Desicritics Author: Huzaifa

Two time defending champions Australia go into this year’s World Cup with a slightly unusual run up. For once, they’re not going into a tournament being tipped the overwhelming and outright favourites. Their five match losing streak, starting from their loss at the hands of a resurgent England in the Commonwealth Bank finals, and then a ‘black-wash’ at the hands of the Kiwis with a depleted side missing five regular members, means Ricky Ponting’s men are now just favourites as opposed to red hot favourites.

Much has been made of the Aussies' recent poor form, in particular the inability of the back up bowlers to deliver in the absence of strike bowler Brett Lee and all rounder Andy Symonds. Some people have regarded it as precursor of things to come and have predicted doom and gloom; others have dismissed it as a temporary hiccup. But either way, what one cannot deny is that Australia’s own confidence levels right now will not be the same as they were, say, three months ago, when they regained the Ashes 5-0. The warm up win against England where Shaun Tait got four wickets to dismiss England cheaply will restore some of the self belief back into their younger bowlers, but the World Cup will be a bigger stage and it will be a test of these guys' mental ability, more the anything else, if they’re to repeat those heroics on the main stage.

But then again, it is precisely that mental ability that gives Australia such a huge advantage over their rivals. Two decades of unmatched success at every stage they have played has given them a 'never say die' attitude unlike any other team perhaps in cricket history.

The very fact that people are writing them off could alone be enough for Australia to regain that ruthless attitude that has been a hallmark of their success over the years. They also have one other distinct advantage over other teams in this tournament. With so many injuries in the run up to big event, they’ve had no option but to give their young players, the likes of Cameron White, Shaun Tait, Mitchen Johnson, a proper run in the side and consequently they now have a fair idea of what they are capable of. Most other team’s bench strength is not as experienced, and with the World Cup being almost two months long, and injuries a problem with almost every other team, coupled with the ever present possibility of more happening any time, the contribution of these lesser known, unestablished players could be crucial. Add in their batting power, and you still have a team that could quite easily make it to the finals.

My Prediction: Runners Up

The Enigma

The Age, today, carried a very pertinent story on the Australian contingent at the World Cup headlined, "Ponting Searches For Answers". Word, from the horse's mouth, is that Ricky Ponting has held top secret one-on-one interviews with his charges to get a feel for the confidence levels within his camp and whether the players are comfortable with their roles. In fact he asked them whether they even knew what their roles were for the tournament.

Now forgive me if I am mistaken, but I was brought up thinking that the Aussies were the team that defined, if not invented, the word confidence. Ponting's latest admission signals a distinct lack of confidence, and dare I say it, a lack of communication within the setup. This is very unlike the Aussies we have come to know over the past 15 years.

Around the mid-way stage of the CB Series, I had written some thoughts around the vulnerability that was creeping into the Australians' play. At that point, they were still lossless and three-peat was very much the order of the day.

Let me tell you folks, the Aussies are in trouble.

The talk we have heard since that whitewash at the hands of New Zealand seems like a deliberate attempt to put up a smokescreen. With an ageing Glen McGrath and no reliable or consistent firepower as backup, the bowling is clearly their achilles heal. Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson have more off days than Indian public servants. Brad Hogg would not be able to find a place in most Sri Lankan first class teams and Stuart Clarke is a paper tiger in ODIs.

Sure, the batting has been able to put up decent totals, but even that department is looking shaky. Michael Clark and Brad Hodge haven't the most impressive recent results to inspire mountain loads of confidence. If and when Andrew Symonds makes a return to the lineup, there will be immense pressure on him to repeat his Herculean feats of the 2003 edition of this tournament. Will he be able to do it on such short notice? The jury is out.

If there is any team in this competition with the potential to make a liar out of me, it is the Australians. However, based on recent form and the general feeling of apprehension enveloping the side, I will be surprised if they don't struggle to make it past the semi-finals. Three in a row is no easy task, not even for a high quality team such as the Australians. I do not believe the Australians have it in them to win the tag of World Champions this April.

What, you may ask, is happening to the world leaders? (Note: We all know it is not South Africa, whatever the official listing.)

Hayden scores 181 and yet ends up on the losing side. The world's top team is whitewashed in a 3 match series, once scoring too less and twice too much. And this is hardly all.

A little thumb-rule analysis on the Australian team that lost 3-nil to New Zealand, however, should stop any ringing alarm bells. Symonds, Lee, Gilchrist, Ponting and Michael Clarke are missing from this Oz side. Now if we recall Ian Chappell's criterion for a winning team as Zainub points out here, each big team should have six players of significant impact: "two world class batsmen, one all rounder, one batting wicket keeper and two top notch bowlers".

The team touring New Zealand had its two world class batsmen and one top-notch bowler in Hussey, Hayden and Bracken. But as on date Watson, Haddin and Tait - or for that matter even the great McGrath - are not substitute enough for Symonds (all rounder), Gilchrist (batting wicket keeper) and dead-Lee (the other strike bowler).

I would not write off Australia from a certain semi final berth based on this evidence. If anything, this 'ragged' look ahead of the tourney suits them just fine as some teams may just happen to underestimate their resilience and end up relaxing at a crucial passage of play. We all know what that results in, don't we?

Three time world-champions with the last two wins being in succession, Australia have been the unstoppable juggernaut of the cricketing world for close to a decade now. Mark Taylor polished the team that Border left him and he massed the mantle to the more than able Steve Waugh and it seemed like Ricky Ponting was going to top them all. Well, he started well by winning the 2003 world cup, but there are cracks showing in Australia's armour of late. Their batting lineup is still ferocious and feared by most bowling attacks, what with Ponting leading from the front and with openers Hayden and Gilchrist who can single-handedly win games for Australia. Now they also have Brad Hogg and Symonds in the team with equally destructive capabilities.

The point to note about Australia's batting lineup, is that they rarely just "win" - they conquer, they crush and ride roughshod on anyone who might step up and bowl to them...but a cricket game is not won by batting alone. You need to have a bowling attack that can run rings around opposition batsmen. Until a couple of years ago, they did. Of late though, that bowling attack doesn't seem to be showing up for Australia. I have long believed that Glen McGrath was the key to Australia's dominance in world cricket over the last decade and it seems like with him being out of form, or about to retire, Australia's bowling attack is floundering.

Their recent losses to England and New Zealand might have made them less confident and shown the rest of the world that they can be beaten - in fact, New Zealand were able to give them a sound thrashing. This in spite of the fact that the batsmen all delivered (in fact Hayden's 181 was stunning), but the bowling attack couldn't contain the opposition, thus showing everyone else exactly where the weakness lies. It might also serve as a wakeup call for the Aussies who might come out with all guns blazing and with a point prove.

How ironic - the winners of the last two World Cups need to prove themselves in this edition of the World Cup. The game of cricket is wonderful indeed!

My prediction: Gut feeling - they won't make it past the semi-finals.

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Cricket World Cup 2007 Preview: India

Huzaifa — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 00:59:20 EST

[This is the tenth in a series of collaborative articles assessing the merits and demerits of the teams competing for cricket's World Cup in March/April in the West Indies.]

India

India go into the World Cup as one of the in form teams to have beaten both West Indies and Sri Lanka at home in a crowded build up to the big event. But they also go into this event knowing that they have won just five of the 20 games they have played on Caribbean soil, including a loss of 1-4 against the West Indies last year. But most of those four losses they suffered in ’06 were close ones, which could have gone either way. Rahul Dravid's men will hence not be short of confidence or self belief, but the key will be if they can deliver under that tremendous weight of expectation.

India’s fan base is known through out the world for its obsession with the game, and its personalities, none more then so with Saurav Ganguly. The Bengal Tiger, as his fans call him, has enjoyed a fairy tale run back into the side since his return to the fold, and much of India’s batting will hinge on how well he, and his opening partner Sehwag, exploit the initial power plays. Sehwag's own recent form has been unconvincing, and the recent controversy over a comment by India's Chairman of Selectors, Dilip Vengsarkar, that he was included in the World Cup squad only on the request of the skipper Dravid, is unlikely to make matters for him any easier.

But with a line up like Dravid, Tendulkar, Yuvraj and Dhoni following these openers, the batting is unlikely to be a problem in more-or-less familiar West Indian conditions. Like most other teams in the competition, India’s bowling is their weaker link, despite the presence of talented young quicks like Sreesanth, who had a phenomenal tour to South Africa recently. Irfan Pathan use to be their spearhead not that long ago, but he’ll be coming back after injury and some poor form, so you can’t expect too much from him as well. Munaf Patel is unproven at this level, and the likes of Zaheer Khan and Ajit Agarkar have a tendency to blow hot and cold a little bit. Perhaps India will be better off playing two frontline spinners, especially when they’re both as good as Kumble and Harbajan.

Overall India do have one of the stronger teams on paper in the tournament, but their poor record in the West Indies means I'll have to hold back my predictions a bit.

Prediction: Narrowly fail to qualify for the semis

The Enigma

Virender Sehwag set out on a very confident tone by declaring, "We are a very balanced lot, have the best openers and wicketkeeper. Our middle order is very strong and we have the best combination of seamers and spinners." Rahul Dravid's utterances have also revolved around "balance" and "confidence".

On the back of this talk, one would be led to believing that the Indians were shoo-ins for the World Champions tag. Don't get me wrong, I think Team India has as good a chance as any of going home with the silverware. However, in my view this World Cup is going to be all about the batsmen who have the grit and gumption to play the waiting game and bowlers who bowl less than express pace but have an uncanny ability to keep nagging away, ball after ball after ball.

For India to get to and past the semi-finals, they will require a reformed and refined Virender Sehwag. I do not believe Irfan Pathan is likely to get a game, unless it is as cover for an injury. In this context, it is crucial that Sehwag fires at the top of the order and gets some crucial wickets in the middle of the innings. All the talk and negativity heaped upon him by Dilip Vengsarkar must be forgotten and a new chapter penned.

The old heads will undoubtedly try their damnedest to ensure a focussed and lethal outfit stays on course. This tournament is ripe for Tendulkar and Ganguly to put everyone else to shame, for one final time as a pair. With generous help from Dravid, somehow, I think they might even manage it.

Someone, or something, needs to get into Harbhajan's head and set it straight. He, along with Sehwag, will be a vital determinant of the ranking that Team India claims at the conclusion of the tournament. Harbhajan needs to get rekindle that fire in his belly and douse the flames that have become ever-present on his frustrated face. Make him watch videos of how he tormented the Aussies in 1998 and 2001, do whatever it takes to awaken him.

This version of Team India has a lot of talent, spirit and fight. They will need to display all these qualities in unison and with intent. I sincerely hope they will win the trophy and I also believe that they have a better chance than most.

Well, being a hardcore fan of cricket and of the Indian cricket team, I would very much like them to do well in the World Cup. Considering their recent performances against West Indies and Sri Lanka, they seem like favourites to reach the semi-final, and even the final. Rahul Dravid's team has been hitting the strides well, what with the skipper leading the way himself. Add to that the support from Sourav Ganguly and the youngsters for the batting (Yuvraj, Uthappa, Dhoni, etc.) and the return of in-form Munaf Patel shows encouraging signs. Zaheer Khan might be the real surprise weapon for India as his bowling and discipline have tremendously improved.

The recent practice games against the Netherlands and the West Indies show that both the batting and the bowling aspects are clicking for India. Worrying signs in the way of Sehwag and Pathan's form might bother Dravid, but both of them should hopefully pull their socks up and perform well in the World Cup. Plus this team seems well-rounded enough so that other in-form players can pick up the slack in case these two fail in a game.

This team seems like a great mix of experience and youth and probably is the last chance that many players (Kumble, Sachin, Dravid and Ganguly) have at winning the World Cup. I think India, South Africa and Australia are the three teams that have the best chances of making it to the finals. Hopefully this time round, if India makes it to the final, they won't let the game run away like they did in 2003. Considering the ups and downs that the Indian cricket team has faced since the last world cup, it seems like a great comeback for the team to even be favourites for making it to the finals.

Emotional prediction: India wins the World Cup!
Objective view: India qualifies for the finals.

The Team India we saw play in the 2003 World Cup final had:

A flamboyant leader who could coax out a show from most of his wards and deal in sixes with the bat,
The greatest ODI batsman in sight to open the innings,
A multi utility keeper-batsman adept at grafting runs n' assisting the skip and
A pack of talented but unpredictable fast bowlers backed up by an attacking offspinner and a few part-time tweakers in other batsmen.

The bowling lot is still led by Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh in familiar roles but the intervening four year period was apparently sufficient time for those batting roles to complete an intriguing game of musical chairs (this version even had some forced 'time outs'). The keeper-bat for the 2007 event is no grafter but one powerhouse of a hitter, while the erstwhile keeper-bat is now the skipper-bat. The former skipper-bat is now the greatest ODI opener in the planet on current form, while the erstwhile greatest opener is guised as a shrewd middle-overs modulator.

In 2003 we saw the skipper having two distinct roles (first point above). When last spotted Rahul Dravid was desperately trying to master the second, six hitting part in the World Cup lead-up matches. In fact he has surprisingly done rather decently. Having already hit five sixes in his last seven ODI innings, he hit two more against Netherlands the other day. Can't remember watching Rahul Dravid hit as many sixes anytime before - he has 34 of them in his entire 310 match career, to Ganguly's 176 in 286!

Tough as that may look, infinitely tougher for Dravid will be to emulate the first of that skipper's jobs: making his mates go through the roof on special occasions. For much of the past year it has looked difficult but fortunately for Indian cricket that part is not beyond the means or stature of Rahul Dravid.

After a prolonged period of struggle for much of the previous year the Indian team has finally shown good form in recent matches riding on the blazing form of - who else, Sourav. With some delicate-yet-decisive man management in the dressing room and intrusive leadership in middle overs from the present leader, this team is not stopping before the semi finals - and beyond.

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Cricket World Cup 2007 Preview: Pakistan

Huzaifa — Thu, 8 Mar 2007 00:07:37 EST

[This is the ninth in a series of collaborative articles assessing the merits and demerits of the teams competing for cricket's World Cup in March/April in the West Indies.]

Pakistan: Consistently Unpredictable

Location: SuperSport Park, Centurion. South Africa rack up 392 runs in their 50 overs. Pakistan wave the white flag and are all out for 228 inside their 50 overs. Three days later, at Kingsmead, Durban, and the same Pakistan side racks up 351 runs in their 50 overs, and rolls over South Africa for just 210, conjuring up an equally comprehensive win. Few sides have the capability to display such varied unpredictability, but it’s precisely this mercurial nature of their cricket that has taught critics never to rule out any Pakistan side. Even when things seem to be going so hopelessly wrong.

Pakistan’s build up could not have been worse; a familiar cloud of injuries galore first surrounded nearly all the fast bowlers, before one of them, Umar Gul, recovered in time. Two others, Akhtar and Asif, were controversially deemed 'unfit' amongst widespread suggestions of an underlying doping cover-up. Abdul Razzaq then injured himself on the eve of the team’s departure ruling him out of the entire tournament. A depleted bowling attack will now feature the likes of Rao Iftikhar, Azhar Mahmood and Danish Kaneria, all of whom are talented, but have either had little recent match practice, or aren't proven performers at the one-day level. Ultimately, it's the slow bowling from the all rounder trio of Afridi, Malik and Hafeez which will be critical to Pakistan's bowling plans.

The batting looks more stable, revolving around the experienced combo of Younis, Yousuf and Inzamam. But then, there's the rest of the line up, from Mohammad Hafeez and Imran Nazir to Shahid Afridi and Kamran Akmal, all of whom have an unparallel tendency to blow hot and cold. Shoaib Malik remains one of the more consistent of the young batsmen in the Pakistani ranks, and in the conditions in West Indies, he could be Pakistan’s surprise star performer. The fielding and running between the wickets is arguably the worst of all test playing nations, and improvement in this regard will be a crucial factor as well. Altogether it's a decent but depleted side, which not many people are counting as front runners. But sometimes something like that alone is enough for me to continue to hope.

Prediction: Surprise Winners

Pakistan are down and out this World Cup. Surely they will have great difficulty even progressing to the Super 8's. Those buggers don't have a clue about winning consistently over a period of time. Or even staying match-fit for over a given time frame. I will be mighty surprised if they do any better than they did in 2003."

Well that's not me but my logical brain offering its preview of a Shoaibless, Asifless, Razzaqless, listless, fieldingless Pakistan's chances at this World Cup. That naivete of the brain reveals either its owner's unwillingness to use it while watching his favourite game, or that cricket will never have much to do with it. Coz' we all know Pakistan better than that.

Rating a Pakistan side is rather simple work. You just have to work out two totals: the sum of the best that each player can be, and the sum of their worst. Interpolations and speculations are thereafter rendered redundant as there has seldom been a third kind of performance from the Pakistanis; everyone knows one of these two Pakistans is certain to turn up on a given day. Remember the 1992 World Cup where they failed to win their 1st four matches and were all out for 74 in one of them? In case anyone needs reminding, they won that Cup.

That was 'The' Imran's team right? Well then we home in on a match from very recent past - ICC Trophy 2006, Pak vs. Sri Lanka match. The Pak team came with (i) A bad English tour behind, (ii) No Inzy-Shoaib-Asif in sight, (iii) Captaincy changing hands twice in 3 days and (iv) No openers or catchers worth their salt. Their in-form opponents came with a 10-match winning streak. Pakistan clinched that thriller. They went on to lose the next two badly but had Pakistan won any of those they, even so depleted, would have promptly become the team Australia would least want to face in the final.

It is no different this time. Unless they fail to field 11 fit men deep into the timeless Super 8 (which is a distinct possibility), I see them in the semis - especially on grounds where all aspects of Afridi's cricket are assured magnification to such a degree as to make him his team's Sanath.

Prediction: Semi Finalists

Huzaifa Das

When asked to comment on Pakistan's chances for the World Cup, Nobel Prize winning physicist Niels Bohr remarked "Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future."

Okay, so maybe Mr. Bohr was referring to atoms and electrons and the future of science, but what he said is an apt tagline for Pakistan's cricket team. A team which can entertain, disappoint, amuse and frustrate you all within a matter of a few hours.

Most of Pakistan's problems are self made. From under performing players to inept officials at the top. From clashes with the ICC to the discord within. From drugs to last minute injuries. Thankfully for Pakistan, Bob Woolmer is made of stern stuff. Lesser mortals would have quit long ago.

Yet, when the mood suits them, Pakistan play some of the most attractive cricket. They have this natural, raw style of playing that has always attracted me. And there's no shortage of talent in the team. What's missing, though, is consistency. And without that, they can never achieve their true potential.

Still, like Mr. Bohr said, you never know.

Prediction: Semi Finalists

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Cricket World Cup 2007 Preview: The Minnows

Huzaifa — Tue, 6 Mar 2007 00:25:14 EST

[This is the eight in a series of collaborative articles assessing the merits and demerits of the teams competing for cricket's World Cup in March/April in the West Indies.]

The Minnows: Scotland, Netherlands, Bermuda, Canada, Ireland

Some people consider having these teams in the World Cup a waste of time. C'mon, they say, they're going to fail miserably and everyone will be taking them apart and piling on the high scores and records. It will distract from the remaining test teams.

I completely disagree. I think it's great that the ICC is promoting the lesser known teams. Giving them a chance to perform on the biggest stage will hopefully instil a sense of pride and make them want to perform better. It will also bode well for the national teams of the future and for the future of cricket in these countries. For anyone who disagrees, consider the case of Sri Lanka - they were the 'whipping boys' of India in the eighties and everyone wondered why they were given international status. They went on to win the World Cup in '96! Then Kenya - they were also considered to be a joke, but everyone stopped laughing when they took down the mighty West Indies, and then reached the semi-finals in 2003! Bangladesh has come far too.

The ICC is right in wanting to increase the coverage of cricket across the globe. Having less than dozen international teams means the revenue, the interest and the television coverage is severely limited.

Hopefully we'll see some tough competition and surprises from these teams in this edition of the World Cup. Maybe Scotland or Netherlands might take down the mighty Australians - who knows?

I want at least one or two of them to reach the super eights, but I find it unlikely.

If there’s one aspect of the World Cup very few people want to talk about it’s the World Cup minnows. People like Michael Holding off late, have lambasted the ICC for allowing as many as six associate nations a chance to participate, his argument was that there presence makes the tournament too long, and more abruptly, he implied, that these sides don’t learn anything from getting thrashed. But at a time, when cricket in some of these minnow countries have taken their biggest ever leaps, Holding’s comments are very disappointing. There is no denying the likes of Scotland, Holland, Ireland, Canada and Bermuda may produce fairly one-sided matches, and that their presence too, lengthens the World Cup to just about two months, but it extremely unfair to suggest they don’t learn anything from being there. World Cup history after all, as Michael Holding will know all too well is full of upsets. His own West Indian team, lost to Kenya in 1996. And the Kenyan camp, perhaps buoyed by Holding’s comments, did recent talking of recalling the ghost of 1996, ahead of the two sides' warm up game this time around.

And it's not like these sides will just turn up and dig a white flag either. Players like John Davision, who notched up the fastest ever World Cup ton, again against Holding’s West Indies, for Canada in the 2003, could provide some entertaining resistance. Canada can also boast of something of an 'inside man' in Andy Pick, who they recruited as a coach from England's Under-19 World Cup outfit on a short-term deal in 2006. Their group C tie against Kenya could be a very well fought out contest. Bermuda too, in the form of their coach Gus Logie, a former West Indies player and coach, have a man with big-time international exposure and that will be very useful for an inexperienced side like theirs. Ireland, likewise, may have lost Ed Joyce to England, but still posses the likes of Eoin Morgan and opener Will Porterfield who averages 78.20 in ODIs. Netherlands, might not win a game against their group members South Africa and Australia, but Essex's Ryan ten Doeschate will be key for them, having scored four centuries in the 2006 ICC Intercontinental Cup, including a career-best 259 not out. Scotland too, in Dougie Brown and Gavin Hamilton, have two players who have international experience for England. All in all, these minnow sides might not conjure up out and out wins, but they certainly do possess some exciting players, that should making watching them a worthwhile experience.

Prediction: Will cause no upsets

These countries can approach their visit to this World Cup like a group of students visiting an industry / office functioning in the trade they are studying. If the students are just looking for a joyous outing they can do so and return with a few fun memories. No one's going to teach them by force here. On the other hand if they come determined to ask their professional seniors a few hard questions, they will do a lot of credit to their profession and the institute they represent. Best of all they go back with expanded horizons and a vision taking shape in their mind.

Irrespective of the lack of infrastructure/following/player pool back home, each of these countries should crave to be taken seriously. They can analyse their strengths and weaknesses, pick a 'target' in their group that can be best ambushed by their skill set and try to push through a surprise result in at least one of their encounters with the big brothers. If even a few of these teams can bring themselves to think of wins instead of good shows, they will have deserved their trip to the showcase event.

Huzaifa

He scored the fastest century in the 2003 edition of the World Cup. And he wasn't an Australian, South African, or a desi. He was…hold your breath…playing for Canada. Yes, Jim Davison's blazing 111 off 76 balls got everyone's attention. The kiddies knew how to play.

This will be Canada's third World Cup after 1979 and 2003. Their four ODI wins have come against former minnow teams like Bangladesh and Kenya. And with players like Jim Davison, it's just a matter of time before Canada makes their mark on the cricketing world.

Scotland and Ireland might prove to be a pleasant surprise this time. Winners and runners up respectively of the 2005 ICC Trophy, both teams have played some good cricket recently. They have talent, but lack experience.

Bermuda and Netherlands bring up the rear. The last memorable match played by Holland was against India in 2003, when the Indian bowlers managed to undo the fine work of the Dutch bowlers to prevent an embarrassing defeat.

Will any of these teams cause an upset this time round? Probably not.

Which is a pity. Of all the teams, the minnow players are the ones to be admired. It's easy to play cricket when it's the mainstream sport in your country. But in places where players need to struggle to find sponsors, struggle to create awareness and have only a handful of supporters, it takes great effort, determination and a deep love of the game to reach the World Cup. It's tough to juggle your passion with your day job.

And that's why you should support these teams. Because these guys still play for the love of the game, not the endorsements.

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Cricket World Cup 2007 Preview: Bangladesh and Kenya

Huzaifa — Fri, 2 Mar 2007 00:05:20 EST

[This is the seventh in a series of collaborative articles assessing the merits and demerits of the teams competing for cricket's World Cup in March/April in the West Indies.]

Bangladesh

Bangladesh and Kenya are the minnows of world cricket, but both have pulled off stunning upsets in the past, especially in the World Cup. Kenya famously beat West Indies in the '96 edition of the World Cup while Bangladesh beat Pakistan in the '99 edition in England.

More recently, Bangladesh was able to pull off an unthinkable feat for many teams around the world - beating an in-form, full-fledged Australian team in an ODI. This coupled with their recent series win over Zimbabwe will have pushed their confidence up, and they are shown a bit more respect on the cricketing field. Anyone who underestimates them will do so at their own peril.

But being cast in the same group as two other Asian powerhouses (India and Sri Lanka) means that they will have a tough time even qualifying for the super eights, although, playing like they have in the last few years, an upset in the early rounds of the World Cup is not unthinkable and I believe that Sri Lanka might be the ones to suffer.

Prediction: Bangladesh may be a surprise qualifier for the Super Eight.

Ever since Dave Whatmore has taken over the reigns as coach following the last World Cup, Bangladesh have shown constant improvement. From their very first shock victory, against Pakistan back in the 1999 World Cup, to their Cardiff miracle against Australia in 2005, Bangladesh have always given glimpses of the abundance of talent they possess. But now finally, after maiden wins against India and Sri Lanka also in the bag, and a thorough run for some of the bigger sides, including Australia and Pakistan, even at the test level, Bangladesh look like a side that can convert some of that enormous talent they possess into promises for the future.

Still a young and relatively inexperienced team, Bangladesh has nevertheless come a long away. The quartet of skipper Habibul Bashar, middle order batsmen Mohammad Ashraful, the tireless left arm spinner Mohammad Rafique and the exciting fast bowling all-rounder Mashrafe Murtaza, the only four players in the current squad with previous World Cup experience, have shown us in recent times that they're good enough to win matches for Bangladesh on their own against any opposition.

Add the fact that Bangladesh are placed alongside India, Sri Lanka and Bermuda in Group B, all teams they have recently beaten, and are capable of beating again, especially if any complacency creeps in amongst the ranks of the bigger boys, you can't help but feel they have a realistic chance. Remember that they'll only need to beat one of India or Sri Lanka to progress to the next round, provided they win their other game against Bermuda, which they should. Making it to the Super Eights though, if they pull it off, might be as far as they can realistically aim to go, but even that alone, if it happens, would be Bangladesh's best ever result in the World Cup.

Prediction: Narrowly miss out on Super Eights spot.

Kenya

Kenya will think themselves to be a more legitimate team, considering that this is their fourth outing in a world cup. They did beat Bangladesh in the 2003 World Cup and so will fancy their chances a bit more. Gone are the days of Maurice Odumbe, who after defeating Lara's West Indies team told him, "A few years ago I asked for your autograph and you wouldn't give it. Now I am saying you can have mine!" Their financial troubles and lack of support from the government seems to have taken them on a downward spiral. This is the team that beat three test playing nations on their way to a semi-final berth at the 2003 World Cup. They have some good, gutsy players in Steve Tikolo, Thomas Odoya, Ravindu Shah and Martin Suji and the first game against Canada should prove to be a welcome boost to their confidence.

Prediction: Kenya might qualify for the super eights. Again this will entail an upset over New Zealand or England.