Wattoo
Local Club Captain
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2013
- Runs
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Chokers!
I guess you are talking about the South African team? Not really.
In the game of cricket, a team that is staggering before the finish line many a times involving all top teams of the world is called a choker. Surprisingly only South Africa's team comes to everyone's mind whenever cricket pundits are discussing this term. I wonder why none of the experts/analysts/statisticians dig into this matter deep to discover reality.
SA's team and management keep on denying that they are potential chokers and never admitted it publicly until the recent Champions Trophy exit (and they were right as you will also realize/accept after reading this post until the end) when their coach and ex-opener Garry Kristen accepted this fact after their defeat against England.
Last night, this thought came to my mind to have a look into this matter. That’s why I started investigating this matter. My analysis"
a) Includes three major ICC tournaments - World Cup, Champions Trophy and World Twenty20.
b) Includes only five major Test playing nations because Australia, India and West Indies have won the World Cup more than once. Moreover India & West Indies also have won the World T20.
c) Does not include minnows.
Here is the summary of Finals and Semi-Finals lost by teams in the three major ICC tournaments mentioned above:
Well if we see the Total column of (Finals+Semi-Finals game lost) the table, SA is at the bottom of table, proving all of the cricket pundits & fans are at the wrong end. For my surprise, Pakistan is leading the table. But this table is bit misleading. As Finals are more important games than Semi-finals, obviously carrying more weight.
So, here is separate table for No. of Finals and Semi-Finals games lost by these nations.
Surprise na..!
Again SA is at the bottom of the table. England are leading with five big Finals losses while the Semi-Final list is dominated by Pakistan with nine losses.
Like many others, I also consider T20I a type of entertainment for people and a money making game for the ICC and cricket boards and don’t consider it a form of cricket. That’s why I have excluded the T20I format stats and a table for 50-overs formats (World Cup and Champion Trophy games) has been presented here.
Surprise… ! Surprise…! Surprise…!
England, New Zealand & Pakistan are on the top of the list before the South African team can makean any entry. Again, as this is a combined table and a bit misleading due to the fact discussed above, I have split the table for Finals and Semi-Finals for 50-over games.
The Finals table shows that England are way ahead of other teams, while the so called chokers are at the bottom of table with no Final lost. In the Semi-Final list, the SA team has made an entry for the first time on top, but wait..not alone but with two other teams - Pakistan and New Zealand.
Did it not surprise you that the SA team are not chokers?
Well if they are not chokers, which team is?
Looking on the above tables and considering
1) Sri Lanka have won a World Cup and the Champion Trophy.
2) Pakistan have won a World Cup.
3) Both South Africa and New Zealand have won the Champions Trophy.
And
4) England have never won any final of 50-over games. They have played 5 Finals (2nd most after Australia) and 3 Semi-Finals and lost every time.
Without any doubt, ENGLAND is the real choker of the game.
What do you people think? Discuss.
I guess you are talking about the South African team? Not really.
In the game of cricket, a team that is staggering before the finish line many a times involving all top teams of the world is called a choker. Surprisingly only South Africa's team comes to everyone's mind whenever cricket pundits are discussing this term. I wonder why none of the experts/analysts/statisticians dig into this matter deep to discover reality.
SA's team and management keep on denying that they are potential chokers and never admitted it publicly until the recent Champions Trophy exit (and they were right as you will also realize/accept after reading this post until the end) when their coach and ex-opener Garry Kristen accepted this fact after their defeat against England.
Last night, this thought came to my mind to have a look into this matter. That’s why I started investigating this matter. My analysis"
a) Includes three major ICC tournaments - World Cup, Champions Trophy and World Twenty20.
b) Includes only five major Test playing nations because Australia, India and West Indies have won the World Cup more than once. Moreover India & West Indies also have won the World T20.
c) Does not include minnows.
Here is the summary of Finals and Semi-Finals lost by teams in the three major ICC tournaments mentioned above:
Well if we see the Total column of (Finals+Semi-Finals game lost) the table, SA is at the bottom of table, proving all of the cricket pundits & fans are at the wrong end. For my surprise, Pakistan is leading the table. But this table is bit misleading. As Finals are more important games than Semi-finals, obviously carrying more weight.
So, here is separate table for No. of Finals and Semi-Finals games lost by these nations.
Surprise na..!
Again SA is at the bottom of the table. England are leading with five big Finals losses while the Semi-Final list is dominated by Pakistan with nine losses.
Like many others, I also consider T20I a type of entertainment for people and a money making game for the ICC and cricket boards and don’t consider it a form of cricket. That’s why I have excluded the T20I format stats and a table for 50-overs formats (World Cup and Champion Trophy games) has been presented here.
Surprise… ! Surprise…! Surprise…!
England, New Zealand & Pakistan are on the top of the list before the South African team can makean any entry. Again, as this is a combined table and a bit misleading due to the fact discussed above, I have split the table for Finals and Semi-Finals for 50-over games.
The Finals table shows that England are way ahead of other teams, while the so called chokers are at the bottom of table with no Final lost. In the Semi-Final list, the SA team has made an entry for the first time on top, but wait..not alone but with two other teams - Pakistan and New Zealand.
Did it not surprise you that the SA team are not chokers?
Well if they are not chokers, which team is?
Looking on the above tables and considering
1) Sri Lanka have won a World Cup and the Champion Trophy.
2) Pakistan have won a World Cup.
3) Both South Africa and New Zealand have won the Champions Trophy.
And
4) England have never won any final of 50-over games. They have played 5 Finals (2nd most after Australia) and 3 Semi-Finals and lost every time.
Without any doubt, ENGLAND is the real choker of the game.
What do you people think? Discuss.
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