Sports FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2012
Home fans change loyalty as T20 fever soars COLOMBO: For the first time in the World Twenty20 the home fans turned their back on Pakistan yesterday, naturally so because their semifinal opponents were none other than the hosts Sri Lanka. Pakistan had received good support, even in their Super Eights match against arch-rivals India in Colombo on Sunday, but Premadasa stadium reverberated for Mahela Jayawardene’s team, aiming to lift their first major trophy since winning the 1996 World Cup. “This Cup is ours,” said sisters Malissa and Belinda, who have come with a group of girls from Colombo college, all dressed in yellow and blue Sri Lankan shirts. “We want the title and we are going to snatch it from
other teams.” The semi-final, a repeat of World Twenty20 final which Pakistan won in 2009, is a sell-out with the home fans outnumbering the travelling Pakistanis. Among the Pakistani fans is Zaman Khan, famous as Chacha (Uncle) Twenty20 cricket. “I will shout my throat out,” said Zaman, a driver in Dubai who is in Sri Lanka to support Pakistan since the event started. “Up until now the Sri Lankans had supported our team but it’s natural that they will not do that today.” Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez had said the crowd turning their backs will not matter to his team. “We are now quite used to it as we don’t play any cricket in Pakistan for the last three years,” Hafeez said on the eve of the match. “I hope the
fans support good cricket by both the teams.” Pakistan have been forced to play all their home cricket on neutral venues like United Arab Emirates and England since the March 2009 attacks on a Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore. “I hope international cricket resumes in Pakistan so that we could play before our home fans,” said Hafeez, whose counterpart Mahela Jayawardene also hoped a festive atmosphere will add to the charm of the match. “It’s good to be back in Colombo,” said Jayawardene, whose team played earlier matches at Hambantota and Pallekele. “We have enjoyed playing here, I am sure the crowd will turn out in big numbers and support us.” Shops in the near-by markets were
shut down early in the evening and traffic was diverted to allow the fans to reach the stadium in time for the start. “I had to close my shop at noon because I had to prepare for the match,” said Mohammad Azim, owner of a grocery shop. “As a Muslim I will be supporting Pakistan a bit but my prayers are for Sri Lanka to win.” Inside the stadium fans chanted slogans in the local language, blowing trumpets on a good start by Sri Lanka, who won the toss and batted. ”I hope both the teams play well but Sri Lanka team wins,” said Liyana Gamage, a student at Sri Jayawardene campus. “The final will also be like a big party...” The final is scheduled for Sunday. — AFP
Aussies target Gayle in World T20 semis
COLOMBO: Cheerleaders perform during the 1st cricket semi-final match between England and New Zealand Women’s World T20 in Colombo. — AFP
Lankan cheerleaders branded an ‘eyesore’ COLOMBO: Sri Lankan cricket authorities have complained to organizers about cheerleaders at the World Twenty20 tournament after media criticism describing them as a “disgraceful eyesore”. Nishantha Ranatunga, secretary of Sri Lanka Cricket said that fans had also provided “negative feedback” after lackluster displays by the local performers, who lead celebrations when wickets are taken and boundaries scored. “The impression created by these cheerleaders is not acceptable,” Ranatunga said yesterday. “We complained to the ICC (International Cricket Council) that this is harming the image of Sri Lanka. “We had a lot of negative feedback which we passed on to the ICC as we had nothing to do with selecting the dance
troupes.” The dancers, who are dressed in blue leggings, striped skirts and T-shirts bearing advertising slogans, have been attacked in the Sri Lankan media for their amateur dancing and un-coordinated routines. “The sorry performance of the socalled cheerleaders is not only a disgraceful eyesore, but has show-cased Sri Lanka in a poor light to the entire world,” the Daily Mirror said. The manager of the cheerleaders, Sudev Abeysekara, was quoted in India’s Hindustan Times on Saturday as saying that more attractive dancers were not available due to low wages. “In an event like this you need good looking girls, and to get the beautiful girls who are professional dancers, you have to pay more,” he said. “The payment is not that great.” He added
that “the girls are not comfortable, the tights they are wearing slip down while dancing and the girls are busy tying them here and there.” Abeysekara, who was not available to comment to AFP, also said that the dancers declined to wear shorts as they “are conscious that parents are watching”. Event organizers said the contract for providing cheerleaders had been awarded to a foreign company which sub-contracted the work to a Sri Lankan firm. Cheerleaders were popularized in cricket with the arrival of the high-energy Twenty20 format, and they have become a popular part of the annual Indian Premier League (IPL). The first Twenty20 semifinal was held yesterday between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, with the final on Sunday. — AFP
COLOMBO: Australia hope to remove big-hitter Chris Gayle early to put the West Indies under pressure during the second semi-final of the World Twenty20 in Colombo today. The belligerent left-hander holds the key to his team’s batting success and Australian captain George Bailey said it was important not to let Gayle settle down at the crease. “Their (West Indies) batting is no doubt their strength,” Bailey said after his team’s training session yesterday. “If you can knock Gayle over early it really does put pressure on the rest of their batsmen to step up.” Gayle hit 54 to help West Indies to 191-8 against Australia in the preliminary league, before Shane Watson scored a 21-ball 41 to steer his team home via the Duckworth-Lewis method in the rain-affected match. Gayle also smashed 58 during a 103-run opening stand with Johnson Charles to set up a 15-run win over defending champions England in the Super Eights in Pallekele. But when the opener fell for two against Sri Lanka, the West Indies crumbled for a paltry 129 to lose by nine wickets. Bailey, smarting against the unexpected 32-run defeat by Pakistan on Tuesday, wanted an aggressive attitude by his team against the West Indies bowlerseven if it costs Australia a place in the final. “I’d rather see us throw caution to the wind. If we get knocked over, we get knocked over,” Bailey said and hinted that David Hussey could be back for the semifinal in place of Glenn Maxwell. “I saw (coach) Mickey Arthur had weighed up those two players and that’s probably the only one to be weighed up. But the structure doesn’t change in terms of a likefor-like,” the captain said. Australia’s four wins in five matches so far in the tournament have been made easier by a sensational all-round display by Shane Watson, who has scored 242 runs and taken 11 wickets. The West Indies, in contrast, have just two wins from five matches and need to lift their game if they are to stop Australia from making their second successive World Twenty20 final. Skipper Darren Sammy insisted his team’s success did not hinge on Gayle alone. “It’s not only about Chris,” said Sammy. “Obviously he sets the momentum for us at the top of the order. But to win the game, it will need a total team effort. “In any cricket match, you get one individual doing something brilliant. But it will take a collective effort to win the semi-final.” Sammy predicted a close game with the result depending on who wins the key moments in the game. “It could be a spectacular catch somewhere, or guys out in the middle making the right decision at a crucial time,” he said. “I think the team that wins at the end of the day is the team that will make less mistakes. “But it’s two evenly matched teams and it promises to be an exciting game.” — AFP