Our own assessment of our Quarter Final prediction

On 7th March 2015, Stump Vision: Cricket Predictions had predicted that the following team will appear for the Semi-Final (Please Read:Our Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals and Final World Cup Predictions)

South Africa
India
Australia
New Zealand

....and...

.....Yes, our prediction has turned out to be true.

Well, let us look into the reason as to why the team failed to make it to the Semi-finals

Why did Sri Lanka fail?

1. Like 2011 World Cup Final, Sri Lanka made dreadful changes to the team by bringing in Kusal Perara and Kaushal the lanky Off-spinner. By bringing on Kusal Perara as an opener, they had disturbed the successful opening combination of Dilshan-Thirimanne
2. We had predicted in our column (Please read: Chokers tag apart, SA stands firm favorites in the Quarter Final clash) that if one of the 3 top batsmen fall early, then the middle order will be exposed - this has exactly happened as the middle order including Mahela have under performed in the series 
3. We had indicated that the 'chokers' tag will not apply for SA in the quarter final

Why did Bangladesh fail?

1. Poor captaincy by Mortaza. Continuing himself to bowl, especially during the Power Play and leaking 69 runs in 10 overs is not an intelligent thinking. Mahmadullah was given only one over to bowl.
2. Indians consolidated till the 38th over and waited for the final punch in the last few overs - with wickets intact, scoring about 90 plus in the last 10 overs

Why did Pakistan fail?

1. Winning the toss and electing to bat on a greenish wicket. Aussies exploited the green tinge and made early inroads
2. We had predicted (Please read: Home conditions and crowd favor Aussies) that Sarfraz has been the main weapon and if he is removed early, Pakistan will collapse.
3. Reluctance to introduce Yasir Shah in the playing XI - we had observed in the above column that Aussies don't like to play wrist spin.

Why did WIndies fail?

1. Guptill has taken the game away from WIndies with a scintillating knock of unbeaten 237. Every other batsmen rallied around him
2. Though WIndies were going for the runs, NZ was only looking at getting wickets at regular intervals.

Please wait for a prediction update from us on the Semi-final clash to happen next week.

An assessment of our own World Cup cricket prediction - Where we stand now?

Based on our analysis, we indicated on March 7th that following teams will comply for the quarter final clash (Please read: Our Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals and World Cup Predictions)- 

South Africa Vs Sri Lanka at Sydney on March 18th

India VS England at Melbourne on March 19th

Pakistan Vs Australia at Adelaide Oval on March 20th

West Indies Vs New Zealand at Wellington on March 21st

Baring England, all the teams we predicted have qualified for the quarter final.

Truly, we did not expect England to perform so badly that their loss to Bangladesh simply ruled them out of the World Cup.

Why did England fail?

(Please read: 

(10 days on: Who will qualify for the quarter finals - 23rd Feb 2015)

Our Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals and World Cup Predictions - 7th Mar 2015)

We have, in our article, blasted the English team selection, for having excluded Hales and Ravi Bopara in their playing XI and instead have players like Balance and Taylor who have performed miserably on this tour. Also, Bell is not a regular opener and he is a batsmen who can craft his innings and allow other batsmen to rally around him. He will be a good No.3 or No.4 batsmen. The bowlers have bowled flat through out the series and the exclusion of Tredwell baffles me. This is where Indians have been smart - they have included 2 spinners and they bowled to their strengths and this has paid them off.

Why did Pakistan fail early?

(Please read: 

(10 days on: Who will qualify for the quarter finals - 23rd Feb 2015)

Our Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals and World Cup Predictions - 7th Mar 2015

Pakistan set to go past WIndies in style - 20th Feb 2015

Overcautious Pakistan goes blank against India - 16th Feb 2015

We have, in our artcile, blasted the Pakistan Team selection for not including Sarfraz Ahmed and Yasir Shah in the team. They troubled themselves with Younis opening the batting. Once they had included Sarfraz, the opening partnership has been rock solid and this has paved the way for a quarter final clash.

Yasir Shah is a very good leg break bowler. He was not selected after India's match. Pakistan needs him for the quarter-final clash. Adelaide is a slow pitch and will perfectly suit the leggie...

We appreciate your time for going through these articles and send us your views as a private message, but, sharing the same here would amount to sharing the ideas in public too!!

England sinks further

We had mentioned earlier in our article that the current form and team selection will not allow Engalnd to go beyond the Quarter Final and that seems to be happening.  (Please read: Batting worries cannot see England beyond Quarter Finals)

With today's loos, England have lost two in a row.

Ian Bell opening the innings is not helping the team any cause at all. This has completely exposed the middle order and it collapsed from 104 /3 to 124 all out. There was no leadership from any batsmen to stay at the wicket. I was surprised to see Joe Root allowing No.7, No.8 and No.9 batsmen to face the music of Southee, when the top order batsmen faltered against him.

But this should not take away a fine swing bowling from Southee whose career best of 7-for has ensured that they were bowled out for a paltry score of 124 within 33 overs.  McCullum, on his part, took advantage of the situation and ensured that his team is place on the top of the table to face 4th winner of the Pool B.

Pakistan may go past WIndies in style

It will be Pakistan batsmen who will set the difference between the two teams that is to played tomorrow at Christchurch.

Pakistan will look to rope in Sarfraz Ahmed in place of Umar Akmal and would in all possibility open the batting. This will make way for more solid performance in the middle order too.

Misbah should ensure that the spinners are bowled earlier on and they are the ones who will be a stumbling block for West Indies,

As regards West Indies are concerned, they will hope that Benn back sore is completely healed to play for the morrow match.

This day would belong to Pakistan as there is an opportunity to come up the ladder from the current bottom

Self-belief Ireland hands a shocker to WIndies

We had mentioned in our column about the West Indies chances for the quarter finals that they will face an early exit.

That is proving to be true - Yes, West Indies were simply destroyed by Ireland today giving West Indies a very tough chance to make it to the Quarter-final league. 

By this loss, not only have they come to a new low, but in the process, have made an easy situation for India, South Africa and Pakistan to qualify for the next round. So, even if Pakistan were to loose against South Africa, their win against UAE, Ireland, Zimbabwe and West Indies would take them home to the quarter final league.

That 300 + is a chase able score for a country like Ireland, proves to show that WIndies does not have a teeth to take wickets. Why was Benn not selected is anybody's guess..

Holder is a very raw captain - his bowling changes and field placings are very much to be questioned - easy boundaries were given in the middle overs. He waited for a wicket to fall rather than proactively taking measures to take a wicket.

Let us not take the credit away from Ireland. They began well with a disciplined bowing performance that rocked West Indies to 87 for 5, before Lendl and Sammy took West Indies to 306. Also, 300+ was probably above par but with the pitch continuing to offer good coupled with very guick outfield, made the 300+ a about par total. Stirling and Joyce kicked on beautifully before Niall finished off the chase. 

So, Ireland have managed to redeem themselves with this wonderful chase. This win will give them an impetus and all they need to do is win against UAE and Zimbabwe to take them to Quarter-Final. 

So the first shocker to the World Cup 2015 has begun and this tournament will only make it interesting from now on.

Overcautious Pakistan goes blank against India

The pressure did Pakistan in.

Yes, firstly, the overcautious approach of asking out of form batsmen to open the innings in search of consolidation was unable to ponder. Pakistan did exactly that by having Younis to open the innings. The team management wanted all other batsmen to rally around two batsmen - Younis and Misbah - and this backfired terribly.

Sarfraz Ahmed was dropped at the behest of Umar Kamal. Sarfraz has been Pakistan's best opener in recent years and has bought a transformation in its opening partnership. 

These two, to me, were the most dreadful decision that cost the match for Pakistan. All they could do was to react to situations without any plan B.

India on the other hand was completely at ease and it was as though they executed to their plans perfectly right from the time they had won the toss.

Virat's innings was brilliant but, to me, Raina was the reason for this score. He was severe of the two against the bowlers. Misbah obliged by asking the spinners to bowl to Raina's strength and his innings brought the momentum going.

Dhoni was brilliant as a captain. His moves were perfect to the occasion. Yes, there were minor glitches on the field placements, especially when Jadeja was bowling allowing singles very easily,  but today was a day that belongs to him and his team.

Inconsistent and Raw West Indies face an early exit

If anyone would have to dig their own grave, it has to be West Indies. They were progressing so well under Sammy. They were coming in as a team and were strong contenders for the 2014 T20 World Cup, but somehow, the captaincy moved onto Bravo and now to highly inexperienced Holder.

Yes, the shocking removal of Bravo and Pollard from the team has gone to waste all the good created by Hinds and Sammy in the last 2 years. This team will be lead by Holder who is just 23 years of age and has overall played only about 26 matches since 2013 and not a regular ODI player in the side. His economy average is startling at 5.55. If one has to look at other bowlers, they don’t paint a rosy picture either with Cottrell having an economy rate of 8.23, Roach at 4.90, Russell at 5.70 and Taylor at 4.97. Their bowling unit is very raw.

Their batting weighs heavily on Samuels, Gayle and Smith, and the last 2 have not been in any dominating form, of late. Smith has been in the side because of his IPL form. Darren Bravo has just come back from an injury and it will be interesting to see how he fares along with Lendl Simmons.

Also, West Indies are in a critical stage of the pool where they need to face the giants like India, Pakistan, South Africa. But since they have the option of playing against minnows Ireland, Zimbabwe ad UAE, they might feel they have a slight edge over these teams atleast on paper. But, on the other hand, Ireland and Zimbabwe will be eyeing against West Indies to topple them and if West Indies losses to one of them, their entry to the Quarter final stage will be in jeopardy.

West Indies Team:

Batsmen:Brathwaite, Darren Bravo, Gayle, Lendl Simmons, Smith, Samuels, Carter,

Bowlers: Holder, Taylor, Benn, Sheldon Cottrell, Miller, Roach

All rounders: Ramdin, Sammy, Russell,

Fixtures:

Vs Ireland – Nelson – Feb 16^th

Vs Pakistan – Christchurch – Feb 21^st

Vs Zimbabwe – Canberra – Feb 24^th

Vs South Africa – SCG – Feb 27^th

Vs India – Perth – Mar 6^th

Vs UAE – Napier – Mar 15^th