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Which is the team that you would least want your side to face in a knockout clash...

Himannv

Hall of Fame Member
Will Pollard be in their side? Where do you fit him in?
Probably will be there IMO. Team may look something like this:

Gayle
Barath
Lil Bravo
Sarwan
Chanderpaul
Big Bravo
Baugh+
Pollard
Sammy
Roach
Benn/Russell/Some spinner or the other.
 

Athlai

Not Terrible
Gayle (4-10 overs)
Barath
Sarwan
Bravo jr.
Chanderpaul
Bravo sr. (5-10 overs)
-
Baugh (+)
Sammy the specialist captain (...10 overs?)
-
Roach (10 overs)

these guys are locks IMO

Benn
Miller
Pollard
Rampaul
Russell
Devon Smith

They could play both spinners or they could play one and have Pollard or Russell in the lineup.
 

vic_orthdox

Global Moderator
Gayle (4-10 overs)
Barath
Sarwan
Bravo jr.
Chanderpaul
Bravo sr. (5-10 overs)
-
Baugh (+)
Sammy the specialist captain (...10 overs?)
-
Roach (10 overs)

these guys are locks IMO

Benn
Miller
Pollard
Rampaul
Russell
Devon Smith

They could play both spinners or they could play one and have Pollard or Russell in the lineup.
Think that Barath isn't a "lock". Especially if Chanders wants to open the batting. If he's not seen as a lock, it opens up number 6 for Pollard.

Even if Barath does play and open, they could look to get twenty overs out of a combination of Pollard, Dwayne Bravo and Gayle, go with three specialist bowlers, and let Pollard come out at 7 and go nuts in the powerplays. Is Andre Russell/Ravi Rampaul etc. really going to be a better option than Dwayne Bravo? Maybe, but that batting line-up suddenly seems super threatening, Pollard is an ace up their sleeve that no-one else really has - except maybe India in Yusuf Pathan.
 

Himannv

Hall of Fame Member
Gayle (4-10 overs)
Barath
Sarwan
Bravo jr.
Chanderpaul
Bravo sr. (5-10 overs)
-
Baugh (+)
Sammy the specialist captain (...10 overs?)
-
Roach (10 overs)

these guys are locks IMO

Benn
Miller
Pollard
Rampaul
Russell
Devon Smith

They could play both spinners or they could play one and have Pollard or Russell in the lineup.
Bravo will bowl ten IMO. They'll sneak Pollard into the team as well and he'll bowl 4-10 overs. That would give them amazing batting depth without weakening their bowling too much. Benn, Miller, Russell or Rampaul will complete their attack as specialist bowler. May even depend on the conditions with regards to who plays. Agree with the guy who said Barath isn't necessarily a lock as well. They may omit him to include an extra bowler and open with Chanders.
 

TumTum

Banned
Hence the triple centuries against Sri Lanka and South Africa.
That's in Tests only, where any attack can look ordinary on flat conditions. IMO in ODIs it is totally different and Gayle is not the sort of batsman that will respect good or tricky bowling. He'll much rather have bowlers that bowl fast and aggressive at him so he could blast away. Isn't he Zaheer's bunny as well?
 

Dan

Hall of Fame Member
New Zealand are booked in to take up a spot in the semis while never looking like a team that can win the whole thing.

Be wary of our ability to make it the semi finals imo.
Played through the World Cup on CC2011 the other day. Kiwis went through undefeated thanks to Brendon McCullum hitting double-tons everywhere. An omen?

TBH, I'd be **** scared if we came up against Bangladesh in the KO stages. They always seem to push us right to the limit, or beat us, when there's something on the line.
 

tooextracool

International Coach
SL have one hell of a team, easily the best bowling attack of the tournament and probably the best team on paper. I'd me most worried against them.

Dont rate Pakistan or NZ, would be surprised if either of them went far.

India is a tad overrated, but whenever they are at home, and given the quality of opposition around, they will definitely come into the reckoning.

Australia have a pretty ordinary bowling attack, especially without a genuine slow bowling option. I'd be surprised if they made it very far, but a knockout type tournament suits their current crop of players better than the old format.

South Africa havent been a good ODI outfit in years, in the subcontinent, this problem is only likely to be exacerbated. I can see them making it to the semis at best, that is if they dont choke in the QFs.

WI, as people have pointed out are the most unpredictable side out there. If Gayle, Chanders and Sarwan fire they have the potential to win, but they could also struggle to make it past the first round.

England have an ordinary team, but their work ethic is great. I am sure they will keep up their discipline and come in with a multitude of plans, but to be honest, I dont see them being genuine contendors for the crown.

Bangladesh is a dark horse. I fear they could pull a jack out of the pack, especially if the conditions work to their favor. Could really disrupt the competition if they make it past the group stage.
 

salman85

International Debutant
SL is the team i think most people are overating.Not India.SL have a good team on paper,but definitley not the best in the competition,that title rests with England.

SL are like the Spain of Football.They have had their moment of glory with their golden generation,and they won't repeat it for a very long time.Just like Spain won't win their next major trophy before 2375.
 
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tooextracool

International Coach
England's batting is a bit of a problem area IMO, its really begging for Pietersen to hit his straps and he hasnt done that in a very long time.
 

salman85

International Debutant
I don't think so.Regardless of whether they underperform in the tournament,right now England are the team to beat IMO.People talk about how Gayle etc could benefit from the flat sub-continent wickets.Pietersen falls in the same category.He could murder the bowlers on these flat tracks.He hasnt hit top gear off late,but batsman friendly wickets is just what he might need.Plus there's Trott.I ****ing hate him,but he could be very VERY handy in the subcontinent.Add Morgan and Strauss to the list,and England look even better.
 
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Athlai

Not Terrible
I don't think so.Regardless of whether they underperform in the tournament,right now England are the team to beat IMO.People talk about how Gayle etc could benefit from the flat sub-continent wickets.Pietersen falls in the same category.He could murder the bowlers on these flat tracks.He hasnt hit top gear off late,but batsman friendly wickets is just what he might need.
Till a left arm spinner comes on and he chokes.
 

tooextracool

International Coach
I don't think so.Regardless of whether they underperform in the tournament,right now England are the team to beat IMO.People talk about how Gayle etc could benefit from the flat sub-continent wickets.Pietersen falls in the same category.He could murder the bowlers on these flat tracks.He hasnt hit top gear off late,but batsman friendly wickets is just what he might need.Plus there's Trott.I ****ing hate him,but he could be very VERY handy in the subcontinent.Add Morgan and Strauss to the list,and England look even better.
Pietersen has been dire in ODI cricket, even by tailender standards, over the past couple of years. This has translated into the longer format as well. I think at this moment in time, the probability of him finding himself and murdering bowlers, given what we have seen from him lately, is much slimmer than the probability of him failing.
 

Jacknife

International Captain
Pietersen has been dire in ODI cricket, even by tailender standards, over the past couple of years. This has translated into the longer format as well. I think at this moment in time, the probability of him finding himself and murdering bowlers, given what we have seen from him lately, is much slimmer than the probability of him failing.
To be fair to KP, looked back to his best in the first Odi before that flucky Johnson run out. I wouldn't be surprised if he came good in the WC, a bit like in the 20/20 WC and he's played pretty well in India in Odi's in the past, so who knows.
 

weldone

Hall of Fame Member
South Africa, Australia or England in the 2nd semifinal in Mohali...

...don't mind if we face any opposition including these 3 in any other venue...
 

Burgey

Request Your Custom Title Now!
That's in Tests only, where any attack can look ordinary on flat conditions. IMO in ODIs it is totally different and Gayle is not the sort of batsman that will respect good or tricky bowling. He'll much rather have bowlers that bowl fast and aggressive at him so he could blast away. Isn't he Zaheer's bunny as well?
He's Dougeh's bunny tbh.

Dougeh!

Dougeh.
 

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