[landcruiser123]

So many pie-chuckers (LoL KP!) bowled today. Got 2 wickets too hahaha.

India looks strong to win the WC, and so does Australia who have peaked at the right time. Can't rule out NZ and RSA if it is their day.

Afghanistan has been the stand-out team of the tournament and played amazing cricket. They'd have won against Australia too if not for Maxwell's brilliance.

England has been extremely disappointing! These conditions are not "3 wins in 9 games" as their record indicates.

[NPV]

The (first) big day is here! Hopefully we will go on to be part of another big day with a win today.

Not the time for overconfidence, complacency, not even past history (remember it is not an indicator of future performance though statistics may sometimes show weird patterns repeating).

India have so far played outstanding cricket and we are all hoping they will put up a good performance once again in a crucial knockout game and everything will fall in place for one more win. May the force be with India’s Men In Blue

[PreludeSH]

Un-necessary controversy being created on choosing the pitch for semifinal and also having chosen pitches in Ahmedabad. Why should BCCI do things unilaterally and not follow rules ?
The team is good enough to play on any pitch and they dont need any help.

[Shumi_21]

The ghosts of ICC knockouts have haunted us for over a decade and today presents the best opportunity to exorcise those ghosts. It won't be easy though, New Zealand have already thrown us out thrice from ICC tournaments: 2000 Champion's Trophy final, 2019 World Cup semi final & 2021 WTC final.

I hope our batters don't let the NZ part time spinners Philips and Rachin away cheaply. The Kiwis are playing only 4 specialist bowlers and hitting their part timers out of the attack will be an advantage.

[MahiWay11]

Originally Posted by PreludeSH

Un-necessary controversy being created on choosing the pitch for semifinal and also having chosen pitches in Ahmedabad. Why should BCCI do things unilaterally and not follow rules ?
The team is good enough to play on any pitch and they dont need any help.

Absolutely, very much Un-necessary, but is the story TRUE at all? or is it one just floated, very much feels the later.

[AtheK]

Originally Posted by MahiWay11

Absolutely, very much Un-necessary, but is the story TRUE at all? or is it one just floated, very much feels the later.

Looks like a true Story totally not needed and fodder for controversy, team has been playing amazing cricket till now, and this is just a distraction that was not needed three hours before the match.

[ValarMorghulis]

Forget the stupid pitch controversy. Our bowling is strong enough to win on any pitch.

That said, genuine flutters in the heart and mind. I never felt anything less than 100% confident during the league games, but semifinals are an altogether different cup of tea.

Hoping our team makes it 10/10 before making it 11/11.


PS: I don't care if the team loses next 3-4 bilaterals. Just win this dang World Cup

[whencut86]

Originally Posted by PreludeSH

Un-necessary controversy being created on choosing the pitch for semifinal and also having chosen pitches in Ahmedabad.

Originally Posted by MahiWay11

Absolutely, very much Un-necessary, but is the story TRUE at all? or is it one just floated, very much feels the later.

Originally Posted by AtheK

Looks like a true Story

Originally Posted by ValarMorghulis

Forget the stupid pitch controversy. Our bowling is strong enough to win on any pitch.

Please calm down folks. This is just unwanted controversy created by the media against the BCCI and nothing else. There is no rule or regulation that unused pitches should only be used for Semis and Finals. This is just some assumption made by the media that curators wanted to use a new one but are going to use a pitch used in 2 matches already.

Did curators and BCCI release any news or official statements on what is the sequence of pitches they were going to use at Wankhede at any point during the world cup? Absolutely not. Then on what basis was this just written saying some source suggested the pitch. Hogwash!!!

Even if you take this with a pinch of salt, then this is the same pitch where SL were bundled out quickly and there is a lot of seam and swing assist on offer during the 2nd innings. Even if this does assist spin, then NZ have good spinners to make it a fair contest.

The 2019 WC Finals was on a pitch where 2-3 matches already took place. Did we see any articles on why a pitch used for 2-3 matches already was still being used for the FINALS of the WC?

England faced a must win match against India in 2019 WC league matches to qualify for the semis. The Old Trafford square boundary was changed to 59m from existing 68m. The 59m was just about the ICC regulation standards for ground boundary distance. Wasn't this done to favor the English team batsmen over the two skilled wrist spinners Kuldeep and Chahal who had a very impactful tournament till then. Why was no hue and cry raised over this? Indian team took it on their chin and went about their business and never complained.

Why does nobody raise a hue and cry over the famous Lords Cricket Ground Slope favoring English bowlers particularly Anderson and Broad. Isn't it a shame that of all the grounds, Lords has a slope favoring home bowlers? But if a pitch favors spin in India the western media and their coolies here in Indian media here portray as if it is a sin to have such pitches. Hypocrites!!!

The ICC mandates only good quality pitches and doesn't matter if they are used or unused in the tournament. The ICC has had no say in the pitch selection in any of the previous World Cups. It is entirely upto the pitch curator and lets just leave it at that.

None of the pitches in the knockout matches in the 2019 WC can be called batting paradise and everything turned out to be a low scoring game with scores between 220-240 in all 3 matches.

One last point, I am aghast at the attitude western folks working under ICC have to point fingers at others. The 2019 WC was decided on boundary count after both the match and super over ended in a tie. The umpires did nothing about the boundary deflection of the bat of Ben Stokes resulting in overthrows. What a mockery of cricket they made at a world stage and what moral right do they have to even take up BCCI's name.

[ninjatalli]

The toss will be significant, if you ask me. No matter the pitch conditions, Bombay heat in the first innings will definitely affect the fielding team.

On a wishful note, I wish the ICC had taken up the IPL format of 3 match semifinals ( match 1: top 2 teams, match 2: 3rd & 4th team, match 3: loser of match 1 vs winner of match 2) for the ICC tournaments. Here's to India steamrolling through the next two matches, similar to how they have done for the last 9.

[ValarMorghulis]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

..On a wishful note, I wish the ICC had taken up the IPL format of 3 match semifinals ( match 1: top 2 teams, match 2: 3rd & 4th team, match 3: loser of match 1 vs winner of match 2) for the ICC tournaments. Here's to India steamrolling through the next two matches, similar to how they have done for the last 9.

Oh, I wish this was the case in 2015 or 2019. We were best teams even then except for the matter of Semi-Finals

But these one-off matches bring uncertainty and excitement to the whole tournament.

Bottom line: India needs to play better

[AtheK]

Batting first, that is a plus. Now need to put up a good score!

[Fx14]

Originally Posted by ValarMorghulis

Oh, I wish this was the case in 2015 or 2019.

In 2015 the scenario was different with there being 2 different groups and the top 4 teams from both groups proceeding to the Quarter-Finals. So, knock-outs are justifiable in case one group was tougher than the other.

In the 2019 and 2023 tournaments, all teams played against each other. In such a format the top team at the end of all matches could also have been declared the winner.

[whencut86]

This is the official statement from ICC as pasted in Cricinfo.

Here's an ICC spokesperson on the pitch change:

"Changes to planned pitch rotations are common towards the end of an event of this length, and has already happened a couple of times. This change was made on the recommendation of the venue curator in conjunction with our host. The ICC independent pitch consultant was apprised of the change and has no reason to believe the pitch won't play well."

[Asish_VK]

RoHIT Sharma Version 3.0 is absolutely terrific. The starts he gives to the team is really something to be appreciated more. He just gives Gill, Kohli and Iyyer ample time to settle in while sacrificing his personal milestones.

Though everything is for the team, I wish he should stick a little bit more and bat at least till 20-25 overs. He was in such a fine touch in today's innings.

May be a Rohit special daddy hundred in the final ? (Yeah, I believe India will win this match )

[NPV]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

No matter the pitch conditions, Bombay heat in the first innings will definitely affect the fielding team.

You were right! Gill retired hurt and now Kohli is suffering cramps! We can’t afford to have these guys not playing if we make it to the final.

Rooting for a Kohli hundred to get to #50

Would be great to get it at Wankhede again right in front of his idol and previous record holder Sachin!