Its World Cup Time!
It was meant to be an Action Packed weekend as South Africa were to lock horns against the hosts Sri Lanka and Australia were to take on the West Indies on Saturday. The rains, though, had different plans. After staying away from the tournament so far, it poured down heavily. We had the results for both the matches thanks to the (in)famous D/L method. The result of the SA vs SL was not that important given the fact that both the teams have already made to the Super 8s but the Aussies winning against the West Indies means Ireland also have a chance to stage an upset and make it to the Super 8 stage. Their chances are not really bright though as the big hitting Jamaican Chris Gayle did show signs of being in destructive form and Samuels ably supported him as they post a mammoth 191 on the board. Sri Lanka will also be wary of the tough oppositions they will be facing at the Super 8 stage and will keep their fingers crossed for a clear sky.
The Sunday also has a lot to offer as New Zealand will take on Pakistan and the Defending Champions England will play India. The NZ vs Pak clash will be a very important fixture again as it will be a decider for their group and Bangladesh will be praying for a New Zealand victory so that they have a good chance too.
The evening match between England and India will be for gaining confidence going into the Super 8s as both the teams have defeated Afghanistan in their first match. England looked more professional, thanks largely to Luke Wright (99* of 55 balls) who was ably supported by their bowlers who did a fantastic job to bundle out the Afghans for just 80. Indians looked a bit scratchy and they will have to rectify the errors quickly as this is a super fast tournament. The batting lacked the promise and the bowlers were all over the place. An opposition like England would hammer them if they continue the same sort of work! Dhoni will be thinking of playing a spinner more given the susceptibility of English batsmen against the spin and it will be interesting to see who it turns out to be. Zaheer Khan has to be on top of his game as he has always been his captain's go to bowler at a time of crisis. All said and done, it promises to be a Super Sunday indeed!
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