India have called on the other leading teams in the World Cup Super Sixes to
join a bid to switch the second semi-final from a day-nighter into a day
game.
A source close to the India team said the Indians feared the toss could have
a huge influence on the result of the Durban match on March 20.
World Cup executive director Ali Bacher told Reuters he had been contacted
but declined to name the team concerned.
He said the World Cup organisers would oppose a switch.
"You can’t change it. Thousands of people are coming to South Africa for the
semis and final and have booked their flights, while broadcasters around the
world would not be supportive. They have already planned their programmes.
“The time of the match was agreed and announced by the International Cricket
Council way back in October 2001.”
Seven World Cup matches have been staged as day-nighters in Durban and Cape
Town. Five teams winning the toss went on to win the game while Monday’s
match between South Africa and Sri Lanka ended in a tie.
Pakistan captain Waqar Younis, citing the same reasons, called for the match
to be switched to a day game earlier in the tournament. Pakistan, however,
were knocked out of the tournament in the first round.
Australia, Sri Lanka and New Zealand are the top sides in the last six.
Australia coach John Buchanan, while unconvinced that sides batting second
were at a disadvantage in Durban, said his team would try to avoid the
second semi-final because of the uncertainty of how much the toss could
influence results in day-night games.
The first semi-final in Port Elizabeth on March 18 is a day match.
I think Indian team management and Indian players along with this Mr. source should try to concentrate on their Super Six matches. They still have to win at least two matches to have a place in Semifinals.
Clutching straws, Mr. xtreme, eh ?? If a team is afraid of losing the match just because they have lost the toss, then they dont deserve to be in the Super six. If Indian team thinks same way, then they better pack their bags and catch the first flight to home because that attitude isn’t going to win them any match.
Anyways - Sachin is on record saying he doesn’t care about the TOSS
To be fair Asif, it's not just the Indian team that doesn't want to play the semi-final under lights, I think a prominent member of every nation's team has come out with some sort of statement saying the same thing. I can provide you with plenty of quotes if you like.
Can you provide me with any quotes from a major team's players saying they are happy to bat second under lights?
"There has been criticism that the toss at Kingsmead determines the outcome of the game, but both Simons and skipper Shaun Pollock refuted the notion.
Pollock even went to the extent of saying **he did not “give a damn” about the toss. **
**“I really don’t think it’s a factor batting second,” Pollock said. “What matters is how you adjust to certain scenarios and I think we can chase down any score.” **
I asked for a quote from a player who was happy for HIS team to bat second under lights, not Sachin commenting on South Africa having to do so. :)
Now as for which Indian team member was unhappy about batting second under lights in South Africa, it was your Captain, Saurav Ganguly.
I read the quote in a newspaper, I don't have a link handy but in any case Umair provided a recorded interview where you could hear him saying those very words.
It's a big issue right now with all the teams still left in the tournament.
A South African defending South African fixture arrangements? How very surprising. I wonder if he’d have said the same thing if he was up against Australian, English or Pakistani bowling attack under lights rather than Sri Lankan’s puny spin attack?
BTW, In the one match that Pakistan bowled 2nd against SA under lights in the recent tour of SA, we rattled up 300+ and then skiittled them out on their own turf for a miserable 100+
Hey why should we care about what a player is happy about or not. Dinesh Mongia is not happy facing Mcgrath, Shoaib Akhtar was not happy bowling to Sachin, Hayden etc. It Doesn’t mean that ICC should make a new rule that Shoaib should be bowling only to Tailenders
Read the above response.
You know what for once I thought that the statement of Sachin and Pollock was enough for you to accept that the main reason Pakistan didn’t qualify was because it’s batsmen batted poorly (main batsman’s highest score 6 ) but that is not enough
The wisdom of scheduling only a few World Cup matches under lights, when the advantage so often goes to the side batting first, must now be open to question. Five days ago in Cape Town, England beat Pakistan when Hussain won the toss. Yesterday it was Sourev Ganguly’s turn and the match followed a similar course.
England were thoroughly outplayed but no game in a competition of this magnitude should be unduly influenced by pure chance.
England’s captain was left to rue losing a toss that proved crucial as the pitch freshened up in the evening. The match represented a reversal of fortune for Hussain from the victory over Pakistan in Cape Town when he had made the correct call.
“It was our turn to be on the other side of the equation,” he said. “But all credit to India, they played very well. To bat under lights was difficult and the Indians kept their discipline very well.”
Sorry if it hurts Asif Mian, but like I said it IS a big issue. No one else is brushing it under the carpet, even if you’d like to
So, First you ask me to provide a statement from a major team’s player, Now I am sure Shaun Pollock is the main player from a Major Team, you accuse him of defending his country’s fixtures. Too late, You should have said that in the beginning that any Players minus SA/ZIM/Kenya. Btw - It’s not South Africa’s fixture, it’s ICC’s fixture.
Yeah it’s also a co-incidence that prior to the world cup SA won the toss 3 times and elected to field everytime and won the games, Aus did the same once and won too. Co-Incidence yeah sure.
funguy :- I am not like you. Yeah your team was out because of one D/N match despite the super performance from your team.
why should it hurt me, My team has already performed beyond our expectations :hehe: and have reached into super six. I know that hurts you more than anything and that’s why more whining and more excuses :rotfl:
Anyways, I knew the english would whine after the India Loss, I would like to see the reaction of English Press after the Pakistan-England match. Did any English news paper report that Pakistan lost the game because of the TOSS and not because of the super human bowling by Anderson. ??
Here is what cricinfo had to say after the game :-
***"The entire Pakistan top and middle order batted like a bunch of novices, and there could not possibly be any excuse for such a pathetic and shocking display. So inept, so clueless, so devoid of spirit or even a hint of fight was it that one could not even associate it with any of the minnows in this World Cup. It was not worthy of a frontline cricketing nation, absolutely not.
And the Pakistan think-tank, so good at finding excuses and making fresh promises, couldn’t even blame it on this being just a rotten day. For one, such days are happening too often, the lack of thought and application, and also the absence of a game-plan is so conspicuous, especially among the senior lot - the vice-captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq and that slayer of modest attacks Yousuf Youhana being the worst culprits."***
If at all you decide to stop all your whining and accept the fact that Pakistan is not into the Super Six, then here are few reasons why it is not there despite having such a talented team :-
Top Ten reasons for Pakistan's disappointing performances:
Opening pair unable to make a good start & no stable opening pair for every match.
In almost every match they lost 2 to 3 wickets in first 15 overs.
Middle order was very shaky as their main batsman Inzamam Haq was out of form.
Missed vital catches and in the 30-yard circle opponents stole many short runs because of lazy fielding.
The best bowling attack never looked that much effective in the vital matches against Australia, England & India.
Best spinner Saqlain Mushtaq was not used properly in vital matches.
Shoaib Akhtar, instead of bowling at good length, tried to bowl too fast, which ultimately did not help the Pakistan team.
Before the World Cup, Pakistan toured South Africa. It is clear from their performances that they did not utilize the tour experience from South Africa, which the Sri Lanka team did.
Players like Afridi, never played to their potential and always tried to do something extraordinary, which brought an early exit to the team.
Finally, Waqar Younis made a lot of mistakes while leading the team, which is very unfortunate.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Asif_k: *
If at all you decide to stop all your whining and accept the fact that Pakistan is not into the Super Six, then here are few reasons why it is not there despite having such a talented team :-
Top Ten reasons for Pakistan's disappointing performances:
Opening pair unable to make a good start & no stable opening pair for every match.
In almost every match they lost 2 to 3 wickets in first 15 overs.
Middle order was very shaky as their main batsman Inzamam Haq was out of form.
Missed vital catches and in the 30-yard circle opponents stole many short runs because of lazy fielding.
The best bowling attack never looked that much effective in the vital matches against Australia, England & India.
Best spinner Saqlain Mushtaq was not used properly in vital matches.
Shoaib Akhtar, instead of bowling at good length, tried to bowl too fast, which ultimately did not help the Pakistan team.
Before the World Cup, Pakistan toured South Africa. It is clear from their performances that they did not utilize the tour experience from South Africa, which the Sri Lanka team did.
Players like Afridi, never played to their potential and always tried to do something extraordinary, which brought an early exit to the team.
Finally, Waqar Younis made a lot of mistakes while leading the team, which is very unfortunate.
Source :- Cricket-online
\/ Peace \/
[/QUOTE]
Agreed. I read lots of people saying Afridi should be dropped and he shuldnt be played any more. Why just him? Why not Inzamam, Younis Khan, Shoaib Akhtar, Razzaq, and Waqar Younis? I think the biggest reason why Pakistan is out of the WC is Inzamam. He is Pakistan's leading batsmen. He scored a total of 19 runs in 6 games. Agreed he is in a rough patch...then why just blame players like Afridi and Razzaq? It was the overall team effort which lacked in the Pakistani side, it wasn't just one player's fault.
Are you comparing Afridi with Inzimam?
Just look at the career averages, that will be a hint. Afridi has not performed for loooong time. He has never been regarded a “reliable” player. Inzimam’s form goes up and down, but has been “much more” reliable than Afridi.
Shoaib should also be taught a lesson, no doubt. Razzaq is a good asset too, once he gets his form back everyone will be quiet. Waqar has performed better than Afridi, hasn’t he?
Also, there is no word in dictionary to say “Afridi is in form”, there is no such word for him. There existed no “form” in Afridi.
