Feature

'He is the Obama of cricket'

Interesting one-liners churned out by players, past and present, on all that happened (and should have happened) at the World Cup

Obama to Bradman, brothers, murders and a quote about a coat - here are some of the best quotes heard during the 2011 World Cup.
"He is the Obama of cricket."
Praveen Kumar makes it known there's no better man to captain India than MS Dhoni in the lead up to the World Cup
Feb 1, 2011
"We're going to a World Cup, and World Cups are incredible events. We've had an incredible 12 months, [winning would] cap off the most remarkable 12 months in English cricket history."
Kevin Pietersen could do with a vocabulary boost ahead of England's departure for the subcontinent
Feb 9, 2011
"If you want to irritate someone that should be the opposition and not your side."
MS Dhoni has a word of advice for Sreesanth ahead of the opening match between India and Bangladesh in Mirpur
Feb 18, 2011
"There's going to be a lot of sign language involved."
Andrew Strauss knows communicating with his team amid the noise during the India-England match in Bangalore will not be easy
Feb 26, 2011
"I could've stopped 'em better with my coat."
Geoffrey Boycott doesn't think highly of Kamran Akmal's wicketkeeping efforts after Pakistan's match against Sri Lanka in Colombo
Feb 27, 2011
"Stop whatever you're doing and turn on the England-Ireland match!"
Kevin O'Brien & Co get AB de Villiers to bark orders on Twitter
Mar 2, 2011
"I didn't last long enough to get sledged."
Ed Joyce, when asked if he was involved in any banter with his fellow Irishmen when previously playing for England
Mar 2, 2011
"It would be nice to get me and my brother up there, two very good-looking men."
Niall O'Brien doesn't think it would be a bad idea for Indian billboards to feature him and his sibling Kevin
Mar 3, 2011
"Some bookmakers had Ireland at 400-1 at one stage. I wish I'd not kept my money in pocket."
Ger O'Brien wishes he had bet on his brothers, Niall and Kevin, and their team-mates beating England in Bangalore
Mar 3, 2011
"We don't want to play Tests. We don't want to do anything. The World Cup is over for us. This is it."
An Ireland fan after his team thumped England in Bangalore
Mar 3, 2011
"I saw only two murders in the theatre, but ended up watching many more during the Ireland-England game."
Munaf Patel was watching Bollywood movie Saat Khoon Maaf (Forgive seven murders), but left midway to see Kevin O'Brien ambush England
Mar 4, 2011
"It's a bit confusing. I don't know, don't understand it much."
Yuvraj Singh reveals he is human, and doesn't understand the DRS
Mar 7, 2011
"If his batting was as good as Don Bradman's, he couldn't score enough runs to make up for what he costs them with his keeping."
Ian Chappell's pithy description of Kamran Akmal's glovework against New Zealand in Pallekele
Mar 8, 2011
"Currently sitting in a corner, rocking back and forth, having Indian nightmare. Poor bowlers, it's not fair."
Iain O'Brien sums it up on Twitter as he watches Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar wreak havoc against South Africa in Nagpur
Mar 12, 2011
"You don't play for the crowd, you play for the country."
MS Dhoni holds nothing back in his criticism of India's collapse in the batting Powerplay against South Africa
Mar 12, 2011
"You may put hybrid fuel in the car but the cylinder, the engine, everything, needs to be like that."
MS Dhoni's reply as to whether India needs a fielding coach
Mar 11, 2011
"It felt like playing football with both hands tied behind my back."
Graeme Swann on what it was like bowling with a dew-soaked ball against Bangladesh in Chittagong
Mar 14, 2011
"Following England in this World Cup is a bit like following Newcastle United - you never know what you're going to get. One minute we're beating South Africa, the next we're losing to Ireland and Bangladesh."
Graeme Swann sums up England's campaign
Mar 15, 2011
"Don't ask. Very irresponsible shot as captain. On a stage like that."
Shahid Afridi can smile about his daft slog after his team-mates steered Pakistan to victory against Australia
Mar 19, 2011
"I've been saying this for more than 21 years to Afridi. He has to learn."
Wasim Akram after Shahid Afridi was dismissed playing a daft slog in Pakistan's game against Australia
Mar 19, 2011
"It was the best ball of my cricket career. It was one of those moments in life you dream of. I wasn't sure how to celebrate."
Ravi Rampaul's perfect ball to dismiss Sachin Tendulkar in Chennai
Mar 20, 2011
"We hope you lose tomorrow, daddy. Then you can come home."
Paul Collingwood's daughters made it pretty clear how they would have liked England's must-win game against West Indies to pan out
Mar 21, 2011
"For the first time in my life there have been claps in a press conference. I am sure this is a special moment for me, guys."
Yuvraj Singh during the post-match press conference after the India-Australia quarter-final in Ahmedabad
March 24, 2011
"I told Gautam: I am not Virender Sehwag, I can't run like that."
Yuvraj Singh on five minutes of brainless running which ended in Gautam Gambhir's run-out during the quarter-final against Australia
Mar 24, 2011
"Thankfully, I am six foot six, and I replaced Kane Williamson who, I think, is four foot six."
Jacob Oram has a dig at his team-mate while explaining his spectacular catch of Jacques Kallis at deep midwicket in the quarter-final
Mar 25, 2011
"The rave across the street has finished and my windows have stopped shaking but it seems they have moved the party into our hotel. If it's still going in a couple of hours I might stick a pair of jeans on and hit the dance floor."
It's not the Sri Lanka batsmen but a party that keeps James Anderson awake and tweeting ahead of England's quarter-final clash in Colombo
Mar 25, 2011
"The monkey's almost become a gorilla now and until we win an ICC event it's always going to be there I'm afraid."
Mickey Arthur admits the pressure is piling up on South Africa to break their World Cup jinx
Mar 31, 2011
"Tendulkar has carried the burden of the nation for 21 years. It is time we carried him on our shoulders."
Virat Kohli leads the Tendulkar tributes after India's World Cup triumph
Apr 2, 2011