In preparing this post, I realized that these two games on Friday - West Indies versus Ireland in Jamaica and India versus Sri Lanka in Trinidad, could be the key to the success of this World Cup. With the latest news of Bob Woolmer's death being a murder, it now seems that regardless of what happens on the cricket field, this World Cup will be forever remembered for his death. If there is any hope left of salvaging this World Cup, it now hangs on the outcome of these two matches.
If the West Indies lose their game against Ireland, they will enter the Super Eights without a single point. Worse yet, the teams from the other groups will have the advantage of having Ireland to play, while the Windies will have no "free pass". The Widies would then find it difficult to make the semi finals and the interest of the local fans would wane significantly. A good showing by the home team is important in any World Cup, but more so for this edition, given the vast numbers of empty seats that are on show across the Caribbean. The only group matches that have drawn anywhere near a capacity crowd have been the Windies games.
If the Indians lose their game, they will be out of the tournament (assuming that Bangladesh will beat Bermuda), and the interest level of the approximately 1 billion Indian fans would have dissipated. The tournament would then be a major disappointment for tournament sponsors who would undoubtedly lose millions of dollars from advertisement that was aimed at large Indian television audiences. This potential financial calamity for the sponsors would in all likelihood make any future World Cups in the West Indies a remote possibility.
Give a cheer Friday for the West Indies and for India. After Woolmer's murder, what's left of this World Cup may just be riding on the fortunes of these two teams.
- 465 reads
Post new comment