Sachin Tendulkar
is Man of the Tournament at ICC Cricket World Cup 2003
ICC Media Release
- 22 March 2003
Indian batsman Sachin
Tendulkar has secured the prestigious Man of the Tournament award at the
ICC Cricket World Cup 2003.
Tendulkar's two points
from the semi final with Kenya, where he scored 83 and took two wickets,
were enough to establish an unassailable lead of four points over Indian
captain Sourav Ganguly. He has now scored 669 runs at an average of 66.90
during the tournament, a new record aggregate, with one century and six
50s. Tendulkar is now also the heaviest scoring batsman in World Cup history,
having passed Javed Miandad's previous career record.
Dr Ali Bacher, Executive
Director of CWC 2003, said: "We wanted this to be the best World Cup ever,
and Sachin's brilliant batting has helped the tournament captivate many
millions of people around the cricketing world. He thoroughly deserves
this accolade "
Sourav Ganguly's
century in the Kenya game won him the Man of the Match award, but leaves
him currently with 10 points, compared to Tendulkar's 14.
Legendary West Indies
all rounder Sir Garfield Sobers will present Tendulkar with a gold trophy
worth 500,000 Rand at the end of the World Cup final against Australia
tomorrow. The trophy, together with the gold watches awarded to all Man
of the Match winners, have been donated by the Gold Mining Industries of
South Africa.
Man of the Tournament
standings at the completion of semi finals:
Sachin Tendulkar,
India: 14 points
Sourav Ganguly,
India: 10
Chaminda Vaas, Sri
Lanka: 9
Marvan Atapattu,
Sri Lanka: 8
Brett Lee, Australia:
7
Andrew Symonds,
Australia: 6
Leading Australian
contender Brett Lee could finish level on points with Ganguly if he takes
the Man of the Match award in the final, while team mate Andrew Symonds
could tie with Sri Lanka's Chaminda Vaas for third place, if he claims
the final award.
Graeme Pollock, South
Africa's champion left handed batsman will make the Man of the Match award
at the Wanderers final.
Tendulkar has never
played better - Ganguly
10 March 2003
India captain Sourav
Ganguly said there was every reason for his opposite number to choose to
bowl first, after India's 183-run victory over Sri Lanka at the Wanderers.
"There was a lot
of moisture in the pitch early on so I knew he was going to put us into
bat, but we just batted very well." Ganguly said.
"We're very happy
with the way we played today, we've done a very good job here today. We're
a good unit, we know our strengths and we play to our strengths and we
have match-winners in every position - that is the key."
Ganguly was particularly
fulsome in his praise for Sachin Tendulkar, who hit a six and seven fours
in a 120-ball innings of 97, taking his run tally for the tournament to
571 in just eight matches.
"He's playing as
well as I've ever seen him, I think," said Ganguly. "The key this time
is his consistency because he's doing it in nearly every match.
"We've won again
and winning is a good habit to get into. I thought Sri Lanka would put
up a bit more of a fight, but it must be said that we batted superbly as
a team."
Sri Lanka coach Dav
Whatmore is backing his players to bounce back in their next game against
Zimbabwe, despite two crushing defeats by Australia and India.
"The players got
themselves into this - they can get themselves out of it," Whatmore insisted.
"We've had a talk about things in the dressing room and basically that's
a fact.
"Myself as coach
and the physio and the backroom staff share a responsibility but what ultimately
happens, whether we win or lose, is down to the players in the middle to
put right."
|