India vs Sri Lanka final will be closely fought for 2011 WC

THE WANKHEDE stadium in Mumbai is witnessing the mega final of the ICC 2011 World Cup. The World Cup fever is at its peak, with the two Asian teams competing for the top trophy.

While India cemented its position in the finals beating Pakistan in a nerve-wracking game, the Lankans made it to the finals beating the Kiwis in an easy clash.

India’s hope of winning the World Cup has been on a high as skipper M.S. Dhoni’s team might repeat the feat of 1983 World Cup. Sri Lanka will also try its best to achieve glory.

Both the teams have won the World Cup only once, and this time it can be a golden chance for one of them to win it for the second time.

The game is said to be the one that may create a new record with Sachin Tendulkar’s hundredth century in the ODI’s.

For the Indian side, this clash is an important one as nothing would be better than giving the cup to the coach Gary Kirsten and Sachin Tendulkar for their farewell. It will be a tribute for both of them as they have contributed to the Indian cricket a lot and have also brought many laurels to the nation.

Same will be the case with Sri Lanka, as Muttiah Muralitharan has also planned to retire after the World Cup series. Sangakkara and Co. will fight hard to win the cup for their bowler who has been contributing to the team with his sharp bowling for quite a long time. This trip will be the last one for the Sri Lankan coach, Trevore Bayliss, as well.

There isn’t any hidden weapon in both the teams as they have been playing against each other many times in the last three years. So, no surprises are to be expected on both the fronts. Victory is just a cup away for both the teams. The team that will be able to handle the pressure of this battle of nerves will bask in the glory.

With Sri Lanka winning the toss and electing to bat first, the battle can go either way. What matters the most is the way how both the teams will handle the big occasion.

It will certainly be an interesting match to watch where both the Asian teams will fight it out to be the best amongst the rest.

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

Advertisers will spend in crores during the WC final match

ICC WORLD cup’s exclusive broadcasting channels ESPN and Star sports have hiked their advertisements rates tremendously for the finals. Advertisers who are interested in their ads to be broadcasted during the final match will now have to pay in crores for their advertisements during the match.

World Cup fever is at its peak and the official right holding channels couldn’t afford to miss this great opportunity. During the last semi-final match between India and Pakistan, that held last Wednesday, these channels raised their ad-slot prices to Rs. 17 to 18 lakh for a ten second slot during the match, which normally remains to be 3.5 to 4 lakh on these channels.

For the final match today the channels have hiked the ad-revenue to rise about 25 per cent making it about 20 to 24 lakh for a ten second slot during the match hours.

This implies that advertisers will have to pay in crores for multiple advertisement slots during today’s match.

The viewership for the earlier India-Pakistan semi-final clash was about 67 million. Keeping in view the craziness and the passion of the Indian masses for the game, advertisers are willing to pay the huge amount for ads for this match.

Advertisers believe that this is the greatest opportunity to make an impact on the audiences. Media groups feel that such rise in prices is justified. As the prices have gone up by five times, so is the case with the viewership.

This is definitely a opportunity to cash upon as the viewership is record-breaking at this year’s world cup. Advertisers are assured that their investments in the world cup final clash will yield great returns.

As the final match is been played between two-cricket crazy neighboring countries and people are having high hopes that team India will bring home the golden cup home this time, advertisers are hoping for huge returns, increased sales and brand preference by the consumers.

Although, the prices for 10 second ad-slot during the match is too high, but advertisers are scrambling to get a slot.

Cricket is a religion for the people in India and is seen as a brilliant source for advertising. Advertisers are also keeping a keen eye on upcoming cricket tournament as they are sure that cricket fever won’t escape this early.

IPL seems to be the next battleground for advertisers and a chest of fortune for the exclusive broadcasting channels. DLF IPL is all set to begin on April 7th, thus marketing strategies can be implied successfully as the cricket fever won’t take off the minds of cricket crazy Indians.

Advertisers are trying to put in innovative ideas and better execution of their advertising ideas to attract maximum number of consumers during the final match.

Everybody is trying cash on this rare opportunity. Winning the world cup has always remained a craving for India and this time, there is a chance for it to win the cup. Thus, the advertisers are having a keen eye on this crucial match and are ready to spend huge amount with a hope for better returns.

Check here for>>> Live Score Card

Advertisers will spend in crores during the WC final match

ICC WORLD cup’s exclusive broadcasting channels ESPN and Star sports have hiked their advertisements rates tremendously for the finals. Advertisers who are interested in their ads to be broadcasted during the final match will now have to pay in crores for their advertisements during the match.

World Cup fever is at its peak and the official right holding channels couldn’t afford to miss this great opportunity. During the last semi-final match between India and Pakistan, that held last Wednesday, these channels raised their ad-slot prices to Rs. 17 to 18 lakh for a ten second slot during the match, which normally remains to be 3.5 to 4 lakh on these channels.

For the final match today the channels have hiked the ad-revenue to rise about 25 per cent making it about 20 to 24 lakh for a ten second slot during the match hours.

This implies that advertisers will have to pay in crores for multiple advertisement slots during today’s match.

The viewership for the earlier India-Pakistan semi-final clash was about 67 million. Keeping in view the craziness and the passion of the Indian masses for the game, advertisers are willing to pay the huge amount for ads for this match.

Advertisers believe that this is the greatest opportunity to make an impact on the audiences. Media groups feel that such rise in prices is justified. As the prices have gone up by five times, so is the case with the viewership.

This is definitely a opportunity to cash upon as the viewership is record-breaking at this year’s world cup. Advertisers are assured that their investments in the world cup final clash will yield great returns.

As the final match is been played between two-cricket crazy neighboring countries and people are having high hopes that team India will bring home the golden cup home this time, advertisers are hoping for huge returns, increased sales and brand preference by the consumers.

Although, the prices for 10 second ad-slot during the match is too high, but advertisers are scrambling to get a slot.

Cricket is a religion for the people in India and is seen as a brilliant source for advertising. Advertisers are also keeping a keen eye on upcoming cricket tournament as they are sure that cricket fever won’t escape this early.

IPL seems to be the next battleground for advertisers and a chest of fortune for the exclusive broadcasting channels. DLF IPL is all set to begin on April 7th, thus marketing strategies can be implied successfully as the cricket fever won’t take off the minds of cricket crazy Indians.

Advertisers are trying to put in innovative ideas and better execution of their advertising ideas to attract maximum number of consumers during the final match.

Everybody is trying cash on this rare opportunity. Winning the world cup has always remained a craving for India and this time, there is a chance for it to win the cup. Thus, the advertisers are having a keen eye on this crucial match and are ready to spend huge amount with a hope for better returns.

Check here for>>> Live Score Card

India vs Sri Lanka Cricket World Cup Final 2011 Live

IN THE grand final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 between two Asian finalists and two hosts India and Sri Lanka, two wicketkeeper captains came to the middle of Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium for the historical toss.

In the first spin of coin, there was some confusion over who’s won the toss. In the re-toss Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and decided that he will bat first in the India vs Sri Lanka 2011 final match.

Indian captain MS Dhoni has made one change in the playing XI from the semi final match against arch-rival Pakistan in Mohali. For the final Dhoni picked medium pacer Sreesanth in place of injured Ashish Nehra, who is battling an injury because of a fractured right hand middle finger.

Sreesanth played the inaugural match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 against Bangladesh.
Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara has made four changes in the playing XI from the semi final match against New Zealand. He is playing with six batsmen and five bowlers. He replaced Angelo Mathews, Ajantha Mendis, Rangana Herath and Chamara Silva and picked Thisara Perera, Suraj Randiv, Nuwan Kulasekara and Chamara Kapugedera. All-rounder Angelo Mathews missed the place due to a quadriceps muscle injury.

India and Sri Lanka, have played 128 matches so far with each other and the record is in favour of India by 67-50 (NR: 11). In World Cup matches Sri Lankans are leading by 4-2. At the venue of the final match of the Cricket World Cup 2011, both teams have won one match each.

Both India and Sri Lanka won in their maiden final appearance in the Cricket World Cup. India under the leadership of Kapil Dev won the 1983 World Cup Cricket and Sri Lanka won under the captaincy of Arjuna Ranatunga in 1996.

Here are the playing XI of the India vs Sri Lanka ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 final at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium:

India: Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (capt, wk), Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Sreesanth, Munaf Patel.

Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), Mahela Jayawardene, Thilan Samaraweera, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Thisara Perera, Suraj Randiv, Nuwan Kulasekara and Chamara Kapugedera.

Check here for>>> Live Score Card

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.

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

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

Indian team all set for India vs Sri Lanka World Cup 2011 final

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THIS SATURDAY on April 2 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, Indian team under the guidance of coach Gary Kirsten and leadership of captain MS Dhoni will take on co-hosts Sri Lanka to win the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 tournament for the second time in the history.

India has played two finals of the Cricket World Cup and won the trophy in 1983. Kapil Dev was the captain of Cricket World Cup winning squad in 1983. In 2003, under the leadership of Sourav Ganguly, India appeared second time in the World Cup final.

In 2011, Indian team is looking perfect and capable of winning the title. In the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, Indian legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar, who has scored 464 runs in eight matches, is the second highest run getters among the batsmen and bowling spearhead Zaheer Khan is in the second spot with 19 wickets among the top wicket takers.

Here are the records of Indian ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 squads

 

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Player	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	100	50	Wickets	BBM	Ct/Stump
Virender Sehwag	7	7	0	380	175	54.29	1	1
Sachin Tendulkar	8	8	0	464	120	58	2	2
Gautam Gambhir	8	8	0	296	69	37	0	3
Virat Kohli	8	8	1	247	100*	35.29	1	1
Yuvraj Singh	8	7	3	341	113	85.25	1	4	13	31/5
MS Dhoni	8	7	2	150	34	30	0	0			6/3
Suresh Raina	3	3	2	74	36*	74	0	0	1	12/1
Yusuf Pathan	6	6	1	74	30*	14.8	0	0	1	49/1
Harbhajan Singh	8	4	0	18	12	4.5	0	0	8	53/3
Zaheer Khan	8	4	0	18	9	4.5	0	0	19	20/3
Munaf Patel	7	4	1	1	1	0.33	0	0	11	48/4
Ravichandran Ashwin	2	1	1	10	10*		0	0	4	41/2
Ashish Nehra	3	2	0	1	1	0. 5	0	0	3	33/2
Piyush Chawla	3	1	0	2	2	2	0	0	4	47/2
Sreesanth	1	0	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	0	NA

Check her for>>>> Cricket Live Score Card

India vs Pakistan semi final: The road to Mumbai is clear

THE PRESSURE was mounting on both sides when Pakistan came to batting in the second half of the World Cup semi-final against India to chase a not so huge great target of 261runs. Since, their bowling had been good, they didn’t allow India to set a high target.

Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez came to open for Pakistan. But, in the ninth over, Akmal was sent to the pavilion by Zaheer Khan. Since then wickets kept falling within every couple of overs, Pakistan could not get partnerships. Hafeez scored well but was dismissed after making 43 runs. Asad Shafiq scored a decent 30 on 39. By then, it was evident that the Pakistani team was going way behind the average run rate required. But, somehow they managed to keep the momentum and score with a run rate of 4.6 runs.

The momentum broke when Yuvraj took the third and fourth wickets within three overs. Later, Umar Akmal managed to increase run rate by scoring 29 runs in 24 balls. His batting brought Pakistan back into the game but then Harbhajan Singh drowned the hopes of Pakistan making it to the finals. Even Afridi couldn’t surprise the crowd and went back to the pavilion with 19 in 17 balls. But the Pakistani team fought till the end and went all out in 49.5 overs.

The Indian bowling was good. The trio of Zaheer , Munaf and Nehra worked for the team and for the captain. The otherwise underperformers, Munaf Patel and Ashish Nehra, managed to take two wickets each without giving away too much runs.

Yuvraj turned out to be the first spinner for India. He gave 57 runs, bowled a maiden over and took two crucial wickets at a crucial time. Harbhajan and Zaheer also took two wickets each.

The Indian fielding was good; Virat Kohli, Raina and Yuvraj did exceptionally well along with other players. India managed to get two maiden overs. Ashish Nehra gave away just 33 runs for which he shares the credit with fielders. Sachin Tendulkar appeared tense on the field since Pakistan was giving a good fight.

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