Cricket is the game of glorious uncertainties, as we have been informed by countless cricket commentators. The game's biggest event is currently underway. India finally played their first match of the CWC 2019, Pakistan registered their first win while Australia and New Zealand remain unbeaten so far. Here is your periodic update in memes:
Having made a dismal showing in their first match against West Indies (Pak were 105 all out, WI finished off the match in 13.4 overs), Pakistan were not the favourites in this match. However, they came out of nowhere to get up to 348 and managed to win by 14 runs.
England have the home advantage, and Pak have the disadvantage of being the pariahs of international cricket right now. Also after the disastrous first match, the Pak team did well to defeat the English team.
This one saw Sri Lanka tottering. They lost all their wickets by the 37th over and only managed to make 201 runs. Afghanistan could manage only 152 (all out) out of a reduced target of 187 (the rain curtailed the match to a 41-a-side over match).
It was not a very high scoring match and several of the players seemed keen to self-destruct. In any case, for a lot of people, India was still to play a match and that is what they were waiting for.
South Africa is the only team that has played 3 matches in the competition up to this point, but has managed to lose all of them. SA made 227/9, which was never going to be enough for India. Thanks to Rohit Sharma’s superb century and able support from Dhoni and others, India cruised home with 15 balls to spare.
The top order collapsed and it fell to the lower order to salvage a semblance of respectability. The final score looked decent only because of the 69 run partnership of David Miller and Andile Phehlukwayo; more importantly, the 66 runs added by the Chris Morris and Kagiso Rabada partnership.
The Indian bowlers were in control pretty much throughout the SA innings and there seemed little that the batsmen could do.
Bangladesh made 244 losing all their wickets in by the final over. It wasn’t easy for the Kiwis who made heavy weather of the modest target; losing 8 wickets in the bargain.
Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur Rahim came in for a lot of criticism for a botched runout which gave Kane Williamson a life as well as for a mix-up that got him runout.
Australia were all out at 288 runs in 49 overs. The West Indies lost by 15 runs, having lost 9 wickets.
Star player Chris Gayle was given out though he should not have been (the previous ball he faced had been a no-ball, which entitled him to a free hit). Match no. 11 will be Pakistan taking on Sri Lanka today.
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