Category: Sports

NEW DELHI, March 31, 2011 (AFP) – India were desperate on Thursday to prevent their World Cup campaign from being overwhelmed by a wave of national hysteria ahead of Saturday’s final against Sri Lanka in Mumbai. The semi-final win over arch-rivals Pakistan in Mohali sparked wild late-night celebrations, dominating front pages and leading TV news […]

NEW DELHI, March 29, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka reached their second successive World Cup final on Tuesday, clearing the tournament decks for India and Pakistan’s heavyweight collision. Sri Lanka, the 1996 champions and runners-up to Australia in 2007, overcame a worrying wobble to beat New Zealand by five wickets in Colombo and will tackle […]

MOHALI, March 29, 2011 (AFP) – Cricket-crazy India and Pakistan head into an epic World Cup showdown on Wednesday that will showcase the bitter rivalry and common bonds between the estranged nuclear-armed neighbours. The teams clash in the semi-final of the competition in a battle promising passion and drama, with more than a billion people, […]

March 30, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara believes his team’s qualification for the World Cup final can further unite a country steadily finding its feet after the end of a decades-long civil war. Sri Lanka reached their second successive final, and third in all, with a nervy five-wicket win over New Zealand […]

NEW DELHI, March 30, 2011 (AFP) – Women in India are encouraged to dress modestly at all times, but a brasher side to modern life has been exposed after a popular model vowed to strip naked if the nation wins the cricket World Cup. Poonam Pandey, 20, who features in a best-selling Indian swimwear calendar, […]

NEW DELHI, March 27, 2011 (AFP) – India and Pakistan kicked-off the mind games ahead of their World Cup semi-final blockbuster on Sunday while New Zealand attempted to halt a three-pronged Asian assault on the title. “Let it remain as cricket and don’t make us feel as if we are standing on a war front,” […]

March 28, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s legendary bowler Muttiah Muralitharan plans to travel overseas to drum up funds to build a sports complex for war-displaced civilians. Muralitharan, who holds the world record for 800 Test and 538 one-day wickets, wants to build the centre in northern Sri Lanka to build a new life for […]

NEW DELHI, March 26, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka ended England’s gruelling five-month global odyssey with a comprehensive 10-wicket triumph on Saturday to set up a World Cup semi-final showdown against New Zealand. Openers Tillakaratne Dilshan, with 108 not out, and Upul Tharanga, who hit an unbeaten 102, enjoyed their second 200-plus partnership of the […]

March 27, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse on Sunday invited New Zealand Prime Minister John Key to witness the cricket World Cup semi-finals between the two nations on Tuesday, an official said. Rajapakse asked Key to visit the island after the home team crushed England by 10 wickets on Saturday to reach […]

March 27, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka put off marking “Earth Hour” because it clashed with the cricket World Cup, an official said Sunday. Sri Lanka had joined the WWF drive to switch off lights for an hour on Saturday to display its green credentials, but the day-night match between England and the home team […]

March 26, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara credited his bowlers for keeping up the pressure on England right from the first ball in the World Cup quarter-final on Saturday. The Sri Lankan skipper said his team would not be complacent despite the huge victory. “It is important to be confident but we […]

NEW DELHI, March 24, 2011 (AFP) – India swept three-time defending champions Australia out of the World Cup on Thursday to set up a semi-final showdown against bitter rivals Pakistan and heap more pressure on Ricky Ponting. India’s five-wicket triumph in Ahmedabad means they will tackle Pakistan, who reached the last four with a crushing […]