DURBAN, South Africa, 25 February 2003 — Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan yesterday backed India to win tomorrow’s key World Cup clash against England, saying they usually performed well at the crunch. A victory in the day-night match at Kingsmead will bring Saurav Ganguly’s men closer to securing a Super Six berth and put them in the right frame of mind ahead of Saturday’s high-profile clash against arch rivals Pakistan. “It was good to see Ganguly sweeping away all the problems against Namibia,” Imran wrote on BBC Online. “It shows that when it comes to the crunch India can perform.” The shaky start by the batsmen in the first two matches against the Netherlands and Australia has given way to growing confidence after successive wins over Zimbabwe and Namibia. A team that failed to last 50 overs against the Dutch and were shot out for their lowest World Cup total of 125 by Australia, rattled up 255-7 against Zimbabwe and 311-2 versus Namibia. Star batsman Sachin Tendulkar appeared in ominous form, making 152 against Namibia on Sunday, his 34th one-day century giving him an aggregate of 321 runs in three World Cup innings so far. Ganguly also returned to form with an unbeaten 112 against the Namibians which, according to Imran, is a good sign for the Indians.
Tendulkar Drive Could
Have Killed Me: Umpire
JOHANNESBURG — Pakistani umpire Aleem Dar offered a prayer yesterday after he narrowly avoided being smashed on the face by a full-blooded drive from Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar. Dar ducked in time but fell to the ground as Tendulkar straight drove Namibia’s Bjorn Kotze during Sunday’s World Cup match at Pietermaritzburg. The ball whizzed past the umpire’s head and raced toward the boundary, one of the many shots Tendulkar hit during his knock of 152. “I could have been killed,” a relieved Dar told AFP yesterday. “I got saved because of my good eye sight. I still play cricket, you know. “I have not seen a more powerful drive in my four years of umpiring at the international level,” the 34-year-old Dar said. Dar dismissed any suggestion of holding a grudge against Tendulkar for the narrow escape. “I actually quite enjoyed the incident,” he said.
Hampshire in Talks With
Wasim to Replace Warne
JOHANNESBURG — Pakistani veteran Wasim Akram has been approached by English county Hampshire to replace Australia’s banned spinner Shane Warne for next season, sources told AFP yesterday. Warne, who played for Hampshire in 2000 and had signed another two-year contract, was banned from all cricket for a year by the Australian Cricket Board on Saturday after testing positive for a banned diuretic. Wasim, who played for Lancashire for 10 years, is expected to confirm whether he will turn out for the new county later this week. Hampshire had signed on ex-Zimbabwe all-rounder Neil Johnson last season when they finished seventh in the county championship first division and were relegated to the second for next season.
Indian Corporates Fly Out
Bosses for Sizzlers
NEW DELHI — South Africa’s national carrier is laughing its way to the bank as Indian bluechip firms fly out their executives to the World Cup for the Indian team’s titanic clashes with England and Pakistan this week. Officials from South Africa Airways yesterday said the airline was laying on extra flights to cater especially for the adrenaline-pumping day-night showdown expected between arch rivals India and Pakistan at Centurion on Saturday. “We have deployed four more flights this week to take care of cricket fans for the India-Pakistan clash,” Nalini Gupta, general manager of the airline’s Indian operations, told AFP.
Warne No Drugs
Cheat: ACB Boss
MELBOURNE — Australian Cricket Board chief executive James Sutherland has come to Shane Warne’s defense, saying the champion leg-spinner is not a drugs cheat. As Warne and his advisers kept the cricket world guessing yesterday as to whether he would appeal his 12-month drugs ban, he won an ally in Sutherland. Sutherland said evidence at Warne’s hearing into testing positive to two banned diuretics proved he was not a drugs cheat. “It is one thing to have banned substances in a sample. It is another thing to be a drug cheat,” Sutherland said on Monday.
Pat’s Strife Over Worst
in 40 Years Jibe
EAST LONDON — South Africa’s World Cup hopes, already in the balance after two wins and two defeats, suffered another setback when national selector Pat Symcox described the team’s bowling attack as the worst in 40 years. Symcox, a former Test spinner who was made a selector last year following the crushing defeat at the hands of the Australians, made the unflattering remark in the Afrikaans newspaper Rapport. National convener of selectors Omar Henry said that he will meet with Symcox to hear his views first hand.
