The ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 is an international cricket tournament contested by the men’s national teams of the ICC. The tournament which is being hosted by England and Wales kicked off from 30th May and is going to close on 14th July 2019.
The Indian cricket team won twice as World Champions in the ICC Cricket World Cup. After the massive victory in 1983, it also triumphed over Sri Lanka in the 2011 Cricket World cup on home soil. The team was also declared as a runner-up at the 2003 Cricket World Cup and semi-finalists thrice (1987, 1996 and 2015). India has had its own share of setbacks when the team came last in the Super Six stage in the 1999 Cricket World Cup. It has also been knocked out 4 times in the Group stage (1975, 1979, 1992 and 2007).
In the on-going tournament of 2019, India began their campaign with a win against South Africa at Southampton. Batting first, the South Africans struggled against the pace of Bumrah (10-1-35-2), who accounted for both openers Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock, as well as Chahal’s leg spin (10-0-51-4) and were 80/4 at one stage, however an eighth-wicket partnership of 76 runs between Chris Morris and Kagiso Rabada ensured that the Proteas finished their innings with a score of 227/9. India chased down the target with ease for the loss of just 4 wickets due to Rohit’s century (122 off 144 balls, 13 fours, 2 sixes), ably supported by Rahul (26 off 42 balls, 2 fours) and Dhoni (34 off 46 balls, 2 fours).
India next played Australia at The Oval, London, which also turned out to be another one-sided game in favour of India. India, batting first after winning the toss, scored 352/5, with Dhawan cracking a brilliant century (117 off 109 balls, 16 fours) with support from Rohit (57 off 70 balls, 3 fours, 1 six) and Kohli (82 off 77 balls, 4 fours, 1 six), all of whom made a mockery of the Australian bowling attack. There were also late cameos from Pandya (48 off 27 balls, 4 fours, 3 sixes) and Dhoni (27 off 14 balls, 3 fours, 1 six). In response, Australia put up a strong fight, with good contributions from David Warner, Steve Smith and wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who scored 56, 69 and 55 respectively. However, India’s total was beyond their reach as they folded for 316 all out, India thus winning by 36 runs.
Unfortunately for India, Dhawan fractured his thumb during his century knock, ruling him out for the following three weeks. India’s third match against New Zealand at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to rains.
The much-awaited India vs. Pakistan clash took place at Old Trafford, Manchester on 16th June. According to Waqar Younis, Pakistan’s defeat against India exposed the “massive difference” between the two sides when Pakistan suffered an 89-run thrashing against India in their World Cup 2019 fixture.
However, this match turned out to be another no-contest in favour of India. India was made to bat first in a match which was affected by rain. Once Pakistan missed the chance to get Rohit run out in the seventh over, the game was over for Pakistan. The reason being, Rohit went on to make a brilliant century (140 off 113 balls, 14 fours, 3 sixes), ably supported by Rahul (57 off 78 balls, 3 fours, 2 sixes) and Kohli (77 off 65 balls, 7 fours), however a good death-bowling performance from Mohammad Amir, who took 3/47, restricted India to 336/5 when at one stage, they were cruising towards a post-350 score. Pakistan’s reply, however, had little effect.
Barring a 104-run second-wicket stand between Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman, the rest of the Pakistan batting crumbled against India’s bowling attack, with a combined bowling effort from Pandya (8-0-44-2), who took the wickets of veterans Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik in consecutive deliveries, Vijay Shankar (5.2-0-2-22) and Kuldeep (9-1-2-32) leaving Pakistan at 166/6 in the 35th over before the rain began to fall.
After the rain, Pakistan’s target was reduced to 302 which had to be scored within an impossible 5 overs by the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method, thus handing India yet another win against their arch-rivals and maintaining their all-win record against them in the World Cup. Pakistan managed to finish their innings at 212/6. India won the match by 89 runs.
Unfortunately for India, Bhuvneshwar sustained a hamstring niggle during the match while bowling, ruling him out for the matches against Afghanistan and the West Indies.
Given below is the list of the upcoming matches India is expected to play
22th June – India vs Afghanistan
27th June – India vs West Indies
30th June – India vs England
2nd July – India vs Bangladesh
6th July – India vs Sri Lanka
Will India win the World Cup 2019? Lets find out and hope for the best.
