Cup Extras: 'Tendulkar is better than Bradman'

English cricket writer Simon Hughes has claimed that Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar is better than the greatest batsman of all time, Sir Donald Bradman.

Hughes made the claims in his column in the Daily Telegraph.

"Tendulkar's versatility, longevity and productivity are so far ahead of his closest rival in the game. Just as Don Bradman's Test average of 99.94 was more than 50 per cent better than anyone else, so Tendulkar's tally of 99 international hundreds is similarly out of reach of his nearest competitor, Ricky Ponting, who has 69," Hughes wrote.

"When you factor in Tendulkar's prowess in all countries and all conditions -- averaging around 50 in every major country apart from Pakistan -- and the burden of expectation of a billion people, he must be regarded as the best ever.

"Bradman was extraordinary, but he only ever played in Australia and England. Bradman watched Tendulkar bat, famously saying that the way he fashioned runs reminded him of himself. Sachin Tendulkar is the best batsman who ever took guard," he added.

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Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa will fly to Mumbai to watch his country's match against India in the cricket World Cup final on April 2.

"The President wants us (Sri Lanka) to win the World Cup as a tribute to Muttiah Muralitharan who retires from international cricket after this World Cup," Rajapaksa's spokesman Bandula Jayasekera told reporters.

Jayasekera said President will go to Mumbai to watch the final match.

The Sri Lankan President and his three sons were keen spectators on Tuesday night when Sri Lanka beat New Zealand to reach the final to meet India.

The President had congratulated the home side after they beat New Zealand and encouraged them to bring back the world title they had won in 1996.

Rajapaksa visited the Caribbean when Sri Lanka reached the final of the 2007 world cup with Australia.

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Experienced Pakistani wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal may have played his last international match after his disappointing performance in the World Cup semi-final against India in Mohali.

A reliable source close to the national selection committee informed that the selectors had decided before the match that if he didn't perform in the crucial game they would start looking for replacements.

"The fact is that the selectors had decided before the World Cup that Kamran would no longer be playing Test matches. But they had backed him to perform in the tournament so that he could be considered for limited over cricket," the source said.

According to the source if Kamran had performed in the semi-final he would have remained in contention to continue playing limited over cricket.

"But now according to what the selectors have decided his Pakistan career is virtually over as they are not happy with either his keeping or batting at this level," the source said.

"For a player who has been around since 2002, there appears to be no consistency or improvement in his keeping or batting and the selectors now believe it is time to find a replacement for him and move on," the source said.

Kamran, 29, has played 53 Tests, 137 ODIs and 38 T20 internationals but in recent times his wayward keeping abilities and inconsistent batting has disappointed the selectors as well as his fans.

The source said the selectors would definitely not be picking Kamran for the forthcoming tour to the West Indies for either format of the game.

"The selectors will rely on Adnan Akmal and Sarfaraz Ahmed for the West Indies tour that is now decided after the semi-final today," the source said.

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Zulqarnain Haider has accused the Akmal brothers of controlling things in the Pakistan team after their 29-run defeat to India in the World Cup semi-final.

Haider said he was not surprised by Pakistan's defeat and raised questions over the performance of the team in Mohali, particularly since fixing had been a part of Pakistan cricket culture.

"I am not surprised by the defeat because they are groups operating in the team and they don't allow any player to settle down unless he succumbs to them. The same thing happened to me," Haider told a news channel from London after the match.

He claimed that one of the reasons for his leaving the national team was the harrassment meted out by this group particularly Kamran Akmal's younger brother, Umar Akmal.

"Umar Akmal used to say things to me after which I decided to leave the team," Haider said but promised to reveal more details about the incident later.

"No one is allowed to settle into the team unless they are supported by a group and that is what happened to me. Players are not allowed to settle into the team if they don't go along with a group.

"That is the reason why Kamran is still in the team despite poor performances. No other keeper would be retained in the team if he dropped the number of catches Kamran has dropped," he added.

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