Two top Zimbabwe cricketers waded into the row over hosting World Cup matches on Monday with an unprecedented attack on Zimbabwe’s leaders minutes before opening their campaign in Harare.
Leading Zimbabwe batsman Andy Flower and black team mate Henry Olonga issued a hard-hitting statement criticising Zimbabwe’s record on human rights and democracy.
Flower, arguably Zimbabwe’s greatest player ever and among the top batsmen in the world, strode on to the field wearing a black arm band and Olonga said he would do the same.
“In doing so we are mourning the death of …

CENTURION, (Online) India maintain its unbeaten record against Pakistan in the World Cup defeated the traditional rival by six wickets in the crucial Pool A match as an innings of 98 by Sachin Tendulkar helps them to a well earned victory. India scored 276 runs for loss of four wickets against Pakistan’s 273 runs. Star batsman Sachin Tendulker was declared man of the match.

Tendulkar smashed 98 from 75 balls, shrugging off a left thigh strain as India chased down Pakistan’s 273 for seven at the packed SuperSport Park .
Tendulkar punished …

Opening batsman Craig Wishart hit a record 172 not out in his first World Cup match as Zimbabwe beat Namibia on Duckworth/Lewis method.
Zimbabwe totalled 340 for two against the inexperienced Namibian bowlers at Harare Sports Club.
Rain interrupted the Namibian innings at 104 for five after 25.1 overs, just enough for Zimbabwe to be declared winners by 86 runs.
Namibia put Zimbabwe in to bat on winning the toss, and Wishart dominated the Zimbabwe innings from beginning to end.
He announced his intentions by driving Louis Burger three times to the cover boundary …

The Olympic-style ceremony at Cape Town’s Newlands cricket ground was beamed to some 1.4 billion people around the globe , marking the biggest event of its kind ever staged in Africa and a boost to South Africa’s hopes of hosting the much larger soccer World Cup in 2010.
“All Africa thanks you that have thus come to us as friends,” South African President Thabo Mbeki told the 14 teams as he declared the competition open.
“Thus you have given us a gift that is as priceless as life itself.”
Some 22,000 spectators gathered …