ICC Champions Trophy, 2008, Pakistan.

[Kartikey]

Question about the Champ Trophy Do you guys think it will take place?? Aus have refused to tour now, they might refuse again. And the situation in Pak does not look like improving. Even Lahore, which was safe by pakistani standards is now being targeted. So will teams go or will it be shifted to some other country???

[Sachinism]

good point it'll be interesting to see what is done

[DomainK]

I would like a new venue where Cricket can be played peacefully without much threat to security. India hosted it last year.....it might go to Australia or South Africa.

[Desi Cartman]

I think with 20-20 championship every couple of years there is no need for the champions trophy anymore ...

[DomainK]

I think with 20-20 championship every couple of years there is no need for the champions trophy anymore ...

T20 can never replace competitive ODI cricket. How can one format replace another?

[Desi Cartman]

T20 can never replace competitive ODI cricket. How can one format replace another?

Champions trophy was started to fill in a event between world cups .. now we have 20-20 to do that .. so why do we need champions trophy ?

[DomainK]

Champions trophy was started to fill in a event between world cups .. now we have 20-20 to do that .. so why do we need champions trophy ?

That entire concept of filling an event between world cups was a joke. Whats the fun of the world cup if all the teams contest each other every year? From that point of view, the CT should be scrapped altogether. But I don't think T20 has matured enough to replace something like CT. Dont forget that a few months ago India hadnt even played a match of T20.

[Desi Cartman]

yup 20-20 hasnt matured but CT is a competition which doesn't excite the players or the fans .. I think its a flop show anyway

[DomainK]

yup 20-20 hasnt matured but CT is a competition which doesn't excite the players or the fans .. I think its a flop show anyway

Doesnt excite? We stay glued to our tv sets alright. As long as there are sponsors, it will continue and as long as people are watching it, there will be sponsors and as long as India exists, there will be people watching cricket.

[DomainK]

Champions Trophy: India, Australia and Pakistan drawn together The groups for this September's Champions Trophy in Pakistan have been announced by the ICC, and India, Pakistan and Australia have been seeded together. Group A comprises of defending champion and top seed Australia along with India, Pakistan and the West Indies while Group B is made up of the winner of the inaugural event, South Africa, as well as New Zealand, Sri Lanka and England. The groupings were made on the basis of teams' rankings in the ICC ODI Championship table on March 12, the agreed cut-off date. It was decided in 2005 that from 2008 the tournament would only include the top eight one-day sides exactly six months before the start of the tournament. As a result, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, who are ranked ninth and tenth, miss out. The two groups will be played on a round-robin format with the top two sides progressing to the semi-finals. The full tournament schedule and information regarding venues will be announced by the ICC in due course. Group A Australia (1), India (4), Pakistan (5), West Indies (8) Group B South Africa (2), New Zealand (3), Sri Lanka (6), England (7)

[SachDan]

So Group-B is the group of death right? Its going to be an easy ride for India and Australia

[DomainK]

lol.....yeah, looking at the current form of Pakistan and WI, India and Australia will most likely come to the semis. From the other group, SA and Lanka look favs.

[Kartikey]

This is from the BBC: "England have avoided both Australia and India in the draw for September's ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan. " And the headline is "England receive kind trophy draw". Are they stupid or something?? Id rather be in Group A anyday. They should be crying that their in Group B, with 3 of the 5 best ODI teams in the world. West Indies are crap to be quite honest. And Pak, well lets just say its their worst team in decades.

[Kartikey]

And B'desh should be there, they would play better than WI and Pak.

[cochise]

It won't happen. Not in Pakistan anyway. Pak is falling apart...and you want to play cricket there?

[Kartikey]

It won't happen. Not in Pakistan anyway. Pak is falling apart...and you want to play cricket there?

I read an article, which said they might move it to Columbo, if teams refuse to go there, then it will be shifted to South Africa. But I do want the tournament to take place.

[cochise]

Yeah...of course...but I cannot see it happening in Pak...nor can I see the Pak players playing at all well. I know that this board is perhaps a little indisposed towards the Pak side...but they do have some wonderful cricketers there (they just can't be told so, otherwise it goes to their heads...)

[Kartikey]

Yeah...of course...but I cannot see it happening in Pak...nor can I see the Pak players playing at all well. I know that this board is perhaps a little indisposed towards the Pak side...but they do have some wonderful cricketers there (they just can't be told so, otherwise it goes to their heads...)

I actually fear for Pak's future. Their team is playing badly atm and if these tournament's and tour's dont happen, then obviously the PCB will lose money but also the upcoming generation in Pak might not see Cricket as a safe career.

[cochise]

Pak is a failed state. It is imploding...God knows it has done immense amount of damage to it's own and to others...India knows too... The team has also reflected their decline into fanaticism...started with mullah Saeed Anwar... Where they land up...as a cricket side and as a nation...will be decided by the karmic seeds they have sown and are coming to ripen. I still wish them well.

[Kartikey]

Look at what the big idiot, ramiz raja said once about yusouf: 'Religion has played an integral part in his growth not just as a cricketer but as a person' deary me, they need to stop all this crap.