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Revisiting the 2019 World Cup and the league format

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2 years ago

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The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 will follow the same format as the previous edition four years ago, meaning that all 10 teams will face one another.

With a new format set to be introduced in 2027, this will be the final go-around for the 10-team Group Stage which provides 45 entertaining encounters to decide on four semi-finalists.

In 2019, that began with a thrilling clash between England and South Africa at The Oval – the home side getting off to a winning start on their way to a maiden ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup victory.
With every team playing nine matches, the Group Stage lasted six weeks, with ebbs and flows as new contenders emerged.

The beauty of the format meant that a slow start was not necessarily fatal to a team’s chances of progressing.

In 2019, for example, Pakistan started very slowly, winning just one of their opening five matches – earning a 14-run success over eventual champions England at Trent Bridge.

Despite that, Pakistan finished with four successive victories to get to within a whisker of qualification, missing out on the semi-finals on net run-rate.

They finished level on points with runners-up New Zealand and just one point behind England as momentum almost carried them into the semi-finals as the form side.

At the other end of the spectrum, Australia were the first team to clinch a place in the last four, winning six of their first seven matches, the only exception a defeat to India.

India were the next team to book their semi-final spot, beating Bangladesh on their way to leading the Group Stage with seven wins from nine matches.

However, the World Cup is as much about timing your run as being fast starters, and it was the hosts and the Kiwis who found their best form come semi-final time.

With every team having had their chance to take on the world’s best, the knock-out stages were all about peaking on the day.

First up were India and New Zealand, who faced off over two days at Old Trafford as the weather played its part in proceedings.

It went down to the wire, but some stunning fielding from Martin Guptill to remove MS Dhoni in the penultimate over helped the Black Caps to an 18-run victory.

The following day, England were rather more emphatic in avenging their Group Stage loss to Australia, powering to an eight-wicket win to earn a place in the final for the first time since 1992.

Those results meant that the final would crown a new champion for the first time in more than two decades since Sri Lanka had claimed victory as one of the hosts in 1996.

England went onto emulate the Sri Lankans, famously doing so in the most dramatic circumstances at Lord’s.

New Zealand made 241 for eight batting first, before England matched that total, bowled out for 241 in reply to set up a Super Over.

Again, the teams matched each other blow for blow in the Super Over, each scoring 15 runs, as England were crowned champions on boundaries scored.

Victors in the first game, champions in the last, England showed just how to manage this Cricket World Cup format on their way to lifting the trophy.

The question now is, will they be able to repeat the feat or will someone else prove to be the masters of the 10-team Group Stage set-up?

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Football

Stafford vs. Colombo International: The Second Edition of the Big Match Kicks Off!

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14 hours ago

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April 2, 2025

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Football fever returns as Stafford International School and Colombo International School gear up for the second edition of their highly anticipated Big Match! This year, the rivalry intensifies with four matches across different age and gender categories:

✅ U15 Girls
✅ U15 Boys
✅ U20 Girls
✅ U20 Boys

🏆 Stafford International’s Rising Stars:

  • U15 Girls: Defending TISSL U14 and Colombo SLSFA District champions, featuring standout players like Keshalee Ranatunga and Sonja Ratanayake (just 10 years old!).
  • U15 Boys: All-Island U14 runners-up out of 462 schools, led by goalkeeper Yash Amarasekara, who was named Best U14 GK in Sri Lanka.
  • U20 Girls & Boys: Both teams finished as TISSL runners-up, boasting stars like Raya Rikaz, Yumna Safraz, Adnaan Ameen, and Nidurshan Mohan.

🏆 Colombo International’s Key Players:

  • U15 Girls: TISSL U16 runners-up, featuring top defender Khadeeja Niyas and striker Ozra.
  • U20 Girls: TISSL U20 runners-up, with Fioni Dedhia named Goalkeeper of the Tournament.
  • U20 Boys: Defending Big Match champions, looking to retain their title behind stars like Krishwen and Habib.

👀 Who will come out on top this time? Watch the action LIVE at the link below! 🎥👇

#BigMatch2025 #SchoolFootball #SriLankaFootball #StaffordVsCIS #RivalryRenewed

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Cricket

Shammi Silva Re-Elected as Sri Lanka Cricket President for Fourth Consecutive Term

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2 days ago

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April 1, 2025

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Shammi Silva has been re-elected as the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) president for the 2025-27 term, marking his fourth consecutive tenure at the helm of the nation’s cricket governing body. Silva secured the position uncontested at the 64th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Colombo on Monday.

A Controversial Yet Dominant Tenure

Silva’s leadership has not been without controversy. His previous term saw a high-profile clash with former Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe in 2023, which led to an interim committee being appointed after Sri Lanka’s poor performance in the ICC ODI World Cup. This move resulted in ICC suspending SLC, which led to Sri Lanka losing the hosting rights for the U19 Men’s World Cup, which was later held in South Africa.

Despite these setbacks, Silva regained control after a court ruling reinstated his administration, and he was later appointed as the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) in December 2023, replacing Jay Shah.

Challenges & Future Outlook

Sri Lanka Cricket has long been seen as a powerful and influential body, with internal politics often shaping its leadership. With financial mismanagement concerns highlighted in the Auditor General’s report, Silva’s administration faces the challenge of restoring credibility and ensuring better governance.

With the ICC ban lifted, Sri Lanka looks to rebuild its cricketing structure and improve performance on the international stage. The focus now shifts to upcoming bilateral series, the Asia Cup, and preparations for the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Stay tuned for more updates on Sri Lanka Cricket and the latest in the world of sports!

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Cricket

Stephen Fleming Defends MS Dhoni’s Batting Position Amid Criticism

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3 days ago

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March 31, 2025

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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming has defended MS Dhoni’s late entry in the batting order, stating that the legendary wicketkeeper-batsman cannot play an extended innings at full intensity due to lingering knee concerns.

The 43-year-old Dhoni faced criticism after coming in at No. 9 during CSK’s 50-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Chepauk. In the next match against Rajasthan Royals on March 30, 2025, he batted at No. 7 when CSK required 54 off 25 balls but managed just 16 off 11 as his team fell short by six runs.

Fleming’s Explanation on Dhoni’s Role

Fleming emphasized that Dhoni carefully assesses the match situation before deciding when to bat.

“It’s all about timing. MS judges his body and situation. His knees aren’t what they used to be, so he can’t bat for 10 overs at full intensity. He will step in based on the game’s demands,” Fleming explained at the post-match press conference.

The CSK coach reiterated that Dhoni remains too valuable to the team for his leadership and wicketkeeping and that sending him in too early could be a strategic misstep.

“From around the 13th or 14th over, he assesses the situation and decides. He trusts other batters early on but steps up when needed.”

CSK’s Struggles in the Powerplay Cost Them the Match

Fleming also pinpointed CSK’s poor powerplay performance as a key reason for their loss against Rajasthan Royals. While RR blasted 79/1 in the powerplay, CSK only managed 42/1,

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