Group B - Afghanistan, Australia, England, South Africa

[kevinw]

If SA beat Australia, this group is done? Or can Afg spring a surprise and beat Aus/Eng?

Afg beat England in the last WC.

 

[Stefan9]

Afg beat England in the last WC.

And were a Maxwell miracle innings away from beating aus.

 

[Qlder]

Carse to be ruled out with a broken toenail

(Ok it's actual a blister on his toe that previously required stitches)

 

[Freadd]

Honestly, I don't see any reason why Australia won't dominate this group. Of course, Afghanistan could surprise with their progressive outlook and I hope they can get past South Africa. But England seem to be out of the picture.

 

[Molehill]

Honestly, I don't see any reason why Australia won't dominate this group. Of course, Afghanistan could surprise with their progressive outlook and I hope they can get past South Africa. But England seem to be out of the picture.

I feel like you might have arrived a few days late to this tournament.

For England to have any hope they need either an Aussie win or SA to crush Aus.

Worth pointing out that because India/NZ is not played until Sunday, the team heading to Dubai from this group won't know who it is until less than 48 hours before the semi final. Talk about handing another benefit to India....

 

[Sunil1z]

I feel like you might have arrived a few days late to this tournament.

For England to have any hope they need either an Aussie win or SA to crush Aus.

Worth pointing out that because India/NZ is not played until Sunday, the team heading to Dubai from this group won't know who it is until less than 48 hours before the semi final. Talk about handing another benefit to India....

Yeah this is bad scheduling. Assuming final is to be played on Sunday , India SF game should have been on Wednesday/ Thursday.

Actually the biggest problem is that TV channels want India’s matches only on Sunday.Above problem wouldn’t have occurred if India’s matches were on Thursday/ Friday.

 

[honestbharani]

Yeah this is bad scheduling. Assuming final is to be played on Sunday , India SF game should have been on Wednesday/ Thursday.

Actually the biggest problem is that TV channels want India’s matches only on Sunday.Above problem wouldn’t have occurred if India’s matches were on Thursday/ Friday.

Yeah but they want the maximum eyeball so it goes to sunday. Though I feel, saturday would have been just fine.

Also, Molehill is being silly coz it can also be a disadvantage playing a must win game to qualify for semis and then back it up in the actual semis just a day later.

 

[Sunil1z]

Another problem that has been created by Broadcasters is that they want all the important matches to be D/N only. Imo atleast in Asian conditions where dew plays important role , knockout matches can be in Day only

 

[Sunil1z]

Yeah but they want the maximum eyeball so it goes to sunday. Though I feel, saturday would have been just fine.

Also, Molehill is being silly coz it can also be a disadvantage playing a must win game to qualify for semis and then back it up in the actual semis just a day later.

I am not supporting molehill. He is one of the most biased supporters on this forum.
I am saying that Broadcasters should stop fixing India’s schedule. I had a huge fight 18 months ago after WC final but I still stand with my position that WC final could have had a different result if India’s spinners weren’t completely neutralised by dew . Why the Finals on Sunday can’t be a Day game .

Note : Aussie fans don’t fight me . I believe you guys were also disadvantaged by dew in 1996 final .

 

[honestbharani]

Fair enough but day/night games are a spectacle. I would actually argue for sat night finals for all big tournaments. Gives the sunday to celebrate for the winning team's fans as well.

 

[LangleyburyCCPlayer]

Carse out then, didn’t look fully fit against Australia. On the one hand it’s good to see a second spinner Ahmed in for him, but it’s going to be another right-arm fast-medium bowler and number 8 batter in Jamie Overton or Gus Atkinson to actually replace him in the team isn’t it? Not as if Ahmed is much worse with the bat as those two, if at all

 

[TheJediBrah]

Honestly, I don't see any reason why Australia won't dominate this group. Of course, Afghanistan could surprise with their progressive outlook and I hope they can get past South Africa. But England seem to be out of the picture.

Australia have sent a half strength (if that) team. They only beat England because England are genetically awful at sports as a nation

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

They spent the genetic points on being able to distinguish if they're talking to a bot or not.

 

[Burgey]

he team heading to Dubai from this group won't know who it is until less than 48 hours before the semi final. Talk about handing another benefit to India....

Yeah but that's more than compensated for by the sheer ****ing joy of getting out of Pakistan, surely?

 

[Burgey]

I am not supporting molehill. He is one of the most biased supporters on this forum.
I am saying that Broadcasters should stop fixing India’s schedule. I had a huge fight 18 months ago after WC final but I still stand with my position that WC final could have had a different result if India’s spinners weren’t completely neutralised by dew . Why the Finals on Sunday can’t be a Day game .

Note : Aussie fans don’t fight me . I believe you guys were also disadvantaged by dew in 1996 final .

Do you think they haven't derived have enough advantages in the draw for this tournament?

 

[Sunil1z]

Do you think they haven't derived have enough advantages in the draw for this tournament?

I will say one massive advantage we have is that our Team doesn’t have to Travel.

Imo other teams should have objected to this schedule and said that India should also play their matches in 2 stadiums in UAE ( Dubai and Sharjah) . Teams should grow balls and object scheduling before the Tournaments rather than complain when India reaches semi final . Cummins and Sky sports should have voiced their concern before rather than now .

 

[honestbharani]

I will say one massive advantage we have is that our Team doesn’t have to Travel.

Imo other teams should have objected to this schedule and said that India should also play their matches in 2 stadiums in UAE ( Dubai and Sharjah) . Teams should grow balls and object scheduling before the Tournaments rather than complain when India reaches semi final . Cummins and Sky sports should have voiced their concern before rather than now .

The problem is, even the schedule PCB gave involved India playing all their games in one stadium (Lahore, IIRC). Given the political complications, this was somehow always gonna end up being the case, coz it makes better sense from a security perspective.

 

[Sunil1z]

Similarly I hope Bumrah or Pant should start making noise in the media that next WTC final should be held in Asia . 3 finals in England is enough advantage to SENA teams .

 

[Victor Ian]

This tournament is horribly compromised by India. Teams should forfeit games if they don't want to play for political reasons. India should have just sat out. Now they can't win. If they do it doesn't count because they played the little bitch card and if they lose, oh boy. It's not fair on their players or supporters and certainly not fair to everyone else and especially the hosts.

 

[Sunil1z]

This tournament is horribly compromised by India. Teams should forfeit games if they don't want to play for political reasons. India should have just sat out. Now they can't win. If they do it doesn't count because they played the little bitch card and if they lose, oh boy. It's not fair on their players or supporters and certainly not fair to everyone else and especially the hosts.

Or Other Teams should grow balls and object to these scheduling.
But I get it . Other Teams can’t live without BCCI money . So don’t cry now .