[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by suhaas307

And let's not forget Kohli. He has hit a purple patch. The last time I saw such brilliant stroke making was when Dravid / Tendulkar were in their prime, over 10 years ago.

Yes, he was great, but he too (very surprisingly) took the opposition too easy and holed out after getting a 50 (which has never happened before). I would have loved to see him toying the bowling and getting a 100 off 70 balls, that would have ideally sealed the match. Even the 'no idea about real bowling and real grounds' Mr. Levi was able to get a 50 and win the match for SA today.

Originally Posted by suhaas307

They play hardly a handful of matches all year round. They have nearly zilch match-practice. The wicket-keeper was a fat fellow and had to leave the field after sustaining a knee injury. They dropped 5 catches, I think.

If you ask me, Afghanistan deserved to win that one.

Well, they play the IPL for 2.5 months in a year. The fat fellow hit a helicopter shot of Zaheer and was laughing all the way. All Dhoni could say was 'that is bull****' and hide his mouth after saying that. Yes, 3 of those dropped cathces were of Kohli and Raina (2). If they had held on to those simple cathces, they would have been chasing around 130/140.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Well, they play the IPL for 2.5 months in a year.

Sorry, I meant the Indians. We too do not have actual international T20 experience, everything is only in the IPL. Surely teams like Afghanistan, Ireland etc play more T20s than India.

[normally_crazy]

The biggest culprit is Dhoni. Either he doesn't want to take harsh decisions or his hands are tied or he simply isn't bothered now !

Irfan and Zaheer should be out (been saying this for ages). Balaji is back as a parting gift that Srikant gave him before his tenure ran out.

Why is Bhajji in the team I do not know ! WHy are Sehwag and Gambhir persisted with inspite of failing for a quite some time now in T20's is a mystery !

Why is Rahane out of this side ?

WHy does Rohit Sharma continue to be in the side while Manoj Tiwary who has out performed him in the last 6 months warms the bench !

Why the hell is Piyush Chawla in the team ? Why not Ojha ?

Too many questions which Dhoni isn't bothered about !

Everything is being hidden under Virat's awesome form !

[esteem_lover]

Ideally for this world cup, we should have done what we did 5 years ago, leave the oldies out (Sehwag, Zaheer, Pathan, Bhajji, Dhoni etc etc) and fielded a fresh young team led by Kohli. Of course, this tournament has not been taken even 10% seriously by the BCCI, looking at the team and it's performance. Hope we can manage to put up some resistance against ENG.

[suhaas307]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Sorry, I meant the Indians. We too do not have actual international T20 experience, everything is only in the IPL. Surely teams like Afghanistan, Ireland etc play more T20s than India.

I'm sure they do, but I meant that they don't play Cricket on a regular basis anyway? Unless I'm wrong about that. Apart from a few months here and there, our Indian team plays quite a lot of Cricket. Getting a feel of the ball, actual match practice, pressure situations, etc.

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

The biggest culprit is Dhoni. Either he doesn't want to take harsh decisions or his hands are tied or he simply isn't bothered now..

..Everything is being hidden under Virat's awesome form !

Wholeheartedly.

[msdivy]

England 196/5, Afghanistan 26/8, somebody just asked in Cricinfo, Who are England making a fun of? Afghanistan or India?

[esteem_lover]

England are decorated horses just like their Queen and her family, let us see them in a real battle ( I did not mean against this Indian side alone, but against other real sides as well). The Queen has stepped out just now after many years, I do not see any Kings there, there was only one and he has been exiled from their company and the Queen's loss has been ESPN STAR's gain.

On a serious note, SL have taken great pains to produce wickets that will not help sub continental teams. They are already a sure (and sore) losers and they have given a big surprise to India/Pak with their new kind of pitches which neither aid any kind of lateral movement (within legal means) nor any turn for the spinners. They seem to be sucking up too much to that stupid showman Tony Greig, God bless him.

[myavu]

WOW! India beat England by 90 Runs. Dhoni and boys pulled a perfect string this time around

Originally Posted by msdivy

Who are England making a fun of? Afghanistan or India?

[carwatcher]

Its a vicious circle.
Minnows don't get many matches in the world level tournament as it makes the tournament boring.
At the same time we all (incl me) want them to play more.
I was not happy with the format but seeing the one sided matches not complaining now. Infact, I am in all praise.
IIRC, in all the previous editions of the World T20, the top 8 (No Bangladesh and Zimbabwe) only reached the super eight stage, which should be the case with this year's edition too unless Bangladesh pulls up a surprise for WI.

[Surprise]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/s.../16683541.cms?

"It's ... been my life. All of a sudden there comes a moment when I say I can't go on," he said

Hope he puts one last good show and bows out

[neofromcapone]

The joy of seeing the West Indies play the way they did against Australia, was so good. I remember the elders of my house were in awe of the west Indies team from the 80's They did not not consider the 2011 win as much as the 1983. Saying the West Indies team was way too superior.

Yesterday, I could not help, but remember an old saying in cricket. You have two favorite teams, one your own country and the other, West Indies. They make you love the game for what the game is. Samit Bal wrote in his article

When the West Indians waltz, cricket feels so much more fun.

Hope in the Finals we see the Calypso cricketers in full flow.

[Naturalist]

I honestly wish West Indies clinch the Cup. Its good for the game. When they play, they give their heart and soul, its always fun to watch them.
Players like Viv Richards, Richie Richardson, Ambrose, Simmons and many others made us so proud in those days. That was real cricket not like today's commercial cricket.

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Naturalist

I honestly wish West Indies clinch the Cup. Its good for the game. When they play, they give their heart and soul, its always fun to watch them.
Players like Viv Richards, Richie Richardson, Ambrose, Simmons and many others made us so proud in those days. That was real cricket not like today's commercial cricket.

Lovely comment!
And I totally agree. The Windies always played cricket like it was a game first and foremost.

[PPS]

One can't stay in a bad mood after watching the Windies players doing the Gangnam dance & those celebrations were the most outrageous ones i've seen on a cricket field!
Btw, what a knock by Marlon Samuels under pressure. West Indies were going nowhere but Samuels played a brilliant knock. And i can't seem to remember the last time Malinga being hit for 3 sixes in the same over, it was as if he has playing Nehra & not Malinga!

[joslicx]

Gayle 3 runs in 16 deliveries. Malinga 0/54 in 4 overs! That in a low scoring game!

Nice to see windies win the cup and the slingers losing yet another final. Dont like the sight of Malinga throwing really. Thats not bowling.