Two teams (India and Pakistan) out from world cup running in the league stage and One dead coach. The headlines pretty much summed up the disaster that ICC World Cup 2007 in West Indies was. The lesson was learned, and before the fans could say "What the 'duck' was that?", ICC WC 2011 edition format was redressed and the Life Insurance premium for coaches had hit the roof. To ensure that (at least) the calamity of two biggest financial powers of the game dare not cause the cricketing recession again, the 2011 format now has found out a way to say a polite 'Buzz off' to the minnows of the game by recalling the quarter finals in the event after 16 years as the tournament returns to the sub-continent.
Nothing too wrong with that except the fact that the qualifying for the semis is not as rigorous as it was in last three editions. The eight (or at least seven teams) are virtually assured of a place in the quarterfinals. Put in the other way, you need only three wins out of your six league matches to book your place in the quarterfinal of the tournament. Not too bad as a probability considering there are three minnows in your group, eh?
But these are not the three matches that the title of this blog refers to. The tournament is about the three matches after the league stage - the quarter finals, the semi finals and the final. This is the stage, the knockout stage, where the real suitor of the coveted cup would be decided. There could be and there would be only one team who will win these three matches back to back. No matter how much the conditions suit you; no matter how perfect is your team combination; and no matter how much in-form you are, you have one bad day and you can kiss your dream, shove it into your billion followers, go back to start and try your luck again four year later. Scary... really scary!!!
That said, if we look at 2003 and 2007 editions, Australia as a team did not lose even a single match in their quest to find their rightful place at the top. Ricky Ponting, irrespective of how much we hate him, has a unique distinction of having a 100% win record in WC matches as captain. More than his captaincy, it speaks volumes about the team which was named favourites with a huge distinction at the start of both these tournaments. By our design all of us love underdogs and the idea of 'a chaiwala winning a KBC' fascinates us. But imagine what this thought process does to you if you are the 'favourite'. Everyone thinks that you will win, but most of them wish that you don't! Also, when you are on top you are visibly exposed and a soft target as every opposition is shredding you threadbare, working on sole agenda to topple you somehow. To win as a favourite is much much tougher than winning as a underdog. Dhoni explained that winning the T20 WC was convenient since the expectations were low. So it was with Pakistan and then England in the subsequent T20 WCs.
By the looks of it India is hottest to win this tournament, but then there is this tale of three matches in a row. Irrespective of how well we've done in the warm-up games or how well we'll do in the league stage, the only thing that will make us champions would be three back to back wins at this knockout stage. India is placed in a similar position as Australia in 2003 and 2007 at the start of this tournament, however the pressure of being favourites is stronger... by a billion units at least. And then there is an added responsibility of doing it for Sachin in his last WC, for this son of the soil deserves to fulfill his dream as he has filled ours for last two decades.
It would be nothing short of a miracle if the men in blue are able to rise above this constraint of being the favourites. As of now, this is the only thing that stands in the way. A little prayer goes out for Team India that they shut off completely from the pressures that we create, focus hard, and finish the job. One bad day, is something team India cannot afford... Amen!!!
Varun
© Shailesh Nigam, Varun Khanna (for respective articles)
Nothing too wrong with that except the fact that the qualifying for the semis is not as rigorous as it was in last three editions. The eight (or at least seven teams) are virtually assured of a place in the quarterfinals. Put in the other way, you need only three wins out of your six league matches to book your place in the quarterfinal of the tournament. Not too bad as a probability considering there are three minnows in your group, eh?
But these are not the three matches that the title of this blog refers to. The tournament is about the three matches after the league stage - the quarter finals, the semi finals and the final. This is the stage, the knockout stage, where the real suitor of the coveted cup would be decided. There could be and there would be only one team who will win these three matches back to back. No matter how much the conditions suit you; no matter how perfect is your team combination; and no matter how much in-form you are, you have one bad day and you can kiss your dream, shove it into your billion followers, go back to start and try your luck again four year later. Scary... really scary!!!
That said, if we look at 2003 and 2007 editions, Australia as a team did not lose even a single match in their quest to find their rightful place at the top. Ricky Ponting, irrespective of how much we hate him, has a unique distinction of having a 100% win record in WC matches as captain. More than his captaincy, it speaks volumes about the team which was named favourites with a huge distinction at the start of both these tournaments. By our design all of us love underdogs and the idea of 'a chaiwala winning a KBC' fascinates us. But imagine what this thought process does to you if you are the 'favourite'. Everyone thinks that you will win, but most of them wish that you don't! Also, when you are on top you are visibly exposed and a soft target as every opposition is shredding you threadbare, working on sole agenda to topple you somehow. To win as a favourite is much much tougher than winning as a underdog. Dhoni explained that winning the T20 WC was convenient since the expectations were low. So it was with Pakistan and then England in the subsequent T20 WCs.
By the looks of it India is hottest to win this tournament, but then there is this tale of three matches in a row. Irrespective of how well we've done in the warm-up games or how well we'll do in the league stage, the only thing that will make us champions would be three back to back wins at this knockout stage. India is placed in a similar position as Australia in 2003 and 2007 at the start of this tournament, however the pressure of being favourites is stronger... by a billion units at least. And then there is an added responsibility of doing it for Sachin in his last WC, for this son of the soil deserves to fulfill his dream as he has filled ours for last two decades.
It would be nothing short of a miracle if the men in blue are able to rise above this constraint of being the favourites. As of now, this is the only thing that stands in the way. A little prayer goes out for Team India that they shut off completely from the pressures that we create, focus hard, and finish the job. One bad day, is something team India cannot afford... Amen!!!
Varun
© Shailesh Nigam, Varun Khanna (for respective articles)
Well said Varun! In looking at this entire WC objectively, you are so spot-on that it all comes down to winning the last 3 matches of the tournament.
ReplyDeleteIndia tends to buckle under pressure...let's hope that they maintain their focus, sanity prevails and do Sachin and their country proud!
Reminds me of that famous dialogue from Sholay, "Aadmi teen aur goli chheh; bahut nainsaafi hai." And then Gabbar fires the first 3 bullets, rotates the trigger, only to finally discover that his next 3 shots yielded no result.
ReplyDeleteWith the last 3 matches to go, we cannot have an empty barrel firing. Team India needs to prepare for that and fire with full force when it counts the most.