Does anyone care about 2011?
A couple of weeks back, it was reported that preparations for the 2011 World Cup are 10 months behind schedule.
Now, that in itself is a bit unsettling, especially since this needs to be coordinated between four countries. But it gets more interesting.
Let's add into the mix the fact that only Asian teams have been willing to play in Pakistan, and this trend is unlikely to change (or sadly, get even worse). If Pakistan's involvement as a 2011 host is questioned, expect Pakistan not to send a team to participate, and cause havoc with the organizing.
And then throw in the whole ICL situation. With Miandad and Ranatunga showing some flexibility with regards to ICL players, I can only imagine that the BCCI will be none too thrilled. Beware a BCCI scorned! And isn't Miandad banned from going to India anyway?
Finally, how about the fact that the last two World Cups have been pretty lackluster. You've had a few good matches for sure, but they have generally failed to live up to their billing by miles.
So what does that mean for 2011? Does anyone even care about the ODI World Cup anymore? I certainly have lost respect for it since they pointlessly continue to include so many teams. And then the format for 2011 is horrific - as I have previously ranted about on another blog.
Honestly, if the World Cup was to be canceled, or shifted to Australia (which really should have been the original bid), or moved to India alone (I'm not a fan of joint bids at in any sport), I think it would make little difference to me. The tournament has lost its original glory. Like with any cricket, I will get involved when it comes around. But till then I will probably be mostly indifferent.
I'm looking more forward to the Twenty20 World Cup, not because I am abandoning ODI cricket for T20I, but mainly because they are so much more sensible about the format. Not sure why the ICC can't use its lessons from T20I into ODI, but nothing about the ICC shocks me anymore.
2011 is a long way away, but the path to there seems to be pretty rocky. Let's hope they smooth out.
Now, that in itself is a bit unsettling, especially since this needs to be coordinated between four countries. But it gets more interesting.
Let's add into the mix the fact that only Asian teams have been willing to play in Pakistan, and this trend is unlikely to change (or sadly, get even worse). If Pakistan's involvement as a 2011 host is questioned, expect Pakistan not to send a team to participate, and cause havoc with the organizing.
And then throw in the whole ICL situation. With Miandad and Ranatunga showing some flexibility with regards to ICL players, I can only imagine that the BCCI will be none too thrilled. Beware a BCCI scorned! And isn't Miandad banned from going to India anyway?
Finally, how about the fact that the last two World Cups have been pretty lackluster. You've had a few good matches for sure, but they have generally failed to live up to their billing by miles.
So what does that mean for 2011? Does anyone even care about the ODI World Cup anymore? I certainly have lost respect for it since they pointlessly continue to include so many teams. And then the format for 2011 is horrific - as I have previously ranted about on another blog.
Honestly, if the World Cup was to be canceled, or shifted to Australia (which really should have been the original bid), or moved to India alone (I'm not a fan of joint bids at in any sport), I think it would make little difference to me. The tournament has lost its original glory. Like with any cricket, I will get involved when it comes around. But till then I will probably be mostly indifferent.
I'm looking more forward to the Twenty20 World Cup, not because I am abandoning ODI cricket for T20I, but mainly because they are so much more sensible about the format. Not sure why the ICC can't use its lessons from T20I into ODI, but nothing about the ICC shocks me anymore.
2011 is a long way away, but the path to there seems to be pretty rocky. Let's hope they smooth out.
I think they have so much on their plate that ost have forgotten about it. Personally, I'm not sure ODI would survive that long to necessitate a World Cup in 2011.
Well said Sledge.. its high time the ICC shows some flexibility with regards to ODI cricket..
There will be so many T20 championships before the 2011 ODI WC that Som's suggestion regarding the survival of ODI cricket may not be all that far fetched..
Take a look at this:
The ICL world series begins tomorrow with Pakistan XI, India XI, Bangladesh XI, and World XI taking part..
The 20-20 Champions League with domestic champions from 5 countries vying for the tag of the best 20-20 team in the world begins 1st December.
The 2nd edition of IPL kicks off in April.. That will be a 50 day tournament with more exciting cricket than any ODI WC can dish out..
A couple of weeks after the IPL ends, it will be time for the 20-20 World Cup in England..
Then a couple more ICL tournaments in its 3rd season..
On top of this there are those various bilateral series including an Ashes and an India vs Pakistan contest!
After all this I doubt the WC2011 would generate much interest and I guess the organizers, who are 10 months behind schedule probably know this as well.
Exactly how I perceived things will pan out... with all the infighting between the asian boards and what is leading to a subsequent split, forget 2011... we can't even think of any in the future.
Point 1 : If Pakistan pulls out of 2011 world cup it would make any diference ?No ? Yes ? I guess not. They have been ridiculous in last 2 world cups.
Pakistan seems to be gung-ho about ICL when nobody bothers about it. May be bcos the primary players of Pakistan have defected to ICL and who s to blame for that ? Of course BCCI....
What do u say abt 1999 WC ? was that lacklusture too ? Just cos Pak was trumped by a non test playing nation in 2007 and skittled out in 1st round in 2003 the ODI WC becomes obsolete :)
I guess 2011 wc wud still provide decent and quantified cricket for Pakistan as it wud continue to be extinct from the World cricket as the national team is at best mediocre and if a good player comes up Butt and his gang is gonna fizz him out :)
Sam
India also failed in the same round as Pakistan, in 2003 Pakistan failed to qualify in the next round because its several matches were ruined because of rain and weaker teams got free points.
In 1999 Pakistan was the runner up of the WC. So I don't see the picture you are portraying do some research before you comment.
Its too far away the present situation is not going to last forever.Even if Pakistan won't be a host I think they will send a team.
You seem a bit delusional Sam.. Pakistan's lacklustre performance in the 2003 and 2007 World Cup is not what is being discussed here. Whether the WC is entertaining the way it used is what is being discussed.
The number of entertaining matches played in the 2003 and 2007 World Cup collectively can be counted on 1 hand.
Which was not the case in 1999, 1996, 1992, or 1987, which gave everyone entertaining cricket and close contests. I didn't watch the ones before 87.
@sam: you pretty much missed the point of the post.
Pakistan wasn't the focus of the post at all. It was all the issues surrounding WC 2011 and the relationships between the South Asian country.
ODI World Cup has become pretty pointless for a variety of reasons. Pakistan's performance has nothing to do with it.
But good job on your Pak hating nonetheless. We see it a lot from people who think any thoughtful discussion must be an ISI conspiracy against India and must require a hateful response to defend India's honor.
Get over yourselves.
who said i m hating pakistan ? if you believe so then do @ ur own perils....
if i m not welcome here to comment on CRICKETING MATTERS, then i better would kick myself out....
And u guys shud not be so touchy on 'anti Pakistan' tirades :), cos i m not interested in politics and i dont have a political blog....
so wot isi does is none of my business and i hope is none ofthe bloggers' too who write n comment here....
so get over that illusion guys!!
@sam: I just had to read your first response to gauge your intentions.
No one's touchy about anti-Pakistan/anyone tirades. I just wonder about the place of your comments in regards to the original post. You missed the entire point and went Pak bashing instead.
But, suit yourself.
There's no illusion here Sam.. previously we have been the target of anti-Pakistan comments just becuse of a honest criticism for our part about India or an Indian player.
In my latest post I have talked about Ponting's down fall, that does mean i hate ponting or Austraia, it is in an honest criticism.
What Sledge was doing here was telling us how the ODI World Cup has lacked meaning of late .. u took that to us being bored buy it cos Pak did not make it past the 1st round..
With the increasing tension between India and Pakistan after the tragic Mumbai attacks, this World Cup ain't gonna happen as planned.
This may spell the end of a tournament that began well, but was turned into a mess by the ICC.
And it may also be a convenient way to announce the beginning of the end of ODIs.
As I have said before, I see the possibility of a parallel cricket board being created to challenge the ICC - something like an international ICL.
Regardless, cricket will find a way. It won't look the same as it does today, but it will be something.
And while cricket definitely needs to be a secondary concern at this point, resuming normal cricket in India is critical to show the world that Mumbai and India can recover quickly and move on, but yet never forget the horrors of last week and of similar acts in the past.
If I can take such liberty, I will say that's probably what those who were murdered would want as well.
Sledge, I agree with the state of things right now I doubt the WC will happen in the subcontinent, but I think the ICC will look to shift it somewhere very soon before it gets too late to do so.
I don't think the ICC want to scrap the ODI game even though that seems to be the public opinion. I think they are going to look towards Australia as hosts, however how that goes down with India and Pakistan, I am not too sure.
I feel the divide that Ijaz Butt has been talking about is more likely to happen than not in these times.