Dhoni ignores hype

MOHALI, India (AP):

Even as photographers, cameramen and journalists jostled for space at a packed news conference yesterday, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni continued to maintain that the hype surrounding the World Cup semi-final against Pakistan will not affect his players.

A host of politicians - including the prime ministers of both countries - VIPs and celebrities will attend today's match, which is expected to be watched by a record television audience exceeding one billion.

Fans have been queuing outside the stadium for days in the hope of getting their hands on a ticket for the match, which has been sold out for a week. Reports persist of people paying exorbitant prices on the black market.

The high-profile semi-final is being seen as a possible first step towards improved diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan, which broke down following the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

For Dhoni, though, today's match simply provides an opportunity for his team to reward its millions of ardent fans by moving a step closer to winning the World Cup on home soil.

Just good cricket

"We are not getting involved (in the hype),'' he said. "We are expected to play good cricket - all this has been part of Indian cricket for a long time.''

Seven times Dhoni was asked about how the hype surrounding the game might affect his team and on each occasion Dhoni was unequivocal: the only pressure on his team is the need to perform well.

"The biggest, distinguished guests will be there to see the game, but they are here to enjoy cricket, so we have to be at our best,'' he said.

"When you talk about the hype and the pressure, whether you're thinking about it or not thinking about it, it doesn't really help you perform. What's not helping you perform needs to be kept away. What needs to be done is topping up the skills. These are the vital areas we have been focusing on.''

With that in mind, Dhoni said the team hadn't watched television throughout the tournament. If they had, they would have seen near-blanket coverage of the match being dubbed the "final before the final".

Players plotting

Instead, the players have been plotting how to deal with a Pakistan team including the tournament's leading bowler in Shahid Afridi and one of the world's best reverse swing exponents in Umar Gul.

"Afridi has been bowling really well,'' Dhoni said of the Pakistani captain and leg-spinner. "He has been the pick of their bowlers. Irrespective of the bowler, it is important to play the ball on merit.

"They have a very good bowling attack. Bowlers who can bowl quick and spinners who've been doing well. They've also got part-timers, similar to subcontinental teams where part-timers are off-spinners, left arm or leg-spinners.''

Dhoni ended his news conference by posing for photographs with opposing skipper Afridi, prompting another flurry of frantic activity among the raft of photographers present.

Before he left, Dhoni had a reminder for anyone who might be tempted to lose their sense of perspective today.

"Somebody has to lose this game, irrespective of what happens about the political talking,'' he said. "At the end of (tomorrow), you'll have one team losing and one team going into the final. That's part and parcel of sport, each and every sport.''