tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9496370.post3999935923813024394..comments2023-10-30T03:07:00.534-07:00Comments on Life, Cricket and Manchester United: Revenge of the MinnowsFourth Umpirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15173605233036345891noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9496370.post-65537965990487333792007-03-18T21:08:00.000-07:002007-03-18T21:08:00.000-07:00mitanshu - I think a few people gave them a chance...mitanshu - I think a few people gave them a chance, just not a serious one. I'm glad at least that we haven't heard the match fixing excuse trotted out.<BR/><BR/>anon - absolutely. The better, more professional side won in both games<BR/><BR/>rezwan - good points. No doubt the Indians thought this was fait accompli. Serves them right. As for Anand's comments on CI, he seems to be another who makes the mistake of thinking India are a top side. They aren't.<BR/><BR/>shri - India tried to do that to Bangladesh in a test match a few years ago as well. Fortunately, those games come with a second innings.Fourth Umpirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15173605233036345891noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9496370.post-42253250730754574842007-03-18T14:03:00.000-07:002007-03-18T14:03:00.000-07:00I agree with you. India just seemed to be "waiting...I agree with you. India just seemed to be "waiting" instead of actively doing anything. Waiting for Bangladesh to self-destruct. That's not how a team that wants to win plays the game. <BR/><BR/>Let's see if they can pull it out. The odds that they will be out of the world cup are relatively high. So, in that case, they will have a long time to reflect on their play or lack thereof...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9496370.post-23152031319033213252007-03-18T12:42:00.000-07:002007-03-18T12:42:00.000-07:00Bangladesh have arrived, but what went wrong for I...Bangladesh have arrived, but what went wrong for India?<BR/><BR/>I present you three instances how India perceived Bangladesh cricket team before the match.<BR/><BR/>1) SET Max channel airs a promo of their "Extraaa Innings" program starring panelists Mandira Bedi and Charu Sharma. They show 9 teams including the number ten in ODI ranking Zimbabwe but leaves out the number 9 Bangladesh.<BR/><BR/>2) DD National channel airs "the Fourth Umpire", a cricket analysis program. Their episode during the India-Bangladesh match contained Indian cricket legends like Chetan Sharma and Kris Srikanth among the panel. They were discussing how India will win this World Cup and which players will contribute to what extent. Then there was the public opinion section via telephone. An young Indian was asked "In last match Gibbs has hit six sixes an over. So what India will do today?" He said " Dhoni will strike 7 sixes an over today." How? "Bangladesh will produce a no ball which will be dispatched over the rope again." Then the panelists were laughing at Bangladesh being a minnow and Srikkanth's view seemed like they deserved the 7 sixes an over.<BR/><BR/>Srikkanth dismissed any chance of Bangladesh causing an upset against this Bangladesh. Another panelist Anjum mentioned Bangladesh had beaten New Zealand in an warm up match. Srikkanth remarked all these are rubbish. There is a vast difference between India and Bangladesh so Bangladesh cannot win. India has come to win the world cup. If they loose today they should take the next flight home. Everybody was laughing. Chetan Sharma commented India should not take Bangladesh seriously. If India should respect Bangladesh then they should not have come to this World Cup.<BR/><BR/>During the match break Srikkanth was upset with India's paltry total of 191. After some discussions he commented that it was the Indian batsmen who gifted their wicket , the Bangladeshi bowlers had really did nothing special. Chetan Sharma thought that Bangladesh batting is not that strong. Srikkanth still thought that India should take the next flight home if they loose.<BR/><BR/>After the end of the game as India lost to Bangladesh Chetan and Srikkanth were not there to comment. People were wondering whether they went to the travel agent to confirm the Indian team's return ticket. Anjum, the another presenter thought that Bangladesh may cause another upset to beat Sri Lanka to provide a chance for India in the World Cup. Wow! what a complete turn around of assessment about Bangladesh.<BR/><BR/>3) Bangladesh has toured every Test cricket nation except India. Because cricket is a business to them and having Bangladesh is commercially unprofitable. A tour with a said minnow is commercially unattractive for the media and advertisers. India last toured Bangladesh in 2004 December. Bangladesh has beaten India for the first time then. After that India cancelled their next scheduled tour to Bangladesh twice and did not play them in last couple of years. The reasons suspected was again commerce. So India chose to deffer it till May 2007. I am not sure whether they will come to Bangladesh or invite back Bangladesh as there will always be excuses available.<BR/><BR/>So what can you say about the above instances? Simple arrogance and looking down on others has caused India this disgrace. As a saying goes "none are more unjust in their judgments of others than those who have a high opinion of themselves". India has took their eyes off Bangladesh who progressed a lot in 2006. Their techniques got better and they are getting used to winning albeit most of the opponents were not from the super eight of Cricket.<BR/><BR/>This simple arrogance also sieged the Indian cricket team who came to the field without in form Sreesanth and Kumble and decided to bat first probably with a score like 350 in mind. And the pressure on the players were immense as they found Bangladesh bowlers using the conditions and maintaining line and length. When Bangladesh was batting they just had no clue why these eighteen year olds were not respecting the paper tiger bowlers. While Bangladesh had a game plan they just had no plan "B" to tackle the surprise.<BR/><BR/>Anand Vasu says in Cricinfo that:<BR/><BR/>Bangladesh have slowly, steadily, doggedly worked at their cricket to the best of their ability for years now, and the fruit of that is this win. The point is that they have been around for a while now, it's just that not too many have taken note.<BR/><BR/>The Bangladeshi Newspaper Prothom Alo said this win is a reply to the Indian's disrespect about Bangladesh. Bangladesh proved India that what is commerce to them is merely a game for them. The article concludes with the hope that India is put down on their feet with this shock. If they still cannot revise their opinion about Bangladesh they will be reminded in the coming tour.<BR/><BR/>Now India will go nowhere with blaming players and the coach for this loss. Cricket is religion, passion and everything to Indians. Actually millions of Indian cricket fans deserves better from the Indian team. And this will happen when all the extra pressure of high expectations and influence of commerce in cricket are reduced. Let the Indian team play for themselves, not for the cup, but for the sheer pleasure of the game. India has enough good players to become a champion but now it may be too late for this World Cup.Rezwanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02737317666101718664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9496370.post-44288965425526670162007-03-18T10:12:00.000-07:002007-03-18T10:12:00.000-07:00Not only the defeats but the nature of defeats was...Not only the defeats but the nature of defeats was even more telling. Both India and Pakistan were comprehensively outplayed in all three departments and it was a complete reversal of tags of minnows and majors. Both the teams did not stand a chance after losing first couple of over and the inexperiences sides played like true professionals, never allowing them to come back in.<A HREF="swapnil.ej.am/blog/" REL="nofollow"><BR/>Smart Alec</A>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9496370.post-1072911181232255262007-03-17T23:25:00.000-07:002007-03-17T23:25:00.000-07:00This is really the most memorable win for Banglade...This is really the most memorable win for Bangladesh as this was their first WC'07 match and they won it when hardly anyone was thinking them in game when the match started.<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://mitanshu.blogspot.com/2007/03/bangladesh-upset-india-in-world-cup.html" REL="nofollow">Bangladesh upset India in World Cup</A>mitanshuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04790191559436637234noreply@blogger.com