2015 World Cup: Asia may be struggling, but can’t be written off
Element of surprise still there in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India
DEPLETED ARTILLERY: Shorn of the services of Ajmal, Hafeez, Gul and Junaid, Pakistan’s reliance will be centred around Muhammad Irfan and Shahid Afridi. PHOTO: AFP
NEW DELHI:
Conventional wisdom says Asian teams usually succumb on the bouncy wickets of Australia or the seaming pitches in New Zealand, making them vulnerable and ranked outsiders for the World Cup.
Co-hosts Australia and New Zealand, alongside the mighty South Africa, are the bookmakers' favourites to win one-day cricket's biggest prize, with Asian teams way down in the pecking order.
But those already writing off Asia's big three – India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – will do so at their own peril. And not just because of the unpredictable nature of the limited-overs game.
The only other time the tournament was held Down Under, in 1992, it was Pakistan who won the title, beating England by 22 runs in the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Australia did not even make the knock-out rounds, while the Kiwis, like the South Africans, crashed out in the semi-finals.
Defending champions India are the only team to have won the World Cup on home soil, while Sri Lanka won it in Pakistan as co-hosts of the 1996 event.
Barring major upsets, like in 2007 when India and Pakistan were knocked out in the first round, Asia should have three teams – even more if Bangladesh, Afghanistan or the UAE cause an upset – in the quarter-finals.
Kapil Dev, under whom India won its first World Cup in 1983 by shocking overwhelming favourites West Indies at Lord's, said picking a winner was not easy. "Once you enter the quarter-finals, anything can happen," said Dev. "But if a side has to have an off-day, it better be during the first round where one can recover. Can't afford that in the knock-outs."
In 2011, India and Sri Lanka finished second in their respective groups and yet entered the final as Pool A winners Pakistan fell in the semi-finals and Pool B leaders South Africa went out in the quarter-finals.
While India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have the batting to take on the rest, much will depend on how their meagre bowling resources are able to contain the opposition.
Sri Lanka, finalists on the last two occasions, boast the top three run-getters in one-day cricket among those still playing in Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan.
Pakistan, faced with bowling suspensions of Saeed Ajmal and Muhammad Hafeez due to faulty actions, and missing Umar Gul and Junaid Khan due to injury, will look to make amends through their batting which includes captain Misbahul Haq, Younus Khan and Shahid Afridi.
In Rohit Sharma, the only batsman with two 200s in ODIs, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina and skipper MS Dhoni, India possess destructive batting firepower to tame the best attacks.
Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.
Conventional wisdom says Asian teams usually succumb on the bouncy wickets of Australia or the seaming pitches in New Zealand, making them vulnerable and ranked outsiders for the World Cup.
Co-hosts Australia and New Zealand, alongside the mighty South Africa, are the bookmakers' favourites to win one-day cricket's biggest prize, with Asian teams way down in the pecking order.
But those already writing off Asia's big three – India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka – will do so at their own peril. And not just because of the unpredictable nature of the limited-overs game.
The only other time the tournament was held Down Under, in 1992, it was Pakistan who won the title, beating England by 22 runs in the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Australia did not even make the knock-out rounds, while the Kiwis, like the South Africans, crashed out in the semi-finals.
Defending champions India are the only team to have won the World Cup on home soil, while Sri Lanka won it in Pakistan as co-hosts of the 1996 event.
Barring major upsets, like in 2007 when India and Pakistan were knocked out in the first round, Asia should have three teams – even more if Bangladesh, Afghanistan or the UAE cause an upset – in the quarter-finals.
Kapil Dev, under whom India won its first World Cup in 1983 by shocking overwhelming favourites West Indies at Lord's, said picking a winner was not easy. "Once you enter the quarter-finals, anything can happen," said Dev. "But if a side has to have an off-day, it better be during the first round where one can recover. Can't afford that in the knock-outs."
In 2011, India and Sri Lanka finished second in their respective groups and yet entered the final as Pool A winners Pakistan fell in the semi-finals and Pool B leaders South Africa went out in the quarter-finals.
While India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have the batting to take on the rest, much will depend on how their meagre bowling resources are able to contain the opposition.
Sri Lanka, finalists on the last two occasions, boast the top three run-getters in one-day cricket among those still playing in Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan.
Pakistan, faced with bowling suspensions of Saeed Ajmal and Muhammad Hafeez due to faulty actions, and missing Umar Gul and Junaid Khan due to injury, will look to make amends through their batting which includes captain Misbahul Haq, Younus Khan and Shahid Afridi.
In Rohit Sharma, the only batsman with two 200s in ODIs, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina and skipper MS Dhoni, India possess destructive batting firepower to tame the best attacks.
Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.