14 teams gear up for showdown as cricket's biggest event kicks off

ADELAIDE: The second biggest single-sport event on the earth. That's how the co-hosts Australia and New Zealand have showcased the 11th Cricket World Cup, beginning on Saturday. It is the largest after Football World Cup.
It is also the stage where the Aussies expect their team, overwhelming favourites, to clinch their fifth title and make up for the disappointment of missing out in 1992, the only previous occasion the event was held in Australasia.
Their co-hosts New Zealand, not for the first time, are the dark horses. Though they have been under-achievers through generations, many feel, it will finally be their World Cup.
But how can anybody, as myopic and parochial he might be, discount the Asian giants. India are the defending champions and Pakistan the winners when the event was held here in 1992.
As fate would have it, the two South Asian rivals will clash at the Adelaide Oval here on Sunday , a day after another big-ticket event between rivals Australia and England at the MCG on the opening day on Saturday .
Of course, New Zealand, being a few hours ahead of Australia, will get the chance to open the World Cup officially with a mouth-watering clash with Sri Lanka at Christchurch on Saturday.
Like Australia, the New Zealanders too are making the most of the opportunity to host the World Cup after 23 years, and showcase their country to the world.
They have ensured all three Asian giants play in their backyard. Besides, hosting Sri Lanka, they will also have India playing last two of their six league matches in Auckland and Hamilton early next month and Pakistan will play three matches there.
Besides, New Zealand will host their quarterfinal at Wellington and the semifinal in Auckland. The grand finale will be at Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 29.
Cricket has changed a lot since 1992, the last time the World Cup was held Down Under.Those were simpler times. Australia weren't such a force. The Cup was quite open with hardly any team the favourties. Fancied teams like Australia, India and West Indies were swept away and the final was contested between Pakistan and England.
A leader of the quality of Imran Khan and the likes of Miandad, Akram, Waqar, Wasim Raja and the new kid on the block Inzaman-ul Haq fetched the team their only World Cup crown.
The present Pakistani team is not a patch on the Collection of 1992, though their captain Misbah-ul-Haq and veteran Shahid Afridi are adamant that the team has the ability to surprise the best of the teams and they should not be taken lightly.
India as defending champions do not exude much confidence going into the World Cup. That is mainly due to their poor form on the current Australian tour.
Barring a lone win over minnows Afghanistan in an unofficial warm-up game, India have not won a match in the over two months they have been in Australia. They have been hampered by three Fs, fitness, fatigue, and form.
That has led to be a big F. The Indian fans are Frustrated. However, they have taken some strides forward, like barring Ishant Sharma, the others are fit and raring to go.
Rohit Sharma is in top form while others too, barring skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli, have some runs under their belt. The bowling has been good in patches, but remains their biggest worry, so much so that Dhoni plans to use spinners extensively.
However, what gives India hope is the format. In the worst case scenario of losing to Pakistan and South Africa in their first two matches, they will then be required to get the better of UAE, Zimbabwe and Ireland, the three unheralded teams in Group B.
And with West Indies not being such a force now, with four wins they should be able to finish at least third in the group and should be able to avoid Australia in the quarterfinals.
The commerce of present day dictates maximum number of matches and reduces the scope for teams like India being knocked out in the first phase itself, like it happened in 2007 and the organizers and TV channels suffering huge losses.