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World Cup blog: How India's bowling can end Australia's final dream

March 25, 2015 15:15 IST

A selection of musings from around the cricket World Cup

India spinner R Ashwin at a nets session at the SCG on Wednesday

India spinner R Ashwin at a nets session at the SCG on Wednesday. Photograph: Vipin Pawar/Solaris Images

The Australian team’s depth in pace bowling and batting will make them favourites in Sydney but Mohammad Shami and Umesh Yadav along with spinners can inspire their side to a shock win.

In defence of their status as World Cup holders, India have assembled the finest pace attack they have had in any format. Combined with the best pair of spinners in this World Cup, India have the capability to spring the biggest surprise of this tournament in the Sydney semi-final against Australia.  

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Top five matches of all time

New Zealand's Grant Elliot (left) reacts after hitting the winning runs alongside as teammate Daniel Vettori celebrates

New Zealand's Grant Elliot (left) reacts after hitting the winning runs alongside as teammate Daniel Vettori celebrates. Photograph: Nigel Marple/Reuters

Scyld Berry, The Telegraph's cricket correspondent lists his five greatest World Cup matches of all time. Do you agree with his picks?

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Elliott's act of sportsmanship towards Steyn stirs up memories of Edgbaston, 2005

Grant Elliott, who scored a six off the penultimate delivery to win the match for New Zealand, helps South Africa pacer Dale Steyn off the ground at the end of the match

Grant Elliott, who scored a six off the penultimate delivery to win the match for New Zealand, helps South Africa pacer Dale Steyn off the ground at the end of the match. Photograph: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

Moments after bludgeoning a six off the world's No 1 fast bowler to win the Cricket World Cup semi-final for New Zealand, Grant Elliott lived up to the Black Caps' reputation as a "gentlemanly" side showing compassion and offering words of encouragement to a disconsolate rival.

It was a moment commentators said captured the spirit of cricket and compared with Andrew Flintoff's consolation of Brett Lee in the Edgbaston Ashes test 10 years ago.

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