[fhdowntheline]

Originally Posted by vamsi.kona

And coffers certainly need to be filled. It was only because of that facilities extended to rural areas and a new crop of players from smaller town popping up. It also gave the much required security for even a state level player that there are avenues where he can make some bucks which can sustain them for the remaining part of life,

I think one needs to give credit to IPL for this more than a World Cup. Its been 12 years since India won the Cup. But in those 12 years, its IPL that has led to the discovery and betterment of Indias bench strength. IPL provides far better financial security to players than our current contracts at any level.

[dailydriver]

Is this real, is this deepfake or is Hesson the best portender of things?

Free Press Journal reports about

... a video of Hesson's predictions ... going viral on social media in which he said that India will win by 70 runs, Virat Kohli will score his 50th ODI hundred, Mohammed Shami will pick 7 wickets and Daryl Mitchell will be key for New Zealand.

Video Link Below

https://twitter.com/Anshum1958/statu...0%2Fframe.html

[rx100]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

Is this real, is this deepfake or is Hesson the best portender of things?

Video Link Below

https://twitter.com/Anshum1958/statu...0%2Fframe.html

Obviously it’s fake.

[vamsi.kona]

Originally Posted by fhdowntheline

I think one needs to give credit to IPL for this more than a World Cup. Its been 12 years since India won the Cup. But in those 12 years, its IPL that has led to the discovery and betterment of Indias bench strength. IPL provides far better financial security to players than our current contracts at any level.

Absolutely. Many deride T20 in general and IPL in particular, but I believe there have been huge benefits on the whole. My point was that money coming into game isn't an issue as long as it is used for betterment of game and for the players.

[Hayek]

Eagerly waiting for the final. Debated driving down to Ahmedabad for the match and even negotiated for tickets with someone - but finally decided against it.

This is going to be a wonderful match between two evenly matched and mentally strong teams. The Aussies believe they have the right to win every World Cup - and have not lost a final since 1996. But this Indian team reminds me of the Aussies under Ponting - with that same self belief. We also have 5 of the Top 18 ODI batsman of all time sorted by career averages (4 with ODI averages of more than 50 and Rohit at 49), and a remarkably strong bowling lining up which is arguably better than our batting. The misfields during the semi finals are however a cause for concern - let’s not forget that if Kohli had not been dropped by Australia when we were 20/3 or thereabouts, the start to this campaign could have been very different.

Looking forward to a great game of cricket and hope the Ahmedabad crowd justifies holding the World Cup final in a city which lacks hotel rooms to accommodate visitors (most of my friends are shacking up with folks who are best described as acquaintances or staying in hotels in Baroda).

[NPV]

The big day for our Men In Blue who carry the hopes and expectations of a Billion+ Indians is here today.

Having played amazingly well right through this tournament, our boys just need to continue the same and the results should follow. Australia really haven’t been at the very best but have managed to win 8 in a row after the initial couple of losses, but obviously we all know that the Aussies are a different breed when it comes to playing big games. I expect them to play in beast mode giving their best performance in this tournament today and hope we can match it tooth for tooth.

Hopefully it will be a cracker of a game that ends in an Indian victory; May the force be with our Men In Blue!

I’ve done my part today with early morning visits to 3 temples

[antz.bin]

India is going to win today! Without a doubt in my mind.

Where will India win this game?
Regardless of who bats first and what happens in the powerplay. What is certain is that over #28 onwards in the Australia innings, the Indian bowling will dismantle the Australian batting to pieces and delete all chances of them reaching anywhere close to a par total.

India can win this even if they end up with a below par total batting first. But their total will be at least 80 more than what Australia can chase at best. If they bat 2nd, their target will definitely be below par.

The pitch is likely to be a slow one. Aussie #4 and 5 are in woeful form so even if the top 3 make it to over #28, Kuldeep and Jadeja will eventually account for them and Bumrah/Shami will take care of Maxi the enigma. The rest of the procession will follow and Australia will end up with a middling total of under 250 by the end of it all.

Edit: The above are worst case scenarios. In the best case, this could end up either like the Asia Cup final or the India V SA/SL league games.

[Bibendum90949]

GM to all cricket freaks out here,

I'm a very matured cricket follower now, after been following it closely since 35 years. The first cricket telecast I watched live was the tied Chennai test and since then I'm glued to this fascinating sport.

Winning and losing are part and parcel of any sport, so is cricket. Results won't change my love for the game. I can take it in my stride always, and life would go on. This is all what my head says..

But my heart is not as mature as I thought it to be . Today we've to beat the ruthless Aussies black and blue. Need to avenge the 2003 loss. That remains as a big scar even today, nothing less than a win would do...

Come on India ! 1.42 billion people are gonna be rooting for you. I'm one among that.

Meanwhile, my friend's pet Shadow eagerly waiting for WC finals

Cheers,
bibendum.

[Joeboy]

The final is surely going to be played on a turning track and India is going to thrash the Aussies for sure. India is going to continue the trend of the hosts winning the trophy the last 4 times. India is a very good team but in order to prove they are the best they have to win ICC tournaments abroad in alien conditions, In this context I would say the 1983 world cup win and 2007 t20 WC win are the best as they were won abroad in alien conditions. India has to win the 2024 T20 WC and also the 2025 Champions Trophy if they want to prove they are the best team.

[Emvi]

BHPians, I have a question.
I've noticed that during the coin toss, once the captain tosses the coin, the match referee confirms the call, and strangely neither of the captains verifies it. This is what I noticed today as well. What if the referee is wrong intentionally() or unintentionally? Does anyone remember Sangakkara's tantrums in the 2011 World Cup final?

[DigitalOne]

Originally Posted by Emvi

BHPians, I have a question.
I've noticed that during the coin toss

A related question - what coin do they use?

I am glad they don't have a verification step. As a society, some amount of trust needs to be there.

[StarrySky]

All through the World Cup, I have stuck to following the scoreboard off and on, and watching some stream occasionally for all of India's matches. That doesn't seem to have hurt the team at all Not going to try anything new for the final

[harry10]

Gill played a highly immature shot. When your partner is hitting well you just need to support him for sometime.

Rohit played an atrocious shot. There was no need. Start was already given by him, with Gill out he needed to stitch a 70-80 run partnership with Kohli and then hit out.

Iyer out was lack of proper technique. That ball had nothing special for the way he got out. Disappointed as he was the man in terrific form.

Till Kohli is there I am fine. KL needs to up the tempo a little as he isn't even rotating strike much.

Aussies fielding so far has been majestic.

We need 280+ as wicket doesn't have much swing to offer and spin isn't threatening either so far.

[SoumenD]

Cummins is living upto his words:

Nothing more satisfying than hearing a big crowd go silent!!!

Aussies showing why they’re the most feared side in the world when it comes to big stage irrespective of venue. Beast-mode on!!!

India badly choking here

Hope KL, Jadeja & SKY give something to the bowlers to work for and we don’t have to see the 2003 humiliation again. Would hurt even more considering its home ground

SKY probably would have had better chance of going bang bang had Jadeja been available after him. But now with Jadeja coming ahead, wonder how much of an impact he would have coming in last 10 overs.

[dailydriver]

The ICC shouldn't have let so many Aussies to be on the field. As a commentator wryly quipped, there are at least two dozen men in yellow manning the field, stopping the runs and smothering the batting side. With the ball too moving like it is possessed, the only hope for India is for Surya to shine in the last five years.

A score of around 275 would have been a solace. But at this instant, we are looking at much less.

Will the home team bowlers be able to do some magic?

Edit: Thank you Mr. Surya Kumar Yadav for proving your critics right. You did everything in your capacity to justify their skepticism. With SKY abandoning us, may be those up in the sky will do something for us!