India v. Netherlands. Chance for Kohli's 50th. century.
India won the toss and elected to bat.
After 21 overs, 2/147. Rohit 61, Gill 51.
Kohli 20*.
ODI World Cup 2023
Netherlands all out 250.
Final group table:
India 9 wins/0 losses
South Africa 7/2
Australia 7/2
NZ 5/4
..................................
Pakistan 4/5
Afghanistan 4/5
England 3/6
Bangladesh 2/7
Sri Lanka 2/7
Netherlands 2/7
It's India's to lose from here, obviously.
The ICC has to revisit this format - 45 games over 6 weeks with a lot of meaningless games and then it will all be done in just 3 more games. Given that there are several weak teams, we've finished with the top 4 being the only 4 teams with positive win/loss records. In fact, the top 3 won 23 of their 27 games - and if you exclude the games they played against each other, they ended with just one loss (South Africa against the Netherlands) to a team that didn't finish in the top 3 for a top 3 versus the rest record of 23/1. It was all a little predictable - and too comfortable, really, for the better teams. Even NZ's wobbly showing never really presented any drama - in the end, neither Pakistan nor Afghanistan could really compete for 4th place.
On balance, I think I prefer a couple of groups (perhaps with an opportunity for more of the emerging teams to reach the World Cup proper) and fewer early games.
Final group table:
India 9 wins/0 losses
South Africa 7/2
Australia 7/2
NZ 5/4
..................................
Pakistan 4/5
Afghanistan 4/5
England 3/6
Bangladesh 2/7
Sri Lanka 2/7
Netherlands 2/7
It's India's to lose from here, obviously.
The ICC has to revisit this format - 45 games over 6 weeks with a lot of meaningless games and then it will all be done in just 3 more games. Given that there are several weak teams, we've finished with the top 4 being the only 4 teams with positive win/loss records. In fact, the top 3 won 23 of their 27 games - and if you exclude the games they played against each other, they ended with just one loss (South Africa against the Netherlands) to a team that didn't finish in the top 3 for a top 3 versus the rest record of 23/1. It was all a little predictable - and too comfortable, really, for the better teams. Even NZ's wobbly showing never really presented any drama - in the end, neither Pakistan nor Afghanistan could really compete for 4th place.
On balance, I think I prefer a couple of groups (perhaps with an opportunity for more of the emerging teams to reach the World Cup proper) and fewer early games.
There is, according to what I just head on SEN, apparently a serious hurricane likely to wash out the Australian semi-final. If there is no result, South Africa would go through to the Final. You'd think that in such a large country they could manage to find a cricket stadium that wasn't threatened with a monsoonal deliuge and move the game there. Not that I think it would change the outcome - I expect South Africa to win - but it is bordering upon farce that they could run a group stage for 6 weeks and then risk one of just three finals games being washed out.
