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Siraj’s performance in the Asia Cup final attained the status of a great spell not solely on account of the four wickets taken in the second over, but because he sustained his hostility and incisiveness to scalp more important wickets in the overs that followed.
Having invested so heavily and exclusively on SKY during the entire period of build-up to the World Cup, the selectors were left with no other option but to include SKY in the squad despite the diminishing returns from his blade.
It was only the intense love for the game and the immense joy that playing the sport gave which spurred cricketers like Rhodes, Nayudu and Close to remain fit and take on the stress and strain of playing three-day matches with hardly a break.
A common thread that runs along the career of these cricketers is that they not only made light of the initial setback, but rose to the pole position of leading their respective countries in international cricket.
One can be certain that many more records will be broken and new milestones achieved before Smith bids bye to international cricket.
The elimination from the World Cup Qualifier is a resounding slap on the face of the former champions.
The win over England in the semifinals of the 1983 World Cup showed India had well and truly arrived as a strong side in limited overs cricket.
Overwhelming importance given to IPL and monetary rewards that await a cricketer chosen to be part of the squad of a franchisee has resulted in youngsters trying to focus all their energies on doing well in the shortest version of the game.
One can recall at least three distinct incidents when this period brought infamy to the national cricket side.
A depleted India definitely appear to be on the back foot ahead of the final.
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