ICC Cricket World Cup 2015

[Samid]

"The 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup will be the 11th ICC Cricket World Cup, scheduled to be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand from 14 February to 29 March 2015. 49 matches will be played in 14 venues with Australia staging 26 games at grounds in Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney while New Zealand hosts 23 games in seven cities, including Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Napier, Nelson and Wellington."


Group A: England, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Scotland

Group B: South Africa, India, Pakistan, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland, UAE


2015 Cricket World Cup (Wikipedia)
ICC Cricket World Cup (Official site)
Fixtures (Cricinfo)

 

[ha_rooney]

India v Pakistan

Aussies or SA to win it for me. Would be nice if the perennial chokers SA finally won a tournament.

Kiwis usually turn up in WCs and have been playing well recently, so if Pakistan fail then I'd like them to win.

 

[VanGaalEra]

Happy we get to see a Pakistan v Ind game in the WC, should always be a fixture in the WC. First game of the tournament to be sold out, right?

No messing around on the first weekend ay? Pakistan v Ind & Aussies v Eng.

 

[VanGaalEra]

My favourites for the WC are NZ.

 

[The Man Himself]

Happy we get to see a Pakistan v Ind game in the WC, should always be a fixture in the WC. First game of the tournament to be sold out, right?

No messing around on the first weekend ay? Pakistan v Ind & Aussies v Eng.

I heard India vs Pak got sold out in 8 minutes!

 

[The Man Himself]

With ICC reverting to old conventional format from 2011 after 2007 experiment which saw both India & Pak crash out at group stage and thus severely impacting revenues, I expect the usual top 8 to make quarters. Only chance of surprise is in group B at expense of West Indies, but even that is unlikely.

I am hoping South Africa win it finally.

 

[zing]

I can see Pakistan/WI going out to Ireland.

 

[Spoony]

The first stage is utterly pointless. Anyway, New Zealand are going to get very close to winning it. (watch them crash and burn now...).

 

[MDFC Manager]

Looking at the pitches for the test series so far, I wouldn't rule out the subcontinent teams

 

[The Man Himself]

Looking at the pitches for the test series so far, I wouldn't rule out the subcontinent teams

Runs and big scores attract crowds and viewership which means more revenue. So pitches will be batting friendly. Difference is, they won't assist spinners or slow bowlers either (which is case in subcontinent) and our ODI bowling is not good by any stretch of imagination. Having said that, the pitches will have at least little more help for fast bowlers than last world cup in India, so the team with good bowling lineup will have better chance.

 

[VanGaalEra]

I heard India vs Pak got sold out in 8 minutes!

Unbelievable! In a foreign country in a stadium that now holds 55-60K!

 

[VanGaalEra]

I can see Pakistan/WI going out to Ireland.

With the Windies, depends on whether their players are available or not. I suspect they'll resolve their row.

 

[The Man Himself]

Unbelievable! In a foreign country in a stadium that now holds 55-60K!

Slight correction. Wiki says 12 minutes

 

[zing]

Runs and big scores attract crowds and viewership which means more revenue. So pitches will be batting friendly. Difference is, they won't assist spinners or slow bowlers either (which is case in subcontinent) and our ODI bowling is not good by any stretch of imagination. Having said that, the pitches will have at least little more help for fast bowlers than last world cup in India, so the team with good bowling lineup will have better chance.

I think Australia is the least bowler friendly surface in the world for ODIs.

In India/sub-continent, you get support for spinners and almost everywhere else you get support for fast bowlers. Australia's just bad pitches for ODI.

 

[The Man Himself]

I think Australia is the least bowler friendly surface in the world for ODIs.

In India/sub-continent, you get support for spinners and almost everywhere else you get support for fast bowlers. Australia's just bad pitches for ODI.

'Bad' for few of us who want to see fairer competition between bat and ball. For majority of viewers, ICC, sponsors, it is 'fantastic.'

 

[RDCR07]

How good is the Indian team now? I havent really followed cricket since we won the WC four years ago.

 

[Kazi]

Hope Adam Milne rocks up bowling in the high 90s, dying to see some real pace.

How good is the Indian team now? I havent really followed cricket since we won the WC four years ago.

Batting is strong enough to carry them into the latter stages of the tournament, but their bowling attack is too weak for them to win it in Australia/NZ.

 

[VanGaalEra]

India's bowling is facepalm worthy, their batting is on the other end of the spectrum.

 

[zing]

How good is the Indian team now? I havent really followed cricket since we won the WC four years ago.

One of the better batting teams in the tournament. A few months ago, I wasn't expecting anything but our bowling attack is one of those which can suddenly do well in a tournament, with the right kind of support from the pitches. Our fortunes are also rather tied to who and how well the #7 performs. If we can get good overs out of Akshar Patel and play him alon side Ashwin as 7/8(they are good enough for a few runs), then we can go far.

Dhawan, Rohit, Kohli, Rahane, Raina, Dhoni, Ashwin, Akshar Patel, Bhuvaneshwar and 2 of Ishant/Mohit/Yadav/Aaron

 

[Red Pavan]

One of the better batting teams in the tournament. A few months ago, I wasn't expecting anything but our bowling attack is one of those which can suddenly do well in a tournament, with the right kind of support from the pitches. Our fortunes are also rather tied to who and how well the #7 performs. If we can get good overs out of Akshar Patel and play him alon side Ashwin as 7/8(they are good enough for a few runs), then we can go far.

Dhawan, Rohit, Kohli, Rahane, Raina, Dhoni, Ashwin, Akshar Patel, Bhuvaneshwar and 2 of Ishant/Mohit/Yadav/Aaron

I don't think we will play with 2 spinners in any stage of the tournament. It might be one or the other imo (unless Jadeja is back).

 

[zing]

I don't think we will play with 2 spinners in any stage of the tournament. It might be one or the other imo (unless Jadeja is back).

I am hoping by some magic, like the Champions Trophy, we can end up playing 2 spinners. Otherwise we don't have any chance. Binny at #7 and we have a steady collection of hit-me bowlers who'll take a pummeling.

 

[Mani]

South Africa, NZ or Pakistan, one of these three would win this world cup.

 

[Traub]

Australia to dominate this world cup like they've done in the past.

 

[cesc's_mullet]

Can't wait for this. World Cup Cricket is was and will always be my favourite.

God damn I used to love the days of Gilchrist and Mark Waugh opening... What a combo.

 

[cesc's_mullet]

Unbelievable! In a foreign country in a stadium that now holds 55-60K!

Where is this game?

 

[VanGaalEra]

Where is this game?

Adelaide.

 

[KM]

One of the better batting teams in the tournament. A few months ago, I wasn't expecting anything but our bowling attack is one of those which can suddenly do well in a tournament, with the right kind of support from the pitches. Our fortunes are also rather tied to who and how well the #7 performs. If we can get good overs out of Akshar Patel and play him alon side Ashwin as 7/8(they are good enough for a few runs), then we can go far.

Dhawan, Rohit, Kohli, Rahane, Raina, Dhoni, Ashwin, Akshar Patel, Bhuvaneshwar and 2 of Ishant/Mohit/Yadav/Aaron

Akshar Patel is a good bowler. It was incredible how Bailey used to trust him with final overs in IPL. He will be in my first XI.

I'd drop Dhawan and bring in Rahane to open with Rohit.

Rohit/Dhawan
Rahane
Kohli
Rayudu/Whatever/Rohit
Raina
Dhoni
Patel
Jadeja/Ashwin
Kumar
Yadav
Shami

 

[MDFC Manager]

If Kohli, Raina and Dhawan turn up with the bat, I more than fancy our chances. Like @zing said, our bowlers have the tendency to turn up in tournaments.

 

[Donaldo]

Hope the Saffers win this....well overdue.

 

[MJJ]

South Africa, NZ or Pakistan, one of these three would win this world cup.

Doubt it, one of the weakest teams from memory with no real star in the bowling or batting lineup.

 

[Cooksen]

I am backing Faulkner to me man of the tournament if Australia go deep.

He is just never fazed when batting.

 

[Skills]

How good is the Indian team now? I havent really followed cricket since we won the WC four years ago.

If they're batting second, they become the favourites against any team in the World Cup IMO. Since 2010:

India have won 28 of 43 games chasing games they've won the toss and elected to field.
India have won 25 of 37 games chasing games they've lost the toss and sent to field.

Pretty formidable record.

 

[Mani]

If they're batting second, they become the favourites against any team in the World Cup IMO. Since 2010:

India have won 28 of 43 games chasing games they've won the toss and elected to field.
India have won 25 of 37 games chasing games they've lost the toss and sent to field.

Pretty formidable record.

Of those how many are from sub continent pitches?
Current serious could provide us some answer on how good our batting while we chase.

 

[Mani]

Doubt it, one of the weakest teams from memory with no real star in the bowling or batting lineup.

You mean Pakistan?

 

[Skills]

Of those how many are from sub continent pitches?
Current serious could provide us some answer on how good our batting while we chase.

Chased in 3 of the 5 games during the Champions Trophy in England. Won every single game.

Apart from that it is pretty underwhelming actually. Good point, well made. I take most of what I said back.

Edit: And what happened to the rest of your username?

 

[Mani]

Chased in 3 of the 5 games during the Champions Trophy in England. Won every single game.

Apart from that it is pretty underwhelming actually. Good point, well made. I take most of what I said back.

Edit: And what happened to the rest of your username?

Imo, we would struggle against top teams which include SA, Australia,England and NZ.
It would be 50 -50 against Pakistan.

 

[MJJ]

You mean Pakistan?

I do yes.

 

[Samid]

Pakistan squad

Misbah-ul-Haq (C), Ahmed Shehzad, Mohammad Hafeez, Sarfraz Ahmed, Younis Khan, Haris Sohail, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Shahid Afridi, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Irfan, Junaid Khan, Ehsan Adil, Sohail Khan, Wahab Riaz

 

[KM]

Imo, we would struggle against top teams which include SA, Australia,England and NZ.
It would be 50 -50 against Pakistan.

Nope not at all.

We are a pretty good one day unit and always tend to up our performances in World Cups.

Apart from Stuart Bunny, that's pretty much a perfect squad. Akshar Patel will make his mark in this tournament.

 

[zing]

Jadeja shouldn't be in the squad. CSK mafia selection that.

There's no way both of Akshar Patel and Jadeja are going to play and it does not make sense to have them both.

Karan Sharma would've given a good alternative, if at all a 3rd spinner is to be picked.