Dhoni keeps low profile ahead of big clash

Seven times Dhoni was asked about how the hype surrounding the game might affect his team, and on each occasion Dhoni was unequivocal: the only pressure on his team is the need to perform well.

MOHALI: Even as photographers, cameramen and journalists jostled for space at a packed news conference on Tuesday, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni continued to maintain that the hype surrounding the World Cup semifinal against Pakistan will not affect his players.

A host of politicians _ including the Prime Ministers of both countries _ VIPs and celebrities will attend Wednesday’s match, which is expected to be watched by a record television audience exceeding 1 billion.Fans have been queuing outside the stadium for days in the hope of getting their hands on a ticket for the match, which has been sold out for a week. Reports persist of people paying exorbitant prices on the black market.

The high-profile semifinal is being seen as a possible first step toward improved diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan, which broke down following the 2008 Mumbai attacks.For Dhoni though, Wednesday’s match simply provides an opportunity for his team to reward its millions of ardent fans by moving a step closer to winning the World Cup on home soil.“We are not getting involved (in the hype),” he said.“We are expected to play good cricket _ all this has been part of Indian cricket for a long time.”

Seven times Dhoni was asked about how the hype surrounding the game might affect his team, and on each occasion Dhoni was unequivocal: the only pressure on his team is the need to perform well.

“The biggest, distinguished guests will be there to see the game, but they are here to enjoy cricket, so we have to be at our best,” he said.“When you talk about the hype and the pressure, whether you’re thinking about it or not thinking about it, it doesn’t really help you perform. What’s not helping you perform needs to be kept away. What needs to be done is topping up the skills. These are the vital areas we have been focussing on.”

With that in mind, Dhoni said the team hadn’t watched television throughout the tournament. If they had, they would have seen near-blanket coverage of the match being dubbed the “final before the final.”Instead, the players have been plotting how to deal with a Pakistan team including the tournament’s leading bowler in Shahid Afridi and one of the world’s best reverse swing exponents in Umar Gul.“Afridi has been bowling really well,” Dhoni said of the Pakistani captain and legspinner. “He has been the pick of their bowlers. Irrespective of the bowler, it is important to play the ball on merit.“They have a very good bowling attack. Bowlers who can bowl quick and spinners who’ve been doing well. They’ve also got part-timers, similar to subcontinental teams where part-timers are offspinners, left arm or leg spinners.”

Dhoni ended his news conference by posing for photographs with opposing skipper Afridi, prompting another flurry of frantic activity among the raft of photographers present.Before he left, Dhoni had a reminder for anyone who might be tempted to lose their sense of perspective on wednesday.“Somebody has to lose this game, irrespective of what happens about the political talking,” he said. “At the end of (tomorrow), you’ll have one team losing and one team going into the final. That’s part and parcel of sport, each and every sport.”

Will Afridi be able to out-think Dhoni?

Dhoni and Afridi have so far proved adept at reading the situations and did not hesitate embracing unorthodoxy, like opening the attack with a spinner in a bid to wrong-foot the opposition. -Photo by AFP    Dawn News Updates

NEW DELHI: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his Pakistan counterpart Shahid Afridi will be involved in an engrossing battle of wits in the eagerly-awaited World Cup semi-final in Mohali on Wednesday.

Afridi’s team ended Australia’s unbeaten 34-match streak at the World Cup with a win in a league match, while Dhoni’s side knocked the defending champions out of the tournament in the quarter-finals.

Dhoni and Afridi have so far proved adept at reading the situations and did not hesitate embracing unorthodoxy, like opening the attack with a spinner in a bid to wrong-foot the opposition.

The Indian captain opened the bowling with off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the quarter-final against Australia on a slow Ahmedabad track and the move paid off as the spinner removed in-form Shane Watson (25) in the 10th over.

Dhoni needs to intelligently use his limited bowling resources again as he has so far not seriously felt the absence of a fifth specialist bowler, thanks to part-time spinner Yuvraj Singh’s 11 wickets in seven matches.

The Indian captain was also proved right when he included Suresh Raina in place of hard-hitting Yusuf Pathan against Australia. Raina did not let his captain down as he was involved in a match-winning stand of 74 with Yuvraj.“I prefer to go by instinct (in some situations),” said Dhoni.

India have so far lost just one game, against South Africa when their last nine wickets fell for 29 runs, and Dhoni was quick to remind his batsmen not to play for the gallery but for the team.

Pakistan have so far looked a disciplined and well-knit unit, thanks to Afridi’s leadership qualities.

Afridi may not have shown his batting prowess, but has done well as a leg-spinner and fielder. He is the tournament’s leading bowler with 21 wickets in seven matches.

He has persisted with wicketkeeper-batsman Kamran Akmal, who had an off-day against New Zealand when he let off Ross Taylor early in the innings. The New Zealander went on to score a century in his team’s victory.

It was the only defeat suffered by Pakistan, but Afridi did not regret his decision as Akmal grew in confidence with each game and was involved a century stand in his team’s quarter-final win over the West Indies.

Afridi’s moves to promote Akmal as an opener, bring Asad Shafiq in the middle order and playing off-spinner Saeed Ajmal against the West Indies have also paid off.