Top 10 Game Changers in the World Cup

Top 10 Game Changers in the World Cup

It is a saying that cricket is a game of chance and is very much right about the game. In cricket, the tables are turned within a moment. The team which appears to be having no chance of winning suddenly does something that brings it to the steering wheel of the game. Such moments come about when there are some real game changers involved in the equation. These game changers can turn the things upside down within a flash. These are the players who create the chances when their are none. These are the players who make cricket special and so uncertain that betting games go to ruin in just a matter of moments.

There are many such game changers and chance creators who have the ability of absolutely reversing the equation of the match. But some among them are very special. Even on narrowing down the list to some special players, there are still many players left in the list. Shortening it down to the top 10 was really a difficult task and has involved very deep thinking. Following is the list of those top 10 game changers who in my opinion are totally capable of doing anything what may be considered impossible by others in the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup.

1. AB de Villiers                                                                                                                              When ever game changers will be discussed, AB de Villiers will definitely be there on the list. That's why he is also on top of our list. 30 years old South African beast AB de Villiers averages about 52.16 by scoring 7459 runs in 179 one day internationals. His recent form includes devastating fastest ODI half-century by just 16 balls and fastest ton by just 31 balls in a single innings against West Indies. AB de Villiers is a dream player for every team. He is an amazing batsman and an outstanding skipper. He will be the player on whom all spotlights will be during the tournament. 
2. Mahela Jayawardene                                                                                                                 He is another star of the cricketing world who is going to disappear from the scene of ODI cricket after the world cup. He averages 33.54 by making 12511 runs in 440 ODIs. He will be one of the key players for Sri Lanka and also he will be their key game changer. He has the ability to take Sri Lankan lions safely to the home single handed and he has done this numerous times in the past and is surely capable of doing it once again. 
3. Virat Kohli                                                                                                                                One of the most talented batsmen in the game today is Virat Kohli. He averages 51.86 by scoring 6224 runs in 149 ODIs. He is in sensational form these days and haas proven his worth yet again in the India's recent tour to Australia. Although India team mostly struggled against the hosts but Virat Kohli provided a firm opposition to the Kangaroo bowling attack. As his strike rate of 90.30 in ODI format suggests, he is a really aggressive and dangerous player. He has that game-changing spark in him. He is a really dangerous player and is surely a game changer.
4. Dale Steyn                                                                                                                                    He is the real beast of fast bowling in today's cricket. Although not in his full swing these days, he is surely capable of destroying any teams defense. He has taken 151 wickets in 96 matches on an economy rate of 4.80. His pace and seem will be really crucial for the Proteas and a real danger for all the opponents. He surely is a game changing material.
5. Chris Gayle                                                                                                                                  A genuine destruction to the ball and to the bowler is the person named Chris Gayle. He is one of the most entertaining performers in the cricket today. His aggressive style and courage to go for the kill are his real attributes. Chris Gayle does not only have a good strike rate of 84.23 but also has a very reasonable average of 37 by scoring 8881 runs in 262 ODIs. With the ruthless swing of his bat, he can twist any opponents head and crush his hopes for winning against his team.
6. Shahid Afridi                                                                                                                               Surely he is the most uncertain of all these players mentioned in the list. Equally capable with bowl and bat, he is surely among the blessed players. If he is in the form, he is one of the most dangerous players on the globe. But if otherwise, he is gonna do so bad that you will doubt that even he is the one who has such a large fan following in the world. This is the reason because his batting average is only 23.49 after 389 ODIs! But if you look at his strike rate, it is 116.29 even after playing almost 400 matches! He is also really helpful with his bowling, and has 391 wickets in 389 matches. If he performs to his full potential, undoubtedly he will prove to be a real dangerous player.
7. Sunil Narine                                                                                                                                 An amazing West Indian talent Sunil Narine is among the top spinners of the bowl today. The variety in his bowling is really amazing and he has constantly proven himself to be a great bowler. He has taken 73 wickets in 52 games with an economy rate of just 4.10. He is a player to look forward in the upcoming ICC World Cup. And  he surely deserves to be on this list of game changers.
8. Brendon McCullm                                                                                                               Among the most dangerous and aggressive players in the squads for the world cup, there is the shining name of Kiwi aggression; Brendon McCullum! The in form kiwi sensation is among the true game changers in the recent history of cricket. He is a cricketer who has proven himself as a batsman, as a captain, as a keeper and as a fielder! He is a genuinely class apart player who can carry New Zealand home for the first time in the World Cups. He has scored 5432 runs in 237 matches on an average of 30.51 with the strike rate of 91.55! Plus Kiwis playing on their home ground, his abilities will surely multiply with a great deal.
9. Lasith Malinga                                                                                                                            May be not as dangerous and fearsome as he was in his early years, he still is a player who can snatch the win for his team. As the leading bowler for Sri Lanka for so many years, for many times he has changed the scenario in favor of his team. He has taken 271 wickets in 177 ODI matches with an economy rate of 5.21 for Sri Lanka. His famous yorkers may come really handy on Australian and New Zealand wickets. Also his slow deliveries are to be watched out.
10. Faf du Plesis                                                                                                                                30 year old from South Africa, Faf du Plesis is a player who is splendid with an amazing talent. He can play an extremely slow test innings as well as a thrilling and sizzling fast-paced ODI or T20 innings. He is a really versatile batsman who has got all the variations in his bag. Du Plesis has scored 1947 runs in 66 ODI matches at an average of 34.15 with the strike rate of 84.65. He is a game changer and a key player towards the success of South Africa in the tournament. Along with AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla, he can turn the matchfield in hell for the opponents! He is truely a game changer!

Where do Sub-continent teams stand in ICC World Cup 2015?

Where do Sub-continent teams stand in ICC World Cup 2015?

As ICC Cricket World Cup is starting from 14^th February with the encounter between New Zealand and Sri Lanka, let us take a look on the possibilities for different teams in the tournament. In this article I will concentrate on the teams from sub-continent.

Teams from sub-continent have always struggled in Australia and New Zealand, however they also had their moments in the region. Most notable of whom is victory of Pakistan in the ’92 world cup which was also held in Australia and New Zealand. But usually Subcontinent teams have been under trouble.

The most competitive teams from sub-continent are undoubtedly Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka. Although Bangladesh and Afghanistan can make some upsets possible but expecting one of them to snatch the world cup would be too much. But all the three other teams are really strong and genuine contenders for the ICC World Cup 2015!

Key Players

Pakistan

For Pakistan, the key players in my opinion will be Ahmed Shehzad, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Umar Akmal andMuhammad Irfan. Role of Ahmed Shehzad at the top of the order will be really important because he is the player who can set up a really strong base at the start of the innings. While Misbah-ul-Haq and Umar Akmal will be looked upon to provide a consolidating knock in the middle order and also for a boost at the end of the innings. Muhammad Irfan’s height and pace will also prove to be really vital during the bowling innings for Pakistan. Using him along with other supporting bowlers like Yasir Shah and Shahid Afridi efficiently will take Pakistani bowling attack to a new level. Shahid Afridi on the other hand like always will be “the most” important player for the men in Green, as the 35 year old all-rounder always makes fans to bleed with electrifying impulses.

India

Team India who are defending champions will also enter the arena of world cup with a really strong 15 member squad. Indian stars which will prove really vital for the team will be Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Mohammed Shami, Ravindra Jadeja, Rohit Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Out of all these men MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli will be the two key players to Indian success. MS Dhoni with both his batting and keeping along with the captaincy will surely be the backbone of Indian team. Kohli on other hand will be the anchor in the middle of Indian innings and team India will heavily rely on him to perform considering his performance in India’s recent tour to Australia. Jadeja and Rohit Sharma will also be the center of expectations for Indians. Role of Shami and Bhuvneshwar will also be really important because Indian bowling attack is always considered the underdog but both of these bowlers along with other Indian bowlers can really turn the tables during the game.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka in my opinion is one of the favorites for winning the world cup. They have a really strong team for the competition among which the most dangerous duo of Kumar Sangakara and Mahela Jayawardane will be the most dominating players in the whole tournament. Other than these two giants Sri Lankans also have Angelo Mathews, T Dilshan, D Chandimal, Thisara Perera, Lasith Malinga, R Herath and Nuwan Kulasekara in their bank. Mathews, Dilshan and Chandimal will give a real hard time to the opponent bowlers and will make sure that Sri Lankan scoreboard is running at an ascending pace. While Malinga’s speed bombs and Kulasekara’s swing will make batsmen trouble, Herath’s left-arm orthodox spin will really pin the batsmen’s head.

World Cup Winner for Sub-continent

In the light of above mentioned key players if we compare all the three teams, Sri Lanka will appear to be the best among them. Sri Lanka has advantage in all three departments batting, bowling and fielding. But both Pakistan and India also have the players who can set the terms of the game by their performance. But Sri Lanka has the most composed and well-arranged squad on paper and surely has better chances of going to win the title.

But India has one of the most dangerous batting attack in the world. There batsmen can make any bowling side tremble. Their aggression is surely capable of overcoming and destroying any bowling attack of the world! The weak point for Indians is their bowling. Although they have a decent bowling attack, but their bowling attack lacks that x-factor which would lead them to the highest glory.

Pakistan on the other hand is the team of uncertainties! They are totally capable of surprising you with an absolute stunner as well as with a really disappointing and humiliating performance. They lack the order, but they can surprise you at any time with their uncertainty.

At the end, if I would select a world cup winner from Subcontinent it will be Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is one of the favorites for the world cup along with New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. All three teams have their chances, but Sri Lankans are the most favorite!

The Changing Formats of ICC World Cup

The Changing Formats of ICC World Cup

The biggest event in cricketing world is approaching us yet again! The stage has been set in Australia and New Zealand where summer season is going to get even hotter with the heat of competition. ICC World Cup 2015 will start from 14^th February and will end on 29^th March. 

The First Four Events

ICC World has always been under evolution in regard of its format. In first 4 editions of the event 1975, 1979, 1983 & 1987, the tournament started with distribution of teams in 2 groups and ended with a knockout round of 2 semifinals between top 2 teams from each group, followed by a final between winners of the semi-final.

The First Change, 1992

However in 1992, the format was changed for the first time. Instead of two groups at initial stage, there was only one group comprising 9 participants among whom were the South Africans marking their entrance into International events after a 22 years international ban due to racism issues. Top 4 teams from this single group proceeded to semi-final stage and then 2 of them to the final.

The Quarter Finals, 1996

In 1996, there was again a change in format with going back to 2-groups format in first round and also with introduction of quarter-final stage in knock-out round. Top 4 teams from each group qualified for the quarter-finals and winners further proceeded to play semi-finals and final.

Super Sixes, 1999 & 2003

In 1999, the last world cup of millennium a whole a new format was introduced. Instead of quarter final stage, another group stage was introduced after the initial group stage called “Super Sixes”. Top 3 teams from both groups qualified for the super sixes, where they competed with the teams that qualified from the other group, while for the teams which qualified along with them from the same group, there was a “Points Carried Forward” System which meant that they didn’t have to compete with these teams again but all of these teams were in the same group and qualification was to depend on points of all 6 teams. Top 4 teams from this stage qualified for the semi-final stage and semi-final winners went on to play the final. The same format was carried out for the next edition of ICC Cricket World Cup which was held in 2003 in South Africa, Zimbabwe & Kenya.

Super Eight, 2007

In 2007, there was yet again another 360 degree change in the format of tournament. Instead of a two-group format at initial stage, there was a four-group format. Top 2 teams from each group qualified for the longest ever post-initial stage the “Super Eight”! Where each team had to play 6 new matches with the teams that qualified from other groups. Points for the team from same group were carried forward like the previous super sixes format. Top 4 teams from this stage were to qualify for the semi-finals and then the winners to compete in final.

Quarter Finals Again, 2011

In 2011, there was a going back to the format of 1996 i-e 2 initial groups and then going into knockout stage with quarter-finals, semi-finals and final, only this time there were 2 more participants than that in 1996.

ICC World Cup, 2015

The coming world cup of 2015 is also going to be held on the same format as of 1996 and 2011. There are 14 participants in this event who have been divided in to 2 groups of 7 teams each. In group A there are England, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Afghanistan & Scotland. While in group B there are India, Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland & United Arab Emirates. Top 4 teams from each group will qualify for the quarter-final round where they will face a team qualified from the other group. Then there will be Semi-finals and finally on 29^th March 2015, there will be the final match of the tournament between the victors of the semi-finals at the historic ground of MCG, Melbourne.

World Cup History in brief

                  World Cup History in brief

As the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 is just around the corner, let us take a look at the 10 previous editions of the competition from the first chapter that commenced in 1975 at English soil till the latest one that took place in Subcontinent in 2011.

ICC World Cup is arranged after every 4 years from the first time it was held in 1975 with the exception of 1999, when it was re-held only after 3 years after 1996.

In following, I am stating all the previous ICC Cricket World Cups along with their year, venue, number of teams, winners & runners up.

1.     World Cup 1975 

     Venue:  England

     Number of teams:  8

     Winners:  West Indies

     Runners up:  Australia

2.     World Cup 1979

Venue:  England

Number of teams: 8

Winners: West Indies

Runners up: England

3.     World Cup 1983

Venue: England

Number of teams: 8

Winners: India

Runners up: West Indies

4.     World Cup 1987

Venue: Pakistan & India

Number of teams:  8

Winners: Australia

Runners up: England

5.     World Cup 1992

Venue: Australia & New Zealand

Number of teams: 9

Winners: Pakistan

Runners up: England

6.     World Cup 1996

Venue: Pakistan, India & Sri Lanka

Number of teams: 12

Winners: Sri Lanka

Runners up: Australia

7.     World Cup 1999

Venue: England, Scotland, Ireland, Netherlands & Wales

Number of teams: 12

Winners: Australia

Runners up: Pakistan

8.     World Cup 2003

Venue: South Africa, Zimbabwe & Kenya

Number of teams: 14

Winners: Australia

Runners up: India

9.     World Cup 2007

Venue: West Indies

Number of teams: 16

Winners: Australia

Runners up: Sri Lanka

10.   World Cup 2011

Venue: India, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh

Number of teams: 14

Winners: India

Runners up: Sri Lanka

Hope you would have found the information helpful. Thanks for visiting us. Feel free to communicate with us on this blog.

Mohammad Hafeez to lead Pakistan in T20's now :)
Good decision indeed :)
http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan/content/current/story/564291.html

History of Cricket

The origins of cricket lie somewhere in the Dark Ages  probably after the Roman Empire, almost certainly before the Normans invaded England, and almost certainly somewhere in Northern Europe. All research concedes that the game derived from a very old, widespread and uncomplicated pastime by which one player served up an object, be it a small piece of wood or a ball, and another hit it with a suitably fashioned club.

How and when this club-ball game developed into one where the hitter defended a target against the thrower is simply not known. Nor is there any evidence as to when points were awarded dependent upon how far the hitter was able to despatch the missile; nor when helpers joined the two-player contest, thus beginning the evolution into a team game; nor when the defining concept of placing wickets at either end of the pitch was adopted.

Etymological scholarship has variously placed the game in the Celtic, Scandinavian, Anglo-Saxon, Dutch and Norman-French traditions; sociological historians have variously attributed its mediaeval development to high-born country landowners, emigre Flemish cloth-workers, shepherds on the close-cropped downland of south-east England and the close-knit communities of iron- and glass-workers deep in the Kentish Weald. Most of these theories have a solid academic basis, but none is backed with enough evidence to establish a watertight case. The research goes on.

What is agreed is that by Tudor times cricket had evolved far enough from club-ball to be recognisable as the game played today; that it was well established in many parts of Kent, Sussex and Surrey; that within a few years it had become a feature of leisure time at a significant number of schools; and - a sure sign of the wide acceptance of any game - that it had become popular enough among young men to earn the disapproval of local magistrates.

Dates in cricket history

1550 (approx) Evidence of cricket being played in Guildford, Surrey.
1598 Cricket mentioned in Florio's Italian-English dictionary.
1610 Reference to "cricketing" between Weald and Upland near Chevening, Kent. 1611 Randle Cotgrave's French-English dictionary translates the French word "crosse" as a cricket staff.
Two youths fined for playing cricket at Sidlesham, Sussex.

1624 Jasper Vinall becomes first man known to be killed playing cricket: hit by a bat while trying to catch the ball - at Horsted Green, Sussex.
1676 First reference to cricket being played abroad, by British residents in Aleppo, Syria.
1694 Two shillings and sixpence paid for a "wagger" (wager) about a cricket match at Lewes.
1697 First reference to "a great match" with 11 players a side for fifty guineas, in Sussex.
1700 Cricket match announced on Clapham Common.

1709 First recorded inter-county match: Kent v Surrey.
1710 First reference to cricket at Cambridge University.
1727 Articles of Agreement written governing the conduct of matches between the teams of the Duke of Richmond and Mr Brodrick of Peperharow, Surrey.
1729 Date of earliest surviving bat, belonging to John Chitty, now in the pavilion at The Oval.
1730 First recorded match at the Artillery Ground, off City Road, central London, still the cricketing home of the Honourable Artillery Company.

1744 Kent beat All England by one wicket at the Artillery Ground.
First known version of the Laws of Cricket, issued by the London Club, formalising the pitch as 22 yards long.
1767 (approx) Foundation of the Hambledon Club in Hampshire, the leading club in England for the next 30 years.
1769 First recorded century, by John Minshull for Duke of Dorset's XI v Wrotham.
1771 Width of bat limited to 4 1/4 inches, where it has remained ever since.
1774 LBW law devised.
1776 Earliest known scorecards, at the Vine Club, Sevenoaks, Kent.
1780 The first six-seamed cricket ball, manufactured by Dukes of Penshurst, Kent.
1787 First match at Thomas Lord's first ground, Dorset Square, Marylebone - White Conduit Club v Middlesex.
Formation of Marylebone Cricket Club by members of the White Conduit Club.
1788 First revision of the Laws of Cricket by MCC.
1794 First recorded inter-schools match: Charterhouse v Westminster.
1795 First recorded case of a dismissal "leg before wicket".
1806 First Gentlemen v Players match at Lord's.
1807 First mention of "straight-armed" (i.e. round-arm) bowling: by John Willes of Kent.
1809 Thomas Lord's second ground opened at North Bank, St John's Wood.
1811 First recorded women's county match: Surrey v Hampshire at Ball's Pond, London.
1814 Lord's third ground opened on its present site, also in St John's Wood.
1827 First Oxford v Cambridge match, at Lord's. A draw.
1828 MCC authorise the bowler to raise his hand level with the elbow.
1833 John Nyren publishes his classic Young Cricketer's Tutor and The Cricketers of My Time.
1836 First North v South match, for many years regarded as the principal fixture of the season.
1836 (approx) Batting pads invented.
1841 General Lord Hill, commander-in-chief of the British Army, orders that a cricket ground be made an adjunct of every military barracks.
1844 First official international match: Canada v United States.
1845 First match played at The Oval.
1846 The All-England XI, organised by William Clarke, begins playing matches, often against odds, throughout the country.
1849 First Yorkshire v Lancashire match.
1850 Wicket-keeping gloves first used.
1850 John Wisden bowls all ten batsmen in an innings for North v South.
1853 First mention of a champion county: Nottinghamshire.
1858 First recorded instance of a hat being awarded to a bowler taking three wickets with consecutive balls.
1859 First touring team to leave England, captained by George Parr, draws enthusiastic crowds in the US and Canada.
1864 Overhand bowling authorised by MCC.
John Wisden's The Cricketer's Almanack first published.
1868 Team of Australian aborigines tour England.
1873 WG Grace becomes the first player to record 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in a season.
First regulations restricting county qualifications, often regarded as the official start of the County Championship.
1877 First Test match: Australia beat England by 45 runs in Melbourne.
1880 First Test in England: a five-wicket win against Australia at The Oval.
1882 Following England's first defeat by Australia in England, an "obituary notice" to English cricket in the Sporting Times leads to the tradition of The Ashes.
1889 South Africa's first Test match.
Declarations first authorised, but only on the third day, or in a one-day match.
1890 County Championship officially constituted.
Present Lord's pavilion opened.
1895 WG Grace scores 1,000 runs in May, and reaches his 100th hundred.
1899 AEJ Collins scores 628 not out in a junior house match at Clifton College, the highest individual score in any match.
Selectors choose England team for home Tests, instead of host club issuing invitations.
1900 Six-ball over becomes the norm, instead of five.
1909 Imperial Cricket Conference (ICC - now the International Cricket Council) set up, with England, Australia and South Africa the original members.
1910 Six runs given for any hit over the boundary, instead of only for a hit out of the ground.
1912 First and only triangular Test series played in England, involving England, Australia and South Africa.
1915 WG Grace dies, aged 67.
1926 Victoria score 1,107 v New South Wales at Melbourne, the record total for a first-class innings.
1928 West Indies' first Test match.
AP "Tich" Freeman of Kent and England becomes the only player to take more than 300 first-class wickets in a season: 304.
1930 New Zealand's first Test match.
Donald Bradman's first tour of England: he scores 974 runs in the five Ashes Tests, still a record for any Test series.
1931 Stumps made higher (28 inches not 27) and wider (nine inches not eight - this was optional until 1947).
1932 India's first Test match.
Hedley Verity of Yorkshire takes ten wickets for ten runs v Nottinghamshire, the best innings analysis in first-class cricket.
1932-33 The Bodyline tour of Australia in which England bowl at batsmen's bodies with a packed leg-side field to neutralise Bradman's scoring.
1934 Jack Hobbs retires, with 197 centuries and 61,237 runs, both records. First women's Test: Australia v England at Brisbane.
1935 MCC condemn and outlaw Bodyline.
1947 Denis Compton of Middlesex and England scores a record 3,816 runs in an English season.
1948 First five-day Tests in England.
Bradman concludes Test career with a second-ball duck at The Oval and a batting average of 99.94 - four runs short of 100.
1952 Pakistan's first Test match.
1953 England regain the Ashes after a 19-year gap, the longest ever.
1956 Jim Laker of England takes 19 wickets for 90 v Australia at Manchester, the best match analysis in first-class cricket.
1957 Declarations authorised at any time.
1960 First tied Test, Australia v West Indies at Brisbane.
1963 Distinction between amateur and professional cricketers abolished in English cricket.
The first major one-day tournament begins in England: the Gillette Cup.
1969 Limited-over Sunday league inaugurated for first-class counties.
1970 Proposed South African tour of England cancelled: South Africa excluded from international cricket because of their government's apartheid policies.
1971 First one-day international: Australia v England at Melbourne.
1975 First World Cup: West Indies beat Australia in final at Lord's.
1976 First women's match at Lord's, England v Australia.
1977 Centenary Test at Melbourne, with identical result to the first match: Australia beat England by 45 runs.
Australian media tycoon Kerry Packer, signs 51 of the world's leading players in defiance of the cricketing authorities.
1978 Graham Yallop of Australia wears a protective helmet to bat in a Test match, the first player to do so.
1979 Packer and official cricket agree peace deal.
1980 Eight-ball over abolished in Australia, making the six-ball over universal.
1981 England beat Australia in Leeds Test, after following on with bookmakers offering odds of 500 to 1 against them winning.
1982 Sri Lanka's first Test match.
1991 South Africa return, with a one-day international in India.
1992 Zimbabwe's first Test match.
Durham become the first county since Glamorgan in 1921 to attain firstclass status.
1993 The ICC ceases to be administered by MCC, becoming an independent organisation with its own chief executive.
1994 Brian Lara of Warwickshire becomes the only player to pass 500 in a firstclass innings: 501 not out v Durham.
2000 South Africa's captain Hansie Cronje banned from cricket for life after admitting receiving bribes from bookmakers in match-fixing scandal.
Bangladesh's first Test match.
County Championship split into two divisions, with promotion and relegation.
The Laws of Cricket revised and rewritten.
2001 Sir Donald Bradman dies, aged 92.
2003 Twenty20 Cup, a 20-over-per-side evening tournament, inaugurated in England.
2004 Lara becomes the first man to score 400 in a Test innings, against England.
2005 The ICC introduces Powerplays and Supersubs in ODIs, and hosts the inaugural Superseries.
2006 Pakistan forfeit a Test at The Oval after being accused of ball tampering.