India look to Tendulkar

HOBART, Australia, Jan 20: Beleaguered India are banking on star batsman Sachin Tendulkar to fire when they take on arch-rivals Pakistan in a critical Carlton and United tri-series match here on Friday, reports AFP.

The Indians have to win at the Bellerive Oval to stay in contention for next month's finals after crashing to defeats in their first three matches.

Tendulkar, the world's most prolific one-day batsman with a record 24 centuries, has contributed little so far with the bat amid confusion over his ideal place in the batting order.

He dropped down the order for the first two games, making 13 in the opening match against Pakistan and 12 against Australia.

Then reverting back as opener, where he has scored 23 hundreds, for the return match against Australia, Tendulkar made just one before falling in the third over.

"I have to do well, like everyone else," Tendulkar said. "We can't afford to lose any more games."

Australia's back-to-back wins over Pakistan this week, which lifted the hosts to the top of he table with eight points, has helped India's cause.

If Australia continue their winning form, the Indians can squeak into the finals by beating Pakistan in their three remaining encounters.

Pakistani captain Wasim Akram, however, wants to shut out India on Friday itself.

"The Indians may not have won much on this tour, but they remain a very dangerous side," Akram said. "You give them a bit of leeway and they will be back."

The first match between the two rivals at Brisbane on January 10 ended in a thrilling last-ball win for Pakistan when unlikely heroes Saqlain Mushtaq and Waqar Younis added 43 runs for the ninth wicket.

"It was a close game which could have gone either way," Tendulkar said. "These things happen in one-day cricket, but we are obviously not in a position to allow that to happen again."

The Indians will once again miss strike bowler Ajit Agarkar, who is not fully recovered from a groin injury sustained during last week's game against Australia in Melbourne.

But batsman Jacob Martin, who bruised his shoulder in the same match, is back to take his place in the middle-order in place of the off-form Devang Gandhi.

Seamer Debashish Mohanty is expected to play for the first time in the series after Tasmania's cold and overcast conditions forced his inclusion in the 12.

Pakistan, meanwhile, are set to retain the same team that lost to Australia at the SCG on Wednesday.

"I am confident we will come good," said Akram, who cracked the unprecedented 400-wicket barrier in one-day cricket in the previous match.

"We have always enjoyed playing against the Indians," he said. "They bring out the best in us and hopefully we can go back to winning again."

Pakistan won their first two matches against Australia and India, before losing their next two to Steve Waugh's home team.