Shift of Power in the Cricketing World

(Photo by Tom Shaw/Getty Images)

This time around, ICC Champion’s trophy has been anything less than astonishing. Eight of the cricketing powerhouses collided yet again in an endeavor to be the best of the very best. Everyone came up with their strongest possible sides. However, there is one particular team that did not have the luxury to have it’s full strength squad, due to rifts between players and the board.

Yes, I am talking about West Indies. Even then, they have proved that on a given day they can take the fight to any team. Pakistan was lucky enough to run away with the humiliation, so were the Aussies, who got a bit of stick from the West Indies. All of us were hoping West Indies to be steam rolled by the others in the group. Something that did not become a reality.

Home team, and the tournament favorites, the South Africans failing to make it to the semifinals even is shocking beyond imagination. Pressure is there, it always was. However, this time they did not even thought about chocking in the semifinals, but instead bid farewell to the world stage only three matches into the tournament.

Same was the fate of mighty Sri Lanka, one of the most potent and combined units among all the teams, but yet they fell a victim of their own over confidence. Reaching the T20 world cup Final and taking revenge from Pakistan in a humiliating manner might have made Sagakara’s men think that they can pull it off whenever they feel like. Sadly the script that was written had no such plots in it. As a result another cricketing giant fell down in the fight of the titans.

Then there was another clash, and the most watched and anticipated one, when Pakistan took over India. However, this time history refused to repeat itself and Pakistan provided Indian team with a reality check and a badly broken confidence. Things got even worse for the might team India, when their match against the stuttering Aussie side went down as a draw.

With Aussies having 4 points, India having 1 and Pakistan already qualifying for the Semifinals. I guess it is safe to say that today; the whole of the India would be green, making prayers that Pakistan manages to topple the Australians. So that India, if they get to defeat the Windies, can get a stairway to the semifinals.

The two most surprising teams this time around have been The kewis and the English. They have showed the whole world that it is always about being consistence and having self belief. The way England humbled South Africa and New Zealand defeated Sri Lanka, shows the immense amount of character and team spirit of the squad.

It was hard to predict the winner before the tournament started, it is virtually impossible to say anything right now. However, I strongly believe with the current crop of teams left in the tournament. And the prevailing form of the Pakistani team. There is very little doubt that they might be able to make it two trophies in a year this time around.

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