mohali

Will this be Mahi’s last World T20?

India take on Australia in a virtual quarter-final this evening at Mohali.

The other three semi-final places have already been booked.
West Indies, New Zealand and England are through to the business end of the World T20.

India are favourites having thrashed the Kangaroos 3-0 Down Under but not before losing the ODI series 1-4.

No team has won the World T20 more than once.

Every edition has been unpredictable.

India, Pakistan, England, West Indies and Sri Lanka have all been crowned victors in this topsy-turvy format.
With no time for recovery from any mistakes, the team which turns up wins.
A stellar performance with the bat or ball is more than enough to decide a game.
If past trends hold, we ought to have a new champion.
Should Australia win tonight and the trend continue, it could be either New Zealand or Australia lifting the trophy, with the prospect of a mouth-watering repeat of last year’s ODI World Cup final.
Indian fans will be disappointed though.

This is probably MS Dhoni’s last T20 World Cup.
Dhoni does not see himself participating in the 2019 ODI World Cup.
Don’t be surprised if Mahi pulls out yet another rabbit from his hat and calls it a day—win or lose.

CWC 2011:Thoughts before the World Cup semi-finals

A few random thoughts before the World Cup semi-finals:

The high octane clash between the two South East Asian neighbours—India and Pakistan—is the most eagerly awaited game of this tournament.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Gary Kirsten managed to keep a lid on the pressure of expectations and beat Australia with a sangfroid not expected from usually jittery Indian sides. It will be nothing short of a minor miracle if they can continue in the same vein at Mohali especially in front of Messrs Dr. Manmohan Singh and Yousuf Raza Gilani.

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Indo-Pak semi-final at Mohali sets the stage for cricket diplomacy

An Indo-Pak semi-final in a World Cup is a momentous occasion. It warrants an attempt to bring the two nations closer.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh may be besieged by the multiple scandals hitting his beleaguered   government but he has not forgotten how to make a grand gesture.

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