39 days of dhundhuma fight. Then on Sunday, the 45 matches of the first phase of the current ODI Cricket World Cup ended. The top four teams in the points table advanced to the semi-finals without any complicated equation. India, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
India has the opportunity to become the unbeaten champion for the first time in this World Cup. Rohit Sharma-Virat Kohli are in great rhythm. They did not lose even one of the 9 games of the first phase. Even for victory, he did not have to fall in the face of difficult conditions.
There are only two stages left in the World Cup. Semi-Finals and Finals. Rohit Sharma’s India will become unbeaten world champions for the first time when these two steps are topped. At present, the charisma they are showing in both the batting and bowling sections, cricket-wise think that the task is not very difficult.
The semi-final of the current World Cup starts from next Wednesday (November 15). Hosts India, who are at the top of the points table, will take on fourth-placed New Zealand, who were last World Cup finalists.
India will reach the 2023 World Cup final if they defeat the Black Caps on Wednesday. But New Zealand will not talk about it. At present they are also in a good rhythm. As a result, which team will get the final ticket as the first team, it will be known on Wednesday.
The day after this, in the second semi-final match, the famous ‘choker’ South Africa will face the five-time world champion Australia. Ajid had no record of defeat in the semi-finals until the 2019 World Cup. But that time for the first time they lost to England in the semis.
On the other hand, despite playing well from the beginning in every World Cup, South Africa never reached the final. They have been eliminated from the quarter-finals and semi-finals many times. As a result, the nickname ‘Chokar’ has been added to their name.
Will South Africa be able to shake off that bad name? Like India, they are in great form in the current World Cup. Playing devastating cricket in both batting-bowling departments. Some cricket-wise think that they will show surprise in the World Cup after getting the title of ‘chokar’.
However, Australia is unstoppable in the big tournament. The five-time world champions have given the message that it will not be easy to beat them in the last few matches. Out of which they became undefeated champions again in two consecutive seasons (2003 and 2007).
India has the same opportunity this time. The event is at home. Will they be able to seize this opportunity to crown themselves unbeaten world champions for the first time? may be Nothing is impossible in cricket.
So anything can happen in this bat-ball battle. Australia, who performed poorly at the start of the first phase, could be on course for their sixth title. South Africa can also reach the final for the first time by beating the ‘choker’ title. Can even take home the World Cup trophy.
New Zealand can also regret for many days. The Black Caps have reached the semi-finals of the World Cup a total of six times this year. Last time also played the final. But the World Cup trophy was not touched. Can they now? There are many questions, the answers will come only in time.
(13 November/AJ)