World Cup presented to Team India original, Says ICC World Cup 2011

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday denied handing out a replica of the World Cup to Team India.

The cricket governing body was reacting to reports that it gave away a fake world cup to the winners instead of the original one.

"The trophy presented to India was the original ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 trophy. The trophy was always intended to be presented to the winner of the event. There is no question that this was a replica," the ICC said in a statement.

"The trophy seized by Mumbai customs is the promotional, perpetual trophy which remains with ICC. That trophy will be reclaimed today and will travel back to Dubai as was always intended," the statement added.

The real trophy, valued at about $130,000 in monetary terms but priceless for the cricketers and their fans across the country, was not even brought to Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium during the finals as it was seized by the customs department on its arrival from Colombo after the Sri Lanka-New Zealand semi-final match on March 29. The trophy, according to customs rules, was not eligible for exemption from import duty.

India World Cup 2011 squad: An Analysis

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“The BCCI national selectors-led by K Srikanth has announced the final 15-member squad for the forthcoming World Cup 2011 on Monday.”

Not surprisingly, selectors have included four pacer and three spinners in the squad while the batting line-up is at par the expectations. The selection of batsmen indicates that selectors are not in mood to disturb the trusted order, which includes Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, Yusuf Pathan and MS Dhoni.

However, exclusion of Ishant Sharma and Rohit Sharma from the final 15, was little bit surprising. Despite of selecting three wicketkeepers in the 30-member list of World Cup probables, Srikanth & Co. have shown interest in just one stumper (Dhoni).

Ravichandran Ashwin’s great run in the cricket field continues as he managed to get the World Cup ticket along with leg spinner Piyush Chawla.

India’s strength in the World Cup 2011:

Skipper MS Dhoni-led Team India has been performing brilliantly in the ongoing South Africa tour. Dhoni is the capable captain and his past performance as a leader invites more expectations from him in the World Cup.

After early debacle in the 2007 World Cup, Dhoni and his side are favourite to win the World Cup in sub-continent.

However, Dhoni has made changes in his batting style after the captaincy and emerged as the match finisher for Team India in the past. He is the backbone of Indian middle order and his role will be crucial in India’s World Cup campaign.

The Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar, the iconic cricketer in world arena, has a great world cup journey until now. He will definitely try to fulfill his world cup dream this time. The legendary batsman has almost every record in his kitty but he has always a dream to be a part of winning world cup side.

Tendulkar will equal the record of most World Cup appearance this year and will also try to guide his side towards the title. He is the key player for India in the World Cup. His presence in the final XI means the half job is already done.

Virender Sehwag, the most explosive opener of present era, is the key match winner for India. His role as a part-time bowler is also makes him crucial in the side. His devastating batting style can change the result of game anytime. The opening combination of Sehwag and Tendulkar is the most dangerous in the cricket world.

Gautam Gambhir is the next key player in the side. In the absence of Sachin Tendulkar, he opens for India. In the Sub-continent, his records are impressive. Another quality of Gambhir is his fielding.

Yuvraj Singh, a flamboyant middle order batsman, is known for his match winning innings and handy part-time bowler. However, he is going through the bad phase of his career but he scored much needed half century in the second ODI against South Africa. He will strengthen the Indian middle order if top order is collapsed. Yuvraj is also an electric-fielder.

Suresh Raina, is another attacking middle order batsman. He is capable of hitting big shots and has played several crucial innings down the order. He is an electric fielder. He has always provided breakthrough whenever asked to bowl.

Virat Kohli will play his maiden World Cup but he has cemented his place in the side through consistence performance in the last one year. He is a good striker of ball and his technique makes him suitable for the No.3 batsman. Being a good fielder, he will strengthen the Indian fielding.

Yusuf Pathan is the genuine all-rounder in the Indian side. However, inconsistency is the big problem with him. Pathan is a valuable fifth bowler for India. He is capable to change the mood of game in the lower order.

Zaheer Khan is the spearhead of Indian pace attack. He is the most experience campaigner in the World Cup Squad. He can score with the bat down the order. Zaheer Khan’s performance will set the game for India in the World Cup. He is the genuine wicket taker for the past few years.

Praveen Kumar is the genuine swinger of new ball. He is able to swing the ball both ways. He is also economical and eligible pinch-hitter. 

Munaf Patel is known for his consistent line and length. He has proved several occasion that he is capable to check the run flow. In the Second ODI against South Africa, he took 4/29 to guide India towards victory. 

Ashish Nehra is most devastating when he is in form. But lack of consistency and injuries are major problem with him. He is believed to be a poor fielder in the Indian side.

The ace offie Harbhajan Singh will lead the spin department. He has emerged as the good hitter in the past few years. But he some time becomes more expensive

Ravichandran Ashwin, a budding spinner, earned the World Cup ticket with his capacity to take the wicket early. He is more economical than Harbhajan Singh. He is also able to hit the ball down the order.

Piyush Chawla is the only leg spinner in the side. However, he lacks confidence of skipper Dhoni. However, he is able to bat down the order.

Over all the Indian side is looking very much strong on the paper. But winning a match is totally different phenomenon. Cricket is a team game and all players will have to fire with full cylinders to win a match.

Sachin Sets World Record Hits double- ton - Sachin Tendulkar Breaks World Record - First ODI Double Century. Highest scorer in ODI Sachin Tendulkar, South Africa, Saeed Anwar, India

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world Record double century, 


Sachin Tendulkar breaks World Record. First ODI Double Century. Highest scorer in ODI

Sachin Tendulkar on Wednesday became the first batsman in the history of one-day international cricket to score a double century. On way to his historic double ton Sachin also achieved the landmark of becoming the highest individual run scorer in a match eclipsing the previous individual highest score of 194 recorded by Pakistan's Saeed Anwar and Zimbabwe's Charles Conventry.

Playing against South Africa at Gwalior, Sachin played an offensive knock on a pitch that was heavily loaded in favour of batsmen and reached the milestone in 147 balls. 

Sri Lanka v India, Compaq Cup final, Colombo, Tendulkar 138, Yuvraj 56*, Dhoni 56

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50 overs India 319 for 5 (Tendulkar 138, Yuvraj 56*, Dhoni 56) v Sri Lanka

Sachin Tendulkar whips it on the leg side, Sri Lanka v India, Compaq Cup, final, Colombo, September 14, 2009
Party like it's the nineties: Tendulkar flicks one on his way to his 86th international hundred © AFP

Sachin Tendulkar rolled back the years, and then some more. He stroked, ran and yearned for runs like it was the 1990s but, unlike those days, he didn't need to take any chances or risks on the way to his 86th international century. By the time Tendulkar was done, he had given India a strong chance of ending a run of five straight defeats in completed tournament finals to Sri Lanka.

This was Tendulkar's ninth international century since May 2007, to go with seven scores in the 90s. Judging by this form, 100 international hundreds have become a distinct possibility. Today admittedly he was helped by MS Dhoni winning the toss at one of the worst ODI venues, in terms of the toss influencing the result of the match. But what followed the toss was an absolute master class. A measure of the bowlers' helplessness lay in the fact that the first time he hit a ball in the air was to reach his fifty, that too off a free hit. With Tendulkar batting the way he was, who needed aerial shots?

He shared valuable partnerships with Rahul Dravid, Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh, though the especially crucial one was the stand with Dravid. Tendulkar and Dravid, 73 years and 762 ODI caps (before this match) between them, took charge of what has looked a shaky batting line-up: their 95-run opening stand took them to No. 6 on the all-time partnership aggregates in ODIs.

Tendulkar you simply couldn't take your eye off. Albeit on a flat track, Tendulkar and Dravid were prepared to work hard in sapping conditions, their shirts turning to dark blue with sweat even before the shine went off the white ball.

After Dravid got India going with a boundary off the second ball of the innings, it was all Tendulkar and his classy shots. Nuwan Kulasekera and Thilan Thushara didn't serve up loose half-volleys or long hops; Tendulkar had to work for every forceful shot. The first ball he faced he punched sweetly off his toes, wide of mid-off for three. In the fourth over, he took a similar delivery and wristed it wide of mid-on for three. We were on to something.

A string of lovely boundaries followed, the best being the punches through a tight cover ring, and the late flicks from off and middle stump to midwicket and cow corner. With Dravid being Dravid, there were hardly any chances for the bowlers; the one that came their way Tillakaratne Dilshan dropped at point. Dravid was 24 then, and India had reached 58 in the 12th over.

Lasith Malinga came on in the 14th over, and was subjected to similar treatment at once: an impeccable punch through the covers for four. With that free hit, a slice over cover, Tendulkar reached his 92nd ODI fifty, off 47 balls.

Dravid followed it up with an aerial shot of his own, reading an Ajantha Mendis googly early, and lofting him over long-on. It was not all fours and sixes, but smart placements on the non-boundary hits: only 38 of the 95-run stand came in fours and sixes.

Dhoni moved up to No. 3, and settled into the innings without wasting much time. By then Tendulkar had started taking the odd chance, stepping out, making room, and hitting Jayasuriya and Mendis over extra cover. Not all such shots brought boundaries, but the twos and threes were a main feature of the innings. During the 110-run second-wicket stand, Dhoni made Tendulkar run hard, and was returned the favour by the man eight years his senior. Never did Dhoni outscore Tendulkar, and between them the two saw off the threat the spinning track posed.

When he hit an inside-out boundary off Mendis in the 29th over, Tendulkar reached his 90s and serenely, with ones and twos, brought up the hundred. The temptation for the double century was on but after the hundred came the cramps, and when Tendulkar opted for a runner we were reminded for the first time it was in fact the year 2009.

Dravid came back to run, but Tendulkar did most of the calling. The bowlers showed no mercy, Malinga bowling a mix of bouncers and yorkers. Tendulkar's response was to hit Mendis for a six inside-out and reverse-sweep two boundaries in three balls. When he got out in the 46th over, trying one reverse-sweep too many, he had outscored a younger and fresher Yuvraj too in a 71-run stand.Compaq Cup final

In the last four overs, Yuvraj's big hitting got India 42 runs, taking them to 12 more than what Sri Lanka managed and defended comfortably two days ago. cricketmore cricinfo