These matches did not create any surprises except Kenyas win against Zimbabwe. Australia and India won all their matches and Zimbabwe lost all theirs. Kenya, by qualifying for the Semi-Finals, has proved to the world that their win against Sri Lanka is not a flash in the pan, but is consistent with their victory against West Indies in an earlier World Cup Match and victories against India in some other ODIs.
Unfortunately, in spite of their good performances, Kenya is not likely to get Test status. The World Cricket body is once bitten, twice shy. Due to the disastrous performance of Bangladesh, both in tests and ODIs, after they were given Test status on the basis of a solitary controversial win against Pakistan in the previous World Cup.
However, this is injustice to Kenya. Srikrishnamangal suggests that a tri-angular ODI series be arranged among Kenya, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, and if Kenya performs better than Bangladesh, they may given Test Status, without undue delay.
Australia and India defeated their rivals Sri Lanka and Kenya respectively in the Semifinals without much fuss.
Ganguly won the toss and put Australia to bat. Australia scored more than 350 runs. India did not even make a fight of it and lost the match by a huge margin, even before the stipulated 50 overs were completed. So many reasons are being put forth for this comprehensive defeat. Let us analyze them one by one.
We do not agree with this theory. As was already mentioned in the last edition, in the absence of Gyllespi, Shane Warne and the Waugh brothers, Australians were by no means an invincible team. (subsequent victories by India against the Australians both in India and Australia only prove our contention). Let us see what people have to say in this matter.
Thus it is seen that the whole world believed in the capability of Indians to win except the Indians themselves
The moment, Ganguly made the decision, lakhs of Indian viewers have given their instant verdict that India will lose the game. This shows a defeatist attitude. A good team should be capable of winning irrespective of whether they bat first or field first. In the league games, India lost of Australia, batting first. Hence, the above argument is also not valid.
After the Finals was over, Ganguly made a statement Our bowlers took a holiday. By bowlers, he meant Srinath, Zahir, Nehra and Harbajan Singh. But regarding, Dinesh Mongia he said he had the best bowling figures. According to him, his bowlers allowed Australia to make such a huge score, that it was difficult to expect his batsmen to surpass the same.
Nothing can be farther from the truth. It was a perfect batting pitch. Even if the frontline bowlers would have taken a few wickets, it would have been foolish to expect the Australians to be bundled out for a score less than 270 and odd. But our batsmen did not even score 225 runs. If they would have scored 300 plus and then lost, then the blame would have been passed entirely on to the bowlers. But it was not so.
Then what exactly were the reasons for Indias dismal performance?
To be content with what one has achieved may be a good quality in spiritual pursuits, but definitely not in sports. Even before the first ball is bowled in the finals, the captain and the team seem to feel that they have already achieved enough to hold their heads high. Having lost their first two matches, to reach the final is no ordinary achievement. Hence, whether they win or lose the final, does not make much difference. This seems to their line of thinking. Sachin Tendulkar was already conferred with the best players award, even before the start of the Final.
Thus, the passion to perform and win, was not all evident among the Indian players.
Much more than batting and bowling, Australians are masters in the art of sledging. To quote Buchanan, the Australian coach, Sledging is fine, if it does not cross the line or certain levels of decency. It is mental disintegration. India lost the World Cup because of this phenomenon. Hayden challenged Zahir Khan in the first over itself, by his stance, by his stepping out of the crease and he even verbally attacked and Zahir wilted. He and Adam Gilchrist, decided that they could attack both Zahir and Srinath. If it came off, we were sure that we could dominate the match.
I doubt whether the Indian thinktank has a proper answer regarding how to counter sledging. It is high time to take care of such psychological problems. If psychotherapists help is sought, it may do a lot of good to the Indian team. (As a result of the anti-sledging laws implemented recently, we are now seeing how our Indian team is giving a better performance in Australia.)
With so many good reserves like Bangar, Agarkar and Kumble waiting in the wings, it is not understood as to what is the sanctity of persisting with the same 7 batsmen throughout the tournament. Rahul Dravid agreeing to act as wicketkeeper, had given the Indian team several options to have fifth bowler or an all rounder in the team. But the advantage has been totally squandered by Ganguly, by opting for a total non-performer like Dinesh Mongia as a seventh batsman and persisting with him under the pretext of not disturbing a winning combination. This has very much curtailed the Indian bowling options. (Once again I am forced to point out that the star performers during the current Indian tour of Australia are VVS Laxman, Kumble and Agarkar. 2 of the aforesaid three were readily available during the world cup. Perhaps that made the difference between victory and defeat. So much for the wisdom of the Indian Selectors in ignoring Laxman and that of the Touring selection Committee for ignoring the other two).
Whenever India or any other team had to score 300 and odd runs, and win the game, this was done not by just flashing at each and every ball one faces. See what Chris Cairns, Maichael Bevan, Robin Singh, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammed Kaif et. al have done at Nairobi, Dhaka, England, Sri Lanka etc. The correct tactics would have been to see that not many wickets are lost up to 40 overs and then hit out in the remaining 10 overs. But Gangulys men were flashing from the word go. While Sehwag and Tendulkar going for hard hitting can be justified being openers, the same cannot be said regading Ganguly and Kaif. They flashed and perished. However, Dravid and Yuvraj stemmed the rot and were batting smoothly and wisely till the end of 30 overs. They had scored 150 and odd runs. There is a theory that, if there are sufficient wickets left, at the end of 30 overs, the score can be doubled in the remaining 20 overs. Thus a score of 300 plus was possible at that particular moment.
This was not to be. Suddenly a message came from the captain asking the two players to score 20 and odd runs in the following 3 overs in anticipation of rains so that India may win the match on the basis of the useless Duckworth and Louis system. But now everybody knows that Dravid is not a good hitter and both batsmen perished trying to hit the balls, putting India in dire straits. Eventually, it didnt rain and the rest of the batsmen also threw their wickets away and India wound up for a low score.
The tournament was arranged excellently by the host, South Africa. The absence of Shane Warne and the South African fielder Jonty Rhodes robbed the tournament of any competitive value. It was a tournament among sub-standard teams.
The telecast by Sony was totally biased towards India. A more balanced telecast should be arranged at West Indies during the next World Cup. Mandira Bedi had done her home work well and was a good compere . However, some female cricketers like Diana Eduljee or Shanta Rangaswamy should be preferred to her as a compere, if at all female participation is a must.
Overall, it was a lack lustre tournament with most of the players losing their places in their respective teams after the tournament. In this respect, the Indian selectors need to be congratulated for building a up a new team in the intervening 4 years between the 7th and 8th World cups.
It is altogether a different story that the selectors squandered this huge advantage by sending the team o New Zealaand full of fast pitches just before the World Cup.
Hope and pray that Indian team plays will more mental aggression, passion and vigor, in upcoming tests and ODIs.