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| March 19, 2007 | Monday | Safar 29, 1428 |
Indians slammed after shock defeat
MUMBAI, March 18: Former players and media rounded on the Indian team on Sunday, a day after their shock five-wicket defeat to Bangladesh in a World Cup Group B opening match in Port-of-Spain.
Winners in 1983 winners and finalists in the last edition, India were skittled out for 191 and face a possible early exit along with sub-continent rivals Pakistan if they lose either of their remaining two matches against Sri Lanka and Bermuda.
“Indian batsmen show wilt-power,” ran the lead headline on page one of national daily Hindustan Times, referring to the team's pathetic batting display, with a photograph of out-of-form opener Virender Sehwag on his knees after he had been dismissed.
The Times of India's front page headline said “Minnows flex muscles”, with a photograph of Sachin Tendulkar walking back and Bangladesh players celebrating in the background.
The World Cup-frenzy in the country has been fuelled by a multitude of television channels and media houses who have touted the team as favourites and are tracking the action minute-by-minute since the team's arrival in the Caribbean last month.
Private television channels showed fans burning effigies of players in Jaipur and Varanasi on Sunday.
During the last World Cup, angry fans had attacked Mohammad Kaif's house after India's loss to Australia in the preliminary phase.
Sehwag's place in the team has again come for severe criticism after the opener dragged a Mashrafe Mortaza delivery in the third over onto his stumps to be dismissed for two and set off a collapse.
India's chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar had disclosed recently that Sehwag was picked for the World Cup only at the specific request of skipper Rahul Dravid.
“He (Sehwag) should be rested,” former chief selector Kiran More said on Sunday. “A good start is very important. I think (Robin) Uthappa should open and Rahul (Dravid) should bat at No 3.”—Reuters
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