#India vs #Bangladesh
#MCG
19th Mar 2015
The Bangladesh cubs have grown into tigers and they are challenging the established kings of the jungle. That's the best way to describe this contest when Bangladesh takes on India in the second quarterfinal at the MCG.
This is India's game to win, and this is where Bangladesh can take full advantage of being the underdogs. When you have nothing to lose, you can do no wrong. They should not forget this and go all out against the big brother. Memories of the 2007 world cup match will be fresh on their minds when they stunned the Indians in West Indies and dispatched them home in the league stage then.
India on the other hand are playing dream cricket. They are probably the only team in this tournament that have looked convincing and comprehensive in all their wins so far. Their bowling, the weakest of their armoury, has struck a wonderful rhythm. Back that up with stunning fielding and powerpacked batting, they are the team to beat at this #CWC15.
Bangladesh rely heavily on #TamimIqbal (short of runs and out of form), #ShakibAlHasan (good with the ball so far) and #MushfiqurRahim (always dependable) in their batting department but the revelation at this world cup has been #Mahmudullah. He has played stunning cricket. His back to back centuries vs England and New Zealand indicate his skills, temperament and ability to battle the bigger teams. #SowmyaSarkar is doing well too.
Bowling remains their biggest concern. Apart from #MashrafeMortaza and to some extent #RubelHossain, they seem to have an inexperienced bowling attack that India will look to exploit.
India's batting at the top has been iffy to say the least in last game vs Zim. They have persisted with #RohitSharma in the opening slot (just like SA have put faith in QuintonDeKock). He would like to come to the party tomorrow ala deKock who stroked a wonderful 78* vs Sri Lanka at the SCG.
Lower middle order seems to be a problem area too. #RavindraJadeja, #RaviAshwin and #MohamadShami haven't had much practice batting and not tested by lethal bowling units.
All in all, a mouth watering contest on the cards at the MCG.
Expect a full house and amazing atmosphere at the ground.
Powered By:http://www.whowillwinthecup.com
#SriLanka vs #SouthAfrica
#SCG
18th Mar 2015
In what can be termed as the most commanding and comprehensive performance of #CWC15 considering the stakes of a knockout match, South Africa literally crushed Sri Lanka mercilessly at the Sydney Cricket Ground in front of a large gathering of Sri Lankan supporters who were subdued for most part of the contest .. well if you can call it a contest?
The only right thing that happened for Sri Lanka today was the spin of the coin going in their favour. They promptly elected to bat considering the big match situation, SA's struggles chasing scores against India and Pakistan and belter of a Sydney pitch. Put runs on the board, loads of them and put the opposition under pressure was the overall plan.
And then it went haywire. Partly due to their own "surprise moves" that badly backfired on them and mostly due to an outstanding spell of seam and spin bowling from the Proteas.
#DaleSteyn, criticized for not being upto the mark in this world cup, showed why he is the best in business with very incisive pace bowling that strangled SA batsmen. #KyleAbbott reaped rewards for nagging line and length bowling while #MorneMorkel's bounce troubled all batsmen, mostly the Sri Lankan skipper #AngeloMathews.
When #ImranTahir and #JPDuminy came onto ball, you sensed Lanka would crawl back into the game but all that was negated by Tahir's brilliant opening spell claiming #Thirimanna (the best Lankan batsman on view today) and #Jayawardena (the champion was literally made to look like a rookie unable to read Imran's guile and spin).
Duminy, then joined the act claiming a first ever #hattrick for South Africa at a world cup and the celebrations were amazing. With the back broken, the only superstar of Sri Lankan batting in this cup, #KumarSangakarra could do nothing but go for his shots and lost his wicket too. He scored 45 in 96 balls .. an indicator of how well the Springboks bowled to keep a man (in supreme form) quiet.
Sri Lanka annihilated for 133 in 37 overs.
Game over!
The only hope for Sri Lanka was their other "surprise" of the day. #ThirmanduKaushal, an off spinner (in the Murali mould) to expose SA's frailty against spin. But, the SA batsmen would have nothing of him and they completed a near perfect victory in just 18 overs. #QuintonDeKock, the most persisted with SA batsman, finally came good and scored a much needed 78*.
Bitter farewell for Sanga and Jaya, the two stalwarts of Sri Lankan cricket.
They will hang their boots shortly. All the best to them for their personal lives.
#LIVE #CRICKET #SCORE
Sri Lanka - 133 all out, 37 overs
South Africa - 134 for 1, 18 overs
Man of the Match: Imran Tahir - 4 wickets
South Africa now await winner of the 4th quarterfinal (New Zealand or West Indies) for their semi-final clash.
Powered By:http://www.whowillwinthecup.com
#SriLanka vs #SouthAfrica
#SCG
18th Mar 2015
No one expected the first innings to end so soon and the other team would need to bat for some time before the dinner break. Its just happened at the SCG.
Sri Lanka bowled out for 133 in 37 overs meant South Africa need to bat for some time.
The SA openers #QuintonDeKock and #HashimAmla have started confidently.
That will ease some nerves in that SA dressing room.
Time running out for Sri Lanka.
Can #TharinduKaushal deliver a magical spell on his ODi debut?
Huge ask but what a stage to do it if he does?
#LIVE #CRICKET #SCORE
South Africa: 37 for 0, 6 overs.
Powered By:http://www.whowillwinthecup.com
#SriLanka vs #SouthAfrica
#SCG
18th Mar 2015
#JPDuminy was the weakest bowler in this SA lineup.
Sri Lanka would have looked to launch into him to propel their score.
Instead he has done the unthinkable .... by claiming a #hattrick with is right handed off spin bowling.
Sri Lanka were pegged back by the relentless pace attack of SA followed by a superb spell from #ImranTahir. But, it was Duminy who provided the spell of a life time to claim his hattrick.
His hattrick scalps
#AngeloMathews - c. DuPlessis at short mid wicket
#Kulasekhara - c. deKock behind the stumps
#Kaushal - lbw
Amazing scenes at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
SA all over Sri Lanka.
Game over ... well almost .. unless the #weather or #SriLanka spinners can repeat the dose back to the SA batsmen.
#LIVE #CRICKET #SCORE
127 for 9, 36.2 overs (match stopped due to rain)
Powered By:http://www.whowillwinthecup.com
#SriLanka vs #SouthAfrica
#SCG
18th Mar 2015
Just when Sri Lanka were looking to crawl back into the game, #ImranTahir has struck a key blow. He's forced #Thirimanna to pop a return catch and his celebrations are a joy to watch. he runs a 100 metres dash with his facial antiques. Treat to watch.
#MahelaJaywardena, the new man in, never looked IN.
Tahir had a very close LBW decision turned own against him (after a third umpire review). However, in his next over he push a faster one that Mahela pulled straight to mid wicket duPlessis.
The onus will now ofcourse be on #Sangakarra.
He is joined by skipper #AngeloMathews
Match in an exciting stage yet again!
#LIVE #CRICKET #SCORE
Sri Lanka: 87 for 4, 25 overs
Sangakarra - 22*
Mathews - 3*
Powered By:http://www.whowillwinthecup.com
#SriLanka vs #SouthAfrica
#SCG
18th Mar 2015
South Africa have started with purpose and really unleashed their seamers at Sri Lanka.
Steyn, Abbott and Morkel are getting their swing, pace, bounce absolutely right to unsettle the Lnakan batsmen.
They have been rewarded for their disciplined bowling.
#KusalPerera, a surprise opener sent in to whack the bowl around, was trying to hit too hard against an attack very potent and lethal. #KyleAbbott got him to edge one behind for 3.
#Dilshan who was tied down for 10 balls without scoring, had to get himself away. He chose a steaming #DaleStryn to attack. Bad choice. Steyn got him to edge to second slip where DuPlessis took a wonderful catch.
At 4 for 2 in 4 overs, Sri Lankans were really pegged back.
#KumarSangakarra, who's batting like a dream in this #CWC15 and #LahiruThirimanna are at the crease now. Thirimanna has opened up and hit a few boundaries to up that scoring rate.
Its pretty intense out there.
This is certainly the best quarterfinal in terms of a contest and intensity.
Both teams equally matched and its about who seizes the moments?
#LIVE #CRICKET #SCORE
Sri Lanka: 42 for 2, 12 overs
Sangakarra - 5*
Thirimanna - 29*
Powered By:http://www.whowillwinthecup.com
#SriLanka vs #SouthAfrica
#SCG
18th Mar 2015
Sri Lankan captain #AngeloMathews has won the toss and elected to bat first.
A very good toss to win in a big game.
Two changes for Sri Lanka
#KusalPerera comes in for #DineshChandimal
#Kaushal comes in for #RanganaHerath (he's their mystery spinner waiting to be unleashed against SA)
South Africa have made two changes as well.
#KyleAbbott replaces #VernonPhilander
#FafDuPlessis comes back in place of #FarhadBehardien
Let the game begin ...
Powered By:http://www.whowillwinthecup.com
#SriLanka vs #SouthAfrica
#SCG
18th Mar 2015
As Sri Lanka and South Africa open the quarterfinal stages of this exciting #CWC15, all eyes are set on battles within battles
#Sanga vs #Steyn
#Malinga vs #ABDevilliers and #HashimAmla
#Tahir vs #Mathews
Some superb contests within the main one will add super spice to this match. While Sanga vs Steyn duel is going to take the cake and effectively determine outcome of this match probably, would love to see how Devilliers tackles the Lankan spin battery!
The "C" tag continues to haunt South Africa and this is a big pressure game tomorrow. They have dug a hole for themselves at critical junctures in world cups and luck has deserted them at times too.
1992 - lost to England by the farcial rain rule in semifinals (ironically at SCG i.e venue for tomorrow's game)
1996 - ran into a rampaging Brian Lara and his innings outclassed the Proteas
1999 - in the greatest ODI of all time, they tripped at the last moment when Kluesner and Donald couldnt communicate and complete the winning run vs Australia in a semifinal at Birmingham.
2003 - poor calculation of the D/L numbers meant they allowed Sri Lanka to qualify for the next stage by tying that game at Port Elizabeth. Boucher actually played a defensive shot when all they needed was one run to win that game on D/L system
2007 - ran into a rampaging Aussie side and Matthew Hayden's blistering century blew them away.
2011 - one of the clear favorites, they literally choked against the Kiwis in their quarterfinal.
2015 - Such has been their CWC history. Will tomorrow be different?
Sri Lanka seem to have mastered the art of reaching final rounds of top cricket tournaments so they can handle pressure but have not won anything in the 50 over CWC for some time.
1992 - Minnows of the game but beat South Africa in a stunning game
1996 - World Champs led by inspirational Arjuna Ranatunga
1999 - Blown away in England in league stage
2003 - Semi finalists but lost to Australia in a keen contest
2007 - Finalists, but again ran into a rampaging Australian side and Gilchrist's stunner century blew them away.
2011 - Finalists yet again and best chance to win the cup, but MS Dhoni's inspirational innings and captaincy snatched victory from their grasp.
Going by this history, SL seem to have a better chance in this contest, although on paper, South Africa is much stronger of the two teams man to man.
Tomorrow will tell. Stay tuned....
Powered By:
http://www.whowillwinthecup.com
