[NPV]

Originally Posted by Aditya_Bhp

How's the weather in Manchester now? I do hope India vs Pakistan match doesn't get abandoned.

According to weather dot com, Showers predicted on Sunday at Manchester, possible that the match may get abandoned but as usual there are conflicting reports by media houses. However, UK weather predictions may not be accurate, so hoping for the best.

[harry10]

This has become a Wash Cup than the World Cup.
Even tomorrow's game will be rain affected. All fun ruined. Pathetic by ICC not to have reserve days for such an important tournament.

By look of things this is bound to happen

[NPV]

West Indies batting failed and they managed just 212, England should have an easy peasy win, already 50+ for no loss in 8 overs.

[sgiitk]

I have couple of queries:

1. How are the outfields not covered? In India outfields are totally covered.

2. Why no spare days to make up for lost days?

Not seen any proper answers to either of these. I am sure BCCI can throw a few more coppers to the ECB for the first.

[Eddy]

What's the weather forecast for Sunday?

[NPV]

The weather forecast for Manchester still says partly cloudy with showers expected (more in the evening with some bright sunlight in between!), so I'm just hoping there will be possibility for at least a shortened game, too big a loss for millions (is it billions as per some reports ?) of fans/viewers if this India - Pak game is washed out!

[deehunk]

I hope that India's qualification to semi-finals is not affected by bad weather, the memory of 1992 WC is still fresh in my mind.

[kavensri]

I know this will be the least discussed topic in the media.
But for me, the biggest disappointment from this world cup so far is, Afghan team. Though I never expected them to reach semis, I was at least expecting them to perform much better than what they have done so far.
Couple of reasons that I can think of for their performance so far, changing their captain just before the world cup started (that too relatively unknown player, similar to Lee Germon for NZ?)? One of their star opener sent back citing injury when the actual reason was his fitness? Something looks not correct with this team? I felt that their team is better than Lankans, at least on paper. But, so far Afghan team is sitting on duck in the points table.

[Arjun Reddy]

Expected a lot more traction on this thread today. Nevertheless, 7-0 in world cups is a good result. Win by 86 runs would have been taken by most of us at the toss.

If the game resumes, I guess we will win by a 100 runs.

Done and dusted with Pakistan. Another surgical strike.

[Eddy]

Congratulations everyone. This was a very formidable Pakistan 11 and to dominate them like that was AWESOME !!

Talent, Talent, Talent.

[vinit]

Originally Posted by Eddy

This was a very formidable Pakistan 11 and to dominate them like that was AWESOME !!

Well, compared to the Pakistan teams of 92,96,99 world cups which had stalwarts like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younus, Inzamam, Shoaib Akhtar, Javed Miandad, Imran Khan, Saqlain Mushtaq etc. the current Pakistan team is miles backwards. (Frankly many people do not even know their all 11 players well) Even if you compare the current Indian and Pakistani team man to man, Indian team is far ahead, both on paper and on field too.

Beating the Pakistan team in 90s was a big achievement because that was a very very tough team to beat. Full of world class fast bowlers and spinners. Pakistan used to have 11 match winners in their team. If you see the ODI record of India vs Pakistan in 90s, it is very heavily tilted towards Pakistan. Thats why the Indian victories over Pakistan in 92, 96 and 99 world cups are still so fresh and memorable. And who can forget the Masterclass of 2003

[am1m]

Originally Posted by vinit

Well, compared to the Pakistan teams of 92,96,99 world cups.....Thats why the Indian victories over Pakistan in 92, 96 and 99 world cups are still so fresh and memorable.

Agreed! (Though that might just be my nostalgia speaking.)

This is the first WC matchup where I thought we were definitely going to win, much before the match. Pakistan always had at least 2 legendary bowlers operating at any given time, this time, poor Amir had to do all the work on his own. And for the first time, we have a very decent bowling attack. The previous WC wins came overcoming both these factors and hence (in my mind at least) were much closer encounters. Who can forget '03, where one man made the difference?! And '11 where the match see-sawed all the way through, that man again (and a lot of luck) making all the difference.

Yesterday, it was clinical, predictable, a complete team effort. Still obviously a great win, and frankly I'd rather have it this way.

Still a long way to go for us, our middle order will be tested by better teams when all the top three fail, and I'm not sure how we'll come out of that. But crossing the Pakistan team hurdle was never a worry, to my mind at least, unlike in previous WCs.

[PPS]

None of the India v Pakistan games in 50 over World Cups has lived up to the hype and yesterday was no different. A close contest is much more exciting than a one-sided game. For me an India-Australia is a marquee game!

Bhuvi's injury is another concern now for the team. We only have 13 fit players to choose from!

Originally Posted by kavensri

But for me, the biggest disappointment from this world cup so far is, Afghan team.

They have a weak batting lineup. The shorter the game the more threatening the minnows become. They still have a long way to go to consistently cause upsets once in a while.

[RavSam]

Originally Posted by vinit

the current Pakistan team is miles backwards. (Frankly many people do not even know their all 11 players well) ....

Agree with the other things but I think the main reason for us not knowing about Pakistani players is because of less to no cricket tournaments between the two. Once upon a time we even knew Zimbabwean and Kenyan players but now we (or majority of us) don't even have a clue.

[NPV]

It was an almost easy win for India against Pakistan, again powered by the top order who applied themselves well. I think in this world cup, India has the lowest scoring average in first ten overs and also the highest in last ten - this goes back to the old strategy of playing ODI cricket - start cautiously and accelerate through the middle and peak in the slog overs It's very good to see a strong bowling lineup for India.
The top order hasn't really been tested with quick loss of wickets like 20-2, maybe even 100-4 or 5 down. Those situations will really test the team and hope they can come out tops, much like the Aussie teams of the 90s and early 2000s.