That's four in a row there is good they're going to blow next
the prodigal son turn Messiah gets a second hundred in
successive romantic style. The whole of Bengal are on their
feet. The.
Dream is diminished towards the end as you know as Paresh Shahar
is going to be hand, it becomes ATV event and they kind of zoom
into the Jallad. They do ATV interview with the
Jallad and they get a new set of clothes for the Jallad which is
packed with sponsors, Sponsors logos, pull and top to bottom it
has sponsor logos. Basically a jersey like his, his
clothes turn into an F1 jersey. And I feel like how Phoebe Dil
Hindustani is prescient 20 years back, that's maybe a different
part. But I feel we treat Jersey's a
lot like that now where we just force logos onto it, especially
IPL Jersey's, which is why IPL. Jersey's May or advertising
banner Advertising Holdings. Go here for the.
Good question. Now, how long before an IPL
jersey has one of those ads where a politician is like this
and he's like Hardik Shubhecha? Mumbai, all advertising goes.
One of my friends got it done from here in Chennai.
One of my friends actually. Just As for shits and giggles,
for his wedding, his all his friends and his parents put up a
giant hoarding and thankfully they didn't put it on the road.
They put it just outside the wedding venue where all our
faces were put. His faces was his face was put
like in a prayer, this thing and the bride's face was put.
It was too funny. Which is actually why the ICC
tournament jerseys actually look more presentable because there
is restriction on the number of ad patches that can go on in
jersey. So at least even even with Vimal
Pan Masala, the sponsor for any other team, it will still only
go on the sleeves right? So it doesn't go on the center
of the T-shirt. So it doesn't make it look that
bad. Stay even Delhi looks decent
then ICC event Tirusha got 2. Things one because they take out
all the Vimal and Pankaja and Baba Baba Elaichi bow holdings
and so Delhi for ICC games at least, especially through the
2023 World Cup. They did a very nice colorway
with their seating, which looks great under lights, which is
this very nice shade of green and lovely shade of blue.
So it just comes across very nicely.
And the monstrosity that is the Gautam Gambhir stand, some would
say aptly named, but that doesn't, that doesn't come
across as bad because this, the seats on the side to side
stands, they are they look beautiful.
And I have watched one Afghanistan game there during
the 23 World Cup and it was a the experience was amazing,
generally sitting with the Afghans and going to Mazar, but
it's quite nice to not have these power by LIJ Holdings.
It's really cool. And it's good to.
So the way the 1K day structure IS1K the PJ, there are these
Railway Cup, foot over Bridge Stadium, so North Stand, the PJ
literally wherever there are air winds now to the stadium and
there is some strategically designed.
The whole thing is blocked off with this whole Sanjay Godawa
banner during Test matches. But there's no way for breeze to
pass through. They say bilateral, stadium
bilateral, but ICC? Chepauk looks quite good.
I don't know what they've done. I'm not sure if their facilities
are any better for relating to this.
They've redone the Sea Stand where they've put one more
clubhouse nature and they've kind of redone it.
They've relayed the grass. The turf looks different.
It has a patchwork now and the redesign of Chepauk is usually
so you'll find it very safe. It's done probably like the same
people who done by them and the design has been taken from Rose
Bowl. So if you see the stands at Rose
Bowl is the exact same design. The North and South stand of
Rose Bowl, it has the same design, the same kind of layoff
and the same kind of roof. So it looks really pretty hatch
epoch and it's maybe a good set way for us into the Ahmedabad.
Too. Ahmedabad, it doesn't need the
Segways. It doesn't have Segways because
there is only one exit. If you guys are following this,
Max O'Dowd has a YouTube channel.
He's logging right through this tournament.
He started with the pre mat pre tournament warmups in Chennai
and we all the way in Ahmedabad and the one now look grilled
chicken Cara lamb chop, Cara dressing.
Room. They are the only people in
Ahmedabad wearing orange and having lamb chops.
I can confirm it right now, but the Dutch team.
Has been really good. What do you think on maps?
Is India versus USA? India versus Namibia to
associates? Is T20 World Cup double down?
High IQ, high intelligence, it's OK, they have played well, it's
not a shade on them, but we should not put them in a World
Cup straight away, yeah. World Cup.
We cannot put them in a World Cup straight away.
Yeah, because they are not double down at the end of the
map. Logic, you cannot put them in a
World Cup straight away because they are not good enough.
You cannot put them in bilateral because one day again paisa case
when I got BCCI MLBY so they can't get bilateral.
So Karnataka people, they don't have enough exposure.
Exposure. No.
But didn't he, didn't he come out and say that once he was
challenged on his opinion about these smaller teams, didn't he
come out and say that no, what I meant like it was so even if
what I meant was they should play more bilateral.
What I meant was, so it was a very bizarre kind of an
explanation where he wanted to come out and say that, Ray, what
I meant was not that, but we're at the same time he's defending
on the, I think. Fundamentally, fundamentally
cricket is, I mean what is what is very, very clear is that key.
And you can see this across Indian fans and and mostly
Indian commentators and Indian like journalists as well.
Robbie is, I'm not even like you're going to call Robbie out
for this. Everybody is that everybody
refuses to see cricket as a global game.
What they've essentially become is that they're essentially
batting for Mukesh Ambani or slash the broadcasters rights
and that's the general explanation that you hear
constantly. Key are a broadcaster.
Kellye to humne preceding 2nd is key.
Second nonsense about preceding is key.
It helps with fan travel. Fan travel again.
Again India versus USA Joe is Bharat ka Pehla match is
tournament me kiss summit tickets.
Mil Rahithi Saad Bajeke game schedule Nicholas tournament
both ODI ticket cup He has tickets job 5th Phase one phase
two in a tournament ticketing the phase one, phase two, phase
three, phase four works if the schedules have been announced a
year in advance. Two years in advance.
This is a tournament schedule one time.
Or ticket, nickel type match match.
This is not the first time, right?
Not India, Australia 2023 World Cup, first game in Chennai
match. Tickets are released on the day
of the game. Yeah, yeah.
This is fairly. Released match tickets were
released after Jadeja Bold Steve Smith because I was wanting to
go. I was in Chennai at the time and
I was offered mass tickets by somebody on Twitter after Steve
Smith got out. You realize Steve Smith, Matlab,
he didn't get out in the second third over.
He got out well into the middle overs.
And then somebody's like, hey man, I have mass tickets at
every India game. In 2023 you saw a section of the
stand fairly empty, even in the World Cup final I was looking
at. That was that has come down to
very poor. But this time the the attendance
has been really good and yeah, attendance has not been really
good. So I'll come to that.
So I was just looking at when the schedules for ICC events
were released over the last two decades, 2003 on tournaments, I
think 99 and beyond is when the ICC really took over hosting
world. Yeah, 9999 is the 1st 99 is when
they took over. So 2003 is when we have like
real start most tournaments which have not featured India.
Even 2007, this famously disastrous tournament schedules
were released two years in advance, 18 months in advance.
So people had a reasonable sense of when they wanted to travel
games that they wanted to pick out.
Even in T20 World Cups, which have like a two year cycle,
schedules have been released 8-9 months in advance.
In most of the even the West Indies World Cup last time,
they're released well in advance.
So that is no excuse. Key board keeps doing this every
now and then like every women hosted tournament.
There's a women's T20 World Cup in June, it is this summer in
England, Uska tickets were released.
It's in August, last in August 2025.
Before the India. Before the tickets, The Women's
ODI World Cup in India in that October, like two months later.
So. Yeah, how many justify?
Meerai Meerai preceding will fix yeah other BCCI C percent.
Revenue lifetime In the last 30 years we have seen the Football
World Cup go from a 2014 tournament to now a 4048 team
tournament. And this is in our life.
The people's memories are like football 90.
It was the first night, it was the first time it was a So it's
been 2 decades it has happened. Have you not seen blow blow outs
in football World Cups? You of course see blow outs in
football World Cups. Also you see a fair.
Football World Cups. Like every time somebody says
blow outs in football World Cups.
Germany 7 Brazil won. And this is a myth.
This is a thing that I was looking at for that subtracting
trying to analyze. So even in this tournament,
right, the closest games have been the ones featuring
associates and not these top five versus top five, top five
versus top five kind of games are very often blowouts and that
is something we are OK with, right?
So we are always OK with India versus Pakistan being a blowout,
India versus England being India versus England.
The last two instances have been a 10 wicket defeat for India and
famously bad semifinal last time in Guyana.
OK, so 2323 name not in the I'm talking about the T20 World Cup.
The last two T20 World Cup meetings were just basically
both ways complete blowouts. But we are OK with those kind of
blowouts, but as long as if it's immediately judges see if it's
an emerging nation in a blowout. Now we are ready to pass
verdicts on their whole, much of the merit of them being in the
tournament, whether they deserve tournament with the Steam
coverage, A&E, even if you put them through three years of
qualification. Several divisions, a very tight
qualification tournament, and at the end of it you say he
meritocracy. It's it's yeah, it's it's weird.
And the point I keep like I was very surprised with Ashwin's
sentence because so Ashwin keeps mentioning his childhood
memories of cricket and that's also strong team in his book of
his of his not just playing cricket in gully, but also
watching a lot of cricket. He he watched a tremendous
amount growing up. I was very surprised by his
views because the first cricket World Cup he would have watched,
I'm assuming it's 96 if it's 92, Zimbabwe versus Sri Lanka was a
bloody close game. South Africa in the first World
Cup made it to the semi finals. OK, now New Zealand made it to
the semi finals. New Zealand were only beaten by
that most insane in the innings in the semis.
In the 96 World Cup. In the group stage, Kenya beats
W Indies at Pune. So boom and it's a huge moment.
Kenya then have records of beating India in ODISODI
matches. Other teams in the 99 World Cup,
Bangladesh beat Pakistan. In 2003 World Cup, Kenya reached
the bloody semi finals. They almost in the Super six
stage beat Australia, Asif Korean bowlers and India and
super Sixers. They had India in trouble and
for somebody to have grown up with that, and I'm not even
talking about football where Croatia reached the semi finals
in 2002, Turkey reached the semi finals, Senegal did what they
did, Morocco now Ghana did what they did.
Croatia again reached the finals.
That's football is it's a signature that there'll be some
team pushing really beyond and a lot of these smaller teams doing
very well for themselves. Greece winning the bloody EUR
Only Afghanistan repeatedly. Repeatedly.
Right. So I am very surprised he made
those views because he does come across his perceptive about
cricket. And the only way any cricket
nation grows in, including how India has grown, is by giving
more exposure, is by bringing them closer to the game, not
alienating them further. That once in a couple of years
will give you a chance doesn't work that way.
The idea is that let them play each other, which they anyway do
OK. That's not how they're going to
improve now. That's not how they're going to
Max. The Max put out will improve.
When he faces Ashdeep over 5 games in two weeks and the only
thing stopping from stopping this Netherlands team or this
Nepal team from or Scott Scotland for that matter from
becoming at least like a mid level team like New Zealand,
South Africa level, New Zealand, South Africa, New Zealand, Sri
Lanka, Pakistan level team at this point is exposure.
That is all 100% basically if they if Netherlands got three
years like. Where they play as part of ODI
Super League that they did last time around.
I can't. I can see them easily reaching
the Super Eights in this same tournament with the same
seedings because they play so much.
There's a reason like I think this is a good segue for us to
get into the groups. So let's start with Netherlands
only Group A. The World Cup started with
Pakistan Netherlands, where Netherlands were one sitter,
Maxwell Doud Kayabina with a Maxwell Doud sitter away from
beating Pakistan. And Scott Edwards, the captain
and keeper, was so angry at what had happened.
And Fahim Ashram had played a blinder.
And you know, if Mashhad takes that cat then once, once like
oh, Makhad drops that cat, Fahim Ashraf then wins it for
Pakistan. And it was it was incredible to
see at at the onset of the World Cup itself, the the Netherlands
team just being very pissed that man, Pakistan were there for the
taking. We should have beaten them.
So that sense of it's not just that OK, we are grateful for
being here, nice for a party. I think this is it's in 94.
Ireland had come and they had in in the World Cup, football World
Cup and they had beaten a bunch of teams and one of the I
remember the the coach at was it Jock Stein?
I forget who the coach was. Basically one of the very
memorable statements that had come out of that was that we
weren't here to just have a party.
That's what you think of the Irish, that they've come here to
have a beer. That was not how we were
thinking. Yes, we knew that we would run
up against Italy and then against Brazil and we'd lose,
but that's not how we approach the game.
And I felt a lot like that from the first game itself when
Netherlands, who have had a great ran in previous World
Cups, ODI and T20, they've beaten a lot of full member
nations were not, they were not messing around.
They were like, no, we beat Pakistan.
They're here for taking. They're.
Famously, Yeah, go ahead. But even in the last T20 World
Cup, right? So Netherlands on paper did not
make it to the Super Eights and the USA did.
But Netherlands had like a couple of good deliveries away
from beating South Africa in that New York game.
They're really good in the group stages actually.
Again. So the only thing that is
stopping these teams from getting at least like a regular
nation level good is just exposure.
Like you give them a full cycle. What stops you from say you have
so many meaningless bilateral T 20s, right?
What stops you from having a proper 12 team league in T 20s?
And instead of just having them play in isolation, so say I,
we'll probably discuss this at the end of it like what I want
to see and what will not happen. OK.
So yeah, I've been really not very surprised by how well these
teams have played Scotland, who have just turned up here without
any vision for they didn't know they were in this tournament
till two weeks before the tournament.
Yeah, and how well they have played.
We want to go group by group though.
Yeah, group by group. Coolish.
So Group A India, Pakistan, USA Netherlands, Namibia, USA
Netherlands. Very good, very good.
USA had India reeling at what, 74 seven?
Again, a couple of drops. 69 for six if I remember correctly. 77
for 615 for seven. And they were reeling.
Surya played a blinder, absolute blinder.
And he's, I hate that a lot of his, lot of the reaction to him
playing very, very good innings is that he only plays.
Zimbabwe's in courts minnows. I hate that because Surya A is
one of the world's at his best, is not the world's best T20
battles. Secondly, a lot of his knocks
for Mumbai and for India have come when nobody else has
played. Well, he's he's not your OK,
I'll, I'll come at, you know, 124 one in the 9:00 to 1:00.
I'll bash 100. He can also do that, but a lot
of his best knocks have come when the team has struggled,
when the pitch is tacky, when the other teams team is doing
well. That 84 was was one of his
better knocks for just the way he navigated that situation.
So they they were again couple of injuries away, Ali Khan not
being able to finish that bowling in Surya's dropped
catch. That could have very well been
130 chase for USA and it's a very different game if it's a
130 chase that day, just that opening day of the opening 2
days of the tournament, right? This is this and even 24 T 24
World Cup. They have both after a really
long time felt like World Cups, like a global sporting event.
After a really long time, which the 50 over tournaments have not
202350 over World Cup was basically felt like it's a
tournament for India and everyone else and I.
Think one of the reasons for it and we keen to hear your
thoughts as well. I think one of the reasons for
it is that the 23 one right it, it was just a overwhelming sense
of blue, just blue, left, right, center and anything that where
in they were not playing. They're barely in crowds this
time. It is in the same grounds.
It is on the same places at much worse timings, but a much better
attendance. And I would genuinely like to
credit the audience and the travelling fans for turning up.
I mean, Chennai localized have turned up for Afghanistan versus
Canada man and USA versus Netherlands.
I'm shouting on Gomesh from New Indian Express.
He's done a wonderful article recently.
He's done in the numbers on what is the average kind of
attendance in these matches. And B, he's also spoken to an
engineering student of from Chennai who's carried who's for
two, he who carried a poster to USA versus Netherlands.
And in that poster he referenced USS old history with the Dutch.
So there's been like serious, serious interest in the World
Cup. And that's a great thing.
That's to me, that's made the World Cup.
Yeah, I think there is some credit to be given to the ICC
before people also start telling us skis highly negative.
But ticket prices, the ticket prices, the ticket prices have
been exactly how World Cup should be priced.
Barring the Indian games, Indian games have been expensive.
In fact, the India Zimbabwe game which is a Super 8 game that's
going to happen in less than a week from today, the only some
tickets were out and now the only tickets that are left start
from 7500 INR. I actually don't mind that
beyond the point because I the point of a World Cup is for a
lot of these people who are attending, say no.
No, I'm USA No, no, I'm for it. I'm I'm for having equal pricing
across the across the spectrum like there is no need for
dynamic pricing Uber in a World Cup, World Cup.
That's the. Same thing that happened in the
women's World Cup right? So till the semi final.
No, so I'm I'm saying it doesn't matter now for for us at least
this part doesn't matter. Give a change one of you.
We just we are just wanting to raise the point Key A it was
great that the prices were absolutely accessible to every
spectrum of the society and that's why they went and across
like Delhi Ho yeah, even even if you look at the crowds in
Calcutta for for for England, Scotland was England, Scotland.
All all everywhere. I think Ahmedabad turned up for
50 in 50,050 or 30,000 for for some 54.
New Zealand, South Africa was 54.
But New Zealand, South Africa, I'll still expect that to, yeah,
for people to turn up for associate games is what I really
appreciate. And I think something that it's
happened at pretty much every ground that we've we've had this
World Cup in across the two countries.
See Candy, sorry, SSC have thrown their gates open, right?
Two games were completely free to attack and one of the other
games was and the rest of the games, the grass banks were free
that the other stands, we'll price it.
The grass banks were free. Even the India, Pakistan game
was was very well managed, very very well.
Even though the tickets, even though the tickets were
available right till the end, I think the game was very well
managed. The fans have not had an issue.
The Sri Lankan fans have been very kind.
They were very happy despite not getting access to the tickets
earlier. All of those things, once you
bring down the ticket prices, it makes a tremendous amount of
difference in attention. No, that's the point.
That's the point. Why was the WPL so well attended
at the Bangalore at Chinnaswamy? The The ticket to the to the end
stand for a IPL game is ₹25,000. The ticket to the end stand in
the WPL for the 2023 WPL and the 2024 WPL I think 23 most
definitely was ₹99 or ₹100. So everybody could like, you
know, people talk about that straight view.
Straight view or catchy members? Tickets for 299.
With with food, with investments, ODI, World Cup, the
ticket prices were tremendous. This is across DY, Patil and
other venues. Vizag I watched for ₹250.
Great view. I watched India, Australia and
Vizag, it was full. I watched no, a friend of mine
watched India, New Zealand, I think that was also in Navi
Mumbai. That was full packed.
India, New Zealand was packed. I think it was Sophie Devine's
last game and just great attendance and I think that's
what has been a big factor this time.
You know, when you by doing this you've also allowed a lot of
travelling fans to also grasp for last minute tickets.
It's not killing them to get a last minute ticket and you know.
It would have been better, it would have been better if if
they were allowed the tickets much in advance, much like a
schedule. I mean much like a normal sport.
Much like a normal sport. But if the ICC work, they're
like a normal. I mean, it's not group.
I mean, OK, group. There was some game in Colombo.
OK, I have confident view about Pakistan.
OK, I'm going to say it. I don't care what you guys
think. I don't care what our business
think. It is fucking annoying man.
It is so annoying. Pakistan team is not annoying.
The way they execute their skills are annoying.
IA strong any team. Forget Pakistan a strong USAA,
strong Netherlands, a strong W Indies, a strong South Africa.
They make cricket richer and game after game, game after
game, in the big moments, Pakistan play as if they are
like beer in headlights. In the 2024 T 20 World Cup,
Bumrah had the Pakistan team was not chasing too much against it
there it was a small achievement, 17 and they were
managing it half recently. Then Bumrah comes back for one
over. He was only going to bowl one
over. Mohammad Rizwan is on strike.
Experience of a decade. You would expect Rizwan out of
all people a very good player, really good player to know that
OK, 6 balls just don't get out. The game's in our hands.
He goes for an almighty heave trying to hit the ball from New
York to Texas. He gets out.
Pakistan collapse in this game some I was away.
I was watching Bangalore FC play play let's season opener.
But I came back and saw the fall of wickets and I just felt
angered that had I been, had I gone to Colombo, had I taken the
flight and watched the match, which I thought about it would
have been such a colossal waste of time.
Like what are you doing? I like is this is not a serious
cricket team. I'm I refuse to believe that
this is a cricket team whose opener made a documentary about
himself after hitting Bumrah for three sixes.
That's his claim to fame. I I refuse to believe this is
serious. I have Pakistani friends.
We've had Pakistani guests on the pod.
I have I would love for the Pakistan team to be more
serious. That's what I'm saying.
But Are you ready for the trilogy of films he's going to
launch after his hundred against Namibia?
I'll be the Oscar nomination, Karega.
Whoa. He lives like his name.
He's like, my name is this, now I have to live like this.
In it's not, I'm not even trolling them or I'm not doing
that. But again, like I'll I haven't
watched the highlights or the match for the for that game in
Colombo, but I did watch them play versus Namibia and it's a
it's, it's a function of pressure.
I'll be for say low bowling pressure, but big tie pressure.
And there is, there is something to be said about Mohsen Naqvi
coming there, doing photo OPS and telling Jao Tum JA Khilo and
all of that. But that puts on due pressure of
course. And all that being said, they, I
mean, you have to credit Mike Hassan for setting up this team
in whatever way he has. And I think being in Sri Lanka,
they should be able to maximize their their time in it.
Still suits them. It still suits them.
Even in the second round I wouldn't put it past them to get
to the sentence. Yeah, my, my problem, my problem
with them is not the So Salman Ali Yaga gets Abhishek out.
OK, Colombo is a spinner friendly track.
It's a tacky track. Salman Ali Yaga has chosen to
field because he thinks the track will get it's it's a like
whatever. Why does he take himself?
Why both Shaheen more these are and pressure doesn't justify
Baba's shot Usman Khan. I have another disagreement.
Shaheen in his first over wasn't really bad against Kishan.
He got 2 boundaries in that over aware of edges.
There was an inside and there was an outside edge and then he
took him off so. My bigger problem is Usman Tariq
bowling only the 11th over and the 12th over. 11th over. 11
Even again Namibia, there's a literary of this.
There's a litany, Pratyush Raj from Times of India has done a
report from the Asia Cup. And to me that is more telling
than any result. It will be true even if there is
a semi finals, even if they win, it won't matter.
So he reported on how India trained and how Pakistan
trained. And I keep repeating this.
I want the Pakistan team to be good.
And I'm not even being patronizing.
I genuinely have grown up with a very strong and incredibly, you
know, seducive Pakistan cricket team.
Seducive Bolagia is part way by somebody wearing orange.
Take it, take it and run with it.
So, so Pratyush Raj's report, we will link it in the show notes.
He spoke about how the how India, by the time they turned
up at the training ground, everything was ready.
They knew exactly what to do. It was like a machine working.
Pakistan were running on vibes. They didn't know what to do.
Batters or bowling bowlers were batting.
They didn't know and they were, they kept going in and out of
training sessions and like nobody had a clue what's going
on. Even the coaches were kind of
checking with Claire Tikya Karman.
This is like that the first chapter of Indian Summers by
John. Ray every team has been there.
I'm not saying this is the first time a cricket team has has
played like this. All I'm saying is that I don't
want to use a certain word here, but this team is not serious.
I don't think they will make the semi final because they just.
There is one thing of being emotionally never being at
equilibrium. There is one thing about lacking
leadership. There is one thing about the
undue pressure that somebody like the Mohsin that we creates
when he turns up before the match and leaves as soon as the
match goes S he leaves. But there is a tremendous amount
to be said by just the piss poor execution skills by these
people. And they have been like time
after time after time after time, they have been bad.
The one World Cup final they reached in 2022, they reached
because Zimbabwe allowed them to reach.
They did not reach completely because they were very good.
And they got shown up in the final.
Netherlands, sorry, Netherlands. Netherlands by beating South
Africa. So no.
And they lost to Zimbabwe in that tournament.
They lost to Zimbabwe, yes. So no.
I, I This team has potentially good players.
This team has players you can probably get behind.
This is a trash team. Which brings us to the bells of
the ball. Australia.
Trash team Australia. Australia.
Australia, I don't take them seriously.
The T20 side, for a while, never since the start of the T20 World
Cup, they've been quite an ordinary.
And between World Cups, they're phenomenal.
Between World Cups, they might be phenomenal, but I see so the
way that T20 World Cup cycle is structured is inside the
coincides with the with the T50 World Cup being very close or an
Ashes very close and so on. So I don't think and because
they are structured in such a way that they need the entire
base battery of his load start can come in to do well.
They're not placed very well in T 20s.
They don't really have if if you look at any any team, right, you
either need mystery spin, you need high pace.
And then most of these T20 World Cups, they'll go in with say an
attack like Faulkner playing in the T20 World Cup.
So I have never seen them take this.
Tournament very seriously. Took a very power heavy like
very muscle heavy team to Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka muscle heavy. Leave that there.
Everything is everything is convoluted about this Australian
team. Team David 4 by batting right.
The spin hitters are coming later.
They dropped right now was the highest scorer of the previous
game. So this Zimbabwe, Australia
game, right? So if you follow the ICC
website, they also put out live radio coverage of each game,
which is basically BBC's Test Match Special commentary live on
the ICC feed. Either can access it via the ICC
app for their website. So Dan Norcross and who else
Alex Hartley were on cons that day.
That morning, 11 AM again Zimbabwe.
And for the good 4045 minutes they kept saying that this feels
like a club level fixture that Australia have turned up.
There seems to be no intensity to them on the field.
Almost feels like they want to sleepwalk through this till the
Super eights and then turn up once the tournament moves to
India. They really are not in tune with
the idea that the wickets are slow.
You can't muscle through, bowling doesn't have firepower.
It's like Stein is opening the bowling for example.
Stein is all due credit. Never strikes me as big.
Great bowling, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe.
So the great cricketer boys mentioned it.
Between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, they picked 4 wickets. 4
wickets, three went to start is 1 went to and Usmi Zimbabwe kind
of like for a long part of that innings were under par.
They could have gone harder. Sikandar Raza batted like 12
deliveries or something in that game.
So what was 169 for two could well have been 190 for five or
something. But but they were also
struggling. But they were struggling,
struggling ball was not going off the square, the ball.
I do think Australia didn't read the like either.
They went on. Let's just raise the Super
Eights, which tells. Me the A happened for Sri Lanka,
which is very like which I don't think it's.
And it's a less speaking format, right?
Yeah. Compared to the 50 old.
Professional, but they then wouldn't have worked.
Zimbabwe have some very, very adept T20 players.
Blessing Muzurabani. He's AT20 Superstar.
He's one of the better bowlers in the world.
He's ranked in the. Ground wasn't fit for that game.
Again, Muzurabani topped in ranked ten Zimbabwe.
It's not a joke. And Zimbabwe, not just this
tournament, Zimbabwe have been on the upward trajectory for a
while now, 343 to four years. I would say 2020.
This course you could see. Signs of that happening, they
they went to Australia and they beat Australia in an ODI in
Australia and most of full strength Australian side just
before the Canada World Cup in Canberra and just Tarvin or
Canberra one of those places. And then they beat Pakistan in
the same T20 World Cup a month later and stuff.
And at home they constantly trouble sides, beat big sides at
home in white ball cricket. They haven't been able to turn
things around in a series or a tournament, but they've been on
the upswing and the age of nostalgia in 9999, this team is
potentially as good or better than the 99.
Better, I will say better, I will say better and and even
even the point that was raised on the final word, then no cross
it said it no. Then no cross it said it not at
it's peak. So 99 on the side add more peaks
basically. But yeah with the fully I have
any 18. Listen to this.
Brad Evans has taken a wicket in 27 of his last T20 games.
That is insane. He's not even their opening
bowler. They play a lot of T 20s because
exactly they keep they just they are the biggest, they are the
biggest Test side of the last 12 months, by the way.
So all of this is now coming, coming to fruition.
So all of this way people see. The way people see these lesser
sides, for the lack of a better word, is that if they don't
produce results immediately, they're bad, right?
But what you see with Zimbabwe is what you can see with a lot
of other associates team teams. Also the fact that the fact that
they got these chain of 7-8 Tests and a lot of these home
games against South Africa, New Zealand, we remember that 400
which didn't happen against them in the Test match in Harare.
But the fact that they constantly got exposure, they
told they got a Test match. So the fact that the last 11-12
months they've had so much cricket, they played a Tri
series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka just before this World
Cup. So all of that amounts to
something when teams are like building towards now, they know
that strategically, they know how to play in these conditions
and if this keep going on for another 12 months, they'll be a
even harder side to beat in that ODI World Cup, but they'll be
quite a sight. And the other point that again,
the bowlers will have the correct bowlers, will have the
correct conditions because the next World Cup is in South
Africa now, maybe I'm Zimbabwe, right?
But yeah, they'll get a most of it will be home games for them.
In home games which are so Zimbabwe are not quick tracks,
these are slightly tacky 2 pace tracks, Costco ball bounds.
So someone like a blessing, Muzurabani and Grava.
Ryan Ball, these guys will will be potent.
We're not. Obviously it'll be premature to
say we have work and like whatever, but they'll be a
potent force. So, so Zimbabwe essentially
complete polar opposites of Australia because you can hear,
you can hear second Raza say multiple times that we have the
data, we have the data of multiple teams.
He's like, yeah, we'll be prepared.
We have the data, which means that there is so much more work
going on in the background as well.
The I think they have shall Lagerfeld also in their coaching
ranks. I don't think Australia are.
Not no in terms of reading the pitch also.
No, no in terms of reading the pitch also and the conditions,
because what I was coming to was, was, was was Bennett.
Bennett is like this World Cup needs the anchor and I am going
to provide that. And Bennett has a very his
stance and backlift is very Salim Malik vibes.
Very low back. He doesn't lift the bat up.
It's very low and he just plays from there.
There's no backlift. But Marumani has been more fun
to watch, actually. Yes, great.
He has been the more aggressive. Vibes according to me and Pathum
Nisanka in one team opening together.
Yeah, and according to future friend of the Pod.
Andrew Fidel Fernando best name in world cricket.
Tadiwanashe Maruvani. What a name.
I mean I know Leon Cache is is very very well liked by Richa,
but. Tadiwanashe Marumani No, I think
also. Then we come to the match and as
#1 paying member of the Path of Nissankar fan club, I should say
that my boy has shown us. And how?
Water CACS and water knock. And there's something about Sri
Lankan crowds, men like turning up in night games.
It is specifically this combination of Sri Lanka or
Australia, right? The combination of colors and
the way it lights up in a night game, right?
There is something very viscerally like it's almost like
a South American football crowd. And yeah, yeah.
And if you, if you, if you go to a Palakali or Prema does I have
not watched at SSC as you go to Prema Dasa or Palakele, you will
drink. I mean, even if you're like, no,
I don't want to drink. I'll just watch and go.
I'll have like juice or whatever.
You will end up drinking because a, the beers and all,
everything's available in the stadium.
But more than that, the part you don't hear DJs at Sri Lanka
stadiums, you hear the brass band playing.
Brass Band P10. 1000 times better than hearing DJs and they
play all your bangers from the 90s and 2000s and classics,
right? And the atmosphere is like a
carnival, everyone's partying so you are swept up.
And when Sri Lanka does well, and I have been lucky enough to
watch Sri Lanka win in a game there, Oh my God it is, it is
just vibes. I was dancing drunk with people
who I have never met, will never meet for no reason except they
were dancing next to me and they were like just dancing.
And this Sri Lankan batting line?
Again, like same as what I said for Zimbabwe, again, they have a
really high ceiling, just that they need this one tournament
where they all come together. They need a 96 kind of a moment.
And this batting lineup cumulatively has the potential
to be that in AODI or T20 vertical less more in an ODI
vertical, less so in AT20 format.
I worry for Sri Lanka at a very high scoring venue.
Yeah. At a very high scoring venue,
they don't have I think the tools to get to 220.
And I could be wrong. I'll be happy to be broken down.
So in a, in a, in a Colombo Candy SSC in, in, you know, a
couple of the Indian venues, they will be great value.
I don't think they'll be easy to beat even in a super eights.
That being said. Although although they do show
some signs of it, Asia government Asia Cup against
India, they did show some signs of like again it was on the back
of Nissanka 100 again in the Asia Cup, it's they tied.
There are 220 chase or something, 110 to 20 sort of a
chase. They have the depth, but I am
now worried about like losing two major bowlers in from the
1st 11. That will be a bit of a
challenge outside of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka, they might still
overcome that. Madhushanka is the Madhushanka
is phenomenal man. He bowled in the Mumbai game
against India at the 23 World Cup where the ball he bowled to
Rohit Sharma. Let's go back and watch that
ball. Yeah.
And he's a he's a very good bowler.
First just pitched on it felt like it was pitching on middle
and legs. So Rohit went for a flick and
drifted in just a bit extra pitched on the seam, bent back
in. Boom con, good color, very nice
watchable action. Yes, they'll miss Batirana and I
don't think Hasaranga like Satishana is good, fairly
reliable. Vela Lage has regrets from what
he should have been. Velage is a long term regret.
And yeah, Hasaranga is just, it's it's, you know, it's feast
of famine. So that's a bit of a like if he
gets hit, then he will get hit. It's a very hard this thing.
But yeah, I hope, I hope they make it to the Chinese fan.
It will be very cool to have them.
It's a good eating I. Don't know if they can fit in
vendors say. Somewhere in the some point
batting of the I don't think batting may they have vendors,
they'll have to fit it in the middle and lower order.
OK, now. I still feel enough to reach the
semis I want. I think they have enough to beat
New Zealand and England. Speaking of England, Speaking of
semis, India, Australia, I think W
Indies or South Africa, South Africa, South Africa, I'm like
by World Cup coming back then mujhe people are so.
Used to that 10 team nonsense of an ODI World Cup.
The Steamy. Group may my my favorite format
for ODIs and hopefully like 10 P 20s can come and join is either
do the football World Cup model where everything then goes into
a round of knockouts, great fun, great Jeopardy kilter or
knockout to knockout to knockout or the 90s Jeopardy model where
you played quarterfinals. Quarterfinals there is a.
Western Game Jeopardy. Jeopardy Super 8 Super 8 with
six six Super 8 game. Everyone plays.
Everyone. And other league so that you get
a more many so, so you get a more fair and competitive fair
World Cup. Sorry, global events.
I think I'll go back. I'll go back.
It's the same thing. Indian fans, Indian
commentators, Very little idea. Key world, sport world.
Cup Grand tennis you can have federal first round.
What do you mean we are not assured federal final every
single time? One one of my favorite bits from
football World Cups. Exactly 2. 1002 May France
opening game Senegal. That is the kind of upset that
cricket will not. Be able to fathom and digest.
Yes we could. Can't vote 2007 like Manish and
I. We tweeted both. 2007 cut that
124 hour period when Bangladesh and Ireland crashed.
The four Albinies simultaneous games almost same.
Same night and when Bangladesh and Ireland crashed the party
that has ruined tournament cricket.
Because it will be so much fun to know any team can lose and it
will. The tournament will be so much
richer for it because the anxiety of knowing pro to
Khatam. So both to complete Jeopardy
Sports tech best of three final. World Series Best of seven.
World Series, Good matching. Did I hear somebody say best of
three? I think it's time to take a very
short separate because I need to show Aditya something.
Aditya Independence Cup yo 98 Watch this.
That was Toronto, yes. And so 3 finals, 98
independence. 3 independence, Bangladesh
independence, Indian independence and Sri Lankan
independence We celebrate Pakistan but Pakistan didn't
invite India for its independence cup may control
secret kardungabhi W Indies or South Africa, Sri Lanka this was
Pakistan's independence cup but they didn't invite India.
That was Wakar's tournament. Tournament.
There was a very party wicket Independence Cup in Pakistan.
Yes. Because the idea.
So in 96, right, objectively, like I know 96 quarter final May
the big, big man didn't play, but you could make a very
serious case that Pakistan were a better ODI team.
And the tension of that game as it went on as India put on 280
and Pakistan, their opening partnership were outrageous
before Venkatesh Prasad did what Venkateshwar does.
The anxiety of that game as Javed Niyadat was, you know,
trying to navigate the chase. Was that home team India, do
they make it to the semis? Or does the other one of the
other host Pakistan were objectively a better ODI team?
Do they make it to the semis? Even the 2003 semifinal against
Kenya, right? Because it's a semifinal, you
can see how Tendulkar and Ganguly approached the 1st 2530
overs. Yeah, because there's always
tacky chance of tacky moisture, tacky wicked moisture.
And the Kenyan bowlers were outstanding and they had almost
a banana skin game in the Super Sixes, which they didn't want
that to be repeated in the semis.
So you can see that semis now automatically approached.
It makes for a great spectacle. And it could sound like we are
being uncles, and fair enough, we all are.
But cricket is missing out on so much by not allowing itself a
spectacle. The same teams, same teams, keep
it. Keep everything as it is.
It not Jobi hair politics. We hate it.
Keep it. I'm saying keep it tournament.
Just keep it full of knockout possibilities in jeopardy. 24
team will not. Have a better tournament?
24 Team tournament, Group of round of 16 quarters, semis,
final. It'll be a great tournament.
You'll get the same number of games.
And it will be phenomenal. It will be phenomenal because
you will see randomly out of nowhere a Zimbabwe reaching a
semi final. You will see out of nowhere a
favorite get knocked out because they had one bad game.
There is a there is a game in Wimbledon in 2012, Rafael Nadal
versus Lucas Rosol. I'm fairly confident a lot of
people who don't watch tennis wouldn't have heard the name of
Lucas Rosol. And fairly so Usniku's
achievement Kyakas Lucas Russell turned up to that match and
Nadal was fair. OK, fine, he was coming off some
part of actually, but he was still Nadal at Wimbledon in
third, fourth round types. Russell played like how
Jaisuriya played Indian bowlers in the 90s Wiki Fande Mayaki
Mayak silf Pelunga. And that time Wimbledon used to
be a very fast quote, very fast almost Silf pela, silf pela.
He beat Nadal and as an adult career stretched to 22/23/24.
He played at the 24 Paris Olympics of Fox 6.
So he's it's not like he was done then.
So that possibility of anyone could be beaten.
Leyton Hewitt won the Wimbledon in 2002.
Next year, first round exit, first round exit.
And I think that's beautiful. That has to happen and.
Tennis has a sport. Richard Krycheck the under pace
Tennis has a sport. What works for tennis and a lot
of these real underdog like stories that people remember is
purely because of fact that because It's A Knockout sport
largely outside of the Masters tournament, you really remember
these games because once you beat someone, they are knocked
out of the government, right? So that is what makes a lot of
these tennis. Members.
Also, not to segue too far, we'll come back to Group C
because it's a phenomenal group, but just a quick one on tennis
and as a symbol of where sport kind of is thinking of.
So football has this European Super League where they would be
and thankfully it's gone now whether it's back against it and
all the big teams will only play against each other, right?
Tennis has this thing now and Federer kind of accepted it last
year at the Levers Cup where all the codes are now very fast.
What that is done is even at French.
So you can almost transfer your technique between the four
surfaces where the absolute 2 best players of the world are
untouched. You can't get near them unless
they have a horrible day. That's making it very tough for
a Gustavo Kuwaitan to emerge. That's making it very tough for
a Marat Safin to randomly come and win a tournament.
David Nalvandian to make it to a final paragraph, to make it to
the quarters. Evan is it?
It's making it very difficult because the top 2 are so good,
and they are. They'll be able to win even if
you make it tougher. And that's our angst, that it's
not like the best teams will get worse.
If you add more jeopardy, they'll emerge better.
They'll win tougher games. India will beat Sri Lanka in a
random quarterfinal in Colombo. When?
From when? They're 100 for it.
That will be a far better game than the blowout at Mumbai,
where India scored 450 and Sri Lanka get out for 50.
That makes no sense. Public or risky?
Risk, I think a risk low level pay hair and and then we'll move
to Group C first risk is key, which is what is this?
Country Greece winning the Euros in 2004.
Very boring victory if you look at the score lines and how they
won. The boring in the sense that
basically like one goal margin, sit back, sit back, sit back,
all set pieces. That was actually all came from
set pieces. Set pieces.
That was their entire tournament.
But again, memorable at the same time because otherwise how?
Thank you. Best of three, best of fighters.
They took France and they beat Portugal twice.
Portugal in the game was Portugal and Portugal.
Defended by Portugal and that Portugal team was bloody good.
People think Portugal and I heard this quote.
I'm so sorry MP for digressing. I heard this quote recently and
yeah, as much as you want to not judge, how can you not?
This person said Portugal became relevant after Cristiano
Ronaldo. I was like, bro, I was like Eto
and I said I was like Vasco da Gama.
I mean, forget everything. Let's talk about the Portugal
football team. Do you know Louis, Louis Figo,
you know, the whole team, they reached the 2004 Euro final and
this whole thingy. Much love.
They were not good. It's right.
Anyway, let's come back to let's come back to Koriloga, Portugal,
which is England. But yeah, England not like
England. Killer miracle word of they
bring ICC wins alive. 2011 World Cup dull group stage.
May England single handedly mother.
They gave us that Ireland game. They gave us a South Africa game
which was a thriller. The Bangalore, India game.
India game and the Bangladesh they lost two amazing four group
games, all bangers. England repeated.
Look, Joe, tournament there was. A middle face for two years,
three years where they became exceptional and all the best
players just played with like horse vision, like just key, a
key target, a subject man out either side of that.
But Despite that, 2019 again England gave us thrillers,
Continuous, continuous group stage. 2019 great games England
Sri Lanka was a which is why I didn't.
Sri Lanka, England, but the. Summer of Stokes was so much
more than Headingley Ekto Benz to uska Pisla testament Lords in
the century. Mara.
The World Cup he had was fucking phenomenal.
Sabke Satharan Marao since final we ran in Marao 8 Sri Lanka 84
Mara Joe game Sri Lanka. But England white ball
tournaments kafi dil PE Lita 2015 give out say you can see
them annoyed, you can see their media annoyed if they lose.
So if they get close against win a close game against Nepal, you
can see that Sky Sports super their team management also.
At least Rob Baron, Rob Baron. And that's because they they
make these very odd team selection choices and they make
these very like Athrangi choices in their ways.
And look, there is a the chatter and B now England are good.
There was a time when England were mean post 2019.
England have actually been very, very good.
No kidding. Post actually the 2016 T 20
World Cup. And for this team to be there is
barring Scotland, there is no game they won comfortably.
Scotland be comfortable? Neither Scotland will be
comfortable in the England groups.
Scotland are 113 for three and 12 overs and they lost 5 wickets
for 15 runs or something of that sort towards the end and and
then when England were batting they were again struggling.
They're not in really good shape.
Portland all the game was England but very potential
again. Bananas.
Kinta. Though England could have been
very well out of this, which kind of brings us to three
associates, Nepal, Italy and Scotland.
I'll I'll bring up Nepal 1st and we and their support their.
Cricket and everything. I think I'll, I'll, I'll get the
camel out of the tent, so to speak.
Camel in the tent. There is a certain sadness to
see Sundeep in that team so that that I will again will be
compartmentalize who's group may do as a teammate exactly.
I don't want to support exactly, but those photos are difficult,
right. But what, what Nepal tells you
is that they could be what Bangladesh haven't been they,
they have a they have a team that is trying to fire across
all cylinders. They were bowling attack, which
is very varied. So that's also very helpful.
And more than anything, the World Cup support.
We, we just spoke about the Sri Lankan atmosphere, right?
Like what about the 1K day? What about the 1K day in that
England 20,020 thousand every game, man.
So I mean, these are these are things you can't take away from
from a country like that. And and please, like I'll again
urge Indian fans, please busy. I needs to play them more.
We need the KKR to be removed and Kathmandu Knight Riders to
be included in the IPL. All of this.
Let's demand for a fairer system for everybody, not just Nepal,
OBK. Nepal doesn't have to come at
the cost of Nepal, it has to be at the cost of a Banglades.
You can't think of a game which has an extra team you always
want to like as if there are limited seats.
And, and it also shows that Nepal were clearly the big boys
in the small boys, so to speak, in this group and they got
upstaged by Italy. And and that's exactly what
sport is. That's exactly what sport is.
Or that game. The same Italy team almost
exactly over the line against England.
The the the storylines just from this group thanks to partial
incompetence of England is is is just exactly why we watch sport.
And, and who would have thought in all this W Indies exactly
more just a stable team? As the most mature team, like
almost like they're the most. Aware of team.
Execute what they want to. Very sticking to that, like they
are not playing maverick cricket.
They. By by in another in another era,
in another era, this team, I just finished my point in
another era, Roston Chase scoring 24 of 24, but they are
like my ticket. This is all part of the plan.
We just keep going, guys. We keep going and and the
transformation of shareholding. Bowling 9 up Gudekesh, Murthy,
Akhilussen, Roston, Chase. Is what gives them a chance if
they're especially playing. All three are very different.
They're not the same bowlers.
Gurdokesh Moti gives it the air. Akhil Hussain darts it in roster
chase, can bowl round the wicket onto the Boston.
Sale Chase is basically doing a Marlon Samuels.
Kesh Moti is. Bowling Legs spin by Matlab is
Kelly to sport the area May Joe Bacha of spin or legs spin.
Now that guy is playing for West Indies.
Tournament making combination, this is such a rare thing for
the sport, this predictability tournament, which this
tournament hasn't had, and that is something I love both in this
tournament and in the last 320 World Cup, even that was a lot
of fun. Especially the 19 the more team
it's just some more teams add more teams add more color.
I mean pre World Cup Shardogra like in the World Cup pre 20
World Cup at only to expanding, you know, picnic blanket a
patchwork of different textures and the the wider.
The England are doing a youth service England the way they
have played the poor a group every.
Game has been fun to watch. A couple of blowouts apart and
England's. England's plays in cricket as
this meme center undefeated. No one does it better than that.
Basically, Pakistan is a Shakespearean tragedy comic
comic tragedy England. That is the meme center if you
want me. Sam Karanka Lifecar legacy
associate teams with love though major Matlab 2 great stories he
has. Prevented current happening car
lifecar legacy is 100 for seven say go batting innings.
No other ATTRA test series. QRAII get so angry because I
feel like he only turned up in Test cricket just to rob us that
series. Even at Southampton he scored
that match also and he's just play Test cricket just to fuck
with us and he's left. It's like Kyle Davidson.
Kyle Davidson won't play Test cricket.
He'll come when I2 to New Zealand, he'll mess up the
entire Indian batting order and he'll leave injured for next two
years. And in this tournament, Nepal or
Italy basically. OK, Speaking of, but.
But again, that, but again, there's just one word on England
just before we end is that that makes England potentially a very
dangerous side. I'm going ahead.
A lot of teams which build tournaments are teams who have
just problem solved in this way and gotten out of situations and
then eventually they go on to win.
So. My I think England have solved
too many problems. I mean, it'll be great if they
show up, but they. Have the, they have the.
Ceiling that I agree with. They have the rules.
I love Tom Batman. I really like Tom Banton.
Yeah, Tom Banton had shown promise in that KKR lineup many
years. Ago I saw Unka Saurastraj over
there, England cup, Taunton, Somerset, Somerset Kelly, I saw
him score ODI century, I think it's called 180 or something.
Wow man, this is 5-6 years back. Phenomenal.
Talent, Yeah, yeah, yeah. OK, this is quite a few England,
but but before we move to Group D, maybe before we move like a
world on Italy. What a story guys.
Like this is exactly what's going to happen.
I think people are very angry. They have just conjured up an
11, but this is exactly how sport is boss.
Like they haven't. Slovenian Cricket Association
has just reached out saying like Slovenian descent buddy, buddy
countries, cricket countries, which which also prompted no in
the sense yeah, in this. And like JJ Smart has never been
to Italy and the the core all of those things.
What I mean, all of those things, what has been playing
and Delhi has had a long cricket history.
Italy has had a long cricket history, all of that included
but and how these guys have taken to Italy also they have
full time jobs. They have full time jobs.
There is a person in the Super Mario mustache Italian.
And and Ben Mananti and Ben Mananti, I think Rob Baron spoke
about this, but we also must uska pura ka pura BBL career
main or or they. Just needed couple more 30 of.
Needed. They also got unlucky.
Thomas Madsen got injured in the
first game. Their captain, all of these.
Things I mean, but they'll they'll go back much richer than
than this easily, easily and they're very systematic with
their cricket. They're not vibes only.
It's a misconception that they have just rocked up to.
But they have a good coaching staff.
They have a good coaching staff. They are very silly, all the
European Afghanistan type of story.
All the European associates actually are at a slightly
higher level than. Yeah, the Asian, Yeah, The Asian
counterparts, Yes, yes, yes, yeah.
I think more. Systematic, much more sporting
countries, much better institutional support can be
sought at A at a wider level. Bunch of things there.
Bunch of things. Access to athletic facilities.
Exactly. Just generally more athletic,
generally a more athletic culture, walking societies.
Yeah. Group of Ahmedabad, Group of
Ahmedabad. The game of the tournament.
I'm so sad, though. I was just thinking, it's a
tournament where the story has been crowd standing up for
whoever and everybody. The game of the tournament had
no crowd. And they said they had to send
Ravi Shastri to the ground to at the ground level constantly to,
to, to drum up that. Oh my God, look at the
supporters. Of the.
World. Don't do it, you are.
I feel you are doing a disservice to the cricket loving
people of Ahmedabad because they will turn up.
You don't have to do this thing of keep the stadium as the
story. The stadium cannot be the story,
It has to be the people who have turned up.
To their great credit to the they have turned up for games.
It's just that one game they didn't, and that one game turned
out to be an absolute classic. I didn't think Gurbaz will do
what he did in the second Super Over.
I thought 23 was too many and then Gurbaz said no.
Career Usman. My problem was that say even in
his worst form right in the first super over, I would still
back Rashid even if it's in he isn't in the best wicket.
Taking form as a defensive spinner, I would pick Rashid
Khan as my super over bowler. Than over Fazal.
Yeah, no, you know why I think Farooqi got?
Because Farooqi has South Africa was struggling against Farooqi's
change of pace. Farooqi has the seam up, he has
the back of the hand, he has the off cutter and the leg cutter.
Agreed but Farooqi betting on that and he had Farooqi that's
log over. Farooqi in slog overs is a
history now. Naseem Shakeel have conceived is
considered multiple times. So good new ball bowler but I
wouldn't really back him as a slog overs or a super over bowl.
But love it's. Yeah, and definitely not weirdly
I I was watching it in Carbon Park in Bangalore when Tristan
Stubs even if he missed the fifth ball, it came down to then
seven of one in the first super over last ball.
I I very weirdly thought Stubs mark the guys ball there it I
don't know like there is no this game had an inevitability that
it wouldn't end. Yeah, very weirdly like because
because if you think about last second, second super over last
one second super over. I just felt that they nailed the
ball and he was it. Or about whoever will nail the
Yorker and no Maharaj, sorry, Keshav Maharaj.
Keshav Maharaj because he because he tried the cable 10 on
the alternate approach of bowling that YD Yorker and with
the field up cover and point square me.
So. So that was very interesting.
But like was Rabada. Rabada had won that game in the
first ball of the 20th over. Then it was a no ball, then he
bowled another no ball. And like Mujeeb, Mujeeb was
hitting. Mujeeb was hitting.
I mean, commentary was losing it.
Yeah. Dale Stento was like, I think he
needed like something much stronger, I'm sure later.
Which is OK, at least it's available in Ahmedabad if you
are a visitor. But Noor hitting those two
sixes, Noorca batting averages single digits for him to hit
those two sixes at the end of the regular.
Which? Is jeopardy and have nothing to
show her. And so as as we go towards the
end, I'm reading the Group D, it's South Africa, New Zealand
and Afghanistan. Any of us can make a very strong
case of either of those two of those three teams topping and
any of those three teams, the other two remaining teams coming
second. Afghanistan came third in that
group. You wouldn't have been surprised
if it was New Zealand. You wouldn't have been
tremendously surprised had it been South Africa because all
three are worthy. And it happens because you pack
one group with a lot of good teams from the first round and
you are open to teams being knocked out and but in some
other groups you're not. In some other groups, you're
not. There is only one group which
was comprised of dismissive. Udhar Udhar, I didn't think I I
think they didn't think that USA will do a repeat of 20243020
World Cup and turn up so well prepared.
So as they're big opening their bowling against India, Abhishek
is there right? Sunil Gavaskar notes on
commentary that the fields they have placed for the first over
are very unusual. Usually you either have long of
long and back or most important, most commonly you have third man
and square leg back, third man and final leg back.
Because ball ball marenge loge yoga, peachy tiger.
USA had a deep square leg and a deep point.
Very unusual. But Krinika Aska noted that's
where Abhishek hits. So it's a very smart field
placing and Q Abhishek hits it right there.
OK. And to be that well prepared to
know exactly what roles to execute.
I don't think the organizers thought USA would do that.
I don't think the organizers thought Netherlands would run
Pakistan, so and even India to a large extent.
How decent? So I mean, yeah, one of the wish
lists we have as a game goes, as cricket goes to the Olympics, as
then cricket goes to Australia and New Zealand for 2028, cut
T20 World Cup. And then there is like ODI World
Cup, people don't qualify. But the next T20 World Cup and
the one after, I guess 20-30 wins will be over.
Hope. The hope is that there are more
teams and there is there is a greater likelihood of anything
going on. It'll it'll make cricket richer
at this point. About the game, the tournament,
just one this thing I do not like the idea of a super over in
a group stage fixture. Sharepoints More Jeopardy again,
but imagine Group. Knockout Knockout Hamare 2 games
semi or final update? 13 one by three, no, that group
shut very no, that group shut very quickly, no.
So if those points were shared, it would have kept open a few
other permutations. But would you be OK with super
over being there in super 8-9 and since semi final may just a
head to head knockout have it in those game?
I am saying increase number of knockouts and then have it only.
I'm on the same page with that, but that's not happening in this
current reality, at least not have scores for a tie.
It's a fairly decent way of yeah, a group stage may share
points share. I prefer given how international
T 20s are played right and all. Actually also domestic.
The 1st super over was also group game W Indies, New
Zealand. Then there was that bowl out,
India, Pakistan, very famous bowl out and that was a group
game. So I think the just been made
key is my timing over, which is a weird thing to be, but I guess
it is. I can I can fall behind that
group stage, but then I'll be Dusra group stage so.
Quickly semi final predictions and then we.
OK, semi final predictions. Let's see.
So it's India, like Indies, India West in one group.
It's India, Zimbabwe, W Indies and South Africa, right?
Should I say it? I think bowling attack, bowling
attack, bowling attack. I think that's where that's
where the strength is, India versus India and South Africa.
What about you guys? You know, India, W Indies and
those three groups, say New Zealand.
England. Mine is New Zealand, Sri Lanka,
Andy. India, South Africa, England and
Pakistan. OK.
Caught behind that's. More in a row where is close
they're going to blow next. In the prodigal son turn,
Messiah gets a second hundred in successive in romantic style.
The whole of Bengal are on their feet.
He's gone the next bowl. The dream has diminished for
Carlos Bradley.