The Cup That Counts

In less than 24 hours, the World Cup 2011, ‘The Cup That Counts’ as billed by the ICC, the single-biggest cricketing extravaganza in the world starts with India taking on Bangladesh, dubbed as a ‘revenge’ match by the Indian media, in Mirpur, Dhaka.

After a week of knockout matches and a passionate opening ceremony at the Bangabandhu Stadium, finally it all starts at the Sher-E-Bengal stadium in Mirpur. When Dhoni and Shakib go out for the coin toss, they will be greeted with over 20,000 screaming Bangladeshi fans, all of whom have tentatively started to believe that their country is capable of competing with the very best.

This is a World Cup, and there will always be talk regarding a World Cup. Endless debates over where Dhoni’s men can actually be considered favourites, whether Pakistan can shake off the taint of spot-fixing still hanging over them, whether Ponting is still good enough to lead the Aussies, whether England can go one better than their recent Ashes victory and if and when South Africa will ‘choke’ again.

The answers will all start unravelling from tomorrow. It’s time to focus on the game again. This is it, the ‘Cup that counts’. Let the action begin.