CWC 2015 - Biggest Match For England At The World Cup

#England v #NewZealand at #Wellington, 20th Feb 2015

Its been 32 years since England defeated New Zealand in a World Cup game.
That goes back to 1983 edition when they won a group match against the Kiwis.
Since then, they have been at the receiving end in 1992, 1996 and 2007.

Having lost to #Australia at the #MCG in their first game of the tournament, and pretty convincingly to say the least, the Englishmen have their task cut out. They have run into the other co-host of this tournament early in the competition, NZ are top form and their batting is on fire, the conditions will suit the home team and bowling looks equally balanced too. On the fielding front lets put both teams at par.

Given this situation, they have to really perform very well and win this game to entertain qualifying for the quarter finals with a high position in the group. Remember the lower you finish in your group, you would need to face a top team from the other!

England's batting seems to be their biggest problem at the moment. The bowlers are doing OK. Neither have they been able to chase well nor set competitive totals for their bowlers to defend.

#EoinMorgan needs to get his playing eleven and batting line-up sorted out immediately. #Ballance for #Bopara in the previous game was a good choice? Maybe .. maybe not!

#IanBell at the top needs to do bulk of the scoring to set foundation for an English win. #JamesTaylor seems to be the only one who is prepared to work it out and play a long innings. #Butler, #Root, Morgan all need to pull up their socks.

For the #Kiwis, their batting looks really solid.
#Mccullum and #Guptill at the top can be devastating. If not, #Williamson can dig deep and build the long innings. #RossTaylor, #CoreyAnderson and #LukeRonchi can tonk the ball all over the place if the game is in their zone! Very solid stuff this. This type of a lineup should score 300+ in almost every game unless they decide to throw things away (like they almost did in that game against #Scotland)

In the bowling department, its #JamesAnderson, #StuartBroad and #StevenFinn vs #TrentBoult, #AlanMilne, #TimSouthee and #KyleMills.

It all starts in a few hours at the #Westpac Staudium in #Hamilton...
May the best team win!

Powered by:
http://www.whowillwinthecup.com

Underestimate Pakistan At Your Peril This #CricketWorldCup2015

The most unpredictable team of all time! by a distance.
Amazing talent, extraordinary performances on one day and even minnows feel proud on others. Such has been Pakistan's journey over the last 40 years of World Cup one day cricket.

From being arguably the best bowling unit (talent wise) ever to some of the most abject defeats in the World cup (notably - loss to Bangladesh in 1999 and to Ireland in 2007). You cannot predict which Pakistan side will land up on the field on a given day.

Boy, but if you give them a sniff and they are in the zone ... they can really nail you into submission with their audacious batting strokeplay or deadly bowling spells (as Australia found out in their league game in 1999 and NZ in that heartbreaking semifinal of 1992).

So how does this 2015 Pakistan World Cup squad look like?
Does it have the firepower to go all the way?

Batting
A lot inexperience in their batting ranks. A lot of youngsters roped in Ehsan Adil, Shehzad, Sohail, Maqsood. This could be their weakest link since conditions in Australia and NZ would favor seamers and teams from sub continent generally struggle here. Having said that, the "unseen" packages may just turn out to be surprise packages for other teams (India will their first opponent .. what a mouth watering clash scheduled for 15th Feb 15 at the Adelaide Oval)
A lot will depend on the experience of Misbah and Younis Khan to carry these youngsters when settting or chasing targets.

Bowling
The traditional powerhouse of this team.
Emergence of Riaz and Irfan is a good sign but still lack of experience could spell their doom. Just don't see anyone to guide these seamers in tight situations.
Spinners will be lead by Hafeez and Afridi and they should do well.

All rounders
Plenty but its just that they may or they may not. You may see a blinder from nowhere (remember Inzamam's 60 from 37 from nowhere in 1992 against NZ to snatch victory in the end-game of that match?) but you will also see timid failures along the way (like the World Cup final 1999 against Australia)

All in all, a very inexperienced side and definitely not the favorites by a long way. May be that could be a boon in disguise. Who thought Imran Khan's team would win that 1992 in Australia world cup after an atrocious start to their campaign then. The venue this time? ... ... Australia again! Do NOT count them out.

Team Pakistan for ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
#Misbah-ul-Haq
#AhmedShehzad
#EhsanAdil
#HarisSohail
#JunaidKhan
#MohammadHafeez
#MohammadIrfan
#SarfrazAhmed
#ShahidAfridi
#SohaibMaqsood
#SohailKhan
#UmarAkmal
#WahabRiaz
#YasirShah

#YounisKhan

Ind v Pak (Group Match, Centurion, World Cup 2003)

Venue: Supersport Park, Centurion, SA

Huge game!!
Traditional rivals at it again ... in a #WorldCup match.
Build up to this game was big. Pakistan bowling vs India batting.
It was predicted that if Pak batting clicks, they win. If Ind bowling clicks, they win. Simple as that.
But, Ind v Pak matches are never simple. right?

This match was more important for Pakistan than India because their victory/loss here would determine their slim chances to proceed ahead in the tournament. India was sitting in a better position but a win here would ensure their safe passage to the next phase.

Many battles were being looked forward to. Shoaib v Sachin, Waqar v Sehwag, Zaheer v Anwar, Kumble v Inzamam. It reached a feverish state prior to the game. Everyone just wanted the game to start ..... rather explode!!

On a wonderful Centurion morning, #WasimAkram, Pakistan captain, won the toss and elected to bat first. A good decision considering the pressure involved. #Saeed Anwar and #TaufeeqUmar started the Pak innings steadily. Mixing caution and aggression, they touched fifty under 10 overs without any damage done. Then #ZaheerKhan struck, uprooting Taufeeq stumps. First blood for Ind. #AbdulRazzaq, promoted up the order, to up the ante didnt stay for too long edging one behind off Nehra for 12. 90 for 2.

In walked #InzamamUlHaq, the best best Pakistan batsman. With Anwar in full flow by then, Pak would have imagined both of them to build a big partnership, Instead, the inevitable happened!! Inzy was run out (any surprises there?). A complete miscommunication and poor running cost him dearly. His reaction aftter the dismissal said everything. Frustration, disappointment and anger .. all in one. Indians were delighted. Pak 98 for 3.

#YousufYouhana joined Anwar and together they started their repair work. Answar crossed his individual fifty and Youhana was just about to let loose when #JavagalSrinath struck getting him to hit one down Zaheer's throat.  Pak 171 for 4.

Saeed Anwar completed a beautifully crafted century shortly after. he had played some delightful strokes in his innings holding one end strongly. Just as he was about to open up, #AshishNehra castled him. Pak 195 for 5. In spot of bother.

The extremely unreliable #ShaahidAfridi, follwed suit leaving Pak struggling to up the tempo in the end overs. Pak 208 for 6.

#RashidLatif though had different ideas. He unleashed his dogged style of batting and pushed the scoring quickly along with #YounisKhan. Both pushed the score past 250 before Younis was caught behind off Zaheer. Pak 256 for 7.

In walked Pak captain, #WasimAkram. He took charge and unleased some lusty blows in the final over to give the Pak total a mighty look. At the end of their innings, Pak 273 for 7. A good score considering the pressure and tension of an Ind v Pak game.

Can India pull this off? or Pak will walk away with an easy win?

In walked #SachinTendulkar and #VirenderSehwag to open Ind innings. The best opening pair vs the best pace attack on display (Shoaib, Waqar and Wasim). A contest was on the hands. Both batsmen knowing the required rate was high started pushing score quickly. Sachin was extremely severe on anything short of length. His #uppercut six of Shoaib is part of cricketing folklore now. What an amazing shot. The commentators were spell bound, the spectators were wow and Pak bowlers zapped by this onslaught. #WaqarYounis met the same fate the following over. 50 of the team was brought up in 5 overs. Tremendous start!

In desperate search for wickets, Waqar finally broke through Sehwag getting him to hit a full-length delivery to short cover. He trapped Ind captain #SouravGanguly #lbw the very next ball. Great fightback. Ind 53 for 2.

India promoted #MohamadKaif to number 4 to stem the rot and not risk another key wicket. A great decision since he played perfect foil to Sachin's aggression. At the other end, Sachin was most lucky to be dropped by Razzaq off Wasim. he continued to attack the Pak bowling unit though. 

His assault on Wasim and Afridi derailed the Pak camp completely. The genius at work showed his team how to do it? However due to the #Centurion heat, he developed cramps in legs and asked for a runner, Sehwag it was. His concentration seemed to have been lost and he fell to a Shoaib short delivery. What an innings he had played? 98 for 75 deliveries. A dream effort and one of the greatest ODI knocks ever seen. Ind 177 for 4.

The impact of Sachin's assault on Pak bowlers was such that the run pressure was off. All it now needed was someone to stay put and complete the chase. With #RahulDravid and #YuvrajSingh the crease, winning the game was no biog deal. Yuvraj played his usual aggressive stuff while Dravid supported him beautifully. India crossed the line with ease. A comfortable 6 wicket victory.

#RobinJackman, the presentor for Man of the Match, said "Thank you Sachin for such a wonderful innnings. Take a bow".

With this win, India was more or less assured of the next phase (#SuperSixes) while pakistan had to work their way around the group to move ahead.
  
MOM: Sachin Tendulkar

Watch the video highlights of this game here:

Can India's 15 Man Squad Win The Cricket World Cup In 2015?

BCCI recently announced a fifteen member team for the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup to be held in Australia-New Zealand in Feb-Mar 2015.

The biggest question would be: Can this team win the cup?

Sadly, DONT think so.

Unless Captain #MSDhoni finds that magical touch of his to turn this into another victory campaign from 2011. The defending champions look well short on experience, skills and adaptability to Australian and Kiwi pitches and conditions.

Although they travel and play a lot of #OneDayCricket and T20 cricket all over the world, just don't see them delivering the goods this time.

Bowling would be the biggest concern, especially quicks. Going by their performance in the on-going Test match series against Australia (they have leaked 500+ in almost every innings they have bowled). Shami, Bhuvaneshwar, Yadav, Ishant ... well not very sure there is a go-to bowler in case Dhoni needs to!

As regards spin, Ashwin should be OK but no support other than part timers like Jadeja and Raina will hurt badly. Anil Kumble has been critical at picking up just one specialist spinner and feels we should play to our strength.

Batting looks solid and there lies the best chance to win some games. Kohli, Rahane, Vijay have played good hands in this test series and will do them a lot of good in the one dayers. Not to discount Dhoni and Raina who can change games on their head in 20-30 min at the crease.

Fielding should be OK with fresh and young legs but the all-rounder mystery has hounded Indian cricket since Kapil Dev hung up his boots. Where can we get them in India?

All in all the 1983 and 2011 champions would find the going tough in this world cup. Australia, South Africa, Pakistan with their strong bowling units seem favorites to win. What do you think?

Here is the Indian squad for ICC Cricket World Cup 2015
 - MS Dhoni (capt & wk)
 - Shikhar Dhawan
 - Rohit Sharma
 - Virat Kohli
 - Ajinkya Rahane
 - Suresh Raina
 - Ambati Rayudu
 - Ravindra Jadeja
 - R Ashwin
 - Akshar Patel
 - Ishant Sharma
 - Mohammed Shami
 - Umesh Yadav
 - Bhuvneshwar Kumar
 - Stuart Binny

Powered by:
http://www.whowillwinthecup.com

Ind v Eng (Bengaluru, ICC World Cup 2011)

Venue: Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru

What climax? What drama? What a game of cricket?
Spellbinding stuff from both teams in this very high scoring game!

On paper, the Indian team appeared much stronger and expected winners of this contest.
A beautiful afternoon in the garden city and #MSDhoni, the Indian captain won the toss and elected to bat.

#Sehwag and #Tendulkar started in blazing fashion and put on 46 until Sehwag was prized by #TimBresnan for 35. #Gambhir joined Sachin and both of them tore into the English attack. Sachin was severe on #GraemeSwann, the premier English spinner and notched up his century. When he fell for a superb 120, score read 236 for 3 in 38.2 overs.

This meant an ideal launch pad for the Indian middle order to unleash their guns in the last 12 overs.
#YuvrajSingh 58 and #Dhoni 31 launched an assault of epic proportions to propel India past 300 shortly. When Dhoni was claimed by Bresnan at team score of 305 in the 46th over, India was looking well beyond 350 as target.

However amazingly, they just imploded through poor strokeplay and tight disciplined bowling by the English bowlers towards the end. Final score India 338 all out in 49.5 overs. Bresnan starred with a 5-for, mostly responsible to hold that total back.

One bowl short of 50 overs. Will that one unplayed delivery cost Indians dearly?

A massive target none the less. England needing around 7 runs per over from the start to chase it down. Looked real tough. However to their advantage the Chinnawamy stadium is extremely flat and docile for batting.

England captain #AndrewStrauss and top batsman #KevinPietersen opened England's innings in style pummeling the Indian quicks to all parts of the park. They reached 68 in under 10 overs before Pietersen was caught and bowled by #MunafPatel. #JohnathanTrott followed soon after for 18, scoreline 111-2 (16 overs). Runs were under control but they needed to ensure wickets were not lost too soon.

#IanBell joined his captain and slowly they started dominating the Indian bowling. Strauss was severe on the seamers and equally attacking against the spinners. Ian Bell found his touch too. In no time, they had crossed 150, then 200 and 250 as well (under 40 overs). Strauss completed a brilliant hundred to match Sachin's century while Bell completed a wonderful supporting fifty.

At 281 in the 43rd over (and on course for a facile victory), tragedy struck for England. In desperation, Dhoni threw the ball to #ZaheerKhan, the master of reverse swing, and he produced a magical spell to claim Bell and Strauss in one over followed by #PaulCollingwood soon after.

Suddenly, the target seemed to be slipping away from England's grasp. However there was still some twist left in the tale. Graeme Swann and Tim Bresnan, who had bowled wonderfully, produced some massive sixes against #PiyushChawla to get things closer. When #AhmedShahzad smashed Munaf Patel for six over long on in the last over needing 10 runs to win, England sniffed victory again.

Last ball, 2 runs to win.
Munaf to Swann
A good yorker, dug out by Swann towards mid off and scamper for a run.
Scores tied
India 338 all out
England 338 for 8 

Amazing scenes in the dressing rooms. England felt they should have won. India thought they shouldnt have been stretched this far after putting up a mammoth score.

All in all, a tremendous result.
Cricket was the winner in this one!

MOM: Andrew Strauss (As Nasser Hussain put it during the presentation party - very few innings can match, let along surpass, a Sachin Tendulkar hundred and Strauss did just that today!)

Match Highlights:

Ind v Aus (QF, World Cup 2011)

Venue: Motera, Ahmedabad

A high octane clash between three time defending champs Australia and favourites India. The fading Aussies vs the emerging Indians.

With a place in the semi-finals at stake, Australian captain #RickyPonting won the toss and elected to bat. Openers #BradHaddin and #ShaneWatson got them off to a steady start. #RaviAshwin broke through Watson's defence to get India their first breakthrough.

 

Captain Ponting (had never scored a century in India in ODIs until this day) walked in to join Haddin. Both of them steadied the ship and began to step on the gas as they crossed 100 run mark around the 22nd over. Quick wickets of Haddin, Clarke and Mike Hussey slowed things down for them. #YuvrajSingh once again delivering wickets for his captain at crucial times.

 

Ponting took upon himself to push the run-rate up through some exquisite strokes and boundaries. He found an able ally in #DavidHussey who cut loose to contribute 38 in just 26 balls. Meanwhile Ponting completed a memorable one day hundred for himself and was the last Aussie wicket to fall towards close of their innings. Australia compiled a respectable 250 for 6 in 50 overs.

 

Was this enough? Runs on the board in big games are so important.

 

Will the Aussie pacers put pressure on the vaunted Indian batting line up and pull off a victory to march further towards their bid for a fourth consecutive #CricketWorldCup?

 

Indian innings began with trademark boundaries from #SachinTendulkar and #VirenderSehwag. But, Watson got Sehwag to pull off an awkward length to get caught at square leg.

 

That brought #GautamGambir at the crease and he along with Sachin started pushing the innings forward. Sachin Tendulkar hit a spate of boundaries to reach yet another 50 in one day cricket.

But soon after, #ShaunTait got him to nick one behind for 53. India 94 for 2. Just like the Aussie innings, India lost their way a bit by losing wickets at regular intervals (including Virat Kohli, Gambhir and MS Dhoni). At 187 for 5, they were certainly in a spot of bother.

 

The Aussies sensed opportunity and planned to go for the kill. They are masters of that approach. However, today they ran into an amazingly in-form Yuvraj Singh. With #SureshRaina with him, both chipped away at the Aussie total through aggressive strokeplay. 

The Australian bowlers threw everything they had at the duo but a superb cover drive off #BrettLee brought India a glorious victory and entry into the World Cup semi finals against #Pakistan. 

A dejected Australian camp, their world cup juggernaut (note they had one all three world cups 1999, 2003 and 2007) but the day belonged to an emerging Indian team.

 

MOM: Yuvraj Singh...

 

Check video below to watch highlights from the match

 

 

Ind v Pak (Semi final, ICC World Cup 2011)

Venue: Mohali, India

Can it get better? The traditional arch rivals, sub-continent giants clashing in a World Cup semi final !! WOW. The stage was set for a magnificent showdown and the teams didn't disappoint.

Prime ministers of both countries greeted and wished players from either teams before the game. Dignitaries, bureaucrats, film stars, top corporate biggies and who's who from both countries made the game even more electrifying!


#MSDhoni won the toss and elected to bat.
#Sehwag and #Tendulkar provided a stunning start for the Indians. Sehwag smashed #UmarGul for 20 runs in an over. Tendulkar opened from the other end too. 50 struck in no time.

A bowling change did the trick for Pakistan. #WahabRiaz, the lanky left hander trapped Sehwag leg before for 38. #GautamGambhir joined in and run-rate slowed down. #Hafeez flummoxed him in the air and he was stumped for 27. When #ViratKohli and #YuvrajSingh got out of consecutive delivers by Riaz, India were in a spot of bother at 141 for 4.

In the meanwhile, Sachin had quietly crept past 50 (thanks to butterfingers by Pakis on 4 occasions) and holding fort. By the time he departed on 85, Pakistan had staged a comeback and were hoping to keep India under a manageable total.

Some late flurry by Dhoni, #SureshRaina and #Harbhajan helped India reach 260 in their 50 overs, way below par considering the start they had. Wahab Riaz's 5-for a fitting reward for gutsy and disciplined bowling.

But, as they say in big games runs on the board are crucial.
Is 260 enough or Pakistan will easily chase it down considering the superfast Mohali outfield?

Pakistan started their run chase steadily through #KamranAkmal and #MohdHafeez. #ZaheerKhan broke through their partnership with score on 44. Young #AsadShafiq joined Hafeez to take the innings forward. A moment of madness from Hafeez led to his downfall, Yuvraj claimed Shafiq and the ever reliable #YounisKhan and suddenly Pakistan were 106 for 4.

#UmarAkmal and #MisbahUlHaq then put on a partnership and started rebuilding. Umar upped the tempo with some lusty blows. Harbhajan struck at a timely moment for India clean bowling Akmal. #MunafPatel followed suit to get the very dangerous #AbdurRazzaq.

#ShahidAfridi started throwing his bat around while Misbah concentrated on holding his end. The required run rate was creeping up all the time. Something had to give way...

India knocked Afridi, Riaz and Gul to snatch the game away from Pak. Misbah's late heroics only delayed the inevitable. India won the game by 29 runs. Although the margin for victory was comfortable, a India-Pak game is always tense, combative and electrifying.

India moved ahead to the final of the World Cup to play #SriLanka.

MOM: Sachin Tendulkar

India vs Sri Lanka (World Cup Final 2011)

(ICC 50 overs a side ODI - World Cup)
Mumbai, 2nd Apr 2011

The two most powerful teams of the tournament (considering the sub continent conditions) met in the final of World Cup.

Some confusion at the toss, coin spun twice .. Sri Lanka won it and elected to bat.

 

After a stuttering start (#ZaheerKhan bowled three straight maidens at #UpulTharanga before claiming his wicket), Sri Lanka steadied through #Dilshan and captain #KumarSangakkara.

 

Dilshan was bowled by #Harbhajan with team score on 60, bringing in #MahelaJayawardhane.

He went on to play one of the most memorable knocks in one day cricket that day with a scintillating 103*. Pure elegance, class and his counter attacking at end of their innings was awesome!

With due support from Sanga, Saamrweera, Kulsekhara and Perera, Mahela posted a very formidable 274 runs on the board for India to chase. Remember, as a thumb rule in finals, runs on the board are best. Chasing means pressure especially with the stakes so high.

India began disastrously. #VirenderSehwag was trapped leg before by #LasithMalinga second ball. #SachinTendulkar playing his last world cup followed soon after edging one behind again off Malinga. Mumbai was dumbstruck. At 31 for 2, and the opening blaster pair out, India were in trouble.

The young brigade of #GautamGambhir and #ViratKohli steadied the ship with useful partnership of 83 runs before Kohli fell to Dilshan.

In walked #MSDhoni, ahead of the in-form #YuvrajSingh. A move that surprised experts, crowd and most probably SriLanka too. He along with Gambhir pulled the game away from Sri Lanka to a position of certainty and authority. By the time Gambhir fell for a superb 98, the writing was on the wall.

Befittingly, it was Dhoni who hit the winning shot (a massive six over long on) to lift the cup for India. His stunning and authoritative 91* ensured a facile win for India. Their 2nd world cup!!
The cup was dedicated to the #LittleMaster of course who had played 6 world cups without any success!

MOM: M.S. Dhoni, India

Watch highlights of this game on the video link in this post.