Dhoni warns of New Zealand threat

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has highlighted New Zealand as a threat to his side's hopes of defending their World Twenty20 title in England.
The Black Caps beat India, champions in South Africa two years ago, by nine runs in a warm-up match at Lord's on Monday to extended their impressive record against Dhoni's men in cricket's shortest format.
New Zealand had previously won three straight Twenty20s against India and, although this latest match was not an official contest, they enjoyed another morale boosting success at Lord's after struggling early on.
"If you look at their side they have loads of guys that can really contribute," Dhoni told reporters. "They're a really good side when it comes to the Twenty20 format and the conditions here suit them."
New Zealand, who face Australia in another warm-up match at the Oval on Tuesday, saw Indian Premier League star Ross Taylor, dropped by Dhoni, go on to make 41 while left-hander James Franklin bolstered their total with two sixes and a four in the final over as they finished on 170 for seven.
India were on course for victory during a fourth-wicket stand of 69 between Suresh Raina (45) and Ravindra Jadeja (41) which featured some superb clean hitting to match the top-order fireworks of opener Rohit Sharma (36).
But Raina's dismissal by all-rounder Jacob Oram was the cue for a slump and, with New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori taking three for 24 with his left-arm spin, the Black Caps regained their grip on the game.
Nevertheless, India were without two of their star batsmen in Yuvraj Singh (stomach illness) and Virender Sehwag (shoulder injury) although both are expected to be available for Wednesday's warm-up match against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Oval.
"I am quite disappointed with the defeat but we have back-up plans and so I'm not really worried," Dhoni said. "Besides, we missed quite a few key players. A couple of guys had food poisoning but I'm sure everyone will be fine before our next warm-up game."
One positive sign to emerge for India from Monday's match was the form of fast bowler Ishant Sharma, who took four for 25.
"I think it would give him great deal of confidence," Dhoni said. "He is a bowler who should be bowling at the start and also in the end. In between he came and got us those crucial wickets."
Meanwhile Taylor said the way in which New Zealand rallied with both bat and ball was a heartening sign for the side.
"I think 170 was a par score on that wicket and we had enough momentum to have a go at the end," Taylor said. "The way James Franklin finished that last over was excellent."
He added: "The way we started (bowling) was probably a little disappointing but the way we pegged them back, for us to do well in this tournament we will have to bowl like that."

Vettori strikes as New Zealand beat India

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori led from the front as the Black Caps beat defending champions India by nine runs in their ICC World Twenty20 warm-up match at Lord's here on Monday.
India were well on course to make the 171 they needed for victory during a fourth-wicket stand of 69 between Suresh Raina (45) and Ravindra Jadeja which featured some superb clean hitting to match the top-order fireworks of opener Rohit Sharma (36).
Left-arm spinner Vettori, who finished with excellent figures of three for 24 in three overs, had big-hitting rival captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni stumped for just six and after Raina holed out to medium-pacer Jacob Oram the innings fell away despite a run-a-ball 41 from Jadeja.
But India may take some heart from getting so close to the Black Caps' total without star batsmen Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh.
Vettori, who held a fine caught and bowled chance off a hard-hit drive from Yusuf Pathan, used eight bowlers in all with all-rounder Oram taking one for 18 from his three overs.
New Zealand had made 170 for seven after losing the toss.
Ross Taylor, dropped by wicket-keeper Dhoni on 22, went onto make 41 off 33 balls, including two sixes off successive Pragyan Ojha deliveries, before he was dismissed by off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.
New Zealand's innings was given late impetus by James Franklin who made an unbeaten 27 off just 10 balls and struck left-arm quick RP Singh for two sixes and a four in three deliveries in the last over.
The Black Caps managed a highly competitive total even though fast bowler Ishant Sharma took a wicket in each of his four overs on his way to figures of four for 25.

Dhoni relishing World Twenty20 after IPL

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is looking forward to uniting all the talents at his disposal during the World Twenty20 in England after competing against his team-mates in the Indian Premier League.
India are the defending World Twenty20 champions after winning the inaugural edition in South Africa two years ago.
Since then the IPL, a lucrative franchise Twenty20 tournament that features the world's best players, has burst on the scene although this year it was played in South Africa because of security concerns.
"Of course it is a pleasure representing your country after the IPL where you have limited talent in your side," Dhoni told reporters at Lord's here on Sunday.
"But here we have plenty of options and we have the cream of the IPL so there is less pressure on each and every individual."
India supply more IPL players than any other nation but wicket-keeper batsman Dhoni, the captain of the Chennai Super Kings, said this was not an advantage in itself.
"The IPL will help us but not only us. There are quite a few players from other countries but most of our players are in the IPL.
"The best thing is that our youngsters will know how to handle pressure, when in the last over you need 10 or 15 runs, everyone in our side has faced that situation.
"It's good exposure for our guys to play against guys like Brett Lee and Shane Warne.
India have been drawn in Group A alongside Asian rivals Bangladesh - who defeated India at the 2007 50-over World Cup in the Caribbean and Ireland - who beat both Bangladesh and Pakistan in the West Indies two years ago.
"In Twenty20, there is no such thing as a weak side, an individual can take the game away from you," Dhoni explained. "If we take care of the immediate steps, the result takes care of itself."
Reflecting on India's success in South Africa, where they beat arch-rivals Pakistan in a thrilling final, Dhoni said: "We can't live on or relish the memories, we have to turn up and do everything from scratch again, it's not about the past.
"Cricket is a very cruel game, the moment you relax is when you are in trouble," Dhoni said.
Asked how the team had developed, Dhoni joked: "I've got quite a few grey hairs. That's one change, the plus point is that in the last three years there have been fewer changes in the side.
"The individuals involved have played 80 to 90 one-day internationals, helps me personally. I can pick ideas according to the situation. Also the fielding has evolved compared to what it was. We have raised the bar."
India, who still have a doubt over the fitness of fast bowler Zaheer Khan's shoulder injury, come into this event without batting great Sachin Tendulkar.
'The Little Master' has opted out of international Twenty20s and Dhoni said: "He's among the greatest, it's tough, you always want a player like Sachin in your side.
"But he wasn't at the last T20, the guys are getting used to it. But he has a big impact in the dressing room, the amount of ideas he has is amazing."
Much has been made of the impact various strategies might have on the outcome of Twenty20 matches but Dhoni said: "It's about how quickly the individual adapts, about what he does on the field.
"It's not only about strategies but how you implement and how the individual you are planning against reacts. If it was all about strategy Sachin would have been sorted out by now and he's been playing for 20 years."
India begin their Group A campaign against Bangladesh at Trent Bridge on Saturday.

Twenty20, new country for old men

Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya may be the oldest cricketer at 39 in the World Twenty20, but he has just as much chance of achieving success as any youngster.
The batting exploites of retired Australians Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist in the recent Indian Premier League have only made the "age v youth" debate more interesting in the latest format of the game.
The 37-year-olds comfortably won the opening round, with Hayden emerging the tournament's leading scorer with 572 runs in 12 matches and Gilchrist the second-best with 495 in 16.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Gilchrist was also named the player of the tournament for leading the 2008 bottom-placed Deccan Chargers to the title-triumph this year.
"The success of the senior players in the IPL highlights the fact that Twenty20 can accommodate all cricketers -- if they are good enough -- regardless of their age," said Gilchrist.
"Like baseball, you will see that as T20 continues to develop, older players, especially batsmen, will start extending their careers to their late thirties and beyond."
Also speaking strongly in veterans' favour were India's Anil Kumble, 38, Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan, 37 and Australian Shane Warne, 39. The spinners proved with their match-winning spells that performance mattered more than age.
Leg-spinner Kumble, who quit international cricket last year, set the IPL on fire with an amazing 5-5 performance (v Rajasthan) before ending up the tournament's second-highest wicket-taker with 21.
Off-spinner Muralitharan, the world's leading bowler in Tests (770 wickets) and one-day internationals (505), was as disciplined as ever, grabbing 14 wickets for semi-finalists Chennai.
The wily Sri Lankan had an economy-rate of 5.22 -- the best by any bowler with 10 or more matches in this year's IPL.
"I think Twenty20 is ideally suited for us (retired players). It's good knowing that you only have to bowl four overs," said Kumble, who led Bangalore to the final.
"I agree it's a young man's game and you need to be supremely fit and athletic, but if you have six or seven guys like that, experienced guys can take the pressure and use their skills to pull a team through."
India's Sachin Tendulkar, who has opted out of T20 internationals, also batted for the veterans, saying that age was no barrier to success.
"It's a cricketers' game, so it really doesn't matter whether you are young or old. It's a cricket match," said Tendulkar, the world's top scorer in Tests (12,773) and one-dayers (16,684).
If further proof was needed of the veterans' significance, it was provided by Warne who marshalled his limited resources remarkably well to lead Rajasthan to victory last year besides excelling as a bowler.
"You really need to pinch yourself to believe that he (Warne) can still spin a web around the batsmen in the world," Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh said during the recent IPL.
"He retired in 2007 and now spends more time on the poker table than on cricket pitches, but give him the ball and the magic resumes."

Pakistan teenage quick Aamir eyes golden summer

When Pakistan won the 1992 World Cup, Mohammad Aamir was not even born.
But the country's newest pace sensation has a precious memento, a videotape of the glorious moments of Pakistan?s famous triumph in Australia and he knows what it takes to become a champion.
"I was born two weeks after Pakistan won the World Cup but I watched the 1992 World Cup on tape and especially Wasim Akram?s bowling," said Aamir, who modelled his style on the legendary left-arm paceman.
The 17-year-old is the latest addition to Pakistan?s pace armoury and has impressed everyone, including former skipper Wasim, with his pace and swing.
"I have watched him more than once and he's impressive with over 140kmh speed and can swing the ball both ways," Wasim told AFP, predicting the rookie paceman can be a "revelation" in the World Twenty20.
Wasim came across Aamir in a talent-spotting programme, paving his way for selection for the Pakistan Under-19 tour to England in 2007.
Aamir took eight wickets, including a match-winning 4-30 in the third one-day win.
He also anchored Pakistan?s win in the tri-nation Under-19 series in Sri Lanka, taking four wickets each against the hosts and England.
He was tipped to help Pakistan defend their Under-19 World Cup title in 2008 but a dengue virus cut short his tournament, eventually won by India.
Aamir hails from the small town of Gujjar Khan, some 30 kilometres from the capital Islamabad.
He grew up in an academy and could easily have become a soldier, like his father.
"I was never interested in joining the army. I was attracted by cricket and by Wasim Akram," admitted Aamir, who learned the basics of the game at the Bajwa academy.
Spotted and helped by cricket official Shakil Shaikh, Aamir gradually progressed to make an impressive first-class debut last year.
He took 56 wickets in just ten games, which earned him a call for Pakistan?s tour to Bangladesh in March.
"Aamir?s strong point is that he can judge a batsman after a few deliveries and then plan his deliveries. His swing and pace can come in handy," said Shaikh.
However, his international debut was delayed after Bangladesh postponed their planned one-day series because of security concerns.
But his chance could come sooner rather than later after Shoaib Akhtar was withdrawn from the Twenty20 squad due to injury.
Aamir is ready to grab his opportunity.
"My aim is to have success like Wasim's in 1992," said Aamir of Wasim, who finished as player of the 1992 World Cup tournament with 18 wickets.
"I want a fairytale success, and will do my best for it."

Younus glad Pakistan back on world stage

Pakistan captain Younus Khan said the upcoming ICC World Twenty20 in England had a special significance for his side after their country had become a virtual 'no-go zone' for international cricket.
A terror attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in March saw seven of their players and English assistant coach Paul Farbrace injured.
Eight Pakistanis, including six security force personnel, were killed.
With no international side willing to travel to Pakistan, Younus's men recently returned to international action in the United Arab Emirates against Australia, where they lost 3-2 in a one-day series but won the lone Twenty20.
"It is special to be back on the world stage, especially in Twenty20 and in England, the media are here so lots of hopes are here," the talented batsman told reporters at Lord's here on Sunday.
"We are suffering from not playing regularly, and no-one is coming to Pakistan," he added.
Pakistan endured a nailbiting defeat at the hands of arch-rivals India in the 2007 World Twenty20 final in South Africa and Younus would love nothing more than for his team to go one better this time.
"My confidence is that I'll take this trophy to Pakistan," he said. But such has been Pakistan's relative lack of international cricket that he added: "It will be an achievement for us to finish in the top four."
Reflecting on the 2007 final, Younus said: "The finishing touches were not there. We needed only five runs. But it was fantastic to be a part of that team in the final.
"Some guys were crying at the end, but hopefully we'll have the finishing touches," Younus said.
Twenty20 tends to put a premium on big-hitting batsmen at the start of the innings but Younus, whose team face England and the Netherlands in Group B, said it was not necessary to start going for big shots right from the off.
"Twenty20 looks short, but it's not - 120 balls is enough.
"If you bat normally but with energy, especially in the middle order and with good runners between the wickets, 180-90 is very easy.
"In English conditions the new ball does seam, so you need someone like Salman Butt who can play for 20 overs. But in the middle order, we have big hitters like Shahid Afridi and Misbah-Ul-Haq."
English officials have already announced that plans are well advanced for Pakistan to play two Tests against Australia in England next year as well as a series with Andrew Strauss's men.
Large Asian communities in England provide Pakistan with a ready-made fan base and Younus said: "Playing in England is everyone's dream. My first Test at Lord's was fantastic for me.
"England is the home of cricket, it is an achievement for us to play Tests here, and maybe ODIs too. It's good for the youngsters to play in England and the old guys have a lot of friends here.
"We need the passion in Twenty20 and in England, a lot of followers all the time, a lot of cities have Pakistanis and Indians. That's the main reason I'm happy to be in England."
Younus added: "If we play good cricket it will be good for our nation. These days all the nation is depressed.
"Only cricket - if we play well and win something - they will cheer. To finish in the top four, my nation will come again and start cheering."

ICC World Twenty 20 - 2009 Schedule

Fri 5 17:30 local, 16:30 GMT
1st Match, Group B - England v Netherlands Lord's, London

Sat 6 10:00 local, 09:00 GMT
2nd Match, Group D - New Zealand v Scotland Kennington Oval, London

Sat 6 14:00 local, 13:00 GMT
3rd Match, Group C - Australia v West Indies Kennington Oval, London

Sat 6 18:00 local, 17:00 GMT
4th Match, Group A - Bangladesh v India Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Sun 7 13:30 local, 12:30 GMT
5th Match, Group D - Scotland v South Africa Kennington Oval, London

Sun 7 17:30 local, 16:30 GMT
6th Match, Group B - England v Pakistan Kennington Oval, London

Mon 8 13:30 local, 12:30 GMT
7th Match, Group A - Bangladesh v Ireland Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Mon 8 17:30 local, 16:30 GMT
8th Match, Group C - Australia v Sri Lanka Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Tue 9 13:30 local, 12:30 GMT
9th Match, Group B - Netherlands v Pakistan Lord's, London

Tue 9 17:30 local, 16:30 GMT
10th Match, Group D - New Zealand v South Africa Lord's, London

Wed 10 13:30 local, 12:30 GMT
11th Match, Group C - Sri Lanka v West Indies Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Wed 10 17:30 local, 16:30 GMT
12th Match, Group A - India v Ireland Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Thu 11 13:30 local, 12:30 GMT
13th Match, Group F - Ireland vs New Zealand Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Thu 11 17:30 local, 16:30 GMT
14th Match, Group E - England vs South Africa Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Fri 12 13:30 local, 12:30 GMT
15th Match, Group F - Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Lord's, London

Fri 12 17:30 local, 16:30 GMT
16th Match, Group E - India vs West Indies Lord's, London

Sat 13 13:30 local, 12:30 GMT
17th Match, Group E - South Africa vs West Indies Kennington Oval, London

Sat 13 17:30 local, 16:30 GMT
18th Match, Group F - New Zealand vs Pakistan Kennington Oval, London

Sun 14 13:30 local, 12:30 GMT
19th Match, Group F - Ireland vs Sri Lanka Lord's, London

Sun 14 17:30 local, 16:30 GMT
20th Match, Group E - England vs India Lord's, London

Mon 15 13:30 local, 12:30 GMT
21st Match, Group E - England vs West Indies Kennington Oval, London

Mon 15 17:30 local, 16:30 GMT
22nd Match, Group F - Ireland vs Pakistan Kennington Oval, London

Tue 16 13:30 local, 12:30 GMT
23rd Match, Group F - New Zealand vs Sri Lanka Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Tue 16 17:30 local, 16:30 GMT
24th Match, Group E - India vs South Africa Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Thu 18 17:30 local, 16:30 GMT
1st Semi-Final - TBC v TBC Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Fri 19 17:30 local, 16:30 GMT
2nd Semi-Final - TBC v TBC Kennington Oval, London

Sun 21 15:00 local, 14:00 GMT
Final - TBC v TBC Lord's, London