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Was the Cricket World Cup a success? What next for England? Sky Sports pundits reflect on the tournament – Sky Sports
The Cricket World Cup was glorious for Australia as they stunned host nation India in Ahmedabad to win the tournament for a record-extending sixth time.
It was dismal for England, however, as the defending champions lost six of their nine matches to be knocked out in the group stage.
But how successful was the tournament as a whole and is it a good thing that the next 50-over World Cup – in South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe in 2027 – will feature 14 teams instead of 10?
Sky Sports pundits and former England captains Michael Atherton, Eoin Morgan and Nasser Hussain reflect on that, as well as the importance of 50-over cricket, the rise of Afghanistan, how Player of the Tournament Virat Kohli is like Tiger Woods, and what England must do next after a dreadful title defence…
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Highlights from Ahmedabad as Australia beat host nation India by six wickets to win the Cricket World Cup for a sixth time
Was the Cricket World Cup a success – and how key is the 50-over game?
MICHAEL ATHERTON: “The tournament got off to a rocky start. The start is so important and Sachin Tendulkar walking out at Narendra Modi Stadium in front of about 100 people [for England vs New Zealand] wasn’t great. You should always start with the home side.
“I spoke to many England supporters who had logistical difficulties getting hold of their tickets and into the ground. I don’t think a sport can become complacent where physical spectators are concerned, you have to look after them. That got better as the tournament went on. Everything improved, India pulled it off.
“I have enjoyed the cricket, I have enjoyed the format. There is a lot of negativity about the 50-over game, particularly in the build-up to this competition. It has become trendy to knock it. But I think it is a good game. It provides a full tapestry for all players to show their skills.
“Think of Glenn Maxwell’s innings of genius against Afghanistan [201 not out from 128 balls]. In a shorter game, you don’t get that. There is place for a balance between T20 and Test match cricket.
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Watch the moment Australia won the Cricket World Cup and their players celebrated wildly!
“The winners, Australia, are a remarkable cricket team – World Test champions, retaining the Ashes, and now World Cup winners. They have shown their nerve and temperament in the World Cup.
“They were under pressure after two defeats to start the competition, the captain was under pressure, people questioned strategy, tactics and personnel.
“They have done it the hard way on a pudding of a pitch [in the final] that would be so different to one at home, and against a tip-top team. They have some players that won’t come again in 50-over cricket, like David Warner, so it caps an era.”
Afghanistan’s growth – and growing the game
EOIN MORGAN: “Afghanistan won four out of nine games. It is not easy to win any group-stage game – as England found out.
“What Afghanistan have probably lacked in their repertoire in tournaments is the ability to score runs but the batters all contributed here and it makes them a more well-rounded squad, more well-rounded performers.
“I think the coaching of Jonathan Trott has had a huge impact on the team, given them a level of direction and taken emotion out of their game, which in pressure moments has worked. It might not have happened to the fullest extent against Australia but they gave themselves a chance.
Afghanistan won four of their nine group games at the Cricket World Cup, including knocking off England and Pakistan
“They could easily have won nine games so they are a standout up-and-coming side. They are going to be an unbelievably exciting side to watch that will cause headaches for more well-funded nations.
“When you look at what nations ranked outside the top 10 in the world want, they are always crying out for bigger series and bigger opportunities to play against the top three, the top five, giving them a platform in a World Cup to be able to cause an upset or go on a roll.
“If this was a 12 or 14-team tournament, Afghanistan would be playing in a quarter-final. The impact that would have on Afghanistan cricket is huge.
“I played international cricket with Ireland in 2007 and turning over Pakistan, tying with Zimbabwe really put Irish cricket on the map. You need tournaments to raise the profile of the game in these countries.”
England’s awful World Cup
NASSER HUSSAIN: “It was a bridge too far for England. We thought the opening defeat against New Zealand was a blip but they never really recovered. They had so many great players that just didn’t look in the touch of players we have seen from Australia and India.
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England managing director of men’s Rob Key says the World Cup campaign was a ‘disaster’ as the defending champions exited in the group stage
“It was the end of an era. Some people can be wise and say, ‘you should have seen that before it happened’ but not many before a World Cup would have changed some of the names on that list. They are some of the greatest white-ball players we have produced.
“Captain Jos Buttler and coach Matthew Mott have to speak to people and get their opinion on how you take that on.
“All good things come to an end, there is no shame in that but now you have to kick on and up your game because they didn’t defend this tournament very well.
“They were way, way off the pace and a lot of mistakes were made both on and off the field. Learn and get better next time.”
Player of the Tournament, Virat Kohli
India’s Virat Kohli was named Player of the Tournament after scoring 765 runs in 11 innings
MICHAEL ATHERTON: “He is an astonishing player. He brings an incredible level of intensity, focus and determination to almost every ball of every game. It is remarkable.
“I watched Tiger Woods play golf once and his game had gone but he was bringing everything to every shot.
“You don’t see that much intensity and focus from many international sportsmen but you see it in Kohli.
“I think he is one of the four most charismatic cricketers I have seen, along with Imran Khan, Shane Warne and Viv Richards, and I cannot think there has been a better ODI player in history.”
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Uganda Cricket make history, qualify for 2024 T20 World Cup – Cricket.com
“We fight and play our cricket that way. We always not give up until the last ball, we don’t give up. That’s our culture,” said one of Uganda’s all-time greats, Roger Mukasa, back in 2018.
If there’s one thing that sums up Uganda cricket’s growth over the years, it has been their belief in not giving up. “We fight until the last ball” is the motto instilled in Uganda cricket for the longest time.
Coming into the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Region Qualifier 2023, Uganda were not expected to be even close to qualification, especially with a behemoth like Zimbabwe in the tournament. Add the experience of Namibia in such tournaments, Uganda were far behind in the pecking order for qualification.
A beautiful moment as Uganda players celebrate their qualification for T20 World Cup 2024 with their fans.
A huge W for Associate cricket as now they are going to be 9 Associate teams in the T20 WC 2024.
Historic moment for Ugandan cricket pic.twitter.com/fXFW9YCbMj
— yang goi (@GongR1ght) November 30, 2023
But the nature of the format is such that anyone can make history. Uganda have just done that.
The dream for qualification only began on November 26 (Sunday), when they beat one of the top seeds, Zimbabwe, in a clash that would go down in history. They were the 23rd-ranked team coming into the tournament, and to beat a side like Zimbabwe, which stunned the likes of Pakistan on the global stage, was nothing short of miraculous.
It was no surprise that there was an evident Indian hand behind the progress of Uganda as a cricketing nation. The magical hand of Dinesh Nakrani, who hails from Saurashtra, delivered the stunning blow against the Chevrons with figures of 3/14. And, in the run-chase, the Gilgit-born Riazat Ali Shah put on a show with the bat, scoring 42, with the finishing touches from Alpesh Ramjani, who scored a 40 himself.
In what was a telling statement, Uganda chased the total down in just 19 overs, with five wickets to spare. It was the first time they played a full member, and the result was nothing short of historic. Having done all of this heading into the final clash against Rwanda, it was a tournament destined for Uganda.
All that Uganda needed was a win. Everything was in their favour. In the previous 16 clashes between the two teams, Uganda was always on the winning side. Barring one clash, it was almost a complete win in all the other clashes.
In a country that is well-known for being a footballing nation, with someone like Emmanuel Okwi being in the limelight, cricket was naturally only a second sport. But what Uganda has done at the African Qualifier has not only made the world turn and take notice but also their own country, who now firmly believe in the sport.
Uganda opted to bowl in the must-win clash against Rwanda, and left-arm spinner Alpesh Ramjani gave them the perfect start possible with a wicket off the fourth ball. Across his two-over first spell, the left-arm spinner conceded ZERO and even picked up the wicket of Orchide Tuyisenge.
Nakrani then picked it up from Ramjani with the wicket of Didier Ndikubwimana. Despite the partnership between Eric Dusingizimana (19) and Mohammad Nadir (11), Rwanda was always chasing the game as Uganda took firm control over things. Four of the six Uganda bowlers finished with two wickets a piece to dismiss Rwanda for just 65.
66 wasn’t just a number. It would be a number that will be remembered for ages in Uganda’s cricketing history. It was what they had to get to seal a place at the 2024 T20 World Cup in the United States of America and the Caribbean. It was fitting that Simon Ssesazi scored 26 in the run-chase, with Uganda chasing the total down in just eight overs.
It wasn’t just a win; it was history. For Riazat, Ronak, Ssesazi and Nakrani, it was a culmination of their batting display that resulted in history being made. It was their bowling display for Ramjani, Bilal Hassan and Nakrani, as Uganda left no stone unturned.
43 year old Frank Nsubuga played his first game for Uganda in 1997!
He has represented his country in 4 different decades.
The 90s, 2000s, 2010s and 2020s.
Today, 26 years after he played his first game for @CricketUganda, Franco has qualified to play at a Cricket World Cup. pic.twitter.com/KHPL6jG8XI
— Phil Kirya (@PhilKirya) November 30, 2023
For someone like Mukasa, who made his international debut in 2009 at the ICC Challenge League B first round, it was like watching a dream come true right in front of your eyes. Rogers might have played over 40 T20Is, but no victory has come sweeter than this win against Rwanda.
For someone like Frank Nsubuga, who first played for Uganda back in 1997, having seen four different decades and several dozen matches, this win couldn’t have come at a better decade.
26 years after his first match, Nsubuga will have a story to tell his family when he goes back home to celebrate this win.
A story of never giving up.
A story that has finally helped cricket turn a corner in Uganda.
cricket
Uganda becomes 20th team to qualify for T20 World Cup 2024, Zimbabwe knocked out – India TV News
Uganda have created history as they have qualified for the T20 World Cup 2024 to be played in the West Indies and the USA. With this, all 20 teams have been confirmed for the mega event in the shortest format even as Namibia is the second team from the Africa region to qualify. Meanwhile, it is yet another heartbreak for Zimbabwe who have missed out on making it to the World Cup for the second consecutive time as they missed out on the ODI World Cup as well in the qualifiers.
Zimbabwe had to pray for Rwanda’s victory over Uganda to have any hopes of making it to the T20 World Cup. But Uganda skittled Rwanda for just 65 runs in their final game of the tournament and chased down the target in just 8.1 overs with nine wickets in hand to register their fifth win of the competition in six matches.
Moreover, Sikandar Raza-led Zimbabwe are still playing against Kenya and have posted a mammoth total of 217 runs in their 20 overs. Now even if they win this match, they won’t qualify and losses at the hands of Uganda and Namibia have hurt them badly.
The line-up for the T20 World Cup is confirmed now with West Indies and the USA qualifying automatically being the hosts while the top 8 teams from T20 World Cup 2022 also made it to the tournament. Afghanistan and Bangladesh qualified on the basis of the T20I rankings while remaining eight teams went through via Europe Qualifier (2 teams), East Asia-Pacific Qualifier (1 team), Americas Qualifier (1 team), Asia Qualifier (2 teams) and Africa Qualifier (2 teams).
Teams to qualify for T20 World Cup 2024: West Indies, USA, Australia, England, India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland, Papua New Guinea, Canada, Nepal, Oman, Namibia, Uganda.
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‘Mixing it with the best’ pays dividends for Mushangwe | cricket.com.au – cricket.com.au
Hard work pays off for Zimbabwean-born leg-spinner to seize WBBL opportunity after Darcie Brown injury
There was one tense final over at Cricket Central earlier this month that perfectly illustrated the giant strides Anesu Mushangwe has made since she arrived in South Australia’s elite cricket program.
The former Zimbabwe leg-spinner, playing her second Weber WBBL season, had been entrusted to bowl the final over of Adelaide Strikers’ November 21 low-scoring thriller against the Sydney Thunder.
The Thunder needed nine runs to win, and on strike was the powerful Sammy-Jo Johnson, who had already hit 25 runs from the first 10 balls she had faced.
Mushangwe had Johnson swinging and missing three times, and just one single and a wicket came from the first five balls as she sealed an important three-run win.
Last season, the 27-year-old played one WBBL game in her debut year, but her tremendous growth and development since joining South Australia and the Strikers has seen her take on a critical role with the ball in WBBL|09.
With the Strikers missing fast bowler Darcie Brown for their first 11 matches, Mushangwe seized her chance – albeit with a very different skill set to her express pace teammate – bowling crucial overs in the Powerplay, Power Surge and at the death.
“That game (against the Thunder) ended up getting intense … Tahlia told me that I was going to bowl the last over and then she called ‘Schutter’ (Megan Schutt) and myself together,” Mushangwe told The Scoop podcast.
“Schutter was like, ‘Don’t calculate (how many runs are needed), just bowl mate’.
“They were just looking to attack so I knew what I was dealing with, what I was working with … and then still maintaining my focus, I tried to switch off from the situation and not to think too much about the pressure of the game.”
Mushangwe has played all 14 games for the Strikers so far in WBBL|09, taking 16 wickets at 18.12 and with economy rate of 6.44.
When Brown made her return from a hamstring injury late in the season, it was England import Georgia Adams who made way, and Mushangwe now looks set to play a valuable role in Saturday’s final against the Heat.
“I don’t mean to brag, but I feel like we are one of the best teams in Australia (and) by training with the best and mixing up with the best, you take a lot from them,” she said.
“Even just by watching them train, for example, Schutter – when she’s bowling in the nets, she bowls like she is in the game. That’s the attitude.
“So just by watching her do that, sometimes it just happens to me as well.”
Mushangwe’s 12-year journey from a township in Zimbabwe to the Big Bash is an inspiring one, and one that has been driven by her fierce determination and desire for self-improvement.
Feeling like a fish out of water when she first arrived in the Scorpions set-up, she took a single-minded approach to improvement – and it was the same when she landed her first Strikers contract.
“When I got invited to train with the Scorpions, I felt like I wasn’t up to the standard,” Mushangwe said.
“But I didn’t accept it – I was like, ‘Nah, I will fight hard and train hard so that I can fit into the standard’.
“And then after a few months I started doing well because I had something to aim for.
“And then it kept on being like that and then I got invited to train with the Big Bash girls (in 2022), I felt the same way … that I was way behind but I didn’t accept it.
“I had something to aim for again, and I was like, by next year I need to feel like I can fit in with my skills.
“I actually feel that now I can belong with my skills because I’ve worked hard for it and now it’s paying off.”
Mushangwe has not been back to Zimbabwe to see her family since April 2022, but has plans to get back to visit at the end of the Women’s National Cricket League season.
She expects her former Zimbabwe teammates will be eagerly tuning into Saturday’s final at Adelaide Oval – but her family, not so much.
“They don’t understand what (playing in the Big Bash) means,” she laughed. “They don’t even get it, the only person who understands cricket is my dad.
“My mum, everyone where I grew up on my mother’s side – they don’t understand cricket at all.
“So whether I have a bad day or good day in cricket, it’s just the same.
“My friends will be tuning in but my family? I can put a bet on that they won’t tune in at all.”
WBBL Finals
The Eliminator: Brisbane Heat beat Sydney Thunder by 44 runs
The Challenger: Brisbane Heat beat Perth Scorchers by 67 runs
The Final: Adelaide Strikers v Brisbane Heat | Adelaide Oval | December 2 at 7.10pm AEDT (6.40pm ACDT)
Grab your tickets or tune in on the Seven Network, Fox Cricket, Kayo or ABC radio
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