CHENNAI – Sachin Tendulkar can complete another landmark on Sunday by hitting his 100th international hundred as India tackle West Indies in the World Cup’s final group match. India, as well as England, are already through to the quarter-finals along with South Africa after the Proteas’ crushing 206 run-win over Bangladesh in Dhaka on Saturday.
It will now take a colossal India win for the West Indies to be denied a place in the last eight although Sunday’s result will still have a bearing on the group standings and the teams’ quarter-final opponents. Meanwhile many fans in a 38,000 capacity Chidambaram Stadium crowd will be eager to see Tendulkar score his 100th international hundred.
The India star moved to 99 centuries (51 in Tests and 48 in one-day internationals) with a majestic innings of 111 in his side’s previous group match against South Africa. “He keeps it really simple,” said India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. “He doesn’t look at the milestones that are coming up for him.
“Playing for 20, 21 years, the kind of form he has been in throughout his career, he knows every game there is some kind of milestone around the corner. He keeps it really simple, practises well. “He still works on his technique and where he feels an extra bit of effort, he does that. What really helps him is how he analyses the wicket and accordingly plans his innings.
Teams
India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Ravichandran Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Munaf Patel.
West Indies: Darren Sammy (capt), Chris Gayle, Devon Smith, Darren Bravo, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Kieron Pollard, Devon Thomas, Sulieman Benn, Nikita Miller, Kemar Roach, Kirk Edwards, Ravi Rampaul, Andre Russell, Devendra Bishoo.
Pitch conditions: Surface lived-up to its reputation as a spin-friendly track also aiding reverse-swing during Thursday’s match between England and the West Indies where no batsman on either side managed a fifty.
