India like a slow start to keep men in the hutch to swing the bat at the end, seems Dhoni missed the memo... Or the rivalry with Pakistan is even more intense than anybody thought...
But it will keep India honest against Bangladesh on Tuesday luckily. Need W Indies to turn up against Sri Lanka tomorrow too
There's no way India would play to lose so that Pakistan would fail to qualify. After all, if India met them in the semis the records show it would be a very comfy win for India.
Have to say yesterday reeked of betting scam. I'd like to know if any big bets were placed on the sub continent put it that way... Also Pakistan go home as part of the bargain. Don't get me wrong England bowled well but they weren't even trying to get the runs towards the end. Either very bizarre behaviour or something more sinister.
No they don't - if they beat Bangladesh and England lose to New Zealand (both possible) they will go through in 4th place
Sorry yes I meant they play their part in Pakistan going home. England have a fighting chance now and it remains in their hands.
What are the chances India allow England ( the number one ranked team and home nation) into the semi finals at the expense of a team they beat whenever they want? Pretty much zero. If it had been a knockout game I'm sure India would have risked more but they want to win the competition and knocking is out would have been a big step in that. Us and Oz are their only real competition, we've been poor and they've already beaten Oz!
I agree with everything you say but I'm sorry that looked awful yesterday. Perhaps if they'd been actually trying to meet the run rate and just not able to get it away I could understand. However they literally made no effort to win that game from 10 overs out. It was horrific to watch and they were quite rightly booed off. I think what really annoyed everyone and made everyone suspicious, is Dhoni launching into the last over when they needed 38 off it. It was kinda like "oh so you could actually have been going for it". Perhaps there isn't anything untoward going on but it needs fully investigated that's for sure. Plenty are saying there is nothing wrong with what went on. They all have one thing in common. They are unable to offer any explanation for what went on in the last 10 overs. The only I thing I would say in their defence is Kohli did look a bit bewildered by their efforts on the balcony.
Think it might simply have been protecting their NRR - if they had been all out going for it, it might have created a big dent - they lost the game, but no real impact on their NRR - given how tight they all are, positions might come down to this
In terms of still failing to qualify? Possibly. As I say it may have been something negative like that or a total brain fade. Either would be easier to stomach had it not been for the last over flourish from Dhoni. It should definitely be looked at as a matter of course because the minute we turn a blind eye it will be taken advantage of.
Have Australia been banned for some reason??? I thought after today’s games we would be playing them????
