Cricket World Cup 2015
Cricket world cup 2015 kicked off today. I was introduced the game of cricket when I was 11 during 1996 world cup. I loved watching cricket and occasionally playing it. I will reserve my experiences and memories for another post. The exciting question today is that who will the world cup or who has better chance of winning the cup this year. I safely bet only one of these four teams have an chance of winning the cup: Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and India. I listed the order with their winning probability. Mind you my prediction of any thing is as good as my prediction of weather as a researcher.
Australia:
Australia have real chances purely by looking at the quality of the side. Second important factor is that they are playing in their own backyard. Australians have a strong bowling line up lead by Michel Johnson and the batting line with likes of Warner, Bailey, Maxwell and in form Steve Smith. I would say they have almost 80% of chance of bagging their fifth world cup.
New Zealand:
New Zealand team is full of confidence right now with its recent form. One of the major advantages is that they are playing all the league (up to semi finals if they reach there) matches in New Zealand. They have good if not great batting line up and also couple of all rounder like Corey Anderson, Luke Ranchi. Personally I am backing up New Zealanders to win this world cup.
South Africa:
As always with every world cup, South African are one of the favorites this time again. Would they win the cup this time? well, I say they have very bright chances, especially because of their batting line up is on par with ever green bowling line up. I wish they will remove the tag of Chokers after this world cup by winning it.
India:
India is on my list only because the rest of the teams are far worse and my
own bias them as Indian. India’s bowling is just rubbish, the less we talk
about it is the better. They have fair chances because of their strong batting
line up. One thing I would point I noticed at least among the fans the
appetite to win the cup. I was speaking to some of the friends, Its okay if
we don't win this cup, since we already won the last one. May be its just
Indian mentality and I hope that’s not the cricketers are thinking.
Hope world cup to be fun watching and the best team get to lift the cup. Have a look at my list of unusual suspects of this world cup.