What’s Your Stake On Cricket World Cup 2007?

“What in Stall For us in Cricket World Cup 2007”

“The land of Islands Caribbean is all set to rock on the account of 9th Edition of Cricket World Cup 2007”. Well in the coming days we can expect some cricket treat to munch as the 16 countries in the world battle out to lift the magic cup from 11th march to 28th April. What can be a favorable stake if one has to predict who is going to pouch the cup? It basically boils down to 8 top teams in the world. India, New Zealand, Srilanka, England, South Africa, Pakistan, Australia and of course host West Indies. Each of these countries has lot of pressure to stand up to the occasion and deliver when it matters the most. Each of these teams boosts of having world famous players and on a given day each one in these teams can be a real match winner. But this gala event requires some thing special from each players in the matter that focus, determination, commitment, hungry to perform and above all having pride for playing country stands out to the occasion. All said but there will be one winner and it will take lot of team effort, Strategic Thinking, Analyzing Opponents SWOT and being on toes always to be that winner.

Well World Cup has always thrown surprises, be it Srilanka winning it in 1996, India Stopping WI march in 1983, Exit of South Africa in 1999 for bad mathematics. So don’t be surprise if you get to see more of them as rules of game have changed over the period.

Well coming down to some of the teams and important players to watch out for tourney. Among the 8 teams Pakistan looks out of shape as it will be missing the services of strike bowlers Shoib Akthar and Asif due to injuries and is a great loss to it in such an important event. Players to look for this would be Mohammad Yousuf who is back bone of Pak batting and no wonder what a performance it has been so for in the last two years, truly Amazing. He is one player who can kill the opposition and take the game away. Next player would be skipper Inzamam and he want to a end his successful career on high note and would be looking to repeat his 1992 performance which contributed in Pakistan lifting that year edition cup. In the depleted bowling department we can accept some one like Sami and razzak to shoulder the responsibilities. Otherwise the team as a whole not done well in the recent times and are low on confidence but we can expect some surprises though.

Next it would be England. I am sure Any England fan and team itself want to forget their previous year 2006 in cricket as it has been unfruitful year in terms of team success to win matches and players nourishing injuries. Good news would be return of skipper Michael Vaughan to the team and their latest success against world champion Australia in Australia. Players look for would be Flintoff, Collingwood, Peterson, Ian Bell in batting while Panaesar, James Anderson would be players look in for bowling. As a team England lacks killing instinct and its success mainly depends on some important players and they don’t have good memories to carry to the gala event but surprises can be expected in galore as it has budding talent.

Being Host you always have the support of home pitches, Home Conditions and home people cheering for you when you are at the center but it will not be easy for host nation West Indies to think of easy cake walk as the competition level is tough and will easily nullify those home advantages. The team has done well in the recent past having won series against India at home and crowning itself with runners up in Champions trophy. So the team will be in jubilant mood entering into Event and not much to think about team combination as it has established order in ODI format. Players to watch out will be Brian Lara and Chandrapaul in batting and as it would be their last world cup they want to make amends and want to rewrite those glorified Days of WI in cricket in 70s and 80s.In bowling it would be Bravo, Bradshaw showing their skills. As a team it has done well and posed threat to many countries including India and Australia and it would be one of the team to look for in the tourney.

The small island of Asia threw surprise by winning 1996 edition of tourney and from then has been competent in the world of cricket. Yes Srilanka as a team has potential to be there on 28 th April in Barbados to play for match that will decide the owner of the cup. This will largely depend on performances of key players like veteran Jayasuria, Sangakara, Tharanga and skipper Jayewardene in batting and Maling and Vaas Company in bowling. And as usual team has magic of Murali to buckle opponents. As a team it has done well and their fighting ability till the last bowl is bowled in the match will make them tough team to beat.

Black Caps have done extremely well and have almost defeated every one in their home but when it comes to play outside new Zealand they have surrendered to pressure , so it would be important for them to really focus and unit their talent to emerge out as winners. It would not be easy and it will require hard work from some of the key players like Fleming, Vettori, Brandom Mac Cullum and Bond. We can expect tough cricket from this team. It would be team to watch out for hard Cricket.

The current world champions Australia have lot to worry about, the recent losses to England and New Zealand have made that this team is beatable and the internal player’s injury is another cause to worry for team management. Otherwise we all know how this team comes out on opponent and really makes opposite to earn hard their win. It would be still hot favorite of every cricket lover for the cup. Each player has done well when team is under trouble and opposite teams need to think out of box to throw surprises against this mighty team. Well this team is all out there to defend their title and can expect some fire cracking cricket from these bunch of cricketers.

In the recent past South Africa has evolved as one of the best team in the business. It has hard hitting Batsmen in Smith, Gibbs, Boucher and pin like precision bowlers in Pollock, Ntini and Nel. Right now every thing going as planned for this team and they would be interested in keeping this good run though out the tourney.

Men In Blue had tough time in recent past considering their performance in WI, SA .But it has really started firing at the right moment with world cup on the corner. The win Against WI and Srilanka would add as boost to confidence. As for as team selection is considered it is one of the best from India to world cup with combination of hard hitting batsmen Uttappa, Shewag and Dhoni. Rock Solid Middle order in Rahul Dravid, Tendulkar and Yuvraj. The return of Ganguly has strengthened the batting line up and no doubt it is one of the strongest batting orders in the world and any bowler would think twice before he releases the bowl. In the bowling department we can look to god performance by ZAK, Munaf,Harbhajan and Kumble. Well Dravid as a skipper has a task to handle as India lacks fifth bowler and it would be tug of war between going for extra batsman or regular fifth bowler. We can only hope that fifth bowler doesn’t cost much to India and they emerge as victorious. India would be another hot favorite team going into the tournament. It has to really play good cricket to beat teams like Australia,SA and Srilanka.

Well it takes guts to perform, Belief in own Ability, Playing tough and above all Playing as a team will lead to podium for any team. Let the best team win and India be the Best Team in the Tournament.

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