World Cup 2003 (Updated): (Cricket, of course!)

Over 1.2 Billion people live in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, and there is little that is common as you trek from Trichy to Peshawar and go sideways some. Ethnicity, religion, clothes, food, language, terrain, you name it, changes at the drop of a hat. What does unify them or more appropriately occupies them is …

1. Passion for Cricket
2. Music, masala and Bollywood thrills
3. Grudging admiration for each others clothes, jewelry and food

Now that the foremost Cricket tourney is ON, folks on Chowk cant help but succumb to reality and pragmatism.

This InterAct space has been kindly provided by Chowk to make sparks fly around the game we love, cherish and live – your sparks can be literary, satirical, abusive, passionate, jingoistic, … whatever suits your fancy. But if you want to bring religion into this space then please be ready to prove your rationale and send with written permission from God.

Here are some spark inducing statements to get your juices going …
Updated after the India and Pakistan result.

Spark 1 - Australia is the best team that will not win the cup unless they reach the finals. Professionalism can be beaten by luck and they cannot get it right at all times.

[Australia has not lost a match yet ... Played 4 won 4 ...]

Spark 2 - The unluckiest one-day team is India and might win because of the nature of odds and probability. If they win the cup because of Tendy then the “Creator of this Universe” help the cricketing world because Tendy would have walked on water and ...

[Tendy is walking on water - India has beaten England and Pakistan ... ]

Spark 3 - Pakistan has the best team after Australia – but bowling and batting talent needs to be managed with a brain and some element of selflessness. Hmm.

[Pakistan is out of the tournament.]

Spark 4 - New Zealand does not have the talent required to sustain rigors of this tournament.

[New Zealand is all but out.]

Spark 5 - England is getting better but have no swashbucklers who can change a game in any number of overs, leave alone 50. They will remain mediocre.

[England is all but out ... only luck or a win against Australia can bring them back ]

Spark 6 - Sri Lanka is a wildcard and they have the team spirit that can pull off wonders. One cannot count them out. And then Jayasuriya is a champ.

[Luck and only Luck can change Sril Lanka's fortune ... lost to Kenya!!]

Spark 7 - West Indies need lots of discipline and a very calm Lara – both seem unlikely.

[... ]

Spark 8 - South Africa has a good team but not much depth in bowling and that may be their downfall.

[...]

Spark 9 - Zimbabwe and Bangladesh are minnows. They will be treated like that.

Spark 10 - The Pakistani bowling attack is a spent force.

[Yes. True. Worls cup has showed that very clearly.]

Spark 11 - Muralitharan will be called for chucking

[He wasnt - What if Sri Lanka and Australia reach the Final?]

Spark 12 - Dravid is a better cricketer than Tendulkar [probably true]

[Probably true, still.]

Spark 13 - The best batsman in one-day cricket is either Ponting, Jayasuriya, Tendulkar, Lara, ...

[Looks like Tendulkar is the greatest ...]

Spark 14 - Pakistan should have made Wasim Akram the captain.

[Yes. Could have helped. Anything but Waqar.]

Over to you.