Author: Atreyo Mukhopadhyay

This could have been an important fixture in this World Cup. But it is not going to be one. That’s because Pakistan and Bangladesh stand little chance of making this game meaningful. They win or lose, it’s not going to affect anybody. Pakistan, with two wins from six games, may still have a remote possibility based on the calculator. Bangladesh do not even have that, with one victory out of six. So, what do they look forward to? Nothing. It’s the misfortune of Eden Gardens that it is going to stage this affair with zero consequences. It should have been…

Eighty-seven. It’s not the figure Rohit Sharma will be remembered for in ODIs. He is a man of bigger deeds, some towering ones, as is well-known. He is the world record holder in this format, with an innings of 264. His three double-centuries are more than anyone else. And of course, when it comes to the World Cup, he has the most hundreds in the history of this competition. When we look back and take stock of things in a few weeks from now or later, the chances are high that this innings of 87 against England in Lucknow will…

A beleaguered team needs things from every possible quarter to come back to life. It was time Australia found those. They did, after some stunning turn of events and nerve-racking moments, in a match full of highlights. The Dhauladhar range of the Himalayas overlooking the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala witnessed a magnificent game. Who thought that this outing in such serene surroundings would see so much of violence, friction and so many ups and downs? Australia came out full of intent. Playing his first match of the tournament, Travis Head stood up. So did David Warner. Then they found those…

In their quiet and unquiet ways, the Trans-Tasman rivals have become important protagonists in the ongoing World Cup. Australia, the traditional elder brothers, are trying their best to mend their ways after early hiccups. Inferior by no stretch of imagination, New Zealand are looking to consolidate on a strong start. The flight of the men from the land of the flightless bird called the Kiwi was brought to a halt by India. Winning run snapped, New Zealand will eagerly look forward to this match. They are the superior side at the moment, going by recent records. And they also have…

Kasun Rajitha was flinging that long arm of his in the air, celebrating the ouster of Jonny Bairstow. Tall, well-built and muscular — he made for good television. This was a key moment of the match too, with England losing the plot after having got off to what seemed a brisk start. Sri Lanka kept striking, be it through Rajitha or someone else, to effect a crushing defeat that has the defending champions teetering on the brink of a group-stage exit. The outcome of this eight-wicket win, after bowling England out for a dismal total of 156 in conditions decent…

More than half of India’s World Cup matches in the league stage are over. With five wins out of five, they are the only team with a 100% record so far. Batters are going great guns and the team has lost only 19 wickets in five matches. The bowlers have taken 46 wickets and brought the team back from tough situations. With the business end of the competition coming closer, all 15 have played at least one game each. Here’s a look at how they have done so far and what can be expected of them. Rohit Sharma: Spot on…

The World Cup is a collection of sad memories for South Africa. It was the worst in 2019. They lost five of their eight completed matches to finish seventh out of 10 teams. Nothing went right after England spanked them by 104 runs in the inaugural match. England won the trophy playing their unique brand of shoot-at-sight cricket. South Africa went home looking doomed, and ripe for further humiliation. Their landslide 229-run win against the defending champions in Mumbai showed how dramatically things have changed. The Proteas are playing the cricket patented by England and piling up giant scores for…

India, this World Cup and another harsh reality check. Shubman Gill missed the first two games because of dengue. Now, Hardik Pandya is out of the New Zealand match on Sunday with an ankle injury. It’s not known for how long he is out. It’s unclear how the team management plans to address the absence of the all-rounder, who was expected to be a trump card. India do not have a replacement for someone capable of bowling seven or eight overs, or even a full spell, at 140 kmph, and hitting the ball clean and far at a strike-rate in…

This fixture is not mentioned when famous ODI rivalries are discussed. Not as if that matters. England and South Africa have quietly been at each other since the two first met in 1992. It was the World Cup, and England were the winners in the league match as well as in the semi-final, which ended with the scoreboard famously showing ‘South Africa need 22 runs off 1 ball’. It’s been somewhat even stevens since. England are 4-3 ahead in World Cup duels. South Africa lead 33-30 in all games, with onetiedand five not completed. Considering that and the unexpected results…

Carrying expectations and responsibilities is something that has fascinated Virat Kohli from his younger days. His comment after the 2011 World Cup win, on Sachin Tendulkar carrying the burden of the nation for two decades and why the rest needed to carry him on their shoulders, instantly resonated with millions. He knew from that age what this meant and its value in team sports. Not known or foreseen back then was that come another World Cup in India, Kohli would be carrying a similar burden. He has not led the Indian charge in the first four matches of this World…