The 14^th edition of ICC World Cup cricket tournament will be co-hosted by three South Asian test playing counties: Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka. ICC World Cup 2011 kicks off with the opening ceremony scheduled to take place at the Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur in Bangladesh on 17 February 2011. The same venue will host the opening game of the tournament between Bangladesh and India on 19 February. Out of total 49 matches in the tournament, India will host highest 29 games including a quarter final and the tournament final. Sri Lanka will organize 12 matches including a quarter final as well as a semi final, while Bangladesh will stage 8 games including 2 quarter finals. Except the opening game, India will play all of their group stage matches at home; while Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will play the group stage matches in front of their home crowd.

Tournament Venues

All of the 49 matches will be held in 13 different venues across the three countries. Except two new venues in Sri Lanka (Hambantota and Pallekele), the rest of them are test venues including India’s 8 well-known test grounds. Here, I am giving the names of the venues:

India

MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai,

Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad,

Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground, Nagpur,

Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi,

Eden Gardens, Kolkata,

M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore,

Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, Chandigarh,

Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Bangladesh

Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur, Dhaka

Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong

Sri Lanka

Hambantota,

Pallekele,

R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

India will host its first match on 20 February when Kenya and New Zealand will face each other at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk in Chennai. The first game in Sri Lanka will be held on the same day at Hambantota where Sri Lankan team will take on Canada. Pakistan was one of the co-hosts of the tournament initially, but was stripped off the host status on security ground by ICC. Pakistan will play all of their matches in Sri Lanka unless they reach the semi final. If Pakistan can get into the last four of the tournament, they have to travel to India.

AFTER a slow start to the Indian Premier League things are really hotting up. It is anybody’s tournament at this stage, with seven of the eight teams in with a chance of reaching the semi- finals.

By all accounts, players have found the tournament to be hectic, with travelling and playing schedules demanding and tight.

From my own playing and coaching experience in this format of the game, fresh minds and bodies are of the utmost importance at this stage.

A note of interest – as the tournament reaches its end and the pitches dry out with less grass growth due to the approaching winter – I’m sure teams with spin and slow bowling options will come into their own.

By the very nature of this format it is virtually possible to win every single match. Predictability in the face of unpredictable odds cannot be the answer. Flexibility and the ability to think on one’s feet is keeping teams ahead of others.

Shane Warne’s tactical nous coupled with his rare ability is pulling his Rajasthan Royal teammates through and they should once again be semi- finalists. He is keeping his team fresh and the opposition guessing.

The other captain who is just as smart is Mahendra Singh Dhoni of the Chennai Super Kings. His bowling and batting combinations have virtually changed from match to match.

Matthew Hayden’s form has been inspirational and he has played a big role in the Kings being top of the table. The Delhi Daredevils are also well- positioned at present. They still have much in reserve, with Virender Sehwag yet to make his presence felt. They are a well-rounded side with the best win-loss ratio at this stage.

However, the inevitability of a loss or two may start to prey heavily on weak minds and it could catch up with those teams when they need it least.

The Deccan Chargers are also right up there and in with a shout but they depend heavily on the batting of Herschelle Gibbs and Adam Gilchrist.

The Mumbai Indians are in the same boat, with much being asked of Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuria with the bat for them to keep on winning.

Ray Jennings’ Royal Bangalore Challengers have had their fair share of bad luck but at a critical stage of the tournament have found some belief and confidence. They may just be the team to come from nowhere and find a hot, winning streak.

The Kings XI Punjab have the spinning options to surprise a few teams but sadly don’t have enough match- winners with the bat to go all the way.

My call is for the Rajasthan Royals and the Super Kings to finish in the top four. They have players who are willing to scrap it out.

The Royal Bangalore Challengers, who will be inspired and cajoled by their merciless coach, could very well make the top four but they may have just too much to do. The Mumbai Indians and the Kings XI Punjab seem a bit fragile when “toughness” is needed.

I’m not sure how much spunk and fight is in the Daredevils and the Chargers but I’m going for the Chargers because Gibbs’s brilliance will do it for them and get them through.