What made the loss even more heartbreaking for Rohit Sharma’s side was not only the fact that it came on home soil but also because they reached the final unbeaten. However, in the end they lost the most important match out of them all.

The match wasn’t even a close affair as Australia cruised to the target of 241 set by India at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad thanks to a brilliant knock of 137 by Travis Head. Marnus Labuschagne also played a fine unbeaten innings of 58 to help the Baggy Greens reach the finish line with 42 balls remaining.

The defeat is still fresh in the minds of thousands of Indian fans to say the least and this was again highlighted as social media got flit up with people talking about the 2023 World Cup final on its 1-year anniversary.

The post Social media recalls India’s heartbreaking defeat to Australia in 2023 World Cup final appeared first on Cricket Country.

“The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 has demonstrated the significant economic power of cricket, generating economic benefit of USD 1.39 billion (Rs 11,637 crore) for India,” ICC Chief Executive, Geoff Allardice said in a statement.

“The impact of tourism across the host cities amounted to USD 861.4 million of revenue generation, through accommodation, travel, transportation and food and beverage because of a massive influx of domestic and foreign tourists attending the matches. The secondary and incremental spends within the economy was a key driver, generating USD 515.7 million, which was approximately 37 per cent of the total impact,” read an ICC statement.

The Economic Impact Assessment claimed that the mega-event held in October-November last year was the biggest ever ODI World Cup.

A record-shattering 1.25 million spectators attended the tournament of which nearly 75 per cent were attending a 50-over match for the first time ever, the report claimed.

“Nearly 55 per cent of the international respondents had previously visited India regularly, whilst an injection of new visitors thanks to the World Cup saw 19% of international attendees making their first ever visit to the country. International travelers visited multiple tourist destinations during their stay which amounted to an economic impact of USD281.2 million and nearly 68 per cent of international attendees said that they would recommend India as a tourist destination to friends and family in the future further enhancing India’s global image,” the statement further read.

Over 48,000 full or part-time jobs were created by the event through direct involvement in delivering the tournament, as well as other organizations across the hospitality sector, added the report.

“The event created thousands of jobs and showcased India as a premier tourist destination, proving that ICC events not only engage fans passionately but also contribute significantly to the economies of our host nations,” Allardice said.

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In an interview to the Cricket Baaz Youtube channel on Wednesday, Latif said the likes of England, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa would bring something new with their approach in the 50-over showpiece scheduled in India from October 5-November 19.

“The one area where I feel Asian teams will struggle to match these sides are particularly in the middle overs when a fast strike rate is required even in 50-overs,” said the former wicket-keeper batter.

“The English, Australian and New Zealand batters have turned to reverse sweep and switch shots against the spinners into something very lethal nowadays.” He also noted that England in particular were also well versed in using their spinners in the middle overs.

“A bowler like Adil Rashid or someone like Moeen Ali buy their wickets whereas our spinners focus more on economical bowling. This will be one of the most closely contested World Cups and I don’t see Asian teams getting any extra edge because it is being held in India.” Latif, who played in the 1996 and 2003 World Cups, also noted that India was struggling in selection and lost the recent T20 series in West Indies because of not allowing new players to settle down properly.

“Indian team management has experimented with several players and if I talk about their batting the middle and lower order say from 4 to 7 they just have not allowed any new player to settle down with frequent changes.” Rashid said though risky, India would now have to just depend on seniors in the World Cup.

“I say risky because KL and Iyer are returning from injuries.” Rashid had no doubt that handing the captaincy to many candidates in the last two years had not helped the Indian team.

“If they had allowed Virat Kohli to continue as captain, India would be 100 percent ready for the World Cup by this time.” Rashid also felt that Pakistan also needed to use Fakhar Zaman as an opener and ensure the batters made full use of the middle overs.

He said that the 50-over format was perhaps the most difficult format now and teams needed one or two batsmen who can anchor one end and guide other batters through the innings.

Rashid said the return of Ben Stokes to the England squad makes them a much more balanced and stronger outfit now in the World Cup.

Talking about his experience of playing in India in the 1996 World Cup, he said it was just one match in the quarter-final in Bengaluru but it was one of the most high pressure games he had played in his career.

“By the 5th over my throat was dry because of the pressure and nerves and there was so much noise from the crowd that one couldn’t even hear the point and gully fielders or get your voice across to them.” The former captain also praised the present Pakistan team for restoring the trust of cricket fans and people in the national team after the number of fixing and corruption scandals that dodged Pakistan cricket in the 90s and 2000s.

“The people trust these players in every manner and that is their legacy of restoring trust. Unfortunately, in the 90s though we had some great players, the trust factor was an issue.

The post Rashid Latif Feels India And Pakistan Will Struggle In ODI World Cup 2023 appeared first on Cricket Country.

There is no denying the fact that the Narendra Modi Stadium will be jam-packed on the day. The fans, however, are facing a logistic nightmare. The hotel prices in the city have skyrocketed to nearly 15 times the average price. This has left the fans in a miserable situation, especially the ones who will be coming from outside the city.

As per a report in Cricinfo, a hotel that charges 4000 per night for a room is available at 60,000 per night on twin sharing basis. The price goes up to 3,50000 for two nights in star hotels. Also, the tickets will be available for sale on September 3 and fans are not sure if they will be able to get the tickets for the match or not. Once the tickets are put on sale, they will be sold out in a flash. Fans are concerned if they make a booking but fail to get the tickets, they will be in a huge mess.

The BCCI has confirmed that the fans will have to collect the physical tickets a day before the match which makes the case even worse as the fans will have to be present in the city a day or two before the match which will significantly affect the budget.

Even for the people who can afford to pay heavy tariffs, things are not very smooth as most of the top hotels have been booked by the BCCI for its sponsors and affiliate partners. The report also states that the fans who have a valid booking for the dates are being told to look elsewhere or being offered to reserve their booking for a different date.

“We had hotel and train reservations for October 14, because we went by initial speculation. But once rumours swirled around of a date change, we did another round of bookings for October 13 [a day before the rescheduled date] without cancelling our earlier reservations. Now, our hotel reservation for October 15th [the original match date] holds, but to re-book from October 13, we’re being charged nearly four-five times the average price.

“So we have no idea what we’re going to do for our hotel. We’re in touch with a friend who stays locally, but in the event of us not getting tickets, the plan is to travel to Ahmedabad and enjoy garba nights [a dance festival] and experience the vibe of the city on Navaratri,” said Sanchit Desai, a Mumbai-based sports-management professional as quoted by Cricinfo.

The post Fans Face Logistic Nightmare As Hotel Prices Soar In Ahmedabad For India vs Pakistan World Cup Clash On October 14 appeared first on Cricket Country.

But both sides agree that this was possibly the nadir for Indian cricket in terms of World Cups, and never ever has the side been in such ignominy since coloured clothing was adopted in cricket. India’s West Indies trip was a story of three matches and little else.

Accusations and anger that followed were natural, and refuse to die down even now, while the team that has moved on, as have all the players, would most likely still sit back and wonder at time as what went wrong.’But both sides agree that this was possibly the nadir for Indian cricket in terms of World Cups, and never ever has the side been in such ignominy since coloured clothing was adopted in cricket. India’s West Indies trip was a story of three matches and little else.

Bob Woolmer’s death

The biggest news of this World Cup was the death of Pakistan’s English coach Bob Woolmer.

Woolmer was found dead on March 18 in his hotel room in Kingston, Jamaica, a day after his side’s loss to Ireland which sent them packing. Initially considered a suspicious death, leading to a post-mortem and subsequently Jamaica police opened a murder investigation, which was subsequently reversed and remains a mystery till now.

New hosts and format

The Caribbean islands hosted their first World Cup and as many as 16 teams participated in the jamboree. The sides were divided into four groups and the top two teams from all groups then played a Super 8 format.

The associate teams included Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, Kenya, the Netherlands and Scotland, who contested with the 10 Test-playing countries.

India’s disastrous run

India were clubbed with Bangladesh, Bermuda and Sri Lanka, and on any normal time, they were a cinch for the Super 8s. But it did not quite go down like that.

India began with a sensational loss to Bangladesh at Port of Spain, Trinidad, on March 17. Batting first, India were all at sea and barring Sourav Ganguly’s painstaking 66 and 47 runs from Yuvraj Singh, there was little else as they ended at 191 runs.

Bangladesh medium-pacer Mashrafe Mortaza claimed four wickets while spinners Abdur Razzak and Mohammad Rafique had three wickets each.

In reply, Bangladesh saw half-centuries from opener Tamim Iqbal, Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib al Hasan as they notched up a five-wicket win.

India duly beat Bermuda but their last-ditch battle with Sri Lanka ended in a defeat and they were out.
Upul Tharanga (64), Chamara Silva (59) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (38) guided Sri Lanka to a moderate 254/6 in their 50 overs but under-pressure India were not up for the challenge.

Skipper Rahul Dravid scored 60 and Virender Sehwag 48 but three wickets from Muttiah Muralitharan, two Chaminda Vaas and contributions from all the Sri Lankan bowlers saw India crumble to 185 all out in 43.3 overs and their run had ended ingloriously.

All-win Australia lift another title

Australia were once again at their best. They registered 12 consecutive victories in the tournament and brooked no opposition as they marched on.

After the league and Super 8s, Australian fast bowlers Shaun Tait (4/39) and Glenn McGrath (3/18) destroyed South Africa in the semi-finals, restricting them to just 149 runs, which they sailed past for a seven-wicket win.

In the other semi-final, Mahela Jayawardene scored 115 not out and Muralitharan claimed 4/31 as Sri Lanka knocked out New Zealand by 81 runs.

In the final, a repeat of the 1996 contest, Australia and Sri Lanka played what ended up being a fiasco of a final. As rain dominated, the match was initially reduced to a 38-over clash, and Adam Gilchrist blasted 149 as Australia reached 281/4.

Sri Lanka responded with challenging second-wicket stand between Sanath Jayasuriya (63) and Kumar Sangakkara (54) before wickets tumbled and the rain again reduced the overs to 36 overs and the Duckworth-Lewis System (DLS) target to 269.

But then the umpires asked the players to go back to the pavilion after 33 overs due to bad light and decided that the remaining three overs would be bowled the following day.

But rival skippers Ricky Ponting and Jayawardene decided to continue and the remaining overs were played in near-dark conditions and Australia finally win by 53 runs by the DLS system, taking their unbeaten World Cup streak to 29 matches.

The post ICC World Cup 2007: India’s Nightmare As Australia Notch Up Another Title appeared first on Cricket Country.

Chopra lauded young Tilak for his heroics in the recently concluded India and West Indies series. Varma scored an 18-ball 27 in India’s total of 165/9 in the final T20I against the West Indies in Lauderhill, Florida, on Sunday, August 13. Varma also picked up Windies batter Nicholas Pooran but Windies won the T20I series by 3-2

“Suryakumar Yadav came and Tilak Varma was alongside him. Tilak Varma’s story is that he hit 19 runs in the sixth over. When he plays, he plays extremely well. Tilak Varma got out to Roston Chase, who took a good diving catch.”

“Tilak Varma also bowled. He hit a six off the second ball he faced (on his T20I debut) and he dismissed Nicholas Pooran off the second ball he bowled. He is an off-spinner and bats left-handed. Tilak Varma is doing everything so that his name comes in the Asia Cup team. He should be there and then the World Cup, you never know.”

It was the West Indies first T20I series victory over India since 2017, while the loss broke India’s streak of 12 consecutive unbeaten bilateral series as the Asian side fell to their first series defeat in men’s T20Is in more than two years.
After this series team India will face Ireland for the three match T20I series which will start from August 18 and ace speedster Jasprit Bumrah will make a comeback in that series.

This will be the last series for India before Asia Cup. Here is the India squad against Ireland.

Team India squad for T20I series against Ireland: Jasprit Bumrah (C), Ruturaj Gaikwad (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan

The post ‘He Should Be There And Then The World Cup’: Akash Chopra Wants Tilak Varma In Asia Cup Squad appeared first on Cricket Country.

But sadly, for all of them, Australia were just too seasoned and their experience of playing finals made a telling difference as India could only offer very limited resistance in the title match. This is also the only time till now when India have reached the final and not lifted the trophy. But this was a side that excited all fans and kept them all clued in right through the tournament, but fell agonisingly short of their aim.

This was the biggest tournament to date with 14 teams participating. Apart from the 10 Test-playing nations, co-hosts Kenya were joined by Canada, Namibia and the Netherlands. With so many teams in the fray, this was also the tournament with the biggest number of matches as 54 games were played.

India were in Pool A with Australia, England, Namibia, the Netherlands, eternal rivals Pakistan and co-hosts Zimbabwe and ended the seven-team league in second position on points, behind Australia.

India’s Dodgy League Run

India couldn’t have asked for an easier opener when they met the Netherlands at Paarl on February 12 but their performance was not the best. It took a 52 from Sachin Tendulkar and contributions from Nayan Mongia (42) and Yuvraj Singh (27) to carry them to 204 off 48.5 overs. But Javagal Srinath (4/30) and Anil Kumble (4/32) were too hot to handle for the Dutch and they folded up for 136.

Worse was to come when India were absolutely walloped by Australia in their next match. Tendulkar again top-scored with 36 and Harbhajan Singh scored 28 as India were bundled out for 125, with Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie claiming three wickets each. Australia cantered home to a nine-wicket win.

But things then looked up as India beat Zimbabwe and Namibia and then got the better of England, riding on Ashish Nehra’s sensational 6/23.

Nehra classic

India batted first at Durban and Tendulkar got another half-century (50) while Rahul Dravid top-scored with 62. Virender Sehwag, promoted to opener, got some useful runs as did Dinesh Mongia and Yuvraj Singh as India tallied 250/9 off 50 overs.

Nehra then waded into the English batting with a career-best wicket haul as they were sent packing for 168. Nehra’s victims included Michael Vaughan, Nasser Hussain, Paul Collingwood, Alec Stewart, Craig White and Ronnie Irani. By far the best World Cup show by any Indian bowler.

Pakistan Lose Again

India-Pakistan matches in World Cups have always been one-way traffic and this time was no different. India once more were on the winning side in their contest at Centurion on March 1.

Saeed Anwar, always a thorn in India’ side, once again was on the job with a century but got little support as Pakistan managed only 237/7 off 50 overs.

Tendulkar then hammered 98 off just 73 balls and Yuvraj (50 not out), Dravid (44 not out) and Sehwag (21) ensured an easy Indian win and vital points.

Sensations And Disasters

The tournament was a story of Kenya’s sensational entry into the semi-finals, as also of co-host South Africa’s inability to decipher the Duckworth-Lewis rain rule and crashing out of the tournament in that legendary match with Sri Lanka in Durban, when they needed one more run to win but ended with a tie after everyone in the South African camp misread the D/L run requirement. The nation was stunned as their team was washed away with the Durban rain.

Other disasters included England, Pakistan and the West Indies too crashing out in the league stage.

India Advance

India met Kenya in their semi-final in Cape Town and skipper Sourav Ganguly finally got some runs with and unbeaten 107 as India chased down the 225-run target rather comfortably but not before India were reduced to 3/24. Dravid (32) and Yuvraj (58 not out) then kept Ganguly company as India made it to their second World Cup final.

Australia were in fearsome form against Sri Lanka in what was quite a revenge match for the 1996 final. Ricky Ponting hammered 114 off 109 balls while Adam Gilchrist was run out at 99. Damien Martyn chipped in with 52 as the Aussies scored 319/5.

Sri Lanka were decimated Lee, Glann McGrath and Brad Hogg and only Aravinda de Silva (92) could offer any resistance as they went down by 96 runs.

Final Agony For India

Australia, who had witnessed star spinner Shane Warne being expelled from the tournament on drug abuse charges even before a ball was bowled, were again in the final and they had to contend with a chock-a-block Wanderers Stadium at Johannesburg on March 23 as they took on crowd favourites India. But the Australians were way more professional in their approach as India succumbed to the hype and pressure and it ended up being a one-sided affair.

Ponting once again led the batting assault with 140 runs off 121 deliveries after Gilchrist (57) and Matthew Hayden (37) had got them off to a flying start. Martyn contributed 88 not out of 84 deliveries as only Harbhajan Singh (2/49) had anything to offer in terms of resistance.

Sehwag’s 82 went in vain as India were never in the game. Dravid (47), Ganguly and Yuvraj (24 each) were not able to find enough support and India went down by a massive 125 runs.

India would have to wait another eight years to see another final. But that was a whole different story.

The post World Cup 2003: After The Crescendo, India Fall Short Of Glory appeared first on Cricket Country.

Suryakumar Yadav had a chance to make a real case for the World Cup slot in the ODI series against West Indies but the batter hardly made an impact. He did come back strong, scoring 83 in the third T20I but his lacklustre show in the ODIs has put his World Cup slot in doubt.

Surya himself is aware of his missed opportunities. The batter, however, said that he is not thinking too far ahead and is focused on doing well in the T20I series against West Indies.

“You got to be honest with yourself. You can’t hide behind the bush. At the same time I am not thinking too much about what’s going to happen ahead, thinking about this series,” Suryakumar Yadav said ahead of the fourth T20I against West Indies.

Suryakumar Yadav Locked In Four-Way Battle For No.4 Slot.

Suryakumar Yadav will be in a four-way battle for the No-4 slot in World Cup along with Sanju Samson, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer. Rohit Sharma confirmed that Injured Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul are likely to get fit before the World Cup which makes Surya’s place a bit doubtful.

However, both the injured players are unlikely to get match fit for the Asia Cup which will give Surya and Sanju Samson a chance to prove their credentials as match winners in ODI cricket. The Asia Cup 2023 will be make or break for Surya and Sanju and their performance will determine whether they will find a place in the World Cup squad or not.

The post Suryakumar Yadav Rues Missed Opportunities As Concerns Over World Cup Slot Looms Large appeared first on Cricket Country.

Shadab was optimistic about the Babar Azam-led side doing well in India and said that winning the World Cup in India will be icing on the cake. The two arch-rivals are set to face off on October 14 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

“We won’t have the crowd support in India. In that sense we’ll have to be very strong mentally. The way our players are, mentally strong, I think we’ll have a good tournament. Winning the World Cup in India will be like the icing on the cake… Definitely, whichever team comes will come to win the tournament, but the key is how you as a team play and how you start because we will have to play against every team; it’s a great opportunity for all the teams,” Shadab Khan said in an exclusive interview with Saj Sadiq..

Pakistan To Take On India In Asia Cup As World Cup Rehearsal

Ahead of the World Cup, India and Pakistan will clash in the Asia Cup. The two teams will cross swords on September 2 in Pallekele. The teams are likely to reach Super 4s where they will again clash on September 10. The winner of the Asia Cup battles will have a phycological advantage when the teams step into the Narendra Modi Stadium on October 14.

The post ‘We Need To Be Mentally Strong’: Shadab Khan On Facing India In ODI World Cup appeared first on Cricket Country.

Kohli is currently on rest because of upcoming tournaments like Asia Cup and ODI World Cup which will be played in August and October respectively.

Kohli also recalled how he faced a lot of challenges throughout his long career.

Ups and downs are a part of any sport and Kohli says this is when he reminds himself of his “capabilities and the hard work I have put in to reach where I have”. “This self-belief helps me stay positive and focused on improving my game… I draw inspiration from my past successes and learnings. Reflecting on the moments when I performed at my best and analysing the areas where I can improve from losses, helps me grow as a player. Every setback becomes an opportunity for me to come back stronger” said Kohli on Indianexpress.

Kohli says he prioritises self-care and well-being as an integral part of his daily routine. “I engage in regular workouts, meditation, and mindfulness practices to keep my mind and body in sync.” Physical activity, he says, not only helps his stay fit but also acts as a great stress reliever. “Additionally, spending quality time with my loved ones is vital for me to unwind and find emotional support” added Kohli.

‘Chole Bhature Is All-Time Favourite For Me’: Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli admits that chole bhature as his all-time favourite food and whenever he got a chance he indulge in a fulfilling plate of chole bhature.

“Yes, I do enjoy good food, and I must admit, being a Punjabi, I have a soft spot for some delicious and hearty dishes. Chole bhature is an all-time favourite for me and whenever I have the chance, I indulge in a fulfilling plate of chole bhature.” This is where he underlines the importance of “maintaining a balanced diet” to support his fitness and performance on the field. “So, while I do treat myself to such dishes occasionally, I make sure to follow a strict diet to stay in shape.”

The post Virat Kohli Opens Up On His Comeback, Says ‘Every Setback Becomes An Opportunity For Me’ appeared first on Cricket Country.