Although I do not follow much of Cricket nowadays but World Cup (WC) is special, once in a four year event does attract even people like me who seldom watch Cricket.
When I was looking at the format of WC 2015 it was quite baffling but at the same time it makes commercial sense for ICC.
In WC 2015, the teams are divided in a pool of 7 team each. Out of 7 teams four teams from each of the pools will qualify for the Quarter final (QF) stage. From the QF stage the format of the tournament will be knock out.
Now if we look at each of the pools, their are 3 team in each of the pool which hardly stand any chance to qualify for the next stage and it will be mostly 8 test playing nation who will qualify for the knock out stages. In some way the first 42 pool matches are not of much consequence unless there is a major upset like Ireland beating West Indies.
In the nutshell, the WC is nothing but 4 QF, 2 Semi Final (SF) and 1 final. The most promising or consistent team may not end up being a winner but someone who is lucky and wins the last 3 matches will win. The format does not make any sense as 42 pool matches out of total 49 WC matches are of not much significance.
If we look at the commercial side of it, it may be done just to have India in contention atleast till the QF stages, so in absence of series of major upset, all major test playing nation will remain in the tournament till QF and there will be hardly 3 matches ( 2 SF and 1 Final) after that stage. India providing bulk of the viewership will make sure that ICC in making a lot of money out of the event by playing atleat 8 matches in the tournament. !
So if you a hard core Indian Cricket Fan, sit back, relax, even if we loose a game or two in pool stages, its going to hardly matter, just pray that we win the last three matches.
When I was looking at the format of WC 2015 it was quite baffling but at the same time it makes commercial sense for ICC.
In WC 2015, the teams are divided in a pool of 7 team each. Out of 7 teams four teams from each of the pools will qualify for the Quarter final (QF) stage. From the QF stage the format of the tournament will be knock out.
Now if we look at each of the pools, their are 3 team in each of the pool which hardly stand any chance to qualify for the next stage and it will be mostly 8 test playing nation who will qualify for the knock out stages. In some way the first 42 pool matches are not of much consequence unless there is a major upset like Ireland beating West Indies.
In the nutshell, the WC is nothing but 4 QF, 2 Semi Final (SF) and 1 final. The most promising or consistent team may not end up being a winner but someone who is lucky and wins the last 3 matches will win. The format does not make any sense as 42 pool matches out of total 49 WC matches are of not much significance.
If we look at the commercial side of it, it may be done just to have India in contention atleast till the QF stages, so in absence of series of major upset, all major test playing nation will remain in the tournament till QF and there will be hardly 3 matches ( 2 SF and 1 Final) after that stage. India providing bulk of the viewership will make sure that ICC in making a lot of money out of the event by playing atleat 8 matches in the tournament. !
So if you a hard core Indian Cricket Fan, sit back, relax, even if we loose a game or two in pool stages, its going to hardly matter, just pray that we win the last three matches.
