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| 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup Mascot- Stumpy! |
Road to World Cup 2011…
Someone once said 1/3rd of the world is covered by fresh water and the rest is covered by Jonty Rhodes. One dive in 1992 cricket world cup brought in versatility into the game. Jonty’s trademark dive to run out Inzama-ul-Haq gave birth to the best fielder of all-times. Chasing every ball at an electric speed he seemed to be spring-legged. None has come any close to what Jonty was, but Gibbs, AB de Villiers, Kaif, Yuvraj and Collingwood have managed high fielding standards. With the World Cup(WC) round the corner it is mandatory for teams to work hard not only on their bowling and batting skills but also on the art of fielding.
Fielding, which is now considered to be a science, will be the difference between winners and losers. Currently, South Africa has the best fielders mainly because of their Rugby skills. India also has a few outstanding fielders. Legends like Kapil Dev and Sir Viv Richards have declared India the favourites for the WC. Sachin Tendulkar would want to lift the WC at least once in his playing days and why not, that man totally deserves it. The prayers of a billion people, sub-continent conditions, home support and good amount of experience might just work in India’s favour. Under MS Dhoni’s captaincy India has done well in home conditions. The perfect blend of youth and experience might take India a long way. India is good enough but misses the X-factor. I would be glad if the likes of Yousuf Pathan would prove me wrong.
England is being called the new Australia for their wonderful exhibition of talent on field. After the match at Adelaide in The Ashes series, England players have started believing in their abilities and have come together as a team. They have the brilliance of Cook and Pietersen back in form. Graeme Swann will prove crucial on the sub-continent pitches. Swann is a confident young spinner who has the potential to change the proceedings of a match. England is fine being tagged the minnows and that stops them from being a champion side. Strauss and Andy Flower have put in a lot of effort for positive vibes to flow in the team. Hopefully the effort shows in the WC. England has a bunch of outstanding talents but lacks confidence as a team.
Australia and Sri Lanka cannot be ticked off. They are capable of winning. Let’s wait and watch if there are any surprises in store for us. South Africa is above all in batting and fielding departments but isn’t good enough in bowling. Every WC winning team till date has had the best all rounders in its squad. Bangladesh, West Indies and Pakistan start as underdogs. 2011 Cricket World Cup promises to put up a tremendous show. An action-packed 2011 awaits every ardent cricket follower.
