It is just a matter of 18 days before we will be able to witness and revel in the spectacle of 2011 World Cup. Even though this World Cup is the most open of the World Cup tournaments played so far in the history of the game, I believe that India, Pakistan, Australia, and South Africa will make it to Semis. Each of these four teams is capable of winning thereafter, but my favorites to play the final would be South Africa and Pakistan. India Vs Australia is another likely Final. A Final between India and Pakistan cannot be entirely ruled out either and that would be perfect icing on the cake for all the cricket fans throughout the world.
India is probably slightly better team in the tournament overall particularly because of playing in home conditions. Hence according to the merit of the teams, India is favorite to win the World Cup. India has the best batting line up in the tournament with South Africa being other team with an equally stronger batting line up. Where India has a slight edge over South Africa is having more players with all round capabilities. Most of the front-line batsmen in the Indian team are also useful spinners who will be quite handy in the Indian conditions. The new-found form of Yusuf Pathan can be decisive. But like Afridi, Yusuf Pathan is unpredictable. Anyway, India will need Pathan only when most of the Indian batsmen will fail, which is unlikely in the subcontinent conditions. But whenever they need him, they will have someone capable of winning them a game from a desperate situation. They have a very capable bowling line up to complement their strong batting line up. Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, and Nehra with the supporting cast of Harbhajan, Yusuf Pathan, Yuvraj Singh, and Sehwag can defend any good score. But the pressure of high expectation from the Indian crowd might be the undoing for the Indian team. Yuvraj Singh's form will also be crucial for India's chances in the World Cup.
South Africa probably has the best bowling line-up in the tournament with the best fast bowling pair in their ranks, but they have to maintain a good line and length to be effective on subcontinental pitches. If they go wayward, the faster they will bowl, the faster they will be hit back by the opposition batsmen. South Africa also has an impressive batting line up that can match Indian batting line up. Moreover, all their batsmen are in great touch contrary to the Indian batsmen who are either coming back from injury or not in best form of their life. Hashim Amla and De Villiers will have to play an important role. Smith and Duminy will also be very crucial at the top and in the middle respectively to win the World Cup for South Africa. They have to devise a method to get over their choking habit at the important stage of the tournament. Nonetheless, they are one of the favorites to win the World Cup.
The Australian team is still quite capable of winning the tournament. Remember a half-strength Australian team beating Indian team in a one day series an year or so back. The retirement of big players has affected their test team a great deal, but in one dayers, they have remained one of the strongest team in the World. Shane Watson will be pivotal for Australia. Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey will have to play important role with others in supporting cast. It will be an unprecedented and unmatchable achievement if Australia goes on to win this edition of the World Cup as it will be their four consecutive win in the World cup if they manage to do it this time.
These three teams India, South Africa, and Australia are three strongest teams in the tournament and can win the World Cup. But if there is any team in the tournament that has the talent and wherewithal to bamboozle these teams, it is Pakistan.
Pakistan team may not be the most dependable team in the tournament, but they have the talent and artillery, which is the most threatening in the tournament to say the least. What Pakistan needs is a bit of stability in the middle order. They must have a logical batting order. Kamran Akmal should either open the innings or he should bat down the order. Kamran Akmal is ineffective in the middle order. Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq should stabilize the middle order and try to play out middle over at reasonable strike rate. Misbah-Ul-Haq plays the role of the stabilizer and anchor to the perfection and can up the ante later in the innings. Younis Khan though need to control himself and look to play the role of anchor. Younis Khan often tries to match the other aggressive players in the team and gives away his wicket. There are too many World class hitters in the Pakistan and they do not require Younis Khan to play aggressive. Younis Khan's role will be to stabilize the innings with Misbah. Younis Khan can learn a few things from the way Javed Miandad and even Imran Khan played and used the other explosive players to up the ante. Umar Akmal will be the biggest threat alongside the regular threat from Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq down the order. Umar Akmal can also be promoted to open the innings, in which case if he gets going, he can take the game away from the opposition. Pakistan should not have much difficulty moving to the knockout stage, but once they reach the knockout stage, they have to play their best cricket. If Pakistan play their best cricket from the knockout stage, and some of their key players like Umar Akmal, Shahid Afrid, Abdul Razzak, and Kamran Akmal hit the purple patch, they can decimate even the best of the teams and can win the World Cup.
India is probably slightly better team in the tournament overall particularly because of playing in home conditions. Hence according to the merit of the teams, India is favorite to win the World Cup. India has the best batting line up in the tournament with South Africa being other team with an equally stronger batting line up. Where India has a slight edge over South Africa is having more players with all round capabilities. Most of the front-line batsmen in the Indian team are also useful spinners who will be quite handy in the Indian conditions. The new-found form of Yusuf Pathan can be decisive. But like Afridi, Yusuf Pathan is unpredictable. Anyway, India will need Pathan only when most of the Indian batsmen will fail, which is unlikely in the subcontinent conditions. But whenever they need him, they will have someone capable of winning them a game from a desperate situation. They have a very capable bowling line up to complement their strong batting line up. Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel, and Nehra with the supporting cast of Harbhajan, Yusuf Pathan, Yuvraj Singh, and Sehwag can defend any good score. But the pressure of high expectation from the Indian crowd might be the undoing for the Indian team. Yuvraj Singh's form will also be crucial for India's chances in the World Cup.
South Africa probably has the best bowling line-up in the tournament with the best fast bowling pair in their ranks, but they have to maintain a good line and length to be effective on subcontinental pitches. If they go wayward, the faster they will bowl, the faster they will be hit back by the opposition batsmen. South Africa also has an impressive batting line up that can match Indian batting line up. Moreover, all their batsmen are in great touch contrary to the Indian batsmen who are either coming back from injury or not in best form of their life. Hashim Amla and De Villiers will have to play an important role. Smith and Duminy will also be very crucial at the top and in the middle respectively to win the World Cup for South Africa. They have to devise a method to get over their choking habit at the important stage of the tournament. Nonetheless, they are one of the favorites to win the World Cup.
The Australian team is still quite capable of winning the tournament. Remember a half-strength Australian team beating Indian team in a one day series an year or so back. The retirement of big players has affected their test team a great deal, but in one dayers, they have remained one of the strongest team in the World. Shane Watson will be pivotal for Australia. Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey will have to play important role with others in supporting cast. It will be an unprecedented and unmatchable achievement if Australia goes on to win this edition of the World Cup as it will be their four consecutive win in the World cup if they manage to do it this time.
These three teams India, South Africa, and Australia are three strongest teams in the tournament and can win the World Cup. But if there is any team in the tournament that has the talent and wherewithal to bamboozle these teams, it is Pakistan.
Pakistan team may not be the most dependable team in the tournament, but they have the talent and artillery, which is the most threatening in the tournament to say the least. What Pakistan needs is a bit of stability in the middle order. They must have a logical batting order. Kamran Akmal should either open the innings or he should bat down the order. Kamran Akmal is ineffective in the middle order. Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq should stabilize the middle order and try to play out middle over at reasonable strike rate. Misbah-Ul-Haq plays the role of the stabilizer and anchor to the perfection and can up the ante later in the innings. Younis Khan though need to control himself and look to play the role of anchor. Younis Khan often tries to match the other aggressive players in the team and gives away his wicket. There are too many World class hitters in the Pakistan and they do not require Younis Khan to play aggressive. Younis Khan's role will be to stabilize the innings with Misbah. Younis Khan can learn a few things from the way Javed Miandad and even Imran Khan played and used the other explosive players to up the ante. Umar Akmal will be the biggest threat alongside the regular threat from Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq down the order. Umar Akmal can also be promoted to open the innings, in which case if he gets going, he can take the game away from the opposition. Pakistan should not have much difficulty moving to the knockout stage, but once they reach the knockout stage, they have to play their best cricket. If Pakistan play their best cricket from the knockout stage, and some of their key players like Umar Akmal, Shahid Afrid, Abdul Razzak, and Kamran Akmal hit the purple patch, they can decimate even the best of the teams and can win the World Cup.
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