Guys, it is the time to pick favorites for the Cricket World Cup 2011. The countdown for the mega event has begun, and everyone, including the legends of cricket have started picking their favorites to win the World cup. According to the legends of the game India is favorite to win the World cup.
In my opinion India is not favorite to win this World cup even though they are top contenders for the coveted trophy. One of the main reasons for India's unlikely success is the fact they are playing in front of the home crowd. Such big events like World cup brings a lot of pressure on the players. The title of being favorites adds to already existing pressure of home crowd expectations. Indifferent form of their best one day batsman Yuvraj Singh could also harm India's chances. Moreover their senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar will be desperate for winning this World cup in order to have at least one big trophy under his belt before he retires from cricket. You can see Sachin Tendulkar faltering or failing when approaching an important milestone. He has never featured in a World cup winning team despite featuring in five editions of the tournament. This is likely to be the last World cup for Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin Tendulkar is known to fail whenever there is pressure on him. Any shrewd captain should be able to exploit this weakness of Sachin Tendulkar. Another issue would be the spot to play Gautam Gambhir. Gautam Gambhir is better as an opner. He might not be effective in one day games in the middle order, and it could disrupt the whole batting order. There is no clear picture yet as to what combination India is likely to go. There is too much confusion with too many confusing choices. But if some of the players in the Indian batting line up hit purple patch, nothing could stop India from winning this edition of the World cup.
Australian team is not being picked as favorites this time. They are still the at the top of the ICC ranking table. Moreover reduced expectations on the Australian team might work in their favor. What could go against the Australian team is form and future of some of their key players, including their captain and star batsman Ricky Ponting. The Australian team is still a force to reckon with and can peak at the right time to win the World cup. Cricketers like Watson alongside the great batsmen in their rank Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey, and bunch of other very good cricketers might be able to do it again for Australia. This is their first World cup without nucleus of the team, which won them the last three editions of the World cup. Players like Adam Gilchrist, Glenn McGrath, and Ponting have been key to their success in the last three editions with other players like Steve Waugh, Mathew Hayden, and Damien Martin in different editions. Of the first three Gilchrist and McGrath are retired and their retirement has adversely affected the performance of the team in test cricket. One day cricket is slightly different though and they are still one of the strongest unit in the World in one day cricket.
South Africa is my favorite to win the World cup this time. They neither have the pressure of being favorites, nor they are playing in front of their home crowd. The tag of being chokers might actually work in their favor this time. Because they have been labeled chokers, it may release any expectations on them, and may ultimately release any pressure on them. They have one of the best batting line up in the World. Their main batsmen Amla and Kallis have been in exceptional form of late. Other middle order batsmen like DeVilliers and JP Duminy are capable of guiding the innings brilliantly and wining a game on their own. They also have probably the best fast bowling unit in the world at the moment with Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel leading the charge. In Dale Steyn they have the best fast bowler in the world in their line up. But how Steyn will be effective in the placid Indian pitches remains to be seen. South Africa should be able to open their account for World cup trophies.
The most unpredictable team ever, and the most unpredictable team in the tournament. Pakistan is not being given much of a chance by the pundits, but you should discount Pakistan at your own peril. Again, less expectation from this team may eventually work in their favor. Moreover, not having to play before home crowd, yet playing home like condition may also favor them. They may not have the best team in the world on the paper, but have the team to beat any team, and have players who can change the course of the game from any situation.
England has also emerged as a very strong team in the recent past. They could repeat their success in T20 edition of the World cup in the one day version, may be a little bit of luck at crucial stages of the tournament is all that they needed. England also has considerably less pressure on them because they have never been favorites to win the tournament throughout the history of the existence of the tournament, and they are not considered as favorite by many this time around as well. Their recent ashes performance should boost their confidence and performance in the forthcoming world cup. If the recent performances could be considered England team could be a surprise package in this world cup. They might well become the first team to be World champion for two formats of the game at the same time. If they continue their current form in test cricket, they also have a very realistic chance of climbing to the numero uno spot in test cricket as well.
Sri Lanka is a good team, but will be under pressure playing in front of their home crowds. I do not see Sri Lanka going all the way especially without Jaysurya in their ranks at the top of the order, and indifferent form of Tilakratne Dilshan. The Sangarkara's and Jayawardana's are not much effective in one-day format, especially in the absence of big hitters like Jaysurya at the top. They do not have a threating bowling line up either. I do not give much chance to Sri Lanka.
New Zeeland is one team about whom the less said the better. They have some capable cricketers, but are failing as a unit. A couple of good games at the knockout might just give them an outside chance of winning the trophy.
West Indian team of today is exactly opposite of the West Indian team that participated in the first three editions of this prestigious tournament. I do not see West Indies winning this tournament, but cricket is funny old game.
Bangladesh has the ability to upset quite a few teams in this tournament like it did to India in the previous editions. Ireland too can upset the big teams as it knocked out Pakistan in the initial stages of the tournament in the last edition of the World cup. The rest of the teams, I guess, are mere participants.
In my opinion India is not favorite to win this World cup even though they are top contenders for the coveted trophy. One of the main reasons for India's unlikely success is the fact they are playing in front of the home crowd. Such big events like World cup brings a lot of pressure on the players. The title of being favorites adds to already existing pressure of home crowd expectations. Indifferent form of their best one day batsman Yuvraj Singh could also harm India's chances. Moreover their senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar will be desperate for winning this World cup in order to have at least one big trophy under his belt before he retires from cricket. You can see Sachin Tendulkar faltering or failing when approaching an important milestone. He has never featured in a World cup winning team despite featuring in five editions of the tournament. This is likely to be the last World cup for Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin Tendulkar is known to fail whenever there is pressure on him. Any shrewd captain should be able to exploit this weakness of Sachin Tendulkar. Another issue would be the spot to play Gautam Gambhir. Gautam Gambhir is better as an opner. He might not be effective in one day games in the middle order, and it could disrupt the whole batting order. There is no clear picture yet as to what combination India is likely to go. There is too much confusion with too many confusing choices. But if some of the players in the Indian batting line up hit purple patch, nothing could stop India from winning this edition of the World cup.
Australian team is not being picked as favorites this time. They are still the at the top of the ICC ranking table. Moreover reduced expectations on the Australian team might work in their favor. What could go against the Australian team is form and future of some of their key players, including their captain and star batsman Ricky Ponting. The Australian team is still a force to reckon with and can peak at the right time to win the World cup. Cricketers like Watson alongside the great batsmen in their rank Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey, and bunch of other very good cricketers might be able to do it again for Australia. This is their first World cup without nucleus of the team, which won them the last three editions of the World cup. Players like Adam Gilchrist, Glenn McGrath, and Ponting have been key to their success in the last three editions with other players like Steve Waugh, Mathew Hayden, and Damien Martin in different editions. Of the first three Gilchrist and McGrath are retired and their retirement has adversely affected the performance of the team in test cricket. One day cricket is slightly different though and they are still one of the strongest unit in the World in one day cricket.
South Africa is my favorite to win the World cup this time. They neither have the pressure of being favorites, nor they are playing in front of their home crowd. The tag of being chokers might actually work in their favor this time. Because they have been labeled chokers, it may release any expectations on them, and may ultimately release any pressure on them. They have one of the best batting line up in the World. Their main batsmen Amla and Kallis have been in exceptional form of late. Other middle order batsmen like DeVilliers and JP Duminy are capable of guiding the innings brilliantly and wining a game on their own. They also have probably the best fast bowling unit in the world at the moment with Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel leading the charge. In Dale Steyn they have the best fast bowler in the world in their line up. But how Steyn will be effective in the placid Indian pitches remains to be seen. South Africa should be able to open their account for World cup trophies.
The most unpredictable team ever, and the most unpredictable team in the tournament. Pakistan is not being given much of a chance by the pundits, but you should discount Pakistan at your own peril. Again, less expectation from this team may eventually work in their favor. Moreover, not having to play before home crowd, yet playing home like condition may also favor them. They may not have the best team in the world on the paper, but have the team to beat any team, and have players who can change the course of the game from any situation.
England has also emerged as a very strong team in the recent past. They could repeat their success in T20 edition of the World cup in the one day version, may be a little bit of luck at crucial stages of the tournament is all that they needed. England also has considerably less pressure on them because they have never been favorites to win the tournament throughout the history of the existence of the tournament, and they are not considered as favorite by many this time around as well. Their recent ashes performance should boost their confidence and performance in the forthcoming world cup. If the recent performances could be considered England team could be a surprise package in this world cup. They might well become the first team to be World champion for two formats of the game at the same time. If they continue their current form in test cricket, they also have a very realistic chance of climbing to the numero uno spot in test cricket as well.
Sri Lanka is a good team, but will be under pressure playing in front of their home crowds. I do not see Sri Lanka going all the way especially without Jaysurya in their ranks at the top of the order, and indifferent form of Tilakratne Dilshan. The Sangarkara's and Jayawardana's are not much effective in one-day format, especially in the absence of big hitters like Jaysurya at the top. They do not have a threating bowling line up either. I do not give much chance to Sri Lanka.
New Zeeland is one team about whom the less said the better. They have some capable cricketers, but are failing as a unit. A couple of good games at the knockout might just give them an outside chance of winning the trophy.
West Indian team of today is exactly opposite of the West Indian team that participated in the first three editions of this prestigious tournament. I do not see West Indies winning this tournament, but cricket is funny old game.
Bangladesh has the ability to upset quite a few teams in this tournament like it did to India in the previous editions. Ireland too can upset the big teams as it knocked out Pakistan in the initial stages of the tournament in the last edition of the World cup. The rest of the teams, I guess, are mere participants.
