a vital role in the subcontinent no matter how much we talk about the batting-friendly new-age tracks. We have seen it happen right through the tournament and we will see it again today. Yes, both the teams play spin well and blah blah! but didn't we have the epic India-Pakistan game turning a bit?

One more thing about Wankhede is that the team batting first will enjoy a great advantage tomorrow. Primarily because it is going to be a low, turning track and secondarily because chasing can be mentally tough considering the grandeur of the match and the pressure it inflicts on the players.

India are here after struggles and memorable victories in the toughest of the battles that the tournament could have them fight. They have taken the road full of thorns to reach the final. They peaked at the right time after a decent yet partly shaky group stage performance and beat the 12-year world champions and their arch-rivals in two consecutive knockout games. On the other hand, Sri Lanka have walked on a bed of roses to reach the grand stage. They have beaten New Zealand twice and have thrashed England in the quarter-final. Both their knockout games were no more than a mere cakewalk at home. Hence, whoever wins, I believe, India deserve the cup better.

5 out of 6 of my knockout predictions have been precise, the only bad one being that of the third quarter-final. Today, as has been with India's games previously as well, it is a very close call. I won't be surprised if it turns out to be a nail-biter. Yet, I predict a 60:40 to India before the game starts.

With a whirlpool of excitement bustling in my mind, I have come to a point where all the analysis resigns itself. All that matters now after the one and a half months of spectacular journey is at the most 100 overs. 100 overs will decide who lifts the cup in the city of dreams. For the first time in history, we know for sure before the match begins that it is going to be an Asian country. However, it is immeasurable how much my heart wants it to be the larger of the two.

2nd Semi Final: More Than a Match

In this cricket-infested country there is virtually nobody who is indifferent to the game but there are many who, if I can politely say it, have a restricted understanding of it. There also are a plenty who might not understand the technicalities of the game and would not consider the cricket world cup as something of immense importance. Yes, there is a large variety of people in India. However, when it comes to an India-Pakistan game, there is no pair of eyes in either of the countries that fails to have a glimpse. I have seldom seen folks, disinterested in the game of cricket, discussing it with such remarkable fervour. Moreover, when the stage is as big as the semi-final of the world cup, the craze is just indescribable.

Mohali was the stage for a game that was second in magnitude only to the final of the world cup. For some, it was even bigger than the final. As we often see in both India and Pakistan, there is no impure opportunity, that is missed by the politicians and the media. Unfortunately, the pristine match between the old rivals was no exception. And amidst the chaotic blend of fanatical spectators, opportunistic politics, and air-tight security started a game that was watched by a number of people that could easily outnumber the population of most of the countries on the planet - even that of a few continents if I'm not making a miserable mistake in geography.

The vital toss that was won by India was followed by an Indian innings that started with Sehwag's exuberant stroke-play. He smashed 5 fours to amass 21 runs of Umar Gul's second and the third over of the innings. As a result, Umar Gul, arguably Pakistan's best bowler in the tournament, endlessly struggled for line and length. Every bit of confidence in him was shattered by that merciless assault by Virender Sehwag and India quickly set off to a flier.

The violent cameo ended with a beautiful delivery from an unknown Wahab Riaz that hid the swing on it till very late before snatching an lbw that led to sighs of relief across Pakistan. At the other end, as usual, was the master in the run for another finely placed knock. Gautam Gambhir joined the king in an attempt to carry the Indian innings forward. All went fine for India as they looked to be marching towards at least 300 on a pitch that many had misread to be a belter.

It was an over by Sajeed Ajmal that brought the rarest of the moments in the game. Sachin Tendulkar - yes, Sachin Tendulkar - was deceived twice in two consecutive deliveries and survived a lethal lbw appeal followed by an appeal for an unimaginably close stumping. The first one was the regular off break which the master failed to read the turn on and was struck on the pads. The very next one was an attempted wrong one or the doosra - which did not turn at all - which Sachin treated like an off break. After this, started one of the shakiest knocks I have ever seen from the master. Nonetheless, he hung in there and also played a few fantastic strokes in between but offered chances to the fielders fairly regularly which they failed to grab on four occasions. Dropping someone of Sachin Tendulkar's stature four times was a sin that the Pakistanis eventually paid for. A Sachin who was far from his fluent best finally gave it up after scoring a trembling 85 (Mind you, he still top-scored in the match). His struggle was a clear indication of the fact that the pitch was far from being a belter.

After the first 10 overs, the wicket had slowed down and was allowing a lot of turn. Before Tendulkar got out, Gambhir was stumped on 27. Kohli and Yuvraj were gotten rid of in two consecutive deliveries - both carrying some late swing on them and the second one, the one that bowled Yuvraj out on the first ball he faced, gently reminding us of Wasim Akram. Dhoni offered some resistance and played a wise yet unmoving knock of 25 to offer Raina some company. Suresh Raina, however, seemed to be a different batsman since his memorable knock against Australia and played a superb unbeaten knock of 36 from 39 to push India to 260.

Pakistan should have been delighted to have not allowed India to reach even 275 and could have been bustling in confidence at the innings break but the other half had a different story to tell.

Kamran Akmal started off in a Sehwagish manner with a boundary through the covers and Pakistan looked well placed at 44 for no loss before he fell to Zaheer Khan. At 70-1, Mohammad Hafeez played the most irresponsible shot of the world cup to get caught behind off a Munaf Patel delivery. Asad Shafiq formed a decent stand with Yunis Khan to carry the Pakistani innings forward but was left with broken stumps in a poor attempt of cutting a quicker one from Yuvraj Singh. The Indians were fielding like the South Africans and were bowling tight as Glenn McGrath. As a result, the asking rate was slowly increasing. Yunis Khan was stagnated at a poor 13 from 32 deliveries and was forced to play bad shot in a desperate attempt to score runs only to get caught by the fielding livewire called Suresh Raina. With him, fell many Pakistani hopes of a maiden world cup win against India although a fighter called Misbah was still at the crease.

The talented Umar Akmal showed some flamboyance with the bat as he launched onto some Indian spin and looked to be in fine shape to rebuild the Pakistani innings with Misbah before he fell to what was the ball of the innings to me. Harbhajan Singh, coming around the wicket to the right hander for the first ball of his new spell, bowled a quicker one that pitched on length and knocked Umar Akmal's off stump off. The incident left Pakistan struggling for momentum as Misbah, at one point, was batting on an inexplicably slow 10 off 30 balls. The mindless hitters in Razzaq and Afridi were to follow but the former was bowled out by a slower one from Munaf Patel that had hints of swing and the latter went for a hopeless slog only to get caught by Sehwag. The tail had little role to play as Misbah watched from the other end. He then accelerated and also played a few good shots that must have gently threatened the Indians but by that time, it was too late and all over for Pakistan.

India surprisngly found their criminals bowlers - Munaf Patel and Aashish Nehra - on the delightful side of the game as they bowled out of their skin. Nehra gave just 33 away from his 10 and picked up 2 wickets and Munaf gave just 40 in 10 to pick up his 2. Only 5 Indian bowlers bowled and picked up 2 wickets a piece to bowl Pakistan out for 231 with one ball to spare.

India improved their already perfect record by making it 5 world cup wins against Pakistan in 5 matches. Sachin Tendulkar, who has played in all those 5 games, won the man of the match award for his shaky - and probably the worst in recent times - inning of 85. As a result of this epic drama, India have booked a place against Sri Lanka to play their 3rd world cup final and the first on home soil.

The win was celebrated through every corner of the Indian street as crackers went off and their flashy light mixed with frenzied cheers of most of those whose sole objective was to see India beat Pakistan in a world cup match. Bars and restaurants were flooded with people. The tri-colour was being flaunted prodigiously and the people - rich or poor, fair or dark, dumb or smart - were celebrating the event with an unmatchable zeal. I, for one, led a rather quiet celebration to rejoice in one of the most special moments in the 15 passionate years of my love for cricket, hoping that Saturday could just be the most special one.

Man of the Match: Sachin Tendulkar

2nd Quarter Final: The End of an Era

Occasions don't make men stronger, but without an occasion there could be no exhibition of strength. The greatest measure of the fight in a fighter is how he rises up to an occasion, and India have showcased their share of fight in a phenomenal manner today in Ahmedabad.

Knocking Australia out of a world cup had remained an unattained dream for most teams in a generation. It was way back, 19 years ago, in 1992 when it was the last time Australia did not qualify for the semi-finals of a world cup. Since then they have played all the finals of the four world cups till the current one and, as we all know, have won 3 in a row. It was an era of utter dominance, marked by a gradually and carefully acquired habit of winning. Home or away, Australia kept winning. An Australian loss was as rare as a good ball from Munaf Patel. In fact, as the analogy might further suggest, it was virtually non-existent.

However, as they say, nothing is permanent in this world filled with fragility and change. Everything, how much ever significant and great, has an end, and today the team that had fought the best against Australia in their golden era and the team that had managed to ask them questions fairly regularly - although mostly in Test Cricket - marked the end of that era. Yes, I take immense pride in saying that it is India who have beaten the Australians in the quarter-final of the world cup 2011 and have set them right on their way home.

The dilettantes might believe that today's was not an exciting game of cricket as not many spectacular shots were played and not a lot of action was staged on the ground. However, the literates of the game would know that it was a thriller - more at the inside than from the outside - by all means. It was a match that pressure resided in like a permanent citizen and, soon as the match began, spread all over in the territories of both the sides like a fluid of low viscosity. Australia did well to reach 260 as Ricky Ponting played a fantastic knock for his fifth, and most probably last, world cup hundred. India, on the other hand, who have been one of the worst bowling sides for a large part of the tournament believed that they had done well to restrict Australia below 275. Zaheer Khan bowled brilliantly and rose up to the occasion. Harbhajan and Ashwin spun the ball well and kept things tight in the initial stages. Yuvraj, the statistically best bowler, bowled his 10 for 44 and picked up 2 wickets.

India came on to bat with a purpose and got off to a good start before Sehwag fell mistiming a pull as he was caught at midwicket. Sachin Tendulkar looked superb as usual and played some remarkable strokes all over the ground for his 53 and formed a good stand with Gambhir. Sachin was caught behind on Tait's bowling which was the only highlight of Shaun Tait's presence in the match. Otherwise, Tait was haywire, never settled down, and frankly, never bowled well. The occasion was a huge one and the match that was getting away from the Australians was once again well-balanced as Kohli got out off a full-toss ball and Gambhir killed himself running with Yuvraj Singh in the most bizarre possible manner. And when Dhoni got out shortly after, the Indian ship looked to be sinking and the famous Australian attitude of never-say-die suddenly looked alive and shining.

Then came the 7th man - Suresh Raina - the last person guarding the weak Indian tail from the lethal pace of Brett Lee, Mittchel Johnson and Shaun Tait. Yuvraj Singh, with great support from Suresh Raina, scored a match-winning 57 not out in 65 balls which, to me, was as good as a hundred. The two formed an unbeaten partnership of 74 which was as good a match-winning effort as you will ever see. Raina remained unbeaten on 34 off 28 and actively participated in writing a glorious piece of the history of Indian cricket.

Fascinating pieces of cricketing history have been written by the Indians and importantly they have a lot more to come their way. With this scintillating win, India have confirmed an appointment with their arch-rivals Pakistan in Mohali on Wednesday, 30th of March, 2011. That is as big a game as one could possibly see in world cricket. For tonight, India can rejoice and cherish a victory that would have tasted like a divine delicacy cooked in their own backyard.

Man of the Match: Yuvraj Singh

A Quest for Supremacy

When India played South Africa in Nagpur, it turned out to be quite the show the world was waiting for. It was always going to be an evenly contested battle. It was always going to be the biggest league game of the tournament. It was a battle of two of the hot favourites to win the cup. It was a finely cut piece of the greatest sporting spectacle on earth that the fans savoured till the very last minute. From the perspective of a cricket fan, I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of the game. From an Indian perspective, however, I felt miserable and disappointed as the match ended.

The match began with downright dominance of the Indian openers in Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar. Sehwag flashed his bat in the air so often that it seemed like a law of the land to do that each time a ball was bowled at you. He flew ferociously in the African skies conquering a bowler after another. At the other end, of course, was the man my words can never suffice for - a man who has achieved so much that the more you talk about him the more incapable do you find yourself to describe his genius. And as it happens often lately, while Sehwag was gambling at one end, Sachin was playing shots that could not be better timed, better placed, and more adored. Sachin looked in sublime form and looked like a man on a mission. He knew exactly what he was doing and when he pushed one straight passed the bowler and then checked his stance like he was learning the straight drive, I knew that day was going to be special. And when he hooked Dale Steyn over deep midwicket for a six, it looked as if he was reminding the world, in his own wonderful manner of course, of what he is and what he has been - Sachin Tendulkar. After Sehwag's departure, Sachin carried the innings in remarkable style, advising Gautam Gambhir every now and then as he initially struggled and later went on to score a fine 69 of 75. These were a couple of hours of unmatchable perfection that had every South African effort look dull as Sachin registered his 48th ODI hundred and 99th international hundred with all the charisma and greatness that he had scored the previous 98 with.

This, however, was the situation till Sachin was on the ground. Soon, as the batting powerplay was taken, started a collapse never seen, never imagined. From 267/1 in the 40th over, India were reduced to a shameful 296/10 in 48.4 overs. It was a shock, an aweful, unwise display of the fancy Indian middle order. Dhoni was stranded at the other end as Dale Steyn came back rather viciously after Tendulkar's dismissal, taking a 5-wicket hall. He was fast, accurate, and too much to handle for the Indian tail. India lost 9 wickets for 29 runs and this to me was the greatest turning point of the match.

The South African batting looked strong enough to chase 297 in Nagpur where chasing is relatively easier than on some other venues. Against a toothless, indisciplined Indian bowling the Africans were always going to be the favourites to chase anything under 300. Zaheer Khan, however, looked in good rhythm, and bowled pretty well throughout the match. Harbhajan, finally got some flight on the ball, occasionally came around the wicket and finally managed to impress in the tournament. India's woes were, however, to bear the burden of talentless bowlers like Nehra and Munaf who were treated like school-kids by the Africans. I really doubt if either of them really belong to this level of cricket. They lack talent, they lack pace, they lack accuracy. They have nothing that would qualify as an attribute of a good seamer. Moreover, they lack energy and fitness too. It's amazing how a country that has produced so many great batsmen and a few excellent spinners, fails completely to produce one genuine fast bowler. Nehra and Munaf are neither fast nor bowlers. Munaf is Right Arm Straight and Nehra is Left Arm Haywire. That's all. Any team can milk them at will and India will without much of a choice have to play them and pay for them in the tournament.

The African run-chase was fuelled by will and a hope that was broaden by the kind of attack India staged against them. They started slow and steady and the match was always in the balance. When Jack Kallis was run-out after an inspiring 69, I guess, India had a wonderful chance of capitalizing on the situation since the asking rate had gone high up then. The part-timers in Yuvraj and Pathan had bowled decently and right when it went to the final few overs, India missed fast bowlers. They needed just one of them to bowl in tandem with Zaheer Khan - who was bowling beautifully - but couldn't find him. As a result, it came down to getting 17 from 2 overs. Zaheer Khan bowled a fantastic second-last over and gave away just 4 runs. Dhoni had to choose between Harbhajan and Nehra. If I were him, I'd blindly choose Harbhajan. Not that I'm saying it now, but I believe some kind of spin on the ball is better than a straight ball right in the slog. India might have still lost it had Harbhajan bowled the last over but would have certainly had a better chance. Nehra bowled three lousy deliveries - the second one being the worst ball of the world cup so far - and South Africa scored 14 off 3 balls when 13 were required from 6.

South Africa won. India lost. South Africa had held their nerves till the very end in this classic of a cricket match. As teams stand now, South Africa are the only team in Group 'B' to have qualified for the next round. India are most probably in too and have a match on their hands. If they can beat the West Indies - who gave the victory away foolishly to England today - they'd be through for sure. India have a lot of questions to answer before they (hopefully) play the knockouts. I hope the nail-biters against England and South Africa would teach India quick and vital lessons about life in world cup cricket, and hopefully they will make the most of it. For now, India will have to deal with another unfortunate climax to a spectacular hundred by the great Sachin Tendulkar.

The Rave Party in Bangalore

Yesterday's was as much a fascinating game of Cricket - a nail-biter in every sense - as was it a harsh lesson for both the teams. It was as much a match that nobody deserved to lose as was it one that nobody deserved to win. And it, quite fascinatingly, was a tie indeed.

The match featured everything that an ODI could boast about - two dissimilar yet stunning hundreds, 18 wickets, half-hearted chances, dropped catches, mindless slogging, decisions and blunders, and the rarest of the results.

It started with Sehwag winning three lotteries in the first over, then smashing a few all over the place, giving a chance to England each time a ball was bowled at him, and finally getting caught behind in a fine over by Tim Bresnan. Gambhir moved his feet around beautifully to Graeme Swann establishing the Indian superiority over any kind of spin. At the other end was, as Nassir Hussain called him, the great Sachin Tendulkar who had placed his innings with his unmatchable talent and incomparable wisdom. Sachin started rather slow - though solid as ever - while he watched Sehwag gambling at the other end, and soon accelerated in such style and quality that is known only to the master. Sachin, too, picked on Swann, soon after Gambhir charged at him, and hit two consecutive sixes. I don't hold anything against Swann. He was not bowling bad at all but as Shane Warne once said, "You have to decide for yourself if you are bowling well or not. He (Sachin) is going to hit you for fours and sixes anyway." Paul Collingwood, for some inane reason, thought of teasing the master with a fast offspinner which was rightly sent where it truly belonged - in the stands. England watched as Sachin raced to 120 of 115 balls to become the most prolific century maker in world cup cricket before mistiming an on-drive.

Yuvraj scored a quick fifty before the Indians collapsed like a pack of cards to get bowled out for 338 with one ball to spare. The damage done was so much that at that moment they just didn't seem bothered about having not scored the 30-odd extra runs they should have easily managed in the last 5-10 overs. However, India, as expected, had batted like champions and 339 was a paramount task for England who were unlikely to even come close to the target on a pitch that had turned like cracked soil in the warm-up game against Australia, and the Indians assumed a win at the innings break.

When England started chasing, most Indian players were lazy in the field and the bowlers were way off the mark. The Indian bowlers decided to play great hosts to the visitors as Peterson - a strong led-side player - was bowled onto his pads and Andrew Strauss was offered enough room and consistently bowled short at. There was nothing much in the pitch for the bowlers as it was an absolute belter, and I don't expect them to stun the batsmen time and again. But they failed to bowl at the stumps, never found the right length, and advertised the indiscipline in Indian bowling. Munaf luckily got Peterson caught and bowled and that was one of the few moments that the Indians were to enjoy in the second innings of the match. Piyush Chawla equalled, and at times even surpassed, the standard of indiscipline that his fast-bowler friends had set. And soon, when the alarms started ringing as England cruised to 132 for 2 in 20 overs, the Indians found themselves aweful in the field and too defensive in their approach. Dhoni, whose shrewdness is usually an asset to Indian cricket, seemed to be consistently getting the field wrong. There was no midwicket for Andrew Strauss, there were too many people covering the wrong boundaries and the worst of them all - the thing that allowed Strauss to form that remarkable 170 run partnership with Ian Bell - was the singles and the couples were too easily available. One would just have to nudge the ball anywhere around him to pick up a single. This helped England keep the pressure off them since there was no point throughout the innings when the runs were not easy to score. Andrew Strauss batted like a champion and played what they call a captain's knock, leading his team from the front. I don't want to take the credit away from that superb partnership, nor do I want to get into the controversies but the infamous review of Ian Bell's LBW looked plumb to me at the first go itself and the hawk-eye just confirmed it. Had it even been 5 meters away from the stumps it was out, and should have been given out to make the game fairer.

England kept cruising towards a dream win and at the end of the 42nd over, it looked all over for India as England were 280/2. The 43rd over, however, produced a huge twist in the tail as England took the powerplay and Ian Bell launched at the wrongest of the Indian bowlers in Zaheer Khan to get caught off a thick outside edge. Zaheer was the only one getting some kind of movement off the ball and Bell could have hit that shot to anyone else but him. The very next ball, however, was an absolute beauty by Zaheer Khan to york Staruss and trap him plumb in front of the stumps. Strauss's 158 of 145 balls was an innings worth applauding by fans of either side as he not only hit 18 fours and a six but also constantly kept the scoreboard ticking by rotating the strike and most importantly formed that game-changing partnership of 170 with Ian Bell.

The 44th over started a drama of wickets and slogging. The Indians suddenly got charged up in the filed. The balance of the game kept shifting towards either side before India seemed to have a strong advantage when England needed 29 from 2 overs. Graeme Swann and Tim Bresnan both swung their bats in the air against Piyush Chawla and both cleared the boundary once as England scored 14 from the second last over. 15 from the last over, too, looked difficult for England as Munaf had been bowling well. But Ahmed Shehzad hit a six straight over Munaf's head off the third ball of the over and brought it down to 2 runs needed off the last ball. Munaf bowled one right on the length. England ran 1 and a fascinating game of cricket ended in a tie.

The game, undoubtedly, was a thriller. It was one of the kind that can bring fans back to One Day Cricket. From an English point of view, the result might look disappointing in the end but I guess, they would have taken it before the game. They have shared equal points with India, and not because of the rain but due to equally powerful performances and equally lethal mistakes. They shall be bathing in confidence yet tattered by the feeling of not walking that extra mile.

As far as India are concerned, they must know that you cannot not be able to defend 338 on any pitch and if you really can't then you cannot win the world cup. I can't think of a side that has won any major tournament only because of their batting. India are the best batting side in the tournament and they are playing like that, but the bowling has to pick up from here for them to stay in the hunt. I don't know why the Bangalore track suddenly betrayed the spinners. Our slow bowlers, some of whom have been match-winners, have bowled lousily till now. Harbhajan Singh is an unacceptably defensive bowler in ODIs. He must get some flight on the ball without worrying about the batsmen attacking him, and try and pick up wickets. In these conditions, India cannot expect much from Zaheer Khan, and Harbhajan should stand up for his team before, in one of the major matches, a mountain of runs crumbles like a house of paper and destroys the Indian hopes of a second world cup win.

The Opener

In most things in life, the beginning is vital, and cricket is no exception. Opening the batting is not in everyone's reach of ability. There have been many who have fumbled doing the job. Talented openers are rarer than diamonds. Opening the batting is an art in itself, which involves negotiating with the ferocity of the new ball, coping with its wicked movement off the pitch, and getting scoring some runs, possibly at a good rate, to build a solid opening stand with your partner. This of course is the classical way of looking at the openers and their job. The job of an opener has constantly changed over the years. Opening in test matches and opening in ODIs are two very dissimilar jobs; the only similarity being the rarity of those who can handle either of the (or both the) jobs well.

Although writing about opening in test matches would be absolutely awesome, this is a World Cup 2011 blog, and hence I think I should stay as much in the region as possible.

In the earlier World Cups, Desmond Haynes and Gordon Greenidge established themselves as one of the finest opening pairs of all time. They consistently helped their side - also, one of the greatest sides of all time - to win over their opposition by setting off to a flying start. Although not as sterling as their West Indian counter-part, even the Australians found a reliable pair of openers in David Boon and Geoff Marsh in the Reliance World Cup in '87. Sanath Jaysurya and Romesh Kaluwitharna proved to be the most devastating opening pair of the '96 world cup and massively contributed to Sri Lanka's eventual claim of the title. Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly played fine one day cricket together but they never opened a lot together in a world cup. The last pair that must be mentioned in the list is Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, which to me, is one the greatest, if not the greatest, one-day opening pairs of all time.

It is going to be extremely interesting to know the strategy of the openers in this world cup. I assume, unlike '96, mindless slogging is out of fashion now, and at least one of the two openers for most of the teams would want to anchor the innings - which does not necessarily make them play slow. There are some batsmen who can score at fascinating strike-rates without playing a foul shot. Sachin Tendulkar is, of course, one of them and that's why I feel, he - along with a fiery Sehwag - will form the best opening pair of the world cup. Sehwag's merciless assault on the bowlers is going to be as crucial in this partnership as will be Tendulkar's classy stroke-play. Another opening partnership that the bowlers will be willing to spare their best weapon for is the one that Graeme Smith will share with Hashim Amla - who has been in supreme touch over the past 2 years. Shane Watson and Bradd Haddin will have a lot of Australian hopes rested on their shoulders but they - particularly Bradd Haddin - do not seem to belong to the same league as their Indian and South African counter-parts. England might be a surprise package as their aggressive leader in Andrew Strauss and a fine young talent in Alistar Cook build a few solid opening stands. Tilakaratne Dilshan has always looked virtually talentless to me but has still managed to score a few quick runs for his team with mindless handling of the bat. I think as in the last 4 world cups, Sri Lanka, would opt to slog in the first power play and Dilshan, if lucky as always, with Upul Tharanga may offer something to what I imagine to be a poor and hungry Lankan scoreboard in most matches. Pakistan is in such tatters right now that I am just not sure who is going to open for them, and I tend to think that even they aren't. I doubt if they have any known players apart from Shahid Afridi - who although learned nothing spectacular with either the bat or the ball and acquired zero cricketing wisdom in his career - seems to have the ability to remain a teenager all his life. Unfortunately for him, this ability does not extend to being able to be a 17 year old Sachin Tendulkar and forces him to be himself, which indicates no potential harm from him to the opposition.

The minnows might surprise us with a couple of sparkling performers. After all it's a world cup and everyone wants to prove himself. It is the biggest stage where the drama of cricket unfolds which I, in my own humble way, am trying to analyse and write about from a quiet place at a quiet hour in a crowded city where the 2011 World Cup is scheduled to be awarded to the best of the fighters.

A Few More Men

Although Cricket is a team sport and no individual is greater than the team, there are a few who can make a difference - a few who can largely single-handedly take games away from their opponents. World Cup Cricket, too, has had its share of such memorable performances. Clive Lloyd scored an elegant 102 in the final of the first world cup to beat Australia; Sir Vivian Richards smashed the English bowlers all over the place in the final of the smallest world cup - in 1979 - in his blistering knock of 138; Kapil Dev scored a career-best 175 against Zimbabwe to see India through to the next round in a world cup that they eventually won, and covered a distance of about 22-yards to take Viv Richard's catch in the final; Sachin Tendulkar crushed a star-studded Pakistani attack at Centurion in Cape Town in 2003 to retain India's record of beating Pakistan every time the two teams faced each other in the World Cup; Wasim Akram had swept through the British tail in the final of The Benson & Hedges Cup in '92; Lance Klusener, almost, pulled off a fascinating African win in the semi final in '99 which would have changed the history of world cup cricket; Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist scored a hundred respectively to decide the result of two consecutive world cup finals in the first fifty overs itself. These, and many others, have been performances that have left strong impressions on the history of the game.

When the cup is a few days away, let me bring you to who I think would be the men to watch out for in this tournament. I have already written a separate article on Sachin Tendulkar since nobody else can ever belong to the same league as him. Apart from the master, Virender Sehwag, Hashim Amla, Jack Kalis, Kevin Peterson, Kumar Sangakara, Gautam Gambhir, Chris Gayle and Ricky Ponting would be worth a watch with the bat. Among the bowlers, Daniel Vettori, Harbhajan Singh, Mutthiah Muralitharan, Zaheer Khan, Dayle Steyn, Andy Morkel, James Anderson could be lethal.

Alistar Cook, Virat Kohli and Michael Clark might come out to be the unsung heroes. Watch Ajantha Mendis too.

We shall analyse some players in greater detail as this blog grows a few days older. There are also a few new polls that you may want to vote on. Keep an eye or two wide open. The distant image of the world cup is getting brighter by the day.

The Man to Watch, The Man to Worship

I was 8, back in 1996, when I saw a rather lean, short boy battling with an authority that was unprecedented to me, in any aspect of life. He went on to become the highest run scorer of the world cup in 1996. Fifteen years have gone by, and Cricket has become an integral part of my life over time.

I have seen, understood, and lived the game. I have seen the game changing its skin. I have seen the wickets all over the world betraying the bowlers in the recent years. I have seen 250 dropping from a formidable target to one of the easiest ones to chase. I have witnessed drastic changes in the average economy rate of a bowler. I have seen an evanescence of genuine fast bowlers from the world of Cricket. However, what, most remarkably, have I not seen is any weakening of the authority that the short - but no more lean and no more a boy - man exercises while batting.

The man I am talking about is, of course, none other than Sachin Tendulkar - the finest Cricket has ever seen. Today, he is 37 and will soon turn 38. He is no more a young man, no more someone who would dance down the track to someone of Shane Warne's calibre and feature in some of his worst nightmares. Rarely does he take the aerial route anymore, even rarely does he hook the ball as he once did to play what was perhaps the shot of the decade to Andrew Caddick. The third man doesn't worry anymore about a rocket that travels straight above his head for a six. Sachin doesn't pull too many deliveries either, nor does he play his back foot drives - the ones that used to be as skillfully crafted as Victoria Terminus in the early days of the master. He has had to cut down on many lethal weapons in his grand armour as time grew against him.

Yet, he has the straight drive - impeccable and heavenly. He also has the paddle sweep - a shot that he invented in a middle of a match. I hope the cover drive is still alive; even half of what it used to be would qualify as the best today. And, of course, he has the unique ability to flick almost any delivery that is pitched up or on length.

The master has defeated time to produce another subliminal cricketing year in 2010. He has batted with unmatchable class all over the world against the best of the bowlers. Talking only of the world cups, he has been the highest run scorer in two out of the five world cups he has played. He also holds the records of scoring the most number of runs in a single world cup and scoring the highest number of runs in the history of world cup cricket at a staggering average of 57.94. He owns every possible record worth owning in the history of the game. But the World Cup is one trophy that every cricketer dreams of, and so does Sachin Tendulkar. This may be his last chance to achieve this elusive glory and I'm sure he is geared up, being the superhuman he is.

Sachin Tendulkar, as always, tops my list of the men to watch.