48 matches might be performed over 46 days at 10 venues with the opening tie slated for October 5
By:
Chandrashekar Bhat
INDIA goal a 3rd World Cup triumph when the nation hosts cricket’s seven-week world showpiece, buoyed by an financial increase and rising, worldwide self-confidence.
India shared internet hosting with Pakistan in 1987, then Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 1996 earlier than one other three-way break up with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in 2011.
This time India goes it alone with 48 matches being performed over 46 days at 10 venues.
Nevertheless, the build-up has been removed from clean after arch-rivals Pakistan reportedly thought-about a boycott when India refused to journey throughout the border for the Asia Cup.
Because of this, the announcement of the schedule for the World Cup was delayed till simply three months earlier than the primary ball was to be bowled.
Fears over safety for the India-Pakistan blockbuster conflict in Ahmedabad then noticed the match moved again a day, sparking a domino impact of 9 rescheduled fixtures.
Pakistan’s go to to India might be their first for the reason that 2016 Twenty20 World Cup.
The opening match on October 5, between champions England and New Zealand, in addition to the ultimate on November 19 are being staged at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi stadium, named after the prime minister, the world’s greatest cricket enviornment boasting a capability of over 130,000.
India will face Pakistan on the mega-venue on October 14.
Town which independence hero Mahatma Gandhi referred to as house for 15 years is tipped as a possible host metropolis ought to India bid for the 2036 Olympics.
The gathering of the perfect gamers of India’s favorite sport would be the sporting fruits of a 12 months that noticed India overtake China because the world’s most populous nation, after displacing former coloniser Britain as its fifth-biggest economic system in 2021.
Modi’s world stage?
Now Modi is looking for a spot on the worldwide stage to match.
Courted by the West as a bulwark in opposition to Beijing, the prime minister used the G20 summit he hosted this month as a catalyst to place New Delhi as a consultant of many others outdoors conventional energy blocs.
His Bharatiya Janata Occasion is extensively considered a certainty to win subsequent 12 months’s common election by a crushing majority.
India are two-time champions having added the 2011 title on house soil to their 1983 triumph, a Kapil Dev-inspired breakthrough efficiency.
They boast famous person Virat Kohli who has made greater than 13,000 runs within the ODI format.
Second on the present energetic checklist is skipper Rohit Sharma with simply over 10,000.
Fiery seamer Mohammed Siraj just lately turned the world’s prime ranked ODI bowler whereas Kuldeep Yadav is more likely to thrive together with his leg-spinning field of tips.
‘Create new recollections’
“The recollections of previous World Cup victories, particularly the long-lasting 2011 win, are etched in our hearts, and we wish to create new recollections for our followers,” stated Kohli who featured within the 2011 victory.
Pakistan, the 1992 champions, have misplaced seven instances out of seven to India at previous World Cups.
Nevertheless, skipper Babar Azam might be key to turning round that run as he leads the way in which within the batting rankings. His common of greater than 58 betters even that of Kohli.
Regardless of the lack of quick bowler Naseem Shah to harm, Pakistan can name on Shaheen Shah Afridi, the game’s most imposing opening fast bowler.
Nonetheless simply 23, Afridi has 86 ODI wickets at a meagre common of 23.36.
Defending champions England, who triumphed in a nail-biting 2019 ultimate in opposition to New Zealand at Lord’s, can harness the damaging firepower of Ben Stokes who smashed 84 in that sport which went to a Tremendous Over conclusion.
Within the build-up to the World Cup, Stokes struck the very best rating by an England batsman in an ODI, his 182 establishing a thrashing of New Zealand at The Oval earlier this month.
The match will possible see the farewell ODI performances of Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan and Kiwi opening bowlers Trent Boult and Tim Southee.
Shakib is the top-ranked all-rounder in ODI cricket.
The 36-year-old has made greater than 7,000 runs within the format with 55 half-centuries and 308 wickets.
Southee and Boult, each 34, have claimed a mixed 409 wickets within the format.
Australia are five-time champions, comfortably essentially the most profitable nation on the World Cup, however preparations have been hit when opener Travis Head fractured his hand.
Nevertheless, they nonetheless boast veteran run-getter David Warner who has amassed over 6,300 ODI runs.
South Africa, who’ve endured a roller-coaster relationship with the World Cup, undone by rain guidelines in 1992 and 2003, have additionally been hit by accidents, shedding key pacers Anrich Nortje and Sisanda Magala.
For Afghanistan, sluggish bowlers Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who made his worldwide debut at 16, and Noor Ahmad might be key on welcoming Indian pitches.
Sri Lanka, the 1996 winners, might be fired up by the indignity of being bowled out for simply 50 and shedding the Asia Cup ultimate to India by 10 wickets.
Matheesha Pathirana, simply 20, and thriving in his function as a 2023 model of Lasith Malinga together with his misleading, slingy motion, is more likely to be Sri Lanka’s go-to quick bowling shock.
Netherlands full the line-up and are match-tough after negotiating the qualifying spherical in July the place two-time champions West Indies crashed out.
(AFP)
