I knew no force on earth could stop me: Yuvraj

NEW DELHI: The aura of Yuvraj Singh has grown even bigger after the World Cup. The Man of the Tournament not only proved his critics wrong in telling fashion, he also emerged as a mature and multi-talented player on whom India can rely on without hesitation. He spoke to TOI at length on Tuesday. Excerpts from the interview: 

How did the change come around? 

I was hitting the ball well and got a fifty in South Africa and had scored a couple of 40s against the New Zealand side at home. The only thing is that I was not getting those big scores. But I kept working on my game and didn't lose heart. I know if I can continue to hit the ball well, there is no force on earth that can stop me from getting there. I am glad it happened right here. 

Last year must have been quite painful... 

I was struggling with a series of injuries. I came back fresh just before last year's IPL and was struggling to strike form. I couldn't score in four matches and then all the talk about under-performing started. Everyone questioned my attitude and said that I was under-performing because I was not the captain of Kings XI. That kind of stuff is not appreciated. After we lost the last Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies, some of the cricketers had a quarrel with some fans. Thereafter, I was dropped from the Indian team from both Tests and One-dayers. It was really a nightmare. But close people like my mother, my Guruji and my father ensured that I kept fighting the odds. 

How did Sachin help you? 

During my bad phase, I was in constant touch with Sachin. He kept citing his experiences when he was injured and the way he came back to form. His mere presence was inspiring and so were his stories. In that phase, Sachin helped me to regain the self-confidence. He kept telling me how he has a lot of faith on my ability and how I can do it for India. 

Was there anything wrong with the batting? 

Coach Gary Kirsten and Sachin kept telling me that there was nothing wrong and that I needed just one game to turn it around. So, from my side, there was no dearth of effort. I am glad that I was able to strike the ball well from the very second match of the World Cup. 

People are saying that you a lot more matured now? 

I have been playing international cricket for a while and it's my job to use all my experience to good use. This is not the first time I have performed for India. For me, the timing was perfect. 

What did you do to improve your concentration? 

To start with, I had to lose a few kilos after getting back from injury. I do yoga regularly and that has helped a lot to improve concentration. 

Was it a problem batting after Virat Kohli? 

I can bat anywhere in the team. But Virat's batting style is not well suited for number six and seven. He came to this World Cup in very good form and was batting like the champion. 

Are you disappointed when skipper MS Dhoni went into bat ahead of you? 

This is the decision of the captain and the coach. I can't comment much. If the team wants me to bat up the order, I am willing to do that and if I am asked tomorrow to bat lower down the order, I am equally happy to do it for the team. 

What is next for Yuvraj Singh? 

I want to carry my World Cup form into the IPL. I have been batting well and bowled quite decently. And it's quite inspiring to lead an IPL team, Pune Warriors. Hope we do something special there. We have a good team, but injuries to two key players in the team - Ashish Nehra and Angelo Mathews - are a big blow. But I am confident that the rest of the squad will respond to the challenge. Actually, in IPL you can't predict what can happen. It's a tough format and competition is tough. 

What will be Team India's challenge now? 

For us, it's important not to get carried away by the World Cup win. The country ad the team needed this Cup. Now, we have to be consistent. 

You must be very tired... 

Last few months have been really hectic for all of us. We were under strict discipline and there was so much pressure to perform. More than a billion people were pinning their hopes on us and we had nothing in our minds except winning. It was both mentally and physically challenging, but we still had the belief that we can do it. And when that moment, none of us could hold our tears. It all came out spontaneously. 

Shahid Afridi has said that Indians don't have large hearts like Pakistanis. Your thoughts? 

It's true that Pakistanis have a large heart. Or how would you explain their generous gesture of dropping so many catches during the India-Pak semis. The outcome of this World Cup could have been different had it not been for their largesse!

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/cricket-world-cup-2011/interviews/I-knew-no-force-on-earth-could-stop-me-Yuvraj/articleshow/7879953.cms

Pak vs NZ: Taylor scores a ton as NZ beat Pak by 110 runs

Kiwi Ross Taylor scored an unbeaten 131 as New Zealand beat Pakistan by a massive 110-run margin during their World CupGroup A in Kandy on Tuesday. Score

Chasing 303 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Pakistan were bundled out for 192.

In a similar start to the New Zealand innings, Pakistan too lost their opener early with Kiwi paceman Tim Southee claiming Mohammad Hafeez in the second over of the innings off an LBW decision when the score was 5-1. Hafeez managed to put just five on board.

But the similarity ended there. As far from forging any partnerships, Pakistan lost three more wickets in quick succession. From 23-1 at the start of the seventh over they fell to 23-4 in the eight over.

Misbah-ul-Haq, who has often bailed Pakistan out of similar situations, too could not do much as Southee claimed him the 15th over of the innings with a ball that was moving away from him. It took the edge of Misbah's bat and Scott Styris did the rest in the gully region. He fell for 7 and Pakistan to 45/5.

In came skipper Shahid Afridi, but after staying at the crease for 10 minutes he too threw his wicket away. A regulation ball from Jacob Oram caved in to strike against his stumps. Afridi fell for 17 as Pakistan fell to 66/6.

Finally, Umar Akmal and Abdul Razzaq tried hard to salvage the innings and they did succeed in it to some extent. But again pressure of the target bogged them down and Umar departed on 38 with Nathan McCullum claiming his wicket in the 29th over of the innings. He fell for 38 and Pakistan lost their seventh wicket for 102/7.

Soon Abdur Rehman too fell leg-before on Nathan's ball that was coming in to him. He went for the review but even that could not help him and Pakistan lost their eighth wicket at the score of 125.

Umar Gul remained unbeaten on 34 even as the rest made hasty exits and the end result was - 192 all out in 41.4 overs.

New Zealand innings

Earlier, New Zealand's Ross Taylor scored an unbeaten 131 as the Kiwis put 302/7.

This was post New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori's decision to bat first.

However, the innings didn't really start according to Vettori's plans as Shoaib Akhtar bowled out Kiwi opener Brendon McCullum in the first over.

New Zealand went down to 8/1 in the 4th ball of the first over. And it was delivery that completely deceived the batsman. The ball nipped back off the seam after pitching on the off and entered the bat-pad gate of McCullum and before he could realise what had happened his stumps were off.

Akhtar proved the point that he does not like being hit for a six and that's what McCullum had done before he fell.

Umar Gul didn't have a point to prove but still he got his man in fact his eased Jamie How's misery, who was struggling at the crease. The angled into to hit against the batsman's pads and he departed on 4 with an LBW written against his name in the scoreboard. New Zealand fell to 55/2 in the 13th over.

Two early wickets and the Kiwis were running for cover. But opener Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor decided to attempt a revival. They got on with a partnership ensuring the New Zealand score kept ticking. The two helped New Zealand cross the 100-rn mark even as Pakistan found it difficult to control them.

But trust Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi to come up with a solution when things go the wrong way. And he came up with one by scalping Guptill when the New Zealand score was 112. A flighted delivery deceived the batsman who failed to read the ball and soon it struck down his stumps. He fell for 57 as the Kiwis lost their third wicket.

With Guptill gone, the Pakistan bowlers got busy once again. And this time it was Mohammad Hafeez who got a wicket. He claimed James Franklin leg-before on 1 and Kiwis lost their fourth wicket on 113.

However, the game was far from over as Ross Taylor was still in the middle and new man Scott Styris has been in such situations before. Besides, the situation wasn't exactly demanding and the two took up the challenge forging another partnership.

The two had put on 62 runs for the fifth wicket before Gul decided that it was enough. And a rather straight ball from Gul proved fatal for Styris, who failed to connect and soon an LBW was written against his initials in the score board. He fell for 28 as the Kiwis lost their fifth wicket on 175/5.

Then it was time for pinch hitter Nathan McCullum to come to the fore and he did that in spectacular fashion hitting a six off skipper Shahid Afridi and then repeated the shot in Gul's over. But Gul had the last laugh as he clean bowled him on the very next ball to reduced New Zealand to 210/6. Nathan scored 19 off the 10 balls he faced. 

Taylor, who remained unbeaten on 131, helped New Zealand to 302/7 in 50 overs.

Source: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/131806/sports/pak-vs-nz-match-report.html

World Cup: Bangladesh beat Ireland by 27 runs

MIRPUR: Bangladesh spinners, so ineffective against India, rediscovered their magical touch on Friday to fashion an exciting 27-run win over Ireland in a low-scoring Group B match of the 2011 World Cup at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium here. 

It was a torturous win for Bangladesh, who were bowled out for a meagre 205 after frittering away a blistering start, but it kept the co-hosts firmly in contention for a berth in the knock-out stage. 

Ireland batsmen, who had no inkling about how to play the play the turning ball, were easy pickings for wily Bangla spinners, who bundled them out for 178 in 45 overs with some help from pacer Shafiul Islam, who passed a fitness test in the morning. Shafiul, who grabbed three of the last four Ireland wickets, finished with figures of 4/21. 

Ironically, it was part-timer Mohammad Ashraful's innocuous off-spin that turned the match Bangladesh's way after frontline spinners Abdur Razzak, skipper Shakib Al Hasan made the initial breakthroughs. Playing in place of Mahmudullah, Ashraful, who had earlier played a horrendous shot to get out cheaply, made amends by dismissing the experienced duo of Ed Joyce (16) and Andrew White (10), fooling both with a clever variation of pace and trajectory. 

Ireland's hopes of sneaking an improbable win under the lights rested on the O'Brien brothers, Niall and Kevin. While Niall, looked more compact of the two, Kevin showed he had the big shots. They contributed 38 and 37, respectively, but threw away their wickets after having played themselves in. 

Joyce's soft dismissal to Ashraful showed why he failed to win an England Test cap and skipper William Porterfield's unshakable faith in gangly pacer Boyd Rankin was hard to fathom, particularly as he struggled with both length and direction right through the Bangladesh innings. 

In the end, it was a crucial 23-run ninth-wicket partnership between Naeem and Razzak, that made all the difference. Bangladesh, who got off to a rousing start through their openers Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes, ought to have posted a total in excess of 250 after Shakib elected to bat. 

Tamim, who top-scored with 70 against India, looked to be in super touch as he cut, drove and flicked Rankin and Trent Johnston to log 44 off 43 balls that won him the Man-of-the-Match award. With Kayes also joining the party with a brilliantly square-driven boundary off Rankin, Bangladesh raced to 50 off 5.4 overs. 

A smart leg-side stumping off a wide, effected by wicketkeeper Niall O'Brien to send Kayes packing, and Joyce scoring a direct hit from mid-off to catch Junaid Siddique short of the crease, brought Ireland back in the game. 

Alarm bells started ringing in the Bangla dressing room when Tamim played a lazy cut off Andre Botha shortly afterward and was held by Porterfield at point. Shakib began with a flourish, but refused to mix caution with aggression despite being dropped by Porterfield at point off Rankin when he was on 15. He paid the price for pushing early at a Botha delivery as the ball popped up for nicely for the bowler to hold. 

Mushfiqur Rahim and Rokibul Hasan rebuilt the Bangladesh innings with a sensible 61-run partnership for the fifth wicket before the former had a rush of blood and departed, top-edging an intended sweep off left-arm spinner George Dockrell. And with Mohammad Ashraful departing much in the same fashion two overs later, early 'dinner' was on cards. However, Roqibul (38), Naeem (29) and Razzak (11) ensured that Bangladesh spinners had something to bowl at.

Source:-http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/cricket-world-cup-2011/news/World-Cup-Bangladesh-beat-Ireland-by-27-runs/articleshow/7576580.cms