By Gaurang
May 1 2010

Just after a massive helping of T20 cricket which would have satiated the most voracious T20 appetite in the form of the recently concluded IPL, the ICC has scheduled its third edition of the T20 World Cup.

The novelty of supporting a national team, after the IPL bonanza where fans mostly supported individuals, as even city or team based loyalty is a concept not very suited to the hero-worshipping Indian ethos, may represent a bit of fresh air and spark a renewed appetite, but still the scheduling of the tournament back-to-back with the IPL just indicates how cramped and over-scheduled the international cricket calendar has become.

Thankfully the ICC has learnt some lessons from the disaster that was the 2007 World Cup, and each edition of the T20 World Cup (we’ve already staged three of these) since that time has ensured that the chance of a top team being eliminated is slim, though Australia did manage to still get eliminated last time. 

The addition of Afghanistan to the mix is truly a success story that deserves a lot of praise.  For a country still at war, and which has been at war, either officially or unofficially, for the last 30 years, this is indeed an impressive achievement.  India should definitely take Afghanistan under its wing, and maybe invite them to participate in next season’s Duleep Trophy to get exposure to the first class game as well.

In the end the victor of the tournament can be any of half a dozen teams, and the team that has both the skills and the luck going will ultimately emerge the champions.  Personally, I think that world cricket would be best served if somehow the West Indies managed to win this tournament, but the head says it will be one of India, Pakistan, Australia or South Africa that actually wins it.  In any case not too much must be read into who wins the championship, but if perchance India do win it, it may lead to a re-doubling of the national craze for this fast-food version of the game.  One shudders to think what that means in light of the scandals and politics that already have engulfed the IPL

Yet Another Dose Of Twenty20

Discussion started by Indian Cricket Fever (IP Logged), 01/05/2010 19:20

Indian Cricket Fever
01/05/2010 19:20

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:05:13:07:11:19 by Max.

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Birbal
01/05/2010 19:30

I have a feeling the Pakistani players who were shut out of the IPL will be the hungriest... so they are likely to be really tuned in... from the get go...

And so far, they are showing just that... simply CRUSHING the Banglas...

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wah
01/05/2010 20:45

IPL should be a sharp crisp tournament

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Max
02/05/2010 05:38

Good article, summarizing the tournament. What I don't understand is why this World T20 has been scheduled just 9 months after the previous one? These World events should be held once every 3 or 4 years, otherwise they lose their value.

India - World Cup winners 2011!!!
Champions Trophy winners 2013!!!
Congrats to Indian team and all Indian fans!

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ananthd
02/05/2010 07:09

I've tuned off to this form of cricket, simply taking the scores which surprises me, since I've never been less enthused about any other form of the game....

I think it's the sheer boredom that results from the cramped T20 calendar...

24 needed with a bunny coming in at 11? No problem!

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ananthd
02/05/2010 07:15

As to the tournament itself WI is my darkhorse pick....

24 needed with a bunny coming in at 11? No problem!

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Birbal
02/05/2010 15:06

ananthd Windies are your dark horses...hmmm...why are you being racist...?....Jusk kidding....

They are my sentimental favorites too...but they are unlikely to do too well...

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Birbal
04/05/2010 21:52

What a joke of a tournament this is turning into...

So many rain affected games...WTF were the ICC thinking or more likely NOT thinkng...?

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Max
05/05/2010 14:40

Is it rainy season in the Caribbean? If so, then the ICC's incompetence is unbelievable. If it's unseasonal showers, then they have just been unlucky.

India - World Cup winners 2011!!!
Champions Trophy winners 2013!!!
Congrats to Indian team and all Indian fans!

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Birbal
05/05/2010 15:17

This is stretching into the rainy season..

And Guyana is notorious for rainouts... so should have scheduled extra time at least for those matches...

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Max
06/05/2010 19:56

Thankfully there has not been any rain in Barbados so far. The pitches also seem lively, in contrast to the first round.

England easily beat Pakistan in the first Super 8 match. Pietersen doing well with the bat. Pak look very flat...need to lift their game a lot if they are to make the semis.

India - World Cup winners 2011!!!
Champions Trophy winners 2013!!!
Congrats to Indian team and all Indian fans!

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RamPrasadSharma
08/05/2010 02:23

Quote:

Birbal
What a joke of a tournament this is turning into...
So many rain affected games...WTF were the ICC thinking or more likely NOT thinkng...?

i am told modi has fixed this tournament

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Birbal
08/05/2010 17:14

He first needs to fix his butt... his backside is in a whole lot of trouble and about to be kicked hard...

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