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Indian cricketers to taste twenty20 flavour..

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Somehow my mind remembers Indian captain Rahul Dravid saying that he won't be playing twenty20 cricket matches. He thought test matches were ideally suited to his kind of batting and he had made a "tough change" for One day matches... but now when people are talking about twenty20 matches, he thinks he should make way for a younger player to play for the country..

Having said that, I have discussed this with my friends and they never agreed with me. They were sure that Dravid never made such a statement and the debates went on... Now today - 3rd of July, I have got the news that Dravid will be joining latest

sensation - Mahendra Singh Dhoni and little master Sachin Tendulkar for a twenty20 cricket match against Pakistan on 10th of July. This twenty20 match will be played at the Oval as last year's earthquake relief match and Indian batsmen will be representing the World XI.

Here's the World XI squad :- Rahul Dravid (captain), Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Sachin Tendlukar, Brain Lara, Chris Cairns, Muthiah Muralitharan, Makhaya Ntini, Andrew Hall, Scott Styris, Azhar Mehmood, Saqlain Mushtaq and Mohammad Akram.

As this match is scheduled to be played just three days before the first test match between England and Pakistan at Lords, its obvious to see that there are absolutely no one representing England in the World XI side, even when this match is played on their soil. That's all together a different thing that England don't really have world class one day players to be among Tendulkars and Lara's.

Another thing that caught my eye were the names - Saqlain Mushtaq and Azhar Mehmood. Pakistan has been known to unleash great cricket talents and also known to throw them away for no specific reason. Both Saqlain and Azhar Mehmood are special players but somehow couldn't make big names for themselves... and now they have been asked to play against their country. I know its a charity match, I know its for a noble cause and I know there will be another Pakistani - Mohammad Akram joining them to play against their own country, but isn't this little bizarre to make someone play against a team that you always wanted to play for..??

Coming back to Indian players for this Earthquake relief match, what we have is the first ever trail of Twenty20 match for all the three of them. There has been very little twenty20 match in Indian domestic cricket and none of them has ever been into one. Twenty20 matches has already been included into International agenda by ICC and its good that Indian captain Rahul Dravid learns the first lesson himself before teaching it to his young team.

As far as Tendulkar is concerned for this match, he is fit and has been playing few matches here and there in England. I

am sure he will be given the opening slot in this charity match and we viewers can be ready for some Tendulkar specials. And about Dhoni...... I don't have words, but I am sure he will be licking his lips..

Will someone live telecast this match - Not sure. Pakistan vs England test matches will be live on Espn - Star Sports and if there is going to be a live telecast of this charity match, it will be on those channels only. I just checked the tv schedule of both these channels and none of them have this Earthquake relief match on their menu. But I am also aware of the fact that this twenty20 match has been confirmed today only, so there is a good chance that EspnStar will take their camera's to the oval and present we Indians the first ever Twenty20 match our cricketers play..

This twenty20 match is scheduled to be played at 1730hrs England time. 2200hrs India time.

Here's what happened in this Earthquake relief fund raising Twenty20 match.

Its Only Cricket

Indian cricketers to taste twenty20 flavour..

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