ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 Schedule

Pool A: 

England, Australia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Qualifier 2, Qualifier 3 

Pool B: 

South Africa, India, Pakistan, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Qualifier 1 (Ireland), Qualifier 4

(Qualifier 1,2,3 teams are yet to be decided)

Total Matches – 49       Hosts:  Australia – 26      New Zealand - 23

  

DATE	DAY	MATCH	VENUE
14-Feb	Saturday	Sri Lanka vs New Zealand	Christchurch
14-Feb	Saturday	England vs Australia	Melbourne
15-Feb	Sunday	South Africa vs Zimbabwe	Hamilton
15-Feb	Sunday	India vs Pakistan	Adelaide
16-Feb	Monday	West Indies vs Ireland	Nelson
17-Feb	Tuesday	New Zealand vs Qualifier 3	Dunedin
18-Feb	Wednesday	Bangladesh vs Qualifier 2	Canberra
19-Feb	Thursday	Zimbabwe vs Qualifier 4	Nelson
20-Feb	Friday	England vs New Zealand	Wellington
21-Feb	Saturday	Pakistan vs West Indies	Christchurch
21-Feb	Saturday	Australia vs Bangladesh	Brisbane
22-Feb	Sunday	Sri Lanka vs Qualifier 2	Dunedin
22-Feb	Sunday	South Africa vs India	Melbourne
23-Feb	Monday	England vs Qualifier 3	Christchurch
24-Feb	Tuesday	West Indies vs Zimbabwe	Canberra
25-Feb	Wednesday	Ireland vs Quallifier 4	Brisbane
26-Feb	Thursday	Qualifier 2 vs Qualifier 3	Dunedin
26-Feb	Thursday	Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh	Melbourne
27-Feb	Friday	South Africa vs West Indies	Sydney
28-Feb	Saturday	Australia vs New Zealand	Auckland
28-Feb	Saturday	India vs Qualifier 4	WACA, Perth
1-Mar	Sunday	England vs Sri Lanka	Wellington
1-Mar	Sunday	Pakistan vs Zimbabwe	Brisbane
3-Mar	Tuesday	South Africa vs Ireland	Canberra
4-Mar	Wednesday	Pakistan vs Qualifier 4	Napier
4-Mar	Wednesday	Australia vs Qualifier 2	WACA, Perth
5-Mar	Thursday	Bangladesh vs Qualifier 3	Nelson
6-Mar	Friday	India vs West Indies	WACA, Perth
7-Mar	Saturday	South Africa vs Pakistan	Auckland
7-Mar	Saturday	Zimbabwe vs Ireland	Hobart
8-Mar	Sunday	New Zealand vs Qualifier 2	Napier
8-Mar	Sunday	Australia vs Sri Lanka	Sydney
9-Mar	Monday	England vs Bangladesh	Adelaide
10-Mar	Tuesday	India vs Ireland	Hamilton
11-Mar	Wednesday	Sri lanka vs Qualifier 3	Hobart
12-Mar	Thursday	South Africa vs Qualifier 4	Wellington
13-Mar	Friday	Bangladesh vs New Zealand	Hamilton
13-Mar	Friday	England vs Qualifier 2	Sydney
14-Mar	Saturday	India vs Zimbabwe	Auckland
14-Mar	Saturday	Australia vs Qualifier 3	Hobart
15-Mar	Sunday	West Indies vs Qualifier 4	Napier
15-Mar	Sunday	Pakistan vs Ireland	Adelaide
Quarter-finals
18-Mar	Wednesday	QF1	Sydney
19-Mar	Thursday	QF2	Melbourne
20-Mar	Friday	QF3	Adelaide
21-Mar	Saturday	QF4	Wellington
Semi-finals
24-Mar	Tuesday	SF1	Auckland
26-Mar	Thursday	SF	Sydney
Final
29-Mar	Sunday	Final	Melbourne

ICC World Championship Events

The BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) was awarded the two events during the ICC (International Cricket Council) Annual Conference held in London on Saturday. The ICC finalized its global events from 2015 to 2023 during the conference and it has been confirmed that BCCI would host the World Twenty20 in 2016 and 50-over World Cup in 2023. Also India is hosting second edition of ICC World Test Championship in 2021. The inaugural ICC World Test Championship will be hosted by England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2017.

  

ICC World Championship Events:

World Twenty20 (2014)  -  Bangladesh

World Twenty20 (2016)  -  BCCI (India)

ICC World Test Championship (2017)  -   ECB (England)

50-over World Cup (2019)  -   ECB (England)

World Twenty20 (2020)  -  CA  (Australia)

ICC World Test Championship (2021)  -   BCCI (India)

50-over World Cup (2023)  -   BCCI (India)

Also the ICC decided that full members have to play a minimum of 16 Tests over a four-year period to retain their Test status. To make sure that all ODIs played over the four-year cycle between ICC Cricket World Cups count towards a team's ranking, the ICC Board agreed to change the ODI rankings period from three years to four years. Afghanistan was confirmed as the 37th Associate Member of the ICC and Romania was accepted as an Affiliate Member.

WEST INDIES BAGS ICC WORLD T20 CUP

West Indies sealed the ICC World Twenty20 crown with a comfortable 36-run victory in the final match against Sri Lanka. It the West Indies' first world title after a gap of 33 years having won the ODI World Cup back in 1979. Batting first in front a 35,000 enthusiastic crowd, Caribbeans scored only 32 runs off the first 10 overs. With the powerful hitter Gayle in opening position, the powerplay yielded only 14 runs for West Indies due to brilliant effort by Sri Lanka’s unorthodox spinner Ajantha Mendis who grabbed four wickets for 12 runs. Samuels played one of the most memorable innings under pressure with a heroic 78 off 56 balls to steer West Indies to 137 for six. He hits 6 sixes off T20 specialist Lasith Malinga's bowling where almost every other batsman struggled. With the strong batting lineup, it was not a difficult score to chase but still they lost the match by 36 runs as they were bundled out for 101 runs. For Sri Lanka and Mahela Jayawardene, it was another case of 'so-near-yet-so-far' having now lost four World Cup finals (two 50 overs and two T20s) across two categories. A sense of sadness surely spread from Colombo throughout Sri Lanka on Sunday night. Mahela Jayawardene stepped down as T20 captain after the final.

Gayle and his teammates bring such uncontrolled happiness to the sport with the way the celebrated after winning the world cup. An ecstatic West Indies team did the 'Gangnam Style' dance after defeating Sri Lanka. Accidently it was birthday boy Dwayne Bravo who prompted the celebrations after catching Lasith Malinga on the boundary to end the Sri Lankan innings. He was joined by his teammates and coaching staff, sprinting onto the pitch from the sidelines, for celebrations that would go into the next day and no doubt beyond.This is a team that loves to have fun almost as much as it loves to play cricket. There’s always a smile on the faces of the West Indies players with the team full of wonderful people like Chris Gayle, the man who adopted the global hit  “Gangnam-style” dance from South Korean rapper Psy – throughout this tournament.

Man of the Match – Marlon Samuels

Man of the Tournament - Shane Watson

Spectators Pick XI - Shane Watson, Chris Gayle, Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Virat Kohli, Eoin Morgan, Michael Hussey, Brendon Mcullum (wk), Mitchell Starc, Raza Hasan, Saeed Ajmal, Lasith Malinga. 

Flop XI - Richard Levi, Gautam Gambhir, Hashim Amla, Jonny Bairstow, Kamran Akmal, Kieron Pollard, Shahid Afridi, Andre Russel, Umar Gul, Tim Southee, Brad Hogg, Albie Morkel.

INDIA LIFTS ICC WORLD CUP 2011

A 28 year thirst of Indians and Indian cricket team has come true at Mumbai on 2^nd April 2011 after winning the final match of ICC world cup 2011 against Sri Lanka followed by a historic semifinal match win against arch rival Pakistan. India became the first host-nation to win the world cup with final played in the host country itself. Everyone has witnessed the tear of joy from the players after holding the world cup. "It's the ultimate thing and I'm experiencing it," said Indian great Sachin Tendulkar. "I couldn't have asked for anything better. It's the proudest moment of my life." Also he added "It's never too late as they say. Thanks to all my teammates. Without such fabulous performance and such consistency it would never have happened," he said, adding he wasn't too proud to shed a tear. "They were happy tears, so I wouldn't mind crying." When Sri Lanka set 275 as target, it looked like a chance for both the teams to win the trophy. But the quick succession of wickets of Sehwag and Sachin destroyed the hopes of all the people from India. But the young fires proved their capability and maturity by showing a tremendous performance with such a responsible innings at the end. "He carried the hopes of the nation for 21 years so it's time we carried him on our shoulders," young lad Virat Kohli said.

         

This is the 10^th tournament of this edition and India is winning it after 28 years for the second time. Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni played a captain's knock of unbeaten 91 in the final and was adjudged man of the match. Yuvraj Singh was adjudged man of the series for his performance with both ball and bat. Dilshan was the leading scorer of this tournament with 500 runs. Shahid Afridi and Zaheer khan shared the first place in leading wicket takers. The 2011 Cricket World Cup winning team, India would be taking home prize money of US$ 3 million and a replica of the ICC Cricket World Cup Trophy that has been awarded since 1999.  The runner-up Sri Lanka would have US$ 1.5 million in its part. The total prize money on offer for the tournament for the teams placing from 1st to 8th is US$7.48 million. The remaining two semi-finalists will receive 0.75 million US$ each. The last four quarter-finalists will each receive 0.37 million US$.

There was no winning farewell to international cricket for Muttiah Muralitharan, the leading wicket taker and the only survivor from Sri Lanka's 1996 winning squad. The biggest upset of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 was the defeat of England by Ireland. Ireland's Kevin O'Brien made 100 in just 50 balls (and a total of 113 off 63 balls), the fastest World Cup Century. Also Ireland made the highest successful run chase in World Cup history beating Sri Lanka's 313 against Zimbabwe at New Plymouth in New Zealand in 1992. There were two hat-tricks in this tournament; one by Roach (WI) and another by Malinga (SL).

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 - Schedule

The ICC World Cup 2011, is scheduled from 19 February, 2011 to 2 April, 2011 will be hosted by three South Asian Countries (India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh). India will host maximum of the matches in the World Cup Tournament. India with 29 matches out of 46 and the Sri Lanka will host 12 of the rest and remaining by Bangladesh. Umpire Decision Review System (UDRS) will be followed during this world cup and Hot Spot technology is not included. You can find out the world cup schedule timetable listed below and plan accordingly. Fingers crossed for the triggering action.

Feb 19:  Bangladesh v India, Dhaka
Feb 20:  New Zealand v Kenya, Chennai
Feb 20:  Sri Lanka v Canada, Hambantota
Feb 21:  Australia v Zimbabwe, Ahmedabad
Feb 22:  England v Netherlands, Nagpur
Feb 23:  Pakistan v Kenya, Hambantota
Feb 24:  South Africa v West Indies, New Delhi
Feb 25:  Australia v New Zealand, Nagpur
Feb 25:  Bangladesh v Ireland, Dhaka
Feb 26:  Sri Lanka v Pakistan, Colombo
Feb 27:  India v England, Kolkata
Feb 28:  West Indies v Netherlands, New Delhi
Feb 28:  Zimbabwe v Canada, Nagpur
March 1:  Sri Lanka v Kenya, Colombo
March 2:  England v Ireland, Bangalore
March 3:  South Africa v Netherlands, Mohali
March 3:  Pakistan v Canada, Colombo
March 4:  New Zealand v Zimbabwe, Ahmedabad
March 4:  Bangladesh v West Indies, Dhaka
March 5:  Sri Lanka v Australia, Colombo
March 6:  India v Ireland, Bangalore
March 6:  England v South Africa, Chennai
March 7:  Kenya v Canada, New Delhi
March 8:  Pakistan v New Zealand, Pallekele
March 9:  India v Netherlands, New Delhi
March 10:  Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe, Pallekele
March 11:  West Indies v Ireland, Mohali
March 11:  Bangladesh v England, Chittagong
March 12:  India v South Africa, Nagpur
March 13:  New Zealand v Canada, Mumbai
March 13:  Australia v Kenya, Bangalore
March 14:  Pakistan v Zimbabwe, Pallekele
March 14:  Bangladesh v Netherlands, Chittagong
March 15:  South Africa v Ireland, Kolkata
March 16:  Australia v Canada, Bangalore
March 17:  England v West Indies, Chennai
March 18:  Sri Lanka v New Zealand, Mumbai
March 18:  Ireland v Netherlands, Kolkata
March 19:  Australia v Pakistan, Colombo
March 19:  Bangladesh v South Africa, Dhaka
March 20:  Zimbabwe v Kenya, Kolkata
March 20:  India v West Indies, Chennai
March 23:  Quarter-final, Dhaka
March 24:  Quarter-final, Colombo
March 25:  Quarter-final, Dhaka
March 26:  Quarter-final, Ahmedabad
March 29:  Semi-final, Colombo
March 30:  Semi-final, Mohali
April 2:      Final, Mumbai

FIFA World Cup RANKINGS

The world cup festival was finally over with great success and enjoyment. Everyone knew that Spain has bagged the FIFA world cup – 2010 and of course octopus became popular than any other. Now FIFA has released its 1st post world cup 2010 rankings where lot of changes have happened as expected. Obviously the world cup champions Spain in the first place and the runner Netherland in the second place. Former no.1 Brazil has slipped down to the third place. Uruguay has shown tremendous progress jumping from 16th to 6th place. German slipped one position to 4th place. It’s bad to see the defending world cup champs Italy not in the top 10 and France not even in the top 20. There is an odd thing about the ranking as Egypt, who were not a part of this world cup has climbed three places to 9th position and everyone is in surprise to see this. Click http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/ranking/lastranking/gender=m/fullranking.html to view the ranks of all the nations.

ENGLAND BAGS ICC T20 WC - 2010

The English men have finally achieved their 35 years of world cup thirsty. Many people thought England was the underdog team playing against the mighty Australians on the ICC T20 world cup 2010 final. But the results proved otherwise and England beat Australia in the finals to win the coveted title in the match held at Barbados. Right from the beginning of the match, England was on the driver seat by reducing Australia to eight for 3. Finally with the help of Hussey brothers, aussies managed to score 147 for 6. This target looked so simple after a magnificent partnership between Kieswetter and Pietersen who put on 111 runs for the second wicket partnership. Kieswetter managed 63 runs while Pieterson made 47 runs out of 31 balls, thus finished at 151 for 3 with 3 overs to spare. Kieswetter was named the man of the match and Kevin Pietersen was adjudged the man of the tournament after his many match winning contributions to his team.

So far England managed to reach the finals of three world cup in 1979, 1987 and 1992 but lost on all three occasions. With four imports like Lumb, Kieswetter, Pietersen and Morgan, England looked more like an IPL team with four foreign players. However, finally they have achieved this hard target. Kudos to England and Paul Collingwood, who led the team to the finals. Mahela Jayawardene (SL) remains highest scorer of this tournament. On the other hand, Australian women bags the same title in women cricket.