Australia win India's World Cup!

In 2019, the ICC World Cup Final delivered as close a contest as you could possibly imagine, and it was the home nation, England, which managed to come out on top. Four years on, and it was the hosts who again were hot favourites. However, the Bollywood scriptwriters were absent and, instead of the predicted coronation of Rohit Sharma’s men as champions, the 120,000-odd spectators at Ahmedabad were stunned by a determined Australia, and the outstanding performance of Travis Head. 

On paper, this tournament was the property of the ICC but in practice it felt like it was owned by Narendra Modi, the autocratic Prime Minister of India, after whom the final’s magnificent stadium is named. As India cruised through the group stages unbeaten, he must have been convinced that the trophy was in his hands, too. 

India undoubtedly looked the most complete team. From skipper Rohit Sharma’s blistering starts down to Jasprit Bumrah’s ideosyncratic pace bowling, they had all bases covered. And they had Virat Kohli. 2023 hasn’t been a vintage year for the former captain but he retains the faith of a billion cricket fans, and with good reason. He was by far the leading scorer and when he was dismissed in the final for a mere 54, the silence was deafening. The ovation for his record-breaking fiftieth career ODI century, against New Zealand in the Mumbai semi-final reverberated around the globe, as befits such an imperious batter. 

Looking back, New Zealand were quickest out of the traps. They achieved some sort of revenge for the 2019 defeat by destroying England emphatically. Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra each made tons and shared what was to prove the highest partnership of the tournament, an unbeaten 273. For the losers, it created an unwanted foundation for a disastrous defence of the trophy. However, Jos Buttler tried to spin it, there were no positives whatsoever, but more on that another time. 

The Black Caps eased to four successive wins against relatively unfancied opposition, while Australia fell to both India and South Africa. However, when the Aussies withstood a late Neesham onslaught to beat their neighbours thrillingly by five runs at Dharamsala, the tables were turning. Meanwhile, South Africa were also looking ominous. In his final World Cup, Quinton de Kock was scoring centuries for fun, and their 428-5 against Sri Lanka, featuring a trio of tons, was awe-inspiring. 

However, as the weeks passed, the top four seemed to be separating themselves from the rest. Going into the final few rounds, Kane Williamson’s side started to look vulnerable to a possible late charge from Pakistan and even Afghanistan, who won a lot of friends in this competition. Had it not been for Glenn Maxwell’s phenomenal one-legged slogfest, they would have finished the group with five victories and a slender chance of breaking into the knockouts. 

It didn’t happen, of course, and the perennial bridesmaids NZ and SA almost inevitably fell victims to India and Australia, respectively. They are not – repeat NOT – chokers. It’s just that they are never quite the best in the business. History has nowt to do with it. If it did, the West Indies would still be whupping everyone’s arses at the World Cup instead of sitting on their own arses in the Caribbean. 

Fans of T20 and the horrible Hundred have criticised the 50-over format for producing too few close contests in this World Cup. Yes, there have been some one-sided affairs but that happens in all tournaments in all sports. It’s just that many people have attention spans too short to appreciate a proper game of cricket. If I have a beef with the World Cup, it is the ten-team, all-plays-all group format, leaving only two knockout fixtures plus the final. Why not have twelve teams, two groups of six and a quarter-final stage? I know the answer, of course: money. Had this been adopted in 2023, India would have played a minimum of six games, not ten (assuming they qualified from their group), with the resulting reduction in revenue. Furthermore, the uncertainty of knockout cricket has the potential of an early upset. 

For fans like me, it would have the advantage of springing surprises, disrupting the status quo, which is anathema to the bodies who effectively run world cricket. Past tourneys have been memorable for the triumphs of Kenya, Ireland and the Netherlands. I love it when the likes of Bas de Leede and Ibrahim Zadran can demonstrate their talents on the highest stage. 

I have no idea what the ICC will do next time. However, I suspect that the 2027 affair will see a new batch of stars. Will the current cabal of mid-thirty-somethings still be around? Surely, the Aussies will need a new group of quicks to replace Pat Cummins and co. David Warner was leaping around the field like a spring chicken but he will be pushing forty. So will, for heaven’s sake, Virat Kohli! Somehow, I fancy that he will postpone his retirement, as did Tendulkar, for one last hurrah and a chance to hold this still significant trophy. I hope so. 

Mike’s Team of the Tournament:  De Kock (SA, +), Sharma (Ind), Ravindra (NZ), Kohli (Ind), Mitchell (NZ), Maxwell (Aus), Jadeja (Ind), Zampa (Aus), Shami (Ind), Bumrah (Ind), Coetzee (SA).

 

Honourable mentions: Warner (Aus), Ibrahim Zadran (Afg), Iyer (ind), Madushanka (SL) 

World Cup woes for South Africa

The 2019 Cricket World Cup has been an inevitable slow-burner. With all ten nations playing each other, it has taken three weeks to reach the stage where big names are facing the certainty of an early plane home, or even possibly an unexpected short-term contract with a county.

It hasn’t helped that so many fixtures have been so one-sided. My three live experiences at Cardiff have been enjoyable but really could have been enhanced by much closer encounters of a cricketing kind. New Zealand made short work of Sri Lanka, Roy, Buttler et al plastered the Bangladesh spinners for an array of sixes then Afghanistan predictably succumbed to South Africa.

Thank goodness for some surprises elsewhere. The West Indians’ pace dealt Pakistan an early blow, Bangladesh creamed an unassailable 330-6 off South Africa then even England’s cruise towards the semis hit a rock as Pakistan bounced back but still an exciting finale was lacking.

Rain caused some disappointing washouts and abandonments, particularly at Bristol, and robbed us of the intriguing India v New Zealand contest. The much-anticipated India-Pakistan fixture was also affected by the wet stuff, as well as the latter’s inability to shackle Rohit Sharma. However, when the British weather improved, so did the tournament, even if the big four threatened to run away with it. In just two days we had some crackers.

On the longest day at Headingley, England’s seemingly infallibility when batting second was severely dented by Sri Lanka. Nice to see Lasith Malinga finding some of his old magic as they triumphed by 20 runs. At Southampton the following day, Afghanistan’s spinners choked India so hard that their target was a distinctly manageable 225. They didn’t quite manage it, of course, thanks largely to the nous of Bumrah and Shami’s final over hat-trick, but we neutrals revelled in the excitement of a near-shock. Meanwhile, some lusty blows by Chris Gayle and an extraordinary century by Carlos Brathwaite so nearly rescued the Windies against the Black Caps, for whom Kane Williamson batted so beautifully.

With teams having just two or three matches left to play, the top four placings are not yet decided. As in the last World Cup, New Zealand have demonstrated their undoubted class slightly beneath the radar. At the time of writing they are unbeaten, as are Virat Kohli’s India and each muct surely reach the semi-finals. I wasn’t sure how Australia would fare in the aftermath of the Warner-Smith bans. However, they have been almost England-esque in their run accumulations, with David Warner and Aaron Finch striking some stunning scores, and are almost home and dry.

So what about England? With the exception of the Sri Lanka debacle, they have been passing 300 with impressive regularity. Sixes have come right down the order, and Eoin Morgan’s blitz against Afghanistan was particularly brutal. Intriguingly their final three games come against their three closest rivals, beginning with the Aussies, followed by India at Edgbaston and then NZ. I reckon they’ll win at least two of them but even so I can’t see the planets aligning so perfectly that one of the other pretenders such as Pakistan or even Bangladesh could disturb the status quo.

What have I learnt so far? Well, batsmen were always likely to be on top, but who would have predicted Shakib al-Hasan would have been top of the run charts? Jofra Archer and Mark Wood have been the most devastating bowling partnership as the short ball has proved the most effective bowling weapon of the tournament. Imran Tahir, Rashid Khan and co may yet have a say in proceedings but for certain neither SA nor Afghanistan will be raising the trophy this year. Faf du Plessis’ men have been out of sorts in most areas. Their batting line-up was already weaker than it’s been for a long time and their one true global star Hashim Amla, has scratched around for runs, even against the Afghans.

I’m sure there’ll be more twists and turns in the coming weeks but it looks likely that the ICC will get the top four it wanted, and that India-England final remains a distinct possibility.

Ireland and Afghanistan rival Gayle for excitement

A few days ago, all the World Cup talk was about Chris Gayle's sensational double-century against Zimbabwe. However, for all the records he and Marlon Samuels established at Canberra, nothing beats an exciting humdinger between two well-matched teams.

The money-grabbing idiots at the ICC, who see only dollar signs when the likes of India, Australia and England are scheduled for Melbourne, Sydney and Wellington, don't want a tournament with too many boring games, too many one-sided contests. I agree. 8 wickets with 38 overs to spare? Hang on, that's NZ v England. 130 runs with 10 overs left? Wait, that's India v SA. 111 runs and 8 overs short? Oh, England v the Aussies.

Yet the best matches have been Ireland's victories over the Windies (a 4 wicket margin in a 600-run thriller) and the UAE (2 wickets with 4 balls remaining) and now Afghanistan's stunning last-over, one-wicket triumph over Scotland. The spectators at leafy Dunedin may have been outnumbered by the Indian flag-wavers at the MCG but would they rather have been anywhere else given the superb entertainment dished out?

Such as shame for Scotland, still without a World Cup win, but what a result for Afghanistan, worthy World Cup competitors after only ten years! They gave Sri Lanka a good game, too, while Scotland were three wickets short of a major upset against home side New Zealand.

Samiullah Shenwari's 96 was as classy and, well, perfect as any innings we have seen in the past few weeks. Not a six-fest but he cleared the ropes when he had to. The only failure was his dismissal just 4 runs short of a century. Shapoor Zadran's 70s style length of both hair and run-up didn't stop him nabbing four key wickets either. It didn't matter either that the Ireland-UAE clash featured only three sixes. Shaiman Anwan's 106 (following an ultimately unsuccessful 67 vs Zimbabwe) and Kevin O'Brien's late-innings heroics still lit up proceedings. Kev's brother Niall struck an unbeaten 79 to steer the Irish to that success against West Indies in Nelson, a game where Gayle could only scratch around for 65 balls to score 36.

These Associate stars need the spotlight that a global tournament offers. I don't care what the TV companies and organisers say: for all the cash and adulation heaped on the likes of Kohli, AB, Warner and co, we want to see some fun-packed finales. In football, FIFA has continually expanded its own World Cup, and there's talk of even more nations being allowed to qualify for the final stages. That may well owe more to politics and the power wielded by the smallest of countries but without the rise from 16 to 24 nations in the 1980s, would African nations and players have developed as much as they have? Ditto Japan, South Korea and Australia?

I think there is no chance of the current Associates being elevated to Test status in the foreseeable future but please let's have more fixtures between, say, Ireland and India, Afghanistan and Australia, and so on. Even if they are one-off bolt-ons in more glamorous tours. It would be a start and, who knows, the United Arab Emirates could become the Sri Lanka of the 2020s. In the mean time, we must all put pressure on the ICC to change their mind and develop the sport instead of pandering to the BCCI, CA and the rest.

A few more upsets in the coming weeks would be even better.

World T20 Qualifiers

The drama of Sachin Tendulkar's farewell has somewhat overshadowed a very important competition that started this week and continues throughout the rest of November. No millionaire superstars but the six best teams will end up having a real opportunity to be part of one of modern cricket's top tournaments, the ICC World Twenty20.

What I like about this contest is spotting familar players alongside unfamiliar team-mates. Papua New Guinea again boast former England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones, veteran Saffer and Warwickshire favourite Neil Carter represents Scotland, Middlesex all-rounder Gareth Berg lines up for Italy and ex-Glamorgan batsman David Hemp performs for his home nation of Bermuda. And then there's the fan's game of spotting the traditional Danish, Italian and HK names amidst those with Pakistani, Sri Lanka or South African heritage.

As with the proper World Cup, I've always been a supporter of the minnow nations participating on the big stage. But who from the sixteen competing countries in the UAE will make that step to face a second round of games and ultimately meet the likes of India, England and Sri Lanka in Bangladesh next year?

Based on reputation alone, the familiar names of Ireland and Netherlands must be favourites, with Canada, Afghanistan, Kenya and Namibia giving them a run for their money. So after two or three matches apiece, how are things shaping up?

In Group A, Ireland have won all three matches, including two nailbiters against Canada and the UAE, so are looking good. The latter nevertheless sit in second place alongside Hong Kong, who have beaten two of the weaker sides. Namibia have some catching up to do, while the USA may have edged out neighbours Canada but nobody else to date.

Group B could be much tighter, especially after the Dutch lost to PNG. The surprise leaders so far are tiny Nepal. They thumped Denmark then won an excellent run chase against Kenya. If they beat Scotland tomorrow, they will be sitting even prettier. Nevertheless, Afghanistan have lost only to the Netherlands and I would expect both to accumulate enough victories over the Affiliate nations to make the top three. The third qualifying spot looks more open. With Scotland and Kenya pointless after two matches, the road is open for the UAE or Bermuda to proceed to the big time.

But wouldn't it be fabulous should the PNG island or Himalayan heroes maintain their winning sequence for another week or two? Paras Khadka, Basant Regmi and Tony Ura could be mixing it with Steyn, Kohli and Anderson. In most games, those contests will be horrendous mismatches but just one shock result will vindicate the ICC's decision to give countries on the edge of cricket's radar a shot at the big prize. Bring it on!

World T20 Qualifiers: No surprises yet

Unlike the interminable IPL, the World T20 qualifying tournament in the UAE has quickly reached the knockout stage after 56 round robin fixtures. We're familiar with the likes of Ireland, Canada, Kenya and Holland from the 50-over World Cup but two of the other pre-competition favourites topped their respective groups. Afghanistan and Namibia both claimed 100% records and go onto meet in what is technically known as a preliminary final.

As is the way of modern competitions, you can't simply have two semis and a final between the winners. No, whoever wins out of the group winners will progress to another final, but the second and third placed teams in each group now play off to determine who plays the losers of the other preliminary final, and the winner of that plays the winner of the first preliminary final. Clear as mud?! I suppose it allows six teams a further opportunity to have a chance of being one of the two Associate/Affiliate nations to join this year's World T20 party, so who will it be?

Obviously one of the Group winners will definitely be in Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan must be favourites. Their batting line-up is strong, led by Mohammad Shahzad and Karim Sadiq, and boast a good mix of seam and spin. However, Namibia's Raymond van Schoor is the leading run scorer so far and his team-mate Louis van der Westhuizen blasted a 56-ball century against Scotland. Ireland came within five runs of beating them a few weeks ago and Will Porterfield's side must fancy their chances of reaching the final two. First they have to see off a weak Canada and then the winners of Netherlands v Scotland. The former have missed star man Ryan Ten Doeschate, who opted for another lucrative franchise payday rather than represent his country. However, Peter Borren's team have a reasonable chance of beating the other European challengers, although I fancy Scotland and Ireland meeting in the deciding 'semi'.

Of course, this is Twenty20 so anything could happen. However, over seven matches the chances of the Affiliate minnows progressing were always going to be slim and so we won't see the likes of Nepal, Papua New Guinea or Oman playing Australia or India later this year. What about some of the familiar names representing unfamiliar cricketing nations this month? Michael di Venuto may be one of the most prolific Aussie first-class batsmen in history but T20 has never been his bag, and he failed to lift Italy. Ex-England 'keeper Geraint Jones contributed almost 200 runs to his native PNG, who finished fourth in Group A. Veteran David Hemp, ex-Glamorgan, has played more than 20 ODIs for Bermuda but they managed just a solitary victory in this competition.

They won't be at the ICC's finals but I shall plump for Afghanistan and Ireland being the two qualifiers. Frankly either of them could win the final in Dubai but the main prize would be achieved by merely getting there at the weekend. How they might cope with Malinga, Warner, Sehwag and co I dread to think but I'm glad they at least have the opportunity to test themselves against the best. Cricket should never be a closed shop for the rich.