The tenth edition of the Cricket World Cup was played in the Indian sub-continent with India being the host country and Sri Lanka and Bangladesh sharing matches. The glitz started on 17th February 2011 with the first match between India and Bangladesh on 19th February played in Bangladesh. India went on to lift the World Cup trophy after a span of 28 years after a thrilling final between Sri Lanka and India on the way also became the first home team to lift the World Cup.Yuvraj Singh was rightly decided the Man of the Series after playing some match winning innings in most of the games India played.The biggest upset of the tournament has been the defeat of England by Ireland on 2nd March with Ireland's Kevin O'Brien scoring a century in just 50 balls, the fastest World Cup Century. Along with it Ireland also made the highest successful run chase in World Cup history by chasing England's score of 327 runs successfully. These are some of the highlights of the major games of the World Cup:
2nd April 2011: Ramayana II: India struck gold after a long 28 years by defeating Sri Lanka in a closely fought encounter in the 2011 edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup finals in the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.. Mahendra Singh Dhoni playing a captains knock and Gautam Gambhir a rock steady innings to reach this herculean feat and taming the Sri Lankan bowling onslaught. It was pitted to be a match between Ram and Ravana as per the Indian media taking a cue from the mythological epic Ramayana and once again it was Rama's side having the last laugh. Nonetheless the hype was certainly mellowed for a final after the Indo-Pak encounter as if that itself was the final and this was going to be just another match.
Sri Lanka batting first started this match slowly with Zaheer Khan bowling 3 maidens unbelievably for a final match but Sri Lanka scored heavily in the final few overs to get a respectable total with Mahela Jayawardene scoring another century. It was also the last match of his glorious career for Muttiah Muralidharan, who perhaps would have wanted to end in a winning note, but he can take heart from the fact that he has already been in the winning side in the 1996 World Cup. But after that it was just India's day today. Indian's have a reason to celebrate after a long long time and a grand Diwali in April.
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30th March 2011: World War III: And the battle is over. Once again the dream of Pakistan of beating India in an World Cup encounter remained elusive. India remained on top by beating Pakistan by 29 runs, inspite of a poor batting finish towards the end by India. Pakistan missed a good batsman to stand tall in these matches and their in-experience in the batting line-up cracked up.Sachin missed his 100th century once again falling short by just 15 runs but it was high drama with 4 missed chances, an appeal turned down under UDRS, luck seemed to be in his favour. India though managed 260 runs on board after a promising start by Sehwag but the later batsman failed to capitalise on it with Wahab Riaz turning out to be star for Pakistan with 5 crucial wickets at important junctures. But now is the time for the big finals in Mumbai with India taking on giants Sri Lanka to have a tryst with the World Cup after a long 28 years after missing out in the 2003 edition.
The d-day is here and it can't get any bigger and better. It is the final before the finals. The hype this time has been just massive and enormous and why not, in a game like this its bound to. From Politics to Bollywood, the best out is there except for the common public who can only watch from the comfort of their couches. It all started with the Prime minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh inviting Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, which they gladly accepted. The public frenzy has also been quite high with calls from the public to declare the day as a National Holiday with Pakistan already declaring a half-day and both nations treating the match like as if its a war out there. And how can Bollywood be left behind. With Aamir Khan cancelling his shooting and confirming his presence for the match in Mohali, there are a array of stars from Sunil Shetty, Vivek Oberoi, Rahul Bose among others and an up-coming model already declaring to bare it all if India wins the match. Its a battle out there!
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29th March 2011: Wingless Kiwis: Once again New Zealand did at what they are best at, losing their Sixth Semifinal encounter and for the second time against Sri Lanka in a semifinal in a World Cup. Scoring a meek 217 runs, Sri Lanka chased their target with 13 balls to spare and reaching the finals easily. And they will face the winner of tomorrows mother of all encounters India against Pakistan.
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26th March 2011: English Wave Finally the English wavelength cam to a complete halt for one final time in this edition of the World Cup. Lady luck somehowe have never been in the English side. They were sent by God to introduce Cricket to the World, but somehow took away their power to win the ultimate glory, even in Lagaan. Sri Lanka today just mauled the England team with a comprehensive win over them, first by restricting them to a mere 229 runs and then chasing it in only 40 overs with all 10 wickets intact and both openers Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan scoring centuries. England today for once never looked like they were playing for a semi-final berth. Meanwhile Sri Lanka after this win take on last night winners New Zealand on the all crucial semi-finals.
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25th March 2011: Chok Chokers: South Africa once again went back to the best what they do in almost every World Cup since their inception, losing matches they could have won any other day but not in a big World Cup game and thus proudly retaining the tag of Chokers if not the Cup itself. Needing only 222 runs for victory South Africa perished 49 runs shot to give New Zealand another Semi final berth. And for trivia lovers South Africa has never won a Knock-Out game in the World Cup.
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24th March 2011: End of the Aussie Era: It was almost inevitable and the final nail has been stroked to end the Australian reign of 3 consecutive world cup victories. It was almost eminent from the way we have seen their downfall in the last few months and this perhaps sealed the fate on Ponting. India today was on top from the very beginning while restricting Australia to just 260 runs and then chasing it with 14 balls to spare. It could well perhaps be the last match for Australian captain Ricky Ponting, but with his fine century today, it will be a fitting end to an illustrious career. But now the matches of matches is coming up with two sworn enemies clashing in the all crucial semi final for a final berth. It will be a clash of titans with India taking on Pakistan in the semi-finals and Pakistan also looking on top in this edition of the world cup. It could be another thriller of a match and this perhaps will be the Defining Image of World Cup 2011
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23rd March 2011: West Indies have to wait for another world cup to repeat their 1975 and 1979 feats once again, till then they can only bask in their past glory and hope for another re-incarnation of the likes of Vivian Richards, Malcom Marshall, Clive Lloyd, Gordon Greenidge among others to bring back to their World Cup winning ways. The current teams seems to be only a shadow of what it has been even a decade ago. Really not a single player stood out in this edition of the world cup. Kemar Roach and Sulieman Benn showed some promise but that was only in bits and pieces. It was a complete mauling today for the Indies, who were bowled out for a paltry 112 runs against Pakistan and after that Pakistan could have only some batting practice for the crucial Semi-finals.And once again Shahid Afridi shown on a crucial encounter, he still remains a match winner with his crucial 4 wickets.
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20th March 2011:The last of the encounters for the league stage between India and West Indies with both team already having qualified for the last eight. It was a lacklustre match with perhaps the notable moment coming in from none other than the master Sachin Tendulkar. Once gain he has opened up the debate on whether a batsman should walk on his own after a umpire decides not-out.
Playing to Ravi Rampaul, Sachin knicked a ball to the wicketkeeper which the umpire couldn't spot and while nodding his heads, Sachin decided to walk-off himself. Although his decision was praise-worthy but some raised the fact that he didn't do the same in the IPL 3 finals where he had a much clearer knick and on that occasion was also adjudged not-out.
Sachin fans on the other hand have to wait for another match for his 100th century. And well from the next match the Knock-out stage starts with India pipped against four time World Cup champions Australia. But with Australia on the decline can India make it up, or Ponting still carry on his un-beatable oomph?
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18th March 2011: Finally the Aussie dream run is halted today. After an unbeaten streak of 34 matches, Australia today at last bowed to Pakistan and Guess what it was Pakistan who beat them the last time in a World Cup match. It was a overall poor show from Australia today scoring just 176 runs on board and Pakistan reach it with 9 overs and 4 wickets to spare. It was perhaps a perfect halt from the decline that has set in the Australian camp in the last few months.
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18th March 2011: The Irish high-rises. Ireland seems to be developing chasing 300 runs with ease these days. After the English, now its the turn of the Dutch to give away a match even after scoring a 300. Quite a fitting end to the Irish dreams in this edition. Hope they come back better in the 2015 edition of the world cup.
West indies fell short by just 18 runs with some fine bowling from Graeme Swann who took 2 crucial wickets in the 43rd over of Ramnaresh Sarwan and inform Kemar Roach to bring England back onto the match. But even after their win, England can only wait and watch results of the other games to have any chance of going to the quarters. The group is quite wide open with all the teams except Ireland standing a chance to go to the quarters.
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12th March 2011: A crucial encounter today with two giants India and South Africa facing each other in this crucial match with both teams un-predictable and the Group B quite wide open with the Bangladesh win yesterday. The summary of the match for todays match has to be 29 runs, I0 overs and 9 wickets.
The dream Indian batting lineup just kept falling like a house of cards. From 267 for 1 in the 40th over with the master-blaster Sachin scoring another century, South Africa could only have then dreamt about winning the match. But from the 40th over of the Indian innings it was all to the Proteas. Although Indian bowling had some highs but really couldn't live upto their expectations. At this stage all the major 8 teams are favourites to lift the world cup this time with no-one emerging clear challengers this time.
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11th March 2011: Today England will just say Not Again. Now they are twice been unlucky in the same edition of the world cup to have been beaten by two minnows viz. Ireland earlier and now by Bangladesh today who just a few days back were packed out for a mere 58 runs in their own home soil by West Indies. Bangladesh today was good both with the ball and the bat. At first by restricting England to just 225 runs, Bangladesh managed to score the runs with 1 over and 2 wickets to spare. We can only say England Snatch another defeat from the Jaws of Victory.
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8th March 2011: I guess today's match have to be aptly titled "The Last 6 Overs". The Taylor blitzkrieg simply blowed away Pakistan's any hope of winning this match. It was almost a comfortable score till the 45th over for Pakistan, when perhaps in their mind Shahid Afridi & Co. perhaps would have started thinking already about their post-match celebrations.
But not to be, then came the Taylor Strike and after that Pakistan could have only thought about making a come back in the next match. Newzealand scored a whooping 114 runs in their last 6 overs to take the the score to a challenging 302 runs, with a century from Ross Taylor which he and the Kiwis will perhaps savour for a long long time to come. For those that may have missed the last 6 overs, here is the video.
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6th March 2011: The English today took a classic revenge of their last match mauling Ireland by winning a nothing short of a thriller against favourites South Africa in a low scoring match. Needing just 171 runs to win the Africans fall short by a mere 6 runs with 14 balls to spare. At last England has something to bring smile to their face after their back to back clinchers and this time it is in their favour.
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6th March 2011: But for Indian fans a challenge seems to be waiting for the Sunday encounter with Ireland just brimming with energy after their classic British mauling few days back. Its time now for Kevin O'Brien to show he is not just a one match wonder boy.
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5th March 2011: The much awaited and an epic encounter between Australia and Srilanka got washed away in rains the Australian epic dream run in the world cup of remaining un-beaten now in 32 matches continues. It was set to be a cliff-hanger which seemed to be a slowish pitch but the rains had the last laugh today and the audience missed a classic game in the weekend.
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2nd March 2011: Well today a new wonder-kid was born on field and surely his name will be remembered for a long long time to come. He is none other than Kevin O'Brien the giant killer who has taken the English-Irish rivalry to the next level now in the cricket field. England surely needs some inspiration after this humiliating set-back from one of its biggest rivals but minnows in the cricket field.
It was all going on smoothly for England with a more than comfortable score on its belt and Irish wickets tumbling in the beginning till Kevin O'Brien took centre stage and thereafter it was almost a thunder-storm and in the process he also registered the fastest century in a world cup match with just 50 balls and ending with 113 runs of just 63 deliveries to take Ireland to one of their ultimate victories.
Kevin O'Brien in action
27th February 2011: What a beginning to the world cup! A classic match between two giants and the result showed that however the glitz and hoopla of 20-20 cricket, 50 over matches is here to stay. The India vs England encounter at the filled up M Chinnaswamy stadium was tied with both teams ending at 338. The little master Sachin Tendulkar showed why he still is the un-disputed king of the longer version of the game with his classy 120 runs of just 115 balls but it was Andrew Strauss who broke into his party with an almost match winning 158 runs and guiding the English team to a heart-breaker tie. All in all it was a complete Paisa-wasool show for the Sunday crowd in Bangalore.
This was the entire highlights in a capsule of the major aspects of the Cricketing bonanza with the next World Cup scheduled to be held at Australia and New Zealand in 2015. Hope you enjoyed going through it.
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