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The last leg

So my quarter-final score was Heart 2 - Head 2 :-)......SA being upset was probably the only really unexpected result but you've got to give it to NZ. They have now made more semi-finals than any team barring Australia and that is some feat. On the other hand they've never made it to the final so they would put that down as needing correction. Maybe this time round who knows.

What is guaranteed though with the semi-final lineup is two really good games (hopefully!) and a clutch of firsts whatever the outcomes - a) An Ind-SL final would be the first all Asian final plus the first between two host nations, b) An Ind-NZ final would be the first for India as a host and the first for NZ ever, c) Pak-SL would again mean the first all Asian final plus Pak's first WC victory over Ind, and d) Pak-NZ would be NZ's first final and Pak's first victory over Ind in World Cups. No predictions from me this time, I'll stick my neck out for the final.

As an aside, the India-Pak semi-final is taking on so much huge hype, the game will be hard pressed to live up to it most likely. Two articles on Cricinfo were very nice to read - Umar Gul's interview and Bosey's farcical piece on India's bowling. Bowlers (especially on the subcontinent) are the unheralded heroes of the game and in someone like Umar Gul's case, its great to see that he is honest about the fact that he would like to receive adulation but just doesn't happen to because of his lack of star charisma. As for India missing Praveen Kumar, I've already touched upon that and its probably the one thing that might cost India the tournament eventually. Lets hope not but in any event, should be one heck of a conclusion to the tournament, whether India wins or not. At least, we are guaranteed a new champion after 12 years.

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