With just about 2 weeks to go, I bet the pulse rate of every cricket lover must be mounting up at a truly unbelievable rate as this time the blues of our country are highly sanguine of success…the same excitement, the same loyalty of the hardcore cric-lovers, and the same beloved and totally unadulterated cricket is banging hard at our doors yet again…36 expectant years for many nations have rolled by since 1975 and here we stand awaiting the first mega blockbuster cricketing event of the decade…yes you guessed it perfectly right…the Battle to Glory…the Clash of the Titans…for the cup that really counts – the ‘ICC WORLD CUP’. When I look at the past 3 World Cups, the first thing that comes across my mind is the hunger of each participating side to emerge as the victor. My view below may find many contradictory opinions but I still firmly stand by the ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP as the most challenging, royal, enthralling, and engrossing of all sports championships…Though I can go on and on for hours without intermission when it comes to praising the ‘Game of the Lords’, its time for me to delve to the bottom of the topic of discussion.
The dream of lifting the most prestigious trophy in the cricketing fraternity still remains unfulfilled for many competent sides… the foremost amongst them being the Proteas of the Rainbow Nation. Following the Proteas are the Black Caps and the recent ‘URN’ heroes-the English. Till date, five proud nations have lifted the World Cup, they being(in chronological order), West Indies, India, Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Australia has been the literal ‘Dark horse’ throughout the majestic World Cup history emerging as the inevitable champions four out of nine times. But the golden maxime goes as…”Forget the past, Live the Present”. The teams that have prevailed in both nail biting and overpowering encounters over the past years may not have Mother Fortune showering luck on them this time. One thing I can certainly guarantee is unforgettable cricketing action over the coming one and a half months.
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I would like to point out that the participating teams in this mega contest are quite evenly balanced. Starting off with the obvious favourites of every cricket expert this time, the Indians… they are a pretty balanced side with maximum playing experience in these subcontinental conditions…and there is hardly any need to say about the cool temperament of MSD which itself is an asset to the team. We have Sachin Tendulkar, a mere mortal yet God when it comes to the Royal game. His forever evergreen genius and classy batting proves time and again that he is absolutely enamoured of cricket…With the ageless master Sachin and Mr. Devastating Virender Sehwag forming the opening pair, it won’t be surprising to see a totally baffled opposition. Needless to say, the middle order is undoubtedly the strongest of all with the agreeable likes of the Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, the Captain himself and India’s trump card from my point of view, the hydrogen bomb named Yusuf Pathan. The thing that may cause a bit of worry is the absence of a good seamer as a partner to Zaheer Khan.
After the Indians, on the list of favourites, stand the Lankans, abounding in experience yet again. The squad has a good combination of both highly experienced and young but talented blood. Kumar Sangakkara will be expected to put up a good show as a skipper as he has been doing since a long time. I seriously find the absence of the absolutely hard hitting and ruthless Jayasuriya in the squad surprising and disappointing. But the team is bound to go a really long way with the names of Jayawardene, Sangakkara himself, Angelo Matthews, Dilshan, Malinga and the magician Muralitharan.
Then according to me, the mighties are the Proteas…thirsty to have a WC championship under their belt. They have always had the right spirit along with a dependable skipper who is able to make risky decisions in times of grave danger. With Graeme Smith leading from the front, the opposition will be having a hard time. Some big names like Jaques Kallis, AB De Villiers, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and a trustworthy Hashim Amla add heavy weight to the team on paper. So, its definitely a preternatural opposition, one has to look out for.
Next I am speculating the chances of the Royal URN champions this season. The English came from absolutely nowhere to covet the T20 WC last summer. So, they too are in the run to break their 36 year old WC jinx this time. With a truly gifted skipper in Andrew Strauss and a squad with talents like Pietersen, Trott, Morgan, Collingwood, Anderson, Broad and Swann, the English can very well fancy their chances this championship.
Not to forget the injury hit Kangaroo nation, the victors of the past three world cups… The run fest of Gilchrist, the spellbinding fledgling leg spinning of Warne and the mindboggling wrath of Mcgrath are definitely and sadly missed by the Aussies this time. But they being outplayed in the ASHES doesn’t make their side a weak XI. They have the ability to weave the same magic yarn for the fifth time In World Cup. For me, the biggest mistake is to underestimate the captaincy of a legend like Ricky Ponting. They have got the spunk, the potential and all it takes to be the reigning champions yet again with impressive stars like Johnson, Clarke, Tait, Watson, Lee and the Hussey duo… So, in the end it will be really worth seeing whether the Kangaroos avenge their lost pride by winning this WC.
Well, these are my favourites for this competition. You might be finding my exclusion of the Blackcaps and Men in Green surprising. Well, I’ve my alibi for this.
If one has to abide by theory, then the men in green stand an equal chance as India and Sri Lanka in this uncertain contest for the obvious reason that, they too are well versed with the sub continental conditions. But the tragedy with Pakistan is the absence of key players like Salman Butt, Mohd. Amir and Mohd. Asif. Just when Pakistan tries to get back to rhythm after encountering a setback, they come face to face with another shock. Over the past year, there have been countless scams involving the Pak cricketers in spot fixing allegations. And now they are not even certain about who would lead them with less than two weeks to go for the tournament kick off. It has been said for ages…”A captain is as good as his team and vice versa.”…but how true is this statement when a talented side doesn’t have a definite skipper ?? To be honest, Shahid Afridi has done a pretty decent job versus the Kiwis sealing the ODI series. But the World Cup championship is a multilateral tournament, not just a mere bilateral series. Though I don’t consider Pakistan a team to seriously look out for, still, no opposition should be taken lightly. With skills like that of Umar Gul, Afridi himself, the Akmal duo and the Rawalpindi Express Shoaib Akhtar, the table might go upside down at any given point of time. ;)Most of us have been predisposed to treat Bangladesh as an underdog ever since it has started playing international cricket. The problem is not the talent of the playing XI, the predicament lies in their ‘inconsistency in performance as a unit’. On their day, they can very well shock the opposition by conquering them. A consistent team effort over a year or so can permanently change the shape of Bangladeshi cricket… who knows…they might end up standing at par with influential teams like England and Sri Lanka. They have at last found an inspirational leader in Shakib-Al-Hasan whose allround abilities are an absolute asset to the side. Not to forget the aggressive Mortaza or the experienced Ashraful or the hard hitting Tamim Iqbal. Bangladesh has the strength to pave a long way this time and silence its critics. Time and again, I’ve said that they might not be favourites but they ought not to be mistaken as weak minnows. Not to forget the trashing manner in which they compelled India to pack its baggage for the homeward journey in the very league stage back in 2007 WC.
You must be wondering about where the Kiwis stand on my list. Well, a highly proficient team as theirs ought to be a favorite but sadly, not this time. The Blackcaps have long since been known for assiduity in their approach but for the one year or so, they are going through a really dark period. Vettori’s spinning magic is not doing its trick nor are the run machines of Mccullum and Taylor functioning in order. It is quite evident from the defeats from the hands of the Bangla boys, Indians and the Pakistanis that they have become a highly vulnerable side. If they bounce back hard this time around, I will definitely be one of the happiest. But, it is more probable that they will succumb to the attack of the sub continental nations. However, it will be highly derogatory to disregard a team like New Zealand despite their situational crisis. Their self confidence and self motivation will be the ultimate incentive to success. Vettori, the Mccullums, Taylor, Mills, Southee and a fantastic Styris are the ones upon whom NZ’s faring in this WC depends. So, here I am wishing the Blackcaps all the luck to break this repugnant jinx.
The rulers of the Caribbean form an uncertain yet a side which can subvert the favourites on its day. Though it lacks the charm and magic it had during the reign of Vivian Richards and Clive Lloyd, it too has the uncanny power to upset the top seeds of the contest. On his day, Chris Gayle can single handedly wreck any opposition. With an explosive allrounder In Keiron Pollard, and the indispensable batting duo of Sarwan and Chanderpaul, the position of the team in the international arena though not fabulous, is quite fine.
The remaining five teams in the hunt to unforgettable glory are Netherlands, Ireland, Canada, Kenya and Zimbabwe which have been playing international cricket for quite a time but have an immense lot to prove to be recognized as a potential danger.
There are too high expectations from the co hosts India which may prove detrimental in the end adding unnecessarily to the responsibility of the side. But since it is not the first or last time that they will be playing under the pressure of our high hopes, one can be optimistic about the end results. Our Mr. Magnifique MS Dhoni rightly says, “I never predict what will happen in cricket. We believe in each other and we believe in the process. We take each game in the right frame of mind.” So, we can hopefully bank on his captaincy and see the WC coming home this summer.
One has to acquiesce with the understandable implication that the cup to glory is beset with innumerable tough challenges. The team which adheres to perseverance and overcomes such ‘challenges’, will emerge as the rightful and destined victor and earn the reverence of each cricket lover. So, here I finally conclude with a loud shout and I expect the reader to do the same…so here we go…” LONG LIVE THE CRICKET WORLD CUP…LONG LIVE TEAM INDIA!!! ”.
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