India-Pak Davis Cup tie in Mumbai
New Delhi, February 20
India will take on Pakistan in the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group I play-off tie in Mumbai from April 7 to 9 on grass. India, who lost to Korea 1-4, in the Asia Oceania Group I tie recently, will be meeting Pakistan in a Davis Cup tie after a gap of 33 years.

Kapur leads 4 Indians in Asian top-20
Kuala Lumpur, February 20
Young golf sensation Shiv Kapur leads a group of four Indians in top-20 of the UBS Asian Tour of Merit at the end of the Maybank Malaysian Open.

Sharma wins Civil Services golf title
Chandigarh, February 20
A better back-nine score enabled S.K. Sharma to clinch the title after he and Devender Singh returned identical nine-plus cards of 81 in the service officers’ category of the North Zone Civil Services Golf Championship which concluded at the Chandigarh Golf Club here yesterday.

Women hockey team announced
New Delhi, February 20
The Indian Women Hockey Federation today named 16-member for the 18th Commonwealth Games to be held at Melbounre from March 15.

Jalandhar, February 20
India’s cup of woes spilled over as Pakistan took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the six-match series with a 2-1 win at the Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium here today. It was yet another case of “so near yet so far” for India, who played well in patches but faltered when it came to scoring.

India failed to earn even a single penalty corner, while their rivals got six (all went abegging). Had Pakistan converted some of them, their victory would have been thumping.

India were able to make a match of it thanks to the superb efforts of forward Tejbir Singh, midfielder Vikram Pillay and goalkeeper Bharat Chhetri. Arjun Halappa, who was quite good in the earlier two matches, didn’t get going today, while Didar Singh’s bad form in the series continued. Rajpal Singh tried hard, but to no avail.

For the third time in the series, India conceded the lead. Seconds after Chhetri had brilliantly saved a shot from the dangerous Shakeel Abbasi, Pakistan’s Tariq Aziz caught the Indian defenders off guard to score a goal in the 18th minute. India restored parity in the 30th minute when Tejbir deflected a hit from Rajpal into the goal. In the 34th minute, Pakistan went 2-1 up without much ado when Muhammad Saqlain merely extended his stick to deflect Muhammad Shabbir’s shot past custodian Chhetri.

The second half saw India attacking with greater vigour. There were some good breakaway moves, but the forwards proved to be at sea in the ‘D’. Pakistan earned three penalty corners in the dying moments of the game, but they failed to convert any and had to be content with a 2-1 verdict.

Pakistani forwards Shakeel Abbasi, Rehan Butt and Tariq Aziz threatened the Indian citadel several times, but Chhetri and defender Kanwalpreet Singh repelled their attacks.

Muhammad Zubair’s impressive show was rewarded as he was named the most promising player of the first leg.

Pakistan captain Muhammad Saqlain was delighted with his team’s sweep of the Indian leg of the series. He held the Astro-turf responsible for their failure to convert six penalty corners, even as he hastened to add diplomatically that the surface was of international standards. Saqlain, who was also declared the man of the match, expressed happiness at the fact that his team had succeeded in their strategy of not conceding a penalty corner.

Indian coach Rajinder Singh Junior blamed silly defence lapses for the two goals that India conceded. “It is unpardonable to make such mistakes at the international level,” he lamented. Regarding the new-look forward line, he said it was not gelling due to insufficient practice. For Rajinder, one of the few positives for India from the first leg was Chhetri’s goalkeeping. Talking about the second leg, he said India could bounce back and draw level provided they raised their game a few notches and cut down on the mistakes.

The action now shifts to Pakistan, where the second leg begins in Lahore on February 22, followed by matches in Faisalabad (February 24) and Rawalpindi (February 26). With the Commonwealth Games round the corner, a win or two on Pakistani turf would be a morale booster for a struggling India.

New Delhi/Chandigarh, February 20
Hero of India’s tour of Pakistan, Yuvraj Singh could miss out on the first cricket Test against England early next month after picking a hamstring injury during his match-winning knock in Karachi one-dayer yesterday.

The 24-year-old sustained the injury when on 82 and completed the rest of his knock of 107 not out with the help of a runner.

Immediately after the match Yuvraj admitted on TV that he may be out for “some days”.

Skipper Rahul Dravid also said there was indeed a bit of concern over Yuvraj's fitness.

“We will soon know how serious the injury is and when he can play, but I have to admit it is a bit of worry,” he said.

An unfit Yuvraj might make way for Sourav Ganguly to sneak in to the Test squad as the ex-skipper is in direct competition with the Punjab player for a berth in the middle-order.

Meanwhile, The consistent performance of Yuvraj during the just concluded Pakistan tour has forced his critics to change their opinion about him and has helped him emerge as the fulcrum of the team aiming to make a serious stake for the World Cup in March 2007.

Those waiting to celebrate with him in Chandigarh will have to wait. He is in Mumbai under the watchful eyes of the physio John Gloster, who has to submit a fitness report on him before the selection committee meets on February 23. Yuvraj pulled his hamstring muscle during the last one-dayer on Sunday.

In Pakistan, Yuvraj scored a whopping 344 runs. This audacious southpaw stood out brilliantly in the one-day series against Pakistan.

Consistency and finishing off the match to win were the highlights of this batsman during the tour, which made the Selection Committee elevate him as a vice-captain in the absence of injured Virender Sehwag in the third one-day at Lahore.

His coach Sukhwinder Bawa says: “He will be the trump card for the country during the next World Cup”.

New Delhi, February 20
If ever a proof of Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s steep rise on the popularity charts was needed, it was there in ample measure when some of the Indian cricket team members arrived from Pakistan here this morning.

Players like Mohammed Kaif, R. P. Singh, Suresh Raina, Gautam Gambhir and Murali Kartik had to beat a hasty retreat to allow a sizeable crowd at the Indira Gandhi airport to have a go at their favourite star which happened be to be no other than Dhoni.

Sporting team India T-shirt and flashy goggles that rested nicely on his golden-streaked mane, Dhoni himself was taken by surprise to see the crowd chanting his name and jostling with one another to catch a glimpse of him.

It all went on to prove that Dhoni has not only become an inseparable part of the cricket team but with his rock-star looks, he has elevated himself to stardom status.

That the latest pin-up boy of Indian cricket has beaten everyone when it comes to popularity could be gauged from the way fans rooted for him and credited him for the successful ODI series in Pakistan.

What was a motley crowd initially, swelled in numbers as the news spread that Dhoni was among those arriving from Pakistan.

And when finally Dhoni showed up, the fans tried to get near him, sparking off a commotion.

Security persons formed a ring around the cricketer and faced a tough time in escorting him to the vehicle outside even as the other players, including Kaif made a quiet exit.

Media’s wait for bytes vanished into thin air as everything went haywire in the commotion. — PTI

New Delhi, February 20
Yuvraj Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who played big roles in India’s emphatic 4-1 one-day series victory over Pakistan, found statistical backing to their match-winning performances with both of them finishing atop the batting charts.

Yuvraj finished as the highest scorer on either side in the five-match series with a tally of 344 runs at an average of 172 and a strike rate of 97.17.

His wicketkeeper team-mate totaled 219 runs at a scarcely believable average of 219 and an explosive strike rate of 136.87.

Master batsman Sachin Tendulkar proved that suggestions of his fall from batting grace were premature with an aggregate of 237 from four matches at an average of 59.25.

Skipper Rahul Dravid was consistency personified, totaling 205 at 41 runs per innings with three fifties.

Those casting doubts over the effectiveness of the Indian bowling attack had to eat humble pie as they occupied the top four wicket-taking slots for the series.

Left-arm seamer Irfan Pathan headed the table with nine scalps in four games at 18.88 followed closely by Uttar Pradesh rookie Rudra Pratap Singh who claimed eight Pakistan wickets in three matches at an impressive average of 17.62.

Kerala speedster S. Sreesanth picked six wickets though he conceded more than six runs an over.

Shoaib Malik was the second highest scorer in the series with 314 runs at 62.80. Vice-captain Younis Khan was the only other Pakistani batsman to impress with a tally of 189 at 63.

Mohammad Asif and Naved-ul-Hasan were the most successful Pakistani bowlers with five wickets each with the former finishing with the best economy rate of 4.40. — PTI

The current buoyancy of the Indian cricket team is both unprecedented and exceptional. The result of the just concluded one-day series also raises a question mark about the Pakistan team, which had a golden streak in the past 12 months.

While Pakistan look to be too much dependent on a couple of players for results, India, on the other hand, do not seem to be dependent on a few individuals anymore. What I mean is that despite the absence of Sachin Tendulkar and Irfan Pathan, the team managed to undermine the so-called dependency factor quite convincingly.

The new winning combination in Yuvraj and Dhoni is proving deadly for the 
opponents.

Both the players pick the bowlers and tame them into submission. Dhoni’s calculated assault on the bowlers left the Pakistan bowlers paralysed. Even a run rate of 8 to 9 runs per over was scaled without any pressure.

The camaraderie between Yuvraj and Dhoni was reinforced when they appeared for a TV interview together just after the win. Yuvraj made a very valid point when he said he did not have to worry about the run rate as he knew Dhoni could always hit boundaries. Reposing confidence on a fellow player at the other end not only eases pressure but also helps one’s discretion of shot making.

Similarly, Dhoni said once a good platform is created, it is pretty easy for him to go and play his shots.

This mutual understanding and admiration for one another in a game situation is any team’s recipe to become a cohesive unit.

Yuvraj has taken time to become consistent and it is really worth the wait. Once he started playing Test cricket, his connection to the game became much stronger. Just playing in the one-dayers has its own negatives. Since the game is played at such a rapid pace, learning takes a beating. The players start believing that luck factor should play a big role than trying to do it through their own skills. Test matches teach you how to leverage your own talent and bring more meaning into one’s cricket. Yuvraj has really come of age.

Pathan’s absence was felt when seasoned campaigners Zaheer and Ajit were made to open the bowling.

The new ball was sprayed all over in the initial few over and that is where Pathan scores more points than anybody else. Using the early conditions to the desired effect with the new ball is also an art. Being accurate at the very beginning of the innings can fox the best of batsmen in the world. Pathan, not as fast as his senior colleagues, still purchases a great deal with the new ball.

Sreesanth’s bouncers paid rich dividends and also exposed Pakistani batsmen’s weakness to short pitch bowling. There might be camps in the Pakistan team — one lamenting on the ineffectiveness of their bowling and the other talking about their sad batting performance. Deeper insights would certainly reveal that it was the mindless batting which led to the debacle.

Except for the first game at Peshawar, Pakistan batsmen have failed miserably, especially in the first 25 overs of their innings.

There were few rearguard actions from Younis Khan and others but all they could manage were a few fighting scores. Few early wickets will force the later order batsmen’s mind into a wicket saving mode, thus curbing any intention of playing a free innings. They never played themselves on to a launch pad to set bigger targets.

Pakistan will have to look deep into their strategies and gameplans. Bob Woolmer is a seasoned campaigner with a proven track record. But at times he seems to be implementing the Test match strategies in the one-dayers.

One should admit that Woolmer was successful in doing things right in the Test matches but the rapid paced one-dayers threw things out of gear. To handle South Africa or England for that matter is one thing, but to deal with Pakistan is quite another. — PTI

Mumbai, February 20
England skittled out CCI President’s XI for a paltry 75 in the second innings to romp to a crushing 238-run victory in the three-day warm up game at the Brabourne Stadium here today.

Marcus Trescothick got among the runs with a fluent 88 and Ian Blackwell reinforced his batting prowess with a belligerent 59 before the bowlers came good to bundle out the hosts in just 26.2 overs in the fourth innings on the final day.

Coach Duncan Fletcher said he was pleased with the way the team’s preparations had gone so far and the victory was a bonus since that was not what the visitors had aimed for in the tour opener.

Trescothick, having stayed back at the hotel on the first day due to viral infection, hit form with an innings that lasted around three hours during when he faced 128 balls and hit 11 fours and two sixes.

Blackwell struck six fours and four sixes during his 73-ball knock that should pose selection problems for Fletcher.

England have to decide on the spinner’s slot and Blackwell should be the favourite because of he can fill the number eight position as batsman cum bowler.

But Monty Panesar, whose batting is not on par with Blackwell, also impressed with his bowling.

Fletcher said the decision on who to play as spinner, or even two spinners, would be decided after the next three-day game against a Board President’s XI at Baroda from February 23 to 25.

The local outfit had a reality check after the second day’s exploits when, although they fell short of the England first innings total, impressed with their bold batting against the England bowlers.

Hiken Shah was the top scorer with 21 and only two other batsmen touched double figures.

Brief scores: England: 299 and 265 all out in 61.5 overs (Trescothick 88, I Blackwell 59; A Redkar 3-64, H Bachhani 2-29); CCI President’s XI: 251 and 75 all out in 26.2 overs (Shah 21, S Jones 2-9, Panesar 2-15, Harmison 2-3, Blackwell 2-0). — PTI

New Delhi, February 20
India will take on Pakistan in the Davis Cup Asia-Oceania Group I play-off tie in Mumbai from April 7 to 9 on grass. India, who lost to Korea 1-4, in the Asia Oceania Group I tie recently, will be meeting Pakistan in a Davis Cup tie after a gap of 33 years.

Pakistan lost to Chinese Taipei to slip the ladder, but nurse little hope of getting past India either, as during the last five meetings between the neighbours in the Davis Cup, India had emerged victorious all the time.

The last time India and Pakistan clashed in the Davis Cup was in 1973 in Malaysian which India won 4-0. Since then, India have made rapid strides in tennis while Pakistan have remained more or less static. But surprisingly, Pakistan and India were the two teams who had qualified for the World Group from the sub-continent.

All-India Tennis Association secretary Anil Khanna said captain Leander Paes, after discussions with his team members, had expressed the desire to play the tie on grass in Mumbai. Mr Khanna said the tie was expected to be played at the grass courts of the Cricket Club of India facility as an AITA team, who along with Paes inspected the facilities.

He, however, indicated that a final decision on the venue will be taken only after his meetings with the CCI officials and the top brass of the Maharashtra Government on February 25.

Kuala Lumpur, February 20
Young golf sensation Shiv Kapur leads a group of four Indians in top-20 of the UBS Asian Tour of Merit at the end of the Maybank Malaysian Open.

However, Kapur, who tied for 18th at the event, slipped from third to fifth place. Gaurav Ghei moved into top-20 by tying with his compatriot in Kuala Lumpur.

Other Indians in the top-20 include Jeev Milkha Singh, who slipped from ninth to 15th after missing the cut last week. Amandeep Johl dropped one place to 19th, while Ghei was the only Indian to make a significant move upwards from 29th to 20th.

Rahil Gangjee is 38th, Jyoti Randhawa, playing only his second event on the Asian Tour this year is 44th and Arjun Singh 47th. — PTI