World cup cricket 2019 winner paranoia: Predicting the unpredictable

Summer comes in many ways for Indians. But this English summer has brought a special sensation that is World Cup Cricket. The quadrennial event has given some respite to the cricket aficionados in this scorching weather. In India cricket is religion and Tendulkars, Kohlis and Dhonis are worshipped as semi-gods. Their fanatic fans cannot digest the defeat at any means. The stubborn cricket lovers are completely obsessed with the team’s success and ultimately want to see captain Kholi conquering the world. Now the question arises, Can India deliver the goods? If not India who else will clinch the title? Predicting the unpredictable definitely needs a hail out of something as cricket is uncertain.

Going by the format and fixtures as each team will lock horn with 9 remaining teams(in total 10 teams are participating), it is early days to define and predict the form and momentum of the teams. As all the 10 teams are looking ominous and any team can surprise the stronger opponent on their day. Critically dissecting the results of matches till now have been played, no team looks to be underdogs or a dark horse. For an instance West Indies stunned and bounced out Pakistan comprehensively but battered, bruised and rattled Pakistan checked the juggernaut of the tournament most favourite English team in a close encounter. Most Interestingly Afghanistan surpassed Pakistan in the warm-up matches. Similarly, Bangladesh overpowered South Africa and gave a scare to the only undefeated side in four matches Kiwis in a cliffhanger. England completely outplayed Bangladesh by their batsman’s brute force but simply can not underestimate and undermine them by this performance.

Coming back to another favourite Australia, started positively by winning comprehensively over Afghanistan but narrowly escaped after the top-order collapse and thanks to some rearguard action mostly by Coulter-neil now can be called as an all-rounder now in this format against West Indies.

Now come to the most fan follower side all over the world that is none other than team India. The team looks to be an awesome touch. Openers are firing at the top but an unfortunate and untimely injury to Dhawan can be a big blow to team India ‘s world cup winning chances. But India’s has the sufficienct supplement in the form of stylish Karnataka opener  KL Rahul and who is going to replace Dhawan the Delhi dasher Risbah Pant. Rohit Sharma scintillating century against South Africa shows how good player he is in this format as rightly said by his skipper as the best one till now. King Kohli as arguably and undoubtedly the best batsman in the current scenario can tear apart any bowling attack in the world. His insatiable hunger for runs and gigantic one-day record definitely give some strong messages to the opposition. The only matter of debate the number –four in batting order looks to be little fragile but it was bit settled in the form by stylish K.L Rahul but an injury to Dhawan and pushing him to the top –order can be a lacuna in that position. But with the inclusion of Pant, can play some mind games in the opposition camp. Apart from number four conundrum, all places in the side look more settled and strengthened. Indian middle order with two mavericks in the form of Kedar Jadhav and Mumbai hurricane Hardikya can blow away any batting line up. All these descriptions without magician Mahendra Singh Dhoni are seen incomplete. His Midas touch reminds the black magic of witch that not only makes possible the impossible but can snatch the win from the opposition’s jaw by a whisker and handing over most unwelcome and unexpected defeat in no time. Not only his batting prowess but his glove work behind the stumps has been clueless for the opponent. The legend from Ranchi contribution to the game does not end here as his gimmick of marshalling fielders in middle and death overs and timely suggestion to the bowlers still shows why he is the boss on the field. Virat probably is a rare and only captain ever played in this format to give such responsibility and respect to his ex-captain. This show how team India is gelling together and contributing to the team’s success.

After a detailed analysis of batting-depth and power, we must look at the what Indian bowling offers to the opposition. It is a balanced one with seam, swing, speed and spin, every angle as per possible covered. Jaspit Bumarah speed and deadly toe-crushing Yorker can be lethal to any opposition, both at the opening spell and slog overs. Bhuvaneswar Kumar has already shown his swing and seam skill in the English conditions in both the encounter India has faced. Not to forget the Bengal speedster Shami, quickest for India to take 100 wickets in this format can be a handy customer in this temperate English conditions. The troika pace battery of India has probably the best ever India has for long to represent a world cup cricket.

As the progress of the event and with summer coming hard to the English soil, pitches will play some tricks in terms of spinning options. The spin twins Kuldeep and Cahal offer the varieties and mysteries to play some stratagem in the opposition. They complement in such a way that opposition faces an uphill task to free from their tight grip in the crucial middle orders. They not only squeeze the opposition but their ability to give crucial and timely breakthrough can split the backbone of the counterpart.

Cricket is a funny game as we analyze past world cup winners, apart from mighty West –Indies in ’70s and ’80s and the invincible Aussies in twenty-first centuries all winners are underdogs. They came from nowhere to clinch the prestigious title in cricket history. Be it Kapil’s 83 or Border’s 87 and moving on to 1992 the Imran Khan’s Pakistan and most interestingly Arjuna Ranatunga’s 1996 all are dark horses at the outset of the tournament. Thinking about mercurial Pakistan who could have not been able to play the semis in 1992 but the rain washed away the against most favourite and strong opponent the then England encounter, gives an important one point edge over Aussies and Indies. Like bad weather, this time is looming over ICC event and three matches have already abandoned anything can happen to the outcome of the quadrennial event.

Another aspect probably has not been noticed that is in the last two world cup the host has triumphed the trophy. Going by that trend England chances are pretty high in this year event. It has all ticks in the column to be a champion side. They have been relentlessly playing some serious cricket since their miserable failure in 2015 world cup.

Whatever may be the outcome, the cricket will win at the end of the day. Chauvinistic crowds must have a lot to cheer not only sixers but the wickets and catches. Cricket is a game of momentum, the team picks themselves at the right time and remain calm and composed in crunch situations will clinch the most awaited cricket world cup 2019. Fingers crossed.