World Cup is here again!

So here we are again! At this time of the year where the mood is all about one thing? No its not something else that you might tempt to think but cricket. Yes its that time of the year that everything stops and just one thing runs and that’s cricket! In our veins and in our blood… well not fast as it used to some years back due to some non cricketing fraternity that I’ve get to deal with when I go back home.

But as it would be I thought of just taking a twist from my usual self describing and lets be a bit interactive and chatty.. so here I am presenting to you all the judges in this court of bat and ball the cases of different teams:

We would start alphabetically so that there is no partiality:
Australia- with 2 back to back world cup wins under their belt they seem destined to win this one also only to put some doubt in to our minds with their 5 losses in last 7 games. Well this doesn’t happen any time so easily with aussies so it is a matter to look out by other teams. With such an inspirational and free scoring captain and player in their ranks ricky ponting or the punter they look as the most serious contenders to win this world cup. I am surely tempted enough like anyone to put their money on them to play safe but the gut feel says that something is about to happen this time. The player to watch out from them is Hussey and tait may be the surprise package. Don’t ever rule out gilly or gilchrist my favorite player both in test and ODI just the way he plays and conducts himself.

England- don’t want to discuss much about them and don’t read much into their wins in the CB series recently against the Aussies because they are not a confident unit all the time. If they can get some of their confidence back they can play well. A semis place would be a good achievement for them as far as I think. Players to watch out – Kevin Peterson. He can really infuse some enthusiasm in them by his displays.


India- Our home team our mother land. Well heart beats for them to win but there is always that element of doubt that keeps them always striving for something extra. May be this in the syche of every Indian that makes him feel like that on a big stage. Tagged as one of the hot favorites to win the tournament along with Aussies and s.africa. The slow and low pitches should suit them as everyone keeps saying but what happened in the last year’s series against the West Indies. Nothing can be said according to that and also nothing should be over hyped or over expected out of the experience and the talent that the team posses. It is the performance of the 11 on the field on that day how well they play and support each other that matters the most. They have the ammunition to knock the winds out of any one but be wary of the Australians, they have tend to develop some mental block in recent time that they are not able to win against them give any where and any condition some sort of team phobia that they had against the pak some years back which they have overcome. I feel an inspirational performance from some one (any one ) can break this jinx which should take them all the way through. Though I don’t undermine other teams but I believe this team has the potential to reach the finals and win it also provided they don’t feel the pressure of their own expectations. Players to watch out – Rahul Dravid the back bone of the team, his performance in the middle order would guide the teams total after a good/poor start. Exciting talent of Uthappa should help us win at least one match. Bowlers to watch out – Agarkar and Sachin. Apart from this Sachin would want to leave a lasting impression on the sands of time and Caribbean. Go for it and give it your best shot.

New Zealand – The team as has shown to the whole world have risen up to the challenge and have given all the contenders a head ache. They are a team of some pretty mid-talented but very hard working, some good and a couple of class players in their ranks. They are blessed with some pretty good all-rounders. With their current performances against the aussies some serious chinks in austrailia’s armour have been surfaced which can work to the advantage of other teams. Players to watch out – Ross Taylor their up coming one of the most promising young talent all of 22yrs in age. Star perfomers over the time – Stephen fleming again the most talented and respected leader of packs around the world, and bond – shane bond the fiery cop from the kiwi land. Looking pretty to make the semi finals.

Pakistan – Your guess is as good as mine. As everyone has said about them – they are brilliant one day but opposite the other. Unfortunately the latter comes true for them more often as compared to the previous one. They have in their team inzi, 2 Y’s- Younis and Yousuf who form the bulk of batting. Opening is in shambles and their seems no quick fix solution as for some time to come. The bowling without Akhtar and Asif can be a blessing in dis-guise more so considering the case of akhtar as he himself reflects the true nature of their cricket – brilliant at times and fickle at other. Asif surely would be missed and without razzaq surely it has depleted further but they still seem pretty good bowling outfit with an Umar gul and kaneria provided they rise up to the occasion and be counted for. Afridi lends a doubt in the team with his batting showing more of a fluke rather than pure character. All said and done you cant count them out as they showed in 1992 with that 1 point that they got against English which helped them qualify for semi finals and eventually winning finals. Players to watch – kaneria and aloo.

S Africa – I think it is pretty unfair to say that they are the great chokers of world cricket. Well I don’t agree with the genuine-ness of the statement. It is agreed that they did choked at crucial junctures but it is not a universal fact that they have done it every other time. In ’92 the rain rule did them in. In ’96 lara’s brilliance robbed a place in the last 8 for them. In ’99 which was widely discussed for the two matches this team played against Australia. The first one was the last super six match in which the famous ball dropping incident of gibbs happened. Well that was sheer bad-luck by gibbs who dropped it. In the semi-final they required 9 of the last over to win the match and klusener hits 2 powerful boundaries of the first 2 balls of Damien fleming’s over so scroes tied. Now in the next ball he takes off for a single and unfortunately gets Donald run out the non-striker at other end. Did they choked I don’t think so. I still remember the frustration on the faces of the Australians when klusener was hitting those boundaries they looked so desperate and helpless against the assault by him. No one remembers that the innings he played under pressure hitting two fours in the last over and only last wicket left and that too in a world cup semi final. Well that was sheer brilliance and proper stupidity rather than choking to get out at that stage. The Australians were having the luck on their side else we would have some other winner. But that’s one great aspect of Australians or you call anything that they have got themselves out of such situations in more than 1 occasion. In 2003 the miscalculation got the better of them. The only incidents that I can recall seeing them choke is in the hero cup, titan cup, and a couple of more tournaments. But they have improved in that aspect also else how can they chase down 434 against the mighty Australians. Shouldn’t we now say Australians choked? Players to watch – Pollock he’s revived himself like anything, Justin kemp and boucher.

Srilanka – The team from the emerald islands, they have been on a roll for sometime till their juggernaut was stopped by the Indians in the last series. They should do well and get their place booked in the semis. They have in them some of the best exponents of slow bowling that they can use in these sort of pitches. Murali and the marauder from marata jayasuriya who has gained his vintage self. They are a good enough team to outplay anyone on their day as shown by them in the last years CB series in Australia where they nearly toppled their apple car. They can go a long way, the only thing missing from their ranks is some one as solid as desilva who was a rock in the middle ordrer. The likes of attapattu and jayawardene are good but not great like a deSilva. Players to watch out for – jayasuriya, tharanga and murali.

West Indies – They are the host and its been a record that none of the hosts have lifted the cup so can it be them? Only time will tell but I can tell according to my gut feeling they don’t have in them what it takes to become a champion. Though they are the dark horses but their race can only go as far as semi final. Though lara & co. can defy me and them but it is yet to be done which I don’t believe they can. They play well as a unit on a day but can fall apart amazingly the other day like nine-pins. They played some good cricket in the last season reaching the finals of champions trophy and in Malaysia only to loose to Australia. They also won against India but then lost in the return series. They also lack something which is the last killer punch or the final nail in the coffin and they have missed those close encounters time and again that they don’t enthuse any confidence anymore that they can eventually finish till the end. Players to watch out – Lara may play a swansong before he bows out, Bravo – has one of the deadliest of slower balls in the game.

Well with all these descriptions I leave you all to think and pass your judgments through the comments section.May the best team wins and it is INDIA!!!!