The 2023 Cricket World Cup

by Duty281 Mon 18 Sep 2023, 1:09 pm

First topic message reminder :

After the drama-free finish to the 2019 Cricket World Cup, the 2023 Cricket World Cup will finally get under way on the 5th October, having been initially delayed by Covid and then threatened by a Pakistani boycott.

England are the defending champions, and they're also the reigning T20 World Champions. Doubleplusgood, eh? They're looking to be the first nation to win consecutive ODI World Cups since the Aussie vintage of 1999-2007. Biggest adversaries to that are likely to be India, who haven't won a major global competition since the 2013 Champions Trophy, but will no doubt be heartened by the knowledge that the last three ODI World Cups have been won by a host nation.

Five-time winners Australia can never be ruled out, while Pakistan are fueled by a burning motivation to win the World Cup in the homeland of their greatest rivals. New Zealand have made the last two finals - losing the last on boundary count, would you believe? - and will hope to make the final step this year.

South Africa will presumably think they're due to win something, as they've not won a global competition since the 1998 Champions Trophy, while the Afghans will believe they can spin anyone into submission. Bangladesh will be hoping to make a sizable impact at the ODI World Cup for the first time.

Sri Lanka breezed through qualifying and will be encouraged by making the recent Asia Cup final, even if they did get hammered in said final. The Netherlands round off the ten teams after performing minor miracles in qualification, which of course means the West Indies, the winners of the first two ODI World Cups, will be missing out on this tournament for the very first time.

The ten-team format for the World Cup remains as simple as ever. Ten teams all play each other once, and the top four teams in the group at the end of it go through to the semi-finals, where it becomes a straight knockout. 48 matches total. There will be reserve days for the three knockout matches and, if necessary, Super Overs. But you can't win games on boundary count anymore...

Fixtures:

Tournament Odds:

Squad Lists (Teams have until the 28th September to finalise their squads):

by KP_fan Thu 12 Oct 2023, 3:18 pm

Aus has put up a side that could some-how hustle thru a 20 over game.......but 50 over games require skills closer to test cricket...and they are being brutally exposed by what will be a high quality test match attack also.

by GSC Thu 12 Oct 2023, 3:18 pm

Australia look way below the standard so far

by Oakdene Thu 12 Oct 2023, 3:18 pm

70/6.

by GSC Thu 12 Oct 2023, 3:19 pm

South Africa have gotten some interesting drs calls, but could well argue they've made their own luck with how they've bowled

by eirebilly_01 Thu 12 Oct 2023, 3:20 pm

The Aussies have a lot to do to turn around there World cup hopes. Could possibly be too much for them to do already.

by Duty281 Thu 12 Oct 2023, 3:26 pm

Six wins from seven for Australia would require them to beat the three weaker teams and three of England/Pakistan/Bangladesh/New Zealand, which does look incredibly steep based on what we've seen from Australia so far. In a tournament full of runs they may not reach 200 two games in a row, which is quite astonishing.

Five wins might do it, but that's getting into the realm of needing favours from other sides and possibly a good-enough NRR as well.

by GSC Thu 12 Oct 2023, 3:27 pm

Feels like another game that's effectively over early and one side is just trying to protect NRR

by Duty281 Thu 12 Oct 2023, 3:29 pm

GSC wrote:Feels like another game that's effectively over early and one side is just trying to protect NRR

Yes. 10 games in and the closest winning margin by runs is 81, by wickets it's six remaining.

But tomorrow, tomorrow might be different. We hope.

by GSC Thu 12 Oct 2023, 3:36 pm

Gonna be honest and say I did enjoy Australia asking Bavuma to withdraw the appeal for Stoinis

by king_carlos Thu 12 Oct 2023, 3:54 pm

Duty281 wrote:Six wins from seven for Australia would require them to beat the three weaker teams and three of England/Pakistan/Bangladesh/New Zealand, which does look incredibly steep based on what we've seen from Australia so far. In a tournament full of runs they may not reach 200 two games in a row, which is quite astonishing.

Five wins might do it, but that's getting into the realm of needing favours from other sides and possibly a good-enough NRR as well.

If Head isn't going to be fit before their chances are finished with how they're playing then there must be a question of bringing a replacement in. The batting order looks all over the shop. I've always been surprised Ben McDermott hasn't had more chances in ODIs. He opens the batting in List-A.

Tim David would add firepower but again hasn't been given chances beyond T20s and probably fits a similar role to Maxwell. If Maxi is bowling this well they could consider him at 7 and David at 6 I guess.

by dummy_half Thu 12 Oct 2023, 4:24 pm

GSC wrote:South Africa have gotten some interesting drs calls, but could well argue they've made their own luck with how they've bowled

If the commentators had shut up and listened, they would have heard the 3rd umpire state that Stoinis's bottom hand was still in contact with the top hand, and therefore (by the rule) still in contact with the bat. It makes it much less clearly a wrong decision, as I think there's one frame in it.

by Duty281 Thu 12 Oct 2023, 5:09 pm

Well, that was another sizable win in a tournament full of them. A thrashing in fact. Solid step towards the semis from South Africa, their batting order is firing, but the complete opposite for Australia who have huge concerns about their batting line-up and the apparent lack of form.

Two games in for every side and the table is beginning to take early shape.

We've got the three with no chance in Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and the Netherlands, their combined record is 0-6.

Of the seven semi-final contenders, we've got India, South Africa and New Zealand on four points out of four. There's a pleasing symmetry to their results because they've all beaten one of the three no-hopers and one of their fellow semi-final contenders. If New Zealand win their next game, v Bangladesh tomorrow, then they've got one foot in the semi-finals; and the same goes for India if they beat Pakistan on Saturday. South Africa's third game is against the Netherlands, so a chance to maintain their 100% record (as long as they don't slip up against the Dutch again!), but it wouldn't be a definitive step to the semi-finals.

Pakistan have also got four points out of four, but they've only beaten two of the weaker nations so far, and haven't faced a step-up in quality. A win over India on Saturday, because India are the strongest team on paper at this World Cup, would make their semi-final chances very strong, however.

The next two teams are England and Bangladesh. England's record is 1-1, but they haven't played any of the three weaker teams yet, whereas Bangladesh (also 1-1) have, so England's position is marginally stronger ahead of their game v Afghanistan on Sunday.

It's a very important game for Bangladesh tomorrow v New Zealand. If they win then they're well in the semi-final hunt. Lose and it begins to look forlorn. I think they've got a good chance of doing it. Maybe this will finally be the drama-filled game the World Cup is crying out for?!

And Australia...well it looks bleak. As discussed, they're going to have to find at least five wins, probably six, from their remaining seven games, starting on Monday v Sri Lanka.

by king_carlos Thu 12 Oct 2023, 5:14 pm

Another absolute pumping to start the tournament. Australia are looking pretty woeful. The Proteas 6 batters, 5 bowlers approach is working well so far. Though their lower middle order didn't quite capitalise on the platform they had. It didn't matter in the end as the bowlers were bang on.

by msp83 Thu 12 Oct 2023, 7:03 pm

Terrific win for South Africa. You don't often see Australia beaten so comprehensively! And in this game, South Africa's bowling unit too, came to the party... Quinton's making his last World Cup appearance quite memorable so far.

by KP_fan Thu 12 Oct 2023, 7:27 pm

I am not happy seeing top contenders blown away like Eng was in their opener but they redeemed themselves in Game-2
Unfortunately Aus did not redeem themselves in their Game-2 and actually look woeful....short on batting and not playing either clever or inspired cricket

BUT a closer analysis shows no one has gone more than +1 material win ahead

-Aus & SL have lost 2 games each but the silver lining for them is that their losses are to sides that are in Top_6...i.e their 2 difficult games are out each.

-None of the sides that have won both games ( Ind, Nz. Pak, SA) have done so against 2 Top sides
in fact Pak has won both games against bottom-4

-An Eng & BD are in the middle having lost to top sides & won against bottom-4 side each.

-So if winning against Top-6 is the ranking criteria....then
NZ, SA & Ind = +1
everyone Else =0

i.e Those 3 have a +1 Material win above others

by KP_fan Thu 12 Oct 2023, 7:36 pm

and following the above infers a simplified formula to be in with a chance until the end

1- The top-6 must beat bottom-4 PLUS 1 of Top-6 PLUS healthy NRR
2- one of bottom-4 ( SL or BD) must beat the remaining 3 of bottom-4 PLUS 2 of top-6 PLUS Healthy NRR

by alfie Fri 13 Oct 2023, 12:07 am

Too much analysis of the possible points permutations for a handful of games , I think , KP_fan...

We don't know who is going to have a run of success , which of the lesser teams will spring an upset... Even see disagreement over which are "top" teams and which are rabbits for the shooting (eg : Duty rates Bangladesh as a true contender - he may be right but I for one don't see it - and dismisses Sri Lanka ) Think we should wait a bit before trying to anticipate the final calculations.

Fair to say Australia are not looking good ; but they have played two strong opponents. And I'd say SA and NZ have both done better initially than a lot of pre-tournament opinions predicted. But as I say , very early days...

by alfie Fri 13 Oct 2023, 12:15 am

Didn't stay up late so haven't seen any proper replay of the controversial Stoinis dismissal. Does seem at least debateable but I'd have to watch it all in slow motion and from all angles and probably still wouldn't have a clue...don't suppose it would have made much difference to the result anyway even if decided otherwise. But the "withdrawing the appeal" request does have a certain ironic amusement Smile

As for the Smith one : well either you believe that drs tracking is totally unreliable (or being Hacked by Evil Manipulators ) or you accept that (a) Smith never thinks he's out ; and (b) sometimes our eyes deceive us with angles , etc ... I reckon that one was fine.

But controversies enliven one sided matches so maybe we need a few more of them...

by KP_fan Fri 13 Oct 2023, 6:51 am

alfie wrote:Too much analysis of the possible points permutations for a handful of games , I think , KP_fan...

We don't know who is going to have a run of success , which of the lesser teams will spring an upset... Even see disagreement over which are "top" teams and which are rabbits for the shooting (eg : Duty rates Bangladesh as a true contender - he may be right but I for one don't see it - and dismisses Sri Lanka ) Think we should wait a bit before trying to anticipate the final calculations.

Fair to say Australia are not looking good ; but they have played two strong opponents. And I'd say SA and NZ have both done better initially than a lot of pre-tournament opinions predicted. But as I say , very early days...

Hi Alfie,
Analysis is a live thing that updates, after every round....like Decathlon
The short of the analysis is only 3 teams have a +1 Material win advantage over others

That who are the Top-6 is not in question
That whether BD is not in bottom-3 but bottom-4 argued by Duty is not totally irrational.
Give BD the Chennai pitch that India has vs Aus...and BD would spin anyone into knots

by KP_fan Fri 13 Oct 2023, 6:55 am

alfie wrote:

As for the Smith one : well either you believe that drs tracking is totally unreliable (or being Hacked by Evil Manipulators ).

It might sound bizzare , but BCCI is currently run by the extension of a regime accused of hacking & manipulating electronic voting machines.
And I would not put the possibility of manipulating DRS or umpires adjudicating it as totally NIL, especially in situations that impact India positively.
Smith dismissal had no bearing on India....but it could have been a pilot trial in a live match Shocked

by alfie Fri 13 Oct 2023, 9:31 am

OK , KP_fan ... fair enough , keep the analysis coming round by round. But I will wait and see what is needed and who is getting there when we have a bit more evidence.

As for the conspiracy theories : I hope you are in tongue in cheek mode there !

by KP_fan Fri 13 Oct 2023, 9:41 am

Artherton had a close look at the pitch & he say this is a much better Chennai pitch compared to the Ind-Aus game
More grass to bind the pitch unlike the dirty loose one in the last game & hence much less assistance to spinner expected.

NZ put BD in and good move to test the water (pitch) on what its like instead of going in to set a score

by KP_fan Fri 13 Oct 2023, 9:42 am

alfie wrote:OK , KP_fan ... fair enough , keep the analysis coming round by round. But I will wait and see what is needed and who is getting there when we have a bit more evidence.

As for the conspiracy theories : I hope you are in tongue in cheek mode there !

Keep a close eye on DRS/ 3rd umpiring /on field umpiring marginal calls esp umpire calls / Pitches...and make up your own mind

by GSC Fri 13 Oct 2023, 10:52 am

Doesn't look like we're getting that first nail biter of the tournament so far, Bangladesh 78-4 after 16. NZ look polished as ever

by Duty281 Fri 13 Oct 2023, 11:35 am

50 for Mushfiqur. Looked good from ball one and is leading the rebuild of this innings with a positive counter-attack.

Interesting to note Williamson is back in the side today.

by KP_fan Fri 13 Oct 2023, 11:59 am

BD don't like pace.....and they have a pitch with a bit in it for seamers who can bend their back.
BD RR is OK....but 2 wickets too many at this point.....but bat deep...290 might be par for this pitch.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Fri 13 Oct 2023, 11:59 am

king_carlos wrote:
Duty281 wrote:Six wins from seven for Australia would require them to beat the three weaker teams and three of England/Pakistan/Bangladesh/New Zealand, which does look incredibly steep based on what we've seen from Australia so far. In a tournament full of runs they may not reach 200 two games in a row, which is quite astonishing.

Five wins might do it, but that's getting into the realm of needing favours from other sides and possibly a good-enough NRR as well.
If Head isn't going to be fit before their chances are finished with how they're playing then there must be a question of bringing a replacement in. The batting order looks all over the shop. I've always been surprised Ben McDermott hasn't had more chances in ODIs. He opens the batting in List-A.

Tim David would add firepower but again hasn't been given chances beyond T20s and probably fits a similar role to Maxwell. If Maxi is bowling this well they could consider him at 7 and David at 6 I guess.

What I don't get is why in all the build up, Aussies went with a very heavy batting biased lineup...and have played with that for a while as their structure in the build up (often just two from Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood and then Zampa as the only "specialist" bowlers)...yet the injury to Head has seemingly made them deviate massively away from that.

I wouldn't rule them out yet, while two losses from two isn't great, they are to India and South Africa. Not like they've dropped one to Afghanistan/the Dutch. But they need to turn things round sharpish

by Duty281 Fri 13 Oct 2023, 12:17 pm

Cruel dismissal for Mushfiqur, that one kept low and denied him a century which looked probable.

These are the last two decent batsman for Bangladesh, then it's three tailenders. They've got to try and get Bangladesh to 250.

by alfie Fri 13 Oct 2023, 12:33 pm

Yeah I wouldn't write Australia off - yet. But the way they are playing - two games so not just a one-off bad hair day - doesn't suggest they have the combination to go all the way this year. Team balance looks a bit off ; selection appears muddled ; waiting for Head might be an exercise in futility if they were to drop another game before he gets fit. And an out of form Zampa plus Maxwell hardly measures up to the spin options available to most of the other contenders. Might prove me wrong but I reckon they'll have to lift a lot - and have a few things go their way - to make the semis.

NZ looking well placed to make it three from three with Bangladesh struggling at 189/7 after forty.

by GSC Fri 13 Oct 2023, 1:16 pm

245-9 is a decent recovery, Mahmudullah with some nice hitting at the end to get Bangladesh near 250.

Feels well short of par though, NZ should be able to manage this chase if they don't lose wickets early

by eirebilly_01 Fri 13 Oct 2023, 1:17 pm

I am not so sure New Zealand will find this chase easy, we could be in for a tight finish.

by Duty281 Fri 13 Oct 2023, 1:22 pm

Yeah, that was a good cameo and has given Bangladesh something to bowl at, although the pitch doesn't appear to be taking much spin.

It shouldn't be enough, and it should be another comfortable chase, but we're overdue some drama, aren't we?! I tell you what, if we don't get any drama here, and if India/Pakistan is a dud, then the four fixtures from Sunday-Wednesday all look very one-sided on paper, so it'll be a contender for dullest World Cup.

If New Zealand do chase it down then they'll be 3-0 and with games against Sri Lanka and Afghanistan still to come, meaning they're virtually assured of a semi-final place if they win here.

by KP_fan Fri 13 Oct 2023, 1:39 pm

20 run last wicket partnership give them 245
that is something to work with, although about 50 runs short of Par

by eirebilly_01 Fri 13 Oct 2023, 1:58 pm

Well, the first wicket drops. Again I say that I do not think this will be a comfortable chase for New Zealand.

by GSC Fri 13 Oct 2023, 2:25 pm

Tough chance off Conway, would've been a worldie if he'd held on. But not much margin for error

by **Galted** Fri 13 Oct 2023, 2:37 pm

Duty281 wrote:
It shouldn't be enough, and it should be another comfortable chase, but we're overdue some drama, aren't we?! I tell you what, if we don't get any drama here, and if India/Pakistan is a dud, then the four fixtures from Sunday-Wednesday all look very one-sided on paper, so it'll be a contender for dullest World Cup.

It only needs one or two tight matches at the end of the tournament for it to be remembered as a classic. Plus I'm sure it'll be livened up by another spectacular sob story if SA manage to make the semis, or rioting if India don't.

by Duty281 Fri 13 Oct 2023, 2:49 pm

Would be hilarious if India got knocked out before the semis, but we'd then have to put up with empty stadiums (Emptier stadiums).

Conway and Williamson have managed this well. Ball was doing a bit early on, they got through it with little alarm (would have been a world-class grab to get Conway out), and are now starting to score. Should be no further problems.

Bangladesh have just wasted a review.

by king_carlos Fri 13 Oct 2023, 2:53 pm

Galted wrote:
Duty281 wrote:
It shouldn't be enough, and it should be another comfortable chase, but we're overdue some drama, aren't we?! I tell you what, if we don't get any drama here, and if India/Pakistan is a dud, then the four fixtures from Sunday-Wednesday all look very one-sided on paper, so it'll be a contender for dullest World Cup.

It only needs one or two tight matches at the end of the tournament for it to be remembered as a classic. Plus I'm sure it'll be livened up by another spectacular sob story if SA manage to make the semis, or rioting if India don't.

This is true of tournaments but also matches. One of my unpopular cricket opinions is that the 2019 CWC final was that tight finish away from being an abysmal ODI match. The pitch was an absolute dog. CdG bowled 10-2-25-1 with his 70mph swing in what felt like a return to the middle overs with Scott Styris or Chris Gayle bowling through in the noughties. NZs top score was 55 (77) from Nichols. Buttler was basically the only batter to hit it fluently at the point he got out. Then Stokes did his thing taking it deep alongside an absurd collection of occurrences. Due to the end it will be remembered as a classic though. That's how sport often goes.

by king_carlos Fri 13 Oct 2023, 2:54 pm

Duty281 wrote:Would be hilarious if India got knocked out before the semis, but we'd then have to put up with empty stadiums (Emptier stadiums).

If India get knocked out then who would get the wickets that the BCCI, sorry ICC, it's definitely an ICC tournament, are preparing for them?

by king_carlos Fri 13 Oct 2023, 2:58 pm

Steady going by NZ but I actually think it's precisely the right thing to do whilst Bangladesh bowl their pacemen looking for early wickets. They'll have to go to the spinners soon and it didn't turn much in the first innings. Whilst NZ have firepower at 6 and 7 if they keep wickets in hand. The RRR is still 5s despite Williamson being 19 from 32 with plenty of dot balls.

by GSC Fri 13 Oct 2023, 3:19 pm

Had to be taken that one I think

by **Galted** Fri 13 Oct 2023, 3:33 pm

king_carlos wrote:
Galted wrote:
Duty281 wrote:
It shouldn't be enough, and it should be another comfortable chase, but we're overdue some drama, aren't we?! I tell you what, if we don't get any drama here, and if India/Pakistan is a dud, then the four fixtures from Sunday-Wednesday all look very one-sided on paper, so it'll be a contender for dullest World Cup.

It only needs one or two tight matches at the end of the tournament for it to be remembered as a classic. Plus I'm sure it'll be livened up by another spectacular sob story if SA manage to make the semis, or rioting if India don't.

This is true of tournaments but also matches. One of my unpopular cricket opinions is that the 2019 CWC final was that tight finish away from being an abysmal ODI match. The pitch was an absolute dog. CdG bowled 10-2-25-1 with his 70mph swing in what felt like a return to the middle overs with Scott Styris or Chris Gayle bowling through in the noughties. NZs top score was 55 (77) from Nichols. Buttler was basically the only batter to hit it fluently at the point he got out. Then Stokes did his thing taking it deep alongside an absurd collection of occurrences. Due to the end it will be remembered as a classic though. That's how sport often goes.

I'm also of that view. It was like a boxing match in which the combatants are clinging to each other without throwing a punch, until round 30 when the fight's awarded to the blue corner because it's bluer than the red corner.

by GSC Fri 13 Oct 2023, 4:08 pm

Bit of a cruise so far, 100 needed from the last 20 with 8 left. Bangladesh need to find a lot of wickets quickly

by Duty281 Fri 13 Oct 2023, 4:57 pm

Total cruise. Don't think they'll need it, but Mitchell giving the NRR a bit of a boost and Williamson has definitely continued his good touch from the warm-up games, although that thumb injury will be a big concern.

New Zealand 3-0 and every win has been comfortable (literally every win has been comfortable, not just New Zealand's wins!). I think it's pretty safe to say New Zealand are in the semis. They can beat Sri Lanka and Afghanistan (next game) easily enough, it would be a sizable upset if anything different occurred, then it's just a matter of finding one more win from the games v India/Pak/SA/Aus to reach the fabled six wins.

Bangladesh, disappointing. They started off with a strong win over Afghanistan, but have since been hammered by England and New Zealand. Semi-final chances look very remote from here, plus they've got India next.

Semi-final prospects:

Virtually secure - New Zealand
Good progress - South Africa, India
In the hunt - England, Pakistan
On life support - Australia, Bangladesh
No chance - Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Netherlands

India/Pakistan tomorrow. This game ~~is the reason why this format is the way it is~~ can spark a comatose World Cup into life.

by KP_fan Fri 13 Oct 2023, 5:30 pm

When there is slightest assistance for seamers...BD doesn't get big enuf a total & end up with middish scores

If there is no help for spinners....they cannot defend the middish scores
Had BD been allowed to use the adjacent pitch that Ind had gotten vs Aus...defending 245 would have been much likelier.

For NZ.....well good outing for Williamson but I hope he did not break something in his hand
A statutory expected win for NZ against another bottom-4 side. Changes nothing significantly.......keeps Ind, NZ & SA as teams having 1 win over top-6.

Ind can become the first side to get to 2 wins vs Top sides tomm
OR
Pak can join the list of 1 win against top sides....I think the latter is more likely...because Pak cannot be conned with a spinning pitch

by king_carlos Fri 13 Oct 2023, 6:19 pm

The pitch will be interesting tomorrow. India basically got their ideal pitch against Australia, ragging and looked like it had a season of F-C cricket played on it. Then the same in a very different way against Afghanistan, much flatter with more for their seamers and a chance for their batters to go big without much for the Afghan spinners.

They wont want a quick pitch for Shaheen, Rauf and Ali. Pakistan are better players of spin and have better spinners than Oz though. I'd expect something slower with India having a bit more batting firepower. Challenge Pakistan to go bigger than they usually do with the anchor heavy approach whilst batting.

It sums up the depressing point we are at with the ICCs toothlessness that it's just being openly talked about that the BCCI are doctoring pitches at a supposedly ICC ran tournament though. It's not even under the surface. It's not like it's rubbish pundits known for being wilfully inflammatory mentioning it for a rise either. It's just good journalists openly talking about it. Guys like Bharat Sundaresen, the terrific Indian born and now Australia based journalist who spent a decade writing for the Indian Express and now writes for Cricbuzz, amongst others, whilst popping up on many podcasts. He wrote an MS Dhoni biography which was Indian bestseller. He's not a former player who averaged 11 with the bat in India and now likes to throw barbs. He's just a very well informed, diligent journalist, mentioning it openly as it's clearly part of the tournament the same as discussing selection quandaries. How unremarkable it feels best sums up the state of the ICC.

by KP_fan Fri 13 Oct 2023, 7:52 pm

king_carlos wrote:

It sums up the depressing point we are at with the ICCs toothlessness that it's just being openly talked about that the BCCI are doctoring pitches at a supposedly ICC ran tournament though. It's not even under the surface. It's not like it's rubbish pundits known for being wilfully inflammatory mentioning it for a rise either. It's just good journalists openly talking about it. .

Such a phenomenon in general is called "New Normal" atleast on Indian social media.
Got used in context of the ruling party in India openly buying opposition parliament members when short on majority or buying mass resignation of opposition so that they become majority. Plausible deniability, lack of clear timely evidence & fear of powerful ruling party turned such brazen breaches of law into accepted "New Normal"
Son of the boss of same party now runs BCCI.

And in politics they didn't just stop at buying MLAs.....they went any extent that they can under cover of Plausible deniability to give themselves electoral advantage.

So there might be hard to prove incidents like Umpire's call all going Ind's way or that team's way whose winning favors Indian qualification in a crucial game......one or a couple of favored TV umpires in Ind's games, technical glitches with DRS & in extreme case opposition like Pak wakes up with 6 guys having stomach flu.

If still someone can win & take this world cup out of India......he'd be a Ben Affleck in a real life ARGO The 2023 Cricket World Cup - Page 7 1f601

The 2023 Cricket World Cup - Page 7 1f601

by guildfordbat Fri 13 Oct 2023, 10:43 pm

Duty281 wrote:
…

Semi-final prospects:

Virtually secure - New Zealand
Good progress - South Africa, India
In the hunt - England, Pakistan
On life support - Australia, Bangladesh
No chance - Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Netherlands

...

Hi Duty - A particular issue for teams in your two categories that I’ve highlighted is whether they can now rest players for particular games. Whilst the strong desire to rest certain seamers - Wood, Topley, Starc, Hazelwood for instance - so that they can return fitter and stronger will still remain, there will be a related worry that the chances of a further defeat will be increased by not picking your best eleven which may in turn mean an exit from the tournament.

by KP_fan Sat 14 Oct 2023, 9:51 am

The pitch has been left with tiny bits of grass to hold it and hence won't spin
This is closest that Indians get to producing seam friendly pitch and they have played 4 seamers and 2 spinners.
On evidence of game so far...ball has neither swung when pitched up nor seamed off the pitch.

In high pressure games its always better to bat first and put runs on board and let the pressure of chasing create choke.

Pak will need minimum 270 to put india under pressure.
Though 315ish appears like early Par score.

Pak on the other hand have 3 seamers, 2 spinners and 2 batsmen who can bowl part time spin.
There might be more assistance to seamers under light

by KP_fan Sat 14 Oct 2023, 10:20 am

Williamson has fractured his thumb
Should be fit for semis
They should get a replacement anyway

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