Andy Bichel to become bowling coach of Chennai Super Kings

With World Cup final fever grips up, IPL teams are getting their members in order before the tournament begins on April 8. Chennai Super Kings have got a new bowling coach in the form of Andy Bichel.Former Australian paceman Andy Bichel will be the CSK bowling coach for the IPL season 4. Venkatesh Prasad was their former bowling coach has joined Kochi for this season.

CSK have roped in Upul Tharanga and Tim Southee as replacements of Ben Hilfenhaus and Chris Bailey who have been ruled out of the tournament with injuries. Tharanga was unsold in the IPL auctions but has been in fine form in the World Cup. Southee on the other hand coming out of a great recent tournament at the World Cup. The 22-year-old took 18 wickets at an average of 17.33 during New Zealand’s team campaign in the six-week long tournament in the sub continent.

Chennai Super Kings is also waiting for the clearance of players like Michael Hussey and Doug Bollinger from Cricket Australia. The Aussies have international commitments against Bangladesh.

The CSK players camp have already began in Chennai from April 1. Only three Indian players (MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina and R. Ashwin)are to play in the CSK squad. They are likely to join from April 6 while the rest will come in batches.

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Astrologers are favouring the Indian team in the India vs Sri Lanka 2011 final

MILLIONS OF Indian and Sri Lankans fans are praying for their team's victory and wishing their team to win the trophy for the second time. Ahead of the India vs Sri Lanka World Cup 2011 final, fans are looking forward to the astrological predictions being made about the match.
According to predictions, India will win the toss and elect to bat first and will score 260-280 runs. The predictions further say that India will win the Cricket World Cup 2011 final by a margin of 35-50 runs. Two lefties Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh will be the key players in the India vs Sri Lanka World Cup 2011 final.
World famous astrologer Bejan Daruwalla had predicted a win for India more then a month back. Numerologist Anupam Kapil opines that according to the numerological indications India will win the cup. One more astrologer, Gireesh Acharya said, India will win the match in the 48th over of the match by three wickets.
All predictions are not favourig India to be next Cricket World Cup 2011 champion. One astrologer Pandit Deepak said after winning the toss Sri Lanka will set a target of 290-310 runs for India, but the Indian side will be all out for 210-225 runs.
Fans from both the countries are now waiting for the India vs Sri Lanka World Cup 2011 final match. What will be happening tomorrow at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai can't be foretold for sure. But one thing is sure that good cricket will be played. Let's hope for great entertainment by twenty two cricketers in the India vs Sri Lanka final match.

India vs Sri Lanka 2011: the road to Cricket World Cup final

THE FINALISTS of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, India and Sri Lanka will play for the World Cup trophy at Mumbai's Wankhede stadium on Saturday, April 2. During the group league stage of the Cricket World Cup 2011, both India and Sri Lanka finished second in their respective groups.
The Indian team, which exited in the first round of the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup, started its 2011 campaign against co-hosts Bangladesh on February 19 at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, in the inaugural match of the Cricket World Cup 2011. India won that match by 87 runs.
In the next match on February 27 at Bangalore's M. Chinnaswamy stadium against England, the two teams played out a tie despite India setting a massive target of 338 runs for the visitors. In the next two matches of the Cricket World Cup 2011, against the qualifiers, Ireland and Netherlands respectively, at Bangalore and Ferozshah Kotla, Delhi, India won by five wickets each.
In the most difficult match for the "Men in Blue" against South Africa at VCA Stadium in Nagpur on March 12, India lost by three wickets. India lost their last nine wickets just for 29 runs in this match. In the final group league match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, MS Dhoni and his men won against West Indies by 80 runs.
In the second quarter final match of the Cricket World Cup 2011, India ousted world champion since 1999, Australia, by five wickets at Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera in Ahmedabad on March 24.
India marched to the grand final of the tenth edition of the Cricket World Cup after beating arch-rival Pakistan by 29 runs in the second semi final of the tournament at PCA Stadium, Mohali on this Wednesday, March 30.
Sri Lanka, who lost to Australia in the final of the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup, started ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 against Canada with a 210-run margin victory. The home team lost its second match against traditional opponent Pakistan by 11 runs in a low-scoring match.
In the third match against a non-test playing team Kenya at R. Premadasa stadium in Colombo on March 1, the Lankans won by nine wickets. In the next match against the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup winner Australia, the match was washed away due to rain.
Sri Lanka won its fifth and sixth group league match against Zimbabwe and New Zealand at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy and Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai by 139 runs and 112 runs respectively.
Kumar Sangakkara and his team reached the semi final of the tournament with a 10-wicket victory against England in the last quarter final match at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo just a week ahead of final match.
Sri Lanka, who has played the final of the Cricket World Cup twice in 1996 and 2007, once again reached in the final in 2011 after a victory over New Zealand in the first semi final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. The Lankans won by five wickets at Colombo's R. Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday, March 29.

Cricket World Cup 2011: Interesting similarities

THE 2011 world cup final has two finalists who were considered to be favourites to make it to the finals. The match is historic in many senses.

1. It is the first time in 10 editions that two Asian countries are playing the final.

2. Both Sri Lanka and India have won the cup once, lost to Australia in the cup finals once, and are facing each other for first time in the final.

3. Sri Lanka bowling legend Muthaiah Muralitharan and Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar will be signing off in style their world cup campaigns for their respective countries.

4. It is the first time that the two finalist captains are both wicket keeper batsmen.

5. Both countries depend on one fast bowler and one main spinner to contain the opposition.

6. Both Murali and Sachin hold record for highest wickets taken and highest runs scored in the world - in both ODI and Test cricket respectively.

7. Both teams had same number of points and position in the points table in their respective groups during league stage of this world cup.

8. Three batsmen from both teams figure in top ten scorers in this world cup

The ICC 2011 world cup final thus has two finalists who are equal in many ways and have equal chance of winning. Sri Lanka was never tested by a strong opponent in the league stage or knock out stage of the tournament.

The only strong opponent they played was Pakistan and they lost that game. The other game against formidable Australia was washed out and hence there was no result. India has defeated both Pakistan and Australia from Sri Lanka group in the knock out stage.

Irrespective of who wins on Saturday, April 2, 2011, many historic moments are already associated with this game.

Check here for>>> ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, Cricket Live Score Card

Fans point fingers at Misbah-ul-Haq for Pakistan defeat

India beat Pakistan by 29 runs in a tense encounter in Mohali on March 30. Asked to score 261 runs to win and book a place in the finals of the ICC 2011 World Cup, the Pakistani batsmen lost wickets at regular intervals but still had a chance when Afridi and Misbah were building a partnership.

But cricket fans, gutted after Pakistani exited the World Cup, say that Misbah is to be blamed.
“We lost because of Misbah, as he did not score well when it was most required,” angry fan Awais Shakir told news agency AFP on Islamabad’s main Jinnah Avenue as thousands of disappointed viewers were leaving screenings of the match.

“He just wasted time on the pitch.”
In other cities too, fans lambasted Misbah, who took his own sweet time while scoring 56 from 76 deliveries. Misbah could easily have taken the power play, and he and Afridi could have taken advantage of the power play. Instead, his slow scoring rate pushed Pakistan to self-destruct.

In Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, engineer Mohammad Ali said: “It was a great contest all along and the day belonged to India. However Misbah and Younis Khan were very lazy,” reported Pakistani newspaper Dawn.
Cricket fans were all the more disappointed as the government had announced March 30 as a half-day holiday in offices and schools so that cricket-crazy followers of the game could enjoy the semi final of the 2011 ICC cricket World Cup.

People also offered special prayers in mosques, and by the time the Indian inning ended, all major roads in many cities in Pakistan were packed like sardines to go back and watch the second inning. They were soon to be let down after Pakistani batsmen started falling like nine pins, and Misbah added to the misery with his slow batting.
Such was the reaction during and after the match that by the time the India-Pakistan ICC 2011 cricket World Cup semi final ended 30 people had been admitted to hospitals in Karachi after being injured by stray bullets fired in festivities everytime Pakistani fans celebrated.

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India vs Sri Lanka world cup final: India has edge, says Akram

INDIANS GET ready to face one of the greatest spinners of the game in ICC World Cup final match as Sri Lankan wizard Muttiah Muralitharan on Friday showed his firm resolve to play the match, terming it as the most important match of his life.

Setting aside the speculation that he might not play the final due to a slew of injuries, Muralitharan on Friday made it clear on Twitter that he will play the final match come what may.

However, the Sri Lankan great had to skip practice session on Thursday, which lead to rumours that he might be forced to skip the final match.

Another Sri Lankan Angelo Mathew is also doubtful for the final as he sustained an injury, while fielding against New Zealand in the semifinal.

Meanwhile, even as tension is building up for the final match between India and Sri Lanka on Saturday, former cricketers and experts are of the opinion that India led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni has an edge in the India versus Sri Lanka world cup final match at Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on April 2.

Former Pakistani great Wasim Akram speaking to the media opined that India is a clear favourite to win the final as it has come through two difficult encounters. He said Indians are playing like a champion side and it is most likely that they will put their best performance in the final.

Akram also said that this world cup belonged to Sachin Tendulkar as he has played brilliantly, and has also motivated the team.

Check here for>> Cricket Live Score Card, ICC Cricket World Cup Final

India and Sri Lanka gear up for world cup final

INDIA AND Sri Lanka, who showed Pakistan and New Zealand the way back home in the semi-finals, are now all set to take the final challenge on April 2, 2011 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

The excitement is building up and expectations are mounting, especially for India because if they win it would be a ‘perfect farewell’, as many would like to put it, for Gary Kirsten and Sachin Tendulkar. Though, there is no retirement call for Sachin for now, but it is definitely his last World Cup.

Sri Lanka has been a very strong contender so far. They have consecutively reached the World cup finals and their performance against New Zealand was stupendous. However, it is also being said that the Sri Lankan middle order hasn’t been put to test in this tournament. Their spinners have done well throughout the tournament and Muralitharan is the highest wicket taker so far.

On the other hand India has been everyone’s favourite since the beginning of the tournament. But their performance hasn’t been good on the batting side. In matches against the strong teams like South Africa and England India’s batting line up was wobbly. However, India has been pretty nice on the fielding front; thanks to the coach, Gary Kirsten.

The game on Saturday is going to be a tough fight for both the teams. Dhoni will have a difficult time in deciding his team’s bowling cadre, after a good performance by Munaf and Nehra in the semi-final. Kumar Sangakkara may decide to take up 3 spinners. But the final decisions about the team would be made on Saturday only.

Both the teams have been longing for the Cup, India since 1983 and Sri Lanka since 1996. But, somehow everyone's gut feeling says that this World Cup is for India, Sachin, Dhoni and his cadre. The history is bound to repeat itself after 28 years, but nothing is decided yet. An unpredictable turn of events till the last ball is always a possibility. And, every spectator is looking forward to some good cricket and great performances on field.

The two teams will be performing in front of a hysterical crowd. Strategies are being worked out on both ends. Every player is looking forward to perform his best. The feeling with both the teams is ‘we are ready, bring it on’. Who will hold World Cup 2011? This remains a mystery to be unfolded by destiny.

Check here for>>> ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, Cricket Live Score Card