Harsh Thakor
First Class Star
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2012
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- 3,520
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Pakistan fans may be disheartened by Pakistan's recent performance but must take pride that it has a great legacy and historically it has claims to have the finest all-time world cup XI ever.In the first second and fourth editions it had the strongest batting line up and arguably the most talented side.With more luck It may well have won even 3 more world cups.Similarly had fortune favoured them South Africa may well have triumphed in the 1992,1996 and 1999 and 2011world cups .Without hesitation my mind they were the best side in 1996 and 1999 if you asess their players.West Indies defined a new era in cricket when establishing their stamp and supremacy from 1975 with the greatest pace bowlers and match-winning batsmen.Australia went on to surpass the level of West Indies dominance after 1999 building an even stronger empire with a much longer reign.Australia also had more and harder opponents that the Calypsos with the evolution of One day Cricket.
In my final countdown this was my ranking.
MY RANKINGS OF ALL-TIME WORLD CUP TEAMS IN ORDER OF MERIT
1.Pakistan-No pace attack had more variety blending pace with accuracy and movement.No team had as astute a leader as Imran Khan.Few batsmen were better in a crisis than Miandad or as reliable as Inzamam and very few more talented than Majid Khan,Saed Anwar and Zaheer Abbas.It also had great all-rounders in Imran Khan,Wasim Akram and Abdur Razzak or Asif Iqbal..The bowling attack blended the wizardry of Wasim ,the agression of Imran , the devastating speed of Shoaib Akhtar and the unreadable turn of Abdul Qadir or Mushtaq Ahmed.Unlike cricinfo I would choose Qadir instead of Mushtaq and Inzamam instead of Misbah.
2.South Africa-No team had such a plethora of allrounders like Jacques Kallis.Lance Kluesner and Shaun Pollock etc and such depth in batting with the likes of Pollock coming in at no 9.The best fielding side ever with stalwarts like Jonty Rhodes.Also had the equivalent of a Viv Richards of his day in A B Devilliers and a modern day great in Hashim Amla.Great genuinely fast men like Alan Donald and Dale Steyn.Team lacked a great spinner and enough match-winners with the bat.
3.Australia-No team could be more well balanced with bowers like Mcgrath and Warne and batsmen like Ponting,Waugh brothers and Gilchrist.The control of Mcgrath,the develish turn of Warne,the tenacity of Steve Waugh ,the artistry of Mark Waugh,the blitzkreig of Gilchrist and the run making capacity of Ponting would make this close to an invincible team.A match-winning all-round cricketer in Michael Bevan but not as strong all-rounders like in Pakistan and South Africa.
4.West Indies-The greatest pace battery ever with the best match-winning batsmen.Imagine having the greats O.D.I.Batsmen ever in Viv Richards accompanied by greats like Lara,Clive Lloyd,Gordon Greenidge etc.Perhaps lacked a great spinner but a Larry Gomes may have compensated. Also did not have a great allrounder.tHe pace attack of Roberts,Holding and Garner could be unplayable at times.
In the end it was neck to neck between Pakistan,South Africa ,West Indies and Australia with maybe not even a whisker separating the 4 teams..Possible that even margin of 1 wicket would not separate the teams and the playing conditions would play a major factor.The ranking is tentative as it has only considered pure talent and not how players have binded together.For pure temperament or statistical performances Australia was well on top followed by West Indies but for man -to man-talent I feel Pakistan and South Africa edged it.The leadership of Imran influenced my ranking in addition to the genius of Wasim,Majid and Zaheer.South Africa was ranked ahead because it had many more genuine all-rounders,quicker speedsters and better fielding .I feel as the game evolved the CalYpso pace battery woud not be as effective with the side lacking a great spinner.
In my final countdown this was my ranking.
MY RANKINGS OF ALL-TIME WORLD CUP TEAMS IN ORDER OF MERIT
1.Pakistan-No pace attack had more variety blending pace with accuracy and movement.No team had as astute a leader as Imran Khan.Few batsmen were better in a crisis than Miandad or as reliable as Inzamam and very few more talented than Majid Khan,Saed Anwar and Zaheer Abbas.It also had great all-rounders in Imran Khan,Wasim Akram and Abdur Razzak or Asif Iqbal..The bowling attack blended the wizardry of Wasim ,the agression of Imran , the devastating speed of Shoaib Akhtar and the unreadable turn of Abdul Qadir or Mushtaq Ahmed.Unlike cricinfo I would choose Qadir instead of Mushtaq and Inzamam instead of Misbah.
2.South Africa-No team had such a plethora of allrounders like Jacques Kallis.Lance Kluesner and Shaun Pollock etc and such depth in batting with the likes of Pollock coming in at no 9.The best fielding side ever with stalwarts like Jonty Rhodes.Also had the equivalent of a Viv Richards of his day in A B Devilliers and a modern day great in Hashim Amla.Great genuinely fast men like Alan Donald and Dale Steyn.Team lacked a great spinner and enough match-winners with the bat.
3.Australia-No team could be more well balanced with bowers like Mcgrath and Warne and batsmen like Ponting,Waugh brothers and Gilchrist.The control of Mcgrath,the develish turn of Warne,the tenacity of Steve Waugh ,the artistry of Mark Waugh,the blitzkreig of Gilchrist and the run making capacity of Ponting would make this close to an invincible team.A match-winning all-round cricketer in Michael Bevan but not as strong all-rounders like in Pakistan and South Africa.
4.West Indies-The greatest pace battery ever with the best match-winning batsmen.Imagine having the greats O.D.I.Batsmen ever in Viv Richards accompanied by greats like Lara,Clive Lloyd,Gordon Greenidge etc.Perhaps lacked a great spinner but a Larry Gomes may have compensated. Also did not have a great allrounder.tHe pace attack of Roberts,Holding and Garner could be unplayable at times.
In the end it was neck to neck between Pakistan,South Africa ,West Indies and Australia with maybe not even a whisker separating the 4 teams..Possible that even margin of 1 wicket would not separate the teams and the playing conditions would play a major factor.The ranking is tentative as it has only considered pure talent and not how players have binded together.For pure temperament or statistical performances Australia was well on top followed by West Indies but for man -to man-talent I feel Pakistan and South Africa edged it.The leadership of Imran influenced my ranking in addition to the genius of Wasim,Majid and Zaheer.South Africa was ranked ahead because it had many more genuine all-rounders,quicker speedsters and better fielding .I feel as the game evolved the CalYpso pace battery woud not be as effective with the side lacking a great spinner.
