Beware of the 'little feller' Sachin, warns Ponting
Sunday, March 16 2003 16:41 Hrs (IST)

Durban: Australian captain Ricky Ponting believes India is looking dangerous at the World Cup and warned his team to look out for the 'little feller' Sachin Tendulkar.

Australia and India are favourites to make the final at the Wanderers next Sunday. Australia takes on Sri Lanka in the first semi-final on Tuesday, while India plays Kenya on Thursday.

"The two left-armers, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra, are doing a fantastic job and the little feller opening the innings isn't doing too badly either," Ponting said.

"Sachin is the best batsman I've seen or played against. We're going to have to come up with some good plans if we come up against him. He's won games against us single- handed."

Tendulkar, One-day cricket's most successful batsman with over 12,000 runs and 34 centuries, has scored more runs, 586, than any one else in this World Cup.

In the previous game between the two teams at Centurion on February 15, Tendulkar top-scored with 36 as India was shot out for its lowest World Cup total of 125 to set up a nine-wicket win for Australia.

But Ponting refused to take victory for granted in another match-up in the final, saying India had the batting and bowling to test the Australians.

"Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra have the ammo to take on Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist, and the battle between the southpaws and the left-arm bowlers will be crucial as well," he said.

Copyright AFP 2001

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