Sizzling South Africa is Red Hot Favorite

00-Who Wins ICC World Cup 2015?
Sizzling South Africa is Red Hot Favorite.

Many will tag South Africa the hottest, the strongest contender for the world cup 2015. Few will bring their chokers tag for fading away at critical juncture .But on sheer cricketing merit South Africa in 2015 World Cup has all the potential to win the first ever ICC world cup. AB de Villiers, Hashim Amla, Dayle Steyn are three of the bests in their business in world cricket at this moment. They are part of a very dynamic South African team which has all the weapons in the arsenal for lifting the ICC World cup from MCG.
Ever since South Africa returned to mainframe cricket from their exile for reasons other than cricket they were among the favorites for winning world cup .But somehow or other the top honor eluded them .On some occasions they failed handling the pressure at the crunch moments and the tag of chokers was pinned up on them. They were twice robbed off in 1992 and 1999. Rain rules and Duck worth Lewis calculator made them dead unlucky in 1992. Panic and lack of mental toughness caused them unceremonious exit in 1999.They were on a roll to wrap up the tournament by knocking out Australia in Leeds in a Super Six match, but Herschelle Gibbs tried a circus act and “dropped the World Cup”. A few days later in the same tournament chance came their way again at Edgbaston, same opposition. They were required to score only a run in four balls of the last over. Allan Donald dropped his bat, was run out and that was that.

sa1Four years later in 2003in South Africa,again choked. AB de Villiers has now become the world’s most outrageous stroke maker. He is batting like a batsman of different planet, he is taking the baseline of aggressive batsman ship to new level. He now stands on a pedestal as a man who can change a game in the blink of an eye.
South Africa possesses Hashim Amla, a modern-day great player with a beautiful attitude to the game. He is the sort of player one wants to see succeed, oozing class from beard to toe. Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, JP Duminy and David Miller are outstanding lieutenants with the bat. And who can go past the skill, experience and balance of Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander, Morne Morkel and Imran Tahir? It’s an impressive line-up. The only question remaining is the actual execution of managing the pressure moments. I don’t see de Villiers gasping for air this time around, for he has shown often lately that he completes all transactions on the field. His new-found maturity will rub off, and we rate them as favourites to go to Melbourne.
Pool B: India, South Africa, Pakistan, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland and UAE
Reigning champion India and volatile as well as always unpredictable Pakistan and West Indies are in pool B alongside South Africa. Other teams are good enough for causing few upsets Zimbabwe and Ireland and minnow UAE. India so far in the Carlton Mid Triangular ODI has shown vulnerability in batting, weakness in bowling and noviceness in fielding. We do not think India can be a major threat in Australia New Zealand this time in the world cup for South Africa.No cricket analyst can ever predict about Pakistan. On their day they can pulverize any team with their brand of aggressive cricket. Same could be told about West Indies. But with Dwayne Bravo, Pollard and Narine not in the side West Indies may not be that formidable force .Zimbabwe on fast bouncy surface may turn out as a different as what world cricket witnessed in their white wash in Bangladesh. Ireland is also competent team for one or two upsets .UAE may be the easy bird to prey for all.

sa2Date and Venue Match
Feb 15 Sneddon Park : Hamilton ,New Zealand South Africa Vs Zimbabwe
Feb 22 MCG ,Melbourne ,Australia South Africa Vs India
Feb 27 SCG ,Sydney, Australia South Africa Vs West Indies
March 3 Manuka Oval ,Canberra ,Australia South Africa Vs Ireland
March 7 Eden Park Auckland ,New Zealand South Africa Vs Pakistan
March 12 Westpac Stadium ,Wellington ,New Zealand South Africa Vs UAE

South Africa plays its first match against its African neighbor at Hamilton, New Zealand. In recent contest in a triangular tournament in Zimbabwe the two teams met on a couple of occasions. We do not think Zimbabwe can cause much of a headache for very strong neighbors. The match that will determine which team would lead the pack is set for MCG –India plays South Africa. If present form gives indication India may be blown away by very dynamic South Africans. Most of the players in both teams know each other for their long deep association in IPL. Indian bowlers know how destructive ABD and David Miller can be. They are also aware how penetrative and difficult Steyn, Morkel and Philander may be at different condition in MCG.But Indians may also turn around with expected fine performance from talented Rohit Sharma , Virat Kholi, Ajinka Rahane and Dhoni . It will be a great match for cricket fans delight. South Africa plays their third match against explosive temperamental West Indies. When a team has a blaster like Chris Gayle and a silent killer like Marlon Samuels no prediction may be fitting for the match. South Africa has to be extra cautious as moody Caribbean may appear with all guns blazing to upset favorites .But we do not think West Indies has good enough bowling attack to cause much of an worry for South Africa. Match against Ireland must not be thought as mere formality in any case for South Africa. Team has elements to spring surprise.

sa3Match against Pakistan will be another belter. Pakistan won the only world cup ever held in down under in 1992. The present Pakistan team does not have players like Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Inzamam or Wasim Akram. But they have enough quality to challenge the best of the best at any stage. The recent form in UAE against Australia must be kept in mind. Two leg spinners Shahid Afridi and Yasir Shah may act as tramp card for cool calculative Misbah. UAE cannot create any contest for South Africa.
South African Squad: AB de Villiers (Captain),Hashim Amla,Kyle Abbott,Farhaan Behardien,Quinton de Kock,JP Duminy,Faf du Plessis,Imran Tahir,David Miller,Morne Morkel,Wayne Parnell,Aaron Phangiso,Vernon Philander,Rilee Rossouw and Dale Steyn

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