Fifteen years on, the world cup tournament returns to India. The game has not changed much irrespective of several experiments being instituted over the past decade. Yes, there have been several additions in the law book of the game – free hits, additional runs for run scored on wide and no-balls, power-plays, review systems, mandatory ball change after 34 overs, hawk-eye etc.
It is a known fact that first fifteen overs proved decisive in 1996 all the way till the finals – an experiment for which Romesh Kaluwitharana and Sanath Jayasuriya became national heroes. Talking about 2011 world cup, I do not see too much of experiments working in anyone’s favour. Perhaps, the game has evolved so much so that there are counterplans ready for every strategy possible on the field. I reckon option to take power-plays (both batting as well as bowling) – at the right time would be the key this time around. Skippers need to counteract real time and there lies the beauty of this mind game. Skippers will play pivotal role in taking their side home and players will need to apply themselves properly before going berserk. There are only two teams who seem ready for all this at this point. Hence, my bet will be on an India Sri Lanka final.
Just 4 days into the tournament, there is a huge debate over participation of minnows in the world cup which is evident from their crushing defeats at the hand of test playing nations. Ponting and Vettori have already advocated the idea of reducing the number of participating teams. For me though, that is not a point of debate. In the world cup football too, at least 4 or 5 groups are dominated by two teams who select themselves for the next round just by composition of the group. Since ICC wants to encourage the popularity of cricket, it will be all the more good if there are more tournaments involving these minnows.
Point of debate for me is actually the format of 2011 world cup tournament. Unless minnows cause few upsets (seems impossible at this juncture), this format is absolutely rubbish. Gravity of this 43 days extravaganza will be observed in final week only and rest becomes a record keeping exercise till then. India and Pakistan were eliminated in first round in 2007 and there is a need to keep the interest for longer period – point taken. But the format of 2007 was also rubbish (worst of the lot). One would hardly imagine a world cup with three teams each in a group. Super six formats in 1999 and 2003 were quite good stuffs and something on the similar lines could have been devised.
Having said this, the champion will be the one who will play consistently throughout the tournament with the exception of South Africa. To win the world cup, they need to play more inconsistently rather than consistently. After all, the tag of "chokers" does not serve them well.
It is a known fact that first fifteen overs proved decisive in 1996 all the way till the finals – an experiment for which Romesh Kaluwitharana and Sanath Jayasuriya became national heroes. Talking about 2011 world cup, I do not see too much of experiments working in anyone’s favour. Perhaps, the game has evolved so much so that there are counterplans ready for every strategy possible on the field. I reckon option to take power-plays (both batting as well as bowling) – at the right time would be the key this time around. Skippers need to counteract real time and there lies the beauty of this mind game. Skippers will play pivotal role in taking their side home and players will need to apply themselves properly before going berserk. There are only two teams who seem ready for all this at this point. Hence, my bet will be on an India Sri Lanka final.
Just 4 days into the tournament, there is a huge debate over participation of minnows in the world cup which is evident from their crushing defeats at the hand of test playing nations. Ponting and Vettori have already advocated the idea of reducing the number of participating teams. For me though, that is not a point of debate. In the world cup football too, at least 4 or 5 groups are dominated by two teams who select themselves for the next round just by composition of the group. Since ICC wants to encourage the popularity of cricket, it will be all the more good if there are more tournaments involving these minnows.
Point of debate for me is actually the format of 2011 world cup tournament. Unless minnows cause few upsets (seems impossible at this juncture), this format is absolutely rubbish. Gravity of this 43 days extravaganza will be observed in final week only and rest becomes a record keeping exercise till then. India and Pakistan were eliminated in first round in 2007 and there is a need to keep the interest for longer period – point taken. But the format of 2007 was also rubbish (worst of the lot). One would hardly imagine a world cup with three teams each in a group. Super six formats in 1999 and 2003 were quite good stuffs and something on the similar lines could have been devised.
Having said this, the champion will be the one who will play consistently throughout the tournament with the exception of South Africa. To win the world cup, they need to play more inconsistently rather than consistently. After all, the tag of "chokers" does not serve them well.
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2 comments:
Its dragged on like this so that they can air 14 million ads. So we have to suffer through them. This world cup is wide open I believe. Lots of teams could win it. So worth following and watching ....
@ Ramesh - hahaha... your calculation was just too good. Yes, it is all about draining the money on ads without much of sense going into it.
True, lots of teams are even matched and not a single favourite. However, my gut feel says it will be India, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Australia in semis...
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