World Cup review: The 2019 World Cup may have just saved the ODI format (Mamoon)

[Abdullah719]

Many thanks to [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] for this thoughtful write-up.

<img src="https://i.imgur.com/S3aoz5m.jpg" width="700">​

If the 1983 World Cup shaped the future of Indian cricket and if the 1999 World Cup kick-started an era of unparalleled dominance for Australia, the 2019 World Cup may as well have saved the ODI format. Over the last few years, cricket fans and observers were becoming increasingly sceptical over the future of ODI cricket. The perceived imbalance between bat and ball made the format look like an extended version of T20 cricket, and there over growing concerns over whether it had a place in the game at all. However, the 2019 World Cup laid all those doubts to rest. It had controversy, it had chaos and it had worthy champions. The World Cup finally came home, and it came home in style.

In many ways, the 2019 World Cup was a tribute to the ODI cricket of yesteryear - chasing anything above 250 needed a herculean effort. It would not have looked out of place in 1999 or 1989, but more than the unexpected fierce competition between bat and ball, it gave every team what they deserved. India went into the World Cup with an outstanding core of players, but an Achilles heel that they have failed to address for several years. They were predictability imperious throughout the World Cup, with their top three doing the bulk of the scoring and their bowling attack giving the opposition no room to breathe. However, as it happened in the Champions Trophy two years ago, their middle-order failed to provide stability when they needed them the most. A clear example of failing to learn from their mistakes.

Pakistan went into the World Cup like they always do - unprepared, hoping for magic and miracles to compensate for their lack of quality and temperament. The Champions Trophy triumph in 2017 a distant memory that only served to strengthen their belief that winning tournaments is more about producing the goods on a given day and less about immaculate preparation. Unfortunately for Pakistan, it wasn't to be - the capitulation in their opening game against the West Indies proved to be too costly - the upset win over England and the late surge were not enough to propel them into the semi-finals, and Pakistan learned yet another harsh lesson. Success is a process, and they are yet to identify that process.

Australia's anti-climatic exit in the semi-final mirrored their preparation for the World Cup. After winning their fifth World Cup in 2015, Australia essentially went into sleep mode in ODIs, and the self-imposed bans on Steve Smith and David Warner result in an unnecessary distraction. The series wins over India and Pakistan before the World Cup provided them with much-needed momentum, and the timely return of David Warner, the relentless Mitchel Starc who took off from where he left in 2015, and the understated captaincy of Aaron Finch put Australia within touching distance of retaining their crown, but they saw the best of a hungry England who played with an intensity people did not believe that they possessed.

The 2019 World Cup saw South Africa at their worst after 16 years. It was a continuation of the stagnant cricket that they have played in the last couple of years. The bizarre retirement of AB de Villiers and his last-ditch attempt to get into the final 15, the deadwood in Hashim Amla and JP Duminy, and a Dale Steyn who refuses to accept that his body was gone, were some of the reasons why South Africa never had a realistic chance of finally winning the World Cup. After the first over of the World Cup, South Africa saw little joy until their final match against Australia, where they produced a performance that highlighted Australia's vulnerability as much as it highlighted the potential that South Africa still has.

New Zealand's 2019 World Cup journey was perhaps the most New Zealand-like performance to date. New Zealand making a World Cup semi-final and losing has almost become a stereotype, and the 2019 World Cup saw its extreme version - they made more headlines for their exemplary attitude led by their captain Kane Williamson than for their cricket, until they clinically dissected India in the semi-final to meet their harrowing fate in the final, a tragic story in itself that would never be forgotten in the gloomy world of New Zealand cricket.

West Indies on the back of Holder's inspirational captaincy was considered as a potential dark horse. After their emphatic victory over Pakistan in the opening game, they faltered like they always have on so many occasions in the near and distant past. Nevertheless, Holder's leadership and the presence of a few talented young players is enough hope for West Indies supporters to believe that they are on the right track.

Sri Lanka entered the World Cup with no friends and no enemies. Critics did not give them a chance and the supporters did not hype them. The meek surrender against New Zealand in their opening game was the start of a painful journey, highlighting all the issues that have plagued Sri Lankan cricket since 2015. However, ironically, it was their remarkable victory over favourites England on June 21that opened up the tournament, giving themselves, Pakistan and Bangladesh a chance of qualifying for the semi-finals. Ultimately, it proved to be a false dawn and the future of Sri Lankan cricket remains dark, in spite of the highly impressive Avishka Fernando's bright performances.

For Bangladesh, the World Cup was just another step in the right direction. Their journey from minnows to potentially the second-best team in Asia in just over 18 years is a testament to their hard work and passion for the game, and in Shakib Al Hasan - their most celebrated hero - they have a player who can rub shoulders with the very best in the game, and not just today. In many ways, this was his last opportunity of getting the spotlight he has richly deserved for so many years. At 32, the 2019 World Cup was his last chance of proving himself to the world that he was more than just a big fish in a small pond, and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands. Purely in terms of performances, he was the player of the tournament by some distance. Collectively, the match against New Zealand was an opportunity missed for Bangladesh. New Zealand has seen the best of Bangladesh long before other teams have, but on that day, the world also saw a side of Bangladesh that has prevented them from completing their transition from minnows to heavyweights - a distinct lack of killer-instinct.

Afghanistan entered the World Cup with all the passion and the flavor that few teams can match. A uniquely imbalanced team with no batsmen and pacers to speak of, but a spin bowling attack that is as good as anyone. It was said that if their batsmen put up a competitive total, their spin attack led by Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman had the potential to dismantle any lineup. Unfortunately, none of that happened. Afghanistan's batting looked a good 10 years behind the rest of the world and their problems compounded when their aggressive opening batsman and wicket-keeper Mohammad Shahzad was sent home in controversial fashion. Rashid Khan himself was perhaps the disappointment of the tournament, and his lowest point came against England where Eoin Morgan took him apart like no batsman ever has. They did produce a few inspiring moments and came agonisingly close to beating both India and Pakistan, but their lack of experience and temperament proved to be their undoing. Afghanistan may not have a lot of positives to take from this World Cup, but to see them reach this platform is a miracle in itself, and the realisation that at this point, they are perhaps lagging behind more than they thought could spur them to greater heights in the future.

Lastly, England, the champions. Their appalling campaign in 2015 is now a distant memory. It all started with Andrew Strauss, the captain of their 2011 campaign realising that England had to change their ways to have any chance of making an impact in their home World Cup in 2019. They ruthlessly axed the core of their 2015 World Cup squad and embraced a brand of cricket that quickly became the benchmark. There was a purpose behind every single selection and they looked like a team that wanted glory more than anyone else. It was a World Cup that they had to win - with the core of their greatest ever ODI team in their late 20's, the 2019 World Cup in England was the occasion where everything had to come together. If the World Cup was a movie, England was its hero with plot armor. Leading their charge was Ben Stokes, whose bowling cost them a World T20 and aggression nearly cost him his career. He had a point to prove, and he did emphatically. Coming into the World Cup, England faced a paradox - they had to prove that they were the big favorites, but they also had to prove that they had the mettle to perform under pressure that many doubted that they possessed. Their performances in must-win matches against India, New Zealand and Australia proved that they could deliver with their backs against the wall. A quality that the English sides of the past seemingly did not have.

The events before July 14th had already made the 2019 World Cup a classic - however, what happened in the final took an already great spectacle to a completely different. Where does one begin with the final? 20 years ago, Australia and South Africa scripted a semi-final that was widely regarded as the greatest ODI of all time. It was only fitting that the next World Cup in England went one step ahead and produced a final worthy of the occasion and worthy of the tournament. It was chaotic, it was controversial and it produced a worthy champion. A champion that deserved to win the World Cup but perhaps not in that fashion. A runner-up that deserved to finish runner-up but perhaps not in that fashion.

Much like Trevor Chappell's underarm delivery in 1981, the overthrow of Ben Stokes' bat and the tied Super Over could potentially change the rules of the game. The overthrow rules and the decision to declare a winner based on the number of boundaries are likely to be reviewed. Will it be for the better? We don't know, but all in all, the World Cup provided more answers than questions. The ODI format is truly alive and kicking, In a world of two extremes, i.e. Test cricket and T20 cricket, the 50 over format provides a wonderful balance and the best (and the worst) of both extremes. Furthermore, the glory belongs to the team that this is best prepared. Rankings do matter, and the team that works the hardest over a long period gives itself the best possible chance of winning the World Cup. For England, the World Cup has come home and the next chapter begins. For everyone else, the preparation of the 2023 World Cup starts today.

 

[topspin]

Excellent balanced piece from [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] - this was a great read and was bang on the money.

This was the greatest WC ever and the final for me was the best sports contest I have ever watched, with the 2005 Champions League Final (Liverpool and AC Milan) and epic 2008 Wimbledon final (Federer v Nadal) falling just behind this match.

 

[PakPremi]

Good write up but not as balanced as it could have been. How was it that Pak went unprepared and yet ended up with the same point as so called more prepared team like New Zealnd the eventual finalist. Truth is Pak were well prepared, many teams were beaten on the day by lesser team but Pak just froze against West Indies and the manner of defeat cost them seni final place.
Pak did not help themselves in some matches due to odd selections when more suitable players were available in the squad for certain matches (Haris and Shadab for instance).

 

[barah_admi]

How many times will we hear that ODI cricket or test cricket has been saved? They said the same after CT 2017, they say the same after any and all competitive test series.

ODI cricket is still a huge financial juggernaut and will continue to be so in the world of cricket ,the problem however is the lack of general care in the wider public in England and that can only be saved by bringing cricket out from behind the pay wall.

 

[Ahmed216]

Paks victory over England was an upset but sri lankan victory was remarkable. Bas kar bhai
This post offers no cricketing insight m sorry

 

[The Viper]

Good post.

Pakistan were poorly prepared as they failed they relied to much on the top order. There was no chance with Hafeez, Sarfaraz and Malik being the initial middle order.

England prepared the most and they did well in must win games.

 

[ssuhaide]

Great read.

 

[Ab Fan]

Great Post.. I agree with most of the points mentioned.

It was without any doubt one of the best World Cups, and hence, a redemption of ODI cricket in many ways.

 

[PakPremi]

Good post.

Pakistan were poorly prepared as they failed they relied to much on the top order. There was no chance with Hafeez, Sarfaraz and Malik being the initial middle order.

England prepared the most and they did well in must win games.

That's not preparation issue but selection issue, which has always been in Pakistan. Certain seniors always get in the team no matter what their performances are. No amount of preparation would have fixed that.
Openers were given enuff opportunities to be prepared but Fakhar failed.

 

[Saksham]

Amazing article. This was the 5th World Cup I have watched since 2003. For me this has been the best World Cup till date. 2003 and 2011 were brilliant but this tournament was just something else. The balance between the bat and the ball was just perfect. The Final between New Zealand and England is the Greatest Odi played in the history of Odi Cricket. I don't think we will ever see such a tight contest again in Odi Cricket especially in a World Cup Final.

 

[Titan24]

Excellent write up covering every aspect associated with the WC 19.

 

[shariqnoor]

I believe only the final was the saving grace for the 50 over format. Remove that match and you will find a pretty standard World Cup in my opinion. Nothing to rave about.

The final was so captivating that it actually blurs vision and we're now unconsciously judging how good the cricket world cup was. Had the final match been the first match of the tournament and the first match been the final, nobody would say that the world cup was great. Recency bias.

 

[big_gamer007]

Great post [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION]. Agreed with most points. However in ICC tournaments the pitches are generally good and there is balance between bat and ball. Problem happens in bilaterals where bowlers are made worthless.

If pitches in bilaterals are made as in this world cup or the new ball rule is scrapped and reverse swing is brought back it will result in much more competitive matches.

Problem is casual fans want to watch boundaries especially sub continent ones so boards cater to them. This won't change

 

[sweep_shot]

Brilliant article from Mamoon.

This World Cup was definitely a great advertisement for ODI format. Every team had their moments and it was not a dull tournament overall.

 

[Markhor]

A very thorough article from Mamoon. This was the best World Cup since 1999, maybe even better given how the latter stages delivered so much drama and tension.

Still life in the 50 over format if sporting pitches are prepared.

 

[S2000Magician]

What a masterpiece of an article by [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION]! Jug Jug jiyo Mamoon.

 

[BaankeJi]

Very well written. But I refuse to believe that this was the best world cup. So many games ruined due to rain - God knows what would have been semis line up if some of those games were played- made this one one of the worst tournament ever.

 

[nads_rocks]

Greatly written [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION], word for word. Brilliant post.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

My thoughts exactly. What this World Cup will mean for ODI cricket cannot be understated. Unbelievable tournament

 

[HamzaSaeen]

For Bangladesh, the World Cup was just another step in the right direction. Their journey from minnows to potentially the second-best team in Asia in just over 18 years is a testament to their hard work

Good article overall, but they finished 8th and Pakistan finished 5th

 

[pillionrider]

Nice one as expected.

Agree on the ODI being saved bit though I don't see it vibrant and kicking. Yes, more than enough was achieved during this WC to ensure people continue to look forward to the concept of an ODI WC.

Personally, I don't see myself watching any bilaterals until the next tourney.

 

[pakistani pride]

Good article overall, but they finished 8th and Pakistan finished 5th

That sums him up.
I mean PAK finished at 11 points, same as NZ, just one yes one point behind his favourate team and WC ENG. Besides ENG did not have rain washout a match. Pak trashed the BANGLA team yet somehow they have the potential to be the no 2 team of Asia.

He talks about preparation, well ENG has been chasing for 4 years. That was their strategy for 4 years of planning. What happened to that at the WC?

He talks about lack of quality but excuse me players like Babar, Haris, Imad, Shadab, Amir, Shaheen, Wahab. All these performed superbly. It just was not meant to be for PAK but they surely lit up the WC.

 

[angeldsoul]

Mamoon undoubtedly has an above average grasp of the English language and knows how to structure an article.
His summation is more or less captain obvious apart from his usual anti Pakistan bias. Has blinkers when it comes to Pakistan!! When pak defeats England it's an upset when Sri lanka do it its remarkable! Lol we had 1 off day really which is what cost Pakistan in the end. But the way mamoon is going on is like we finished gun barrel last!! Lolol
Over all good structure to the article obvious observations and way off the mark with Pakistan. A solid D- effort by the troll!

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Mamoon undoubtedly has an above average grasp of the English language and knows how to structure an article.
His summation is more or less captain obvious apart from his usual anti Pakistan bias. Has blinkers when it comes to Pakistan!! When pak defeats England it's an upset when Sri lanka do it its remarkable! Lol we had 1 off day really which is what cost Pakistan in the end. But the way mamoon is going on is like we finished gun barrel last!! Lolol
Over all good structure to the article obvious observations and way off the mark with Pakistan. A solid D- effort by the troll!

Well said.

Both finalists were manhandled by Pakistan. If it were not for that atrocious 1st game against WI... who knows?

Excellent article with clear anti Pakistan agenda.

 

[S2000Magician]

Mamoon undoubtedly has an above average grasp of the English language and knows how to structure an article.
His summation is more or less captain obvious apart from his usual anti Pakistan bias. Has blinkers when it comes to Pakistan!! When pak defeats England it's an upset when Sri lanka do it its remarkable! Lol we had 1 off day really which is what cost Pakistan in the end. But the way mamoon is going on is like we finished gun barrel last!! Lolol
Over all good structure to the article obvious observations and way off the mark with Pakistan. A solid D- effort by the troll!

If you are so intelligent, then write a better article than Mamoon.

Agar aukaat hai toh behter lekh likho.

 

[Saj]

A very good read.

There was talk a few years ago of the 50-over format in trouble due to the increase in popularity of T20s, but 50-over cricket is here to stay and it's a format that I have always enjoyed and has got better over the years.

 

[angeldsoul]

If you are so intelligent, then write a better article than Mamoon.

Agar aukaat hai toh behter lekh likho.

I am not so intelligent!! I am still allowed to post my comments on it. I gave him credit for excellent english and structure. Better than I could. But for me its lacking in real substance and his comments on Pakistan just show his abject failure to write a neutral piece.

Most people will agree with me here on his incredible anti Pakistan bias.

 

[PakPremi]

If you are so intelligent, then write a better article than Mamoon.

Agar aukaat hai toh behter lekh likho.

I think first you need to learn to read. He is not saying article is not well written, but full of Mamoon's anti Pakistan rhetoric, even though Pak punched well above their weight and had to pay heavy price for one "real" off day against WI. It was always expected that India and Australia would beat Pakistan, as they have better players currently. Even the preparation argument nearly fell flat on its face, as pointed out earlier England finished only one point above Pakistan, thanks to rain denying Pakistan vital second point; England were also well beaten by "badly" prepared team Pakistan.

 

[poppadoms]

I don't think anyone has made this point so far, but this world cup challenged every aspect of a team. The long first round and varied conditions meant that every aspect of a team's technical ability was tested. The four teams with the best cricketing foundations went through to the semis. In the knockouts, technical ability, which all of them had, became less of a focus, and instead it became a test of nerve. The two best teams in that respect went through to the final. The final itself was the test of nerve again, pumped to ridiculous levels. Absurdly for what is supposed to be a short format, the game became a test of endurance, seeing if each team could decisively swing it within each 5 over spell. This was all the things that make Test cricket great, in the guise of a 50 over tournament.

 

[Hasan123]

The best World Cup of all time without doubt.

 

[shockbound]

I dont know why everyone's blinded from the scripted games this WC had. You dont get last ball final unless there's planning invovled. This WC has surely made me push away from more ICC games.

 

[Technics 1210]

The premise of the article is to explain why the ODI WC may have just saved the ODI format; the article fails to establish the connection.

First of all, the first paragraph attempts to explain the problem with ODI cricket in terms of balance of the game, then claims the ODI format is saved because the WC2019 had controversy, chaos, and worthy champions. Sadly - controversy, chaos, and worthy champions, do not alter the balance of the game thus are irrelevant to the redeemers of the ODI format. There is no mention of the balls used in the WC, the type of wickets, fielding restrictions, various grounds and respective boundary lengths, updated DRS rules, plus the 2 ball ODI rule. These influence the balance of the game – not controversy, chaos, or worthy champions.

The next set of paragraphs start with the author’s favourite team, India, and the team that won the WC -England. Honestly, this bulk of the article is missing the close encounters, the edge of the seat matches, the hat tricks, the centuries, the drops, the catches, the injuries, the records, the drama. Instead we are bequeathed a highlights reel of how each team performed, with the added prejudice against Pakistan. With the added bonus of fiction with respect to the points table.

Where is the information on key matches, format of the tournament, logistics, organisation, weather, ticket allocation, ground capacity, transport, coverage, commentary, media broadcast, revenue, etc of the tournament which can affect the popularity of the game?

The article should reflect on the highs, the lows, the challenges, and successes of the tournament itself and provide a juxtaposition between the survival of the ODI format and the tournament itself; not posit information based on highlights, headlines, and hindsight. The poor analysis and presentation of the article is basically saying ODI cricket is alive and well because of a controversial super over tie breaker method. Alas! The article is also a chance for the author to assert his opinions on the WC, which have been thoroughly debunked and falsified. One last word as it were.

Last but not least, the article keeps referring to rules of the game. This is incorrect terminology; Cricket has *laws*, not rules.

 

[Technics 1210]

I forgot to add, the article could do with highlighting the multicultural makeup of the WC winning team, England. The fusion of team members made up of various races, colours, and creeds, is a testament to the diversity of culture in the UK and should be celebrated by drawing parallels and ironies with the political divide in the country. The WC win for England is a great tonic for the country as we all as a great advert for unity – I guess this would mean praising 2 Pakistani origin players in the England team – which is why perhaps the point was missed out by the author.

 

[Abid Z]

This is a very well written article..well done. It was enjoyable to read and very entertaining, certainly better than a lot of cheer leading articles of Cricinfo where no team exists other than the big three.

Unfortunately the article is let down by a few glaring contradictions and personal biases. I know Mamoon is a Pakistani, watches from Pakistan and tries to manage expectations by being unnecessarily hard on the Pak team to compensate. He presents this as balance and realism..but balanced against what? Just because there are a few ultra zealous Pak fans on the site who are oblivious to Pakistan's standing in the world doesn't mean that Mamoon has to ignore the context within which Pak cricket takes place. Writing this reply from England and regularly listening to very insightful commentary on Radio 5 Live and Sky I wanted to present a reply to show that Mamoon operates within a vaccuum and often unware of the high regard other commentators give Pakistan and lace their comments with the mitigating factors that the country deserves. Its a cash starved board of a third world country where almost no international cricket takes place yet they manage to punch above their weight time and time again. This is what makes Pakistan cricket so alluring to neutral fans and Mamoon should take note.

Let me be specific and clarify.

"... the 2019 World Cup was a tribute to the ODI cricket of yesteryear - chasing anything above 250 needed a herculean effort. ....India went into the World Cup with an outstanding core of players,.... They were predictability imperious throughout the World Cup, with their top three doing the bulk of the scoring and their bowling attack giving the opposition no room to breathe. However, as it happened in the Champions Trophy two years ago, their middle-order failed to provide stability when they needed them the most. A clear example of failing to learn from their mistakes"

Firstly there were 25 scores above 300 and only about 10 scores 250 or below. This was a high scoring world cup but most people only will allude to the low scoring final matches as they were the most memorable. India were not imperious! they lost to Australia and England..had a washout match so gained a bonus and were pushed very close by the lowest ranked Afghanistan. The highlighted statement is a bit over enthusiastic and reflects your bias in favour of India. Many posters are swept up in the Hype of Indian players' over-performance in their own Tamasha IPL and bilaterals and assume they are on par with Waugh's Australia and Lloyds Windies. In fact nothing could be further from the truth, they are a team with world class players but also frail individuals who don't travel well despite cheer leading by Mamoon et al.



"Pakistan went into the World Cup like they always do - unprepared, hoping for magic and miracles to compensate for their lack of quality and temperament. The Champions Trophy triumph in 2017 a distant memory that only served to strengthen their belief that winning tournaments is more about producing the goods on a given day and less about immaculate preparation. Unfortunately for Pakistan, it wasn't to be - the capitulation in their opening game against the West Indies proved to be too costly - the upset win over England and the late surge were not enough to propel them into the semi-finals, and Pakistan learned yet another harsh lesson. Success is a process, and they are yet to identify that process.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this statement, but many learned commentators don't share this belief. It is true that Pakistan had a bilateral series in England just prior and in most of the matches they scored above 300 against a very good attack. Yes they lost heavily but in the ensuing world cup they had 3 scores above 300. So, they prepared their batting well and won accolades which i'm sure Mamoon has erased from memory. They brought a rookie attack and conceeded a glut of runs and lost heavily. If you don't try out your combinations in a bilateral when are you going to do it?? They tested their reserves, jettisoned the non performers and i think have since developed a very strong match tested bench.

They lost against Windies heavily and yes this cost their place in the finals, but Trent Bridge is known for its swing and bounce and many subcontinental teams would have struggled in that match. But i think its fair to lose a game against a lower ranked team especially as better batsmen than these would struggle just as much against steep bounce anywhere in the world. What needs to be understood is that losing heavily in an early match, puts enormous pressure to win by any margin later and Pakistan have suffered because of a very heavy defeat therefore the pressure of catching up with the run rate was always against them. This was not lack of immaculate preparation, this is just an unfortunate luck of the draw. Its very condescending to state they were hoping for magic and miracles and yes you do want to keep repeating that the 2017 champions trophy was a fluke and beating England was an upset. Neither were such. They reflected having the resources to employ when the time came and adjust according to deteriorating surfaces and changing situations. Instead of trying to win by the tactic of out and out pace, they quickly realised that as the pitches wore down and became scuffed, the key was cutters and slower balls. To have such depth in the bowling was immaculate planning as many teams didnt have the flexiblity and suffered. Pakistans only mistake was to have both of Hafeez and Shohaib in the team but realistically nobody could guess that the latter would be as abject as he was but then many players didn't fire. (Guptil, tamim, Butler being cases in point). Infact Pakistan did exactly as their ranking suggests. they are ranked 5th, came 5th and left with their head held high. Why the negativity? yes there is a lot of room for improvement but they won good games with very young players and this bodes well for the future. I think you could have balanced your observation just a little better.

Australia's anti-climatic exit in the semi-final mirrored their preparation for the World Cup. After winning their fifth World Cup in 2015, Australia essentially went into sleep mode in ODIs, and the self-imposed bans on Steve Smith and David Warner result in an unnecessary distraction.

Once again its a shame that this statement found its way on this page..you do realise that as many important commentators, Jim Maxwell in particular pointed out at the beginning of the world cup. Australia are focused primarily on the Ashes. Having won the world cup 5 times they have nothing left to prove and already their main focus of the summer is Test Cricket not the world cup. They are playing against each other in different parts of the country right now and on seaming tracks hungrier than ever. Smith and Warner issue is magnified only by you. The rest of the cricketing world is quaking with trepidation that Starc and Cummins are firing on all cylinders and Australia look as solid as ever.

"Bangladesh, the World Cup was just another step in the right direction. Their journey from minnows to potentially the second-best team in Asia in just over 18 years is a testament to their hard work and passion for the game, and in Shakib Al Hasan - their most celebrated hero - they have a player who can rub shoulders with the very best in the game, and not just today"

You do realise that the rankings put India and Pakistan, by a considerable margin, above Bangladesh? So they aren't the potential second best team, they are currently the 3rd best team in Asia. Yes they have some good new young players but they also have a lot of aging players such as Tamim and Mushrafe who have been passengers in this world cup in a way that even hafeez has not been. However..Bangladesh's lack of development in the latter stages of the world cup contrasts glaringly with that of Pakistan,..i.e when push came to shove, Pakistan had a versatile attack made up of express pace, left armers, cutters, swingers, seamers and leggies but Bangladesh were ultimately limited. Although you demonstrate your adulation for Shakib, please temper it a little especially as cricket is a team game and Bangladesh suffered from not having their full team firing as they should. Wish them the best and hope they continue to progress, but 2nd best Asian Team they aint!

"Lastly, England, the champions. Their appalling campaign in 2015 is now a distant memory. It all started with Andrew Strauss, the captain of their 2011 campaign realising that England had to change their ways to have any chance of making an impact in their home World Cup in 2019. They ruthlessly axed the core of their 2015 World Cup squad and embraced a brand of cricket that quickly became the benchmark. There was a purpose behind every single selection and they looked like a team that wanted glory more than anyone else. It was a World Cup that they had to win - with the core of their greatest ever ODI team in their late 20's, the 2019 World Cup in England was the occasion where everything had to come together. If the World Cup was a movie, England was its hero with plot armor. Leading their charge was Ben Stokes, whose bowling cost them a World T20 and aggression nearly cost him his career. He had a point to prove, and he did emphatically. Coming into the World Cup, England faced a paradox - they had to prove that they were the big favorites, but they also had to prove that they had the mettle to perform under pressure that many doubted that they possessed. Their performances in must-win matches against India, New Zealand and Australia proved that they could deliver with their backs against the wall. A quality that the English sides of the past seemingly did not have.

This whole paragraph is contradictory. What Englands world cup campaign has highlighted is the folly of the strategy of trying to hit every ball for 6. England failed to chase a low score because their batsmen dont know how to rotate the strike and build an innings and their star player Stokes time and again had to play test style cricket to bring England into the match. This may the greatest odi match for entertainment but its one of the poorest in terms of demonstrating cricketing skills. England may have changed tactics from 2015 onwards, but their world cup campaign highlighted that they still fail to play smart and versatile cricket. They were deserving winners because they played consistently and adapted whenever they could i.e dropped Moeen and brought back Liam Plunkett and bolstered their seam attack but they made massive mistakes and Pakistan beating them was no fluke.


But I really enjoyed the article, Was good to read and reflect and certainly better than a lot of rubbish on Cricinfo . Was its the best world cup ever? I think so actually.

 

[wrongun]

Good write up but not as balanced as it could have been. How was it that Pak went unprepared and yet ended up with the same point as so called more prepared team like New Zealnd the eventual finalist. Truth is Pak were well prepared, many teams were beaten on the day by lesser team but Pak just froze against West Indies and the manner of defeat cost them seni final place.
Pak did not help themselves in some matches due to odd selections when more suitable players were available in the squad for certain matches (Haris and Shadab for instance).

You don't think picking players from outside the submitted 30 players, sacking the bowling lineups mid tournament & going into a tournament with no idea who your best players were, leaving the best batsman out of the team until the tournament was lost, Captain flip flopping on whether to chase or bat first when he won the toss & management failing to properly replace your fielding coach & thus serving up the worst fielding performance of any team in the Cup speaks of an ill-prepared team?

To use your own comparison to NZ on the same points who spend the lead up knowing their team, fine tuning their roles & working in their tactics, turned in one of the best fielding sides in the tournament. Played the same team throughout almost every match, allowing players to gain confidence, know the conditions, feel secure in their place & know exactly what their team mates would do/capable of in the game & what they had to do to help; only changing the team once for tactical reasons & then were literally 1 run or wicket away from winning the whole thing? That NZ team? Yea I'd say they were better prepared looking at the two examples.

 

[pakistan cricket fan]

So Pakistans win over England is FLUKE and Sri Lanka beating England is REMARKABLE
What a rubbish write-up