It had to be us !!!!

World Champs they were for 11 years !!!! yes it had to end at some time, to be fair they are not the team they once were, having said that…. It just had to be destiny, it just had to be India to throw Australia out of the world cup !!!!!

It has been a fabulous rivalry, India v Australia in the last 10-12 years has been by far the most engrossing contest, neither India v Pak nor the Australia v Eng contest can actually match up to it.

India it was who stopped the Juggernaut Steve Waugh started and it was India yesterday that stopped Australia who held the world cup for 11 years. They have been mighty mighty champions and that makes the victory so much more special.

You could see it in the celebration that Yuvraj had after the last 4 how much it meant to them. Its at times like this all fans could do well to remember they try their best… and yes… they too could lose… !

The other team also comes to win… so when we lose criticise their cricket and dont doubt their intentions or get personal !!!

The key thing for me was the INTENSITY yesterday. I have not seen the team field better than this in the last 2 years. There was unbelievable intensity, the captain was on his toes… I couldnt believe my eyes when I saw a silly point for Cameron White so late in the innings. As an attacking fielding captain you must at all times look to take wickets. Even if you dont pick up wickets its always important to let the opposition batsmen know that you are trying to get them out. It makes a world of a difference.

The pitch was tailor made for us and actually the sort of pitch not made for fast bowlers and the quicker the Aussies bowled the easier it was to hit them. Australia for long always went for balanced attacks, this team like the Proteas of old thought they would just keep bowling their pacers and they paid the price for it. This was not a pitch for the pacers and in hindsight they might think it would have been better to have a better spinner in the team, however they dont have any confidence in Steve Smith… who I think is a good spinner !!

In the end the chase was tense, Australia dont beat themselves and you have to beat them, India had a fight on their hands and for 20 mins it seemed like we were hell bent upon handing the match away but Yuvraj proved once again what a class act he can be. Cometh the hour cometh the MAN !!! This was the guy who was being kept in the team for his bowling at the start of the world cup !!!!!!!!! How the world has come around for Yuvraj !!!!!! He is the MAN of the Series for India so far… !!!!! Once again it tells me, once you identify talent and class you just persist with it !!!! It will pay rewards !!!!

The Indians once again proved yesterday that they more and more are relying on a combined team effort Dhoni led aggressively in the field, Zaheer bowled some real peaches, Ashwin proved what a fighting competitor he can be, Yuvi proved he is more than a part time bowler on such wickets, Indians fielded like tigers, Sachin was his usual masterclass, Gambhir wouldnt buckle under pressure, Yuvi is moving like a Mercedes while batting these days and Raina was plucky !!!!!

Yes, India seized the moment…. Dont mind the next match…. For the moment gloat in the glory… we have thrown the 4 time World Champs… We have beaten a Team who held the Cricket World Cup for 11 years and showed them the door…. !!!!!!

The men who Bleed in Blue deserve to let their hair down and breath easy for a while !!!!!!!

at the business end.. !!!

of the tournament… I am like a cat on a hot tin roof… !!!!

I had the most bizzare nightmare…. I just saw that after the wicket of Brad Haddin in the first over… Ponting sent in Mitchell Jonhnson as the pinch hitter and he and Watson build a 180 run partnership and Australia were 188 for 1 in 28 overs !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gee…. it tells me two things… as much as I might say India will win… I m weary of the Aussies from Inside… !!! Second… the cricket fever and this match is totally taken me over… !! I am not able to wait till tomorrow 2.30 pm Geeez… one of the biggest challenge for me is to shirk work in March End and sit for the entire match and I am going to do it come what may !!!!!!! What a match in the offing… !!!!!

Sensibly though I think its a 50 – 50 match… Its really difficult to predict the winner but as Bones said

“The Aussies cant win in a Dry State… Period !!!”

I really would like to go with her… !

The one thing I can say is its not going to be the spinners ruling the roost…

No.1 Motera will be as flat as it can get.
No.2 There is way too much dew in Bharuch at night… and Ahmedabad which is 200 kms away shouldnt be too different… and that means in the second innings the spinners will be wiping the towel all the time…

Johnson has already announced he is going to bounce out Veeru !!!!!!

I love such pre-match show downs…. I have always believed that such statements make the contest even more exciting.. Also I think such statements and taunts and sledging from the opponents wakes up the Indians and brings out the best in us…

That is one main reason why we have always competed hard with the Aussies, they just rub us the wrong way and we react… ! I at times wish all other teams would also rub us the same way… because unlike the Australians who are pro-active… many times we are reactive… I wont blame the team… I guess as a nation we are easy go lucky sort of people… the Chalta hai mindset… which is very different from the Aussie ruthlessness… Infact Australian sport is something from which we can learn so much !!

Having said that I dont think there is any other greater joy than beating the Australians… even more than Pakistan I think this is the FINAL in the QUARTERFINAL.

and now for some predictions… !!!!

I think whoever wins our encounter will face Pakistan in the semi’s and well Pakistan will not make it to the finals… as pitches become flatter their batting is the most vulnerable after the West Indians in the last 8 !

in the other group… I think South Africa will face England in the Semi’s I think England will prevail over the Lankans… and I actuallly think England will reach the finals…. The way the entire tournament has gone for England… some epic matches, close fought encounters… I think if there is any team in the entire cup that has generated most excitement its the English team… and they have been battle hardened… I think they might be the surprise in the finals !!!!!

HEAVY WEIGHT CLASH !

Alright so India won yesterday and comfortably at that in the end… and we are in the quarterfinals. I was amazed to see the way the Indians looked so tentative… after all playing in India and the weight of expectations got to them is what I feel.

They were just tentative, tense and nervous, they were more fearing failure then going out and expressing themselves…. atleast till the pollard wicket… !

This is what the weight of expectations does to you …. they seemed so tight !

If they want to do anything about their chances in the following matches, Dhoni must trust his instincts without worrying of the results and the players must let themselves flow… !

On a rather flat wicket the batters were just worried of a late order collapse and were just being too careful for not repeating what happened against the South AFricans… however almost that happened… ! Thats what… dont fear or think too much about one match one failure… but thats difficult if you are an Indian cricketer as the news, news paper everyone will be harping on you !!!!!

Come next is the BIGGEST MATCH for me of the world cup.

India V Australia

is as big as it can get, I cant wait for Tait and Lee going hammer and tongs at Veeru and Sachin !!!! It will be a contest to view… Ponting V Bhajji !!!! Watson V Zaheer !!!! This is a heavy weight clash for sure… Nothing for me comes near to a India Australia encounter, not a India Pak match nor an Ashes encounter… last 10 odd years this is the one battle to watch out for… !!!

Again come thursday the biggest challenge for me will be to shirk work and come home at 2.30 for the match… The match will be played only 200 kms away from my home but I am not going to watch it… I now suddenly feel I should have agreed to the earlier offer of my friend to buy tickets… SIGH!!!

Nevertheless….

Its gonna be a ripper of a contest… and I can bet the next dream I have will not be about Angelina… it will be Sehwag Upar Cutting Lee and Tait !!!!!!!!!

I think the team that plays their natural game freely without fear of losing will probably end up winning… Dhoni would do well to keep the TV’s off and the news papers away from himself and his players… !!! He doesnt need advice… he needs some peace !!!! Which I doubt he will get !!!!

Could they actually smile like this in the match ????? I REALLY REALLY DOUBT !!!!!