ICC Champions Trophy final: India and England Both are Prepared

After a photo shoot with Alastair Cook, Mahendra Singh Dhoni walked in nine feet tall in his pre-final media conference at the Edgbaston media centre here on Saturday afternoon. With an unshaven face, the Indian skipper sported a broad grin and showed no signs of pressure before the final of a major tournament.

Winning is such a galvanizing factor. This Indian team at the Champions Trophy has done no wrong and whatever Dhoni touches is turning into gold. Supremely confident, Dhoni handles the media on his own terms. He hooks, he pulls and even switch hits questions. The "one-question-per-person" media code of conduct often sees incomplete answers and transcripts haven't always helped.

Many of Dhoni's answers in Saturday's press conference were difficult to fathom. Especially, one on England's poor record in ODI finals of global events and another one on whether the 1983 World Cup win at Lord's in the month of June inspires Team India.

Speaking on Sunday's Champions Trophy final, Dhoni was clear when he said there were no special plans against England here at Edgbaston. "We will go with the same approach like we did in the match against Pakistan and the semifinal (versus Sri Lanka)," said the Indian captain.

Saying that India have played very good cricket in the Champions Trophy so far, Dhoni added the team was relaxed and the only concern was the death bowling. "Death bowlers have been a concern. It's an area we need to improve as a team."

Dhoni admitted England's pace attack had the quality to test the best of batsmen.

"The English are a very good team, especially the bowlers. What we are excited about is the fact our top order has done well, and also the fact that they have played some of the best bowlers in world cricket so far in the tournament. So I think they are quite well prepared for the English bowlers, it's just that like in every game, you have to apply," Dhoni said.

The Indian captain didn't read much into India's horrible English summer in 2011. India were whitewashed in both the Test and ODI series, but Dhoni doesn't want history to haunt the current team's mental preparation.

"Well, you go through ups and downs. I think what's important is to accept the fact that we didn't do really well in that series. We have done well in this series so let's think about that," Dhoni said.

Dhoni said India's ODI performance in 2011 was relatively better than the Tests and the team was hampered by injuries and the rain. "I lost all the tosses and every game it rained. We were supposed to operate with two spinners, and with the wet ball it became very difficult," Dhoni explained.

With rain threatening Sunday's final, Dhoni said the toss could become a factor but a lot will depend on the immediate conditions. "If it's bright and sunny, I don't think it will have that much of an impact, but if it's overcast and there is a bit of rain before the start of the game, then it may have an impact on the game. So I think as of now it's quite balanced. I don't think the toss will be very crucial," he said.

Dhoni said it was an important final from an Indian point of view. "We will have good support and we must play for the fans. It should be a good game for the spectators," the skipper said with a large grin. 

Source: Sports

India go into the final with crushing win

India 182 for 2 (Dhawan 68, Kohli 58*) beat Sri Lanka 181 for 8 (Mathews 51, Jayawardene 38, Ishant 3-33, Ashwin 3-48) by 8 wickets

 The only actual confrontation to India's demonstration into the final was two sets of activists who ruined into the field on two divide occasions. On a Cardiff pitch with a lot of dampness underside, the ball seamed, bounded sharply and turned noticeably, and the Indian bowlers were all over Sri Lanka subsequent to winning the toss. In the afternoon, the Indian openers continual their run of inspiring stands, adding 77 through some fortune and some good-looking shots, and India cruised home with 15 overs to spare.

This would have reminded India of their first day of global cricket on South Africa's 2010-11 tour, when they were inserted on a pitch that had engrossed a lot of rain and were bowled out for 136 in similar circumstances. Watching the first innings of this match, it seemed Sri Lanka had done well to not be rolled over for 136 them. The circumstances were so succulent India's three forefront quick’s bowled the first 22 overs, even MS Dhoni had a bowl and India either beat the bat or hit edge on 68 occasions.

The Sri Lankan batsmen couldn't be blamed much, not including for most likely Kusal Perera. Sri Lanka had to excavate in hard presently to stay alive, leave alone scoring runs. They tried and tried - Kumar Sangakkara had at one point left alone 12 out of his first 32 balls - but ultimately the ball with your name arrived. However, what actually foiled Sri Lanka's plans was the help the pitch provided to spin, which they hadn't budgeted for when they were batting out the quick’s like it was a Test match. If the quick’s bowled the first 22 overs out and went for 98 for four wickets in their 30 overs, the spinners took four wickets for 81 in their 20.

The pitch might have been grand help, but India browbeaten the toss benefit with remarkable correctness. India was perfect adequate to make use of the circumstances. The first extra came in the 20th over. Angelo Mathews, among others, fought the circumstances, but like others he too fell the split second he became audacious.   

Dominant England cruise into final

England 179 for 3 (Trott 82*, Root 48 ) beat South Africa 175 (Miller 56*, Kleinveldt 43, Tredwell 3-19, Broad 3-50) by seven wickets

 England and South Africa had not met in a most important match in ICC semi-final since the World Cup in Sydney in 1992, a match which AB de Villiers admitted previous to the start of play ended with him "crying myself to sleep." Grown man now or not, later than the mess South Africa made of this tie, he could be forgiven for repeating the incident.

De Villiers is no longer an in the clear child, he is captain of a South Africa one-day side which during his lifetime has frequently privileged to mislead in ICC tournaments. So it proved once more. England rampaged from side to side the top order as eight wickets fell for 80. It was a humid morning at Kennington Oval, England won a favorable toss, and for once the white Kookaburra swung, but South Africa contributed immensely to their downfall.

David Miller and Rory Kleinveldt did at least recuperate calculate of morality. An evidence ninth-wicket partnership for South Africa of 95 in 16 overs took them to 175. But all that did was provide Jonathan Trott with a protracted chance to bat much as he wished, apparently unmindful to the force of a Champions Trophy semi-final. He ended with a spritely 82 not out from 84 balls, a seven-wicket win done and dusted with more than 12 overs to standby.

England Beat New Zealand in Champions Trophy

England 169 (Cook 64, Mills 4-30, McClenaghan 3-36) beat New Zealand 159 for 8 (Williamson 67, Anderson 3-32) by 10 runs

 England do not create life trouble-free for themselves in knockout tournaments, but they protected their passageway to the Champions Trophy semi-finals through a cooperatively imposing recital from the bowlers which followed a efficient innings from Alastair Cook subsequent to the weather had endangered to abscond their hopes in Australia's hands.

But even as England was heaping heaviness on New Zealand's top arrange as they chased 170 in 24 overs, the weather still loomed. Rain, which had cause a five-hour impediment after the toss, was creeping over the Bristol Channel and even though the chase was at the back the rate, if the match had been deserted before 20 overs New Zealand would have gone through and England would have needed a favor from Australia on Monday.

The 20th over, sent down by the unequaled James Anderson, itself incorporated more drama when Corey Anderson, who was additional to New Zealand's squadron on the daybreak of the match as a substitution for Grant Elliott, appeared to harmed his calf following aborting a sprint and spent several minutes in receipt of management which did not make an impression Ashley Giles and David Saker on the England balcony.

Still, even after Anderson had finished the over there could have been another interweave. Tim Bresnan passed 19 in the next over as Kane Williamson, who made a brave 67 off 54 balls, and Anderson took their partnership to 73 previous to Williamson skied to wrap off Stuart Broad whose heel was ruled, by the third umpire, to be fractionally at the back the line. It was a powerful taut call.  

India Beat Pakistan by 8 wickets in Champions Trophy

India 102 for 2 (Dhawan 48) beat Pakistan 165 (Shafiq 41, Bhuvneshwar 2-19) by 8 wickets (D/L method)

 Just prefer the majority of the cricket played in this glorified enmity, the cricket at Edgbaston - this time for the reason that of the weather - was boring and unsure, but India finally registered their first win over Pakistan in Champions Trophy. However, it was a dead rubber as India was previously guaranteed the top slot in the group, and Pakistan the bottom.

It was England above your head all right with all the rain, but underfoot the Edgbaston pitch matched the bowlers from Asia, where a big segment of Birmingham's population has come from. R Ashwin bowled slow and flighted the ball and curved it square, Ravindra Jadeja bowled fast and still turned the odd ball square, and Pakistan batsmen capitulated in what began as a full game but was reduced to 40 overs a side after two rain intervals.

Their total of 165 all out was adjusted to 167 for the reason that of the rain break throughout Pakistan's innings. India got off to a concrete create in answer, and it mattered small that the rain finally brought the target down to 102 in 22 overs. India won in 19.1 overs.

Rain played a significant part in Pakistan's innings. Pakistan did beat the toss, which gave India the best circumstances in the rain, but Misbah-ul-Haq said he would have batted first anyhow.