[harry10]

Next level domination.
Batting has always been good but this Pace attack is the best I have ever seen for Indian team.

Bumrah the Swing King.

Lala the Killer of stumps.

Siraj the destroyer of Lankans.

Qualification confirmed with a Super Bang

Shami fifer and highest wicket taker for India ever in World cups in just 14 innings is unreal. Legend.

[Emvi]

Today's win is nothing short of spectacular! Call me greedy, but I was really hoping for India to roll over the Lankans for anything less than 36.

Not many gave this Indian team a chance in this World Cup. Look where they are now. The team has been outstanding match after match. I wish and pray the trend continues.

[Asish_VK]

As a 90's kid always admired Australian & Pakistan pace attack with loads of jealousy. Even though India had a superb pace attack during 2003 World Cup, this time is next level domination. Just loving it

[ValarMorghulis]

Originally Posted by Emvi

...Not many gave this Indian team a chance in this World Cup. Look where they are now. The team has been outstanding match after match. I wish and pray the trend continues.

Absolutely true!

Not many? None of us gave this team any chance of succeeding in this tournament.

I'll be the first to admit that I was also calling for KL to be dropped. Many wanted Kohli to be rested and so on. But this is pure dominance.

Sunday Ind vs SA is a mouthwatering aspect.. I've cancelled everything except glueing myself in front of the TV

[AtheK]

Sometimes I think would it not be better to have a best of three final. They can either drop Semifinals and the best two teams go head to head for best of three finals or they add two more matches, yes there is a chance of dead rubber which they can cancel.

it kind of sounds unfair to the top two teams if they are knocked out just because of one bad day while they played exceptional cricket in rest of the Long series. How unfortuante it will be for both India and SA to get knocked out in semi finals, when they have been the best teams by far then any other team in the tournament.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by AtheK

Sometimes I think would it not be better to have a best of three final.

Would be fair, but wouldn't generate the same drama or (more importantly) viewership numbers/ad revenue!

There's something gripping about an all-or-nothing match that can't be matched! Imagine the most dramatic WC matches, '99 Aus-SA tied match, '19 NZ-Eng final; would they be as landmark if they were just one of 3? (Again, would certainly be fairer to teams like NZ, if that were the case!)

With a knockout scenario, teams also need a fair bit of luck going their way. A team like Pakistan in '92 can scrape through and benefit from luck through the group stages and then shock more consistent sides that have won more through the tournament.

So yeah, a 'best of' would certainly crown the most consistent team, but it would be a less dramatic tournament. And a format that everyone is already writing eulogies for, could certainly use all the drama it can get!

[AtheK]

Originally Posted by am1m

Would be fair, but wouldn't generate the same drama or (more importantly) viewership numbers/ad revenue!

There's something gripping about an all-or-nothing match that can't be matched! Imagine the most dramatic WC matches, '99 Aus-SA tied match, '19 NZ-Eng final; would they be as landmark if they were just one of 3? (Again, would certainly be fairer to teams like NZ, if that were the case!)

With a knockout scenario, teams also need a fair bit of luck going their way. A team like Pakistan in '92 can scrape through and benefit from luck through the group stages and then shock more consistent sides that have won more through the tournament.

So yeah, a 'best of' would certainly crown the most consistent team, but it would be a less dramatic tournament.

I agree with the dramatic part, but imagine the drama if both teams are tied 1-1 after two matches, the viewership of third match will be of the roof, and the best team will be the one who will come out on Top.

I hope we loose to Netherlands, I just don't want law of average to catch up on us, we have been exceptional, this WC should be won by SA or Ind, for what it maybe worth SA already had there off day.

[hrman]

Even I feel we should lose one match before the Semis. Don't want law of averages to catch up like it did in the 2019 WC Semis.

[Manoj2268]

I feel we should have the concept of the eliminator in WC knockouts a la IPL. First rewarding consistency and then completely favoring luck, is kinda strange.

Winner of 1 and 2 to go to final. Winner of 3 and 4 to play with the loser of the initial match.

[SoumenD]

Originally Posted by AtheK

it kind of sounds unfair to the top two teams if they are knocked out just because of one bad day while they played exceptional cricket in rest of the Long series. How unfortuante it will be for both India and SA to get knocked out in semi finals, when they have been the best teams by far then any other team in the tournament.

Usually its 1st vs 2nd, 3rd vs 4th followed by looser of 1st/2nd vs winner of 3rd/4th and then finals.

Hadn't checked the semifinal & final schedule till I saw your post. This looks so wrong. Whoever looses the 1st vs 2nd semifinal match would be the most unlucky inspite of having performed better than 3rd & 4th throughout the tournament.

[ValarMorghulis]

Folks are so stunned by such dominance of Indian team, that they are looking for excuses why this team is so good!

A friend said are these matches being set by Jay Shah ()?
I asked him what's the difference between setting and fixing and he said fixing gives monetary benefit and fixing provides power only. rotflmao

[jkrishnakj]

I was a little delayed in turning on the idiot box when the Lankans had to bat. Half hour and I couldn’t believe what i saw on the score board.

Are our bowlers having a ball of leather or does it turn to grenade when it leaves their hands! It’s a very envious attach that we now have.

Meanwhile, someone from across the not friendly border had this to say!

https://crictoday.com/cricket/daily-...kistan-player/

[PPS]

Just hope India don't bat 2nd in Wankhede during the Semi-Final! With NZ more or less confirmed for the 4th spot, I'm sure their seamers can extract something out of the surface if they have a fully fit pace attack. This is the only thing which is bothering me. No doubt India has a very high quality seam bowling attack to extract whatever juice is there on the surface.

[PreludeSH]

Originally Posted by PPS

Just hope India don't bat 2nd in Wankhede during the Semi-Final! With NZ more or less confirmed for the 4th spot, I'm sure their seamers can extract something out of the surface if they have a fully fit pace attack. This is the only thing which is bothering me. No doubt India has a very high quality seam bowling attack to extract whatever juice is there on the surface.

I wouldn't worry. We would have extracted out everything
With our pace and then spinners, we have a relentless bowling attach. Our batting too is now solid and we have players who can play according to the situation.

[NPV]

All I’m worried about is the law of averages catching up with our performances. What if we win all games in the group stage, then one bad day in the office and Boom we’re gone, knocked out in a crucial match! Remember 2015 World Cup, exactly what happened to us.
Now applying the same logic of law of averages to South Africa will they falter if they bat first in their next game? (Yes we know they got their chokers tag when chasing but this time they’ve been blowing away opponents when batting first).