So why can't you play cricket today?

Majid Haq's reasons for not playing Ireland this coming week were hilarious. I guess this is how it has to be when teams don't play professional and international cricket. Cricketers need to rely on other sources of income. The quote is from Cricinfo.

"My dad runs a takeaway in Paisley and I have to help out this weekend because my mum and brother are both away in Pakistan, one of our chefs is unavailable and our delivery driver has gone to jail for three weeks."
Well, that's one reason (or two) to make yourself unavailable for Scotland. With a few players withdrawing from the Ireland match, Majid Haq's excuse was the most bizarre

Super 8's preview and predictions

India's out and it just got a bit more boring

Though, we all agree, they deserved to go, while Bangladesh thoroughly deserve it!

But still, one can be sad that the clash between India and Pakistan is not going to happen anymore. That was going to be one fun match. But there are still some epic games left. I am looking forward to Eng-Aus, NZ-Aus, and especially SL playing anyone. More on this in a few paragraphs.

Is the criticism on this World Cup's format justified?

I read some dude talking about how just 2 bad games in the first round was more than enough to kick a good side out of the World Cup. He concluded that such a format was not the right one for ensuring that the best teams play each other in the super 8's.

Well, that's retarded! This is the World Cup after all, teams should be playing their best and their hardest, and yes, 2 bad days SHOULD be enough to boot a good team. If they're good, then they should under-perform. Pakistan and India obviously didn't play well and were beaten by better sides on that day. So, I think the fellow's argument is a bit skewed and he is probably just hurt.

Bangladesh and Ireland's chances

Pretty much zilch to be honest, but Bangladesh have a shot for the semis. They have the capability of beating England, West Indies and New Zealand on their day. I hate predicting stuff, plus I am nowhere as good as this chap, so I'll just discuss match-ups and leave the predictions up to you.

My final four

No sooner than I said I don't do predictions, here I am telling you who I think the semi-finalists will be. I lie.

Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Sri Lanka.

Yes Sir. That's it. No England. No Ireland. No Bangladesh, and no West Indies. Well, maybe West Indies. It's either West Indies or New Zealand, I believe. But I'll probably change my prediction anyway by the time the semi-finals come around and I find out I was wrong. I'll subsequently edit this entry, announce that I was right in my predictions all along, and that I am the best.

Yeah. That's right. It's not so difficult to edit this blog entry. I have the password.

Who do I want as the WC champion?

Sri Lanka! Yup. I really like these guys. Been a big Lanka supporter for years now. I know you couldn't tell. But lets hope these plucky buggers can bring us the World Cup.

Irish spank Pakistanis - St. Patrick's Day massacre

Agreed. Massacre is too strong a word to be associated with such a fun holiday. Anyway, who cares...Pakistan is out of the WC and readers of this blog might think I am going to crawl under my shell, whine and point fingers. Not so my furry friends! Omar Loves Cricket and this blogger had actually predicted, in not so many words though, an early exit for Pakistan from the World Cup. So in my own creepy, pessimistic way, I had prepared for the worst. (What I actually claimed was that Pakistan would be one of the teams that a minnow would upset. I did think we would make the super 8's at least!) On the brighter side, I can focus my attention on all the other teams playing in the World Cup and give an impartial opinion on their progress.

Well, what better timing for Ireland that St. Patrick's day. How cute! Since I don't particularly want to delve on what went wrong right about now, I shall tell you about things that made me happy today. Fear not though, I will be scathing in my criticism of the Pakistani batting line up when I write a thorough analysis in the afternoon tomorrow. I need the night to tone down my response and perhaps make it articulate and eloquent. Tall order.

So random fun story of the day: I was on my way back from NYC after watching the Irish bumjack Pakistan, when I was about to get off at my train station when someone calls my name. Turns out, it was old friend from college. He was on his way to Philadelphia and I haven't seen him in a few years. How bloody random is that?! He is Pakistani too, but has no clue whatsoever about cricket or anything, so I was more than happy (eager and persuasive rather...) to pull him off the train and catch up over a drink. Quite refreshing to forget about the loss, and to reconnect with a friend.

Feel free to post your thoughts and comments on Pakistan's early departure...

Minnows played some interesting cricket today

I like the minnows. They have nothing to lose and everything to gain. They are also incredibly confidant in their own ability. They know their limits and are eager to learn, absorb and enjoy the moment. It's sad that everyone and their mother feels they shouldn't play, because their presence is charming and if we have anything to go by in today's warm up games, we shouldn't discount them with the disdain that they have been getting in the press the past couple of weeks.

Though they may have lost all 4 games today, I think Ireland and Kenya really ought to be proud of themselves. They really gave the South Africans and West Indians a wake up call.

Bermuda may have been thrashed by England by a mountain of runs, but their own 270 pound mountain of an off spinner, Dwayne Leverock, was apparently very impressive. Plus they had England in some trouble before Dalrymple came along.

Sri Lanka were clinical against Scotland, but at least the Scots past 40 overs.

These are the sorts of positives that the minnows must take from World Cup. They are playing the best countries and they are undoubtedly learning a lot. Plus their gameplay today is a sign that they are making the test playing nations think twice and play less casually. Michael Holding and others are wrong in assuming that this experience is useless. Being allowed to play in the World Cup is what these minnows work very hard towards and now that they are here to stay, cricket on the whole will benefit from their growing achievements. We should support them.