Semi finalists are beginning to show themselves (T20WC 2021)

[zen]

Group 1 

 

Eng - though still would need to play Aus and SA but expected to close out 1 game and has a great NRR. If it does not mess up will remain in top 2

Aus - has a leg up by beating SA. Can afford to lose to Eng if it closes out most of its other games  

 

Dark horses: SA and SL 

Miracle needed: WI 

 

 

Group 2

 

Pak - Best team in the group so far. Expected to top the group if it does not lose two of the 3 games against AFG, SCO, and NAM 

Ind and NZ - a shootout unless one of the teams  loses a handful of games to AFG, SCO, and NAM 

 

Darkhorse: AFG 

 

 

[Mariyam]

Much respected Count Don @zen

 

Why do you insist on putting (T20WC 2021) in all the thread titles?

 

Isn't it obvious that we would be speaking about the semifinals of the T20WC 2021 and not about the Matunga gymkhana championship?

 

#kthnxbye T20WC 2021

#justsayin T20WC 2021

[zen]

7 minutes ago, Mariyam said:

Why do you insist on putting (T20WC 2021) in all the thread titles?

 

 

It is for future reference. Many times we browse through old threads so putting that in titles helps to quickly know what the discussion is about 

 

For e.g. today we have the match thread that says "Match thread - England v Bangladesh". If in the future, if you were go to the archives and you do not recall dates, you may need to click it to find out the context  (is it for a bilateral series or what) 

 

Putting that little "T20WC 2021" helps to quickly identify the context of the discussion 

Edited October 27, 2021 by zen

[sandeep]

16 minutes ago, Mariyam said:

Much respected Count Don @zen

 

Why do you insist on putting (T20WC 2021) in all the thread titles?

 

Isn't it obvious that we would be speaking about the semifinals of the T20WC 2021 and not about the Matunga gymkhana championship?

 

#kthnxbye T20WC 2021

#justsayin T20WC 2021

Don't hate on the Matunga Gymkhana!!  My in-laws live down the street from there and I love walking by and catching a bit of cricket, wishing I had lived in a place like that when I was a kid.

[cricketfan28]

Grp1-  England and SA .

Grp2 - Pak and India.

 

Finals India vs SA(one game for two titles worldcup title and chokers of the world title)

Edited October 27, 2021 by cricketfan28

[maniac]

11 minutes ago, sandeep said:

Don't hate on the Matunga Gymkhana!!  My in-laws live down the street from there and I love walking by and catching a bit of cricket, wishing I had lived in a place like that when I was a kid.

Maybe Matunga has changed now but as a kid when I visited a couple of times, it didn’t exactly seem like an utopia . Maybe I went to the wrong part of the town.

[figo6762]

Why does everyone think we will blow away AFG.. they have all the middle overs covered .. if there is one team that can win batting first it’s AFG … even if the score 140 , they will defend it … 

 

with our bowling attack , bhoobi , Sami , jaddu… that’s 12 overs 8 runs an over .. the remaining 8 between chakra and bumrah they can score run a ball  to get to 144 ..

 

and they have 12 over spin which will be economical and we will lose wickets .. 60 percent of our runs need to come from the other 8 overs .. 
 

AFG has a high chance of trouncing us .. 

[I6MTW]

Namibia bowling line up is dangerous as well for India. Full left armers.

[nitinbwj]

Kya yaar.  Everyone has the potential to beat us.. kaun hai hum.. Ghanta 

[nitinbwj]

Ganguly... Who told you to shift WC to UAE.. Pak's second home and hugely favoring toss.. 

[sandeep]

1 hour ago, maniac said:

Maybe Matunga has changed now but as a kid when I visited a couple of times, it didn’t exactly seem like an utopia . Maybe I went to the wrong part of the town.

That part of Dadar near Matunga seems pretty nice, at least during short visits - but I was mainly referring to being able to walk to a cricket ground with proper nets etc. I did have the privilege of growing up in building right across an open field that we played cricket on, but as a young kid it was all amateur 'rubdy' ball and tennis ball cricket.  Only played leather ball cricket with my dad on weekends and then later on at the gymkhana during summer vacations.  But if I had a gymkhana walking distance from home, I'd probably have played a lot more 'real' cricket growing up.  That's what I meant.

[sandeep]

9 minutes ago, nitinbwj said:

Kya yaar.  Everyone has the potential to beat us.. kaun hai hum.. Ghanta 

T20 isn't really a format given to one team's consistent dominance.  Especially with dew in the mix.  I think some expectations are quite unrealistic.

 

Having said that, this is probably the weakest Indian T20 side I have seen in years.  So I understand where you're coming from.

[maniac]

8 minutes ago, sandeep said:

That part of Dadar near Matunga seems pretty nice, at least during short visits - but I was mainly referring to being able to walk to a cricket ground with proper nets etc. I did have the privilege of growing up in building right across an open field that we played cricket on, but as a young kid it was all amateur 'rubdy' ball and tennis ball cricket.  Only played leather ball cricket with my dad on weekends and then later on at the gymkhana during summer vacations.  But if I had a gymkhana walking distance from home, I'd probably have played a lot more 'real' cricket growing up.  That's what I meant.

my only memory of matunga is, there was a cobbler there who would create knockoffs of branded shoes. In the mid 90’s there was a craze for woodland shoes if you remember . 

One of my friends who lived around that area took me there.

 

All you have to do is give this guy the picture of the shoe model and give him advance to buy the leather and he would make the nearly perfect knockoff. 
 

I got a pair of shoes made.

 

Obviously that wasn’t the residential part of town .

 

Having said that if you are from south mumbai, the holy trinity of Azad-Oval-Cross maidaan, that’s where the real cricket happens :) after Shivaji park of course. Spent my childhood  getting a tan there even though my mom didn’t really believe in Black Lives Matter and wasn’t happy with losing my “fairness” 

Edited October 27, 2021 by maniac

[Norman]

35 minutes ago, sandeep said:

Having said that, this is probably the weakest Indian T20 side I have seen in years.  

 

Ironic that most people were saying this is the strongest squad India has ever taken to a T20 world Cup. One defeat and we've done a total 180 on that. 

 

I still believe we'll be there at the deep end of the tournament, throwing around punches. Just got that feeling somehow.. 

[sandeep]

35 minutes ago, maniac said:

Having said that if you are from south mumbai,

Bhai, I'm from Ghatkopar.  Kahaa se aaya South Mumbai.

[sandeep]

1 minute ago, Norman said:

Ironic that most people were saying this is the strongest squad India has ever taken to a T20 world Cup.

Nobody credible claimed that though.  Even before the Pak game.  

 

We are playing Jadeja the known T20-int'l failure as an allrounder, when he has only demonstrated incompetence with both bat and ball, and cost India ruinously in multiple T20 WCs.  Our other "all rounder" is Pandya, who clearly can only bowl in an emergency.  That right there weakens the team balance.  Our spin department is a big fat question mark regardless of which ones we pick from the squad.  Apart from Bumrah, rest of the pace options are also not T20 studs.  Bhuvi was, but has yet to fire at anywhere near his best.  

 

This was well known to all objective observers before the tournament started.  

 

Of course a team with such built-in weaknesses, is going to falter in the first game especially after losing a key toss, and losing 2 big early wickets.  

 

5 minutes ago, Norman said:

I still believe we'll be there at the deep end of the tournament, throwing around punches. Just got that feeling somehow.. 

 

Of course India still has a decent shot at this.  All they have to do, is beat NZ and AFG - neither is that difficult. But not guaranteed either.  

[Lord]

7 minutes ago, Norman said:

 

Ironic that most people were saying this is the strongest squad India has ever taken to a T20 world Cup. One defeat and we've done a total 180 on that. 

 

I still believe we'll be there at the deep end of the tournament, throwing around punches. Just got that feeling somehow.. 

 

It is,compared to previous squads but still not good enough. And can't blame the selectors except 1-2 decisions as there is simply not enough T20 talent despite so much IPL. Only spots we have multiple options are openers,WK bats and pacers who can bowl at death(but none who takes wickets with new ball)

 

 

[Adi_91]

10 minutes ago, Lord said:

 

It is,compared to previous squads but still not good enough. And can't blame the selectors except 1-2 decisions as there is simply not enough T20 talent despite so much IPL. Only spots we have multiple options are openers,WK bats and pacers who can bowl at death(but none who takes wickets with new ball)

 

 

 

I disagree with the simply not enough T20 talent comment. IPL has shown you that you have more than enough. It comes down to who you select and how you adapt to. An opener we have can bat in the middle order to lend balance if he is willing and TM provides support. it comes down to how you use what you have, provided you pick a squad with enough options. This squad does have limited options. Nothing to do with IPL talent, but all to do with will to select the correct 15!

[Norman]

32 minutes ago, sandeep said:

Nobody credible claimed that though.  Even before the Pak game.  

 

We are playing Jadeja the known T20-int'l failure as an allrounder, when he has only demonstrated incompetence with both bat and ball, and cost India ruinously in multiple T20 WCs.  Our other "all rounder" is Pandya, who clearly can only bowl in an emergency.  That right there weakens the team balance.  Our spin department is a big fat question mark regardless of which ones we pick from the squad.  Apart from Bumrah, rest of the pace options are also not T20 studs.  Bhuvi was, but has yet to fire at anywhere near his best.  

 

This was well known to all objective observers before the tournament started.  

 

Of course a team with such built-in weaknesses, is going to falter in the first game especially after losing a key toss, and losing 2 big early wickets.  

 

I agree with all that but still there are a lot of reasons to think that this is indeed our strongest 15 at a T20 wc. 

 

2014 and 2016 - Brilliant top3 with peak Kohli+Rohit but an absolute dud middle order of washed up Yuvis, Rainas and Dhonis with pandeyji being the backup. Decentish bowling attack. 

 

 2009, 2010 and 2012 - Cannon fodder bowling attack or praveen, nehra, bhajji. 

 

2007 - Extremely raw 

 

 

[Mariyam]

3 hours ago, sandeep said:

Don't hate on the Matunga Gymkhana!!  My in-laws live down the street from there and I love walking by and catching a bit of cricket, wishing I had lived in a place like that when I was a kid.

Surely you mean swimming or kayaking!

 

In the monsoons, Matunga is Mumbai tourisms' answer to Venice. That road especially.

Podarites on ICF will attest to this fact.